'Two weeks ago...
'Two weeks ago Melissa got shot by a greedy Conrad Bennish, Jr. I thought I almost lost her. For a second, I thought the incident brought us closer. Instead, she seems to have withdrawn from everybody.
'Professor Brown seems to be the same way. While his voice has come back, the words that come out are gibberish for the most part. The nanotechs in his system have finally started on their last phase. If I do not break their code soon...
'Kat seems to be the best adjusted of all of us. I find that funny since she was so shy and easily frightened when she first started sliding. Being without Richard, she continues to follow her own path.
'And then there's me. A seer, Cassandra, warned me of my death if I tried to go home. Something I won't do as long as the Foundation is out there ready to rid my world of sliding tech.
'Will I die if...

"Randy!"
Randy looked down from the wall he sat on. Kat headed through the crowd of brown-robed people with turbans and hoods. She and Melissa had gone into the city to explore while he and Professor Brown sat near this unfinished wall.
"We found a room," Kat said. "We best get out of sight. While English speakers are able, they are little more than second class citizens to people who speak Serf."
Randy frowned. "Serf?"
"Kinda Arabic...but nae."
Randy looked over at Professor Brown. He sat in his wheelchair at the end of the wall. His stare was off into the crowd, but Randy knew his mind was elsewhere.
"Professor," Randy said, heading for him, "It's time to-"
The air dissolved in front of him. A green vortex formed in the air. Two figures emerged in black-clad suits. Randy had no time to react as one jumped him.
Randy fell to the ground with the man on him. The man pulled out an electrical pole and aimed. Randy threw up his hands to guard himself.
A laser tore through the man's chest. He groaned before he fell on Randy. Randy pushed the body off to see his rescuer. His eyes wiped in shock.
"What are you doing here, Randall?"
Randall stood above him with a laser in his hand. He was dressed in brown robes like the rest of the crowd. Even in that robe, Randy still recognized his double from the dark slider world. His goateed grin was full of cockiness.
"Saving your behind," Randall said, holding out his hand. "Come on. The Foundation's found you."

I FOUND THE GATEWAY! I FOUND A WAY TO TRAVEL BETWEEN WORLDS. WHERE IT'S THE SAME TIME, SAME PLACE, DIFFERENT DIMENSION. FOR TWO YEARS, MY FRIENDS AND I SEARCHED FOR HOME. OUR ENEMIES ARE CLOSING IN...NOW THE QUESTION IS...DO WE GO HOME?

SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 3
EPISODE 15: PHOENIX RISING

Melissa Clark leaned against the wall next to the tall bamboo-leaved plant. With arms over her chest, she watched the people in their brown robes go about their business. Their mouths opened to each other, their tongues speaking in a language she did not know.
Something dodged past her quickly. Melissa flinched, but sighted in relief at the sight of the little boy running to his mother. She held the boy close to her. The sight made Melissa think of her own mother and her...
Melissa caught herself. THEIR Melissa was the one who got along with her family. SHE rebelled against her family. and ran off. She became her world's deadliest mailopath, destroying mailboxes as she saw fit.
Her hand automatically went to her stomach. A gunshot brought the memories back to her. Her life. Her world. Her first encounter with these...sliders. Joining the crazy lady, Logan St. Clair, and sliding after them. Ending up on that outpost world for sliders and almost meeting her death. Then Mr. Stone...
Melissa frowned. She couldn't remember that...yet. Was that a good thing....or bad?
A shout got Melissa's attention. Two brown-robed men stood between the mother and her child. A tanned bread man stood before the child. He wore a turban as well as a purple robe with a brown shawl over it. He bent down and smiled at the child. The mother yelled at him, but was blocked by the guards.
"Hey!" Melissa snapped. "Leave her alone!"
The mother stared at Melissa in shock. So did the guards. The turban man stared at the child.
"This," he said, "does not concern you, dirty one."
Melissa crossed her arms over her chest again. "When someone stands between a mother and child, it becomes my business, buster!"
"No one speaks to you," the mother snapped in broken English. "Away!"
Melissa felt her jaw drop. The man smiled.
"Yes, Rebekah understands how our world works," the man said. "She knows the law...and follows it. You...obviously a dirty one for knowing English...do not. I will educate." He held out a hand to the child as he stared at the mother. "A child born out of wedlock...or not born to his guardian...enters indentured servitude until they are of age to become a member of the Egarab society."
The child took the man's hand. Melissa looked as the woman looked down at her feet in defeat. The man smiled and headed for the door. The guards were right behind him.
"Are you-" Melissa started.
"Away!" the woman snapped. "Eban...not my son, but...his own good. You...run. Others come back for you."
The woman stormed back into the crowd. Melissa looked around the room. She was starting to get glares. A hand touched her shoulder. She jumped in surprise.
"Are you all right?" Kat asked.
"Uh...yeah," Melissa said. "Where are-"
"It's a long story," Kat said. "I will explain on the way."

Randy shot up from the couch. "That's impossible! I cloaked us from them."
"They are not following your activity now," Randall said. "They are following objects in space-time. So an unidentified object could be...in theory...yourself."
"And you?"
Randy stared at the other beanbag on the floor. Brown glared at Randall from it. Randall smirked.
"Yes, I have been tracking you since you left my world," Randall said. "And look at you...how ever will you get Eve now?"
Brown balled his hands into fist.
"You obviously did not come here to only tell me that," Randy said, moving to block Brown from Randall. "There's something else."
"You are getting quite better at this," Randall said. He sighted. "Fine. It turns out we had information that no one else has...information the Foundation wanted...namely Oberon Geiger's notes on combining universes."
"Why?" Randy asked.
"You know the damage that can be done with a combine machine, Heim," His double replied. "Or must I remind you?"
Randy nodded. He knew all too well.
"After his men got the information, they were to kill us all," Randall continued, "so no one would know."
"Obvious-ly," Brown managed.
Randall glared at him.
"Does he have this information?" Randy asked.
"From Sarah, of course," Randall said. "Last thing she did...all to up our game."
"Not...a game!" Brown spit out.
Before Randy could stop him, Brown pulled himself onto his wheelchair. Then he headed for the door.
"Professor, wait!" Randy yelled.
"No!" Brown snapped. "All a game...to him! Dangerous!"
He slammed the door behind him.
"They also want you dead," Randall continued. "Your...very interesting vortex device makes you a liability to them. If you should fall into an enemy's hands...or show others..."
"I would never do that," Randy protested.
"Really?" Randall continued.
Randy glared at Randall. That got a smirk out of his double.
"You continue to impress me," Randall said. "This should be fun."
Randy frowned. "This?"
The door opened. Randy turned around to see Kat and Melissa walk in. His eyes met Melissa's eyes for a second. She appeared upset.
"Are you okay?" Randy asked.
"Yeah," Melissa said.
"There might be a bit of trouble," Kat said.
"If that was true, we would have been followed," Melissa said. "We're good."
"Are you sure?" Kat asked.
"I see you two get along greatly," Randall commented.
Melissa's eyes narrowed on Randall. "What is he doing here? Are Eve and the others-"
"Safe on my homeworld," Randall cut her off. "I'm here to help."
Melissa corked an eyebrow.
"The Foundation's on to us," Randy explained. "Randall's been tracking us so he came to warn us. He found-"
Melissa's eyes widened. She turned toward the door.
"Melissa-" Randy started.
"I have to go," Melissa said.
"But-" Randy said.
"Sorry, Egghead...I mean...I'm sorry," Melissa muttered. She headed out the door without another word.
"What is going on?" Randy asked Kat.
Kat shrugged her shoulders. "I dinna know. Something's going on."
"Looks like she has an agenda to me," Randall commented.
Kat crossed her words over her chest. "And you dinnae?" She looked at Randy. "How long do we have to deal wi' him?"
"A while," Randall said. "You see...I...am not going anywhere. In fact, I'm sliding out with you."
Randy narrowed his eyes on him. "What?"

Brown could not get the frown off his face. The idea of them being followed by the dark sliders bugged him. Then again Randall bugged him. What Eve saw in such an insuffer-insuff-terrible man was...beyond him.
Brown felt his temper get worse. His disease had already changed him physically. Now it was attacking him mentally.
"Last thing I ne-" Brown started to say.
Something moved to his right. It hit Brown on his side, causing the wheelchair to fall over. Brown's face hit the sandy ground. Pain hit his left cheek. Brown fought the urge to scream and pushed his body up to face his attacker.
He glared at Brown. It was a tanned-colored boy. Brown was sure he must be twelve. he wore a robe like everyone here. He yelled at Brown in a weird language.
"You bumped into me, boy!" Brown snapped.
The boy's eyes widened at the sound of Brown's words. It lasted a moment as the boy's eyes narrowed back into a glare.
"Is it not wrong for your kind to know that language?" the boy demanded.
"Kenan!"
Brown looked away from the boy. A light-skinned woman headed for the two of them. She wore a blue robe as she kneeled next to the boy, her face the look of a concerned parent.
She started to speak in the different language. The boy snapped back at her and gestured.
"He did?" she managed, her eyes turning to Brown.
She backed away, murmuring what sounded like a prayer to Brown. She bowed her head a little to him. Words flew out of her mouth. Brown frowned.
"Is that...an apology?" Brown asked.
The woman snapped up as if slapped, her blond hair tossing in surprise. "He speaks the tongue."
"That is what I say," the boy said.
"How can that be, Kenan?" the woman asked.
"I do not know, Kera," Kenan said. "We need to-"
A yell sounded through the air. Brown saw the crowd make wave for a crowd of men dressed in purple robes. In their hands were spears. One of the men had a brown shawl and held up a hand and yelled in a language Brown did not understand. In the center of the crowd was a tanned woman in a white robe. Her black hair fit neatly to her right shoulder. Her dark eyes fell on Brown and widened in what appeared to be shock. She dotted for him.
Brown flinched as the woman's hands held his cheeks. Words flew out of her mouth at a fast pace. Brown knew not what to say.
"I...don't-" Brown started.
The woman backed away as if she had been slapped. She muttered something that Brown thought was a prayer.
Kera shot up. "My apologies, Priestess Ava, but-"
The woman's eyes dotted to Kera. Her dark eyes narrowed on her.
"No one is speaking to you, low one," the woman snapped. "Be away from the Ambassador with your dirty presence."
"It's not her fault!" Kenan yelled.
Ava gasped. "How dare you, cur! Shando!"
The man with the shawl stepped forward. Before Brown could react, Shando snatched Kenan up and pinned him to the wall. His spear was posed at Kenan's throat.
Brown looked around the street. People walked around, oblivious to what was going on. Shando pulled back on his arm, readying his arm to strike.
"Halt!" Brown screamed.
Shando paused. His eyes stared over at Brown. Then he looked at Ava. His expression was confused.
Brown moved himself over to his wheelchair. As he climbed back into it, Brown noticed something else. Not only had Shando stopped, but everyone had. On-lookers in their brown robes stared at the scene now. Some looked on with interest. Most appeared afraid to move.
Brown focused on Ava. His eyes narrowed on her.
"Am I...in charge?" Brown demanded.
Ava nodded. "Of course. Why are you speaking in their tongue?"
"Why are you questioning me?" Brown demanded.
Whispers shot through the crowd. Brown looked at the crowd. The noise stopped instantly.
"I would never question the human agent of our god, sir," Ava stuttered, "but-"
"Unhand the boy," Brown said coldly.
Shando moved away from Kenan. Ava frowned at Brown.
"I am your servant, my lord," Ava said, "but he caused your...condition."
"He..." Brown started and stopped.
His eyes widened. His voice was trying to leave him again. Now was the wrong time.
"Bring...them," Brown barked out.
The guards grabbed Kera and Kenan. Ava gestured to Shando. He walked over to Brown. The guards started their march down the street again. Shando pushed Brown in his wheelchair behind them. Ava walked beside him.
"I assume speaking in their tongue is part of the test," Ava said. "Very well, my lord. you will see that I am...worthy to join our lord Osiris in the afterlife."
Brown only nodded. His voice had given out completely. He only hoped that it came back. He also hoped the others found him.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Melissa mumbled to herself.
She turned the corner on the street, wishing that her robe had pockets.
The Foundation was on to them. If what Egghead's double said was true, were they on to her?
Melissa frowned. Egghead. She was now calling Randy what she had when she first crossed paths with their group. That meant her memory continued to become clearer.
A yell got Melissa's attention. She looked behind her to see two men running toward her. In the distance, Melissa made out her breaded man from earlier.
Melissa's leg tripped on something. She went flying, landing on two robbed men. She ignored the curses from under her and turned around. The two men were gaining. The crowd parting for them wasn't helping, either.
She looked forward. Two more men with spears headed for her.
Melissa looked around her. Eyes were all on her. F ear grew inside her, triggering a thought. Another memory,. Her world. Shoplifting in the mall with her friend Lauren. They had been cornered. Surrounded. She had...
A smile crept on her face. Melissa shot up quickly. She ran to her left. From the corner of her eyes, she saw the men changed their direction. The crowd was in too much shock to part for them, slowing the men down. Melissa smirked.
Melissa made it to the wall. The wall was made of some kind of...grin...she thought. Melissa saw holes in it though. She grabbed the wall and started to climb.
It wasn't an escalator like in the mall, but it would do. She also did not have Lauren holding her back. She made it out. Lauren didn't.
Melissa made it to the roof. She looked down at the breaded man and his men. She smiled.
"Better luck next time, boys!" Melissa yelled.

Randy felt a presence in the room. His eyes opened and he shot up, ready to attack. He paused. His eyes narrowed.
"What is it, Randall?" Randy demanded.
Randall leaned against the wall in the shadows. Randy was sure there was a grin on his face.
"Nothing," Randall said. "Just admiring myself. I recall that you were a lot more...shy. There is an edge to you."
"Well...people change," Randy replied.
"Couldn't agree more," his double said. "Now we have to speed that up."
Randy laughed. "So that's it! This is a game!"
"What I want," Randall said, coming out of the shadows, "is for this Foundation to be stopped. I need an intelligent soldier watching my back." He grinned. "Who better to do that than my double?"
Randy crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm nothing like you."
Randall corked an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" His eyes narrowed. "You think me heartless? I'm not the one who drop a one-way-ticket-to-a-vortex bomb on innocent people. And let's be honest: their only crime was protecting their world from self-righteous sliders like you who want to change their world."
"Their world wasn't right!"
"By whom's standards? Yours? You're not God...yet anyway."
"As if you don't toy with others' worlds?"
"We play games...but we do it within the rules of each world's society. We don't add rules or overthrow governments like...oh, yeah...YOU!"
Randy felt his arms leave his chest. His hands balled up into fists.
Randall nod. "Anger. Good. You will need it. The endgame is coming. Emotions will not win it. However, with our combined intelligence..."
"I will never turn into you," Randy spit out.
Randall shook his head. He headed for the bedroom door. He opened it, but paused.
"You are the one who killed your friend with that weapon," Randall said, "In your attempt to solve the Foundations' presence. Like it could be solve by equation. Maybe you're more like me than you think."
Randall shut the door. Randy stared at it for a while. His double's words sunk in like fingers in his gut.
How alike were they?

"Ho...Hos...Hospital," Brown said. "Stable. Spoon."
Brown smiled into the mirror. After some rest, Brown's voice had returned. His smile left his face. He had no idea when it would leave again...or if it would come back.
Brown opened the bathroom door and wheeled himself out into the commune area of his room. It was as large as a convenience store. The center of the room had a light brown circular couch in it. Brown ignored the guards who stood in each of the corners and looked at his guest.
Kenan looked around at the vast space in the room. Anger etch-etch-was in his face.
"Kenan," Brown said.
"Make them leave," Kenan whispered, gesturing to the guards.
Brown pointed at each guard. Then he pointed to the door. As the guards headed to the door, Brown marveled at the power of his double. Was there anything he couldn't do?
Brown looked from the guards to Kenan. Kenan stood up and walked toward Brown. His hand swung out, slapping Brown across the face.
"They killed Kera!" Kenan yelled. "You and your kind killed my only parent figure."
"I'm sorry, but-" Brown started.
"'Sorry' will not give Kera back her physical life," Kenan spit out. "With her gone, they will put me into servitude. Making me...into a little servant."
"What do you mean?" Brown asked.
Kenan frowned. "Is this part of your test for Priestess Ava?"
"Humor me," Brown replied.
"English-speaking people...and kids born out of wedlock...are treated like less than dirt. If you are not a speaking member of the Egarab society, you are nothing. I guess I should be happy. I'm not dead since we low-life kids are usually killed or make our life on the street...with an adult sympathizer helping out."
Brown felt his jaw drop. "That's...harsh."
Kenan headed for the nearest window. "Well...life here has been harsh since Egypt rose up...according to Kera. All I know...life has never been easy." Kenan looked at Brown. "Learning the language enough to get by. Stealing and hiding. Kera made it better and now she's dead!"
"I will take care of it," Brown said.
"What can you do?" Kenan asked. "What will happen when you are unavailable because you are on a trap? Priestess Ava will have me killed because you are not my father."
Brown said nothing. What would he do?

Kat sighed in frustration. She was about ready to head back to the room. Neither Brown or Melissa had been there this morning. Randy stayed in to keep tabs on his double. That left her to look.
The English-speaking section of town was made up of run-down buildings. Kat could make out the peering paint. She saw the people in robes more ragged than their non-English speaking contemporaries. It made her wonder how they could let themselves end up like this. Something like a lot of thunder reached Kat's ears causing her to pause. She looked up at the sky. It was clear. She kept walking.
Kat made out singing now. It was a woman with a lovely voice she thought. She turned a corner and saw a large tent at what appeared to be a dead end. A single black man in a robe stood at the door he nodded at Kat as she walked into it.
Several people sat in various groups on wooden benches. Their hands were in the air clapping. Kat looked at the stage and gasped.
Melissa was on it. She was singing. She stopped for a second due to the clapping. She bowed.
Kat headed out of the tent. That was too much. As Kat made it out of the alley, a hand touched her shoulder. She turned around to see Melissa. She smiled at Kat.
"What? No hi?" Melissa asked.
"No," Kat said. "I am sure the others will feel the same."
"What-" Melissa started.
Kat didn't want to hear it. "Nice try. All innocence." She narrowed her eyes. "I have chatted wi' the Professor often." She glared. "Melissa canna sing so who are ye and where is she?"

Randy stared over Doctor Dru's notes. Since he felt uncomfortable leaving his double alone, he stayed here while Kat went to look for the others. That allowed him also to look over Dru's notes she made when she had Professor brown as her project on that evolved world. She had said she was close to a cure. Randy continued to look at the notes. He could not make heads or tails of them. And if he couldn't...
"Hmmm...so that's how the nanotechs vector...impressive."
Randy jumped off the couch. Randall stood behind it with a smirk on his face.
"So you're rude now?" Randy asked.
"Me...no," Randall replied. "However, I wanted to see what project you was working on. A cure for the Professor perhaps?"
Randy must have frowned. His double laughed.
"How much longer does he have anyway?" Randall asked.
"None of your business," Randy spit out.
"Must be close for you to have that tone."
"Why are you interested?"
"Well, I studied a lot at the academy so nanotechnology isn't Greek to me."
"So you could help?"
Randall laughed. "Me? Help him? Not likely."
"You could make yourself useful," Randy spit out, his anger growing.
"Don't worry," Randall said. "I will. Brown is just dead weight. Soon he'll be just-"
Randy jumped off the couch. He grabbed Randall by the throat. Randall gasped in surprise. Then he grinned.
"Yes," he managed. "That side of you...will do."
Before Randy could reply, the sound of bells sounded through the air. Randy stared at the window where the sound came again. He released Randall and headed to the window.
The crowd of robed people had made room in the road for a parade. At the front of it was men dressed in yellow robes. They held spears in their hands as they marched down the street. They were followed by women dressed in thin robes that danced. Behind them were what Randy would see was fire-eaters. Jugglers came after them. Then elephants moved down the street, forming the end of the parade. There were open tents on their backs. Randy could make out people. One caught his eye quickly.
"Professor?" Randy mumbled.

Brown looked down from the decorated tent he was in as he sat on the elephant. Along the sides were the bell-ringers. He thought that they must have had a lot of practice to pull this off without an elephant stepping on them.
Brown looked away from the bell-ringers. His eyes fell on the crowd. He was growing used to seeing people in brown robes. What he did not like was the few people he had who were ignored in the crowd dressed in tattered rags.
"Are the people not worthy?"
Brown turned to his right. Ava sat next to him. She had switched her white robe for what Brown basically saw as a bikini with a long skirt. She smiled at him.
"Time...will tell," Brown said.
"Why this tongue, my lord?" Ava asked. "While I am one not to question Ra's human vessel on this world, he is the one who dislike this evil tongue. It was the English ones who enslaved his people. Their death cries reached him, and his heart responded. His family...the family you descend from...caused our transformation as we threw off our chains and returned to the amount of power Egypt once had under the mighty Cleopatra."
Ra...works in ways you cannot...hope to understand," Brown replied, hoping that answer would work.
Ava frowned. "No offense meant, my lord...but...I understand enough. I...a woman....rose through the ranks...studied hard at the academy...fought on the plains...all in order to get close to Ra. to lead our people here in the Americas as you lead in the mother country. I hope you see that I am ready to be joined to Ra...completely."
Brown said nothing. He thought back to his old studies in religious counterculture. Her words were firm. However, her eyes were crazed.
"Now that we...have talked of...hist-hist-the past," Brown said, catching his words, "maybe we can talk about these...English ones."
"What of them?" Ava asked.
"Why not convert them?" Brown asked.
"But we do," Ava answered. "The young are taken and taught our ways. The old are discarded."
"Taught our ways? Don't you mean enslaved....very much like our people?"
"No!" Ava snapped. She paused and looked down. "I am...I apologize."
"No need," Brown replied. "I just...believe more could be done."
"What do you-"
"No questions!" Brown snapped. "See...enough!"
Ava yelled out a word in her native tongue. The parade turned a corner back toward the palace. Brown smiled. He could tell his voice was about to leave again. Hopefully it'll hold up before he got back to Kenan.

Kat groaned. There was an ache in the back of her head. She reached for it. then she realized she could not move. Her eyes opened instantly.
She was in a chair. She looked down to see her arms and legs were tied to the chair. She also saw that she only had a bra and underwear on. She looked around the room for her robe.
The room was brown-walled with old posters littering it. She made out a mini-kitchen in front of her with a small counter. Standing next to it was a bearded man dressed in a robe with a black vest. He gave money to a dark-haired woman. As the woman tossed her hair, Kat saw her face and gasped. It was Melissa.
Kat's eyes widened as her memory came back to her. She knew this was not the real Melissa. She confronted her with the truth. She turned away from Melissa. The rest was black. Melissa must have knocked her out.
"Look who's up!"
Kat narrowed her eyes. the man with Melissa crossed behind her and headed for Kat.
"I do not need her up...yet," the man said to Melissa.
"Don't worry, Ashtar," Melissa said. "She'll be fine and ready for your clients."
Kat frowned. "Clients?"
"Yes," Ashtar said. "Melissa tells me you are quite good at your work. Sorry for tying you up, but she said you were drunk."
"Liar!" Kat said.
"See!" Melissa exclaimed. "She must still be drunk. She's normally not like this. She gets the men, pleasures them, and we split our profits."
"Pleasures?" Kat muttered. "Are ye daft? Did ye tell 'im I...was a...hooker?"
"You did not tell me she had an accent," Ashtar commented.
"Is that a problem?" Melissa asked.
"No."
Melissa smiled. "Good. Then I will take my leave. Later, sweet Katherine. I am sorry we could not work it out."
"I will get you for this," Kat said.
"That would require...violence," Melissa said as she headed to the door. "You don't do that, little kitten."
Kat watched Melissa close the door behind her. Her eyes narrowed on it, causing a string of her blond hair to fall. She had to stop this impostor before she did anything to the others.
"I think," Ashtar said, pulling out a syringe, "that you should rest."
Kat screamed. Ashtar's hand flew out, hitting her in the lip. Before Kat could recover, Ashtar had injected the syringe into her arm.
"Good workers," Ashtar said, "are silent."
Kat felt her eyes grow heavy. She tried to keep them open but it felt like irons were on them. Everything went black.

Brown came out of the bathroom. Kenan was nowhere in the living room.
"Kenan?" Brown said.
"Out here."
Brown wheeled himself out to the balcony. Kenan sat shirtless on the floor. His eyes were close, causing Brown to frown.
"Meditation?" Brown muttered.
"Surprised?" Kenan asked with his eyes closed.
"For a rough child, yes I am," Brown replied. He stared at Kenan's back. Under his left shoulder was the tattoo of a bird. "And I'm surprised a child your age has a tattoo."
Kenan opened his eyes. Brown saw his brown eyes darken.
"I have had it all my life," Kenan said. "Kera...she always said it was...important, but never told me why." He stood up, grabbing his shirt off the ground. "Phoenix."
"Ah...yes," Brown said. "The mythic bird said to raise from its ashes."
Kenan leaned against the railing.
"I never understood that," Kenan said. "I always had to live by my...smarts. Same life. What is phoenix about me?"
Brown wheeled himself over to the balcony. Kenan's eyes looked out on the city. the gaze in them was of someone whom mind was far away.
"Every child has to leave childhood behind some day," Brown said. "From the ashes of that, a...almost completely different person em-em-happens. Maybe that is what your parents meant."
"I do not believe that."
"You do-do-don't know-"
"And you do!" Kenan snapped, his eyes full of anger. "Look around, my lord. The English-speaking citizens are treated like less than dirt. Forced to live in bad situations. Kids like me are forced into slavery. I was lucky. I had myself...and Kera. Now I have nothing."
Brown touched Kenan's shoulder. Kenan stiffened up for a second. After a moment, he relaxed. Brown pulled him into a hug. He remembered being that anger once. His father was no good, living only for his drink and his scams. He thought he had his uncle Rembrandt, but then he vanished. Brown knew the pain of being alone. He would not leave that loneliness on anyone.
"By Ra!"
Brown pulled away from Kenan in time to see Ava in the doorway. Her eyes were wide in shock. They quickly narrowed in anger.
She shouted over her shoulder. Then she lunged at Kenan. Her right hand closed over his throat.
"You cur!" Ava hissed. "How dare you pollute our lord!"
"Let me go," Kenan spit out.
"Ava!" Brown yelled.
Footsteps grabbed Brown's attention. He looked at the balcony doors in time to see guards storm into the living room. They headed for them like an avalanche.
"Halt!" Brown snapped at the guards.
Amusingly the guards paused in their steps. Brown fought back the urge to smile. He turned him attention to Ava.
Kenan grabbed Ava's hand on his throat. His hands tightened on it, causing it to release. Ava's left hand shot out, like a snake in strike. Kenan deflected the hand and pushed her away. Ava flew into the wall. She glared at the boy.
"You dare?" Ava snapped.
"Ava," Brown said.
"I am sorry, my lord," Ava said. "His presence pollutes this place. Ra forgive me. I cannot allow it. Guards."
"No!" Brown snapped. "As your am-in charge, you will-"
Kenan dotted past Brown. Ava lunged at him. She grabbed him by the shoulders. Then she gasped.
"It...it cannot be," Ava muttered.
Ava kneeled in front of Kenan. Brown's eyes widened as he saw the guards kneel as well. Kenan stared at him, his eyes searching for guidance.
What was going on?

Randall stared into the statuscope. it was a device he created for his group of sliders. It allowed instant information about an assortment of things about the alternate worlds they encountered. It cross-referenced quantum signatures. Finally, it allowed him a connection to his homeworld...as he smiled at the dark-haired woman on the screen.
"It's good to see you made contact, Randall," the woman said.
"It's better to see you, Eve," Randall said. "No trouble from the Foundation?"
Eve shook her head. "None. You made it safely out. Eric and Peter are still trying to ponder what the Foundation wanted with the data they stole."
"Is it not obvious?" Randall asked as he leaned back on the couch. "They intend on using it. To stop us all from crossing."
Eve rolled her eyes. "Not everyone cross to different worlds to mess up its culture. Some of us like to explore the worlds."
"Not everyone is us," Randall replied.
"How's Darnell?"
Randall frowned. "Your ex-boy toy is fine."
Eve smiled. "Now, Randall, do not be cross. All part of the game."
Randall glared at the statuscope. "And maybe it is not a game. Maybe...you like the savage."
Eve went stone-faced. "Maybe." She smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Perhaps your husband would."
Randall heard the door open. "I will contact you in a few worlds."
The screen went blank without Eve saying another word. He frowned at it. While Eve and he have had little quarrels, she had taken it with a smile.
Randall looked over at the door. Melissa slammed the door. Her eyes glared at him.
"Good to see you, too, Clark," Randall said. "Is Miss Rye with you?"
"As if you care," Melissa replied.
Randall shrugged his shoulders. "You are right. I do not...for now."
Melissa's eyes widened in shock for a second.
"Melissa, there you are!"
Randall watched as Randy came out of his room. He stormed over to Melissa and touched her shoulder. Melissa moved away. He knew that she had been different since the last time he saw Melissa Clark, but his alternate had always found a way to get close to her. This exchange could be useful.
"I'm fine," Melissa said.
"Is Kat with you?" Randy asked.
"I...sent her ahead to get the Professor," Melissa said. "Isn't it almost time for the slide?"
"Yeah," Randy said. "We know where the Professor is? Come on."
"Yeah...uh...go, team," Randall said, sitting up off the couch.
Randy and Melissa glared at him.
"So will you two glare at me, or are we getting your dear Professor?" Randall asked.

Kat struggled with her binds. The ropes bit into her arms, causing her to bit down on her tongue to keep from screaming. Finally, she gave up.
Before sliding, Kat was used to being taken care of. Her father sheltered her. After sliding, Richard was there to protect her. Now she was alone.
A creak got Kat's attention. Somewhere in this house, a door had opened. She made out two voices. It wasn't long before the owner of voices came into view.
Ashtar came into view. He was followed by a long dark-haired man in a yellow robe. He spoke to Ashtar in Serf for a moment. Ashtar threw out a sentence in Serf as well. The stranger stared at Kat and smiled. Kat stared at the yellow teeth and shivered.
"Please...let me go," Kat said. "That girl...is a liar. She has me here against my will."
"Still tipsy, I see," Ashtar said. "Will that be a problem, Tokah?"
The stranger looked at Ashtar. "Not for what I need her for."
Kat felt a wave of nausea wash over her. This could not be happening. This...thing could not mean to have sex with her against her wish.
Tokah approached Kat slowly. Kat's body shook as she struggled with her binds. Tokah took no mind of it as he shed his robe.
Kat gasped. Then she fainted.

"I thought you said she was exquisite," Tokah asked.
"I did," Ashtar said, his eyes on the bathroom door. "I also said she was tipsy."
"Perhaps," Tokah said. His eyes narrowed on Ashtar. "Or...she was drugged."
"That is a very serious accusation," Ashtar said.
"She had no pulse," Tokah said. "I take my leave."
"And leave me with the body?" Ashtar demanded. "You paid. You...at least...help."
"Fine."
He opened the bathroom door. Ashtar looked in. The body was no longer in the tub.
"Where-" Ashtar started.
His eyes fell on the window. Wind blew through it.

"Excuse me."
The guard turned to look. His face met Randy's fist. He fell to the floor.
"Well...I'm impressed."
Melissa walked over the body and headed down the hall. Randy watched her for a second. He couldn't believe it was a compliment.
Randall stood beside him, his laser in his left hand. The statuscope was in his right one. He stared at Randy.
"I agree," Randall said.
Randy glared at him. The idea of having to be around an annoying double of himself was not something he wanted.
"In any case," Randall continued, "this is the door."
Randy stared at the sandy-looking double doors with hieroglyphics on it. His right hand tightened on his sword. Who knew what torture the Professor was going through.
"We don't have much time," Melissa said. She stared at Randy. "Would you like to do the honors?"
Randy smiled. "Certainly."
Randy walked up to the door. He raised one leg and kicked it open. He dotted in, determined to hit the first thing he saw.
He paused.
Brown stood with a woman. Randy recognized her as the woman from the parade. Their heads were bowed before a throne. On the throne was a boy. He was dressed in a purplish red robe. It extended just in front of where Professor Brown and the woman were. A pendant hanged from his neck shaped like a bird.
"Curs!" the woman hissed.
"Defilers!" the boy snapped.
"You!"
Randy turned around. Several guards had snuck up behind them. One of them glared at Melissa.
"They are dirt, my lord," the guard said. "They go against your laws. This one-"
"Liar!" Melissa snapped.
"I'll show-"
A red light sliced through the guard's chest. He groaned and fell to the ground. Randy stared at Randall, his laser smoking.
"Oops," Randall said.
"You!" the woman said. "You are the one responsible for the weird occurrence the other day. Seize him."
"No!" Brown barked. "Kenan!"
The boy said something to the guards. They backed away from Melissa and Randall. The woman stared at Brown and Kenan in shock.
"They speak the tongue," the woman said. "They have devices that a god should have. How can you protect them?"
"Ava," Kenan said, "if you value your place in the afterlife...be silent."

Brown smiled as he watched Kenan talk with Ava. She nodded with a complaint. He was like some kid from those old rags-to-riches movies.
"What are you smiling about?"
Brown looked up at Randy. "Happy endings. Love them."
"Yeah," Randy agreed. "You know you'll leaving him, right?
"Yeah," Brown said. "I think it would be best if we slide out in...some nearby room."
"I'll wait outside for you," Randy said as he headed for the door. He paused. "Have you seen-"
"Darnell Brown."
Kenan stood in front of Brown. He managed a smile.
"That's a first," Brown said.
Kenan frowned. "What is that...meaning?"
"Expression," Brown answered. He smiled. "Well, this is...amu-am-amusing. Lost royalty. Nice birthmark."
"Yes," Kenan said. He looked down at his feet. "I have you to give thanks to for this. I am grateful. If only, Kera was...she would be proud."
"Continue to make her proud," Brown said. "It is time...I leave."
Kenan frowned again. "Why?"
"You do not need me."
"Yes, I do."
"Ava...misguided or not...still...is a good adviser," Brown said. "Trust her."
Kenan nodded and touched Brown's shoulder. "Safe journey."
Brown grabbed Kenan in a hug. "You as well."
Brown pulled away. He stared at Kenan for a moment. He focused on his face. Whether he lived or died, he wanted to remember this moment when he helped a runaway head to greatness.
Randy stood in the door as Brown wheeled himself to it. Randy's face was wrinkled up. Obviously, something was wrong.
"Mr. Heim-" Brown started.
"Have you seen Kat?" Randy asked.

Melissa headed back down the hall. Randall and she had found a room. Like her, he was ready to leave. She smirked. Like her, he probably had a secret, too.
Randy and Brown were still in the prince's doorway talking. All she had to do was-
A shadow crossed her path. Melissa gasped.
"What, Melissa? No hi?," Kat said, her eyes narrowing on Melissa.
"Uh...Kat...hi," Melissa said, looking over at Randy and Brown to see if they noticed.
"Nah uh, Melissa," Kat said, inching closer to Melissa. "Nae need tae involve the boys. This is girl talk."
"Listen, Kat," Melissa said. "I can explain."
"Liar," Kat snapped. "Ye workin' for 'em. I was right. Ye're a spy."
"No," Melissa protested. "I've been tricked...same as you. I was brainwashed by Mr. Stone."
"For?"
"I don't remember...yet," Melissa said. "But give me time and-"
Kat glared. "Like ye gave me?"
"Kat, there you are!"
Melissa looked over at Kat's shoulder. Randy and Professor Brown stared at them. Brown frowned.
"What's going on?" Brown demanded.
Melissa stared at Kat. Her face was blank. Melissa felt stupid. Surely she could find a way-
"Naething," Kat answered. "Let's nae miss the slide."

Kenan stared down at the people. He had been one of them once. Now he would be able to help his people.
"What is this, Ava?" a familiar voice demanded in perfect Serf.
Kenan turned away from the balcony. Standing in the doorway with several robed guards was Darnell Brown. He was not in a wheelchair though. He stood on his two armored feet. His eyes narrowed on Kenan and Ava as light shined on his bald head.
"By Ra!" Ava exclaimed. She stared at Kenan. "But that means..."

The vortex opened. It was sad to leave Kenan behind, but Brown knew he had did the right thing. He would help the people of that world.
Brown flew out of the vortex...
...and into very freezing water.
He tried to stay afloat but the wild winds tossed the water into his face.
Before Brown could react, his wheelchair fell away. Brown saw nothing around him, but water. And then...he started to sink.

THE-END


 

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