Date: 08/19/2001
From: SouthernSlider

Surprise, surprise, surprise! You're getting this chapter on Sunday night instead of Monday morning, because I won't be around tomorrow. And since I've been too sporadic with this already, I thought I should get this one posted without any more delays.

Thanks DMD, for keeping me from 3 in a row. That would have been too many.

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Chapter Twenty-three

Quinn heard the faint hum of a machine start up as he moved down the corridor. His heart skipped a beat.

“Professor?”

“Someone has activated one of the time machines.”

Spinning around and heading for the sound, he left the Professor and Bert in the dust. “Damn! Remmy, please don’t do anything stupid.”

He stopped at Door #1, but discovered it locked as he grabbed the handle and pushed.

“You have to have an authorization card to get in once someone has activated the time machine.” He received a frown from Quinn, then continued. “They did it to keep
relatives from coming in at the last second to intervene. There were a few inopportune interruptions. The machine sent both parties back in time, instead of only the one who
wanted to go. We're not sure how that affected them when they arrived at their destination -- if they did arrive.”

Quinn rolled his eyes at the man. He was on the verge of criticizing the whole process when his own inadequacies reared their ugly heads, nipping at his consciousness
and reminding him of his own stupid moves. He heard the words ‘in the beginning’, and knew he had no right to say a word. A frustrated urge surfaced causing him to bang the
door with his fist.

“That will certainly get you nowhere, Mr. Mallory. We’ll have to get authorization.”

“Well, do it!” he yelled impatiently. Seeing the indignant scowl on the professor’s face, he knew he had spoken too harshly, but time was of the essence. “Sorry,
professor, but we have to hurry.”

The professor snorted his acceptance of the apology and turned to Bert. “Run get Mr. Austin. Tell him we need an authorization card for Room One.” Bert took off.
“And be quick about it!” He gave the last instruction almost as roughly as Quinn had spoken to him.

Quinn placed his ear against the door; the roaring continued. “Remmy! Remmy, don’t do it!” He yelled and banged his fists with urgency. “Stop the machine! You can’t do this!”

No reply.

“It looks as if your friend doesn’t agree with you, Mr. Mallory. The lass must be very important to him.”

“She’s important to all of us, but I’m the only one whose life should be ruined in order to rescue her.” His words were almost a whisper.

“Mr. Mallory, really . . .”

Professor Arturo turned at the clatter of footsteps coming toward them. He saw the entire entourage beating a path down the hallway, Jim Austin in the lead with an
authorization card held high in the air.

“Are you sure it’s your man in there?” he said with shortened breath when he reached them.

“No, but we’re not sure it’s not. No one’s answering. But we have to find out. Put the card in!” His impatience made his voice boom.

Jim Austin slipped the card in the slot; the words ENTER CODE flashed bright red. His fingers touched the key pad then stopped.

“Mr. Mallory. I must warn you. If he is in there, sitting in the chair, do not -- I repeat, *do not* -- touch him. Not unless you want to be thrown back in time with him. Let
me take care of this.”

“But I’m the one who should be thrown back in time,” Quinn protested.

“Quinn!” Colin rushed to his side. He didn’t want his brother joining the foolish parade. Maggie and Remmy were enough. “Do not act without thinking.”

Quinn’s eyes darted around to everyone. He knew what they were all thinking. “Just enter the code.” No one moved. “All right, all right, damn it! I’ll not touch him. Just enter the code! We’re wasting time!”

Jim’s fingers flew through the progression of numbers. The door clicked and popped open only an inch. Quinn shoved it wide, stopping abruptly after only two steps
into the room.

There sat Remmy, amid flashing lights and whirring machinery from the panels on either side of him. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling; his fingers clutched the chair
arms in a death grip, lips moving without sound.

“Remmy!” Quinn yelled. Maggie’s voice followed with the same word. Remmy’s eyes flew open.

“I have to do it, Q-ball,” he yelled. His body tingled.

Everyone gasped when they saw him fade, then return to normal. He was almost ghost-like. Maggie could swear she saw right through him.

“No!” Quinn rushed forward, only to grabbed by both Maggie and Colin.

“Son, you can not do this.” Professor Arturo joined the others as he clasped an arm. The lad had too much emotion in him for a pure scientist, but a genius, he was. He
could do more by staying here.

Jim ran to the wall panel and entered another card. A different sound filled the air. The machine protested with a groan, then began a series of clicks and whirrs. Lights
flashed, sending Remmy’s heart into a fury of palpitations, along with the others in the room.

Quinn held his breath, still straining against the ones who held him in constraint. <God, Remmy! Please don’t disappear on me. Please don’t disappear.>

Jim ended the string of numbers and pounded the heel of his hand on the red flashing button to the right. He ran to the chair, pulling a lever and punching a matching
red button there as well. The cacophony of clicks and whirrs diminished, then abruptly ended. Pure silence.

Quinn froze, then went limp in the grasp of his companions.
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Hope everyone had a great weekend, and has stored up enough energy to make it through another work week. See you Tuesday.

SS

What? Arrrrrghhh!

Date: 08/20/2001
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

You just love to keep us on the edge of our seat, don't you? Well, nothing to do but wait for the next chapter..... still waiting..... still waiting.....

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/3547
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz