Date: 06/19/2001
From: SouthernSlider

DMD, honey, you really don't like Maggie, do you? Good boy. I knew there was a reason I liked you -- 'cause I know it's not because of your choice of college football teams. lol.
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Chapter Sixteen

Quinn, Colin, Remmy, and the professor stared at each other, contemplating their next move in silence when they heard the bell above the front door announce a visitor.
Quinn went running that way with the others close behind.

“Well, hello there,” said the man as the quartet approached him in a rush. “Is Jim in the back?”

“You know the proprietor of this store?” asked Quinn impatiently.

“Why, yes, we go way back.” He frowned. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong is there? Is Jim okay?” It suddenly struck him that these men might be time bandits. He backed
slowly away from them. “Look here, now. If you’ve done something to Jim in the process of stealing some time, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“You have it all wrong, mister. We’re not here to steal time. We’re here to find a friend. We know she’s been here, but neither she nor this ‘Jim’ person are anywhere to
be found. The back room is just as empty as this one was until you showed up,” Quinn explained.

“Well, that ain’t like Jim to just up and take off during business hours. Was the store open when you first came looking?” He scratched his head in puzzlement.

“Yes,” said Remmy. “I was here earlier alone, and it was that way then too.”

“It just don’t make no sense . . . no sense a’tall.”

“Is there another place we might find Jim? His home, a restaurant he might frequent, any place.” Quinn’s uneasiness was growing by leaps and bounds.

“Well, I suppose he could be at Timeline Enterprises. . . but why would he just up and leave and not lock up the place? I think something fishy is going on around here.”

“We do too, mister,” said Quinn. “What is this Timeline Enterprises, and where do we find it?”

“You boys ain’t from around here, are you? If you were, you’d certainly know about the biggest time warehouse west of the Mississippi. It’s outside of town about eight miles west of here.”

The four gave each other knowing looks. “I guess you could say we’re a rather long way from home, mister, and not familiar with this place at all,” said Remmy. “We
sure could use your help.”

“Except for me, my good man. I’m Professor Maxillian Arturo, and, of course, quite familiar with Timeline Enterprises. These gentlemen are visiting from, uh, back
east.”

“Of course, Professor. I should have recognized you.”

The man was more than glad to accommodate the strangers. They seemed like a nice lot and genuinely concerned about their friend, like he was with Jim. But he still
wondered about their story. How could anybody in the whole world not know about Timeline Enterprises? But he would keep his mouth shut about that, at least until he
found out more about them, and the disappearance of Jim. The rotund gentleman had assured him they could get to Timeline Enterprises without his help, but he was going
anyway. His curiosity and concerned had peaked and he had to know what was going on.

They piled into a couple of taxis -- the man, Quinn and Professor in one, Colin and Remmy in the other -- and headed on their way. Quinn pumped the man and the
professor for more information every inch of the way. The knot that had formed in his stomach when he found that ring was growing bigger by the second. He couldn’t lose
another one; he just couldn’t.

Riding behind the others, Remmy and Colin exchanged worried feelings. Remmy pulled out the timer and noticed time was growing short. What if they couldn’t find Maggie in time to slide? What if she did go back in time? Would they? But then, according to what Colin had told him earlier, it wouldn’t do any good. They wouldn’t go back to her timeline. Remmy shook his head. Things were just getting too complicated for him.

The Timeline Enterprises complex sprawled out over the valley --a sight to behold as the duo of taxis topped the hill. Quinn’s eyes grew wide. Professor Arturo stole a
glance his way and knew the lad was impressed. A smug smile escaped his lips. He was proud of this facility, and honored to be a part of it. It did his soul good to fascinate this boy-genius. In the other taxi, Colin and Remmy stared with gaping eyes and mouths at what they saw.

“This is quite a lay-out, Professor,” Quinn said as he swallowed hard. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. If Maggie were there, could they find her
before she did something stupid . . . or dangerous? Or even in time to slide? And what if she wasn’t there? Where would they look next? If they could look.

It suddenly struck Quinn they were on a tight schedule. And who had the timer? He certainly hoped it was Colin or Remmy, and not Maggie. Damn her for going off on a
tangent this way! If he ever got his hands on her again, he would throttle her into next week -- if she hadn’t already traveled into last week . . . or beyond. He let out a disgusted hrummph.

“Quinn, my boy, you are in for quite a treat,” said the professor. His face fairly beamed as the taxi pulled up to the main gates. He flashed his credentials to the guard,
then sat back as the taxi driver was waved forward.

“I’m sure I would be, Professor, but that’s not exactly why I’m here. First, and foremost, we’ve got to find Maggie. Then, after I ring her neck for putting us in this
situation, and if there is time, we’ll give this place a once-over.”

“There’s always time, my boy, always time.”

Quinn looked at the far-away, pleased look on the professor’s face, and frowned. It seemed he was enamored of this place and it’s scientific accomplishments. Maggie
was only an afterthought to him, if a thought at all. With his Quinn out of the picture, time travel was his baby, it seemed. He had been that way once, only thinking of the
scientific side of life, but those days were a thing of the past. People mattered more to him now. If only they had mattered more before he lost them. He would have to be
careful.

But as the taxi inched up the long, winding drive to the main entrance, Quinn wasn’t careful enough. He let his mind stray, once again, to the idea of time travel. His
double was with his father. Was he satisfied with that timeline? Did it bring him more joy than the one he had been living? What would he do if faced with the same choice?

His thoughts disintegrated as the professor nudged him. “We’re here, lad. Don’t dawdle. Get out of the taxi, and let me introduce you to the most magnificent scientific complex on the face of the earth.”
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SS

hehehe

Date: 06/19/2001
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

Something that would make Quinn's jaw drop? This I gotta see. Another well written chapter, SS.

DMD

Wonderful

Date: 06/21/2001
From: SweetOne

I really enjoy your stories. Nora Roberts will have some competition if you should decide to write books.

SweetOne

"Friends should be treasured. And to have
good friends, you must be a good friend."
Angela Douglas

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/3461
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz