Date: 08/02/2001
From: SouthernSlider

Ok, ok. I'm getting back in the groove of normal living again. I can tell by the replies, I need to get a move on this story. Major apologies for holding things up for so long.

In case, you're still interested but have forgotten what's going on, here are the past chapter post #S:

(P,1)2840 (2)2841 (3)2843 (4)2845 (5)2847 (6)2853 (7)2856 (8)2859 (9)2871 (10)2874 (11)2901 (12)2907 (13)2911 (14)2915 (15)2920 (16)2923

And now here's Chapter 17:
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Chapter Seventeen

Standing and making his way around the desk, the man eyed Maggie intently. She was certainly an enigma to him. He circled the chair she occupied, wondering how much
to reveal, wondering about her origins . . . and her obvious lack of knowledge. He clasped his hands behind his back and halted his pacing to stand only inches in front of
her.

“Miss Beckett, are you, at all, familiar with Quinn Mallory?” he blurted out. He would start at the beginning and see just how much she did know.

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes. <You might know Quinn had something to do with all of this. What has he done now? Even when I try to get away from him, I can’t.
Well, no sense in denying it.>

“Yes. Yes, I am. But what has this got to do with you hog-tying me just because I want to go back in time. What did he do? Did he somehow get to you before I arrived and warn you I might come in? Did he tell you not to let me leave? That would be just like the bastard. He clings to Wade, yet he won’t let anyone else go. He has to be in
charge.” She fumed more and more as she spoke.

The man frowned. <The woman really is out of her mind. She actually thinks I spoke with Quinn.> He stood up straight, and contemplated her words. Turning to the window, his thoughts continued to race through his mind.

<Could it be that she has traveled forward in time? Did Quinn meet her in his new time, discover how to move forward, and send her along? Maybe she’s just trying to get
back to him. But no, she called him a bastard. She doesn’t like him. She sounded . . . jealous! What on earth is going on?>

He turned abruptly back to the woman.

“Miss Beckett.” He paused, squinting his eyes as he stared her down. “When was the last time you saw Quinn Mallory?”

She returned his stare, contemplating his question. <What is with this inquisition? How does he know Quinn?> She gave a sudden intake of breath. <Did Quinn come to see
this man earlier and go back in time? My God! That’s what he did! He went back to get Wade! But why is this man so bent out of shape? I thought time travel on this world was
an everyday occurrence. What has Quinn done now?>

“Well, Miss Beckett, I’m waiting. When did you last see him . . . and where?”

“This morning . . . at the hotel. He left with his brother and the professor, and I haven’t seen him since. I don’t know anything about what he’s gotten himself into. I just
wanted to correct a mistake with my big mouth. I’m not involved with whatever he’s done.”

The man flinched at her first words. <This morning? So she was with him, and she has come forward in time. Did he send her as a preliminary? Will he be coming soon to
share his discovery with us? And she said, ‘the professor’! What has he got to do with all of this?> The man couldn’t believe his luck. He stormed out of the room, leaving the hog-tied Maggie to wonder.

***

Professor Arturo ushered Quinn and the others into the main entrance of Timeline Enterprises. After another round of flashing credentials to the proper authorities, he led
them down the corridor to the left of the main desk. He tried his best to shield Quinn from the lady manning the front desk by having the others stand around him, but he
wasn’t sure he was successful. He couldn’t tell if the questioning look on her face was because of him bringing in so many people, or if she had seen -- and recognized -- Quinn Mallory. He moved as quickly as possible toward his lab, before she could say something.

Going through a number of checkpoints made Quinn realize this was no small operation. The place probably had more security than Fort Knox. And that certainly wasn’t good. If Maggie was here, it was going to be a helluva task in locating her.

“Right this way, people.”

Professor Arturo ushered them into a large room, full of strange equipment, computers, and walls of equations. Quinn’s eyes lit up with curiosity. Remmy, Colin,
and the other man were in speechless awe. Professor Arturo beamed. He knew, without a doubt, he had impressed the entire group, Mr. Mallory, especially.

Quinn turned full-circle as he took in every corner of the room. He had never seen such an array of equipment in one place. Oh, the things he could do with this kind of facility in which to do his work. He caught himself after several minutes of unadulterated adoration of his surroundings.

“Professor, this is all very wonderful, but how is it going to help us find Maggie? And what about this . . . Jim fellow from the time store we were in? Is he supposed to be
here?”

“Oh, no, I am sure he isn’t in this area. This is the scientific wing of the place. This, my boy, is where discoveries are made, and updates on time travel are calculated. Jim is all business. He’s in the profession of buying and selling, not in discovery.” He said that last with a bit of distaste, as if that end were very inferior to his.

“Then why are we here? We need to find Maggie. We need to be looking for this man, Jim.” Quinn was suddenly agitated at the professor. The man was trying to show out in front of him, and for a moment, he was allowing it. But he had to concentrate on finding Maggie. Maybe after that, he could take a moment to examine all this wonderful
technology spread out in front of him.

Professor Arturo sighed. <All of this amazing equipment and potential staring him in the face, and the lad can only think of finding this woman. The boy might be Quinn’s
double, but he certainly isn’t cut from the same cloth. He isn’t much of a scientist, at all.>

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SS

Whew.

Date: 08/02/2001
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

At last I get my fanfic hit. sigh. It's good to have you back, SS.

DMD

Wonderful !!!!!! :)

Date: 08/02/2001
From: sliderlynn

I'm in heaven now.It is sooooooooooooooooooo good to
be reading the rest of your fanfic!!!!! My Colin is
back!!!!!! I can just picture him now. Oh, what a
HANDSOME MAN!!!!!!! :)

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/3526
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz