Date: 08/03/2001
From: SouthernSlider

Good morning, all. How nice to know your story was missed. Thanks for the kind words.

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Chapter Eighteen

Maggie wiggled and squirmed until she was sure she had made some headway in loosening the ropes that bound her. Stopping her movement, she let her fingers do the
walking through the tangle of knots at her back. If only she could manage to get free before that big oaf returned.

This had to be some kind of major time facility. She had been amazed at all she had seen as the man brought her inside. If she could get loose, maybe she could get to a
room where she could go back in time. Her brain worked as feverishly as her fingers in trying to figure out what to do.

Should she go back to a few minutes before her slip of the tongue, or try to go back to the same time Quinn had to save Wade? But she didn’t know exactly when that
was. If she chose the wrong time, she might not catch up to Quinn -- and she didn’t know how to get back. As much as she hated to admit it at this moment, she needed him -- as much as wanting him. She shook her head at that thought.

“Maybe I should just go back a few minutes. Then I could tell Remmy what Quinn was planning to do and we could get to him before he went back,” she said aloud. She struggled some more as she voiced her thoughts, feeling the binds loosening ever slowly. Finally, she wriggled her hand through the loop, then jerked her other hand free.
“Now, to the task,” she said quietly.

Slowly opening the door a crack, she peaked out to find an empty hallway. “Perfect! An empty corridor. But which way do I go?”

Spending only a moment of indecision, Maggie took a deep breath and turned to the left. Mistake. Before she had taken three steps, two burly men came around the corner, and immediately lunged after her. “Oh, shit!” She was nabbed by the collar before she could even form a coherent thought about what action to take.

Wiggling and squirming, and trying to land a decisive blow to strategic parts of their bodies, did absolutely no good. They were too big and too strong. She was forced
back into the same room, but this time, steel handcuffs were used instead of rope; her mouth bound with tape. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and alerting any
passers-by was out of the question.

***

While Maggie struggled, to no avail, on the other side of the complex, Maximillian Arturo continued to try to impress the strange look-alike to his Quinn Mallory. After each and every display of scientific knowledge and know-how, he
examined the boy’s countenance and found his approval lacking. The professor would then move to the next area, determined to capture the lad’s interest. He would see a tiny spark of interest flicker in his eyes just before the boy would throw water on it. His irritation got the better of him.

“Blast it, Mr. Mallory! You should be falling all over yourself to examine the marvelous inventions decorating this room. What is the matter with you, man?”

Quinn faced his mentor’s double, knowing the man was right, but also knowing he had a more pressing issue at the moment. A life was in the balance. Too many times
he had been in that situation, and had not realized the importance of it.

He took a deep breath and spoke calmly, in extreme contrast to the professor’s outrage.

“Professor Arturo, first and foremost, I came here to find Maggie Beckett. Only after that is accomplished will I be able to take in this marvelous atmosphere with the
proper passion.”

Remmy and Colin exchanged glances and raised eyebrows. That was definitely not the way they thought Quinn would react. He was always high-strung and emotional,
getting on his high-horse when someone berated him. They couldn’t quite fathom why Quinn had responded so emotionless.

“Now if you will so kind as to lead us to another part of this vast complex where we might find this Jim guy. I know he has to be behind Maggie’s disappearance,” Quinn
said. His composure was still in tact for the moment, but he wasn’t sure just how long he could hold it. Professor Arturo stuttered in blustery fashion before heading towards the door without another word.

“Hey, what’s with the mellow attitude, Q-ball?” Remmy asked as they hurried to catch up to their pompous guide. Colin was right with him, the same question on his
face.

“I’m not sure, Remmy. I just didn’t feel like exchanging explosions with the man right now. Maggie’s in danger. I can feel it creeping up my spine. If I lose another one,
I . . . I . . . well, I just can’t lose another one.”

He stepped up his pace to catch the professor and left Remmy and Colin wondering and worrying about his state of mind.

“I do hope we find her soon, Remmy,” Colin said. “ I do not like his tone of voice.”

“You and me both, Farm-boy. I feel a lot better if he would lash out at something . . . or someone.”

Remmy’s own words conjured up the scene between him and Maggie earlier at the hotel. He wanted to lash out at her in the worst way for her comment. This was probably all his fault. If he had just gone along with Maggie’s fantasy idea of changing something, maybe she wouldn’t have spoken those words, and then left. He knew she had stormed out because of his reaction.

<Damn! First I lose Wade, and now I could be responsible for the disappearance of Maggie. Maybe I should go back in time and fix all of this. Even if I can’t return to
this time, like Farm-boy said, it would be worth it to save Wade and Maggie.>

He slowed his pace as his thoughts bounced through his mind. Q-ball, Colin, and the other man distanced themselves from him as they tried to keep pace with the
professor. He could fall back, search for one of the ‘time rooms’, go back and fix things before they ever realized he wasn’t with them.
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Hmmmmmm. Who's going to go back in time first?

SS

Let's do the TIME warp again!

Date: 08/03/2001
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

What would happen if multiple people from multiple Earths traveled back in time on an Earth that NONE of them are from? Getting a headache now.

DMD

Who Are We Going To Lose Now????

Date: 08/03/2001
From: sliderlynn

I hope that both Maggie and Remmy rethink about going
back in time. I wouldn't want Quinn to lose either one
of them.Pray tell Colin won't do something as foolish
as that. Will be waiting patiently for the next chapter.
:)

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/3528
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz