K#0802 - 'El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 43.

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

38 INT. DETENTION ROOM - MORNING 38

Mesh gratings on the windows, and a long table with a half
dozen chairs around it.

The Sliders, plus Michele, are seated around the table
except for Quinn, who is pacing in agitation.

ARTURO
Sit down, Mr. Mallory. You're
making me crazy.

QUINN
We're running out of time.

ARTURO
It's hopeless -- all thanks to your
meddling in a lover's squabble.

Another EARTHQUAKE rumbles through, just to remind them of
their dreadful prospects.

WADE
-- Lover's squabble? Sid could have
killed her!

ARTURO
Nonsense.
     (then, to Michele)
Would he have killed you?

MICHELE
No.

ARTURO
And where would you rather be?
Back on your home world, as you had
been, or trapped here with us?

QUINN
Just ignore him. You don't have to
take this.

ARTURO
It's not your place to tell her how
to live! This is a scientific
journey. Our job is to observe,
not to enforce our values on other
worlds. How many times must I say
this?

( CONTINUED )

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 44.

38 CONTINUED: 38

REMBRANDT
Guys, can we concentrate on getting
off this world? Then, you can
kill each other.

WADE
     (to Rembrandt)
Thank you.

THE DOOR OPENS - LEO

enters, a along with two GUARDS. He holds up the timer.

LEO
Here's the deal. From now on,
you're all hostages. The first one
to tell me how this works gets to
leave with us. And until someone
volunteers, I'll kill one of you
every five minutes. Either I get
what I want, or you're all dead.

He leaves.

MICHELE
That's Sid's scheme. I saw him use
it a couple of times.

ARTURO
Did it work?

MICHELE
Always -- as soon as he killed
someone to show he was serious.
     (then, to Quinn)
I'm sorry. You should've just let
him beat me up.

QUINN
It's not your fault.

She regards him appreciatively, but Quinn's mind is racing
elsewhere.

WADE
     (looks to Quinn)
What are we gonna do?

Off Quinn, thinking:

CUT TO:

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 45.

39 INT. LEO'S OFFICE - MORNING 39

It's well appointed. Leo sits behind his desk.

In a bookcase behind the desk are stacks of cigarette
cartons, tins of candies and cookies, and other assorted
prison treasures.

Sid sits opposite Leo, his feet up on the desk, total balls,
as he looks ever the timer, then hands it back to L.J..

SID
Don't sweat it. One of 'em'll
cave.

LEO
You better be right.

SID
I called it on L.J., didn't I? He
crossed you faster than a cockroach
when the light comes on.

LEO
     (unimpressed)
We'll see.

Sid just smiles confidently. There's a KNOCK at the door.

LEO
Come.

A GUARD enters. He holds a piece of paper out for Leo.

GUARD
I found this outside their door.

Leo takes the note and reads it, smiles at Sid.

LEO
Mr. Arturo wants to meet with us --
alone -- to discuss exchanging
knowledge for freedom.

SID
     (savoring it)
Told you.

CUT TO:

40 INT. DETENTION ROOM - DAY 40

As the door flies open, two guards with machine guns at the
ready, step in. Leo stands in the doorway.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 46.

40 CONTINUED: 4 0

LEO
All right, professor. Get your
things.
     (then, to Michele)
You, too.

Quinn and the others look at Arturo, uncomprehending.

QUINN
What's going on here?

Arturo is unapologetic as he collects his bag.

ARTURO
I slipped a note to the guard.

QUINN
You're selling us out? You son of
a bitch! I don't believe this!

ARTURO
     (angry)
Do you have a better idea? Must
we all die to protect your
precious discovery?

QUINN
     (realizing)
You're jealous!

ARTURO
Jealous? No, I'm disgusted, Mr.
Mallory!
     (then)
To think that I should be led by an
arrogant, undisciplined child into
one misadventure after another when
I should be engaged in the greatest
breakthrough in the history of
science! What a galling, appalling
fiasco you've made of sliding.

QUINN
What are you gonna do, professor?
Steal the idea? Call it your own
once I'm out of the way?

ARTURO
I'm going to get home and perfect
it -- something you should have
done before endangering the rest of
us. And once I've done that, I'll
have every right claim sliding as
mine.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 47.

40 CONTINUED: 2 40

QUINN
     (cold fury)
Fine, professor. You do that.

REMBRANDT
No! It's not fine!
     (indicating himself and
      Wade)
What about us?

Arturo looks to Leo, questioningly. Leo points to Michele.

LEO
Just her.

ARTURO
     (to Wade and Rembrandt)
I'm sorry. I truly am.

WADE
I wouldn't go with you if I could.
You disgust me.

ARTURO
     (at the door, sincere)
You must believe me. This brings
me no joy.

The guards escort Arturo and Michele out the door.

QUINN
Go to hell, professor!

CUT TO:

41 INT. CORRIDOR - WITH ARTURO, LEO AND GUARDS - DAY 41

As the guards lock the detention room door, Arturo becomes
all business.

ARTURO
Which way?
     (Leo points, Arturo jogs)
Quickly. I'll have to check the
settings in case you inadvertently
changed anything.

As they all hurry down the corridor

CUT TO:

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 48.

42 INT. LEO'S OFFICE - DAY 42

Arturo and Leo burst in.

ARTURO
     (to Sid)
Give me the timer.
     (Sid takes his time)
Hurry, man!

Sid pulls out his gun, levels it at Arturo then hands him
the timer. Arturo immediately begins feverishly pressing
buttons. He reacts, panicked:

ARTURO
What the hell did you do to this?

LEO
     (concerned)
Nothing! We never touched it!

Arturo continues to work, hectically, then abruptly stops.

ARTURO
     (to Leo)
It's no good. I can't get it to
activate.

SID
     (to Leo)
It's a trick. He's lying.

ARTURO
I'm not! It's Quinn's invention.
He does know it better than I do.
There's no choice. You'll have to
give it to him.

As Leo considers this Sid puts his gun to Arturo's temple.

SID
You got one chance to stay alive.
If that thing reaches zero and
there's no tunnel in here, I'll
blow your head off.

ARTURO
sir, I would not have deserted my
companions if I was not interested
in saving my life. You must
believe me, there's nothing more I
can do.

Sid cocks the hammer. Arturo sweats.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 49.

42 CONTINUED: 42

SID
You better start pushing those
buttons.

Michele strokes Sid affectionately, then, using Sid's body
to conceal her actions from Leo, she pulls out her gun and
sticks it in Sid's ribs.

MICHELE
I'm sorry, honey. Drop it.

He hesitates, she cocks her hammer.

MICHELE
Don't try me, Sid. You know I'll
shoot.

He drops his gun. As Arturo quickly scoops it up:

CUT TO:

43 INT. DETENTION ROOM - DAY 43

Quinn and Rembrandt are pacing nervously, their backpacks
on. Wade is at the table.

REMBRANDT
     (despairing)
They didn't buy it, man. I knew it
was a long shot.

QUINN
It was the only shot we had.

Another EARTHQUAKE. A big one, though not very long.
Plaster falls. The Sliders (and Michele) barely have time
to dive for cover before it's over. Then:

REMBRANDT
     (excited)
Keys!

The door opens. Arturo and Michele rush in.

ARTURO
It didn't exactly go according to
plan, but let's not quibble...
     (checks timer)
...thirty seconds to spare.

CUT TO:

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 50.

44 INT. LEO'S OFFICE - AS BEFORE 44

Leo and Sid are tied up, but Sid is already nearly free,
ripping the final piece of rope from his ankles.

SID
     (to Leo)
If I had time, I'd kill you.

LEO
When I get free, you'll wish you
had!

Sid runs out the door.

CUT TO:

45 INT. DETENTION ROOM 45

as Arturo pushes the button and the vortex begins to form.
Just as it completes, Sid bursts into the room and starts to
dive for it. Quinn launches himself like a goal line
defender and tackles Sid in mid-air. Sid and Quinn scuffle
on the floor, with Quinn basically hanging on for dear life
while Sid tries to shake him off.

QUINN
Hit him with something!

Rembrandt locks around the room, grabs the only available
object -- one of the plastic chairs -- and tries to deck Sid
with it. Might as well try and stop a charging rhino with a
piece of Saran wrap. Michele goes running from the room.

ARTURO
     (to Wade)
We're running out of time! You go,
now!

WADE
No way!

Sid kicks free of Quinn. Rembrandt dives back onto him,
trying to keep him down but Sid is like a man possessed. He
tosses Rembrandt aside and scrambles back to his feet.

Arturo hands the timer to Wade and grabs Sid in a bear hug
from behind. Arturo holds on for all he's worth as Sid
whips him around. Quinn and Rembrandt try to grab on as
well, but it's like trying to grab a locomotive. Sid breaks
free just as Michele runs back into the room -- behind
Sid -- with a police billy club. She hauls off with all her
might and pops him with it. He goes down like overcooked
spaghetti..

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - 'El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White 51.

45 CONTINUED: 45

MICHELE
I got friends now, Sid. And you
would've killed them.

She tosses the club aside as the Sliders quickly jump
through the fast fading gate.

Michele hesitates just a moment, looking at Sid one last
time before jumping into the void.

Another EARTHQUAKE starts to RUMBLE through. This could
well be the big one.

Quinn waits until last, to make sure Sid doesn't wake up.

CUT TO:

46 EXT. CONCRETE EXPANSE - DAY 46

The Sliders fall out of the wormhole and onto the hard
concrete. They watch the vortex intently to make sure that
Sid doesn't emerge. Finally, to their great relief, the
vortex closes.

Their relief doesn't last long. The ROAR of the vortex is
.... replaced by the ROAR of JET ENGINES. They have landed on a
runway, and when the vortex disappears it reveals a huge jet
liner coming right at them. As the Sliders scramble madly
out of its path:

FADE OUT.

THE END