Chapter 3
Dr. Sam Beckett sits on the couch in Chuck Morton's living room, staying silent after hearing about what will happen on September 16th, 1990- two days from this time. This is not the first time where the mission is to save the life of the person he leaped into. There had always been a danger, as failure meant his own death.
"So Chuck gets stabbed during a visit to prison," says Sam.
"Yes, replies Al Calavicci. "confirmed by multiple witnesses."
Sam stands up. "This must be a very simple leap. All I have to do is not be there. I'll contact this, this..."
"Narrow Path."
"Narrow Path and call in sick or something. Wait a minute. I'm in Indiana. Elk Ridge. Elk Ridge can't be more than a few hours' drive from Crown Point. I know what I can do. I can book a motel room in Elk Ridge for Saturday and Sunday. I can spend all day in Elk Ridge. I wonder what it's like now, in 1990. The last, well, the last time from Earth's perspective that I was there was on Independence Day, 1989. My whole family was there, we all checked out the sights. This is perfect. I not only keep Chuck from getting killed, I get to see what my hometown is like in this near-present. Plus, I'd rather spend two nights in Elk Ridge than some trailer park!"
Sam smiles. He had always had a soft spot for Elk Ridge, where he grew up. He had not much time to visist, first wirth star B right and then with Project Quantum Leap. He had visited the place- twice- during his leaps.
But visiting Elk Ridge in the past was like, in many ways, like visiting an old newspaper article or photograph. Visiting Elk Ridge in 1990- not too far before he started leaping in this time- would be like visiting a living, breathing place.
"But there is a complication," says the leaper. "there usually is."
The observer presses buttons on the handlink, which squeals and glows in colored lights. "Ziggy says there's an 80% chance someone else gets killed, and a 25% chance two or more people get killed," he says.
"So I have to be there and somehow stop the brawl," says Sam. "Who was convicted for killing Chuck?"
"No one," says Al. "The scene was chaotic, and they couldn't find any usable prints from the murder weapon. Without enough evidence, no one had been charged, not even after ten years."
Sam paces around the living room. "We need to know more about who was there, the volunteers, the prisoners, the guards. Wait...wait a minute. Will there be advances in fingerprint analysis in the next ten years?"
Al punches buttons on the handlink. "Yes."
"Have the Indiana state authorities take another look at the murder weapon, and tell them to expedite it," says Sam. "It's worth a shot, if your time has the technology to identify the fingerprints, and the murderer!"
"Good idea. It's a relatively recent case, only ten years old." Al pushes more buttons. "The investigators who worked the case are still on the job!" The glowing white rectangular door showing the exit from the Imaging Chamber, where Al is physically located, reveals itself.
"Wait!" yells Sam.
"What?" asks Al.
"Roscoe Willis, a co-worker of Chuck's. I have to pick him up tomorrow, and I need to write down his address."
"That should be quick. Roscoe was at the scene."
"Really?"
"Anyway, Roscoe was born in 1959 in Chicago and grew up there. During his youth he ran with the Black Gangster Disciples. Spent a few years in prison. Like Chuck, he met up with Narrow Path and volunteers with him. No indication they knew each other prior to meeting at Narrow Path."
Al punches more buttons on the handlink, and then provides Sam with the address.
After that, the observer leaves.
Sam walks into the kitchenette. He opens the cupboards and the refrigerator. After searching through Chuck's food stores, the time traveler figures out what to cook and eat for dinner.
"Well, Sam," he says, "looks like Hamburger Helper's on the menu tonight."
ooooooooo
The morning of September 15th, 1990, Sam awakes in Chuck's bed. The leaper can not help but make a comparison with President Eisenhower's bed in the White House, as he only woke up there the previous morning in his time.
I have to pick up Roscoe this morning.
The time traveler makes himself a quick breakfast consisting of a bowl of Post Fruity Pebbles and Minute Maid Orange Juice. He then looks at a page from a notepad that he left on the coffee table, which has Roscoe Willis's address.
A map. Chuck might have one in his car, or I can just find a gas station.
Sam steps out. He sees a girl riding a bike. He recognizes her as Heather, who is Chuck's neighbor.
"Good morning, Mr. Morton," says the teenage girl.
"Out for an early morning bike ride?" asks the quantum physicist.
"I stayed overnight at Stacy's. And yes, I made sure to call my mom, and no, we didn't have some cute boys come over for an orgy."
"What?"
"Stacy's dad was chaperoning. And he has a shotgun and a bat with nails to keep out pests. All we did was play
Super Mario Bros. 3"
"Anyway, I got to go pick up my friend Roscoe."
Sam gets into a mid-1980's Nissan Maxima. Opening the glove compartment, he sees some papers, including an insurance card from Geico, registration papers with the Indiana DMV, and a Rand-McNally map of the Crown Point area. Opening the map and using the directory, he takes about two minutes to find out how to get to where Roscoe lives. He then realizes that he should call Roscoe first. Running back inside Chuck's single-wide, he finds an address book inside the dresser, and then calls Roscoe and tells Chuck's co-worker he will be there in thirty.
He then gets into Chuck's car and turns the key, hoping that there
really is not any car trouble. The Maxima starts without a hitch. Putting the car in gear, he drives off through the main entrance/exit of the trailer park and heads along the road. He navigates the streets of Crown Point.
There's my turn.
Sam makes a left turn at a traffic signal, and drives maybe a quarter of mile. There is a brown box-like building on the road that looks like an apartment complex. He reads the number of the building; this is the right address, unless Al misread it.
He recognizes Roscoe, going in in his blue outfit. Roscoe approaches the driver's door of the Maxima.
"Let me listen to the the engine for a while," says the mechanic. "We still got time."
Roscoe goes to the hood, leaning over. Sam revs the engine of Chuck's car. Roscoe then hops right into the front passenger seat. Sam turns up the volume on the Maxima's stereo.
They passed me up confronted all the dope fiends
If there was a problem yo I'll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it
Ice ice baby ….......vanilla
Ice ice baby …......vanilla
Sam puts the car in gear and merges onto traffic, smiling as hearing a song released so close to his own time.
"I heard you're from Chicago," says Sam.
"The only good things about Chicago are deep dish pizza and the Cubs," answers Roscoe. "It was such a toxic, racist place. I'm glad I relocated here."
A few minutes later, the two men arrive at Pete's.
Ooooooooo
After hours of work, including completely replacing the transmission on a '65 Ford Mustang, Sam and Roscoe head out to the lunch truck. It is the same taco truck as yesterday.
"This might as well be our permanent location," says the comely young woman at the truck window.
Sam looks at the options, including the Greek taco and the American cheeseburger taco and the Italian parmigiana taco and the tempura chicken taco.
"I'll have a Texas Barbecue Taco," says Sam.
"Hi there," says a voice.
Sam and Roscoe turn and see the boy who was here Friday.
"Owen, is it?" asks Sam.
"Yeah," replies the teenage boy.
"Chuck," replies Sam. "Chuck Morton."
"Normally I just go home after my shift's over," says Owen. "I wanted to check out lunch. I'll probably eat it at home."
"I'll do you better. I'll buy you one taco and a drink."
Owen looks at the menu, amazed that there were so many types of tacoes.
"Lunch truck won't be parked here all day, kid," says Roscoe. "and Chuck has to go back to work in twenty minutes."
"A Greek taco and a Sprite," says Owen.
Sam orders the Greek taco and a Sprite for Owen, paying the cashier with cash.
"You said you work here through this high school program?" asks Sam.
"Yeah, it's Work for Learning," replies the high school student. "I get paid as well as school credit. I like fixing things. I like this instead of working at the mall or Burger King or Taco Bell."
"Well, you could be a groundskeeper at the White House," says Sam. "The job is more dangerous than you might suspect."
Owen looks a bit puzzled. Soon enough, Sam hands the boy the Greek taco and the Sprite. The leaper then bites into his own Texas barbecue taco, savoring the taste of the barbecue sauce.
"Looks delicious," says Al, suddenly appearing.
"Al," says Sam.
"Al?" asks Owen.
"I'll probably have to head back to work soon," says Sam.
"I'll be on my way out now," replies Owen, walking away.
"Before you ask, Sam," says the observer, "Indiana authorities in my time haven't given us the fingerprint results."
"We have until tomorrow," says Sam.
"Oh yeah, we're visiting the big house tomorrow," says Roscoe.
"I'll look over the information from the case files back in my office," says Al, pressing buttons on the handlink and disappearing.
Sam and Roscoe finish their lunches and get back to work.
Oooooooo
Later that afternoon, Sam drops Roscoe off at the apartment building.
"Heading back home?" asks Chuck's co-worker.
"I have a few errands to run," replies Sam, before driving off in the Nissan Maxima.
Ooooooo
Al reappears in 1990, just inside Chuck's single-wide home. He sees Sam fiddling with the television.
"I have some news," he says.
"The stabbing's tomorrow," replies Sam. "It can wait."
"What are you doing?" asks the observer.
"Watch," replies the leaper, pressing a button on this grayish box.
An image of a curtain appears, and then a man in green jumps on top of a man in red.
And then the title screen
Super Mario Bros. 3.
"Nintendo?" asks Al. He looks a the floor and sees an open box for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a video game system first released in 1985.
"In all of my leaps until now, I haven't had the opportunity to play Nintendo," replies Sam. "I was looking for a
Super Nintendo, but I guess it wasn't released before September of 1990."
and so Sam starts the game. He plays through a few levels of the game. It is almost like leaping home.
"You said you had news," says Sam even as he uses the Nintendo Entertainment System controller to guide Mario through obstacles.
"They could only recover partials," says Al. "They excluded Roscoe Willis, your co-worker, and one of the guards and three of the inmates, but there's still a lot of suspects." He watches Sam play the game. "My daughter, Sharon- she's the younger of the twins- she likes these games. She was into
Final Fantasy VII and
Resident Evil 2 on the Sony PlayStation"
"Never heard of them."
"They were both released after you started leaping. Ziggy has a compilation of video games, from
Pong to
Silent Hill."
Sam had heard of
Pong, Silent Hill, not so much.
He hears screaming.
"What's that?" asks Sam.
Al runs right through the wall. Sam, being physically present in this time, opens the door. He can see and hear Heather, screaming.
And he sees she is screaming at Owen. Al is much closer to where they are.
And then Heather slugs Owen with her first. Sam immediately runs up.
"What was that?" he asks.
"Well, it was his fault," says Heather.
"It's no big deal," says Owen, collecting himself.
"It is a big deal," says Sam, having encountered this type of violence during his leaps. "It's wrong. There's no justification, no excuse. This can not be tolerated, not even a little bit. I've seen this too many times!"
"What is going on?" asks Laureline, stepping out of her double-wide.
"Heather hit Owen here," says Sam.
"Heather, to your room."
"But Mom," protests the teenage girl.
"Now!" demands her mother.
Heather slinks back to the double wide; Owen had already left the scene.
"Has this happened before?" asks Sam.
"No," replies Laureline. "I'm sure of it."
"Then she needs to stay away from that path. People I love suffered from it. Can you keep your daughter from going down that path?"
"Sure. And I know. You have been down that path, much further."
"I was?" asks Sam, surprised.
"You told me the story when you told me why you stopped drinking for good. You were young, and stupid, and you just discovered booze. Couldn't hold a drink. You met this really sweet girl named Katie..."
"Katie?"
"Yeah, you eloped with her, and..."
"Am I from Elk Ridge, Indiana?" asks Sam, feeling fear.
"Yes."
"The Elk Ridge in the state of Indiana?"
"Why, yes, that's what you said."
Horror fills the time traveler's very soul. "Oh no," he says. "I'm Chuck."
"Well, yes, that's your name.."
"I'm
that Chuck."
He runs back into Chuck's single-wide, going to the bedroom. He stares at the full length mirror, seeing the ordinary-loooking man.
"So that's you," he says. "I never met you."
"Sam," says Al, increasingly worried about his friend.
Ignoring the observer, Sam opens a large cabinet. Unlike the bureau in the bedroom, there are tools.
Including an axe.
Sam takes the axe and goes back into the bedroom, looking at Chuck's reflection.
In one swing, with all his might, fueled by rage and pain, Sam Beckett shatters the mirror.
