Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 15:42:55 -0700 (MST) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Choices - Chapter 18 Message-ID: Quantum Leap Choices by Katherine R. Freymuth Copyright 1998 Chapter 18 "Okay, Al," Sam said once the two Leapers and two Observers were in the hallway. "What's going on?" Al took a deep breath. He looked at Sam firmly. "Only to you, Sam." He looked at Dr. Beckett. "But not to you." "Why not?" Genine asked. "Because it's dangerous for both of you to know too much about your own future. You already know too much as it is." Dr. Beckett frowned. "Al..." "Trust me on this, Sam," Al told the younger. "I want to make sure both of these leaps are successful." Dr. Beckett hesitated before nodding in consent and walked a ways away with Genine. "Okay, Al," Sam said firmly. "Talk to me." Al took a breath. He raised the handlink and pushed some buttons. "Sam, Ziggy agrees with me that that's a DTME in Alex's brain. Since Alex definitely doesn't know it's in him, it's obvious that someone put that thing in him for a covert reason." He paused. "The RAM chip stores a certain amount of information a person sees. The prototype wasn't very selective in what to store in the chip but there has been huge advances since then. Dr. Charles had found a way to activate and deactivate the DTME using electronic pulses from an outside source. Ziggy is 87% certain that the one in Alex was activated and deactivated by his own computer." He paused and looked at Sam firmly. "Are you understanding what I'm saying, Sam? That thing was activated whenever Alex was working on his report about your previous leaps. There is enough information on that RAM chip to shut down Project Quantum Leap permanently." Sam exhaled. "So Alex IS the leak; he just doesn't know it." Al nodded. "87% certainty." The two were quiet for a moment. "Al," Sam said slowly, "you said Dr. Charles HAD found a way to activate and deactivate a DTME." Al hesitated before he nodded. "He died after testing the DTME on himself - severe brain damage from the DTME.." Sam sighed almost painfully. "Now you see why we absolutely have to get that out of Alex," Al told him emphatically. "Sam, when I think about a DTME being in him, it clears up a lot of odd things with Alex. That thing is already affecting him." He took a long pause and a deep breath. "Sam, I didn't tell you everything about Alex's death. If we don't take that DTME out of him, he'll suffer severe brain damage before he dies in July. He could hardly speak that final week. The doctors really had no idea why he had such damage but we do now and we can prevent it. And maybe- just maybe - it'll give him a little more time to live." "And his suicide attempt?" Sam questioned quietly. "We can talk him out of causing the explosion," Al replied. "I know we can. Alex doesn't want to die but he's desperate and he doesn't know where to turn. The DTME is causing those migraines and it's affecting his ability to think rationally." "Okay," Sam consented. "But what about the damages that could happen if we do take the DTME out?" Al looked into Sam's eyes. "I would rather see Alex suffer brain damage from surgery to remove the DTME than from the DTME itself, a device which will be the cause of the shutdown of the project which is happening as we speak. The project is bigger than one man, Sam. You know it, I know it, and, most importantly, Alex knows it. Alex would risk it and we should too." Sam thought about his words. "We'll leave it up to Alex." Al frowned. "Sam..." "It isn't right to operate on him without his permission just like those who put that in him did," Sam said firmly. "That is what I'm going to tell the others." "What about the security of the project?" Al told him. "If Alex says no, what are you going to do? Just let Aptheker destroy your life's work?" "He won't say no," Sam replied with confidence. "Not if we told him exactly what he has in him and what it's doing to him and the security of the project. We don't have to tell him about Aptheker." Al thought about his words and nodded. "Okay. Now, what do we tell THEM?" He motioned his head slightly towards Dr. Beckett and Genine, who were in their own discussion just down the hall. "The same," Sam told him. "Nothing more." Al nodded. "Agreed." Both he and Sam simultaneously walked towards Genine and Dr. Beckett. "You two took long enough," Genine commented. "We had a lot to talk about," Al replied. "We're going to tell the others that the DTME has to be removed but only with Alex's permission," Sam explained. Genine smiled. "Actually, we decided to do that too. We can't be sure what it will do to him or, if it works, what kind of information is on it. Someone put it in him for some reason and it can't possibly be good given he was operated on without his permission." "And it wouldn't be right to repeat the operation without his permission," Dr. Beckett added. Sam nodded. "Then we're all in agreement." Without further words, he led the others into the infirmary. As they entered, a frightened cry came from the examination room. Everyone - Leapers, Observers, Verbina, Janet, and the Chief - hurried to the room. The door opened to reveal Alex screaming in fright of his surroundings. He cringed as the Chief, Verbina, and Dr. Beckett took their turns in trying to persuade him out of the room. "Sam, he'll trust me," Al told his partner meaningfully. Sam frowned slightly at Al. "I'm his best friend, Sam, and I'm the only one he seems to trust here. Maybe it's because I'm not a doctor; I don't know." Sam took a breath as he approached Alex slowly. Alex didn't cringe with his approach. "Alex," Sam said gently, extending his hand. "Let's step out of here for a moment." Alex looked at Sam with hesitation. "Al?" he questioned quietly. Sam nodded. Alex started to shake slightly. "Oh, gawd!" he whispered. "Oh, gawd!" He repeated himself as Sam helped him onto his feet and led him out of the examination room and to an isolated corner of the infirmary. "It's okay, Alex," Sam assured as Al and Genine came up from behind Sam. "No," Alex said with a little firmness. "No, it's not." He took a deep breath. "I remember, Al. I remember it all. Oh, gawd, I wish I didn't!"