From: lalsoong@sprynet.com (Christine Wirick ) Newsgroups: alt.tv.quantum-leap.creative Subject: Paradox Delusion 03/23 Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 18:58:10 GMT Organization: Sprynet News Service Message-Id: <30eb8655.1057421@news.sprynet.com> Nntp-Posting-Host: ad70-113.compuserve.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Chapter Three: Al returned the following morning as Sam was finishing his shower. The time traveler slipped on Patrick's housecoat and sat on the corner of the bed. "I read part of Patrick's journal last night, and I found some of it quite surprising. His takes on the situation are absolutely incredible. Al, you need to set him straight on one thing, though. He needs to know that neither you nor I can ever benefit from a leap." "I'll let him know that," the hologram responded. He didn't make eye contact and his friend knew immediately that something was wrong. "Al, are you okay?" "I'll be fine. I just didn't get much--" He stifled a yawn and rubbed at tired, red eyes. "-- sleep last night." "Come on, what has you so upset?" Sam asked as he dried his hair. "I just can't stop thinking about Karen. I keep seeing this image of her car tumbling down the embankment." He emphasized his words with animated arms. "I understand. You feel that you've failed to make yet another military couple happy. It's not your failure alone. I'm not even sure it's our failure. Maybe it wasn't meant to be." "Wasn't meant to be! I am so sick of hearing that phrase! Beth and I weren't meant to be. Karen and Ben weren't meant to be. Tell me, Sam, what was? What's God's master plan with our lives?" "I don't know. But if I ever find out the answer, you'll be the first person I share it with." "Thanks, I guess," Al replied, his temper mellowing. He lifted the handlink and established communication with Ziggy. "Sam, Ziggy's searched through her entire database for possible connections to your leap into Montgomery. She also ran through alternate scenarios and came across some really weird contradictions. If I'm reading this information correctly, it appears as though Karen and Andrew Montgomery may never have had an affair in the first place." "What! How can that be? Ziggy told us that they had had an affair. Even though she could have had Ben legally declared dead, Karen felt guilty about the affair. That was why, I thought, that I leaped in to talk her out of it. Ziggy's been known to be wrong before, but never this wrong." "I guess there's always a first time, Sam." "Okay. Let's say Ziggy was in error, and that we handled the leap incorrectly. How do we go about fixing our mistake?" "Ziggy's still working on that. I'll let you know as soon as she comes up with any possibilities." "While Ziggy's doing that, why don't you ask Patrick if he can get a take on the reason?" "Sure, I'll do that." His response came out muffled by a yawn. "And then get a couple more hours of sleep." The project observer gave Sam a mock salute. "Ziggy also finished the data on the house's history. When the Simms' died, the house went to Ben's mother, Anna." "Is his mother still alive?" Al punched a couple buttons on the handlink. "Anna Simms died in 1993--yeah, she's still alive now, here in 1991. Do you think you should contact her, though?" "I don't know. What else did Ziggy find out?" "Well, Anna kept the deed for a while, hesitant to sell since the house had been in their family for five generations. But she was so strapped for money that eventually she did sell in late 1980 to a painter--" Al slapped the handlink. "Ah, Martin Bridgeman." "Did Anna live here?" Sam asked. "Yes, the entire time. She moved in a week after her son and daughter-in-law died." "Then her son must have appeared to her. She had to have realized their spirits were still in the house." Sam paused, vaguely remembering that this wasn't the first time he'd returned to interact with the same people during a leap--only last time none of them had died since the previous leap. "Al, have Ziggy run through possible scenarios leading up to Ben and Karen's death. Something isn't adding up right here. I have this feeling like I shouldn't even be here. It's as though Zoey or some other evil force has been at work here." "What other evil force?" "I don't know--maybe the devil himself." The hologram shuddered at the thought, because once the devil had impersonated him during a leap. "Sam, you don't think--" Al left the thought unfinished as he consulted with Ziggy. They stood silently for a couple minutes as Al stared into the handlink. "There are no indications that Zoey might have been involved here." "Ziggy ran through all the possible scenarios that quickly?" "Well, no, she's still working on it." "We haven't proven that Zoey isn't at work here either. Have Ziggy consider this scenario: Maybe Zoey leaped into Karen just as Ben was returning from Vietnam. As Karen, Zoey could have led Ben to believe that his wife had had an affair." "Okay that sounds like something Zoey would do, but you're forgetting one thing, Sam. Ben Simms is the one who is supposedly influenced by demons." "Yes. . .now. Consider this, after Zoey has firmly implanted the belief that his wife has had an affair into Ben's head, she leaps out of Karen. Then she allows her demon cohorts to coerce Ben into driving his car off the road and into the river." Al turned to the handlink and after a minute of fiddling with it said, "Ziggy says that you could be right." "If I am, then that would be a logical reason for them not to crossover after death. They're probably both very confused." "Unfinished business?" "More likely, Zoey has unfinished business--with me--and she's using the Simms' to get to me. Ask Patrick for his opinion on this. He might have a better idea than Ziggy whether there's any evil influence going on here." "Okay, Sam," Al said, nodding as he continued to punch buttons on the handlink, furrowing his brows. "Ziggy has no more data on Anna Simms. But there's more on Martin Bridgeman--He only lived here for a few months, then suddenly abandoned the place, claiming some pretty peculiar stuff going on. He put the house on the market, but given the publicity the house received from the press, no one bought the place until the Sheffields came along." "Why do you suppose the Sheffields were willing to buy a house that had been on the market so long?" Al asked Ziggy, and the readout from his handlink said that there was insufficient data to answer that question. "Maybe they didn't believe the stories any more than you did when Troian claimed her dead husband, Julian, was speaking to her." "Okay, I'll buy that, but I'm going to ask Charles about it. Troian's situation was bizarre, but there was a logical explanation for it as there could be here as well." "Sam, you don't really believe that, do you? You saw the way the Sheffields reacted to the video tape; they were genuinely scared. I mean, with Julian we just heard his voice, but you saw Karen Simms floating in the air. Try to explain that one away!" "Okay, okay," Sam replied, shaking his head. "Where does this Martin Bridgeman live now?" After asking Ziggy, Al said, "In a small town called Hope about twenty miles from here. The street address is 1554 East Lake." "Okay, go back to when Anna Simms still owned the house; Did she ever rent rooms out to anybody, let anyone live here?" "Anna lived in this house alone, Sam." "In this huge house!" "Well, I think it made her feel closer to her dead son." Sam fell silent for a long moment, thinking back when he leaped into Andrew Montgomery. "Karen lived here alone, too, Al," he said. "She told me that she loved this house, didn't ever want to leave it. She felt protected and comforted under its roof." "Yes," the project observer agreed. "Karen was trying to get a writing career going, and she found the quiet atmosphere of the house refreshing." "Yeah, I remember that. That's why she was so attracted to Andrew Montgomery-- because he was a writer, too. In fact, he was the only person she ever shared any of her writing with. Al, run a history check on Andrew Montgomery. It's possible Karen or Ben had contact with him after my leap. If so, he may know something that could help us." "Good idea," Al said and sent the new inquiry to Ziggy. Sam stood, walking over to the dresser to remove a fresh outfit. "After I eat breakfast, I'll make a few phone calls, piece together everyone's part in this house's history." "I'll see what I can do on my end." Al replied, pushing the button that opened the imaging chamber. "I'll have Ziggy dig up Ben Simms' military records." "And continue to check for any signs that Zoey or another force might be interfering here." Al stepped through the door and disappeared. * * * Over breakfast, Sam told Raymond that he'd read part of Patrick's journal. "I don't doubt that Patrick has the ability," he said, "but I can't accept his belief that I'm psychic as well." "You're what's called a transitional psychic," Raymond replied. "Your abilities haven't been awakened yet." "Well, I'd just as soon they remained asleep." Sam gulped down the last of his coffee before continuing. "I dealt with a haunted house once before and it turned out to just be a hoax. There's probably a hidden video camera somewhere that projected that so-called apparition." "Then why don't you search the house? Maybe when you're done, you'll be more inclined to believe." "I'll do that. Besides, we don't know for sure that that ghostly woman was even Karen Simms. I mean, she looked a lot like her, but with a little make up, many blond women in their late twenties could be made up to look like Karen Simms' ghost. Maybe I'm here just to uncover a hoax. Once I prove it, I'll be able to leap." Before Raymond could reply, their coffee cups started moving across the table. Both men grabbed their cups barely in time to prevent them from crashing to the floor. "Karen," Raymond said. "She's come to show you how wrong you are. Patrick believes there are ghosts in this house. I'm inclined to side with him." He glanced up, down, and around the room. "Are you still here, Karen?" Karen replied by turning their plates counter-clockwise several times. With his mouth agape, Beckett tried to convince himself that he still didn't believe what his eyes were seeing. "Do you think this is a hoax, too?" Raymond asked, staring at Sam. Beckett looked under the plates, then under the table, hoping to find some physical proof for the incident. He saw nothing unusual. "You're a magician, right?" he asked Raymond. In response, Karen made several objects in the room move at once, dishes flew out of the cupboard, appliances began running and Sam felt an invisible hand prickle the back of his neck. "Why are you angry?" he asked, surprised by his own sudden admission that he could be talking to a ghost. "She's not angry," Raymond told him. "She's confused and upset. She doesn't know what to do to regain her husband's affection. But she's not angry." "Then what can I do to help her? As soon as the question was asked, the activity in the room ceased, all dishes floated back into the cupboard unbroken. "I don't know you very well, but I have a feeling that the easy solution rarely works in your line of work." Looking chagrined, Sam nodded slowly. "But what if I'm right about not having any psychic abilities?" "Patrick would never have agreed to let you leap into his life without assurance that you had the ability to handle the situation whether that required non-psychic or psychic abilities." Sam laughed nervously. "How do I go about waking mine up?" * * * "Since you're a psychic, maybe you can answer a couple of questions," Al said as he sat across from Patrick. He'd managed to catch about an hour's nap and was feeling much better now. "First, are you getting any vibes that tell you why Sam might have leaped out of Montgomery if he hadn't been successful?" For a moment, Patrick sat in contemplation, rubbing his beard. "You must consider that each leap has more than one objective. Sometimes, they are so layered that it is difficult to separate them, but each is important in its own right. On one level, you have Sam succeeding during the leap. Karen did not have an affair. A conspiracy was uncovered. Maybe you and Sam erred in believing that Karen ever did have an affair. That is not nearly as catalytic as causing her to have an affair would have been. "As to why Sam has leaped back, through me, I've been giving that a lot of thought. Through visionary work, I've uncovered one distinct possibility: Sam needed to leap into me so I could distance myself from the situation. If I were physically there right now, I would most likely be too close to realize what is really going on. Since I arrived here, I have been receiving an impression that Ben Simms is being influenced by demons." "That was my other question! Sam and I have reached the same conclusion. We've dealt with evil forces before. We suspect one in particular of being involved here. Her name is Zoey. Only problem, she hasn't actually shown up. She likes to gloat over her handiwork." "Hmm. . ." Patrick's expression grew inward as though he were reliving old memories. "I've sensed a presence from time to time in my work. I've never been able to place a face or a name, but occasionally, I've felt this overwhelming force trying to tug me in the opposite direction. I've dreamed of it, too. It's taken many forms, sometimes earthly animals like birds, or large cats, other times its presented itself in beastly forms. I cannot say that the demon which has plagued me is this Zoey you speak of. However, I am sure they are in the same league." "Making wrongs out of rights," Al concurred. "Have you considered that she may not be showing herself as a way to trick you, to steer you away from her plans?" "That's what Sam believes. I'm beginning to believe it myself. He beat Zoey once, and I'm sure she feels she has a score to settle. She enjoys putting wrong what Sam has put right. We have every indication from Ziggy's databanks that Sam had successfully completed his leap as Andrew Montgomery and now everything clearly indicates that all did not go right afterward." "We must determine how long this influence has been going on. Also, we need to know whether a demon is possessing or may be even impersonating Ben." "Wouldn't Karen Simms know it wasn't her husband if some demon were impersonating him?" "You would think so. However, if the demon has been around since he returned from Vietnam, it is possible that she could be deceived as well." "She would have assumed that the war had changed him," Al agreed. "Ben would have been vulnerable and the timing would give Zoey a considerable advantage." * * * "Al, what do you think?" Sam asked after they'd both reported their PSI-related conversations with Patrick and Raymond to each other. They were in the upstairs guest bedroom and Sam was holding the picture of himself. "Well, this is all weird, but Ziggy says that Patrick is telling the truth, and that exploring your own psychic ability will increase your odds of fixing the problem." "Fixing the problem," Sam mused. "We're not even totally sure yet what the extent of the problem is. Any sign of Zoey?" "None." "That really worries me," Beckett admitted. "If I'm wrong and Zoey really isn't involved here, then what other possibilities are there? Ben can't be angry with me, because he has no way of knowing that I exist." "I don't know. I wish I had an answer to give you." "What did Ziggy come up with about Ben's tour in Vietnam?" "Ben spent nearly eighteen months in Vietnam, then was honorably discharged from the army with the rank of a sergeant. While there, he served three tours, coming home briefly between the first two. During the third tour, Ben inadvertently led his troops into a trap." Al looked up somberly. "Nearly all of them were killed." He paused to puff on his cigar. "He came home during the summer of '69, and he and Karen fought constantly until their car careened off the road and down the river embankment, killing both of them instantly." "He must have felt guilty about leading his men to their death," Sam surmised. "Maybe he projected that anger toward his wife." Al glanced into the handlink. "Ziggy says there's a 99% chance that that had at least something to do with the arguments he instigated with Karen." "But that still doesn't explain why he believed Karen had an affair with Andrew Montgomery. I thought I had prevented that before I leaped. Why would I leap out if I hadn't truly fixed everything? Unless Zoey really did leap into Karen." "Ziggy's as baffled as we are." "Even if Zoey is involved here, maybe we should consider another demon as well: the Vietnam War. "You may be right," Al replied, gazing into the handlink. "His state of confusion after the war could have left him quite vulnerable to demonic influence. If this is all true, though, why do you suppose Zoey hasn't shown up to gloat yet?" "Maybe she's trying a new strategy to throw us off her sent. We know her MO and she knows it." Looking back up, Al asked, "Did you make those phone calls?" "I spoke with Anna Simms. She agreed to talk with me Sunday after church services. I left a message on Bridgeman's machine." "What are you going to do now, Sam?" "I'll go talk with Raymond and find out exactly how to tap into my supposed ability." "Meet you downstairs," the hologram said, then popped out. Beckett set the picture down on the desk before heading down to the kitchen where Raymond was already sitting at the table. Two cups of coffee were setting on opposite ends of the table. Sitting down, Sam sipped at his coffee before asking the assistant to tell him something about PSI. The time traveler listened as Raymond explained how to communicate telepathically with Patrick. Raymond told him that each transition was referred to as a Level and that Sam would have to reach at least Level five before he could speak with Patrick. If he managed as high as Level seven, he would probably be able to see Patrick. "I have a strong desire to meet Patrick," Beckett admitted, "but still the thought of doing anything PSI related frightens me." "That's quite understandable." "Ray, may I ask you a personal question?" Steele nodded. "You said earlier that Patrick was guiding you through your own PSI abilities. How much of a psychic are you?" "Not quite as skilled as Patrick. . .but I'm learning." "Do you ever have visions?" "Yes. My abilities are a bit different then Patrick, though. Most of his visions center around future events. I'm what is known as a clairvoyant." "You see things as they're happening?" "Correct. My visions usually involve someone I have previously had contact with, but not always." "Have you ever tried Levels?" "Oh yeah! Many times. It is one of the safest PSI activities and generally the best starting ground for novice psychics." Al stood near the doorway, handlink poised, asking Ziggy for corroborant data as Raymond's explanation unfolded. If Sam agreed to do the exercise, Ziggy was capable of monitoring his biofeedback. "Before you begin, you'll need to get very comfortable," Raymond continued. "If you're too tense, you will not have a successful Levels session." "If I do decide to do this--and I haven't yet--I want Al to talk me through it," Sam insisted. Raymond raised his eyebrows in surprise. Sam mistook it for disapproval. "He's always been there to help and support me, and I wouldn't want this situation to be any different." Raymond nodded. "That's not only acceptable, but will probably give you better odds of success." "You agree?" "Yes. I'm only surprised that you articulated it so well. 'talking one through Levels' is a psychic term." "Oh," Sam replied, then hesitated. "It's just a coincidence--my using psychic terms, I mean." "That could be, but there's another possibility that you're not considering. Perhaps you're not even aware of it. If you were not at least a little psychic, even if you and Al had brainwave attunement; you would not be able to communicate over time and space." "Our brainwave attunement, as you call it, can be explained scientifically. With a little help from Ziggy, our computer, Al and I are able to communicate over time and space. No claims of psychic ability have ever been proven scientifically." "A psychic believes based on faith, Sam. I know this is all new to you and so much new stuff to deal with all at once can be pretty frightening. I can assure you that both Patrick and I have done Levels before and that no harm came to us." Beckett considered this for a moment. "Can Levels be done lying down?" "Yes. That is the way it is usually done. You should remain still, letting Al coax you through the Levels, while only moving your right index finger as you're ready for each transition. Do you want to try it right now?" "I told you I haven't made up my mind that I'm even going to do it at all!" Sam said forcefully. Ray took a deep breath and said. "I know, and I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm pushing. It's just that if you participate in Levels with Patrick, it will better your odds. I don't want to gamble with Patrick's life, but you do have another option, and I'm obligated to make you aware of it. You can conduct an investigation. Get to know Karen and Ben Simms as though they were a part of your own family. Find out their strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage when dealing with them. There is a slight chance that that alone would be enough to convince them to leave this house. However, it is my belief that your best odds would come by employing a combination of psychic and investigative techniques. Studying personal belongings might help you learn about the lifestyle they led, but to really get to know Karen and Ben Simms, you might want to rely on PSI techniques." Still standing in the doorway, Al began punching buttons on the handlink, pounding it several times with his palm. "I'm not convinced that tapping into some psychic power of mine will increase our odds." "He's right, Sam," Al said. "Odds of success will go up by fifteen percent if you do the Levels." Sam stood, nearly tipping over the chair. "Give me until morning to think about it. You'll have my answer then." He left the room, walking around the hologram. Though his friend was no more than thin air, he respected him by acknowledging his presence. Sam returned to his room, picked up the journal, and laid on the bed to read more of the entries. December 17: I'm intrigued by an article I read today in a Carolina newspaper. A young couple from North Carolina, Charles and Lisanne Sheffield, just moved into a house only to discover it was haunted by previous inhabitants. Although stories of hauntings are often fraudulent, I believe this one to be authentic. Their tale rings true. Tomorrow, I will go to the library and research this case and similar ones. December 19: My library visit turned out more fruitful than I could ever have imagined! I spent two days and nearly two nights plowing through all the information. A reporter from Georgia, Margaret Miller, has been writing a column on haunted houses for over a year. She has devoted several of her columns to the Sheffields. She believes, as I do, that they are telling the truth. Their house is haunted by a ghostly couple named Ben and Karen Simms. Until they spoke with Mrs. Miller, the Sheffields had no idea who was haunting their house. Mrs. Miller researched the house's history and learned that in 1970, Ben and Karen Simms careened off the road and plunged into a river where they drowned. She'd also uncovered reports of the couple's incessant fighting before their death. I don't know why yet, but I have the feeling that my profound interest in this case and my vision of Sam Beckett are somehow connected. If Sam is meant to take my place, then he must either be more adept at solving this problem or personally involved. I wonder which. How could Patrick know that I was connected to the Simms? Sam wondered. There is no physical evidence to prove that I ever interacted with Karen. He wondered if Patrick knew about Project Quantum Leap. But that would not explain how Patrick would know that Sam was specifically involved with the Simms. Could he be wrong? Could he have left physical evidence behind during the Montgomery leap? He reflected back on his actions during that leap. Leaping into other people was like being an actor always forced to portray impromptu parts. There was no time for rehearsal, not even a moment to glance at a script before the play began. Although Beckett was good at convincing others that he was the person he'd leaped into, that did not preclude the possibility that he might have let some evidence of his true identity slip at some point. But even if he did, who would pick up on it? And even more puzzling, how would Patrick Marland get access to that information? Slowly, reluctantly, as he considered and mentally discarded explanations, Beckett began looking at the one remaining possibility. Maybe there really was something to this PSI ability. He returned to reading the journal. December 21: I got in touch with Ms. Miller today, who asked me to please call her Meg. I agreed, thinking that on a first-name basis we would have a better chance of helping one another. Meg was very receptive to me. We made arrangements to meet at a cafe for lunch. Meg is a charming, enthusiastic woman with a great zeal for her work. She filled me in on all the new information she'd gathered since writing her last article on the Simms ghosts. She trusted my authenticity as easily as I trusted hers--a hard commodity to come by in these times. She says that she has visited with the Sheffields, even experienced a few bizarre unexplainable occurrences, like moving coffee cups, and an invisible hand lightly running across the back of her neck. This woman has got guts! She didn't run out on the Sheffields. Instead, she asked if she could spend the night. She advised me to contact the Sheffields. She is sure they will agree to let me into their home. I offered her an exclusive as long as she agreed to keep my involvement anonymous. January 4: I mailed a letter to the Sheffields today. Meg had given me both their address and telephone number a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to wait until after the holidays before contacting them. I thought it less of an infringement if I wrote first, giving them the option of deciding whether to contact me. In this letter, I explained to the Sheffields about my coming across their article written by Meg Miller while I was on assignment in Atlanta and that I had personally spoken with Meg Miller. I told them that I thought I could possibly help them and went on to supply examples of experiences that I feel qualify me for this assignment. I have worked with others before, including police on a number of occasions, but I have never worked on a private assignment before. I believe that it is imperative that I get this assignment, because several people depend on the outcome. January 16: Charles Sheffield called me today. He said he was sorry that he hadn't called sooner, but he and his wife deliberated for several days over whether or not they should believe my story. I said that was understandable, and Charles replied that if they could so easily be made to believe in ghosts, why not psychics? He sounded distraught, like he was willing to try anything. He didn't want to lose the house-- both he and his wife had fallen in love with it the moment the realtor had shown it to them. I sympathized and promised to get back in touch with them as soon as my work schedule lightened up. I am amazed by the lack of blank spots. My objective to help the Sheffields and to help Sam Beckett seem so clear. It is almost scary! January 22: I received another phone call from Charles Sheffield today. He sounded very anxious for me to come to South Carolina. I tried to reassure him that I am still interested in helping him. However, I have other obligations I must complete first. I could tell he wasn't happy, but he did say that he understood my situation. January 24: I can sense that the time of Beckett's arrival is drawing close. I don't know exactly when he will arrive, but know it will coincide with the Sheffields. January 31: The best time for Beckett to arrive would be a day or two after I arrive in South Carolina. That way, I would have a chance to set everything up. It would be easier to guide him through an exploration of PSI skills and to help him make decisions. February 6: I heard from Charles Sheffield again. He and his wife have moved out of the home and are currently staying at a motel. He is strongly considering putting the house on the market. I told him that was certainly his right to do so. Nonetheless, I am still hoping for an opportunity to spend some time in the house before he makes a decision. February 8: During the past few days, I have been attempting to pinpoint as close as possible the moment when Beckett will make his leap in. I am nearly confident that it will not occur before I arrive in South Carolina and probably, I will get a chance to at least meet with the Sheffields. The most optimal time, at least for me, would be twenty-four hours after I arrive. If I have at least a little exposure to the house, it could prove very beneficial to my helping Beckett. February 13: Yes, sixteen to twenty-four hours after my arrival feels right. Any sooner, and we may have problems. February 14: If my calculations are wrong and Beckett does arrive sooner, it would be crucial for us to figure out why. I do not want him to think that there will be no hope of success if he leaps in at a less-than-optimal time. We will just have to compensate somehow. February 17: I just finished an assignment and have four weeks before the next assignment I've accepted. I'll call the Sheffield's tomorrow and make arrangements to meet with them. I hope four weeks is enough time to solve their problem. The entries ended there.