Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 18:21:29 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Slide Before You Leap - Part 8 Message-ID: Slide Before You Leap A Quantum Leap / Sliders Crossover ky Kat Freymuth Part 8 "You ready for your first day of work?" Rembrandt asked Wade as Quinn spoke on the phone. "Sure am. And you?" Wade questioned. "The Cryin' Man waiting tables?" Rembrandt questioned. "Come along, Mr. Brown," Arturo told him with a pat on the back. "We must all do our part." "And what about you, Professor?" Rembrandt leered. "Are you going to wait tables?" "Certainly not," Arturo said firmly. "There is a respectable position available at a place of higher learning." Wade smiled. "They need a librarian at the city library." Rembrandt laughed. "A librarian?" "Better than a server at a coffee shop," Arturo retaliated. "Guys," Quinn interrupted the would-be argument. "Looks like the job hunts are off." He hung up the phone and walked to them. "That was Admiral Calavicci on the phone. Dr. Beckett wants to meet with us right away." "That's terrific!" Wade exclaimed. "There's just one small thing," Quinn continued. "He wants us to meet him in New Mexico." "New Mexico?" Arturo questioned. Quinn lokked at everyone. "The Admiral said he'd provide for the transportation so that's not a problem but there's more." "Meaning?" Rembrandt pressed. He had a bad feeling about this. "Everyhting is being pre-arranged by the Admiral," Quinn told him. "And once we get to the airport, we'll be blind-folded." "What?" the three exclaimed. "So we won't know where we're going," Quinn explained. "This is preposterous!" Arturo complained. "I will not be led around like a blind mouse!" "I already said that we'd go by the Admiral's restrictions," Quinn told them firmly. "What?" Rembrandt and Arturo yelled. "Quinn!" Wade complained. "Why?" "I hae a feeling that he's taking us directly to Dr. Beckett's project and, if that's so, we should be at least courteous enough to follow certain understandable restrictions. Remember, they're doing us a favor, not vice versa." Rembrandt frowned. "How about we just stay here, get our jobs, wait for the next window, and slide outta here." "And pass up even the chance of going home?" Quinn queried. "We might not ever get another chance like this." All four were silent for a moment. "What the hell," Wade finally spoke. "I'm tired of sliding. If you think Dr. Beckett will help us, count me in." "Me too, Q-ball," Rembrandt proclaimed. "Couldn't hurt." "Professor?" Quinn questioned. "Very well, Mr. Mallory," Arturo replied. "So long as the restrictions are reasonable." "Agreed," Quinn told him. "Well, we'd better get ready. He's coming to pick us up in two hours." ****************** "You're gonna do what?!" Tina exclaimed. "Al, are you crazy?" "I asked Sam the very same question but he insisted," Al told her. "I've already made the security arrangements." "I don't like this, Al," Tina told him firmly. "Neither do I." "But Sam insisted," Tina smiled. "You just can't say no to him, can you?" "Sure I can," Al told her with a glare. "Besides, these guys want to see Sam. Sam wants to see them. Who am I to keep them apart?" "Chief of Security and Administrative Manager at Project Quantum Leap," she told him. "That's why I have the security precautions." Tina sighed. "It's not like Sam to bring people into the Complex when they don't have security clearance." Al lowered his head. "He's getting desperate." "And you're letting him act on it," Tina proclaimed. Al shook his head. "You don't know him like I do, Tina. He'll meet these people regardless. And if these people are trying to get information about the project, it's better if I'm controlling where they're allowed." "But the Complex?" Tina pressed. Al sighed. "I hate to say this but Sam would take them there anyway just to get their insight on this problem he's having. Would you prefer they had unlimited access?" "Of course not," Tina told him. She paused. "You don't seem to have a lot of faith in Sam." Al closed his eyes and sighed. "He's gone through a lot, Tina. The hearings and that test that failed miserably. I can't tell you how many times I wonder what would have happened if he had succeeded." He looked at her firmly. "You know I convinced Congress to give him more time then. But if he doesn't prove his theories by February, he'll lose his project and this time there won't be a damned thing I can do about it." He took a breath. "I don't like him putting his faith into these people but he already has and he's determined to work with them." "So," Tina deduced. "You're torn between being Sam's best friend and being a Naval admiral and you're trying to find a middle ground." Al looked into her eyes. "Exactly." "You think this will work?" "I hope so," Al said softly. "Come on. We don't have much time 'til we pick them up." Tina kissed Al gently. "What was that for?" Al asked. "For luck," she told him. He laughed. ------------------------- Yes, there is more coming. I'm glad so many of you out there are really enjoying this. If you have any ideas, suggestions, comments, let me know and I'll keep it coming. Kat Freymuth