Date: 19 Apr 1993 13:09:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Brian Willard Subject: Storm Brewing, Part III Message-Id: <01GX70ZFEFPY934SGM@UNCA.EDU> Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville X-Vms-To: IN%"alt-ql-creative@cisco.com", IN%"ql-archive@cisco.com" Storm Brewing Part III by Brian Willard "Come take a look out here, Darren!" Billy shouted toward the cellar. "Give me a second," answered Sam. He climbed out of the storm cellar and had to quint his eyes because of the bright sunlight. Everything around them lay in chaos. The house that had once stood above the storm cellar was reduced to a pile of splinters, their van laying on its side with a large timber stuck through its side. "Police will be here soon to pick us up -- I called them on the CB. Also managed to salvage my lunch. You want half a sandwich?" "No thanks, I don't have much of an appetite right now." Sam walked over to a broken mirror and looked at his reflection. "I'm only a kid!" Sam said to the reflection, and he figured he couldn't be much over 25. Probably just out of college, he thought. "Are you still planning on going to look at Hurricane Alicia?" Billy asked. Sam didn't know exactly what Billy was talking about. "Yeah," he said, "I guess so." "You guess so? The Weather Service is counting on you to make that recon flight, you know." Sam really did not want to think about that right now. He just wanted to get away from this, to find out who this St. John really was, and most of all what happened to Al. Sam looked out toward the storm, now many miles away, and watched a rainbow beginning to form. "I'm in Oz!" he exclaimed. "Afraid not," replied Billy, "South Texas is about as far away from paradise as one can get." A dark blue patrol car pulled into the yard next to their van. A large, husky man stepped out of the car and motioned for them to come over. "C'mon guys, I'm takin' ya back to the station," he said with a Deep Texan accent. Billy and Sam walked over and got in the back seat of the car, and the sheriff got back in and backed onto the highway. From the highway they could see several overturned vehicles, as well as some damaged houses and barns. "My name's Sheriff Brown, boys," the cop said, "One hell of a storm, huh? Luckily nobody got hurt, but we was worried 'bout you two. Your friend's waitin' for you at the station. I s'pose we really din't have nothin' to worry bout',. ************************************************** "I just can't figure out why he kept asking for some man named Al," St. John said to Alpha, pacing around the control room. "We must remember that in some leaps the swiss--- Darren of somebody Darren knew before Dr. Beckett leaped in, and it's just enough that he recognizes you by that name." "No, he didn't recognize me at all. He was specifically asking for Al Calavicci. But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go ask Darren, would it now?" replied St. John. "Oh...what did you find out about the other person that was Darren at the time of the plane's disappearance?" "Well, it wasn't just one other person, it was two. A man and his wife. Hold on, let me get those names again. Uh, Edward... this is very unusual... ***************************************************** The police cruiser pulled up to a small white building which Sam assumed to be the local police station. The husky sheriff got out and let them out. As soon as he stepped out of the cruiser, Sam sensed a familiarity, not of the place, but of someone nearby or within. He figured it was probably just that St. John guy, but the hologram was nowhere to be seen. Billy and Sam followed the sheriff into the building, where a familiar figure was seated in a chair by the door. "I'm glad to see you kid are okay," a familiar voice said, "I called as soon as I heard the tornado had touched down. I couldn't have done what you two did, thunderstorms give me the ibby-jibbies." "AL!" Sam shouted, and ran over to his friend, "My Al, you look a lot younger. What happened?" "What do you mean _what happened_? Nothing happened to me, but I'm sure wondering about you right now. How can I look younger...I'm getting older by the day." "Yeah, Al," Billy added, "He kept calling for you during the storm, and I couldn't figure out why for the life of me." "You can see him?" asked a very puzzled Sam. "Of course he can see me, Darren. What am I...the invisible man or something? Oh boy, you really are gone!" laughed Al. "Don't you recognize me. It's me Al...it's Sam!" "Oh, now he thinks his name's Sam!" Al nearly fell over with laughter. "Are you sure he didn't bump his head in the cellar or something." Sam was really confused now -- here was Al, but it wasn't the same Al. It couldn't be the Al from 1983, could it? Why not, he certainly looked it. And what was he doing in South Texas? There was only one way to find out "which" Al this really was. "Al, are you still married to Marci?" Sam asked Al, who was still laughing hysterically. "Well, at least he remembers something!" Al exclaimed, and laughed even harder. When he finally got under control, he said, "I suppose I should get you two out of this place, before sheriff there decides to shoot us all." He resumed his laughing, and the sheriff joined in. When all had quieted down, Billy, Al, and Sam left the little station and got into Admiral Calavicci's jeep. "Buckle up boys! Here we go!" And with that Al pulled out of the parking lot and onto the old country road. To be continued (when I next have time!!)... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Brian Willard | "I'm just gettin' warmed up!" | | UNC-Asheville | Al Pacino - _Scent of a Woman_ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Revenge is mine, thus sayeth the hologram!" Sam Beckett - "The Leap Back"