A Sliders Fan Script
by Ashe P. Kirk
Episode 3 of my "Season 6 in the 2020s" series
Completed: 27 July 2022
montage of clips and dialogue from Conjoined Quinns Part i and II:
Maggie
Well, the truth is... Quinn isn't gone.
Mallory
...Sharing. --
Is that possible?
Maggie
It's him.
Quinn
Mind if I step in?
Rembrandt
Q-ball?
Mallory as Quinn
Will you slide with us?
Rembrandt
Goodbye to Earth Prime.
Diana
Rembrandt.
Cole
No freakin' way.
Mallory
-- All our friends and family together. --
Rembrandt
Not all.
Arturo
Miss Welles.
Maggie
And Colin.
Mallory as Quinn
We all want to find my brother, and -- separate my mind from Mallory in some way. --
We don't have some kind of blank "tabula rasa" style body to put me in. --
I'm thinking a brand new, state of the art timer.
Cole
You have a lot of control of what goes on in there, don't you?
Mallory as Quinn
Scan away.
Cole
There is a large concentration of activity in these five areas --
And when you take over, it's like you spill out of there --
-- there's a marked difference in brain wave signature between the two of you.
Wade
Uhh. Hi.
Arturo
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Fade to Black.
Gathered around the kitchen table: Arturo, Missus Mallory, Wade, and Quinn. As before, Quinn is silent, his movements stiff, and his face is largely unreadable - henceforth to be known as Silent Quinn. Wade, on the other hand, is highly expressive.
Missus Mallory is beside herself with emotion. Arturo is much more analytical.
Arturo
You're the Wade and Quinn of this dimension?
Wade
I thought we'd found our home world a few times, but there was always something that proved me wrong. But... I think this is it. The blue bridge sort of sealed the deal.
Arturo
Outstanding.
Wade
We actually settled down in one of the other worlds, let the timer run out. Thought we were going to be there twenty-nine years. But a few days ago the timer sprung to life and started counting down. I don't know how. But I took it as a sign, and it led us right back home.
Arturo
Fascinating. Perhaps my newly activated machine somehow became linked with your timer. I never would have guessed such a thing possible, though.
Wade
When we arrived, I came straight here. I knew Quinn's mother would need to see him. I never guessed I'd see you here, Professor. Last I saw you, you chickened out of sliding. Probably for the best, under the circumstances.
She looks at Quinn with sadness.
Missus Mallory
(staring at Silent Quinn)
What's... what's wrong with my son?
Wade sighs. Silent Quinn is silently looking at Missus Mallory with moist eyes.
Wade
It happened years ago while we were off on adventures. I still don't understand what happened entirely.
This freak with his own sliding tech comes out of nowhere and claims to know us, right? Then he sticks a giant needle into Quinn's neck, and next thing I know, Quinn's like this.
Silent Quinn looks at each of the people at the table with a trace of sadness, but he isn't very expressive.
Arturo responds to this gravely.
Arturo
I see. Was the man named Rickman, perchance?
Wade
(shocked)
That's it! How do you know him?!
Arturo
I believe the same thing happened to my own double, before being gunned down by the same man.
Wade
So you've encountered him...
You wouldn't know if there's any way to restore Quinn?
Arturo
I'm sorry, I've never heard of one of his victims recovering. Most went into permanent comas or died. You were at least lucky Mister Mallory was spared that.
Wade sighs.
Wade
I should have known not to get my hopes up.
Missus Mallory
You've been... taking care of him all this time?
Wade
Of course! I love him. Before this happened, we were engaged. Still got the ring on.
She shows her hand with the engagement ring, shockingly expensive.
Wade
(voice breaking)
24-carat Martian diamond.
She becomes emotional now. Silent Quinn places a hand on her shoulder slowly, but that's the most of the comfort he seems capable of providing in this state.
Missus Mallory lets tears roll freely down her own face.
Missus Mallory
I'm glad he has you, Wade.
She stands, moves to Silent Quinn, and puts her arms around him. He looks up at her, almost blankly, but he also has tears starting to roll down his cheeks.
Arturo
There are people I'm sure would very much like to meet you... would you be interested in taking a quick jaunt to another Earth with me?
These friends of mine - if anyone can figure out a way to restore your Quinn here, it's them.
Wade
You can do that? Control the slides?
Arturo
Indeed. I promised to return to them tomorrow evening, so make yourselves at home until then. They are going to have the shock of a lifetime.
Title Sequence: Sliders
Missus Mallory Prime sits on the bed, flipping through channels on the TV. Everything is garbage.
She switches it off with a sigh. She's bored.
A knock comes at the door.
She lights up, and gingerly gets to her feet, hobbling to the door.
She opens it to find Cole and Mallory there.
Cole
Grandma!
Cole hugs her, and enters.
Mallory hesitates.
Missus Mallory
Come on in. I don't bite.
Mallory steps inside and makes sure the door is closed.
Mallory
So, I...
Missus Mallory
You know now, don't you? About Quinn.
Mallory
I do. Yeah. And so does Cole.
Missus Mallory
I didn't know - not until you fell asleep, and then popped right up again as my son. I didn't question it.
Cole
It's been a pretty weird few days for me, I gotta tell you.
Mallory
We... found Remy.
Missus Mallory's eyes shine with amazement.
A bustling restaurant with cowboy themed decorations and waitresses in sexy cowgirl costumes.
Rembrandt finishes a glass of beer, then grabs a fork and steak knife, and digs into a big, juicy hunk of meat.
Across from him sits Diana, who looks on with amusement.
All eyes are on them, being celebrities.
Rembrandt
Thanks for taking me out.
Diana
Of course! You deserve a bit of normalcy after what you've been through.
Rembrandt looks around him. People staring at him, wide-eyed, excited.
Rembrandt
Not sure "normal" is quite the word. But it's nice all the same.
He waves to his admirers, who swoon.
Rembrandt
Doesn't look like this place has changed at all.
Diana
You'd be right about that. The fame has certainly waned over time, especially since we all agreed to fade away into the background as best we could.
Rembrandt
But now the cat's out of the bag that I'm back, that could change.
Diana grimaces.
The bedroom is not so different to Quinn's room as shown at the beginning of Sliders, except with a little more creative flair and models of the human brain. And, of course, the fact it's in a mansion.
Cole reclines on the bed, clad in high quality wireless headphones. They have their phone out and are tapping away while bopping their head to the beat.
We see on the phone that Cole is messaging with an unknown classmate.
Messages shown [not spoken]:
Cole
Skipping tonights class bc of family emergency
Unknown
Damn I'm sorry. Anything I can do?
Cole
heh no, it's not something I can talk about rn. but it's actually not really a "bad" emergency per se
Unknown
Lemme guess, your folks got sliding working again and now they're gonna take you for a joyride?
At this, Cole looks up from the phone, deciding what to say next. Then they type:
Typing on screen [not spoken]:
Cole
I wish! [Nervous laughter emoji]
pls just pass on class notes. thx
After a moment, the phone chimes.
Message shown [not spoken]:
Unknown
Got it, np. Tell me all about when you can!
Cole smiles, reading this.
Cole
(out loud now)
Can't wait.
The smile turns to a grimace as Cole's headphone output is suddenly interrupted by a screeching noise.
In visible pain, they rip off the headphones, and rub their ears.
Cole
What in the...?
The headphones are still screeching, though it's dulled now that it's on the bed instead of Cole's ears.
Cole turns off the headphones, and lurches off the bed.
The entryway is lit up with vortex energy, as it had been the previous day, as Cole scurries down the stairs.
The light dims as the vortex closes up.
Remaining are Arturo, Silent Quinn, and Wade.
Cole
(top of lungs)
Mom! Dad! The Professor's here!
(quieter)
And he brought... friends?
Arturo
Good evening, Miss Mallory.
Cole descends the stairs.
Cole
It's Mix Mallory, if you don't mind. Or just Cole.
Arturo looks at her funny.
Cole
Wouldn't expect an old guy like you to understand. Who are these two?
We hear an indecipherable cry of shock coming from Maggie, who has appeared from the hall by the stairs.
Arturo
Good evening, Ms Beckett.
To answer your cry, no these aren't the ones you knew.
Mallory (O.S.)
What's all the commotion?
Mallory appears behind Maggie, and takes a glance at the scene.
Mallory
I must be hallucinating again.
Arturo
Not this time, Mister Mallory.
Allow me to introduce you to the Quinn Mallory and Wade Welles of the Earth where I was stranded.
Cole can't control their grin as they walk up to the pair.
Cole
So this is what he looked like.
Wade holds out a hand in salutation. Cole takes it, and vigorously shakes it.
Wade
Hi. I'm Wade.
Cole
I'm Cole. Quinn Mallory's... kid.
Wade
Oh my gosh... so nice to meet you.
Mallory and Maggie approach now, and each shakes Wade's outstretched hand.
Mallory
I'm... also Quinn Mallory. But not the same... flavour? They call me Mallory.
Wade
(shaken)
N-nice to meet you too.
Maggie
I'm Maggie Beckett. Mallory and I are Cole's parents.
Wade
Maggie. Lovely to meet you.
Maggie turns towards Silent Quinn, and Mallory and Cole are both already looking intensely at him.
Cole
Why is he not...
Wade
I'm sorry, Quinn has a brain injury.
This makes Cole's eyes pop. A million thoughts have just flooded their mind.
Wade
He's unable to speak, or do much of anything really.
Maggie looks pained at this revelation.
Mallory looks forlornly at this Quinn.
Quinn, sitting at the edge his armchair, absolutely transfixed, jaw hanging open, reaches a hand out for the phone, without taking his eyes off the TV screen.
He grabs it, pulling it to his ear.
Back in the mansion, Mallory looks into the distance for a moment, listening. He then turns to Wade.
Mallory
Hey, so... did the Professor tell you about the deal with me?
Wade
He didn't say much of anything; I think he was looking forward to a surprise on both ends.
What do you mean,"the deal?"
Mallory
So, I've never met a girl named Wade. But, uh, there's another guy inside me who has.
Wade furrows her brow.
Wade
In... side... you?
Mallory
Look, just, let me show you.
He looks down for a moment. Then, he sharply breathes in, and gives his head a quick shake, as Quinn steps in.
He takes her hand, and gazes into her eyes.
Mallory as Quinn
I know it's not the you I knew, but... god it's good to see you Wade.
Wade is confused, until she really looks hard at him.
Wade
Whoa, that's... uncanny. I don't understand.
(gesturing in strained confusion)
You're... Quinn within another, different-looking, Quinn?
Mallory as Quinn
I'm... sharing this body with an alternate version of myself. One that doesn't have my face. Not like him.
He looks at Silent Quinn, who catches his eye. Silent Quinn's eyes show a sense of alarm and confusion.
Wade
What is it about Quinn Mallorys and crazy things happening to them?
Mallory as Quinn
Crazy things happened to us all. Terrible things.
His face falls as he remembers his Wade, the other Professor, and Colin.
Cole pulls on Quinn's arm. He turns to face her.
Cole
(pleading)
Let me do a scan on this Quinn?
Arturo
An excellent idea, Mix Mallory.
Cole looks at him, impressed.
Once again, the study is set up as it had been during the last brain scan. This time, Silent Quinn is sitting in the seat, as Cole busily attaches wires.
Around them: Wade, Maggie, Arturo, and Mallory (as Quinn), all watching on.
Maggie
Wade, you said Rickman did this?
Wade
You know him?
Maggie makes a fist.
Maggie
May he rot in Hell.
Cole finishes up the rigging, and switches on the laptop screen.
Cole
Professor, you didn't see my results last night, did you?
Arturo
No, but I'd very much like to see them.
Mallory as Quinn
Basically, the nanotech took our integrated brain, and separated my brain activity almost entirely from his, only allowing him access to the body, and disallowing the two of us from merging again.
Cole
The pieces of his brain, after a while, connected back up to one another, so it was like having two independent brains in one.
Mallory as Quinn
Over the years of learning to exist as a disembodied mind, I was finally able to free myself in the past year, and commandeer Mallory's body whenever he wasn't using it. And now, when he lets me.
Cole
I'll show you the imaging after I scan this Quinn.
Wade
Huh. Chip off the old block, aren't you Cole?
Cole
I dunno about that. I've grown up with a lot of privilege. If I owe my education to anything, it's probably that.
Wade
(playful)
You're humble, too. I guess you don't entirely take after him. Still. The way your eyes light up talking about this sciency tech stuff - it's clear where you got that passion.
Cole smiles at this momentarily, before springing into action to start the scan.
Cole
Okay, so I'll just run the initial scan... hang on.
The computer screen does just what it did the first two times.
As the full 3D model of Silent Quinn's brain appears, several alerts pop onto the screen:
"Brain Activity not detected in area RS902"
"Brain Activity not detected in area LS455"
"Brain Activity not detected in area LG66"
"Brain Activity not detected in area LF511"
Cole, intently focused, clears the errors and zooms in on the brain model.
Cole
(under breath)
My god, what happened to him?
Wade
The last brain scan he got back on the world we were living in, they said he had extensive... what was the word..."atrophy," I think?
Cole
They weren't wrong. The language centres are wiped out, which explains his inability to talk.
Wade
Yeah. I've learned to live with the silence, but there's so much more that's missing.
Cole
Well, I can see that his frontal lobe is shot, which explains his passivity. His logic and spacial reasoning have withered too...
(beat)
But...
Cole points at an area of red.
Cole
All this area is mostly intact - long and short term memories.
(glancing up toward Wade)
He remembers everything. He just doesn't have any ways to express himself.
Wade places a hand on Silent Quinn.
Wade
I wish I could tell what he was thinking. I wish there was some way to communicate with him both ways.
Cole stiffens. A light bulb moment.
Cole
Hang on.
They bring up the brain scan of Mallory's brain. We can see similarities between Silent Quinn's brain and this one. Red colouring in areas of Mallory's brain in places where there is no activity in in Silent Quinn's - but it's the same red.
They bring up the scan from when Quinn was in control, then overlay it with Silent Quinn's scan.
A message comes up:
Wave Activity Match - combine samples? Yes/No
Cole taps "yes" and watches the two brains combine to become a healthy-looking brain.
Cole
(whispering, shocked)
Oh... holy sh-
They're cut off by their own hand on their mouth.
They whip out their phone, and dial a number.
Wade looks at the others, who exchange equally confused looks.
Cole
(into phone)
Anna, I have the wildest scan data and I absolutely couldn't wait to tell you. And you're gonna regret it for the rest of your life if you don't let me into the labs. Tonight.
(beat)
I know. Just... please trust me on this one.
(beat)
Would it sweeten the deal if I said I was bringing Professor Arturo, Wade Welles, and Quinn Mallory?
(beat)
No. I'm not joking. And no, I don't mean my Dad - though he'll be there too.
Cole gazes up at the onlooking crowd, who are looking at them questioningly. They hold up a finger -"hang on."
Cole
Of course you can get their autograph.
(beat)
Thanks Anna. See you there in twenty minutes.
They bring the phone down and tap to hang up the call.
Cole grins.
Cole
Come on, we have somewhere to be.
Quinn (the one in Mallory) exchanges an excited look with Cole. He doesn't know what she knows exactly, but clearly it's good. He sees himself in Cole here, the sheer enthusiasm for a scientific breakthrough he used to enjoy.
The limousine pulls in front of the house, as the group all come out of the mansion's front door.
They pile into the limo, and it pulls away. We stay here for a moment, and another car pulls into the driveway. It stops, and we see Rembrandt and Diana get out.
Diana
The Professor should be here by now.
The two head for the door, and see that none of the lights are on.
Diana
No lights on?
Rembrandt
Where'd they go?
It's your typical university hall, with a series of doors to different labs and lecture halls along a corridor.
In the front of the door labelled "Neuroscience Laboratory G" stands a diminutive woman, Anna. She looks about early or mid twenties. She wears thick glasses and plain, comfortable clothing. She paces back and forth, carrying a folded up laptop, and a huge messenger bag is slung over her shoulder.
She catches sight of something, and we see that the door to the outside is opening, and our gang comes inside - Cole, Arturo, Maggie, Wade, Mallory and Silent Quinn. Cole carries her laptop.
Anna's jaw hits the floor as she recognises each slider.
Anna
So cool...
Cole
Right?
Cole approaches Anna, ahead of the group, a big grin on her face.
Anna hugs her, a greeting of two besties.
Anna
I normally need to ask permission to use this lab, so count yourself lucky I'm such a big fan of "The Sliders." I just hope I don't get in trouble.
Cole
When Professor Harper finds out the goldmine of data I've got here, I suspect he'll let it slide. Come on.
Anna takes a look at the crowd and turns, pulling a keycard from her bag. She opens the lab door.
It's a well funded lab, decked in advanced machinery and monitors. There are two tables - or beds, with all kinds of wires and scanners around them, and at the head of each one, a ring of machinery which presumably a person's head is put in the middle of as they lie on the table.
Just inside the door is a locking cabinet.
Anna
Okay everyone... sorry about this, but you all need to put your phones and any other electrical devices and place them in this faraday cage. The equipment here is really sensitive.
Each character, except Silent Quinn, places a phone in the cabinet, followed by Arturo placing his timer.
Anna catches sight of it.
Anna
Is that what I think it is?
Arturo
What do you think it is, my dear?
Anna just stares at it a moment, and closes the cabinet. She locks it.
Anna
Look, I'm a little starstruck so... let's just get down to business.
She turns to Cole.
Anna
You had data to show me?
Cole smiles.
Cut to:
Cole and Anna have set up their laptops, both connected to the mainframe in the lab.
The monitors around the lab all receive Cole's display feed, and the three brain scans are shown, along with the fourth one that combined two of them.
Maggie, Wade, and Silent Quinn all sit on chairs, while the others stand, looking up at the screens.
Arturo
I wish I knew what I was looking at.
Mallory as Quinn
I believe the red represents my brain wave signature.
Cole
And it's the exact same as the other Quinn.
Anna
So scan one is...
Cole
My Dad's brain.
Anna
Not only your Dad by the look of it.
Cole
Right.
Anna
And the third one?
Cole
That's this Quinn over here.
They point at Silent Quinn.
Anna
It looks almost like his brain was cut in half and then crammed in your Dad.
Cole
That's... not what happened, but... the brains are highly compatible. If they were united...?
She points to the final brain.
Anna
That's amazing, but... how in the world would we do that?
Mallory as Quinn
You don't want me subsuming this other Quinn anyway. I'm not taking possession of the poor guy like he's an empty vessel. There's a person in there.
Wade
Yeah, I don't want to lose my Quinn.
Cole
I know. Which is why I want to try and communicate with him using the NBI. See if he can at least tell us what he wants.
Anna
Great idea... if he can understand the concepts involved. Or communicate with us at all.
Mallory as Quinn
NBI?
Anna
Neural Bridging Interface. Measures ongoing brain waves to gauge nonverbal responses to questions.
Mallory as Quinn
Neat.
Wade
How does it work?
Cole grabs a handful of sensors and starts placing them on Silent Quinn.
Cole
Well, when we have him hooked up, we start asking him some easy yes or no questions and see if we can gauge his brain's patterns for affirmative and negative. Then if that's successful, we start increasing the complexity of the questions.
Anna
It bypasses the need for language. Sometimes there are even pictures that form in our monitor. Rudimentary shapes, anyway, nothing mind-blowing.
Wade
Well, my mind already is blown.
Anna falters, looking at Wade.
Anna
Mm-Mine too.
Cole
We're gonna need a few minutes to get the equipment online. Sit tight everyone.
Anna and Cole cross the room to a large control panel, and start pushing buttons and entering data.
Cole
Thanks again for letting me in here.
Anna
'Nother semester and you'll be getting access to these rooms yourself. Then again, with these scans? Maybe it'll be sooner.
Cole
Your guess earlier was half right. About my folks, and sliding.
Anna
It was considerably weirder than I could have guessed.
Cole grins.
Rembrandt and Diana sit on the steps of the dimly lit porch, phones to ears, frustrated and confused.
Remy pulls his phone down.
Rembrandt
Nothin'. They're all out of range or off.
Diana
(resigned)
Maybe they're off-world.
Rembrandt
But why? What could have happened?
Diana
Maybe the Professor's timer ran out and they all went back with him?
Remy sighs.
Then, a thud is heard from inside the house, causing the pair to spin around.
Rembrandt
Hello?!
Diana
Is there someone in there?
They rush to the windows and try to peek in.
Rembrandt
I can't see nothin'.
Diana
Me neither. Do you think they'd hate us if we broke in to see?
Rembrandt
Well, sounds to me like there's already someone broken in. Let's go!
Remy steps back, and tries to ram the door with his shoulder.
This only serves to hurt him, and the door is going nowhere.
Rembrandt
Agh! Damn that is a solid door.
Diana
We'll have to figure out another way in.
Then, inexplicably, there's a click at the door, and it opens just a touch.
Rembrandt stares at it, spooked.
Rembrandt
They never told me this house was haunted...
He goes inside.
Since we were last here, Silent Quinn has been hooked up to the machine, and he lies on one of the tables, his head within the circular ring. It lights up inside, and he closes his eyes reflexively.
Anna
The realtime monitoring will be projected here.
She points at the large central screen on the wall.
All present (other than Silent Quinn) looks at it.
It's a greyscale fuzz, almost like an ultrasound image.
Cole
Okay, everyone needs to be quiet except for Anna, so she can ask the questions.
Nods all around.
Anna
Hi Quinn, I'm Anna. Can you hear me right now?
The monitor changes to have white on the right side, and a gradient into black toward the other side.
Then it's back to the previous state.
Cole
(typing at her keyboard)
Okay, that was a definitive response, but we'll need further questions to make sure it was intended to be a"yes" answer.
Anna
Hey, Quinn, that's your name right? Quinn?
The monitor makes the same pattern once again.
Anna
That is encouraging. Now we'll try to gauge a "no" response.
Quinn, please tell me: is your name John?
The screen changes again, but it's the same response as the other two times.
Cole
That's... considerably less encouraging.
Anna frowns.
Wade grabs his hand.
Wade
Quinn, who is holding your hand right now?
Anna moves to protest, but Cole puts out a hand to stop her, pointing at the screen. They look up at the screen to see a fuzzy image of Wade's face.
Wade's eyes fill with tears.
Wade
That's right. I love you, you know that?
The screen morphs into a fuzzy image of figures embracing.
Wade
Oh Quinn... I'll hug you once you're out of that thing, okay? I'll give you all the hugs you could want.
On the screen: a barely perceptible heart shape.
Wade can't hold back her emotion now, and kneels before the table, resting her head on Silent Quinn's chest.
He gingerly places his hand on her back.
Wade
He's got so many feelings trapped in there.
Cole looks at Anna cautiously.
Cole
There is, uh something else in here that may be of use.
Anna meets her eye, and twigs onto what she's referring to.
Anna
Oh, no. Cole, It's highly experimental.
Cole
The more compatible the brain scans...
Anna
It's never been trialled on humans.
Cole
Yeah, but it worked just fine on the monkeys!
Arturo
Oh good lord, what are you two scheming up?
Cole
We have a machine in this lab that lets two minds communicate via a direct neural connection.
Every one of the test animals came out of it significantly more bonded and understanding of the other.
Anna
Every one of the test animals that survived, you mean.
Cole
It requires the two subjects to be already closely matched in brain waves. Usually that meant siblings raised together. The closer the match, the better the chances of a good experience.
Mallory as Quinn
So, in other words, you're suggesting I just... hook up my brain to him and see what happens?
(beat)
Well, I'm in.
Wade
Do it.
Cole grins.
Maggie
Aren't you forgetting someone's opinion?
Mallory picks up the phone, looking serious.
Mallory
...I'm in, too.
Diana and Rembrandt have turned the lights on and are now searching the area for signs of a break-in.
Diana enters the room out of one side of the staircase, while Remy enters from the other.
Diana
I haven't found any sign of anyone. But someone must have unlocked the door, right?!
Rembrandt
This is all very creepy.
As they meet in the middle, we see there is a tall figure standing on the landing of the stairs, though we don't see much detail.
Diana and Remy haven't yet noticed, as they ponder their predicament.
Then, a paper aeroplane hits Remy in the cheek, originating from the direction of the staircase. Remy, startled, grabs it before it falls to the ground.
The pair, alarmed, spin around just in time to see the figure seem to flicker and then vanish.
Rembrandt
Like I said... haunted.
Diana
I've seen someone flicker and shift like that before...
Remy unfolds the paper plane, and reads it with complete shock.
The two Quinns are now all rigged up, and lying on the two tables.
Cole
Now there's no telling what's going to happen in there, but if anyone can make this worthwhile, it's a guy who's had practical experience navigating a brain for twenty years.
Mallory as Quinn
Roger that.
Anna
I hope you're right, Cole.
Arturo
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, young lady.
Wade
You really aren't my world's Professor, are you?
He responds by patting her on the back.
Anna
Powering on. Get ready everyone.
On Quinn as he blinks a couple of times and...
Flashcut to:
Quinn (as himself) opens his eyes, and sees Mallory sitting on the seat, startled. But also, there is his doppelganger, Silent Quinn, standing beside him.
Mallory
Oh, I didn't know I was having guests. Would've made some tea.
Quinn turns around to see his old camcorder on a tripod, the same one he used to make his video diaries so long ago.
Quinn
Let's make this a little more interesting for the folks at home.
He flips on the camera.
The big screen, that was showing the imaging earlier, suddenly gains a lofi standard definition camcorder feed of the Mindscape Basement, complete with sound.
Quinn
(on video)
Hello out there! So far so good!
Wade's hand shoots to her mouth.
Anna
How...
Cole grins.
Cole
Told you he was amazing.
Maggie and Arturo look on in amazement.
Quinn leans against a table, and Silent Quinn begins to bound around the room, looking at everything.
Silent Quinn
I know this place!
Mallory's jaw drops.
Mallory
Did he just talk?
Quinn
(excited)
I'm letting him use my brain's language and higher processing to supplement his own.
Mallory
You can do that?
Silent Quinn
This is my basement. Oh man, I missed this place. How did I get here?
Wait, wait... you look just like me. You're....
Quinn
I'm your double.
(pointing at Mallory)
And so is he... sort of.
Silent Quinn
Him? He looks nothing like us.
Mallory
Yeah I know. And I never hear the end of that.
Quinn
It's alright. Just think and let yourself understand what's going on.
Silent Quinn pauses a moment, thinking intensely. Then, he begins to pace, animated, and behaving like Quinn.
Silent Quinn
I was in a lab. Wade was there. And all these other people. Professor Arturo...?
Then I was all wired up and... so this is some kind of... mind meld or something?
Quinn
Somethin' like that.
Silent Quinn
(snapping fingers)
That guy with the syringe. He took away my mind. All those years... no wait, I can think now. I can talk. You did this?
Quinn nods.
Quinn
I'm letting you borrow my ability to think and talk, while we're connected up like this.
Silent Quinn
I feel like... myself again. Like I just put on glasses and everything's come into focus. Oh my god, Wade.
He begins to get emotional, and focuses his attention on the camcorder.
Silent Quinn
Wade, can you hear me?
Cut to:
Wade watches (not so) Silent Quinn on the screen, letting her tears flow freely.
Silent Quinn
(on screen)
Wade, I... don't think I can express with words how thankful I am for you... but words are better than a blank expression, right?
He peers lovingly into the camera.
Silent Quinn
(on screen)
Thank you for spending all those years looking after me. I appreciate everything you did, the way you sacrificed your happiness and chance to get home all that time, just so I could be in a safe environment.
No matter what happens, what I become, I love you.
Wade can't even see his face properly any longer because of her teary eyes. She gets on the table and curls up against Silent Quinn.
Wade
I love you too, Quinn.
She kisses his cheek.
Quinn pats Silent Quinn on the back.
Quinn
You really do love her, huh?
Silent Quinn nods.
Silent Quinn
But... I can't go back to her as I was. I just can't face being incapable of expressing myself like that.
He buries his head in his hands.
Silent Quinn
It's like purgatory.
Quinn
I know exactly what that's like. Being incapable of signalling to your loved ones what you're feeling, or even that you're still there.
Silent Quinn
Oh... oh? I can see your memories...
Quinn
We were both isolated. Trapped in our own bodies, just in different ways.
Silent Quinn
Your childhood... exactly like mine...
Quinn
Except for the most minor of details, we lived exactly the same life right up until we started sliding.
Mallory, still seated on the armchair, starts to get uncomfortable.
Mallory
Hey, so...
Quinn
You don't need to be here. You can have your body back.
And then, he's yeeted into the armchair, which he seems to get sucked into, and he's gone.
Mallory's eyes pop open. He's still wired into the machine, so he doesn't move.
Mallory
Whoa. Uh... I guess I'm here now.
Anna
That isn't supposed to happen!
Cole
Whatever you do, don't move, okay Dad?
Mallory
Okay...
The two Quinns are now seated, facing each other - Quinn on the footrest, and Silent Quinn on the armchair.
Quinn
Remember Daelin?
Silent Quinn
Do I ever! One of those big "what-ifs."
Quinn
And Bopper?
Silent Quinn
Poor li'l guy.
Quinn
It really does seem like everything matches. And then... sliding happened.
Silent Quinn
Major point of divergence in our respective memories.
Quinn
But still --
Silent Quinn
-- we've both been looking for --
Quinn
-- a way to become ---
Silent Quinn
-- whole again --
Quinn
-- and we're --
Silent Quinn
-- so nearly --
Both Quinns
-- identical.
The two share an understanding look as they gaze into one another's eyes.
And then...
There's suddenly just one Quinn in the room.
He looks surprised for a moment, before smiling in amazement.
He looks into the barrel of the camcorder.
Quinn
Be out in a sec.
For a moment, we see Quinn standing there, looking into the camera, and then, the screen goes blank.
Silent Quinn - now just Quinn, opens his eyes.
Quinn
That went better than expected.
He slides out of the machine, yanking off sensors. Wade scrambles to her feet.
The room is bathed in shocked silence.
Quinn
It's good to be me again!
Wade
W...which one of you is saying that?
Quinn
Both of us.
He wraps his arms around her, laughing with joy.
Mallory
Oh my -
Maggie
- God!
Cole
(staring at their monitors)
He really did it... the synergy the program predicted... he brought them together as one.
Wade looks into Quinn's eyes.
Wade
How can you be both?
Quinn
I can't fully explain it, but we were just so similar that we just kind of slotted together like we were meant to be one being the whole time.
Wade
(wide-eyed)
So... do you still...
Quinn leans in to her.
Quinn
Love you?
They kiss. Wade melts into him as if she's spent a lifetime waiting for this moment.
Mallory, getting out of the machine, looks on with wonder.
Maggie grabs him by the hand, and pulls him into a hug.
Maggie
We did it. We got the two of you separated.
Mallory
I... feel lighter, somehow.
Anna
Well, this has been the all-time wildest day I've ever had.
Cole
Here's to many more wild days to come.
The door bursts open, and in comes Maggie.
She stops cold when she sees Rembrandt and Diana sitting on the stairs, looking grim. Rembrandt still holds the unfolded paper plane.
Upon seeing Maggie, the two get to their feet.
Maggie
You two look like you've seen a ghost.
Rembrandt
You don't know the half--
He trails off as Quinn and Wade appear in the doorway behind Maggie.
Quinn
Oh, hey guys. Surprise!
Rembrandt's jaw drops, and he actually faints, though Diana catches him before he drops.
The paper he was holding drifts to the floor, and we finally see what's written on it:
I helped you - now it's your turn to help me. - Colin
Fade to Black