A Sliders Fan Script
by Ashe P. Kirk
Episode 8 of my "Season 6 in the 2020s" series
Completed: 8 August 2022
Bravo
We're a military sanctioned sliding facility staffed by various Quinns.
Quinn
Just how many Quinns work here?
Bravo
Currently? Just three.
Delta
I suppose he's been making the pitch to you?
Charlie
We're all friends here. At least I like to think so.
Wade
So that's it? Work for you or never slide again?
Alfa
(in American Sign Language)
I need your help.
Diana
-- Said he was code name Alfa - the first Quinn at this facility. He says that Bravo's planning something terrible, and that he's captive because he tried to expose him.
Bravo
Do you know why the Kromagg Dynasty never invaded this Earth? It's because of us. --
-- Sooner or later, the stalemate is gonna end, and I'd rather we have the advantage when that time comes.
Diana
What do you know about Project Hyacinth?
Quinn
If this thing is ever used, it could be catastrophic and destroy multiple Earths.
Charlie
Here. In case things go south.
Quinn
We won't forget this.
Quinn
What do you think, guys? Stay in this totalitarian hellscape?
Wade
Rather die.
[Quinn, Wade, and Diana escape through a vortex]
[Alfa crashes through a vortex into the mansion]
Mallory
Oh my god! Quinn?!
Charlie
Hey man. I'm so sorry.
Colin
I'm going to guess that you're not my brother.
Charlie
(sadly)
Good catch.
Quinn
Hey... Wade... Diana...
[Street full of Quinn doubles walking by can be seen]
Cut to Black
Rembrandt sits on a couch opposite an older woman wearing smart casual attire, Doctor Emmanuel. She's sitting in an armchair holding a clipboard and pen.
Doctor Emmanuel
I'm confident you're suffering from depression, but on top of that I feel we may need to dig deeper to learn about your traumas some more.
You're displaying some classic signs of complex PTSD, so I'd like to see if we can get you assessed for that.
Rembrandt
Ain't my traumas plenty understood on this Earth already?
The doctor smiles at him sadly.
Doctor Emmanuel
Rembrandt, while we do know plenty of what happened, we don't know what it did inside that brain of yours. Experiences affect everyone differently.
(beat)
Alright, our time is up for now, so I'm going to start out by prescribing you some anti-depressants. Trial them for a month and see if they improve your mood any.
She writes out the prescription, and hands it to him.
Rembrandt
(sighing)
Alright, whatever you say, Doc.
As he begins to rise from the couch, his phone starts to ring. He answers.
Rembrandt
Yeah, what's up?
His face turns serious.
Rembrandt
I'm on my way.
In the guest bed, Alfa lies, sleeping.
He stirs now, though, and instinctively places a hand to his head where he hit it. Touching it, though, makes him gasp in pain.
Alfa
Agh!
His eyes open, and he looks around the room in confusion.
He finally sees that Mallory is seated in a corner, wide-eyed.
Mallory
Hey. I'm glad you're awake.
(beat)
Maggie told me there were a bunch of different Quinns, so uh... are you ours?
Alfa
Sorry to disappoint, but no.
Mallory
...Oh. Then, who are you? Why are you here?
Alfa
Kinda by accident, but...
He attempts to get up, but his head is too sore. He cringes and lies back again.
Alfa
Your friends are in big trouble. They helped me escape, but I think they were probably caught.
He glances around, and pats down his clothes.
Alfa
The timer...
Mallory
It smashed. Pieces everywhere.
Alfa
Oh no...
Mallory looks both dejected and relieved to see all the sliding business over with.
At the doorway of the room appears Rembrandt, accompanied by Maggie.
Maggie
Mallory, why didn't you say he was awake?!
Mallory
(belligerent)
He just woke up, alright? Calm down.
Maggie gives him a dirty look.
Maggie
So is it our Quinn or not?
Alfa
No, I'm not. I don't want to mislead you all. I didn't even get to meet your Quinn. Just Wade and the other lady, whose name I didn't catch.
(emotional)
But your Quinn helped me, even having not met me. And now he's probably in worse trouble than I was.
Alfa breaks down and begins to cry.
Rembrandt moves to comfort him.
Rembrandt
Hey, it's alright. Q-ball's resourceful, I'm sure he's got some plan. Some way outta this mess.
Alfa
But I just stole and destroyed his best chance. I'm such an idiot! Who knows what Bravo's gonna do to him?
Mallory looks at this emotionally damaged Quinn with surprise. He's never seen Quinn vulnerable in this way. His expression softens into empathy.
Maggie
The Professor's looking at the pieces of the timer as we speak. I'm sure it's repairable. You look terrible; get some rest, okay?
Rembrandt
What should we call you? Those Quinns all had code names, right?
Alfa
(through tears)
I'm Quinn Alfa. The original failure.
Picking up where we left off last episode, Quinn, Wade, and Diana are gawking at the stream of Quinn doubles passing them on the sidewalk.
Quinn taps one on the shoulder. The Quinn double stops, and looks expectantly at them.
Quinn
Hi, could you tell us...
Wade
What this place is?
Quinn Double
(to Quinn)
Oh, you're a newbie? Welcome to Quinn Francisco!
(to Wade and Diana)
And welcome to your Wade and Diana, too.
Wade and Diana glance at each other, getting more weirded out by the second.
Quinn Double
You here by chance or by invitation?
Quinn
(one eyebrow cocked)
Chance, I guess.
Quinn Double
(laughing)
Oh, nice. This must be pretty wild, huh?
Wade
You could say that.
(beat)
Did you say Quinn Francisco??
The Quinn double chuckles.
Quinn Double
Yeah; it was a joke name to begin with, but it caught on, so it's just what the city's called now.
Listen, you'll wanna go to the nearest Orientation Center.
He points down the road.
Quinn Double
Two blocks that way, then hang a right. There's a big sign that's impossible to miss.
Quinn
Th-thanks.
Quinn Double
No prob. And chill out! Promise there aren't any weird, arbitrary laws you'll be breaking without realising. All the city's rules are laid out in our handbook - copies are free at the Orientation Center.
(walking away)
Enjoy your stay, you guys!
The trio stare at one another for a moment.
Quinn
This is all really weird, right?
Diana
You noticed, did you?
Wade starts walking in the direction the Quinn double had been pointing. She turns back momentarily to say:
Wade
Well, I for one, am not looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Quinn
(following)
I've seen about enough of my own face for one lifetime...
Fade to:
The trio passes by a lot of land that appears to be a big junkyard filled with scrap metal and old junk. Quinn looks at it with excitement, especially once he sees a vortex open over it, and some more scraps fall through to join the pile.
Across the road, another vortex opens, and another Quinn double appears out of it. His head is down looking at his timer, and he just keeps walking as if he does this all the time.
Above them, a video billboard displaying an ongoing game of Mindgame, last seen in the episode Eggheads. All the players are Quinn doubles, except for a few, one of whom looks remarkably like Cole, and others may be alternative offspring of a Quinn.
Wade
(awestruck)
This place really is built for Quinns, isn't it?
The Orientation Center is covered in signage and arrows that say:
Orientation center:
New arrivals here
The three enter the double doors.
The Orientation Center has the appearance of a tourist information centre, filled with brochures and a reception desk. On the far wall is an elevator with a sign reading:
Newcomer accommodation:
1 Quinn Plus up to 3 Guests Stays Free
Diana is startled to see that the man behind the desk looks just like Mallory.
Mallory Receptionist
Oh, it's a Diana! Must be my lucky day.
(beat)
You three new in town?
Diana
Uh, yeah. And this is... really bizarre.
Mallory Receptionist
Totally understandable if it's your first time. I take it you've met a Quinn who looks like me before.
She nods in response.
Mallory Receptionist
Well, we're pretty rare, so congrats.
He reaches down under the desk, and produces three copies of the Quinn Francisco City Handbook.
Mallory Receptionist
(handing them out)
Here, these are our rules. Is there anything I can help you with? Somewhere to stay the night?
Quinn
That would be handy, yeah.
Mallory Receptionist
Alright, we got plenty of rooms upstairs, but first I've gotta scan you with my little doohicky here, see if you've got any flags against your ID.
He produces something akin to a temperature gun, which he points at Quinn.
Quinn
What ID?
Mallory Receptionist
Yeah, I don't know how this thing works, but every different Quinn gets a different ID code that comes up when I use it. We have a database that it checks against, in case of a Bizarro universe Quinn who's fleeing his crimes.
Diana
(looking at Quinn)
Quantum signature, maybe?
Quinn considers this, shrugging.
Mallory Receptionist
(looking at the reading)
Well well, you're in the system. You did say it was your first time?
Quinn
Yeah, I've never even heard of this place before now.
Mallory Receptionist
It's weird though, I'm getting two conflicting IDs, but only one's registering against existing data.
Quinn
Yeah, I'm sort of a convergence of two different Quinns, so...
Mallory Receptionist
Oh, the ol' twofer. I gotcha.
(beat)
Listen, there's a note on your record here. It's got an address you're suggested to go visit.
He writes it down on a notepad, and tears off the page, handing it to Quinn.
Mallory Receptionist
Here. You're not required to go there, but the system asked me to give it to you either way.
Quinn
(looking at it)
Thanks.
The Mallory hands him a keycard.
Mallory Receptionist
Your room is 206. Oh! And--
He pulls a folded-up map of the city off a rack on the wall and hands it to Diana.
Mallory Receptionist
Don't wanna get lost.
Wade
Thank you, you've been very helpful.
Mallory Receptionist
That's what I'm here for.
The room is arranged very similarly to the hotel rooms shown throughout the series. Four beds, plenty of space to talk.
Wade, Quinn, and Diana have already got themselves set up. Wade is flipping through the handbook, while Diana sees what's on television. Quinn is still looking at the address he was given.
On the TV, there are only four channels. One plays 80s cartoons, another streams a Mindgame match, the next shows science documentaries, and the last channel is news.
Diana
Only four channels, and they're all catered to Quinn.
Wade
It says here that this whole Earth has been rendered uninhabitable by catastrophic climate change, and this city contains the entire world population, which is just people from other worlds. It's protected by a climate control bubble powered by the Earth's core. Every resource here is imported via sliding.
Quinn
Okay, I gotta admit, that's incredible.
Wade
And get this: because they continually get Quinns from all over the multiverse, they have a policing clause that allows for most crimes to be let off with a warning the first time around. Ignorance of the law is a solid defense here.
Quinn makes a sound of acknowledgement, but something on the TV has caught his attention.
The newsreader is the spitting image of Logan St Clair.
Wade looks up.
Wade
Who's that?
Quinn
She's my female double. Logan. Though she can't be the same one, can she?
Wade
(blushing)
A female Quinn?
...Sounds kinky.
Quinn
The one I met was a cartoonish villain who kidnapped the other Wade, nearly killed the Professor, tried to sleep with me, and sabotaged my timer. So you could say it wasn't the best experience.
Diana
Yeah, well, don't blame it on her chromosomes. I'm sure there are lots of them who are just as nice as you.
Quinn
I guess you must be right.
Wade
I'd like to meet one. Think of the fun--
Quinn shoots her a startled look.
Wade
--We could have... gossiping, about... girl stuff.
She's still red-faced, but we can only guess what she's thinking.
On Television:
Logan
... That's your late news for tonight. I'm Logan Mallory, wishing all the Quinns out there sweet dreams.
She blows a kiss toward the camera with a smile.
Bravo sits at the chess table, in the middle of a game against Delta. Both are intently looking at the pieces as they talk.
Bravo
(frustrated)
You know, I haven't had a Quinn get under my skin quite this much since my ostracisation.
I have to plan our next move carefully. And it has to exclude Charlie, who's proven himself to be a problem.
He moves a pawn.
Delta looks at the board silently for a moment, and moves a piece.
Bravo
If he seeks asylum there, he might be hard to find. He could plan anything with all those Quinns around.
Might be best to send you there to track him and his friends down before he has a chance to blend into the crowd.
He makes his next move.
Delta nods.
Delta
Should I leave today, sir?
Delta moves a piece.
Bravo
Yes. Don't make yourself known unless you have to. Find his whereabouts, keep tabs on him, and send bi-hourly reports. I'll decide what to do from there.
Bravo moves a piece. Delta looks at his move, then back up at Bravo, questioning.
Delta makes his move.
Delta
Checkmate...?
Bravo stares at the board for a moment.
In a sudden burst of rage, he stands and swipes all the pieces to the floor.
Then he collects himself again, acting as if nothing had happened.
Bravo
Go.
Delta stands and heads for the elevator. Bravo crosses his arms.
Bravo
(as if disgusted by the name)
"Quinn Francisco." Their mayor isn't even one of us, you know.
Delta is in the elevator as the doors start to close.
Delta
Yessir.
Quinn, Wade, and Diana come out of the Orientation Center.
Quinn hails a flying taxi, which descends to pick them up. They all pile in.
Quinn produces the slip of paper with the address, and hands it to the driver, who turns around to reveal a Maggie Double. She looks at it, and then up at the gawking trio.
Cabbie Maggie
(in a thick New York accent)
You're newbies, huh? Listen, little piece of advice...
She turns to the front and peels away from the kerb and into the sky.
Cabbie Maggie
Quit starin' at everybody so surprised like. Really gives you away. Pretend like nothin' shocks you, you'll blend in better.
Whoever you see here, it's prob'ly not the one you know. So chill.
Diana
How did you end up in a city like this... if you don't mind me asking?
Cabbie Maggie
Got caught up slidin' years back. My husband came up with it with the help of some Quinn or another.
I was in the air force, now I fly a car. Simple transition.
Best city in the multiverse to live, if y'ask me. Quinns are very polite guys. For the most part.
Quinn
How did everyone find this place? I never knew it existed.
Wade
Haven't you been reading the handbook? Some come here by chance, others get invited by other Quinns they've encountered.
Quinn
(petulant)
I never got invited...
Diana
To be fair, half of you was incommunicado and the other half was a disembodied brain.
Quinn
Inside another Quinn, who also never got invited.
Diana
He never met another Quinn to invite him.
Quinn
Okay, you have a point.
Cabbie Maggie
Sounds like you've had a complicated life.
Quinn
(almost laughing)
You have no idea. I have between three and four lives worth of memories, you know. Me, the other me, Mallory for a chunk of his life, and the bubble universe where I lived to old age with Maggie.
(beat)
And I have three mothers.
Wade
Wait, three?
Quinn
(sheepish)
Yeah, though technically Mom Prime is my foster mother.
Wade
(remembering)
Oh right! Your birth mother left you with her, right? And then put Colin on the other planet.
Cabbie Maggie
Wait, you're that Quinn? Oh, makes sense.
Quinn
(intrigued)
What does?
Cabbie Maggie
This address you gave me.
Quinn
You know the place?
Cabbie Maggie
You don't? It's where your birth Dad lives.
Quinn's jaw drops.
Quinn
Oh my god.
The guy at the Orientation Center just said it was attached to my ID. I didn't know what it was.
(beat)
I've never met him. I'd given up looking.
Cabbie Maggie
Well, looks like we got ourselves an auspicious occasion.
The cab drops down into a well-landscaped courtyard, with a fountain, and a statue that we see is of Colin Mallory. A modestly-sized, but very fancy-looking house awaits them. Think marble columns and lots of ivy.
The sliders jump out of the cab. Cabbie Maggie rolls down the window.
Cabbie Maggie
Enjoy your reunion.
(repeating a spiel she says after every trip with newcomers)
No pay required - city's funded by the Mallory Foundation. You might be surprised how many Quinns are loaded.
(waving)
See ya!
The cab lifts off and flies away as Diana reads the plaque on the Colin statue.
Diana
"In memory of all the Colins that vanished in nineteen ninety-nine."
Wade
So it's true that they all vanished. All except your brother, and that one guy from the pandemic Earth.
Quinn
I can't even begin to speculate on that guy. Come on.
He walks to the front door and presses the doorbell button.
Diana and Wade flank him as they wait.
The door finally opens to reveal Michael Mallory. He's dressed in a plain pinstripe shirt and khaki trousers, quite unlike how he was pictured in the message beamed to Quinn's brain long ago.
He regards the trio with little surprise; given the city in which he lives, it's hardly shocking to see a Quinn and a couple of his known companions.
Michael
Oh, have you come about the plumbing?
(beat)
You don't look like tradespeople.
Quinn remains silent for a moment, taking it in.
Quinn
I--
(hesitating, restarting)
So look, I just got here in town and they... they sent me here? I think you're my birth father. At least, that's the hypothesis of my cab driver.
Michael
They sent you here from the Orientation Center? After scanning you?
Quinn nods. Michael's face lights up.
Michael
(barely contained joy)
Uh... I suppose you'd better come in!
As we open, we focus the puddle on the road that the trio landed in back in the previous episode, which reflects a couple of flying cars in the sky, before a brown leather boot lands in it, splashing water.
We see that it's Delta, wearing civilian gear but still maintaining a military posture. He checks readings on his wrist device for a moment, and walks onward towards the sidewalk.
It's a cosy house with antique, classic style furniture. The sofas look like they came out of the early 20th century, though they're well maintained.
Quinn, Wade, and Diana sit on the seats. Michael is not currently in the room.
It's quiet, but you can hear the sound of the fountain outside. No birds can be heard.
Quinn
This place isn't what I expected. Their civilisation was meant to be really high tech.
Wade
I mean, this city is really high tech too. Maybe he just likes this style of décor?
Michael (O.S.)
Some things are timeless.
Michael enters the room carrying a tray of tea. He puts it down on the coffee table.
Michael
These older hand-crafted pieces are designed to last lifetimes, you know. Just some reupholstery once in a while and they're good as new.
He pours them tea.
Michael
So, it's been a long time, hasn't it? First I thought you were dead, then I started hearing you were looking for me. I moved here hoping I'd find you. Figured it would be the best place for it, right?
Quinn
Sorry, I was a little indisposed all this time.
(beat)
Look... I've been burned before. Do you have any... proof... you're my real father?
Michael thinks for a moment, then reaches for a book on his shelves. He opens it up, and it's been hollowed out. Inside are two microdot chips.
Michael
These look familiar to you?
Quinn
Are they...
Michael
Backup copies. If you need proof, you can use it.
Quinn takes one, and holds it to his forehead for a moment.
It starts to light up, and, having seen enough, he immediately removes it and the two men finally hug. It's a long one, and they both have red eyes by the end of it.
Quinn
What happened to my mother?
Michael
I'm sorry, Quinn. She passed away about nine years ago.
Quinn
(dejected)
I see.
Michael pulls an old family photo off a shelf, showing the whole family together.
He and Quinn both sit down to look at it.
Michael
(sighing)
I gave up on Colin after finding out that every Colin Mallory in existence supposedly disappeared in ninety-nine. Nobody seems to know why.
Quinn exchanges a look with Diana.
Quinn
It's complicated, but Colin is alive, Dad.
Michael
(astonished)
But how? Do you know where he is?
Quinn
I'll explain more later, but he's not tethered to one world, and he shifts between them constantly. The freak event that caused it also destroyed all of his doubles.
Michael's mouth drops open at this.
Diana
We had the means to find him and stabilise him. Until yesterday.
Quinn
Yeah.
(realising)
...Just the kind of bargaining chip Bravo'd use to get me back there. Dammit.
Michael's brow furrows.
Michael
Wait, did you say Bravo? Like from the Quinn Squad?
Wade
Quinn Squad?
Michael
Yeah... that military group that keeps confiscating timers from Quinns they find and then trying to recruit them.
Quinn
You know them?!
Michael
Are you kidding? That bastard Bravo used to run this place. We banished him. You know he tried to make everyone give up sliding? Except him and his friends, of course.
Quinn
I see. He must hate this place, not being able to come here even though he's, like, unhealthily into Quinns. No wonder it was Charlie's bug-out.
Michael
So that's how you got here?
Quinn
Yeah. The timer was a one-way trip. It fried its own circuits after we slid here.
Michael
That's alright; do you have any idea how many sliding machines and timers you can find in this city? Heck, I've got one in my own basement!
Quinn's eyes light up.
Arturo sits at the desk, peering into a magnifying glass at electronic components, tweezers in his hands. We see that it's the broken timer.
He sighs heavily and takes a moment to rub his eyes.
Maggie peeks into the room.
Maggie
Hey. How are you doing?
Arturo
Dreadfully, my dear. This blasted brain fog, and constant wheezing. I'm half the man I was.
(swelling anger)
I just wish I could concentrate properly!
This outburst leaves him coughing.
Alfa (O.S.)
Maybe I can help?
Alfa appears behind Maggie, who steps further inside to let him pass.
Alfa
(with a faux smile)
I mean, I have a concussion and standing up is making me dizzy, but... I'll try.
Arturo
(sarcastic)
Oh yes, let's bumble our way to success like a pair of Conrad Bennish Juniors, shall we?
Alfa
(rubbing his temple)
I don't know who that is.
Arturo
Well, that's a blessing for you.
(beat)
I get the impression this timer has seen its last slide, to be quite honest with you.
Alfa
(depressed)
They're probably all off on some random world by now anyway, or dead. I'm sorry.
We now see that Cole has just entered the room and is staring, wide-eyed, at Alfa. They take a moment to gather themselves after walking in on such a morbid thought.
Cole
No way, the Quinn I know is way too smart for that.
Arturo
I'd like to think there was some way he outplayed this Bravo character, but they're both Quinns. That's an even playing field.
Alfa
It would be, if Bravo didn't have the military at his disposal. And Delta. I'm sorry, but there's no way.
Cole
(harshly)
What kind of Quinn are you anyway? "Downer" Quinn?
Alfa
(sighing)
More like "Realist" Quinn.
(beat)
Sorry for failing you all.
He moves past Cole and leaves the room, head hanging. Cole watches him go, and looks back at Maggie and Arturo in exasperation.
Alfa and Mallory pass each other in the hall, and Mallory heads for the door to the Study.
Cole (O.S.)
What good is having some random Quinn here if he's given up?
Mallory takes this comment with some pain.
Alfa, at the threshold of Hall and Entryway, stops cold as a bright light and wind starts assaulting him.
Alfa
Oh... guess I was wrong?
Mallory looks toward the light in surprise.
Mallory
(shouting towards Study)
Hey, everyone! Get out here!
The three sliders come flying out of the vortex in a rougher manner than usual.
Quinn ends up falling onto the bottom of the staircase.
He looks up to see Alfa, Mallory, Maggie and Cole standing near the left side hall, with Arturo hobbling out of the hallway behind them. On the right side, Rembrandt and Missus Mallory appear. All have sheer relief on their faces.
Rembrandt
Q-ball, my man. You made it.
Quinn
(scrambling to his feet)
Sorry we're late.
As Diana stands, she meets Alfa's eye.
Diana
Alfa... you got out.
Alfa presses his mouth into a smile, but his eyes don't follow suit.
Alfa
You too. I'm glad.
Cole
(smirking)
He'd literally just given up on you, you know.
Cole moves past them to Quinn, who they hug.
Cole
Welcome back.
Alfa
How did you get out of the facility?
Rembrandt
Where'd you get that timer?
Maggie
What happened with that doomsday machine?
Mallory
Did you manage to get Colin back?
Missus Mallory
Are you all okay?
Arturo
Come now people, give them a precious moment to catch their breath before bombarding them with questions.
Wade
(looking at the timer)
Listen, we're only here for an hour. We have a tight schedule because...
Diana
We have a military base incursion to plan. Who's in?
Maggie
Taking down that sleaze? Let me at it.
Quinn
Primary objectives are getting Colin back and disabling that machine. Bravo stands between us and those goals, so he's definitely gonna have to be taken down.
Mallory
Hey, can we rewind a bit? How did you get here?
Quinn laughs.
Quinn
Mallory, meeting your double was the least weird thing that's happened to me since I last saw you.
(to Maggie)
Meeting yours might be the most weird, though.
He starts walking in the direction of the living room.
Quinn
Come on, we've got quite a story.
Maggie and Mallory look at each other in surprise and intrigue before following him.
Delta steps out of the Orientation Center, a slip of paper in his hand that contains an address.
He types something into his wrist device, and continues on.
As he passes, in the window of the Orientation Center we can see the Mallory Receptionist gagged and handcuffed to a bar on the wall.
In the center of the room, Quinn, Wade, and Diana sit. The rest are scattered around them, with Alfa sitting on the floor against a wall.
Alfa
So you saw the city, then. Where I first met Bravo. Bet it's changed a lot.
Quinn
(amused)
Quinn Francisco.
Alfa
(incredulous)
They kept that name?
Quinn shrugs in reply.
Maggie
You really found your birth Dad? For real this time?
Quinn
(grinning)
Seems that way.
Cole
(excited)
I have a Grandpa!
Maggie
Is this city safe?
Quinn
It's basically tutorial level for sliders.
Cole beams at this.
Cole
I'm going.
Maggie shrugs in defeat.
Wade
However! With Bravo around, no place is truly safe. Not if he can get the coordinates.
She looks down at the timer.
Wade
We gotta go in ten. Anyone who's coming, assemble by the stairs.
Alfa
We need to be extremely careful from here on out. Quinn Squad's got the coordinates to every one of these worlds, including right here.
Anyone who stays behind better steer clear of this house for a while.
This prompts Arturo and Missus Mallory to exchange a look.
In the magnetic field, Colin lies on his back, staring at the ceiling. Beside him, just out of the field, lies Charlie.
Colin
I'm hungry.
Charlie
I already gave you all my snack stash.
(sulky)
I'm hungry too.
Colin
I thought you said you worked here. Why are you trapped in this room with me?
Charlie
Because I backstabbed everyone who trusted me and helped your brother escape.
Colin
Oh.
(beat)
Well, at least you have a bathroom. Can I at least upgrade from a bottle to a bucket?
Charlie
I don't have a bucket.
Colin
What sort of high tech lab doesn't have a simple bucket?
Charlie
This one, apparently.
Colin
I suppose this is peaceful in some way. Don't get much of that, shifting around.
A moment passes as they lay there.
Colin
Could use a shower, too.
Charlie
Yeah, me too.
Colin
Can't you control door locks and things from your screens over there? Quinn used to do stuff like that all the time.
Charlie
I'm completely barred from access.
Colin
Can't you... I don't know... "hack?" That's a thing, isn't it? I know that's a thing.
Charlie
If I could hack my own security protocols, don't you think I'd be doing that?
The sound of the doors opening makes Charlie shoot up to a sitting position.
Bravo enters, flanked by two soldiers.
Bravo
Hey there, getting some quality chat time in, you two?
Colin
I'm hungry.
Charlie
Come on, Colin's innocent. And probably highly traumatised from slipping through the fabric of space-time for two decades. Let him go.
Bravo
(sarcastic gesturing)
Oh, well in that case...
(beat)
I'll get you some food, but only because you're both more useful to me alive. We're closing in on Echo, so hopefully that'll change soon enough.
He turns to leave, and ushers out the soldiers with him.
Colin
Wait, can I get a buck--
The doors slam closed, and Colin sighs.
Charlie
If it makes you feel any better, I have to empty those bottles.
And you pee so much for someone who's barely hydrated.
Colin
(not comprehending the idea of schadenfreude)
Why would that make me feel better?
Delta drops onto the roof from a flying car.
He crosses the roof and quietly jumps down onto a balcony at the back of the house.
He produces a small gadget from one of his pockets and hovers it over the door lock. The door unlocks, and he slips inside.
Once inside, he pulls another device from a pocket, and places it on the floor. It's a palm-sized metal sphere with a button on the top.
He presses the button, and the device activates, with a ring of red lights around the perimeter.
His work done, he leaves the way he came.
Delta climbs down to the ground level, where he hides in a bush. He taps his earpiece.
The device breaks apart into a swarm of 12 tiny drones, which rise into the air, and fly off into the rest of the house. One remains, which plants itself under the bed.
Michael Mallory stands in the living room, clearing off the tea from earlier. He doesn't notice the drone flying in.
Undetected, it plants itself on the underside of the coffee table.
We follow another drone into yet another basement laboratory, full of sliding equipment.
The drone places itself under a seat.
Delta places a visor over his face.
The visor allows him a basic virtual reality rendering of the bug locations in the house. The view can be seen as an overlay over the bushes Delta can see in front of him.
He sees one of the bugs pulsing, and focuses on it with his eyes. The eye movement triggers the machine to start playing audio through his earpiece from that location.
Delta listens carefully.
Footsteps. Then, the active audio shifts to the basement, where he hears the familiar sound of a vortex.
The vortex has indeed opened, and Michael Mallory pokes his head into the room to see a large group of sliders arriving:
Quinn, Alfa, Wade, Mallory, Maggie, Cole, Rembrandt, Arturo, and Diana.
Michael
(impressed)
You have quite the team.
Quinn
Yeah, I've made a few friends over time.
Delta listens in.
Maggie
Listen up, everyone. You want to take on an army, you'll need to think like one. Come with me and we'll run some drills.
The sound of many feet stomping up stairs.
The active audio changes to the living room, and finally out into the front courtyard.
Delta focuses on this courtyard bug, from which the only notable audio is coming.
Quinn, Alfa, Mallory, and Michael remain silently behind in the basement, each taking turns writing on paper and showing it to each other. They're planning something, but we can't see what.
Alfa holds up something, and Quinn nods, followed by Mallory, followed by Michael. They each start to tiptoe up the basement stairs.
The four Mallorys continue to creep silently, past Maggie who's making the others run laps - except for Arturo, who sits uncomfortably on the edge of the fountain, looking grim.
Maggie
Come on maggots, put some energy into it! Any one of those soldiers could lay you flat right about now!
As Cole huffs and puffs, they watch Michael's flying car ascend into the sky.
Maggie
Alright people, take five!
Distraction's over.
Delta rips off his visor.
Delta
(whispering)
Damn. Well played.
He types into his wrist device.
Delta
(as text)
Bugs anticipated. No intel acquired. Next move?
Bravo
(as text)
Proceed to Plan B.
The large domed building is barely different from the version we know, except that the rows of flags outside are all different versions of the US flag (and other countries in which this city stands depending on the local geopolitics), all from different Earths.
Michael's flying car comes in for a landing right in front.
Quinn, Alfa, Michael, and Mallory all jump out.
Mallory
Remind me again why I'm here?
Quinn
You're a Quinn too, you know.
Mallory
Oh, come on. I stick out like a sore thumb. You said there was one of me workin' reception at your welcoming centre? Typical.
I bet we're treated like an underclass and made to work all the menial jobs, right? I've seen "Rick and Morty."
Michael
What...?
Quinn
So have I; I was there when you saw it, and need I remind you that a Morty was in charge in their city?
Mallory
An evil Morty.
Alfa shrugs at Michael, and they begin to ascend the stairs.
Michael
Well, I don't know who or what a Morty is, but our mayor isn't evil...
They enter the City Hall.
Mallory is the first to enter, and he immediately sees another Mallory who's mopping the floor.
He's about to make a comment when Maggie Guard #1, a Maggie Double in a security uniform, points an ID scanner at him, and he's startled into silence.
A second Maggie, Maggie Guard #2 starts scanning Quinn.
Upon scanning Mallory, Maggie Guard #1 looks at the scanner and says:
Maggie Guard #1
Ooh, it's a new Quinn in the mint flavour. Welcome!
Mallory is suspicious by her supposed enthusiasm, besides the obvious shock of seeing two of his wife.
Maggie Guard #2
(whacking the side of her scanner)
How weird, this one's bringing up two IDs...?
Quinn
(holding up a finger)
I can explain that.
Maggie Guard #1
(scanning Alfa)
No way...
She touches an earpiece.
Maggie Guard #1
We got a flagged Quinn at the entrance. All units stand by for potential trouble.
Maggie Guard #2 finishes scanning Michael, and her brow furrows.
Maggie Guard #2
This is definitely Michael Mallory S-Twelve. What's he doing with Quinn Squad Alfa?
Quinn
I can also explain that.
Michael
We need an urgent audience with the Mayor. I would've phoned ahead, but I believe my house, and possibly car, are bugged.
The Maggies look at one another, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
Maggie Guard #1
(to Michael)
Alright, we'll take you to our holding bay and arrange an audience.
(with a smirk and a shrug)
Directive three: "Always Let Them Explain."
Maggie Guard #2
(to Maggie Guard #1)
No stupid misunderstandings.
(to Quinn)
Come on.
As Maggie Guard #2 leads them away, Maggie Guard #1 stands back, listening to something in her ear.
Maggie Guard #1
(muttering to self)
Oh, that rat bastard.
Delta continues to lie in wait.
His wrist device vibrates, and he checks it.
Bravo
(device text)
Mayor notified. Retrieve package, leave at 19:00.
He looks up and begins to silently rise from the bushes, until he hears a gun being cocked.
We see Maggie has one pointed at him.
Maggie
We ladies tend to be a little paranoid about the idea of strange men watching us from the bushes, you know?
Stand up.
He raises his hands, and slowly stands.
Then he lunges for the weapon. Maggie struggles with him.
Maggie
I don't want to shoot you...
The scuffle results in the gun falling to the ground, and Delta grabs his own handgun from his belt as he begins to flee, but he almost runs right into Cole, who's got a rifle pointed towards him.
Cole
Uh-uh. Drop it.
Maggie recovers her own gun, and points it at his back.
He finally drops his gun, and kicks it away.
Rembrandt emerges from around the corner of the house, holding cuffs.
Rembrandt
At ease, soldier.
Always wanted to say that.
He pulls Delta's hands to his back and locks them into the cuffs.
Maggie
We'll need to search him. Thoroughly.
Cole
Okay, dibs not, please. I don't want to feel up my Dad.
Maggie
Don't worry, it'll be my pleasure.
Cole
Gonna pretend I didn't hear that.
Delta's stone-faced expression turns to more of a grimace as he's lead to the house.
A small room lined with benches. At the entrance, Maggie Guard #2 stands, gun at the ready. Michael, Quinn, Alfa, and Mallory, are all seated in the room.
Maggie Guard #2
Word on the comms is that Bravo's looking for someone who escaped him. You guys wouldn't have any idea about that? Alfa?
Alfa
Damn. So he really does know we're here.
Maggie Guard #2
Ah, so I was right. Well, lucky you. That's sure to grab the Mayor's attention.
Unknown Quinn (O.S.)
You'd be correct. Thank you, Maggie. I'll take it from here.
Maggie Guard #2 nods, and steps aside.
The Quinn who just spoke, Quinn-943, now enters the room. He looks like any other Quinn, but he's visibly dead inside. Absolutely no light in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he looks Quinn dead in the eye, and speaks directly, but without any feeling or expression.
Quinn-943
(deadpan)
You've finally arrived here after all this time. I thought it would be much sooner.
Quinn
Me, specifically?
(squinting)
Do I know you?
Quinn-943
Nobody knows me. But yes, we have met.
Quinn
The only Quinn I've met who ever had a dead-eyed stare like you is... huh.
Mallory
Are you the Mayor?
Michael
No, he's the Mayor's assistant, Quinn Nine-Four-Three.
Quinn-943
Correct. I relinquished the name Quinn when I relinquished my humanity. I am merely a number assigned by the city now.
He gestures out of the room.
Quinn
Your specific words the last time I saw you were, "I'll never slide again." So...
Quinn gestures broadly.
Quinn-943
I was brought here by others against my will, to pay for my terrible crimes.
Quinn
(incredulous)
And then you ended up the... Mayor's assistant?
Quinn-943
This is my penance. Shuffling Quinns in and out of an office I will never hold. Doing meaningless busywork. Being kept in line by a bureaucracy I can never escape. A fate worse than the death you never granted me.
Quinn stands and gives him a soft punch in the arm.
Quinn
(awkward)
Well, you're... doin' great, sport.
He turns and shares a cringe with Mallory, who is frankly terrified of this Quinn.
Quinn-943
(downbeat, but still flat)
You needn't humour me. We are enemies, so will it forever be.
(leaving)
The Mayor is waiting.
Those remaining seated now stand, and begin to move toward the door, with Mallory bringing up the rear.
Alfa
I'm... officially not the most screwed-up Quinn.
Mallory
(whispering so 943 can't hear)
Why does he talk like that? That's so creepy.
The double doors of the Mayor's office swing open. Quinn-943 holds one, staring blankly towards the silhouetted figure facing the other way, the Mayor, who we don't get a good look at just yet.
Manning the other door is a Wade double, wearing business attire.
Quinn-943
Mister Mayor.
Mayor
Thank you, Nine-Four-Three.
The doors shut now, leaving only the four sliders and the Mayor.
The Mayor turns around, and we finally see it's another Mallory double. He's well dressed and neatly groomed. He regards the party before him with an affable smile. He holds a piece of paper.
Mayor Mallory
Gentlemen, take a seat.
Quinn turns to Mallory, eyes wide, trying to express an "I-Told-You-So" vibe without speaking.
Mallory looks back with equal surprise.
They all move to one of the chairs in the room and sit down.
Mayor Mallory
(glancing at the paper)
If this communiqué I just got from the Quinn Squad is authentic, I think you're all in something of a pickle.
We can only speculate what Mallory is thinking about here, but it's safe to say it might be "Rick and Morty" related.