Sliding Troubles

"I'm not sure Q-Ball. It looks like a Hamburger but it sure doesn't taste like one." Rembrandt Brown said.

"I agree, this is not food. This is torture." Arturo chimed in.

Quinn and Wade glanced at each other and smiled.

"You were given a choice." Wade said "You two decided to eat on this world instead of waiting for the next."

Rembrandt took another bite of his burger and choked it down. "Well whatever it is, I paid for it and I'm gonna finish it. How much longer till we slide?"

Quinn looked to the timer. "Fifteen minutes and change."

"I suppose it is our fault that we ate on a world where Cows are an endangered species." Arturo said. "I have a feeling I know why I'm not a vegetarian."

The four Sliders shared in a laugh.

Quinn stood "Well it's time to go."

The rest of the travelers stood up and followed Quinn into a back alley where he activated the portal. One by one they jumped to another world.

A woman walking by saw the vortex and ran to it. "What on earth?" As the vortex started to close, she was pulled into it along with the strangers.

---

As the woman exited the gateway, she saw that the four people she had followed were nowhere to be found. As she turned around, the vortex closed. "What in the hell?" She asked.

"Stop right there miss." A voice said from behind.

The woman turned to see a police officer with his weapon raised.

"It's past curfew. What are you doing out?" The officer asked.

"I... I..." She said.

"What's your name?"

"Alice."

The officer walked up to Alice and pulled out a device. He proceeded to scan her thumbprint. "Alice Thornberg. Age 27." He said. "Again, what are you doing out past curfew?"

"Could you tell me where I am?" Alice asked.

The officer shook his head. "We know how to deal with you. Come with me." He escorted her to a squad car and placed her in the back seat. Hopping in the front, the officer turned on the sirens and drove off.

---

The vortex opened a second time depositing the sliders out onto an empty street.

"That was..." Quinn started.

"Strange." Wade finished. "I could have sworn I saw someone in front of us.

"Me too." Remmy said.

Professor Arturo looked around. "Well I don't see anyone else here. Perhaps you were just imagining it. I'm hungry, anyone else want to grab something to eat?"

Wade smiled. "Hungry again Professor? Why am I not surprised."

They made their way towards a hamburger stand. Arturo pulled out money and went to order. "I'll have a Triple Burger with extra cheese."

The man at the stand looked at Arturo. "Please provide your operating license."

Arturo sighed. "I don't have an operating license, I just want a hamburger."

"If you want one this late, you better produce your official operating license." The burger vendor said "You can't just be forgetting that while you're on duty sir."

"On duty?" Arturo asked, "I think you're confuzed."

The man leaned over "You're not cops? Well then, you best be getting home, it's past curfew. I am only allowed to serve food to police officers after curfew."

Quinn looked to Arturo, "Let's go Professor. We'll get some food at the hotel."

Arturo nodded. They continued on their way to the Dominion Hotel.

---

At the police station, Alice was going through the booking process. "Why can't you just let me go?" She asked. "When did this all happen?"

The police officer taking her prints looked up. "When did what happen?"

"All of this?" Alice responded throwing her free hand up. "There's no curfew in San Fran. I'm old enough to be out if there were one!" She placed hr hand on her hip.

"Other hand please." The officer said. He proceeded to to her other hand. "Lady, I don't know what you're talking about. These lawas have been on the books for years." He paused "You know it amazes me. What harm would it do for you to just be in on time hmmm?"

After a few more minutes he was done. "Alright go have a seat over there."

Alice did as she was told.

Before long a man sat down next to her. "Sheesh, can you believe this?" He said. "I was almost home and they took me in." Looking at Alice he smiled. "Of course it could be worse, I mean I could be home all alone. At least I get to spend it here with you."

Alice smiled, mostly to be polite. "Curfew volation huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah. That's the last time I go get food for the wife." Shaking his head he smiled. "She's pregnant see, and she just had to have pickles and milk. Would you believe it? We were out of milk."

Alice laughed. "Oh hell, I went through some kind of swirly blue thing and ended up here." She said. "Here I thought I had it rough."

The man extended a hand "Name's Malcolm."

Alice shook his hand and introduced herself. "This bites."

Malcolm nodded. "Yep. At least they've changed their ways since the last go around. They used to keep you locked up for a week. Now they just make you wait out the night, Have you watch a video and you're on your way."

---

Twelve hours later the video was over. Alice exited the police station with Malcolm at her side. "Well it was nice meeting you Malcolm." She said "Have a good one."

Malcolm smiled. "You too."

They departed ways and Alice looked around attempting to figure out what to do next. As she looked over the four strangers that she had followed before were there.

"Hey!" She shouted. Alice ran towards them. "Who are you people?"

Quinn looked to Alice "Um..."

"What was that thing?" She asked. "That blue thing that sucked me in and I ended up here."

The four sliders exchanged glances each wondering how to explain it.

Arturo looked to the timer and then back to Alice. "We don't have time for this." He looked to Alice "Ma'am we're travelers from a different Earth."

Alice put up her hands. "Well this as sure hell isn't my Earth! I want to go home!"

"Don't we all. Don't we all." Rembrandt said as Wade nudged him with her elbow.

Wade walked up to the woman. "We can't go home." She said "We've been trying for years."

Alice looked back in shock. "You mean I'm stuck here?"

Quinn nodded. "Unfortunatly yes."

"I see." She said.

Quinn looked to Arturo "Great, now what do we do. It's our fault that this woman is here."

Arturo nodded. "Indeed."

"Let's take her with us!" Wade said.

Rembrandt shook his head. "Wade, you know we can't do that."

Wade looked back to Remmy. "Someone had to say it! We know you were thinking it!" She paused. "Why can't we take her with us?"

Remmy shrugged. "I don't know! Everytime I suggest it, you all tell me no! So why not be the first."

Wade laughed.

Alice tapped her foot. "Excuse me! I'm standing right here you idiots!" She sighed. "Whatever. You don't want to help me. I'll just figure it out on my own."

As Alice headed out into the street, she didn't see the car come out. It was too late after she was hit and thrown a hundred feet.

Quinn started to run out ater her. Arturo grabbed her arm.

"It's too late." He said pressing the button on the timer. "It's too late."

As the vortex opened and the sliders slid to their next world, the police were getting to the scene to take care of the accident.

Malcolm walked up and saw Alice in the road. "What the?" He ran to her side. "Alice? Alice?"

Alice opened her eyes. "Thank you for talking to me." She said with her last breath.

A police officer walked up to Malcolm "Did you know this woman?"

Malcolm nodded. "Yeah, we spent last night talking. We were both arrested for curfew violation."

The officer made a note. "I see."

"What happened here?" Malcolm asked.

The officer shook his head. "No one's for sure. The driver said she just walked out infront of him. Suicide I would guess."

Malcolm nodded. "Too bad. She was a nice gal."