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Part VI
A portal opens on 75284.89, Jessica comes flying through and does a quick tuck and roll to one side into a squat. She turns to see Jade repeating her maneuver rolling to the other side. A few seconds later Max flies through and falls flat on his face. Both women try to stifle giggles. Max rolls over and Jade helps him to his feet. As Jessica walks over to the two of them she is placing her Bio-Scanner back in her pouch."I let dad know we got here safely." She says trying not to giggle again.
Max is brushing off the grass from his suit. "I am so glad the two of you find my landing so amusing. My companions found my lands just as amusing as you two do. At least I don’t have Mr. Brown landing on me this time."
Jessica can no longer control her giggles and bursts out laughing, and so does Jade. After a few minutes have past Jessica catches her breath enough to speak. "Oh man I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Sorry Max it’s been awhile since we traveled with someone who didn’t know how to land. You’re going to have to work on your landings or you might wind up really hurting yourself."
"Usually the only injuries I have received are from someone landing on me as they come through behind me. Which is usually Mr. Brown." Max says to them laughing a little also.
"OK, Professor there are some taxis over there." Jade points to one side of the park where a couple of taxis line the street. "Why didn’t we go see if they are on duty and will take us to your double’s house."
Max nods his head in agreement, and the three of them walk to the street, but a few feet away Max stops them. "You two stay here. Let me check the taxis out." Max says. He walks over to a couple men next to one of the taxis.
<<That was strange, Jess. I don’t trust him. >> Jade tells Jessica.
<<Jade you are over reacting. Max is just being over protective of us. Remember how Maximilliam was in the beginning with us, treating us like China dolls until he realized we could take care of ourselves. Max probably did the same thing to his friend Wade. The guys always do that. >> Jessica glances at Max, who is starting back. <<Max is coming back now. Be careful and watch out for anything. We don’t actually know what to expect here. >>
"OK, ladies both taxis are available." He gestures toward the first two taxis. "One will take us to my double’s home, and the other will take Jessica to the Science Museum. I figure after there we can both meet at the University, but we have to be careful of his assist. She is the one who turned me into my double, and helped him with all his dastardly deeds."
"How about in approximately 2 hours we met at the university? OK, Jade." Jessica waits for Jade to answer.
"Fine with me, Jess you be careful don’t do anything unnecessary OK." Jade says sternly.
"Jade I’ll be fine. Which is mine Max the first or the second one."
Max points to the first car. "The first one is yours Jessica. I agree with Jade be cautious, and do not take any risks."
Jessica starts to back toward the taxis. "I’ll be fine guys, geez this is all I need two worry warts along." She shakes her head and turns and walks to the taxi.
"Shall we." Max waits for Jade to start walking then he follows.
Jessica gets in her taxi. "Science Museum Miss?" The driver asks her.
"Yes, please." Jessica answers.
The driver pulls away from the curb and the taxi heads toward town. She sits back to try to relax, which as usual is impossible while on a slide. She gazes out the window at the sites that are only San Francisco. Something she has come to appreciate, because her own realm doesn’t have the beauty and sites other realms do. Most buildings through the years have been destroyed in fighting or neglected when the owners disappeared. After about a fifteen-minute drive the taxi pulls up in front of a museum. She pays the driver giving him a generous tip, and goes inside to find out what she can.
There is an information desk to one side upon entering. The young woman at the desk gives her the location of the Exhibit of Interdimensional Travel, and some general information including the fact that most articles of interest are on loan from Professor Arturo. Jessica thanks her, and walks to the exhibit. It is through an archway about center of the lobby. Upon entering Jessica has to stifle a giggle at the first sight she comes to. There at the entrance is a large bronze statue of Professor Arturo. Which helps her understand the pompous grandeur nature of the Arturo of this realm. Something she is not use to. Her Maximilliam never wanted or needed credit for his work, and she is quite sure he would have found the statue an appalling eyesore. She finds she must control the urge to not laugh out loud when she reads the plaque on the statue, "Father of Interdimensional Travel."
Quickly she moves over to the glass displays before she can no longer control her giggles. She browses through the meaningless displays until a flashing timer catches her attention. She walks over to study it. It reminds her of a large remote control unit with a digital display similar to a calculator. There are numbers on the display counting down. She believes it is only a mock unit, but doesn’t want to underestimate Max’ double. She slowly takes out her Bio-Scanner pushing a button on one side as she does. After pushing the button she relaxes a little and proceeds to bring it up and enter a mechanical scan command into it. She thinks to herself, <<I’m so glad I add that mechanical program to the scanner programs. >> She waits for the feed back after the scan is complete. The scanner beeps slightly and Jessica tenses up.
The nearby guard glances her way and is uninterested in a young woman standing near the Timer display appearing to take notes or making sketches. After the momentary glance her way the guard resumes watching the rest of the room. Jessica relaxes again when the guard looks away. The scan shows the unit is only basic hardware and batteries, and has no functions having to do with sliding. So she places the scanner back in her pouch and moves on to the other displays. After almost completing a tour of the exhibit she comes to a display where a woman is talking to one of the guards. Jessica moves to the display next to the woman. She can now hear their conversation.
" …. But Professor Arturo asked me to retrieve his notebook and bring it to him. We will substitute it with another one. The young man who helped deliver the items to the museum took the wrong one. The Professor needs this one for further research projects on Interdimensional Travel."
The guard shakes his head at her. "I’m sorry, but without prior authorization from the curator. I cannot allow any of the items to be removed. If you will come with me, we can talk to the curator right now." The guard and the woman move off and leave the room.
Jessica quickly goes over to that display. Inside the case she sees the notebook spread open displaying some formulas. <<If Max’ double wanted this so bad it must be the real thing. >> She thinks to herself. <<I can’t leave it here. >> Jessica drops down as if to tie her shoe and pulls up her pant leg slightly. She takes out a duplicate device to the last one Jade checked before they left. She stands retrieving the Bio-Scanner as she does. She then programs something into the Bio-Scanner, then using two buttons on the side of the small metal cylinder she points it at a fire alarm at the other side of the room. A short blue beam of light crosses the room and hits the alarm. The alarm system begins to wail and people begin scrambling for the entrances. Jessica quickly lefts the case and takes the notebook. Quickly she ducks into an unoccupied room, and opens a small portal.
<<Dad a notebook is coming through now. >> Jessica throws the notebook into the portal. <<I have a blank one similar to it in the file drawer. Put the notebook in the scanner and run the program for duplication with slight errors and mistakes enough to make the notebook useless. >>
<<I got it Jess; it’s scanning now it will take a few minutes. Do you have that much time? >> Jim asks.
<<Don’t worry dad, I’ll make the time. >> She presses one of the buttons on the cylinder again and points it at the ceiling. Another beam of blue light shots out and hits one of the sprinklers on the ceiling, which sets off all the rest. <<OK I have a few extra minutes, but when you send the duplicate back put it in a plastic bag. It’s gotten a little wet around here. >> Jessica looks around to make sure no one is still around.
<<It’s ready Jess; I’m sending it through. Do you need anything else? >>Jim asks.
<<Stand by dad. >> Jessica stands up in front of the portal as the notebook comes flying through. Catching it, she quickly goes back into the other room and places it in the display. She goes back into the other room. Looking around first to make sure no one is around, she enlarges the portal. <<I’m coming through dad. >> Jessica jumps in and slides home.
Jessica comes flying through the portal at home. After landing on the mat Jessica quickly scrambles to her feet. "Close the portal dad. Then figure coordinates for the university. I’m going to change my clothes real quick."
Jim turns around to see his daughter completely soaking wet. He laughs a little. "All in a days work right sweet heart."
Jessica laughs also as she walks to the other side of the room. Underneath the stairs is a stack of clothes lying on the dryer. "Yes dad, it’s just a hazard of sliding right. I’m just glad I hadn’t taken up all my clothes yet. You have the coordinates yet." Jessica says as she finishes dressing. She is putting her pouch back on as she walks back over to her father. Stopping at the chair next to Jim to place the metal cylinder back under her pant leg.
"Got it Jess you ready to go back." Jim asks.
"Yes go ahead and open a portal." She kisses him on the cheek as he opens the portal for her. "See you in a couple of hours if all goes well."
Jessica runs and jumps into the portal, and a few minutes later rolls out of the portal into a squat on the lawn of the University. After she sends an OK message to her father, Jessica goes in search of Professor Arturo’s office. She is an hour ahead of their scheduled rendezvous time. The first student she questions does not know where Professor Arturo’s office is, so she gets directions to the administrative office. At the administrative office the secretary gives her directions to his office. Sprinting across campus, Jessica arrives at Professor Arturo’s office, which she finds is empty and locked. She pauses to catch her breath. Then she looks around for someone to help her. A graduate student passing by informs her that the Professor has canceled his classes for the day. They, him and some of the other students, figure it had something to do with his sliding discovery. He also informs her that his assistant had been teaching most of his classes since his arrival back from the historical slide. She thanks him and waits for the hall to clear. Then she goes to the door of Professor Arturo’s office. Again she squats down and takes out her small cylinder and aims it at the lock. A small blue beam once again shots out, and a faint crackle can be heard as it fries the lock on the door. Jessica tries the door handle again, it opens and she quickly lets herself in. She powers up his computer. While she waits she pulls out the Bio-Scanner and pops a connected disk out the side of the scanner. Inserting it into the slot she uses the scanner to retrieve the password. After gaining access to all the Professors files, Jessica quickly downloads everything from the hard drive to the scanner's memory. It takes a few minutes to transfer. While waiting for the download to finish Jessica looks around for any other information pertaining to sliding. She finds a few disks and another notebook. Jessica places the disks in her pouch. The scanner beeps telling her the download is complete. After gain entry to the Internet, she switches the setting to download all Internet information. Jessica watches the screen as images flash by quickly. A picture of Wade catches her eye, and she quickly hits pause. The scanner is downloading all stories from Newsweek at the moment. Jessica has the scanner display Wade’ Diary excerpts. Currently the magazine is running a series of excerpts, but has only run two so far.
<<So, I’m going to have to find them myself. >> She thinks.
Jessica punches in resume and the images start flashing across the screen again. After about 5 minutes the scanner beeps, Jessica checks and the scanner is done with its download. Quickly Jessica uses the scanner to find Wade’s connection to the Internet and reverses the connection to hop into Wade’s computer.
**Password Protected** flashes on the screen. Jessica smiles. <<I just hope this Wade is enough like the ones I’ve encountered so far. >> She types in QUINN and waits. **Password Accepted** <<OK same crush as last Wade. >>
Jessica quickly finds the diary and downloads it. She jumps when her pager beeps telling her that the two hours are over. She looks out the window and notices people coming out of the buildings. Classes have let out. Jessica quickly exits Wade’s computer and finds the Newsweek diary excerpts again. Then she changes from input to output on the Bio-Scanner, and attaches her security program to Newsweek articles pertaining to Wade and Interdimensional Travel. Next she exits the Internet and detaches the modem from the computer, and downloads a virus to Professor Arturo’s computers hard drive. By the time she has powered down his computer all of his drivers have been totally wiped clean of all information. Jessica picks up the notebook and leaves the office going outside to meet Jade and Max.
Shortly after leaving the office while walking around trying to find Jade and Max, Jessica’s pager beeps again with a 911 from Jade. She finds an obscure spot and quickly opens a small portal.
<<Dad … Dad I just got a 911 from Jade … >>
Jim interrupts her. <<Jess finally, I’ve been waiting for you to check back in. You need to slide home ASAP Hon work called, and is looking for you. So finish whatever you are doing and come home. >>
<<OK, I’ll grab a taxi and go over to Max’ double’s house. Hopefully they are still there. If not I’ll find them, and we will slide home right away. Be ready for anything just in case Dad. Jess out. >> Jessica closes the portal and retrieves Professor Arturo’s address from the information in the scanner, and sprints to find a taxi at the nearby street.
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