[Ted Cassidy's Voice:]... Dr. David Banner—physician, scientist...searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then, an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs... "Raaaaaaarh!"... The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter. [Dr. Banner:] "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.". . . The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. . . David Banner is believed to be dead. And he must let the world think that he IS dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him... "Raaaaaaaaaarh!"
"This script is crossover fiction. It is a placement of two discrete fictional characters, Doctor David Banner ("The Incredible Hulk") and Doctor Sam Beckett ("Quantum Leap"). I do not own the rights to the Incredible Hulk or Quantum Leap, nor do I own any of the characters that are associated with either of the television shows. A lot of (not all) of the places, addresses, people, and story-lines are fictional. Anything or events that are similar to stories or locations, past and present, was completely and utterly unintended or coincidental."
This episode (if aired) would have been the episode after my last fan-fiction script: "The Incredible Leap, Part 1," which occurs 3 days later, and 103 days after the episode: "A Minor Problem," which aired on Wednesday, May 12, 1982.
RECOMMENDATION: To truly be able to follow and appreciate the story, it is recommended that you read my Incredible Hulk fan fiction scripts: "When Green Met Red, Part 1 & 2" and "The Incredible Leap, Part 1." Also, you should watch the 97th episode of Quantum Leap entitled: "Mirror Image."
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The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
8:05 a.m. (MDT)
Sammy Jo: "Okay, Ziggy. Our work has paid off. You are ready to run the googolplex-search?"
Ziggy: "I am pleased to tell you that a googolplex-search will not be necessary, Doctor."
Sammy Jo: Without knowing 'where' and 'when' Doctor Beckett is, there's no way we will be able lock on to his neurons and mesons once the Admiral steps into the Imaging Chamber."
Ziggy: "I know. Still, it won't be necessary."
Sammy Jo: "If it's not necessary, then how are we going to connect to and located Doctor Beckett?"
Ziggy: "You can ask our guest in the Waiting Room."
Al: "Woe, Ziggy. Somebody's in the Waiting Room?"
Ziggy: "That's correct, Admiral."
Al: "For how long?"
Ziggy: "Only the last 3 or 4 minutes."
Al: "Ziggy, why didn't you say anything?"
Ziggy: "Nobody took the trouble to ask me."
Al: "Oh, jeez, Ziggy!"
Sammy Jo: "It's okay, Admiral. We have ourselves a leapee. There's someone in the Waiting Room who can help us. This is even better than we planned. I'll go and talk with the leapee."
Al: "Just a second! Ziggy, what is the leapee's name?"
Ziggy: "William Patrick Murphy."
Al: "Okay, good. It's always a good idea to know the leapee's name before questioning them in the Waiting Room."
Sammy Jo: "Great. Let's go."
Al: "Just a minute. Ziggy, Where was he born and where does he currently live."
Ziggy: "William Patrick Murphy was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He currently lives in Lexington, Massachusetts at 66 Simonds Road, a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house of 1,650 square feet. Sounds like a nice place to live in, doesn't it, Admiral?"
Al: "What does he do?"
Ziggy: "William Patrick Murphy is a Certified Public Accountant. He's had his own practice his he earned his Master's of Accounting a year or so ago."
Al: "Okay, let's go talk to him."
Sammy Jo: "What do you mean 'let's' go? You want to come along, too?"
Al: "Yes, I'm the only one, other than you, who has experience with this."
Sammy Jo: "Okay, the rest of you stay online and stand by, in case anything changes. Al and I will be back."
Al and Sammy Jo left the Control Room to go to the Waiting Room.
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Boston South Station
700 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Monday, August 23, 1982
4:45 p.m. (EDT)
Amelia: "Hey, deartháir. Are you ready?"
Sam stood there quietly, stressed about the situation.
"Hey, William? You all right?"
Sam turned to Amelia, not knowing what to say or how act. He looked away, looking back out at the parking lot.
Sam: "Yeah, I'm fine."
Amelia: "You sure? You seem a little— tense."
Sam: "Yeah, I'm fine."
Amelia and David looked at each other, not believing he was fine.
Amelia: "Okay, well,— we've got everything we need, so we can take off whenever you're ready."
Well, this was it. This was the moment Sam dreaded. I mean, how do you tell a person you lost your own car? He needed a miracle to get him out of this, but it seemed to Sam that those miracles were going to wait until later on in the leap. Then, finally, it had to be said. There was no way around it.
"William, what's wrong?"
Sam turned and looked at Amelia and David.
Sam: "I don't know where my car is."
Amelia: "What? You don't remember where you parked it?"
Sam just threw his hands up.
Sam: "No, I can't find my car. I don't know what happened to it."
Amelia: "Okay, well, let's walk around and see if we spot it anywhere."
Sam couldn't think of any other ideas, so he just started walking with them.
"So, how are things gong?"
Sam: "Oh, they're going well. Pretty well."
Amelia: "Yeah? Did you really buy your house for a quarter of a million dollars?"
Sam: "Oh uh— I— yeah. I actually— yeah, I did. I mean, give or take 100 or so. But yeah— yeah — I did— sure did. Yeah— yeah, I did."
Amelia: "Are you all unpacked and all situated?"
Sam: "Oh yeah— yeah, I'm all settled. I'm uh— glad I bought it."
Amelia: "A 1,650 square feet house all to yourself, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I'd be glad I bought it, too."
David: "Sounds impressive."
Amelia: "Oh, it is, David. I can hardly wait to see it myself."
Suddenly, Amelia spotted a car that appeared to be Williams.
"Hey, deartháir, is that your gray Bentley Mulsanne over there?"
Sam: "I'm— not sure."
They began to walk toward the car. They were talking as they walked.
Amelia: "That's what you were driving the last time I saw you. You have a four-door sedan, right?"
Sam: "Uh,— yeah. You know, it makes sense when you'll be seating more than 2 people."
Amelia looked closer at the license plate.
Amelia: "This is your car right here."
Sam: "Are you sure?"
Amelia chuckles.
Amelia: "I don't know too many people who has a vanity plates that read: 'Tax-Man' on them."
Sam: "Oh, well, then yeah. That's my car."
Amelia looked at David.
Amelia: "David, go ahead get in the back. We'll be in there in a second."
David: "Sure. It was good meeting you again."
Sam: "Oh yeah, same here, D— David."
David casually got into the backseat of the car and closed the door.
Amelia: "Deartháir, please, tell me what's wrong. You know that we have always been there for each other since we were kids."
Sam: "Oh— yeah. I uh— I know that."
Amelia: "So, what is it? The mortgage on your house? Your practice? The stress of going for you doctorate? A lady friend, perhaps?"
Sam: "No, look, it's nothing serious. I'm tired; really tired."
Amelia: "Okay. Well, do you want me to drive?"
Sam: "Oh, uh— sure."
Sam dug through his pants pockets and pulled a set of keys.
"Here ya go."
Amelia slowly and even reluctantly took the key from Sam.
Amelia: "Okay, now I KNOW that something's wrong. Ever since you bought this car, you've said: 'if you name isn't William Patrick Murphy, you don't drive this'."
Sam chuckled as he was trying to figure out what to say.
Sam: "Y— Yeah, I— I just said that because it was brand new. You know? Then, once the novelty wears off, one would loosen up on rules like that."
Amelia continued to be suspicious but kept it to herself.
Amelia: "Okay, well, I guess you call shotgun."
Sam and Amelia get into the car and shut their doors behind them. There is a 3-second pause.
"Hey, I'll bet I know what will loosen you up and make you feel better."
Sam: "Oh yeah?"
Amelia: "Mmh hmh."
Sam: "What would that be?"
Amelia: "The Purple Shamrock."
Sam: "The Purple Shamrock?"
Amelia: "That's right."
David: "What's the Purple Shamrock?"
Amelia looked more toward the back seat.
Amelia: "Oh, it's this Irish pub on Union Street. It's only a 10 + minute drive from here. They serve food. Happy Hour is from 5 to 7 on Mondays. They have contemporary Irish music playing. In fact, on Mondays, they have a band that performs for the people there. The music is so upbeat. I'm certain that you would enjoy yourself there, David. I've never gone and not enjoyed myself."
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The Waiting Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
8:10 a.m. (MDT)
William Murphy was sitting on the mirrored table inside the cobalt blue Waiting Room, in a Fermi suit, feeling addled and confused. Suddenly he heard the Waiting Room door open. Al and Sammy Jo both enter the Waiting Room and close the Waiting Room door behind him. William stood up as they were walking over to him. Not knowing what was going on, William felt uneasy.
William: "Dia dhuit."
Al: "Dia do what?"
Sammy Jo: "Is that a Scottish Gaelic accent?"
William: Aye, a little. I speak the Irish language and have a Scottish accent. What is going on here, mo chairde? Who are you? Where am I? What happened?
Sammy Jo: "First of all, I and my associate, Al, want to assure you that you're not in any danger whatsoever. You will will not be harmed."
William: "Ceart go leor. Good to know. What is this place?"
Sammy Jo: "We call this The Waiting Room. This is the place that you will be confined to until it is time for you to leave us."
William: "The Waiting Room?"
Sammy Jo: "That's correct."
William: "How did I get here?"
Sammy Jo: "Well, that depends on your point of view. A man by the name of: Dr. Samuel Beckett was involved in a time-travel experiment that when awry. He now re-inhabits and relives pieces of other peoples' lives in an attempt to changer their lives for the better. The people he temporarily inhabits switches places in time with him. That's what's happened to you. Dr. Beckett has inhabited you live in what is 'his past', and you are inhabiting him in what is 'your future'."
William: "Until he makes right what went wrong."
Sammy Jo: "Exactly. Once that happens, he will be transported into another person and another time period, and you will be returned to your own time, safe and sound."
William: "Feicim. What is he there to do— in my time period?"
Sammy Jo: "We have yet to figure that out. Our AICPU will do THAT for us."
William: "AICPU?"
Sammy Jo: "Artificial Intelligent Central Processing Unit."
William: "So, what do I do in the meanwhile?"
Sammy Jo: "Just wait."
Al: "That's why we call this the Waiting Room."
Sammy Jo: "But we will need you help to come into contact with Dr. Beckett."
William: "Cinnte. Ask away."
Sammy Jo: "Okay, can you state you name for the record?"
William: "Sure, it's William."
Sammy Jo: "William what?"
William: "What?"
Sammy Jo: "What's your last name, William?"
William: "Oh, it's uh— it's uh— it's... It's on the tip of my tongue. I know that I know it."
Sammy Jo: "It's okay, William, we'll just move on. What were you doing just before you found yourself here?"
William: "Oh, I was at the Boston South Station.on Atlantic Avenue. It's a bus station. I was standing at Gate 6 pick up my sister uh— sister uh— my sister— my sister. Ó mo Dia, I can't remember my sister's name."
Al: "William, the is a temporary state-of-mind. Your partial amnesia is just a byproduct of what brought you here. Once you return to your own time, your memories, both short-term and long-term, will be restored just as it was. Okay?"
William: "Ó, okay."
Al: "Do you remember anything else about having to pick up your sister from the bus station?"
William: "Uhm,— I remember— she was bringing along her boyfriend to meet me. She met him in uh— some state that started with an 'M'."
Sammy Jo: "Mississippi?"
William: "No."
Sammy Jo: "Massachusetts?"
William: "No. That's where I came to visit."
Sammy Jo: "Maine?"
William: "No."
Sammy Jo: "Minnesota?"
William: "No."
Sammy Jo: "Michigan?"
William: "No, but I remember that Michigan is where she went to college and graduate school."
Sammy Jo: "Maryland?"
William: "No."
Sammy Jo: "Missouri?"
William: "No. Wait a minute, what did you say?"
Sammy Jo: "Missouri."
William: "That's it."
Sammy Jo: "She met him in Missouri?"
William: "No, Montana. Northern Montana, a month or so ago. That's where she met him."
Sammy Jo: "I don't how Missouri reminded you of Montana, but okay. Would yo happen to remember the man's name?"
William: "His name is: David. I'm not certain on the last name."
Al: "Can you tell us what time period you come from?"
William: "Uh,— 1982. Some time around the end of summer."
Sammy Jo: "1982. Wow. I graduated and went to college the next year."
Al: "My youngest daughter was born in 1982. I think that was the year the Weather Channel first aired?"
Sammy Jo: "Yes, May the 2nd. I remember it vividly. It was towards the end of the school year and I was so excited that there was a channel that had 24-hour weather, with no commercial interruptions. I was the only of the kids I knew that was fascinated with the weather."
Al: "Oh yeah, with John Coleman and Frank Batten."
Sammy Jo: "That's right. They were the first to broadcast the weather on that channel. And to think, today both of those men had passed on."
Al: "Yeah, it sure makes you think."
William: Actually, I remember the broadcast quite vividly, also. It was only a few months ago."
Al: "That's true. You were around to see it, just like we were."
Sammy Jo: "Well, I think we have all the information you need from you. We really appreciate your help."
William: "Ó, nóiméad amháin, shouldn't I go with you, in case you need me?"
Al: "No. You can't go behind these doors. One of our priorities is your safety. And being in this room is the safest possible place you can be while you're here. It may be hard for you to understand, but it in you best interest that we keep you safe."
William: "Could you, at least, have someone come in here every once in awhile to let me know how things are going in my own time?"
Sammy Jo: "Sure. We do that for all out 'visitors'."
William: "Ó, mòran taing, as we say in Scottish."
Al: "Just sit tight, William. You'll be out of here before you know it."
Both Al and Sammy Jo left the Waiting Room to return to the Control Room to tell Ziggy what they knew and to prepare to go into the Imaging Chamber.
_______________________________________________________________
The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-2408
Monday, August 23, 1982
5:52 p.m. (EDT)
Amelia: "Everything okay for you, David?"
David: "Oh yes, everything was delicious. Thank you."
Amelia: "Ah, thank my deartháir. It's his treat tonight."
David: "Oh, well, thank you very much, William. We both appreciate the delicious meal. This is a nice place. I can see why you guys like it."
Sam: "Oh uh,— it's no problem. You guys are obviously low on money. It's uh— it's the least I can do.."
Amelia: "My deartháir has a big heart. Always has."
David: "Yeah, well, he seems to have a soft spot for you."
Amelia: "Of course he does. Right, deartháir?"
Sam: "Oh yeah— oh uh— oh yeah, definitely. Definitely uh,— yeah, definitely a soft spot. It's uh— it's always been like that. Always— uhm, always had a soft spot."
The song sang by Glen Campbell, "Mull Of Kintyre" (when he performed in Dublin), begins to play in the background.
Amelia: "Oh, this is a good song."
Sam: "The Paul McCartney and Wing's song?"
David: "Dance?"
Amelia: "Yeah. Glen Campbell sings this song slowly. What do ya say? Would you like to slow-dance with me?"
David: "It would be my pleasure."
Amelia and David hold hands as the go onto the dance floor. Once they were on the dance floor, they began to dance with each other. As Sam watched them dance, he began to gleam with a compelling inner sense of felicity.
Sam's Narration: "I had never seen these people before, even though David looked rather familiar. Still, it was nice watching them dance. I could see that William's sister truly took a shine to David. And the way she was laying head on David's shoulder? It was like watching a bird, after a hard wind, finally resting in a safety nest. She looked so relaxed and appeared that she felt completely safe with him. Due to the recent turn of events of leaping like I used to leap, I couldn't help wondering if I was here correct something in one of THEIR lives. I couldn't understand it, but after being with these people for a little over an hour, I didn't feel as lost as I was in the beginning. In fact, I even began to feel quite comfortable with them, even though I had no clue as to what wrong I was here to put right. One can only hope that I could find the answers the way I used to... "
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The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
8:25 a.m. (MDT)
Al and Sammy Jo walked into the Control Room to feed data to Ziggy.
Sammy Jo: "Neila, when will the Imaging Chamber be online?"
Neila: "It should be ready within the next 5 minutes."
Sammy Jo: "Ziggy, the Admiral and I got some information from our guest in the Waiting Room."
Ziggy: "Always good to hear, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "We got his name. It's— "
Ziggy: "William Patrick Murphy. I know. I told you that 20 minutes ago. He was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He currently lives in Lexington, Massachusetts at 66 Simonds Road, a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house of 1,650 square feet."
Sammy Jo: "You're right, Ziggy. Sorry, we're all a little tired."
Ziggy: "Did you narrow down to a particular date?"
Sammy Jo: "Yes, he's from 1982. He couldn't remember the exact date, but he did say it was sometime during the late summer. When he leaped out, he was waiting for his sister and her boyfriend, David. He couldn't remember his sister's name. He was picking them up at the bus station. William is experiencing the 'Swiss-Cheese Effect' that all of our guest have when they leap into the Waiting Room."
Ziggy: "Was the bus station the one on Atlantic Avenue in Boston?"
Sammy Jo: "Yes, it was."
Al: "Ziggy, would you happen to know the name of the sister William was picking up?"
Ziggy: "Based on the names I've pulled from the Greyhound archives from the late summer of 1982, I can say record high certainty that it's his sister: Amelia."
Al: "Amelia. That's pretty."
Ziggy: "Amelia is: derived from the Germanic word: 'amal' meaning 'work', and connoting industriousness and fertility."
Al: "Good to know, Ziggy. Have you been able to narrow down the date Sam leaped into?"
Ziggy: "Based on the information I acquired, I have narrowed it down to the evening of August 23. That was the date Amelia Murphy and David Brewster arrived in Boston. There arrival time was: 4:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. I won't be able to attain a precise neuron-lock until you lock onto Doctor Beckett's neurons and mesons in the Imaging Chamber. However, I can say with 98.5% probability that he is nowhere near the bus station at this point."
Al: "Brilliant, Ziggy. Brilliant."
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The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-2408
Monday, August 23, 1982
5:59 p.m. (EDT)
5:59 p.m. (EDT)
The song sang by Glen Campbell, "Mull Of Kintyre," ended.
Amelia: "Thanks for the dance."
David: "Thank YOU."
The both kissed, then left the dance floor. They went back to their table.
Sam: "You guys make a cute couple."
Amelia: "Awww, thanks."
Sam: "So, David? You say your last name is Brewster?"
David: "That's right."
Sam: "Any relation to the Scottish physicist?"
David: "Oh, Sir David Brewster? The inventor of the kaleidoscope? No, no, I don't think so."
The DJ turned on the microphone and began speaking.
DJ: "Okay, good evening everybody. We're all glad that you could come out here to the Purple Shamrock for Happy Hour."
Everybody applauded for a few second.
"Thank you, thank you. You all do sound pretty happy to me."
Everyone laughed.
"Now, as you all know, Monday nights are Band Nights and begin with our bands at the strike of 6:00 p.m. Let's start things with an Irish drinking song. So, why don't you put your hands together for Mister Bryan Bowers singing: "The Drunken Scotsman."
Everyone applauded. Amelia leaned and quiet said to David:
Amelia: "He does a great version of this song."
David: "I'm afraid I've never heard it."
Amelia: "You'll love it."
Bryan Bowers: "Well a Scotsman clad in kilt left a bar one evening fair
And one could tell by how he walked that he’d drunk more than his share
Everyone began clapping along with the song.
He fumbled round until he could no longer keep his feet
Then he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
He stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street
About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by
And one says to the other with a twinkle in her eye
See young sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built
I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath the kilt
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath the kilt
They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be
Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see
And there behold, for them to view, beneath his Scottish skirt
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth
Everyone began howling and some even applauded.
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth
They marveled for a moment, then one said we must be gone
Let’s leave a present for our friend, before we move along
As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon, tied into a bow
Around the bonnie star, the Scots kilt did lift and show
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
Around the bonnie star, the Scots kilt did lift and show
Now the Scotsman woke to nature’s call and stumbled toward the trees
Behind a bush, he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees
And in a startled voice he says to what’s before his eyes.
O lad I don’t know where you been but I see you won first prize
Lots of people howled some more and applauded a little again.
Ring ding diddle diddle I de oh ring di diddly I oh
O lad I don’t know where you been but I see you won first priiiiiiiize!
Everybody applauded loudly with great excitement for about 20 second or so. While everyone was applauding, Amelia turned to David.
Amelia: "What'd you think?"
David: "That was cute. I liked that."
Amelia: "He does the best version of that song."
Amelia, then, turned to Sam.
Amelia: "The best version, isn't it?"
Sam: "Yeah, that one was great."
Amelia: "I told you coming here would relax you and cheer you up."
The DJ got up on stage and grabbed the microphone.
DJ: "All right, this guy's First Prize material to me. Come on, everyone, give him another hand, would ya?"
Everyone applauded and cheer for another 10 seconds or so.
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The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
8:30 a.m. (MDT)
Al: "Yeah, Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "I thought you might like to know that the radium accelerator rings surrounding the Imagining Chamber are in full force, making the Imagining Chamber ready to go online."
Al: "Really? Ah, thanks, Ziggy. The hand-link is ready to go and I'm ready to see Sam again, after all these years."
Beth: "Say: 'hi' from all of us."
Al: "You know I will."
Sammy Jo: "Have a fun reunion with Doctor Beckett."
Al: "As I said: you know I will."
In an upbeat mood, Al walked up to the Imaging Chamber door and prepared to open it with the hand-link.
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The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-2408
Monday, August 23, 1982
6:06 p.m. (EDT)
After everyone was done applauding, the DJ announced his next act.
DJ: "All right, everyone, why don't keep things going fast, eh? One of our regular patrons has his hornpipes and is ready to playing the instrumental version of Biddy Mickey's/'The Drunken Sailor', originally by Paddy Cronin. Let's hit it!"
The hornpipes began to play. Simultaneously, Sam noticed the sound of the Imaging Chamber opening and closing a few seconds later. Al looked around the pub for a few seconds, until saw an older but still recognizable Sam. Al got excited and shouted:
Al: "Sam!"
Sam quickly turned his head. Although Al was hoary, he recognized Al right away. Sam also got excited, quickly stood up from his chair, and said out loud:
Sam: "Al!"
David and Amelia looked up at Sam.
Amelia: "What?"
Sam quickly looked at Amelia.
Sam: "What?"
Amelia: "What's wrong?"
Sam: "Nothing."
Amelia: "Then why all the excitement?"
Sam: "Oh, uh well,— I just thought I'd go outside and get some air."
Amelia: "In this heat?"
Sam: "Oh I'm sure cooled off a little bit."
Amelia: "Are you all right?"
Sam: "Of course."
Amelia: "You want me to come with you?"
Sam: "No, no thank you. That won't be necessary. I'll be back, though. I'll be back."
Sam walked out of the pub with what he hoped was controlled enthusiasm. Al used the hand-link to disappear from the inside of the pub and reappear on the outside of the pub. It was finally the moment they had both been waiting for. The two of them were about to communicate through Project Quantum Leap after nearly two decades. Sam came through the door as fast as he could.
Sam: "Al? Is it you? Is it really you?"
Al: "Yeah, it sure is. Is really YOU?"
Sam: "You bet it is. Oh my God, I can't believe it. I can't believe you're here."
Al: "I know, but where IS here? Where IS here, exactly?"
Sam: "Uh, the Purple Shamrock."
Al: "Oh, the one on Union Street. I remember this place. They shut it down a long while back."
Sam: "Al, this is amazing. I thought the Project had shut down or something."
Al: "Oh, it did. It was shut down at the turn of the millennium."
Sam: "The turn of the millennium's happened?"
Al: "Oh yeah. A long time ago."
Sam: "A long time ago?"
Al: "Yeah. Sam, you may not have noticed, but you've been bouncing back and forth through time as yourself for almost 19 years now."
Sam's jaw dropped and his widened. He was at a loss for words for a few seconds.
Sam: "It's been that long?"
Al: "Oh yeah. I was hoping that after I retired— "
Sam: "You retired?"
Al: "Yeah. About a dozen years ago."
Sam: "Oh my God."
Al: "I'm 84 years old, Sam. I had to retire eventually. And I was hoping that after I retired, if you leaped home, you'd try to contact me."
Sam: "Yeah, I would've done that. How are you able to communicate with me now?"
Al: "The Project has been rebooted temporarily, thanks to a few graduate student who are using this Project as a basis for their dissertation. They've even loaded Ziggy with entirely new Operating System and a lot more memory."
Sam: "They called you back, even after you retired?"
Al: "I'm the only one connected to your brainwaves. It was me or nobody."
Sam: "Well, I'm glad it was you or nobody. I've missed you over the years."
Al: "I've missed you, too, Sam. It just hasn't been the same without you."
Sam: "Yeah, same here. So, this leap may be our only contact then, right?"
Al: "It's a definite possibility. And even if, by some miracle, the State Senate decides to reboot this Project permanently, they're going to synchronize someone else's brainwaves with your's. As much as I'd like to keep doing these leaps with you, they can't use me forever, Sam."
Sam: "Yeah. Yeah, I know, Al. I know."
There a moment of silence.
Al: "Buy hey, for now, we're back. This is gonna be great."
Sam: "Yeah, it sure is."
Al: "Hey, did you ever know what became of your leaps when you were leaping back and forth as yourself.?"
Sam: "Uh, well, no, not really. Sometimes, but most of the time not."
Al: "Oh, because I always wondered if or how you able to do it without me and Ziggy."
Sam: "Yeah, well, it wasn't easy. I—... Wait a minute. Could you do me a favor?"
Al: "For old time sake, sure."
Sam: "Could you look up a boy named: John Dulton for me?"
Al: "John— Dulton."
Sam: "Yeah. You see, in my previous leap, there was this basketball jock named: John Dulton who was struggling in Calculus most of the year. I had to tutor him in order for him to get, at least, a C on his Calculus Final, this way he could pass the course and keep his basketball scholarship."
Al: "Oh, I see. Okay."
Sam: "Yeah, his name was: John Dulton and he played for the for the Westlake High School Chaparrals in Austin, Texas. He was in the class of '84."
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-like.
Al: "Okay, let's see, John Dulton; Westlake High School; Austin, Texas; class of '84... Okay, it looks like he got a B+ on his Calculus Final."
Sam: "A B+, really?"
Al: "Yeah, 89%. That brought his semester average up to a C—. And THAT put his yearly average up to a C— as well."
Sam: "That's great, Al. It was better than I expected."
Al: "Thereafter, he got a basketball scholarship to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The scholarship got him through college and graduates in '88. He graduates from Medical School in '92—"
Sam: "He went to Medical School?"
Al: "Yeah. He finishes his residency in '96. Today, he is an Attending Physician at Duke Raleigh Hospital."
Sam: "That's great, Al."
Al: "Yeah, you did good."
Sam: "Yeah... But now, I have a new problem. Why am I here?"
Al: "Ziggy's still checking out peoples' profiles and running numbers. Let me see what we got here."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
"Okay, it's August 23rd, 1982. Your name is— "
Sam: "William Murphy."
Al: "Right, William Patrick Murphy. You're a Certified Public Accountant who's got his Master's in Accounting. You were born and raised here and are the oldest of three children. It seems your doing pretty well for yourself since you just bought a house in Lexington."
Sam: "Yeah? What does she got on my sister in there; whatever he name is."
Al punches a few more buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Uhhh, that would be your sister: Amelia."
Sam: "Amelia."
Al: "Yeah. Amelia Gwenneth Murphy. Twenty-five years old. Oh, she's got an interesting past."
Sam: "Yeah?"
Al: "Yeah. Precocious child. Graduated with honors from Cathedral High School, class of '75. Graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a Bachelor's in Behavioral Neuroscience in 3 years. After that, she went to Medical School and Graduate School simultaneously. She graduated this past spring with a Doctorate in Behavioral Neuroscience and got her M.D."
Sam: "Smart and ambitious lady."
Al: "Yeah, no kidding."
Sam: "So, what happened?"
Al: "The details are rather sketchy, but the day after she graduated, she just drove off in her car and didn't have any contact with anybody, until she called her brother— or you— from Northern Montana."
Sam: "Did she know that guy, David, at the time?"
Al: "No. In fact, William, in the Waiting Room, told me that she didn't meet him until she was in Montana for a couple of months."
Sam: "Don't you think David looks a little familiar, Al?"
Al: "Uhhhh, not much more familiar than any other man I've seen."
Sam: "Hmh. What does Ziggy have on David Brewster?"
Al: "Uhhh, nothing."
Sam: "Nothing?"
Al: "Nothing. Nada, zip, zilch, zero."
Al: "His name may not exist, maybe."
Sam: "You mean he could using an alias?"
Al: "It's possible. That would explain why we can't find anything on him."
Sam: "My God, Al. This guy could be a fugitive from the law and that's why he looks familiar. That's plausible, isn't it?"
Al: "Well, if he's in hiding, he's probably trying to avoid the authorities for some reason. Mostly likely, he's concealing something that he doesn't want the public to know."
Sam: "Maybe Amelia's in danger of him and that's why I'm here."
Al: "No."
Sam: "No?"
Al: "No, Ziggy says that if Amelia was in danger of him, he would have done something to her by now."
Sam: "So, then— there's a very good possibility— that whatever he knows she knows, too."
Al nodded.
Al: "Good point."
Both Al and Sam momentarily looked inside, behind the glass door, to see Amelia and David. Meanwhile, inside the pub, Amelia and David were sitting at their table and listening to the Celtic music. Amelia looked outside and Sam talking to himself. She grew even more suspicious after that point. Amelia pointed outside the door.
Amelia: "Look at that, David."
David looked outside and saw Sam.
"Why is my brother talking to himself? He said he wanted to go outside in the heat to air and now his arms are practically moving everywhere like he's a having a conversation with some imaginary friend. My brother has not been himself, at all, since he picked us up."
David: "Maybe he just has a lot on his mind."
Amelia: "But I know my brother. I know what he's like when he has a lot on his mind. There something more."
Meanwhile, outside, Sam and Al are still brainstorming about possible reasons why he was there.
Sam: "Do we have any way to find out who David really is?"
Al: "Well, we could try an Image Comparison."
Sam: "What's involved in that."
Al: "Well, when the hand-link was modified, there was a 'holographic photography app' downloaded onto it. So, all I have to do is: take a profile-shot of David, run it through Ziggy's Image Comparison program of all men living in the United State between the year 1970 to 1985. A soon as Ziggy gets a 'hit', we'l examine the Profile of that man to see who he really is."
Sam: "Yeah. Yeah, that'll work. Great idea, Al."
Al: "We'd better get in there before they curious."
Sam went back into the pub and walked to the table he was sitting at. Al appeared at the touch of the hand-link.
"Ah, good. If David just sits still, I can get a picture of him."
Amelia looked at Sam with suspicion.
Amelia: "Feel better?"
Sam: "Oh yeah, I sure do."
Amelia: "Did you have a nice chat?"
David looked at Sam, curious about what his reaction would be. Right then, you the sound of a camera taking a picture."
Al: "Got him! Perfect. That's all I needed."
Sam: "Uh, chat? Uh, chat with whom?"
Amelia: "Your friend."
Al's eyes widen, as he believed for a moment that Amelia could see her. Al leaned in a little closer with reluctance.
Al: "Uh— Amelia, can you see me?"
Sam: "My friend?"
Amelia: "Your friend."
Al: "Hello-o-o?"
Sam: "Uh,— what friend are you talking about?"
Amelia: "Whoever you were talking to out there."
Sam: "What?"
Amelia: "I could see you out there talking to yourself."
Al breathed a sigh of relief, knowing now that she couldn't see or hear him.
Al: "Okay, good."
Sam: "Oh, I was just thinking out loud."
Amelia: "About?"
Sam: "Oh, just some stuff about work. Nothing serious."
Amelia nodded a momentary pause.
Amelia: "Okay... Okay."
The DJ walked onto the stage.
Al: "Yeah, she's still suspicious of something, Sam."
DJ: "Okay, why don't we let these performers take a pause for the cause and slow things down a bit."
Clannad singing: "Siúil A Rún" came on through the speakers.
"This is for all of you love birds out there. Let's get close and dance."
Amelia: "Oh, good song."
Amelia looked at Sam intensely.
"So, tell us, William, since this is sung is in Irish, what this song is really about."
Al began pushing buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "I'm on it, Sam."
Sam: "Oh, yeah, uhm, Siúil A Rún, right."
Al: "The title translates to 'go, my love',"
Sam: "Well, the title translates to 'go, my love',"
Al: "'siúil' is an imperative, literally translating to 'walk!'"
Sam: "'siúil' is an imperative, literally translating to 'walk!'"
Al: "A rún is a term of endearment."
Sam: "A rún is a term of endearment."
Amelia nodded some more.
Amelia: "What's the song about?"
Sam: "Oh, well— "
Al: "The sung from the point of view of a woman..."
Sam: "The sung from the point of view of a woman..."
Al: "Lamenting a lover who has embarked on a military career... "
Sam: "Lamenting a lover who has embarked on a military career..."
Al: "And indicating her willingness to support him."
Sam: "And indicating her willingness to support him."
Amelia nodded with approval. Amelia looked at David.
Amelia: "Pretty interesting, huh?"
David: "Yes."
Amelia: "Come on, let's dance."
David and Amelia held hands as the went up to the dance floor.
Al: "A little pushy, isn't she?"
Sam: "Yeah, well, she's from New England."
Al: "She'd have made a great detective in her day."
Sam: "She knows there's something wrong, Al. I'm really rusty at this. I don't how to think on my feet like I used to."
Al: "Well, I think we've thrown her off now."
Sam: "Yeah, well, the trick is: to keep it that way."
Al stood and watched David and Amelia intently as the they danced for about 5 seconds.
Al: "You know, I can see what you mean about Amelia taking a shine to David. I can see it, too. She might even be falling for him."
Sam: "What makes you think that?"
Al: "It's all in the eye's, Sam. Just by the way she dancing with him, I can see how safe she feels with him."
Sam: "Yeah, I noticed that earlier... You say you've seen this before?"
Al: "Sam, I've been with the same woman for 57 years. I've raised four daughters. I've been blessed with four granddaughters. I've seen this look throughout many years, many different times. If you observe close enough, you'd recognize that look anywhere."
A waitress walked up to Sam and put a glass of beer in front of him.
Waitress: "Here you go, sir."
Sam: "Excuse me?"
Waitress: "This is from the man in the corner."
Waitress pointed man out. Sam looked and saw a man, a appearing to be in their to be in their early sixties. He waved at Sam and Sam, with natural courtesy, waved back. The waitress walked away.
Al: "Oh, good. Somebody that knows you. Listen, Sam, I need to go back and work some things out with Ziggy and the gang. I'm going try to figure out who David is and see what Ziggy came up with on your objective."
Al opened the Imaging Chamber door.
"Sam?... It's great to see you again."
Sam nodded in agreement and smiled.
Sam: "It great to see you again, too, Al."
Al closed the Imaging Chamber door.
_______________________________________________________________
The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
8:41 a.m. (MDT)
Al walked away from the Imaging Chamber door after it closed. He walked down the few step that there were and walked over to Sammy Jo.
Sammy Jo: "Well? Did you see him?"
Al: "Oh yeah, I sure did. He's aged like I have, but he's still the same ol' Sam."
Sammy Jo: "Well? Did you see him?"
Al: "Oh yeah, I sure did. He's aged like I have, but he's still the same ol' Sam."
Sammy Jo: "That great."
Al handed the hand-link to Sammy Jo.
Al: "This needs to go into a USB port so we can do an Image Comparison of men in the United States between 1070 and 1985 who looked like David, so we can find out who David really is."
Sammy Jo: "Right away, Al."
Al: "Uh, Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "Yes, Admiral."
Al: "Just out of curiosity, would happen to— "
Ziggy: "Have a theory on Doctor Beckett's objective and reason for why he leaped into William Patrick Murphy in Boston, Massachusetts on August 23rd, 1982?"
Al: "Yes."
Ziggy: "No. But I should have a preliminary hypothesis you can go on in the next 2.6 hours."
Al: "What if Doctor Beckett doesn't have 2.6 hours?"
Ziggy: "In case you've forgotten, Admiral, I do not feel guilt or the need to work at a fast pace. That is a curse that only humans have to bear."
Al: "What about the Image Comparison on David?"
Ziggy: "I'm doing that right now, Admiral, but I've only just begun. I should have an answer for within the hour."
Al: "An hour?"
Ziggy: "That's right, Admiral. If you'll excuse me, I wish not to be disturbed."
Al: "But I— "
Al let out a frustrated sigh and moaned.
"Oh boy."
Al handed the hand-link to Sammy Jo.
Al: "This needs to go into a USB port so we can do an Image Comparison of men in the United States between 1070 and 1985 who looked like David, so we can find out who David really is."
Sammy Jo: "Right away, Al."
Al: "Uh, Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "Yes, Admiral."
Al: "Just out of curiosity, would happen to— "
Ziggy: "Have a theory on Doctor Beckett's objective and reason for why he leaped into William Patrick Murphy in Boston, Massachusetts on August 23rd, 1982?"
Al: "Yes."
Ziggy: "No. But I should have a preliminary hypothesis you can go on in the next 2.6 hours."
Al: "What if Doctor Beckett doesn't have 2.6 hours?"
Ziggy: "In case you've forgotten, Admiral, I do not feel guilt or the need to work at a fast pace. That is a curse that only humans have to bear."
Al: "What about the Image Comparison on David?"
Ziggy: "I'm doing that right now, Admiral, but I've only just begun. I should have an answer for within the hour."
Al: "An hour?"
Ziggy: "That's right, Admiral. If you'll excuse me, I wish not to be disturbed."
Al: "But I— "
Al let out a frustrated sigh and moaned.
"Oh boy."
_______________________________________________________________
The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-2408
Monday, August 23, 1982
6:17 p.m. (EDT)
Sam looked at the man at the other table. The man took his whole hand and did a come-hither motion. Although Sam didn't know the man, he had a feeling that the man knew who William was. The trick was finding out who he was and why he bought him a beer. Sam slowly walked over to the man's table and approached him.
Alroy: "Ah, dea-oíche, mo mhac."
Sam: "What?"
Alroy: "Come on, have a seat."
Sam: "Oh, uh, okay."
Sam was reluctant, but he figured if he just went with the flow, sooner or later, things might make sense.
Alroy: "So, Willy, how's the new house, eh?"
Sam: "Oh, it uh— it's coming along pretty well."
Alroy: "Mhaith! I'm glad. You know, you were crazy for buying the house at that price."
Sam: "I was?"
Aloy: "Aye, dÚsachtach. A quarter of a million dollars? That's crazy."
Sam: "250 Thousand dollars?"
Aloy: "Aye, that's a lot of Euro, eh?"
Sam: "Actually, if you to convert the U.S. dollar to Euro, it was be 21,537.87 Euro."
Aloy: "Aye. Now I know you were able to put a 25% down-payment on the mortgage, which I'm sure impressed the realtors."
Sam: "Sixty-two five?"
Aloy: "Aye. Just make sure your not getting in over your head or you'll be in big trioblóide."
Sam: "Oh, yeah. I'm careful. Very careful not to get into uh— doosacktosh or something."
Alroy: "I must say: I'm surprised to see ya here on a Monday evenin'."
Sam: "Oh yeah, Amelia drove us here."
Alroy: "Aye, I see that. Couldn't believe me' eyes."
Sam: "Yeah, well, they had a long bus ride."
Alroy: "Feicim. And who is that uasal dancing with her?"
Sam: "Oh, him? He's uh— he's— her boyfriend."
Aloy: "Ah, me' iníon has found a leannán, eh?"
Sam: "Actually, his name is: David. He's a guy. Not someone named Leeanun."
Alroy just looked at Sam for a moment, wondering what he was talking about.
Alroy: "Mar sin, his name is: Daibhidh, eh?"
Sam misheard what Alroy was saying, so he tried his best to act like he heard him.
Sam: "No, she didn't have a baby. I said that his name is: David."
Again, Alroy stared at Sam, not understanding why he wasn't able to go with the conversation as his host, William, always could.
Alroy: "I said: Daibhidh. You do know that Daibhidh is David in Scottish Gaelic."
Sam sat quietly for a couple of seconds.
Sam: "Oh! Oh right. Of course. I thought you were speaking Irish. That's why uh— well, you know— why I didn't hear you correctly."
Then, there was a moment of awkward silence.
Alroy: "Feicim... Are you okay, mac."
Sam's Narration: "Oh boy. This is definitely one of those times when I really need Al's help. I speak numerous languages, but don't remember ever studying Irish or Scottish Gaelic. The more I try to go with the flow the conversation, the more I mess up. I wish something could happen to where I could be saved by the bell out of this conversation."
By this time, the song ended and everyone was done dancing.
Alroy: "Willy?"
Sam: "Yeah? I mean, uh— y— yes?"
Alroy: "I said: are ya okay?"
Sam's Narration: "Okay, don't panic. What would William say in a situation like this?"
Alroy: "Feicim... Are you okay, mac."
Sam's Narration: "Oh boy. This is definitely one of those times when I really need Al's help. I speak numerous languages, but don't remember ever studying Irish or Scottish Gaelic. The more I try to go with the flow the conversation, the more I mess up. I wish something could happen to where I could be saved by the bell out of this conversation."
By this time, the song ended and everyone was done dancing.
Alroy: "Willy?"
Sam: "Yeah? I mean, uh— y— yes?"
Alroy: "I said: are ya okay?"
Sam's Narration: "Okay, don't panic. What would William say in a situation like this?"
Sam: "Uhm. . . Aye?"
At that moment, Amelia and David walked up to Sam. Amelia was very upset about see Sam with Alroy.
Amelia: "William, what are you doing?"
Sam turned and looked at Amelia and David.
Sam: "Well, this guy bought me a beer and I thought I'd come over and talk with him."
Amelia: "This guy? Since when do you refer our athair as 'this guy'?"
Sam: "Well, I— "
Amelia: "What you doing even talking to him in the first place?"
Alroy stood up.
Alroy: "Gabh mo leithscéal, me' iníon! I am not a 'him'. I am your 'athair'. The least you can do is address me with a little respect."
David turned to Amelia and spoke to her quietly.
David: "Uh, athair?"
Amelia: "Father."
David: "Ah, okay."
Sam's Narration: "Yes! Thank you, David. This guy is our father. Thank God for humility."
Amelia: "You may have been our athair, but you were never a daidí to any of us."
Alroy: "Oh le do thoil, Amelia! I put a roof over your heads, clothes on your backs, food on the table, and a nice warm bed for all of you to sleep in at night. All of you are the ingrates who took it all for granted, moved out, and never had any communication me or your máthair. None of you call. None of you write. None of you visit. What do we have to do to be a part of your lives, for an grá de Dé!"
Amelia: "Máthair and I talk sometimes. And we would never have had all the stuff you said if it weren't for máthair getting part-time work while you were out of work."
Alroy: "I'm an ironwoker. I took the jobs as they came. I would make tens of thousands of dollar within a few months during the on-seasons."
Amelia: "It would matter what season it was. Any money you made went down your throat. That all YOU cared about. If the frig was full of Irish beer, you were satisfied. How many nights did you pass out on your recliner or the couch after sitting there watching the Celtics play whatever team they were playing? You'd be stumbling into bed just as all of the rest of us were waking up to start our day."
Alroy: "Cúramach le do bhéal, iníon! I am your athair, whether you like or not. After all I've done for you ungrateful kids, I, at least, deserve the time of day. Me' drinin' is none of your business."
At that moment, Amelia and David walked up to Sam. Amelia was very upset about see Sam with Alroy.
Amelia: "William, what are you doing?"
Sam turned and looked at Amelia and David.
Sam: "Well, this guy bought me a beer and I thought I'd come over and talk with him."
Amelia: "This guy? Since when do you refer our athair as 'this guy'?"
Sam: "Well, I— "
Amelia: "What you doing even talking to him in the first place?"
Alroy stood up.
Alroy: "Gabh mo leithscéal, me' iníon! I am not a 'him'. I am your 'athair'. The least you can do is address me with a little respect."
David turned to Amelia and spoke to her quietly.
David: "Uh, athair?"
Amelia: "Father."
David: "Ah, okay."
Sam's Narration: "Yes! Thank you, David. This guy is our father. Thank God for humility."
Amelia: "You may have been our athair, but you were never a daidí to any of us."
Alroy: "Oh le do thoil, Amelia! I put a roof over your heads, clothes on your backs, food on the table, and a nice warm bed for all of you to sleep in at night. All of you are the ingrates who took it all for granted, moved out, and never had any communication me or your máthair. None of you call. None of you write. None of you visit. What do we have to do to be a part of your lives, for an grá de Dé!"
Amelia: "Máthair and I talk sometimes. And we would never have had all the stuff you said if it weren't for máthair getting part-time work while you were out of work."
Alroy: "I'm an ironwoker. I took the jobs as they came. I would make tens of thousands of dollar within a few months during the on-seasons."
Amelia: "It would matter what season it was. Any money you made went down your throat. That all YOU cared about. If the frig was full of Irish beer, you were satisfied. How many nights did you pass out on your recliner or the couch after sitting there watching the Celtics play whatever team they were playing? You'd be stumbling into bed just as all of the rest of us were waking up to start our day."
Alroy: "Cúramach le do bhéal, iníon! I am your athair, whether you like or not. After all I've done for you ungrateful kids, I, at least, deserve the time of day. Me' drinin' is none of your business."
There was a brief pause.
Amelia: "You're right. You're absolutely right. It's none of my business. Just like MY life is none of your's. So, you keep draining those beer bottles, because that is what you're the best at."
Alroy let our a frustrated sigh.
David: "Uh, maybe we should leave."
Alroy: "What happened to ya, Amelia? You weren't just precocious as a child, you were so sweet. When you hit junior high, all of that changed. Every boyfriend you ever had, you would always break-up with them for some stupid reason. Even now, you won't even introduce me to David."
Amelia: "Maybe I didn't want to end up like máthair and end up with someone like YOU. Dare I ask how you knew his name was David?"
Sam: "Well, uhm— actually uh— I told him."
A bouncer saw the commotion at the table. He walked up to all of them.
Buster: "Excuse me, what's going on over here?"
Sam: "Oh, uh, nothing, sir. My sister and father were just talking."
The bouncer looked at David and pointed at him.
Buster: "What about this guy here?"
Amelia: "He's with me."
Buster: "Is that right? Well, I could hear you on the other side of the room. If you start getting loud, I'm going to have to make you leave."
David: "Uh, we're sorry, sir. We'll quiet down."
Buster: "Nobody's talking to you, Mister. I was talking to Miss big-mouth over here, so shut up."
Amelia: "Hey, va te faire foutre! Don't tell my boyfriend to shut up. Va te faire tenculer, toi connardl!"
Buster: "I took French in high school, you little connasse. I know what that meant."
Sam stood up.
Sam: "Look, why don't all just leave now."
Buster: "Nobody's talking to you, either, slick. So, why don't YOU sit down and mind your own business."
Amelia: "Don't talk that way to my brother!"
The bouncer grabbed Amelia's left arm angrily.
Buster: "Hey! Don't you be giving me any orders, Red. Or you will be the next person I force to sit down."
David politely tried to get in between them.
David: "Look, sir, it's not necessary to put your hands on the lady. We'll all just leave."
The bouncer grabbed the top part of David's shirt and pulled David toward him.
Buster: "Just who do you think you are telling me what is and isn't necessary, buddy? Your lady friend has a big mouth. You have a lot of never trying to get in between us. I've been back-talked enough today and I am NOT in a good mood."
David: "So, we'll leave. It's as simple as that."
Buster: "I decide when and how you leave. Nobody else."
Then, the bouncer hauled-off and punch David in the face. David landed on another table.
Amelia: "No, stop it!"
Sam held Amelia's shoulders to keep her from running to the bouncer.
Buster: "There you go telling what to do again. This 'women's lib' crap is getting out of hand. I'm in charge here!"
Sam spoke to Amelia quietly.
Sam: "Amelia, please don't. The way he's acting, he'll probably hit you, too."
David stood up slowly.
David: "Come on, guys, let's go."
The bouncer grabbed David again.
Buster: "You don't listen very well, do you? I said I decide when you leave."
Then, again, the bouncer punched David in the face. This time, David fell to the floor. Sam looked at Alroy. Sam talked to him quietly.
Sam: "Aren't you going to do something?"
Alroy: "Me? But I'm useless, remember? All I'm good for is sittin' around drinkin' beer."
The bouncer grabbed David, again, and force him to stand up.
Buster: "Had enough? Or does your lady friend wanna bad-mouth me some more."
Sam: "Look, we'll just leave and you won't have to worry about us anymore, okay?."
Buster: "I told you to stay out of this, slick! Maybe I'll call the manager and he can have you all arrested."
The bouncer looked David square in the eyes.
"As for you!"
The bouncer, once again, punches David in the face. The bounces looked David in the eyes again.
"NOW, you can leave."
Then, the bouncer threw David out the door, outside, where he his head in the front of a parked car and land on the pavement face-down. The bouncer, then, closed the door and walked back inside. David laid on the pavement; his face throbbing from where the bouncer punched him; his head searing with pain where he hit the front of the car; the abrasions he acquired where he slid on the pavement. David attempted to push himself up with his hand, but he found too difficult due the pain he was experiencing. He began to feel frustrated from the inability of getting off the pavement. Once that frustration peak, suddenly, David turned white and, then, a pale green. David could feel the metamorphosis commencing. He could feel the surge of strength circulate up and down his entire body. He tried to fight it, but the excruciating pain he was feeling just kept the metamorphosis progressing.
"Anybody else want to try their luck?"
Amelia spoke quietly to Sam.
Amelia: "My God, what do we do?"
Sam: "Maybe if we just stand quietly, he'll walk away."
Buster: "Excuse me, Red! Would you and slick here like to fill me in on your little conversation?"
Meanwhile, out in the parking lot, David's shirt split open, the back of his pants split apart halfway up, and his shoes was torn off of his feet. Through it all, the green skin was present. He was now the Hulk. The Hulk stood up, looked at the car in front of him, let out a loud roar, and smashed the hood of the car in half. The hulk flexed his muscles and roared: "Rrrraaaaaaarrrh!" The Hulk was not finished. He was still very angry. The Hulk looked at the front door, knowing that was where the bouncer was. The Hulk ran to the front and smashed it into pieces, causing all of the patrons go into panic. Sam looked in the Hulk with intense astonishment and perturbation.
Sam: "My God."
Sam held on to Amelia's shoulders in possible preparation of being attacked. The Hulk looked at his main target, the bouncer; the man who physically assaulted David. The Hulk grit his teeth, growled and glared, and slowing began to walk over to the bouncer.
Buster: "Who the hell are you? What the hell are you?"
The Hulk got closer and closer to the bouncer.
"Get away from me!"
The bouncer, then, punched the Hulk in the chest. The bouncer felt like he hit a rock and actually hurt his knuckles. This made the Hulk even angrier. The Hulk grabbed the bouncer by his shirt and pulled him closer. The bouncer's eyes widened with terror. Then, the Hulk threw the bouncer outside and onto the pavement just like the bouncer did with David. The bouncer was lying on his back when he saw the Hulk come walking out of the pub. The Hulk, then, flexed his muscles and roared: "Rrraaaaaarrrh." The bouncer quickly stood up.
"To hell with THIS place."
The bouncer ran through the parking lot and down the street. The Hulk turned around toward the inside of the pub. He roared one last time, then ran off.
Amelia: "William, we've got to go after him."
Sam: "No, Amelia, it's not safe. We don't even know what that thing was."
Amelia: "It was the Hulk."
Sam: "The what?"
Amelia: "The Hulk! Look, I don't have time to explain, but need to follow him."
Amelia ran out of the pub to follow the Hulk.
Sam: "Amelia, wait!"
Sam ran out of the pub to follow Amelia, so he could catch up to her. They looked down Union Street and could see the Hulk in the far distance, roughly around 75 yards and running farther.
Amelia: "Come on. We have catch up to him."
Sam: "Wait a minute. What's going on here?"
Amelia: "We don't have a minute. I'll explain later. Come one!"
Amelia and Sam ran to try to catch up with the Hulk. The Hulk reached Scott Alley and turned right onto Hanover Street. Amelia and Sam, in the distance, saw that the Hulk turned right somewhere, but they were'n't sure of which block. They spoke as they were running.
Amelia: "Did you see where he turned?"
Sam: "No, he's too fast and too far."
Amelia: "We've gotta keep moving. We can't lose him."
Before Amelia and Sam could reach Scott Alley, the Hulk turned right onto Blackstone Street. Amelia and Sam, weary from running, stopped at the end of Scott Alley and Hanover Street. They looked around, but they didn't see the Hulk.
Sam: "We lost him."
Amelia: "No. No, we can't have. He turned right somewhere. I saw him."
Sam: "Well, me, too, but we lost him. I don't know why we're following that beast anyway. He could've really hurt that bouncer."
Amelia: "He didn't hurt the bouncer and he's not gonna hurt us. William, it's very important that we find him, okay? Please, help me and I will explain everything later."
Amelia and Sam turned onto Hanover Street. Meanwhile, the Hulk had slowed down and went from running to walking. At this point, the Hulk had 99 North Street, which was the Hard Rock Café. The Hulk looked around and spotted the Hard Rock Café sign. He could heard music coming from the inside of the café. Curious about the music, the Hulk looked inside the window. Then, a couple sat down in a booth that was in front of that same window. They both looked out the window and saw the Hulk looking inside the window. Horrified, the couple screamed and immediately left the table and up to the bar. This startled the Hulk, so he walked away and into the back alley of the Hard Rock Café, all the while letting out sporadic grunts. In the alley, the Hulk saw a litter of kittens. There was one kitten on the ground that couldn't get to the rest of the litter. The Hulk picked the kitten up and looked at it attentively. The kitten looked at the Hulk and even 'meowed' a few times. The Hulk even let out a little smile. Then, the Hulk put the kitten with the rest of its litter. The Hulk, beginning to feel tired, sat down on a crate against the wall. By now, Amelia and Sam had turned right onto Blackstone Street and were a few minutes from the café. As the Hulk sat on the crate in the alley, the Hulk began the process of morphing back to human form. His face and body went from green to gray. His eye began to go back to a pale green. His skin went from gray to a health peach color. His eye went from pale green, to white, and back to brown. After a minute, the morph process was over his was David again. . . David put his hands over his face and they slid down to his lower cheeks, below his mouth. He surveyed the area around him. He knew he was in an alley, but had no idea where. "No," David thought. "Two metamorphoses in one day? What did the creature do this time? Did he hurt anybody?" It was then that he heard police sirens in the distance. David slowly stood up. He looked around some more and began to walk toward the front of the Hard Rock Café. Suddenly, David could hear Amelia and Sam conversing.
Amelia: "God, I hope we're going the right way."
Sam: "Shouldn't we be looking for David to make sure HE'S okay?"
David peaked around the corner and saw Amelia and Sam about to pass the Hard Rock Café.
Amelia: "We'll find David. Don't worry."
David came out from the corner just as Amelia and Sam were walking up to it.
David: "Hey, guys."
Amelia: "David!"
Amelia ran up to David and firmly embraced him.
"Oh, thank God you're okay."
David: "Uh, yeah. I'm okay. Where are we?"
Sam: "We're outside the Hard Rock Café on North Street."
Amelia: "It's gonna be okay, David. We'll just walk back to the Purple Shamrock and drive to William's house."
Sam took of William suit to give to David.
Sam: "Here. You can wear this until we get back to the car."
David took the suit and put it on.
David: "Thank you."
Sam: "No problem."
Sam looked at Amelia.
"How long will it take us to walk back to the Purple Shamrock?"
Amelia: "Oh, not long at all. A couple of minutes. All we have to do is keep walking southeast on North Street, like we've been doing, toward Clinton Street, then we turn right on Union Street and there it'll be."
Sam: "Great. We'll be able to walk straight to my car without the police being suspicious of us and drive straight to my house."
Amelia: "Which is what we should do while we still have daylight left."
Sam: "Good idea."
Amelia, David, and Sam walked to the Purple Shamrock. As they were walking through the parking lot, they could overhear the manager making a statement to the police.
Manager: "This thing crashed through this door like it was paper. It was unbelievable. It was huge. It was, at least, 7-feet tall. It through one of our bouncers out the door about 20 or 30 yards."
Officer: "Okay, and where is this bouncer now?"
Manager: "Buster? I have no idea. He disappeared along with that creature. My guess is: he fled the scene. I know I would."
Officer: "Okay, you say his name is: Buster?"
Manager: "Yeah, Buster. Buster Portly. All the patrons saw it, too."
Officer: "Okay, let's go in and ask them. I have to check any damage on the inside anyway."
The officer and manager go inside the pub. Amelia, David, and Sam get into William's car.
Amelia: "It's okay if I drive to your house, right?"
Sam: "Oh sure. Of course."
Amelia: "That's what I thought."
Amelia was still suspicious of Sam, but she stayed quiet about it for the time being. Sam was still in awe about what he saw in that pub. As David was putting on a shirt to replace the one that was ruined, he became very worried about whether his identity would be recognized. So far, nobody had noticed or thought he looked familiar. Still, David was preoccupied with "what if" thought rushing through his mind.
_______________________________________________________________
Al walked into the Control Room. Beth walked up to him.
Beth: "Hey, Al. Where have you been?"
Al: "I've been in the Waiting Room talking with William. He was telling me a lot about his family dynamics."
Beth: "Oh yeah. I guess it was quite interesting."
Al: "Yeah, but not in a good way. They had a drunk for a father and a passive mother. All three of the children couldn't wait to move out of the house and live on their own."
Beth: "You mean the father abused them?"
Al: "No, he neglected them. When he wasn't working, he'd drink himself to oblivion. In fact, when he came home from work, when he WAS working, he'd drink himself to oblivion."
Beth: "That Irish beer will do it to you every time."
Al: "Yeah. It just makes me miss MY father, you know? They may have had a father that was a piece of work, but, at least, they had one."
Beth: "I know, Al. I know."
Ziggy: "Admiral?"
Al: "Yeah, Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "I thought you might be interested to know that I have finished my Image Comparison analysis."
Al: "Oh, Ziggy. That's great. What'd you come up with?"
Ziggy: "I found two exact matches."
Al: "Two?"
Al made a sigh of frustration.
"Well, that's just great. How are we gonna know which one it is."
Ziggy: "Process of elimination, Admiral. The first one was a man named: Michael 'Mike' Cassidy, Born: December 10, 1926. He was in and out of prison from the time he was in his late 20's. Mostly for embezzlement and grand larceny. He spent most of his prison time in San Quentin in Marin County. The last time he was sentenced to San Quentin, he was released on July 31, 1999. Thereafter, he was put on 10 years probation. He lived a reclusive life within the confines of a halfway house in San Francisco until his death on February 18, 2002 of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome."
Al: "AIDS? Really? He must have contracted it in prison. . . Ziggy, is he even a possibility?"
Ziggy: "No. I checked the archives, and it turns out that he was sentenced to San Quentin in January of 1980. As of August of 1982, he was still in San Quentin."
Al: "Okay, like you said, process of elimination. So, who's the other guy?"
Ziggy: "The other match is: Doctor David Banner."
Al: "Doctor David Banner. Wait a minute. Doctor David Banner, the geneticist and biochemist from the Culver Institute?
Ziggy: "That is correct, Admiral. I did a National Cross-Reference to get some personal data on him. . . Doctor David Bruce Banner, M.D., Ph.D, Born: January 24, 1937 to D.W. and Elizabeth Banner in Trevorton, Colorado. He had a sister named: Helen, who was four years younger than him. In 1955, he left his hometown to attend an Ivy League college and Medical school. His specialty was 'Metabolism'. Unfortunately, his intense research ceased as of December 5, 1976."
Al: "Why? What happened?"
Ziggy: "His first wife: Laura Banner, an Animal Behaviorist, was killed in a car accident. Thrown clear himself, David saw that only one door was in a position to be opened. He tried and tried but just was not strong enough to force it open. Since the car was on fire, the implication is that she died in the fire, not exclusively due to the crash. After that, Banner's life took on other priorities. Abandoning his research on metabolic disorders, he was reunited with Doctor Elaina Marks, a dear friend and colleague of his, as he threw himself into medical research to find the superhuman strength that all humans have during times of danger and stress. He became obsessed with discovering why some people displayed such strength. He and Doctor Marks discovered that the people who experienced that superhuman strength were exposed to higher than usual levels of gamma radiation from the sun."
Al: "What happened then?"
Ziggy: "Unfortunately, Admiral, not much. That was all I was able to pull up from the Culver Institute archives. It was around THIS time that the Hulk made its first appearance."
Al: "Oh yeah, the Hulk. I remember him. He was that huge green creature that was spotted all around the country in the late-70's and early-80's."
Ziggy: "That is correct. The first sighting was in Sacramento, California, which is where the Culver Institute was located. The highway patrol found Doctor Banner's car on the side of the road. It had been wrecked and burned. Also, they found enormous foot-prints near the wreckage. It was measured to be a size 24 shoe. Banner and Marks were questioned, but they denied knowing anything about it."
Al: "Did they?"
Ziggy: "It was never proven either way. On November 9, 1977, there was an explosion that left the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute in massive flames. A reporter from the National Register, Jack McGee, witnessed the explosion. He and Doctor Banner were outside the building, while Doctor Marks was still inside. McGee witnessed Banner running back inside of the burning building to save Elaina Marks."
Al: "Did he succeed?"
Ziggy: "No. McGee witnessed the Hulk carrying Elaina Marks out of the burning building and to a nearby woods where she perished."
Al: "What about Doctor Banner?"
Ziggy: "Doctor Banner was never seen again after he ran inside the burning building. It was assumed that Doctor Banner perished in the laboratory fire and possibly killed by the Hulk."
Al: "Ziggy, are you telling me that Doctor Banner died in '77?"
Ziggy: "That's what it said in all the newspapers the morning after the laboratory fire. In fact, it was the National Register, a tabloid newspaper in Chicago, that said that the Hulk killed both Doctor Banner and Doctor Marks."
Al: "Ziggy, are you telling me that Doctor Banner was still alive in '82?"
Ziggy: "Going by the picture you took in the Imagining Chamber and using it in an Image Comparison, I would have to say: yes, Admiral."
Al let out a sigh.
Al: "The plot just keeps getting thicker and thicker."
_______________________________________________________________
Sam was sitting out on the porch of William's house. The temperature dropped to about 68° by then. He had unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt, loosened his tie a bit, and unbuttoned his vest.
Sam Narration: "This leap was becoming more surreal as time went on. I don't know where that green creature came from, why Amelia wanted to follow it, and how David got to the Hard Rock Café from the Purple Shamrock. Al hadn't gotten back to me, but it was pretty clear that there were any number of things I could've been there to correct. The question was: what was it? Al was right about Amelia. She does seem to be falling for David. He said he could recognize it in her eyes, because he had been with the same woman for 57 years... Wait a minute. Wait a minute! That's right! I changed history. Years ago, I saved his marriage to Beth. Al and Beth are still together. And I will admit: Al did seem a lot happier and a more fulfilled person. I could sure use Al right now. I have some gaps I need him to fill in."
Suddenly, Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open.
"Hey, speak of the devil."
Al entered the Imaging Chamber and closed the Imaging Chamber door behind him.
Al: "Sam, how's it going?"
Sam: "Well, I'm still in the dark about a lot of things. Please, tell me you found something out about David."
Al: "Oh yeah, we sure did."
Sam: "You did? What'd you find out?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Well, our suspicions were confirmed. David IS using an alias. He is none other then the renowned scientist: Doctor David Banner."
Sam is quiet for a moment as his eyes slowly widen.
Sam: "Banner... Of course. Doctor David Banner. Princeton. Stanford. He was on the lecture circuit for Ivy League colleges in the early '70's. He was a guest lecturer in my biochemistry class at MIT. That's why he looked so familiar to me. He was one of the pioneers. He the first scientist to use radiation to increase human strength and productivity. I've read all of his articles."
Al: "Yeah, so did Ziggy. This guy is into biology and chemistry the way you're into quantum physics. We, however, do have one bump in the road."
Sam: "What's that?"
Al: "According to a Death Certificate that Ziggy dug up, Doctor Banner died 5 years ago."
Sam: "You're kidding?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "According to The Sacramento Bee, there was an explosion at the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute after hours. The only two scientists who were occupying that building that night was Doctor Banner and his colleague: Doctor Elaina Harding Marks. Jack McGee, who worked for the National Register, was the only witness to this. He and Doctor Banner were outside when the explosion filled the building with massive flames. McGee saw Doctor Banner run inside the burning building to try to save Doctor Marks. Eh, that was the last time anyone ever saw Doctor Banner."
Sam: "What was the cause of the explosion?"
Al: "The cause of the explosion was undetermined. Forensic investigators speculated that it may have been a chemical fire."
Sam: "What about Doctor Marks?"
Al: "Marks' corpse was found the next morning in a nearby woods adjacent to the laboratory. Autopsy revealed that the cause of death was the injuries she suffered from the lab explosion."
Sam: "And David?"
Al: "Banner's body was never found. The authorities surmised that he was consumed and incinerated by the lab fire. He was declared legally dead and they put a headstone bearing his name next to Elaina Marks' grave."
Sam: "How did Elaina Marks get to the nearby woods? She would've been too weak due to her injuries from the explosion. Plus, there's no way David could've pick her up carried her out of a burning building like that."
Al: "Well, that's what is going to take us to the next part of the story."
Sam: "What next part?"
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Well, the only other newspaper that went into detail about Marks and Banner's death was The National Register, a tabloid newspaper located in Chicago. Jack McGee, the investigative reporter assigned to the case, said that he witnessed a giant green creature carrying Elaina Marks out of the burning building and into the woods. McGee thought the creature caused the explosion and was responsible for Marks and Banner's death. He named the giant green creature: the Hulk."
Sam: "The Hulk? I thought the Hulk was a legend."
Al: "To many people, he was. In the beginning, people thought the Hulk was just a ploy to sell more newspapers. But, as time went on and more people began to see him, a higher percentage of the Register's readers believed that the Hulk existed. He'd been seen back and forth across the country for years. Jack McGee chased him around and reported anything he could get on the Hulk. The National Register was the only newspaper that kept up with the Hulk's whereabouts."
Sam: "Probably so he could be the author of the story of the century... What you have on this Jack McGee?"
Al pushed some buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Okay, let's see... Born: October 13, 1934 in St. Louis. He graduated high school in June of 1952. He was drafted straight out of high school and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He, then, went to college, graduating in 1958, majoring in Journalism. He started out as an intern, writing for the Naperville Sun, which was based in Naperville, Illinois and published their stories three days a week. He worked there for four years, then accepted a job offer from the Chicago Tribune. By 1966, his career peaked when the Tribune gave him the opportunity to be a freelance writer for his own column. He wrote a lot of interesting stories and was a very good reporter. Unfortunately, around this time, he had become a high-functioning alcoholic. And as his tolerance got higher, so did his dependence. By 1971, he was washed-up and impecunious. He cleaned up his act, but he'd lost his credibility as a dependable reporter. In fact, there was only one newspaper that was willing to give him a fresh start."
Sam: "The National Register."
Al: "Right. He figured he would make his way back up the corporate latter and get his column back."
Sam: "And did he?"
Al: "Nope. He remained employed at the Register until he retired in January of 1997. Not much about him after that, until his death on December 1, 2005. The cause of death was complications following a stroke he suffered 40 days prior."
Sam: "Al, I need to tell you something. It's about that Hulk."
Al: "Yeah?"
Sam: "Yeah. You see, I saw that Hulk earlier this evening in the Purple Shamrock."
Al: "You did? Are you sure?"
Sam: "Oh I'm sure. He was huge, green, and unbelievably strong. He thew a bouncer outside an estimated 10 to 20 yards. I don't think there was anyone or anything that could've stopped him."
Al: "Did you see the guy who became the Hulk?"
Sam: "What do you mean?"
Al pushed a few button on the hand-link.
Al: "On March 9, 1979, McGee discovered that it was a man who went through a metamorphosis into the Hulk. He realized that this was how the Hulk was able to go from place to place without being seen. He never knew who the man was. In his articles, McGee referred to him as: 'John Doe'."
Sam: "Oh. Well, I wasn't really looking for anybody like that. I didn't see the metamorphosis. All I saw was the Hulk."
Al: "You know, if David Banner is still alive, he may be pursuing this Hulk the way Jack McGee is."
Sam: "You think?"
Al: "Doctor Banner is the only one who really understands what this Hulk is. He may even know the identity of John Doe."
Sam: "Well... I guess there's only one way to find out."
Al: "Exactly!... What is it?"
Sam: "I have to go talk to HIM."
Al: "Woe, I don't know, Sam. How are you going to explain how you know who he really is?"
Sam: "I'll just say I recognized him from an article or something. Look, I have a sneaking suspicion that Amelia already knows his true identity anyway. She already suspects that I'm not who I say I am."
Al: "Yeah, I know. She's very intuitive. But hey, women can be like that."
Sam tuned around and walked toward the front door.
"Hey hey hey, where are you going?"
Sam turned back around to look at Al.
Sam: "I'm going to go talk to David and Amelia."
Al: "Now?"
Sam: "Yes, now. If not now, then when?"
Al: "Well, I'd— I mean, if it were me— I just— Well, I guess now would be fine."
Sam: "Why are you so hesitant?"
Al: "I don't know. I just don't want you to do anything to jeopardize this leap."
Sam: "Al, for all we know, I'm here to help catch the Hulk or help David find a chance at a normal life."
Al: "But we don't know that, Sam."
Sam: "Al... Either God, or Fate, Time or whatever force that's been leaping me around is going to do it again as soon as I change whatever happened in the life of William Murphy or someone around him in '82, since he's the one he bounced out, right?"
Al: "Ehhh, yeah, right."
Sam: "I don't think that talking with David and Amelia is going to create a huge ripple in time."
Amelia: "You're right. You're absolutely right. It's none of my business. Just like MY life is none of your's. So, you keep draining those beer bottles, because that is what you're the best at."
Alroy let our a frustrated sigh.
David: "Uh, maybe we should leave."
Alroy: "What happened to ya, Amelia? You weren't just precocious as a child, you were so sweet. When you hit junior high, all of that changed. Every boyfriend you ever had, you would always break-up with them for some stupid reason. Even now, you won't even introduce me to David."
Amelia: "Maybe I didn't want to end up like máthair and end up with someone like YOU. Dare I ask how you knew his name was David?"
Sam: "Well, uhm— actually uh— I told him."
A bouncer saw the commotion at the table. He walked up to all of them.
Buster: "Excuse me, what's going on over here?"
Sam: "Oh, uh, nothing, sir. My sister and father were just talking."
The bouncer looked at David and pointed at him.
Buster: "What about this guy here?"
Amelia: "He's with me."
Buster: "Is that right? Well, I could hear you on the other side of the room. If you start getting loud, I'm going to have to make you leave."
David: "Uh, we're sorry, sir. We'll quiet down."
Buster: "Nobody's talking to you, Mister. I was talking to Miss big-mouth over here, so shut up."
Amelia: "Hey, va te faire foutre! Don't tell my boyfriend to shut up. Va te faire tenculer, toi connardl!"
Buster: "I took French in high school, you little connasse. I know what that meant."
Sam stood up.
Sam: "Look, why don't all just leave now."
Buster: "Nobody's talking to you, either, slick. So, why don't YOU sit down and mind your own business."
Amelia: "Don't talk that way to my brother!"
The bouncer grabbed Amelia's left arm angrily.
Buster: "Hey! Don't you be giving me any orders, Red. Or you will be the next person I force to sit down."
David politely tried to get in between them.
David: "Look, sir, it's not necessary to put your hands on the lady. We'll all just leave."
The bouncer grabbed the top part of David's shirt and pulled David toward him.
Buster: "Just who do you think you are telling me what is and isn't necessary, buddy? Your lady friend has a big mouth. You have a lot of never trying to get in between us. I've been back-talked enough today and I am NOT in a good mood."
David: "So, we'll leave. It's as simple as that."
Buster: "I decide when and how you leave. Nobody else."
Then, the bouncer hauled-off and punch David in the face. David landed on another table.
Amelia: "No, stop it!"
Sam held Amelia's shoulders to keep her from running to the bouncer.
Buster: "There you go telling what to do again. This 'women's lib' crap is getting out of hand. I'm in charge here!"
Sam spoke to Amelia quietly.
Sam: "Amelia, please don't. The way he's acting, he'll probably hit you, too."
David stood up slowly.
David: "Come on, guys, let's go."
The bouncer grabbed David again.
Buster: "You don't listen very well, do you? I said I decide when you leave."
Then, again, the bouncer punched David in the face. This time, David fell to the floor. Sam looked at Alroy. Sam talked to him quietly.
Sam: "Aren't you going to do something?"
Alroy: "Me? But I'm useless, remember? All I'm good for is sittin' around drinkin' beer."
The bouncer grabbed David, again, and force him to stand up.
Buster: "Had enough? Or does your lady friend wanna bad-mouth me some more."
Sam: "Look, we'll just leave and you won't have to worry about us anymore, okay?."
Buster: "I told you to stay out of this, slick! Maybe I'll call the manager and he can have you all arrested."
The bouncer looked David square in the eyes.
"As for you!"
The bouncer, once again, punches David in the face. The bounces looked David in the eyes again.
"NOW, you can leave."
Then, the bouncer threw David out the door, outside, where he his head in the front of a parked car and land on the pavement face-down. The bouncer, then, closed the door and walked back inside. David laid on the pavement; his face throbbing from where the bouncer punched him; his head searing with pain where he hit the front of the car; the abrasions he acquired where he slid on the pavement. David attempted to push himself up with his hand, but he found too difficult due the pain he was experiencing. He began to feel frustrated from the inability of getting off the pavement. Once that frustration peak, suddenly, David turned white and, then, a pale green. David could feel the metamorphosis commencing. He could feel the surge of strength circulate up and down his entire body. He tried to fight it, but the excruciating pain he was feeling just kept the metamorphosis progressing.
"Anybody else want to try their luck?"
Amelia spoke quietly to Sam.
Amelia: "My God, what do we do?"
Sam: "Maybe if we just stand quietly, he'll walk away."
Buster: "Excuse me, Red! Would you and slick here like to fill me in on your little conversation?"
Meanwhile, out in the parking lot, David's shirt split open, the back of his pants split apart halfway up, and his shoes was torn off of his feet. Through it all, the green skin was present. He was now the Hulk. The Hulk stood up, looked at the car in front of him, let out a loud roar, and smashed the hood of the car in half. The hulk flexed his muscles and roared: "Rrrraaaaaaarrrh!" The Hulk was not finished. He was still very angry. The Hulk looked at the front door, knowing that was where the bouncer was. The Hulk ran to the front and smashed it into pieces, causing all of the patrons go into panic. Sam looked in the Hulk with intense astonishment and perturbation.
Sam: "My God."
Sam held on to Amelia's shoulders in possible preparation of being attacked. The Hulk looked at his main target, the bouncer; the man who physically assaulted David. The Hulk grit his teeth, growled and glared, and slowing began to walk over to the bouncer.
Buster: "Who the hell are you? What the hell are you?"
The Hulk got closer and closer to the bouncer.
"Get away from me!"
The bouncer, then, punched the Hulk in the chest. The bouncer felt like he hit a rock and actually hurt his knuckles. This made the Hulk even angrier. The Hulk grabbed the bouncer by his shirt and pulled him closer. The bouncer's eyes widened with terror. Then, the Hulk threw the bouncer outside and onto the pavement just like the bouncer did with David. The bouncer was lying on his back when he saw the Hulk come walking out of the pub. The Hulk, then, flexed his muscles and roared: "Rrraaaaaarrrh." The bouncer quickly stood up.
"To hell with THIS place."
The bouncer ran through the parking lot and down the street. The Hulk turned around toward the inside of the pub. He roared one last time, then ran off.
Amelia: "William, we've got to go after him."
Sam: "No, Amelia, it's not safe. We don't even know what that thing was."
Amelia: "It was the Hulk."
Sam: "The what?"
Amelia: "The Hulk! Look, I don't have time to explain, but need to follow him."
Amelia ran out of the pub to follow the Hulk.
Sam: "Amelia, wait!"
Sam ran out of the pub to follow Amelia, so he could catch up to her. They looked down Union Street and could see the Hulk in the far distance, roughly around 75 yards and running farther.
Amelia: "Come on. We have catch up to him."
Sam: "Wait a minute. What's going on here?"
Amelia: "We don't have a minute. I'll explain later. Come one!"
Amelia and Sam ran to try to catch up with the Hulk. The Hulk reached Scott Alley and turned right onto Hanover Street. Amelia and Sam, in the distance, saw that the Hulk turned right somewhere, but they were'n't sure of which block. They spoke as they were running.
Amelia: "Did you see where he turned?"
Sam: "No, he's too fast and too far."
Amelia: "We've gotta keep moving. We can't lose him."
Before Amelia and Sam could reach Scott Alley, the Hulk turned right onto Blackstone Street. Amelia and Sam, weary from running, stopped at the end of Scott Alley and Hanover Street. They looked around, but they didn't see the Hulk.
Sam: "We lost him."
Amelia: "No. No, we can't have. He turned right somewhere. I saw him."
Sam: "Well, me, too, but we lost him. I don't know why we're following that beast anyway. He could've really hurt that bouncer."
Amelia: "He didn't hurt the bouncer and he's not gonna hurt us. William, it's very important that we find him, okay? Please, help me and I will explain everything later."
Amelia and Sam turned onto Hanover Street. Meanwhile, the Hulk had slowed down and went from running to walking. At this point, the Hulk had 99 North Street, which was the Hard Rock Café. The Hulk looked around and spotted the Hard Rock Café sign. He could heard music coming from the inside of the café. Curious about the music, the Hulk looked inside the window. Then, a couple sat down in a booth that was in front of that same window. They both looked out the window and saw the Hulk looking inside the window. Horrified, the couple screamed and immediately left the table and up to the bar. This startled the Hulk, so he walked away and into the back alley of the Hard Rock Café, all the while letting out sporadic grunts. In the alley, the Hulk saw a litter of kittens. There was one kitten on the ground that couldn't get to the rest of the litter. The Hulk picked the kitten up and looked at it attentively. The kitten looked at the Hulk and even 'meowed' a few times. The Hulk even let out a little smile. Then, the Hulk put the kitten with the rest of its litter. The Hulk, beginning to feel tired, sat down on a crate against the wall. By now, Amelia and Sam had turned right onto Blackstone Street and were a few minutes from the café. As the Hulk sat on the crate in the alley, the Hulk began the process of morphing back to human form. His face and body went from green to gray. His eye began to go back to a pale green. His skin went from gray to a health peach color. His eye went from pale green, to white, and back to brown. After a minute, the morph process was over his was David again. . . David put his hands over his face and they slid down to his lower cheeks, below his mouth. He surveyed the area around him. He knew he was in an alley, but had no idea where. "No," David thought. "Two metamorphoses in one day? What did the creature do this time? Did he hurt anybody?" It was then that he heard police sirens in the distance. David slowly stood up. He looked around some more and began to walk toward the front of the Hard Rock Café. Suddenly, David could hear Amelia and Sam conversing.
Amelia: "God, I hope we're going the right way."
Sam: "Shouldn't we be looking for David to make sure HE'S okay?"
David peaked around the corner and saw Amelia and Sam about to pass the Hard Rock Café.
Amelia: "We'll find David. Don't worry."
David came out from the corner just as Amelia and Sam were walking up to it.
David: "Hey, guys."
Amelia: "David!"
Amelia ran up to David and firmly embraced him.
"Oh, thank God you're okay."
David: "Uh, yeah. I'm okay. Where are we?"
Sam: "We're outside the Hard Rock Café on North Street."
Amelia: "It's gonna be okay, David. We'll just walk back to the Purple Shamrock and drive to William's house."
Sam took of William suit to give to David.
Sam: "Here. You can wear this until we get back to the car."
David took the suit and put it on.
David: "Thank you."
Sam: "No problem."
Sam looked at Amelia.
"How long will it take us to walk back to the Purple Shamrock?"
Amelia: "Oh, not long at all. A couple of minutes. All we have to do is keep walking southeast on North Street, like we've been doing, toward Clinton Street, then we turn right on Union Street and there it'll be."
Sam: "Great. We'll be able to walk straight to my car without the police being suspicious of us and drive straight to my house."
Amelia: "Which is what we should do while we still have daylight left."
Sam: "Good idea."
Amelia, David, and Sam walked to the Purple Shamrock. As they were walking through the parking lot, they could overhear the manager making a statement to the police.
Manager: "This thing crashed through this door like it was paper. It was unbelievable. It was huge. It was, at least, 7-feet tall. It through one of our bouncers out the door about 20 or 30 yards."
Officer: "Okay, and where is this bouncer now?"
Manager: "Buster? I have no idea. He disappeared along with that creature. My guess is: he fled the scene. I know I would."
Officer: "Okay, you say his name is: Buster?"
Manager: "Yeah, Buster. Buster Portly. All the patrons saw it, too."
Officer: "Okay, let's go in and ask them. I have to check any damage on the inside anyway."
The officer and manager go inside the pub. Amelia, David, and Sam get into William's car.
Amelia: "It's okay if I drive to your house, right?"
Sam: "Oh sure. Of course."
Amelia: "That's what I thought."
Amelia was still suspicious of Sam, but she stayed quiet about it for the time being. Sam was still in awe about what he saw in that pub. As David was putting on a shirt to replace the one that was ruined, he became very worried about whether his identity would be recognized. So far, nobody had noticed or thought he looked familiar. Still, David was preoccupied with "what if" thought rushing through his mind.
_______________________________________________________________
The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
9:38 a.m. (MDT)
Al walked into the Control Room. Beth walked up to him.
Beth: "Hey, Al. Where have you been?"
Al: "I've been in the Waiting Room talking with William. He was telling me a lot about his family dynamics."
Beth: "Oh yeah. I guess it was quite interesting."
Al: "Yeah, but not in a good way. They had a drunk for a father and a passive mother. All three of the children couldn't wait to move out of the house and live on their own."
Beth: "You mean the father abused them?"
Al: "No, he neglected them. When he wasn't working, he'd drink himself to oblivion. In fact, when he came home from work, when he WAS working, he'd drink himself to oblivion."
Beth: "That Irish beer will do it to you every time."
Al: "Yeah. It just makes me miss MY father, you know? They may have had a father that was a piece of work, but, at least, they had one."
Beth: "I know, Al. I know."
Ziggy: "Admiral?"
Al: "Yeah, Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "I thought you might be interested to know that I have finished my Image Comparison analysis."
Al: "Oh, Ziggy. That's great. What'd you come up with?"
Ziggy: "I found two exact matches."
Al: "Two?"
Al made a sigh of frustration.
"Well, that's just great. How are we gonna know which one it is."
Ziggy: "Process of elimination, Admiral. The first one was a man named: Michael 'Mike' Cassidy, Born: December 10, 1926. He was in and out of prison from the time he was in his late 20's. Mostly for embezzlement and grand larceny. He spent most of his prison time in San Quentin in Marin County. The last time he was sentenced to San Quentin, he was released on July 31, 1999. Thereafter, he was put on 10 years probation. He lived a reclusive life within the confines of a halfway house in San Francisco until his death on February 18, 2002 of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome."
Al: "AIDS? Really? He must have contracted it in prison. . . Ziggy, is he even a possibility?"
Ziggy: "No. I checked the archives, and it turns out that he was sentenced to San Quentin in January of 1980. As of August of 1982, he was still in San Quentin."
Al: "Okay, like you said, process of elimination. So, who's the other guy?"
Ziggy: "The other match is: Doctor David Banner."
Al: "Doctor David Banner. Wait a minute. Doctor David Banner, the geneticist and biochemist from the Culver Institute?
Ziggy: "That is correct, Admiral. I did a National Cross-Reference to get some personal data on him. . . Doctor David Bruce Banner, M.D., Ph.D, Born: January 24, 1937 to D.W. and Elizabeth Banner in Trevorton, Colorado. He had a sister named: Helen, who was four years younger than him. In 1955, he left his hometown to attend an Ivy League college and Medical school. His specialty was 'Metabolism'. Unfortunately, his intense research ceased as of December 5, 1976."
Al: "Why? What happened?"
Ziggy: "His first wife: Laura Banner, an Animal Behaviorist, was killed in a car accident. Thrown clear himself, David saw that only one door was in a position to be opened. He tried and tried but just was not strong enough to force it open. Since the car was on fire, the implication is that she died in the fire, not exclusively due to the crash. After that, Banner's life took on other priorities. Abandoning his research on metabolic disorders, he was reunited with Doctor Elaina Marks, a dear friend and colleague of his, as he threw himself into medical research to find the superhuman strength that all humans have during times of danger and stress. He became obsessed with discovering why some people displayed such strength. He and Doctor Marks discovered that the people who experienced that superhuman strength were exposed to higher than usual levels of gamma radiation from the sun."
Al: "What happened then?"
Ziggy: "Unfortunately, Admiral, not much. That was all I was able to pull up from the Culver Institute archives. It was around THIS time that the Hulk made its first appearance."
Al: "Oh yeah, the Hulk. I remember him. He was that huge green creature that was spotted all around the country in the late-70's and early-80's."
Ziggy: "That is correct. The first sighting was in Sacramento, California, which is where the Culver Institute was located. The highway patrol found Doctor Banner's car on the side of the road. It had been wrecked and burned. Also, they found enormous foot-prints near the wreckage. It was measured to be a size 24 shoe. Banner and Marks were questioned, but they denied knowing anything about it."
Al: "Did they?"
Ziggy: "It was never proven either way. On November 9, 1977, there was an explosion that left the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute in massive flames. A reporter from the National Register, Jack McGee, witnessed the explosion. He and Doctor Banner were outside the building, while Doctor Marks was still inside. McGee witnessed Banner running back inside of the burning building to save Elaina Marks."
Al: "Did he succeed?"
Ziggy: "No. McGee witnessed the Hulk carrying Elaina Marks out of the burning building and to a nearby woods where she perished."
Al: "What about Doctor Banner?"
Ziggy: "Doctor Banner was never seen again after he ran inside the burning building. It was assumed that Doctor Banner perished in the laboratory fire and possibly killed by the Hulk."
Al: "Ziggy, are you telling me that Doctor Banner died in '77?"
Ziggy: "That's what it said in all the newspapers the morning after the laboratory fire. In fact, it was the National Register, a tabloid newspaper in Chicago, that said that the Hulk killed both Doctor Banner and Doctor Marks."
Al: "Ziggy, are you telling me that Doctor Banner was still alive in '82?"
Ziggy: "Going by the picture you took in the Imagining Chamber and using it in an Image Comparison, I would have to say: yes, Admiral."
Al let out a sigh.
Al: "The plot just keeps getting thicker and thicker."
_______________________________________________________________
Middlesex County
William Murphy's Home
William Murphy's Home
66 Simonds Road
Lexington, Massachusetts 02420
Monday, August 23, 1982
9:22 p.m.(EDT)
Sam Narration: "This leap was becoming more surreal as time went on. I don't know where that green creature came from, why Amelia wanted to follow it, and how David got to the Hard Rock Café from the Purple Shamrock. Al hadn't gotten back to me, but it was pretty clear that there were any number of things I could've been there to correct. The question was: what was it? Al was right about Amelia. She does seem to be falling for David. He said he could recognize it in her eyes, because he had been with the same woman for 57 years... Wait a minute. Wait a minute! That's right! I changed history. Years ago, I saved his marriage to Beth. Al and Beth are still together. And I will admit: Al did seem a lot happier and a more fulfilled person. I could sure use Al right now. I have some gaps I need him to fill in."
Suddenly, Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open.
"Hey, speak of the devil."
Al entered the Imaging Chamber and closed the Imaging Chamber door behind him.
Al: "Sam, how's it going?"
Sam: "Well, I'm still in the dark about a lot of things. Please, tell me you found something out about David."
Al: "Oh yeah, we sure did."
Sam: "You did? What'd you find out?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Well, our suspicions were confirmed. David IS using an alias. He is none other then the renowned scientist: Doctor David Banner."
Sam is quiet for a moment as his eyes slowly widen.
Sam: "Banner... Of course. Doctor David Banner. Princeton. Stanford. He was on the lecture circuit for Ivy League colleges in the early '70's. He was a guest lecturer in my biochemistry class at MIT. That's why he looked so familiar to me. He was one of the pioneers. He the first scientist to use radiation to increase human strength and productivity. I've read all of his articles."
Al: "Yeah, so did Ziggy. This guy is into biology and chemistry the way you're into quantum physics. We, however, do have one bump in the road."
Sam: "What's that?"
Al: "According to a Death Certificate that Ziggy dug up, Doctor Banner died 5 years ago."
Sam: "You're kidding?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "According to The Sacramento Bee, there was an explosion at the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute after hours. The only two scientists who were occupying that building that night was Doctor Banner and his colleague: Doctor Elaina Harding Marks. Jack McGee, who worked for the National Register, was the only witness to this. He and Doctor Banner were outside when the explosion filled the building with massive flames. McGee saw Doctor Banner run inside the burning building to try to save Doctor Marks. Eh, that was the last time anyone ever saw Doctor Banner."
Sam: "What was the cause of the explosion?"
Al: "The cause of the explosion was undetermined. Forensic investigators speculated that it may have been a chemical fire."
Sam: "What about Doctor Marks?"
Al: "Marks' corpse was found the next morning in a nearby woods adjacent to the laboratory. Autopsy revealed that the cause of death was the injuries she suffered from the lab explosion."
Sam: "And David?"
Al: "Banner's body was never found. The authorities surmised that he was consumed and incinerated by the lab fire. He was declared legally dead and they put a headstone bearing his name next to Elaina Marks' grave."
Sam: "How did Elaina Marks get to the nearby woods? She would've been too weak due to her injuries from the explosion. Plus, there's no way David could've pick her up carried her out of a burning building like that."
Al: "Well, that's what is going to take us to the next part of the story."
Sam: "What next part?"
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Well, the only other newspaper that went into detail about Marks and Banner's death was The National Register, a tabloid newspaper located in Chicago. Jack McGee, the investigative reporter assigned to the case, said that he witnessed a giant green creature carrying Elaina Marks out of the burning building and into the woods. McGee thought the creature caused the explosion and was responsible for Marks and Banner's death. He named the giant green creature: the Hulk."
Sam: "The Hulk? I thought the Hulk was a legend."
Al: "To many people, he was. In the beginning, people thought the Hulk was just a ploy to sell more newspapers. But, as time went on and more people began to see him, a higher percentage of the Register's readers believed that the Hulk existed. He'd been seen back and forth across the country for years. Jack McGee chased him around and reported anything he could get on the Hulk. The National Register was the only newspaper that kept up with the Hulk's whereabouts."
Sam: "Probably so he could be the author of the story of the century... What you have on this Jack McGee?"
Al pushed some buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Okay, let's see... Born: October 13, 1934 in St. Louis. He graduated high school in June of 1952. He was drafted straight out of high school and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He, then, went to college, graduating in 1958, majoring in Journalism. He started out as an intern, writing for the Naperville Sun, which was based in Naperville, Illinois and published their stories three days a week. He worked there for four years, then accepted a job offer from the Chicago Tribune. By 1966, his career peaked when the Tribune gave him the opportunity to be a freelance writer for his own column. He wrote a lot of interesting stories and was a very good reporter. Unfortunately, around this time, he had become a high-functioning alcoholic. And as his tolerance got higher, so did his dependence. By 1971, he was washed-up and impecunious. He cleaned up his act, but he'd lost his credibility as a dependable reporter. In fact, there was only one newspaper that was willing to give him a fresh start."
Sam: "The National Register."
Al: "Right. He figured he would make his way back up the corporate latter and get his column back."
Sam: "And did he?"
Al: "Nope. He remained employed at the Register until he retired in January of 1997. Not much about him after that, until his death on December 1, 2005. The cause of death was complications following a stroke he suffered 40 days prior."
Sam: "Al, I need to tell you something. It's about that Hulk."
Al: "Yeah?"
Sam: "Yeah. You see, I saw that Hulk earlier this evening in the Purple Shamrock."
Al: "You did? Are you sure?"
Sam: "Oh I'm sure. He was huge, green, and unbelievably strong. He thew a bouncer outside an estimated 10 to 20 yards. I don't think there was anyone or anything that could've stopped him."
Al: "Did you see the guy who became the Hulk?"
Sam: "What do you mean?"
Al pushed a few button on the hand-link.
Al: "On March 9, 1979, McGee discovered that it was a man who went through a metamorphosis into the Hulk. He realized that this was how the Hulk was able to go from place to place without being seen. He never knew who the man was. In his articles, McGee referred to him as: 'John Doe'."
Sam: "Oh. Well, I wasn't really looking for anybody like that. I didn't see the metamorphosis. All I saw was the Hulk."
Al: "You know, if David Banner is still alive, he may be pursuing this Hulk the way Jack McGee is."
Sam: "You think?"
Al: "Doctor Banner is the only one who really understands what this Hulk is. He may even know the identity of John Doe."
Sam: "Well... I guess there's only one way to find out."
Al: "Exactly!... What is it?"
Sam: "I have to go talk to HIM."
Al: "Woe, I don't know, Sam. How are you going to explain how you know who he really is?"
Sam: "I'll just say I recognized him from an article or something. Look, I have a sneaking suspicion that Amelia already knows his true identity anyway. She already suspects that I'm not who I say I am."
Al: "Yeah, I know. She's very intuitive. But hey, women can be like that."
Sam tuned around and walked toward the front door.
"Hey hey hey, where are you going?"
Sam turned back around to look at Al.
Sam: "I'm going to go talk to David and Amelia."
Al: "Now?"
Sam: "Yes, now. If not now, then when?"
Al: "Well, I'd— I mean, if it were me— I just— Well, I guess now would be fine."
Sam: "Why are you so hesitant?"
Al: "I don't know. I just don't want you to do anything to jeopardize this leap."
Sam: "Al, for all we know, I'm here to help catch the Hulk or help David find a chance at a normal life."
Al: "But we don't know that, Sam."
Sam: "Al... Either God, or Fate, Time or whatever force that's been leaping me around is going to do it again as soon as I change whatever happened in the life of William Murphy or someone around him in '82, since he's the one he bounced out, right?"
Al: "Ehhh, yeah, right."
Sam: "I don't think that talking with David and Amelia is going to create a huge ripple in time."
Al: "Okay, maybe not. Maybe I should go back and figure this out with Ziggy."
Sam: "No, no, Al, I need you here when I talk with them. You can feed into Ziggy whatever they tell me."
Al: "Okay, no problem. I'll see you inside."
Sam walked over to the door and opened it. As he went inside, he saw Amelia and David sitting on the sofa. Sam closed the door behind him. Al appeared in the living room through the hand-link. Sam looked at David and Amelia as he slowly walked over to the chair that was facing the both of them.
David: "You have a very nice house."
Sam: "Oh, thank you."
Sam slowly sat down in the chair.
Amelia: "It's a 250,000-dollar house. William got a good deal on it."
Sam sat and nodded but stayed quiet.
"Are you okay?"
Sam: "Uhm, yeah. Look, uh— I think the three of us need to talk."
Amelia: "Sure. What's on your mind?"
Sam: "This may seem a little forward, but— I know you two have been keeping a secret from me."
Amelia: "A secret?"
Sam: "Yes, a secret... I know who David really is."
David slowly leaned forward.
David: "What?"
Sam: "I know who you really are, and I know that Amelia does, too. . . You're Doctor David Banner."
Amelia slowly leaned forward.
Amelia: "How did you know that?"
Al: "His good friends: me and Ziggy told him all about it."
Sam: "I recognized David when I came to pick you guys up at the bus station. I read an article his wrote and I remembered his picture."
David nervously took his right hand, put it on his forehead, and rubbed his brow. Amelia put her right hand on David's left hand.
Amelia: "David, it's okay. My brother has never betrayed my confidence. Ever. Your secret's safe with him."
Amelia looked at Sam.
"Isn't that right, deartháir?"
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ehhh, deartháir is Irish for 'brother', Sam."
Sam: "Of course his secret's safe with me."
Al: "And, to you, Amelia is your 'deirfiúr'."
Sam: "Deirfiúr, of course."
Amelia looked at David.
Amelia: "You see? We have always watched for each other since we were kids."
Sam: "Yes, we have, deirfiúr. We— sure have... We sure— have."
An awkward silence suddenly filled the room. David looked up at Sam.
David: "How much more do you know?"
Sam let out a gentle sigh.
Sam: "Well, I know that you're suppose to be dead... And I know that you know that identity of John Doe."
David: "John Doe?"
Sam: "The man who become the Hulk. Just like the one Amelia and I saw earlier this evening."
Amelia took her left hand and squeezed David's right hand for reassurance.
Amelia: "It's okay. You can tell him."
Al: "This should be good."
David paused for a moment and let out a gentle sigh.
David: "The Hulk and me are the same person."
Sam: "What?"
David: "I'm John Doe."
Al: "He's the Hulk?"
Sam: "You're the Hulk?"
David: "Yes."
Sam: "How is that possible?"
David: "It was radiation poisoning."
Sam: "Really? Wasn't your specialty 'Metabolism'?"
David: "Yes, it was. I read every one of the books and articles by Doctor Ronald Pratt. Developmental growth factors, molecular genetics, cryogenics. Even then, he was chasing the healing powers."
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "That's true, Sam. In fact, Doctor Pratt is still alive. Unfortunately, Doctor Banner abandoned his research on 'Metabolism'."
Sam: "Sounds like you were very determined to find the healing powers of metabolic disorders. Why did you abandon your research?"
David: "My wife died in a car accident that I couldn't save her from and my work took on other priorities. From that point on, I was after the extra-strength; the superhuman unexplained strength that all humans are capable of during moments of danger."
Sam: "In what way did you try to find the answers to that."
David: "My colleague: Doctor Elaina Marks and I interviewed and tested 78 known cases of people who had experienced this superhuman strength. And we discovered that the common factor for everyone who demonstrated that strength was that each one of them were exposed to high level gamma activity from the sun."
Sam: "Hmh. I know you were the first to use radiation in your experiment, but I don't remember reading about that finding."
David: "I never had a chance to write about it, let alone publish it. You see, I moved too fast. I experimented on myself."
Al: "Hey, just like YOU, Sam."
Sam: "What do mean?"
David: "I went into the radiation lab and decided to expose myself to high-level gamma radiation to try to duplicate their phenomena."
Sam: "What safeguards did you use wise?"
David: "Oh, the usual. I only made one mistake. I didn't take human error into account. Now, I had regulated my intake very precisely, but the machine itself was not calibrated properly. As a result, I inadvertently absorb over 2 million units of gamma."
Al: "Woe!"
Sam: "You're lucky to be alive. And there were no side effects?"
David: "None. At least, not at first. As I was driving home that night, it was raining and I had a blow-out. I was having a very difficult time changing the tire, then I scraped my hand. It was very painful and I got very angry."
Sam: "What happened?"
David: "I don't know. I uh— I never know. I blackout. My conscious mind stops. I can't control it. On the other hand, this creature is the strength and the healing that scientists are trying to find. The creature can tear down a brick wall, but it can also mend flesh and bone in hours, even minutes."
Al: "That sounds almost— immortal, Sam."
Sam: "David, are you telling me that this creature cannot die?"
David: "If the damage were catastrophic, maybe— maybe. But I have seen lacerations close in seconds, bullet wounds heal. I don't even have a scar."
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "This is unbelievable, Sam. All of this is filling in all the gaps. Ziggy's curious as to what causes David to become the Hulk."
Sam: "What triggers the metamorphosis?"
David: "Fury, terror, intense physical pain. During these times, the Amygdala of my brain signals my body to secrete a hormone and I become a mutant beast."
Sam: "Well, that does make sense. The Amygdala is located in the temporal lobe of the brain and part of the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, survival instincts, and memory. That would explain why the metamorphosis occurs and why you blackout during the times you're the Hulk."
David: "Yes, that's true."
Amelia: "How do you know all that?"
Sam: "Oh, uh— well, biology was a required course when I was in college."
David: "No matter how many times I change, every time I— 'come back'— I always wonder: 'what has he done'? 'Did he hurt anybody'? And my worst fear of all— 'was anyone killed'?"
Amelia: "David, we both know that your creature has never killed anybody. It won't kill because YOU won't kill."
Sam: "That's true, David. This creature is pure instinct. If you don't have an instinct to kill, then neither will the Hulk."
David: "As true as all of that may be, I don't want to have to worry about that anymore."
Sam: "David, this phenomenon you go through could be the base factor a healing people from the common cold to cancer. Maybe if we could study in a laboratory setting— "
David: "Impossible. He would destroy that place in matter of minutes."
Sam: "But if we contain it somehow— "
David: "No!... You don't understand. I can't let 'him' out. For years, I have tried to control my anger; to control 'him'. Five years ago, I had the same mentality you have right now. And now, a dear colleague and friend is dead. Elaina tried to warn me of the dangers of not knowing what we were dealing with, and I wouldn't listen."
David sat and recollected the day after his first metamorphosis, when he and Elaina went to the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute. David remember how Elaina tried to warn David of the possible consequences, if they couldn't control what they were expecting to happen...
"If I had only listened to Elaina, she would still be alive today, and I— wouldn't be on the run. Her death was fortuitously my fault... "
At that point, David became choked-up. After a few seconds, he let out a quiet sigh.
"Look, I know you mean well, but I can't take the responsibility for what might happen."
Al: "He's right, Sam."
Sam: "You know, technology has evolved since then."
David was silent for a few more seconds.
David: "I said: no."
David slowly stood up. Then, Sam quickly stood up.
Sam: "Okay, say we don't study it. Say we don't try and trigger the metamorphosis."
David: "Okay?"
Sam: "David, there's still a chance that we could rid you of this thing. Isn't that what you've been chasing all those years? To be human again? To have a chance at a normal life?"
David looked at Amelia. Then, looked back at Sam.
David: "Yes."
Sam: "There are professors who teach and search at a couple of the most prestigious universities in this country. If we find a professor who teaches biochemistry and he or she is honest, there's always a chance; a chance he or she will come to your aid and come up with an antidote... It's worth a try, isn't it?"
David was quiet for a moment.
David: "I suppose."
Both David and Sam sat back down.
Al: "Uh, Sam? I'm going to back and figure this out with Ziggy and the gang. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Al opened the Imaging Chamber door, then closed it.
Sam: "Okay, then. We can look around for professors at Harvard AND MIT. They may not be able to tell you what caused your altered body chemistry, but they may be able to reverse the process. It's worth a try. If it works, you can get your life back. That IS what you really want, right?"
David nodded.
David: "Right."
Amelia: "I really appreciate this, deartháir."
Sam: "It's not a problem, deirfiúr."
Amelia: "I've only got one question."
Sam: "What's that, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "Who are you? Really?"
Sam sat on the chair stunned for a few seconds.
Sam: "Uh, what are you talking about, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "Okay, you can drop the act. I'm not your deirfiúr and I know you're not my deartháir. From the moment you picked us up, I knew there was something different about you. You didn't know where your car was. You weren't able to drive to the Purple Shamrock or to this house. I saw you talking to yourself outside the Purple Shamrock, and I think you were doing it outside a while ago. You actually spoke to our athair, which you know that neither of us ever do. You somehow knew who David was and knew scientific jargon that I know you've never used. Sorry, but characteristics such as these are not what my deartháir possess. Everything is different about you. The way you walk. Your choice of words. All of your overt mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. The only thing that's not different is what you look like. David will tell you how perceptive I am and how I found out who HE was. So, now, my question is: who are you? Don't try to convince me that you're my deartháir, because I don't have the patience for games. Just tell who you really are, and I promise: your identity will be kept a secret."
Sam was still stunned. He didn't know what to say or if telling Amelia and David who he would be wise. He thought about it for a moment, but he still couldn't decide.
David: "Look, I can assure you that you can trust her. She's kept my identity a secret for a month. In my opinion, she's trustworthy."
Sam was silent for a moment, still wonder if telling them about the Project was wise.
Sam: "Uhm, I need you to understand that it's pretty far-fetched."
Amelia: "More far-fetched than a man who physically turns into a green monster when gets angry. Come on. What is it?"
Sam couldn't believe it. He actually, for the first time in a long time, considered telling a couple of people who he was and where he came from. However, he did feel that they were honest with him, and that she should do no less. He decided to tell the truth, no matter how insane it may have sounded.
Sam: "Okay... My name isn't William and I'm not your brother."
Amelia: "I've figured that part out... Go on."
Sam: "I'm not an accountant. I am a quantum physicist named: Doctor Sam Beckett. In 1995, I invented a time machine that enabled me to go back and forth within my own lifetime. The project I accomplished this on is: Project Quantum Leap. Like David, I was impatient. Like David, to prove my theory, I experimented on myself. I prematurely stepped into this particle accelerator that took me into the past, like I wanted to. However, something went awry. For whatever reason, some unknown force is driving me to change history for the better. I relive and inhabit other peoples' lives. I am suppose to put right what once went wrong in their lives. Once I do that, I am taken into another person, in a another place, and in another time period to do the same thing. We call it: 'leaping'."
Amelia: "And now you're HERE?"
Sam: "And now I'm— here."
Amelia: "Are you saying you're from the future?"
Sam spoke without hesitation.
Sam: "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."
Amelia: "Okay, if you're for the future, then where is my deartháir?"
Sam: "William's in the future. You see, whenever I 'leap' into somebody, I switch places with them in time. And once I fix whatever mistake that person or someone around them made, I 'leap' out of them, and the person I inhabited is returned back to his or her own time."
Amelia: "What do they do in the meanwhile?"
Sam: "They're kept in the Waiting Room. It's a hospital-like, sterile environment where they remain until they return to their own time. They're never allowed anywhere outside the Waiting Room. It's for their own safety."
Amelia: "Okay, if you're not my deartháir, then why do you look like him?"
Sam: "When I leap into somebody, you see the illusion of their physical aura. I see the person I leaped into whenever I look in a mirror. It's the same in the future. To everybody else, William looks just like me."
Amelia: "And what's your mission this time?"
Sam: "Well, I'm not really sure right now. The details are still being worked on. For all we know, I'm here to help cure David."
Amelia: "How would you even know what you're suppose to do if you're stuck in the past and everybody else on this project of your's is in the future?"
Sam: "My buddy: Al."
Amelia: "Al?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's an Observer from my own time. The Project was designed around our brainwaves. Even though we can's interact physically, we appear to each other as holograms. I can see and hear him and he can see and hear me. But Al is a hologram that only I can see and hear."
Amelia: "Ah, so, you weren't talking to yourself. You were talking to Al."
Sam: "Exactly. Al gives me the information I need to know what's going to happen so I can change it for the better. Our Project has a parallel hybrid artificial intelligent computer that does the research and comes up with the possible objective based on that research. Al calls her: Ziggy."
Amelia: "Is Al here right now?"
Sam: "No. He WAS here, but he left several minutes ago."
There is a moment of silence.
Amelia: "Okay. Well, if there's any help we can give you on this side of time, let us know."
Sam: "You believe me?"
Amelia: "There's no reason not to believe you. Everything thing you told us explains everything I saw tonight."
Sam: "Just remember, don't call me: Sam around other people. Everybody sees me as: William and it's important that everybody else believe that I am the person I replaced."
Amelia: "Okay, well, that's fine. For the time being, we'll just go with it. See where it all leads."
And in that moment, a great feeling of relief came over Sam. It had been ages since he had revealed who he really was when we was still leaping into people. His instincts told him that he could trust the both of them. Still, Sam was rather curious about who's life he had to save or who's life needed to be changed for the better.
"Well, I don't about you guys, but it's been a long day and I'm tired. I assume your room is the master bedroom, Sam— or William, that is?"
Sam: "Uh, yeah, the master bedroom is mine Uhm, would you mind if David and I stayed up and talked for awhile?"
Amelia shrugged her shoulders.
Amelia: "It's fine by me. I'm tired. I'll see ya in the morning."
David: "Good night."
Amelia: "Good night, you guys."
Sam: "Good night."
Sam's Narration: "David and I talked for about hour or so. It was amazing how much we have in common. He had the same humble beginnings of growing on a farm like I did. He talked about his father and Helen, his younger sister. He remembered guest lecturing at the Ivy League colleges. I heard all about his misfortunes of losing two wives to death in less than two years, not to mention the loss of his mother when he was twelve. We talked about Elaina and how much he missed. Despite all of his heartaches, David led a pretty interesting life. David goes from town to town searching for an end to what started his journey in the first place, the way I do with leaping back and forth through time, hoping my leap home will be around the corner. That hour, we bonded. We were two lost souls who wanted nothing more than to go back to our regular lives, and yet had no idea how to ascertain those aspirations. Perhaps it was fate that put us here in the same place at the same time. Makes you wonder what plan destiny had for both of us."
_______________________________________________________________
Downstairs, in the living room, David and Amelia hear the door bell ring.
Amelia: "Oh, could you get that, David? I can't leave the stove unattended."
David: "Sure."
David walked over to the door and opened it. He saw what appeared to be a slightly older Amelia. She was a red-headed lady, appearing to be in her mid-50's.
"Yes?"
Aileen: "Dia dhuit, top of the mornin' to ya, a dhuine uasail. Is Uilleam at home?"
David: "I'm sorry?"
Aileen: "Me' son, William. Is he at home?"
David: "Oh yes, of course. He's upstairs. Come on in, please."
Aileen: "Go raibh maith agat."
Aileen walked into the house and David closed the door behind her.
David: "So, you're William's mother? Hi, I'm David Brewster."
Aileen and David shook hands.
Aileen: "Aye, I am his máthair. Missus Aileen Murphy's the name. And don't you be forgetin' the missus."
David: "Of course not."
Aileen: "Mar sin, Daibhidh, I heard me' iníon: Amelia is here."
David: "Amelia, yes, she is. She cooking breakfast right now. How did you know she was here?"
Aileen: "Me' fear céile told me last night."
David: "I'm sorry, WHO told you?"
Aileen: "Alroy, me' husband."
David: "Oh yes, I met him last night."
Aileen: "Aye, would you be the Daibhidh, me' iníon álainn's grá spéis he mentioned?"
David: "I— think."
Aileen: "Cad?"
Amelia came out of the kitchen and into the living room.
Amelia: "David, who was that?"
Suddenly, Aileen and Amelia's eyes met. Amelia came partially excited.
"Máthair!"
They both embraced each other for a few seconds.
\
Aileen: "Oh Amelia! How is me' iníon álainn?"
Amelia: "Go maith, máthair. I'm doing very well."
Aileen: "Mhaith! I am glad. Your aintín: Maureen was excited to hear you were in town. She said she really wanted to see her little banphrionsa."
Amelia: "That's sweet... So, how did you find out I was here, máthair?"
Aileen: "Your athair told me."
Amelia: "Oh, athair. Right."
Aileen: "Féach, Amelia— "
Amelia: "So, máthair, I see you're met my new grá spéis, David."
David looked at Amelia and spoke quietly.
David: "Grá spéis?"
Amelia: "Love interest."
David: "Ah!"
Aileen: "Aye, Daibhidh and I have just now."
David looked at Amelia again.
David: "Daibhidh?"
Amelia: "It's Scottish-Gaelic for: David."
David: "Ah!"
Amelia: "Máthair, I was going to make a pot of tea. Would you like a cup?"
Aileen: "A spot of tea would be lovely. Go raibh maith agat."
Amelia: "Great. Would you like milk or cream in your tea?"
Aileen: "Milk would be lovely."
Amelia: "You go it."
Amelia looked at David.
"Uh, David? Could you come help me for a moment?"
David: "Sure."
Amelia and David walked into the kitchen, while Aileen sat down at the dining room table. Amelia spoke softly.
Amelia: "Okay look, David, I need to let you know a few things. To my máthair, you're my boyfriend, but all the further she needs to know, okay? I've only told William that you and I have been physically intimate. So, as far as my máthair is concerned, we haven't been. You see, my máthair, particularly, is very old-fashioned. Both sides of my family are hardcore Irish-Catholics. There are things that they do and don't believe in. They don't believe in divorce. They don't believe in birth control, even though you and I have never used any. And they don't believe in being physically intimate with anybody until you're married. Okay? So, the less she knows about us, the better. We're boyfriend and girlfriend, and that's all it's been the past month, as far is SHE is concerned. Please, just don't go into to many details about us."
David: "I understand."
Amelia: "Do you, really? There's just some things you don't tell your parents."
David: "I know what you mean. My sister, Helen and I were always really tight. We shared a lot of secrets that our parents never knew."
Amelia: "Thank you. I appreciate your discretion."
David expressed a slight smile.
David: "It's all right... I'm no stranger to secrets."
Meanwhile, upstairs, in William's bedroom, Sam was on the phone with a professor named: Randal Smyth-Wilson, who teaches Biogenetics and Genetic Engineering at Harvard University. He is disusing David's affliction, but he was not giving him any details about the Hulk.
Professor: "The thing is, Mister Murphy, all of my studies and research involve with altering the genomes of living organisms, particularly embryos and not full-grown adults."
_____________________
Sam: "But it still involves the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism, right?"
_____________________
Professor: "Yes. But, Mister Murphy, in fully-developed humans, a copy of the entire genome is more than 3 billion DNA base pairs and is contained in all cells that have a nucleus. That's a lot to work with. Perhaps your friend would be more interested in working with a Molecular Biologist or a Eukaryotic Cellular Microbiologist."
_____________________
Sam: "Maybe, but as a biogeneticist, you can do gene therapy. You can help him by replacing a defective gene with an effective one."
_____________________
Professor: "Yes, with embryos, not fully-grown humans."
_____________________
Sam: "It wouldn't hurt for him to come in, give a blood sample, and see if anything could be done. If the problem lies in his DNA, you may be able to help him."
_____________________
Professor: "No, I suppose not... Okay, my Office Hours are 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. If he could get to my laboratory around that time today, I'll see if I anything I can do. If anything, I may, at least, be able to identify what the problem is."
_____________________
Sam: "That would be great, professor. Thank you. We'll be there today."
_____________________
Professor: "Very well, then. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
_____________________
Sam: "Great. We'll see you then."
Sam hung up the phone. Then, Sam heard the sound of the Imaging Chamber opening and closing.
Al: "Hey, Sam. How ya doing?"
Sam: "Hey, Al."
Sam looked at Al with curiosity.
"Did you not sleep last night or something?"
Al: "Eh, what do you mean?"
Sam: "You're wearing the same clothes you had on yesterday."
Al: "Oh, right. Well, to us, it's still yesterday."
Sam: "What?"
Al: "Yeah. You see, Ziggy was downloaded with some time displacement software, so we could jump ahead in your time. It came in really handy last night when we gave you time to sleep. To us, it's only been about an hour."
Sam: "Wow, technology is evolving in ways we never thought possible."
Al: "I was pretty impressed myself."
Sam: "Did Ziggy become up with a theory of why David goes through his metamorphosis into the Hulk?"
Al: "Eh, yeah."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
"Ziggy says that since David self-dozed himself with synthetic gamma rays through his brain, the gamma pulse starts there. When he gets angry, oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticotropin-releasing hormones, along with additional brain neurotransmitters and adrenaline, are rapidly released from the hypothalamus. This results in the pituitary gland producing and releasing large amounts of the adrenocorticotropic hormones, which causes the adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids. Due to the gamma overdose, that process is what causes the metamorphosis to happen. Ziggy said that the synthetic gamma radiation David used on himself evidently let his cells assort the energy temporarily and then it abates. That's why David didn't die of radiation sickness immediately after his gamma injection."
Sam: "Okay, great. All of that makes sense. Now, what about the cure?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says his best shot is to give a specialist a blood sample, have that specialist look for any abnormalities anywhere in his blood, add antibodies that could make hum immune to those abnormalities to sensitize a serum and, thus, preventing future metamorphoses."
Sam: "And Ziggy thinks the serum would be the antidote?"
Al: "Yeah. But the problem is: she doesn't know whether the serum will neutralize those cells permanently or only suppress the next possible metamorphosis."
Sam: "But it's worth a try, right?"
Al: "Well, yeah, sure."
Sam: "Al, I got David an appointment to see a professor of Biogenetics and Genetic Engineering at Harvard University a couple of hours from now. His name is: Doctor Randal Smyth-Wilson."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Okay, yeah, he would be a good specialist for David to see. Timing is good, too, because he leaves Harvard in less than a week to take a professor position at Cambridge University in England. But we've got to be careful, Sam."
Sam: "What do you mean?"
Al: "Ziggy extrapolated forward to see what would happen if the day's events would stay in motion. She picked up an item form the National Register that reported a Hulk-sighting in Boston today."
Sam: "Today?"
Al: "At least, sometime within the next 24 hours."
Sam: "And there's no way to prevent it."
Al: "Unfortunately, no. We don't when, where, or under what circumstance David Hulk's-out."
Sam: "Al, this meeting could be very important. This is a chance to rid David of the Hulk and give him his life back."
Al: "Okay, well, that's great, Sam. Unfortunately, Ziggy doesn't think you're here for David."
Sam: "Well, what about William? Am here to correct a mistake that HE made?"
Al: "Eh, no. Ziggy says that William's life looks pretty good. He gets his doctorate in a year and continues to have a thriving practice."
Sam stood quietly, full of questions, for a few seconds.
Sam: "Well... Then it's gotta be Amelia. She's gotta be the only variable keeping me here."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy checked into that. She says that this is only a preliminary hypothesis, but she thinks you're here to get Amelia to take the internship at Johns Hopkins that she should've taken over a month and a half ago."
Sam: "How can that be? Someone would've had to take the slot that was meant for her by now."
Al: "Yeah, you'd think. But, according to Ziggy, Johns Hopkins is still short one intern. She says if Amelia were to take the slot that was meant for her, she would still get it. Only difference is: her internship will end in September, instead of July."
Sam: "Are you sure about that?"
Al: "Positive. That's what Ziggy says and she ran the numbers three times before she even made it a preliminary hypothesis."
Sam paced for a few seconds.
Sam: "There has to be a reason why she didn't report in for her internship. I mean, how do we even know that this is what she'd want?"
Al: "Ziggy predicts that this particular career path has the highest probability of her being successful."
Sam: "And what about David?"
Al: "What ABOUT David?"
Sam: "Does he follow her to Baltimore or not?"
Al: "There's no data on that."
Sam: "No data?"
Al: "No. Doctor Banner did a very good job at faking his own death. The Hulk the perfect scapegoat to how Doctor Banner died."
Sam: "Yeah, but... — people think that the Hulk that David turns into is murderer and we know that's not true."
Al: "Of course it's not true. But the death of Elaina Marks is something that David can't prove that neither he or the Hulk didn't caused the lab fire that killed her. David had no choice but to go on the run."
Sam slowly sighs.
Sam: "Okay, look, David and I have an appointment to see that professor in a couple of hours. I'll run the idea by Amelia to see what she thinks. That's all I do."
Al: "All right. Meanwhile, you gotta get downstairs. Your mother— I mean— William's mother is downstairs visiting with Amelia and David."
Sam: "His mother's here?"
Al pressed some button on the hand-link.
Al: "Yeah, Aileen Catriona Abercrombie-Murphy. Fort-seven years old. She worked as a seamstress for a short time, until she met her husband and married him in 1954. From then on, she was a homemaker and housewife until her husband's death in 1993. She dies five years after him."
Sam: "Okay, well, I guess I'll see ya down there."
Al: "Yep, see ya in a minute."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and disappeared. Sam opened the bedroom door and walked to the stairs. He could hear everyone talking downstairs. As he listened, he began walking down the stairs. Al appeared where Amelia, David, and Aileen were sitting.
Aileen: "Le do thoil, Amelia. He is your athair. He loves you. Maybe not the way you want him to, but he does. He worked hard and always provided for us while all of you were growing up."
Amelia: "He worked for us. He provided for us. But he was never there for us. Even during his off-seasons. Name one parent-teacher conference he attend. Name one school play or recital he went to. Did he ever each us to ride bikes? No. Did he ever play catch with William? No. Did he ever take interest in anything we've ever done. No, not even once. When he wasn't working or getting trashed at home, he'd always be out with his friends all hours of the night. Every weekend us the same thing. He spent most of our money to go out with his friend so HE could have a good time, while all of the rest of us were stuck at home. We rarely went anywhere or did anything. That's not an athair to me."
Al: "Wow, you've got severe daddy issues."
Sam came down the stairs slowly and saw Al. Al saw Sam and pointed to Aileen.
"Oh hey, Sam. That lady there is William's mother. Or as they refer to her, his 'máthair'. Just say: 'Maidin mhaith, máthair'."
Sam: "Maidin mhaith, máthair."
Aileen stood up.
Aileen: "Maidin mhaith!"
Aileen walked over to Sam and embraced him.
Al: "You just said: 'Good morning' to her."
Aileen: "Oh, mo mhac, how are ya, me' laddie?"
Al: "Mhac is Irish for 'son', Sam."
Sam: "Oh I'm well. I'm doing well."
Aileen: "Ó mo Thiarna! You and Amelia are gettin' so thin. Are ya eatin' enough?"
Sam: "Oh yeah, of course, uh— máthair."
Amelia: "It's the 80's, máthair. Thin is in."
Aileen: "Aye, if ya get any thinner, I could use ya as skeletons on me' front porch this Oíche Shamhna."
Al: "That's 'Halloween', Sam."
Sam chuckled.
Sam: "Uh, yeah. I know. But we're fine. We're eating— well."
Aileen: "Bhuel, I'm proud ya doin' well for yourself. You have made a an-fáilteach home, laddie."
Sam: "Well, thank you. I uh— I do my best, uh— máthair."
Amelia: "Máthair, I'm going to take William into the kitchen so he can have his breakfast."
Aileen: "Aye, bricfeasta. The most important meal of the day. Téigh ar aghaidh, the both of ya. I'll stay and get acquainted with Daibhidh, your grá spéis."
Amelia: "Okay, come on, deartháir."
Sam: "Okay uhm "
Al: "Deirfiúr."
Sam: "Deirfiúr. Let's go."
Al wiped his brow.
Al: "Mio Signore!"
Sam and Amelia walked into the kitchen and spoke quietly, while Al remained in the living room.
Amelia: "So, did you here back from your friend?"
Sam: "Oh, you mean Al?"
Amelia: "Yeah."
Sam: "Yeah, we were just talking upstairs."
Amelia: "Did you figure out your objective yet?"
Sam: "Well, it's a preliminary hypothesis, but it is anything substantial yet."
Amelia: "Yeah? Are you here to find a way for me and David to stay together?"
Sam: "Well, no, not really."
Amelia: "Are you sure? I was certain that's what you were here to do."
Sam: "Yeah, I'm sure."
Amelia: "Well, then— why are you here?"
Sam took a quiet, deep sigh. A paced for a seconds, then looked at Amelia.
Sam: "Have you ever thought about taking that internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital?"
Amelia: "The internship? Surely my slot's already been taken by somebody else."
Sam: "Well... What if I told you that my friend: Al said they were short one intern and if you took the slot that was meant for you, you could still take it?"
Amelia: "The slot's still open?"
Sam: "Yeah... Isn't that great?"
Amelia though about it for a few seconds and said, with doubt in her voice:
Amelia: "Well, yeah. I suppose."
Sam: "It's a great opportunity. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't take it."
Amelia: "Would David come with me?"
Sam: "I don't know. You'll have to ask HIM."
Amelia: "Al didn't tell whether David would come with me?"
Sam: "No, he said there was no data on that. All he said was that taking that internship was the highest probability of being successful."
Amelia: "I can do that and still be with David."
Sam: "Of course you can. I just don't want all of that education you obtained to go to waste."
Amelia: "You don't that I should be with David, do you?"
Sam: "Amelia, that's not what I'm saying. David could go to Baltimore with you if he wants to. Of course, he were to metamorphose again, he would HAVE TO leave and move on. And, hopefully, I will be able to free him of his affliction."
Amelia: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "I got a hold of a professor of biogenetics at Harvard University. I didn't go into specifics with him, but his is willing to he and I during his office hours. It's a long-shot, but he said he'd be will to see if he could come up with a serum that may thwart David's metamorphoses."
Amelia: "Really?"
Sam: "We don't know if this endeavor will be successful or not, but it's worth a try."
Amelia: "Yes, it is. Thank you so much for this."
Sam: "Well, you're welcome, but I wouldn't thank me quite yet."
Amelia: "I know, I know, don't give my hopes up. The potential itself is enough to give me hope."
Meanwhile, David was sitting in the living room with Aileen. They were having a conversation about Amelia and his relationship. There were times when Irish words would slip into each statement. Amelia and Sam walked into the living room. Aileen stood up.
Aileen: "Awe, there's me' beautiful iníon. Daibhidh and I were just talkin' ya. I ngrá, are ya?"
Amelia: "In love? Maybe a little."
Aileen: "Aye, i ngrá enough chun pósadh?"
Amelia: "Get married? Uh, no."
Aileen: "Uimh? You are ag iompar clainne, are ya not?"
Amelia rose her brow and widened her eyes.
Amelia: "Pregnant? Máthair, I'm not pregnant."
Aileen: "Uimh?"
Amelia: "No."
Aileen: "Mar sin, uimh leanbh, iníon?"
Amelia: "No baby. Tá brón orm, máthair."
Aileen: "Uimh garpháiste?"
Amelia: "No grandchild."
Aileen: "I see. Mar sin, what about pósadh, me' iníon? When are you plannin' chun pósadh?"
Amelia: "Máthair, I only met David a month ago. The subject of marriage has never been brought up."
Aileen: "Iníon, you're not plannin' to gnéas a sheachaint go deo."
Amelia: "No, máthair. I will marry somebody and that special moment will happen for me then."
Aileen: "Mhaith, iníon. Once you experience caidreamh collaí, you'll wonder what you were waiting for."
David: "I'm sorry. All of this confusion is probably MY fault."
Amelia: "It's okay, David. Máthair's English is pretty broken up. You would've had to be raised in my family to understand both languages."
Sam looked at Al and spoke quietly.
Sam: "Al? What were Amelia and her mother talking about?"
Al: "From what I've been able to gather, the mother thinks Amelia's still a virgin."
Sam: "And she's not?"
Al: "No even close."
Sam looked at David.
Sam: "Well, David, we should be going soon. I got us an appointment with a professor from Harvard."
Aileen: "An appointment?"
David: "Yes, I'm going to be seen today by a doctor. I have a medical problem."
Aileen: "I hope nothin' serious."
David: "Well, let's just say that it's nothing to get worked up over."
Aileen: "Aye, Amelia, this gives us a chance to visit your aintín: Maureen. She said she's been anxious to see her milis agus álainn banphrionsa."
Amelia: "Sure. We can do that while you guys go to the appointment."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Uh, Sam, this Dr. Randal Smyth-Wilson is located at the Science Center Building Operations, 1 Oxford Street in Cambridge."
Amelia: "How long do you think you guys will be?"
Sam: "The professor's office hours end at 11:30."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says it's 13.6 miles southeast of here. Depending on traffic conditions, it's a 22-minute drive from here to his office building, which is B11."
Aileen: "Do ya fella's need a ride?"
Sam: "Oh, no thank you, uh— "
Al: "Máthair."
Sam: "Máthair. No thank you. We'll take MY car."
Amelia: "Good luck."
David looked at Amelia and smiled.
David: "Thank you."
Sam went outside and David closed the door behind him.
_______________________________________________________________
Professor: "Well, I must say, David, you're condition is quite unique."
Sam: "What makes it so unique?"
David pointed to the screen.
David: "You see that single strand of DNA? Look at the end of it."
Sam looked intently.
Professor: "Yes, exactly. There's an extra adenine-thymine link to his DNA."
Sam: "And if there's an extra adenine-thymine link to one strand of his DNA, then he must have it in every strand."
Professor: "That's right. Now, the extra adenine gives an extra purine nucleobases used to 'form' nucleotides of the nucleic acids. The extra thymine gives an extra pyrimidine nucleobase, which 'stabilize' the nucleic acid. Keep in mind, thymine is also known as 5-methyluracil."
David nods.
David: "Mmh hmh. Because uracil replaces thymine when broken down to RNA."
Professor: "Exactly."
Sam: "And this is the result of the gamma rays he was exposed to?"
Professor: "Well, the mutation to David's DNA is an obvious side effect. You say that the synthetic gamma exposure was done between you eyes?"
David: "Yes. And it evidently affect the rage center of my brain."
Professor: "The Amygdala, yes. I suspected that."
Sam: "So, that's when we get into physiological psychology."
Professor: "Actually, that's when we get into psychophysiology. You see, physiological psychology . examines the physiological mechanisms which lead to psychological activity. That doesn't pertain to David. His case is psychophysiological. Psychophysiology does the opposite. It examines the way psychological activities lead to physiological responses. The synthetic gamma rays seem to have reacted negatively with David's brain's natural catecholamines. Catecholamines can serve as neurotransmitters, transferring signals from neuron to neuron, as well as hormones, which regulate physiological functions Obviously, when the Amygdala becomes more active than usual, it secretes hormones that temporarily alters his body chemistry, until the functioning of the Amydala is back to normal. Now, I'm not a psychophsiologist, so I can't do anything about the Amydala's function. But I may be able to remove the extra adenine-thymine link and see where it goes from there."
Sam: "Sounds like it would work, doesn't it, David?"
David nods.
David: "I'm sure it's risky, but I'm willing to take the chance."
Professor: "Risky would be an understatement. Injecting a mutant cell into your body could have adverse effects and may even be lethal."
David: "I realize that and I'm still willing to take the chance."
Professor: "You must have one serious affliction to want to take such a risk."
David: "Yes, you could say that."
Professor: "Well, all right then. I only have one request before I begin."
David: "Sure, what is it?"
Professor: "The experiment I would be performing on you has not been tested or approved by the AMA, any hospital, public or private, or any government agency, Legally, I cannot perform it. If you could sign a waiver, I 'd appreciate it."
David: "I understand and I'd be willing to sign a waiver."
Professor: "Excellent. Now, I'm going to use your blood test as a precursor compound, so I can amalgamate a derivative compound for your elixir."
Sam: "You really believe that this elixir will counteract, or at least, neutralize the side effect of his gamma ray dosage?"
Professor: "Body chemistry never lies, Mr. Murphy. If I could figure out the possible cause his extra adenine-thymine link, I can come up with a possible remedy to reverse the effects of his gamma dosage."
Sam: "That's great. When do you think you'll have this antidote ready?"
Professor: "Well, I'll start working on it now. My office hour ends at 11:00. I have to teach a couple of classes today, but I'll be done by 3:00. If you guys could meet me back here around 3:15, we can try it out then."
Sam: "That sounds great. We'll lay low in the meanwhile."
David: "We will?"
Sam: "Yeah, I'll explain later. We'll see you at 3:15, Professor."
Sam and David leave the office.
_______________________________________________________________
Maureen: "I'm so happy to see you, my little banphrionsa."
Amelia: "It's great seeing you, too, aintín Maureen."
Maureen: "So, your máthair tells me that you have a grá spéis at the present time."
Amelia: "Uhm, yeah. His name is: David. He's older than I am, but he's really smart, kind, and handsome."
Maureen: "Sounds like quite a catch. What is his last name, dear?"
Amelia: "Brewster. It's David Brewster."
Maureen: "Ah, a Northern English and Scottish name. And what does he do, exactly?"
Amelia: "Oh, well, he's a scientist. He's— uhm— he's in between specialties right now."
Maureen: "Impressive. It seems to me that you're i ngrá."
Amelia: "Well, just between us, I am."
Maureen: "That's wonderful. Does he feel the same?"
Amelia: "That's what he told me."
Maureen: "Awe, that's go hálainn. Is there any talk of any cloigí séipéal, pósadh, and most importantly: leanaí between the two of you, leanaí clainne for your parents?"
Amelia: "Well, no, we've never talked about going that far yet?"
Maureen: "Really? Have the two of you had caidreamh collaí?"
Amelia: "Aintín Maureen?"
Maureen: "I'm sorry, dear. I don't mean to pry. It would be just between us... Have you?"
Amelia was silent for a few seconds.
Amelia: "Yes, aintín Maureen. We've had caidreamh collaí many times. We haven't used any frithghiniúnach. I'm not ag iompar clainne. I know that's against what you believe in, but I love him, okay?"
Maureen was silent for a few seconds.
Maureen: "Of course it's okay, my little banphrionsa. I was just curious. That's all."
Maureen took Amelia by the hand.
"Just tell me this, dear. Is it as go hálainn every time you déan grá?
Amelia was silent for a second and smiles.
Amelia: "Yes, aintín Maureen. It sure is."
Maureen: "So, you CAN see yourself having leanaí with this man in the future?"
Amelia was silent for a few second and smiles again.
Amelia: "Yes... As a matter of fact, I can."
Maureen patted her hand.
Maureen: "Then that's all that matters, dear. And don't worry, you'll always be my little banphrionsa."
Amelia chuckled in relief.
Amelia: "Thank you, aintín Maureen. I love you, too."
Maureen: "You love him. I understand that... I hope I get to meet him before you pósadh."
Amelia: "You will, aintín Maureen. I promise."
The doorbell rang.
Aileen: "I'll get it. You two go on talking."
Aileen stood up, walked over to the front door and opened it. It was Alroy, Aileen's husband.
"Oh, fear céile, what brings you by here?"
Alroy: "I knew you were visiting your sister today and I figured Amelia would be here. May I come in?"
Aileen: "Of course. Come in."
Alroy walked into the living room. Maureen and Amelia stood up.
Maureen: "Oh, hello, fear céile deirfiúr. What can I do for you?"
Alroy: "Hello, deirfiúr bean chéile. Actually, I was hoping I could talk with Amelia in private."
Maureen: "Of course. Come on, deirfiúr, let's giving them their privacy."
Aileen and Maureen walked into the kitchen. Amelia, immediately, crossed her arms and looked at Alroy with a cold, blank stare.
Alroy: "Hi."
Amelia began to speak in a nonchalant and insincere manner.
Amelia: "Hi."
Alroy: "I can't stay long, but I wanted to talk to you."
Amelia stood in silence for a few seconds.
Amelia: "So talk."
Alroy: "Do you think we can sit?"
Amelia: "I'd rather stand, thank you."
In reply, Alroy spoke softly.
Alroy: "I see..."
Both of them stood quietly for a few seconds, then Amelia shrugged her shoulders, keeping her arms crossed.
Alroy: "Amelia?... Do you know what I think about often."
Amelia nodded.
Amelia: "No."
Alroy: "I think about all those times back in the '60's when I had an entry level job in the Treasury Department. It was such a great time for the family. We used to live for the weekends, especially during the summer. Remember?"
Amelia: "I was just a kid. How would I remember that?"
Alroy: "It's only been 13 years since I worked for them. I figured you'd vaguely remember."
Amelia: "Vaguely or otherwise, I don't remember."
Alroy: "I like to think of those times as the Golden Times of our family."
Amelia: "Are you sure I was there? Are sure YOU were there?"
Alroy: "We were all there, Amelia. The movies we watched, the barbecues we'd have while you played with all your col ceathracha in the backyard, the rides we'd take out in the country, the days we'd spend up at The Cape, your confirmation and baptism. Do you remember your first communion dress and how aintín Maureen made the dress for you? It was a beautiful white dress that fit you perfectly. Do you remember what I called you that day?"
Amelia: "No."
Alroy: "Me' aingeal dearg-ghruaig. Remember what that means?"
Amelia: "Red-haired angel."
Alroy: "Aye. You couldn't have been more than 6 or 8. You were always Me' aingeal dearg-ghruaig."
Amelia: "Sorry, no recollection."
A moment of silence filled the air.
Alroy: "Amelia, I am so sorry I wasn't around enough during your older years. When you'rr an ironworker, you work sporadically. I still made sure I provided for all of you, and I knew that as a teenager, a girl needs her mother. I wish I could get those years back, but all I can offer you is getting to know each other again. It won't change the past, but it would make the future brighter."
Amelia stood quietly for a few seconds, incredulous to what her father said.
Amelia: "Nice speech. What television show did you memorize that from?"
Alroy stood silently for a few seconds. He took out his wallet and walked over to Amelia. He opened his wallet and showed her a picture of him and Amelia together.
"What's this?"
Alroy: "It you and me on the day of your first communion. You were so pretty that day. You truly did look like an angel with your beautiful white dress. I've carried this around ever since it was developed. I look at it often. It was one of many times I was so proud of you. I was one of many times I was proud to call you me' daughter."
Amelia looked at the picture intently, then looked at Alroy.
Amelia: "Yeah, well, — that was then and this is now."
Alroy, then, looked back at Amelia.
"Not everything in life has a makeup exam."
Alroy closed his wallet. Feeling hurt and dejected, Alroy spoke quietly.
Alroy: "No... I suppose not."
Alroy closed his wallet and put it back in his pocket.
"Well... I've said me' peace."
Alroy walk to the door and opened up. He looked at Amelia.
"I truly hope that YOU can find peace someday. I really do."
Alroy quietly walked outside as he closed the door behind him. Aileen walked into the living room and saw Amelia just standing there.
Aileen: "Iníon, why so sad?"
Amelia, not wanting to show her true feelings, could bring herself to tell her mother what was wrong.
Amelia: "I'm not sad."
Aileen: "What did your athair want?"
Amelia let out a small and quiet sigh.
Amelia: "Nothing, ready. He wanted to see. He saw me and that was the end of it."
Aileen gave Amelia a side hug as she said:
Aileen: "You know, dear, are a lot of things you can choose in life. But of that things you CAN'T choose is your parents... Whether you like or not, the reality is that the is your father. And he's the only one you're ever going to have."
Aileen patted Amelia's shoulder.
"Come on, dear. Let's all have a spot of tea."
Aileen and Amelia walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.
_______________________________________________________________
Professor: "All right, David. This is the moment of truth. You won't get any immediate results. But if everything goes according to plan, by the time this serum had circulated through the entire body a number of times, you should be cured of you affliction."
David: "Oh, I hope so."
Sam: "What have you done so far, Professor?"
Professor: "Well, first, with the modified x-ray devise I've used to incubate cultures, I was able to surgically remove the choline and isolate the cell that the DNA belongs to in a special medium. Then, I was able to bombard that cell with x-rays to stimulate it's reproduction, so that it becomes almost like a culture of cancer cells. At that point, I was able to product an extract and synthesized a serum containing those mutant cells that do not have that adenine-thymine link."
David: "How are you going to administer it?"
Professor: "First, I'm to have you lay down under the x-ray machine. Then, with a ultra-thin syringe, I'm going to utilize the Carotid Artery and inject the serum into your brain. It will go from the Carotid Artery, through the Internal Carotid Artery, and into the significant parts of your brain. It could anywhere from the Hippocampus to the Hypothalamus. Either way, it will be a part of the brain that controls emotion and the autonomic nervous system. In conjunction with the injection, I will turn on the x-ray for a few seconds, as a administer the serum, so the serum will keep its strength and counteract the gammy pulse. Now, David, if everything works like it should, when I inject that culture into your brain, it should then destroy those cells that possess those extra adenine-thymine link and take over their function.""
David nods.
David: "That could work."
Sam: "And you think that will cure David?"
Professor: "Well, now, we don't know anything for sure. Keep in my mind: we're talking about injecting a mutant cell into the brain. The effects could harmless or lethal. In this case, it will either, A. Do nothing, B. Cure him, or C. Kill him."
Sam's eyebrows rose and he looked at David.
Sam: "David, are you sure you want to go through with this? There a 1 in 3 chance that you could die."
David: "To the world, I'm dead already. We're so close now. I wanna take a chance at a normal life."
Professor: "Once I infect the serum, you'll feel a little woozy for about 5 seconds or so. Don't be alarmed. That's the induction of the serum once it enters the brain stem, adjoined with the Pons, then to the Medulla Oblongata, then to the Cerebellum, and so on and so forth."
David: "All right."
Professor: "Well, the waiver is signed and notarized. I'm ready to do the procedure when you are."
David: "Well, I hope you're ready now because I am."
Professor: "Great. Let's have you lay under the x-ray machine and I'll prepare the syringe."
The Professor looked at Sam.
"Mister Murphy, perhaps you'd like to wait outside in the hallway. This is a very delicate procedure and the less distracts we have, the better."
Sam: "Oh sure, of course. I'll be right out here until you're done."
Sam stepped out to the hallway and quietly closed the door behind him. Just then, Sam heard the sound of the Imaging Chamber door opening and then closing. Al walked up to Sam.
Al: "Sam, we've gotta talk."
Sam: "Al, do you know what is going on right now?"
Al: "Eh, no."
Sam: "That professor, Professor Randal Smyth-Wilson has synthesized a serum for David that may very well be the antidote for his metamorphosis into the Hulk. He may be curing David right now. Isn't that great?"
A; pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "That terrific, Sam... Unfortunately, Ziggy says that there is going to be a Hulk sighting sometime today here in Boston.""
Sam: "What? Are you sure? Maybe she's still on the original history."
Al: "No, Sam. Unless you do something to change history, Ziggy says that there's still going to be Hulk sighting sometime today in Boston. And, I'm sorry, but without knowing when and where the metamorphosis takes place, we won't be able to prevent it."
Sam let out a frustrated sigh.
Sam: "Well, I guess we have to keep an eye on David for the next day or so. You know, keep him out of harms way, so nothing will trigger the metamorphosis."
Al: "Look, Sam, if you can, that's great. But Ziggy is insisting that she knows precisely why your here. And it has nothing to do with curing David."
Sam: "Oh, then I must be here to make sure Amelia and David end up together."
Al: "No, Sam. Why you're here has nothing to do with David."
Sam: "Nothing?"
Al: "Nothing... You're not here for David, Sam. You're here for Amelia."
Sam: "Amelia?"
Al: "Yes."
Sam: "Oh, to make sure she takes that internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital?"
Al: "Well, let's hope that will happen, but no."
Sam: "Well, then... What is it?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says you're here to make sure that Amelia and her father reconcile."
Sam: "What?"
Al: "Ziggy's certain about this."
Sam: "Certain? How certain? What odds did she calculate on that hypothesis?"
Al:: "100% probability."
Sam: "Seriously? She's THAT certain?"
Al: "Yep."
Sam: "Al, you weren't there to see that fight they had last night. They couldn't stand to be in the same room with each other. Amelia wanted to disown me as a brother for even talking to him... I don't know, Al. I don't think that's it."
Al: "Sam, Ziggy's not like she used to be. She a better calculator of odd then she used to be. Ziggy says that Amelia has 'daddy issues'. And she needs to resolve those issues before it's too late. He's only going to live another 11 years, Sam. If Amelia has unresolved issues with her father after he passes away, she will never have a successful relationship with a man; or anything for that matter. If you can get Amelia and her father to patch things up, Amelia won't have those 'daddy issues' anymore and she will have more healthy relationships with men, and everything else."
Sam: "Well, what am I gonna do? I mean, you know she's not gonna wanna see him."
Al: "Okay, you have a point there. Look, she believed you when you told her who you really were, right?"
Sam: "Yeah."
Al: "So, she believes you know that future and that I exist. Just tell her the truth about what I told you."
Sam: "She's gotta be READY to have a reconciliation with her father, Al. We can't just talk her into it. It's gotta be her choice."
Al: "She may be more ready than we realize. She may be more ready than she realizes. But we're not gonna know that until you talk to her."
At that moment, Amelia walked into the building and walked the hallway to where Sam and Al were.
Sam: "I guess that's all I can do, but I highly doubt she'll go for it."
Amelia: "Doubt that who won't go for what?"
Sam quickly turned and looked at Amelia.
Sam: "Oh, Amelia. I didn't see you there."
Amelia: "Are you still here, Sam?"
Sam: "Yes. Yes, I'm still here. I was just talking with Al."
Amelia: "Oh, Al's here, too?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's here."
Amelia: "How's David doing?"
Sam: "He's fine. In fact, he's great. His in the professor's laboratory getting injected with the serum the professor made to cure him."
Amelia: "Great. So, the professor said it would cure him."
Sam: "We're not sure about that yet. The professor wants him to come back tomorrow for some more blood work to see if it did, in fact, cure him. All we have to do is keep him out of dangerous situations until then."
Amelia: "This is better than I imagined. If that professor can rid David of the Hulk, that means that he and I can be together."
Al: "Uh, Sam, I think to need to tell Amelia about what we were talking about. You have her alone. Now's a good time to tell her."
Sam: "No, I don't so."
Amelia: "Why not? If we found David a cure, he could let the world know he's alive and he and I could be together without any apprehension about possible Hulk-outs."
Al: "Sam, you're gonna have to tell her sometime. If you tell her now, you may have more time to convince her to do it."
Sam: "Yeah, you're right. That's a good point."
Amelia: "And in time, you'll see what a good point it is."
Sam let out a quiet sigh.
Sam: "Amelia?... Remember when I told you that I didn't know why I was here yet last night?"
Amelia: "Sure."
Sam: "Well, I've been talking to Al and uhm— well— we know why I'm here now."
Amelia: "You do?"
Sam: "Yeah. You see,— "
Suddenly, David opened the door of the laboratory and walked out into the hallway.
Amelia: "David!"
Excitedly, Amelia ran to David and embraced him for a couple of seconds.
"So, how did everything go?"
David: "Well, slowly but surely, the serum is circulating through my bloodstream."
Amelia: "Excellent. It's gonna be a long 24 hours. Did the professor say anything about what may happen within the next 24 hours?"
:David: "He said I may feel some odd sensations here or there, but that'll only be a sign the my body chemistry is changing."
Amelia: "This is great. If you get cured, we can be together, Sam can leave for his next assignment, and my deartháir can come back."
Al: "Sam, you've gotta tell her now."
Sam: "Uhm, Amelia? That's— not what I said."
Amelia: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "I told you that I finally knew why I was here. I never said I was here to help cure David."
Amelia: "I don't understand. Finding a cure for David seems like the only evident objective."
Sam: "Yeah, that's what I thought at first, but it's not."
Amelia: "Well, then— what is it? Why are you here?"
Sam let out quiet sigh.
Sam: "I'm to help you make amends with her father."
Amelia looked at David, then looked back a Sam.
Amelia: "You're kidding."
Sam nodded.
Sam: "No."
There was a moment of silence.
Amelia: "Did Al tell you this?"
Sam: "Yes."
Amelia: "And who told Al?"
Sam: "Our parallel hybrid supercomputer, Ziggy."
Amelia: "And this computer— is certain you're here to bring 'the drunk' back into my life?"
David: "Amelia, come on— "
Amelia: "Well, that what he is, David!"
Sam: "Ziggy calculated a 100% probability."
Amelia: "Oh really? This computer thinks that my life would better if 'the drunk' was part of it?"
Sam: "If you make amends, sure."
Amelia looked at David.
Amelia: "Can you believe this? Sam is taking the work of his invisible friend and a computer, which obviously has no feelings."
Al: "Oh please, if she only knew."
Sam: "Ziggy was installed with an ego. Ziggy isn't like computers of this time. Ziggy's much more advanced."
Amelia looked back at Sam.
Amelia: "Sam, if that is the real reason you're here, you'll never go to your next assignment. You may as well plan on staying awhile, because the reconciliation is not going to happen."
Sam: "Amelia, I know you're upset— "
Amelia: "Upset? Upset is an understatement. Don't even try to act like you understand me, because you obviously don't. You don't know squat about what goes on in my head, nor do you know the history of my family. I will not stoop so low as to have anything to do with 'the drunk'. If you're gonna make, then— then— téigh go dtí ifreann agus fanacht ann, tú píosa de bruscar!"
Amelia angrily walked away down the hallway and toward the exit. Sam looked Al and spoke quietly.
Sam: "What did that mean? Screw you?"
Al: "Eh, pretty much."
David: "I'll go talk to her."
David walked down the hallway and toward the door Amelia angrily exited.
Sam's quiet for a few seconds.
Al: "Oh, don't take it to heart, Sam. We knew she would react that way once we told her."
Sam: "Yeah, I know. I know, Al... It's not that."
Al: "What's wrong?"
Sam: "Nothing, really. It's just that— once Amelia mentioned you and Ziggy, it well, — it struck a nerve."
Al: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "Well, I'm just a little apprehensive about— what will happen when I leap."
Al: "Why? What do you think is gonna happen?"
Sam: "Well, I don't know. I mean, what if I leap out and start gong back and forth through time as myself again?"
Al: "Okay, what if you do? That would you've been doing all these years."
Sam: "I know, but seeing you again after all these years made me realize I much I've missed you and how I took you for granted back when we use to work together during my leaps. What if this leap is the last time I ever see you."
Al: "Ah, Sam, nobody knows the future of Project Quantum Leap. And know there's no guarantee that you'll see me again. But soon or later, you'll leap home. It'll be like seeing me again but better. We won't be holograms to each other."
Sam: "Yeah... I guess I get a little homesick sometimes... It's during those times that make me wonder if I'll ever leap home."
Al: "I'm sure you will, Sam. It happened once before. It'll happen again."
There was a moment of silence.
Sam: "Yeah. Yeah, maybe you're right. It's bound to happen someday."
Al: "Sure."
Meanwhile, outside, Amelia quietly sat on the concrete steps in front of the building. David walked down the steps toward Amelia and sat down beside her. Amelia remained hushed, as she looked straight ahead.
David: "Are you all right?"
There was a few seconds of silence. Amelia let out a quiet sigh.
Amelia: "I don't know... I don't know, David."
Amelia then looked at David.
"I'm sorry for making a scene back there. I just saw red and all of my resentful feeling about my father just came to the surface."
David nodded head in agreement.
David: "You know, Amelia, I don't you your father the way you do. But I do know what it's like to loose years with one. My father wasn't a bad guy. It was always me turning my back on him. We lost so many years because of my stubbornness. It took me a very long to admit I was wrong. If someone would've told me ten years ago that my father and I would reconcile, I would've said: 'No way. Not in a million years'. But once we did patch things up, I felt better. I didn't think I would, but I felt so much better. I didn't realize it, but there was this huge void in my life without being a part it. I didn't realize it until he and I reconciled.""
Amelia: "You did what yo u had to do, David. You wanted to be a doctor, not a farmer. Taking over the family farm was HIS dream, not your's. Your father needed to realize that."
David: "Oh he did. Through time, he understood that I needed to do what made me happy."
Amelia: "Do you get to talk with him often?"
David: "Not as often as I'd like. When you're on the run like I am, you've got be careful. After so many visits, even if my father and sister would see me, someone may put two and two together. Someone will draw an obvious conclusion from what is known and evident. And I can't let that happen. I've written him a few times with an alias, but I was still careful in the way I did it... You see, Amelia, it's my plight with the Hulk that's keeping away from my family. I don't any choice. . . But you do."
Amelia slightly put her head down, knowing David was right. The the help of the hand-link, Al appeared. Amelia let out a quiet sigh. She, then, began to hold David's right with her left hand. Then, she rested her head on David's shoulder.
Al: "They're over here, Sam!"
Sam came down the steps at the front of the building, where David and Amelia were sitting quietly.
"Looks like everything's quiet here."
Sam: "Is everything all right?"
David looked up and Sam.
David: "Sure, everything's fine."
David looked at Amelia.
"Right?"
Amelia looked up at Sam.
Amelia: "Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine... I'm sorry I yelled you. It wasn't your fault. It just struck a never."
Sam sat down beside Amelia, opposite of David.
Sam: "Look, Amelia, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
Al: "What? What are you saying, Sam?"
Sam: "I know it sounded like I was pressuring you, and if I did, I didn't mean to. You're an adult and it's your life. And can choose whoever you to let in or out if it. It's your choice and your choice only."
Al: "This can't possibly be helping, Sam."
David smiled.
David: "Funny. I was just telling her the exact same thing."
Sam: "You know, David had a second chance with his father. And he took that second chance and used it to make amends with him."
David: "I wouldn't have had that second chance had he passed away before I could get to him."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "D.W. Banner dies on May 22, 1984 after open heart surgery at the age of 76. David's sister: Helen takes over the family farm in the Grail Valley area of Trevorton after his death. Wow, and she's still alive in our time. She's 77 years old."
Amelia: "Look, you guys, I appreciate your words of wisdom and logic. And it all makes sense. But I need some time to think, okay? Máthair let me borrow her car so I could come over here. I just need to go for a drive and do some thinking."
Al: "That's a good sign, Sam. The fact that she's even willing to think about it shows that there's a potential that the two of them may reconcile."
David: "I understand."
Sam: "Me, too. You take as long as you need. We'll back you up either way."
Amelia: "Thank you. David, are YOU going to be okay?"
David: "I'll be just fine. If I don't metamorphose into the Hulk within the next 24 hours, I will likely be cured."
Sam: "What do you mean? What happens if you Hulk-out before the 24 hours is up."
David: "Well, because it's a slow-acting serum, if something were to trigger my metamorphosis, the Hulk's high metabolic rate would cause chemical processes that will break it down and prematurely absorbed through my bloodstream, rendering the serum ineffective and the experiment unsuccessful."
Al: "Oh no."
Sam: "So, if you undergo even one metamorphosis, that's pretty much it."
David: "Basically, yes."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "I'm sorry, Sam. Ziggy says that the Hulk sighting still happens sometime today."
Sam spoke quietly.
Sam: "I guess I'm just gonna have to keep an eye on him."
Amelia: "What?"
Sam: "I was just thinking that I should keep an eye on David. You know, keep him out of harms's way."
Amelia: "I agree. You guys just try to lay low until we go back to Lexington, okay?"
Sam: "Yeah, that's a very good idea."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "I don't know what to tell you, Sam. Ziggy says the Hulk sighting still happen. And she's a lot more 'on target' than she used to be."
Amelia turned to David.
Amelia: "David, I'll miss you. Lay low, okay? If you rid yourself of the Hulk, we could be together. You know that, right?"
David: "Yes, I do."
Amelia: "You want that, don't you?"
David: "Yes, I do. Very much."
Amelia: "Me, too."
David and Amelia kissed for a few seconds. After that, they looked into each other's eyes. With a couple of tears running down Amelia's face, she spoke quietly.
" If I could write the beauty of your eyes, And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say, 'This poet lies; Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces'."
David: "Her eyes in heaven. Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night.
As Amelia and David kissed once more, Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "This is pretty neat, Sam. They're both quoting William Shakespeare."
Sam: "Oh yeah?"
Al: "Yeah, from Sonnet Seventeen. and Romeo and Juliet. Very romantic."
Sam began speaking quietly.
Sam: "Are you sure I'm not here to make sure they end up together?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "According to Ziggy, Amelia will never have a normal and steady relationship with another man, unless she makes amends with her father. She's not budging on this on, Sam."
Sam: "Okay, but will she end up with David?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "There no information on that, Sam. There is no information of Amelia being involved with a man named: David."
Sam: "What about the internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital? What about that?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says that she will be successful if she takes the internship."
Sam: "But David doesn't go with her?"
Al: "As I've told you before, Sam, there's no data on that."
Sam: "Okay, forget about Ziggy for a second. What do YOU think? Do you think they'll end up together?"
Al let out a quiet sigh with a somber look.
Al: "No, Sam. I don't think so."
Sam stood in short silence with total confusion.
Sam: "But— I don't understand. Why not?"
Al: "Sam, Ziggy says there's not going to be another Hulk sighting for another month... And it's not in Baltimore."
Sam in silence for a few seconds, the spoke softly.
Sam: "Oh."
Al: "Look, Sam, we've got to tackle one problem at a time here."
Sam: "Which is making sure that she makes amends with her father."
Al: "Exactly.!
Sam: "Al, I have to make sure that David doesn't go through his metamorphosis into the Hulk today. Reconciling is HER decision and HER decision only."
Al: "Right. The ball is in HER corner. Only SHE can decide whether to make amends with her father. Right now, just stick with David and make sure he doesn't Hulk-out."
Amelia: "Bye, Sam!"
Sam looked at Amelia waving at him.
Sam: "Uh, yeah. Have a nice drive!"
Amelia: "I will. You guy be careful."
Sam: "We will."
Amelia got into her mother's car and David and Sam watch her drive away. Sam looked at al and spoke quietly.
"Any data on what between her and her father?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "No, not yet. It's too soon to say."
Sam, then, looked at David.
Sam: "Well, I suppose we should get going ourselves."
David: "Good idea. Are we going back to the house?"
Sam: "Yeah. If you're not around too many people, you have a better chance of not going through your metamorphosis."
David and Sam got into the car they drove to the science building. Sam drove.
Sam's Narration: "For the next 15 minutes or so, I kept hoping that we would randomly run into Amelia. I even went eastbound on Interstate 90, thinking we would find her somewhere in the South Boston area. Wee had no such luck. As we drove along the streets of Boston, I could help but wonder if I truly did kill two birds with one stone. This would be an incredible leap if I could cure David and have Amelia reconcile with father. Still, I could help but have this disquieted feeling. I've been leaping long enough to know that predetermined destiny is a difficult force to fight. In a world bound by cause-and-effect, there is always some force out there that makes fate more determined to be fulfilled, the more you try to change it. That feeling in the pit of my gut just wouldn't go away. My instincts were telling me something. The question is: what?"
David: "Looks like we're running a little low on gas."
Sam looked at the gas gauge and saw that it was almost empty.
Sam: "Yeah, you're right. We definitely don't have enough to get to Lexington."
Sam spotted a Shell gas station up ahead.
"Here's a gas station. Timing couldn't be better."
Sam pulled in to the gas station and parked where he could pump gas.
_______________________________________________________________
Al: "Woe!"
Sam: "You're lucky to be alive. And there were no side effects?"
David: "None. At least, not at first. As I was driving home that night, it was raining and I had a blow-out. I was having a very difficult time changing the tire, then I scraped my hand. It was very painful and I got very angry."
Sam: "What happened?"
David: "I don't know. I uh— I never know. I blackout. My conscious mind stops. I can't control it. On the other hand, this creature is the strength and the healing that scientists are trying to find. The creature can tear down a brick wall, but it can also mend flesh and bone in hours, even minutes."
Al: "That sounds almost— immortal, Sam."
Sam: "David, are you telling me that this creature cannot die?"
David: "If the damage were catastrophic, maybe— maybe. But I have seen lacerations close in seconds, bullet wounds heal. I don't even have a scar."
Al pushed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "This is unbelievable, Sam. All of this is filling in all the gaps. Ziggy's curious as to what causes David to become the Hulk."
Sam: "What triggers the metamorphosis?"
David: "Fury, terror, intense physical pain. During these times, the Amygdala of my brain signals my body to secrete a hormone and I become a mutant beast."
Sam: "Well, that does make sense. The Amygdala is located in the temporal lobe of the brain and part of the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, survival instincts, and memory. That would explain why the metamorphosis occurs and why you blackout during the times you're the Hulk."
David: "Yes, that's true."
Amelia: "How do you know all that?"
Sam: "Oh, uh— well, biology was a required course when I was in college."
David: "No matter how many times I change, every time I— 'come back'— I always wonder: 'what has he done'? 'Did he hurt anybody'? And my worst fear of all— 'was anyone killed'?"
Amelia: "David, we both know that your creature has never killed anybody. It won't kill because YOU won't kill."
Sam: "That's true, David. This creature is pure instinct. If you don't have an instinct to kill, then neither will the Hulk."
David: "As true as all of that may be, I don't want to have to worry about that anymore."
Sam: "David, this phenomenon you go through could be the base factor a healing people from the common cold to cancer. Maybe if we could study in a laboratory setting— "
David: "Impossible. He would destroy that place in matter of minutes."
Sam: "But if we contain it somehow— "
David: "No!... You don't understand. I can't let 'him' out. For years, I have tried to control my anger; to control 'him'. Five years ago, I had the same mentality you have right now. And now, a dear colleague and friend is dead. Elaina tried to warn me of the dangers of not knowing what we were dealing with, and I wouldn't listen."
David sat and recollected the day after his first metamorphosis, when he and Elaina went to the southwest laboratory of the Culver Institute. David remember how Elaina tried to warn David of the possible consequences, if they couldn't control what they were expecting to happen...
David: "Elaina," David says shaking his head, "I don't know what I've blundered into, but it could be the natural outgrowth of all our research. We have to try and make it happen again, so that we can observe it here, in a laboratory situation where we can control it," David says in all earnest.David remained quiet for a few seconds, after recalling that day.
Elaina: "David, look. I know you have feelings of enormous strength. I just feel that there are too many unknown factors here. We really don't know what we're getting ourselves into." By this time she has made her way over to the heavy bullet proof window that David sits in front of.
David: "Neither did Benjamin Franklin when he flew the kite in the thunderstorm."
Elaina: "Right. And he could have been electrocuted," Elaina argues in defiance.
David: "But he wasn't."
Elaina: "He could have been."
David: "Look, I don't want to stay in this can any longer than I have to, believe me. We can always try the X-ray reversal. But we might have found what we've been looking for. And we can't just throw it away without investigating it first."
Elaina: "Are you being scientific about this, or are you letting your emotions run away with you again?"
David: "Elaina, we've got to try."
Elaina: "All right, what happens when we tap into this hidden strength? What happens?"
David: "I don't know. I don't know!" David sighs and repeats himself once again, but this time more calm, "I don't know. Maybe I'll just bang around in here for awhile. Look, it was built to withstand the pressure of 1,000 feet below the ocean. It's made of 10-gauge chromium steel. Elaina, it's like being inside a bank vault. The glass in this port is six inches thick."
Elaina: "All right, Doctor," Elaina says after a pause. "How do you wanna proceed?"
"If I had only listened to Elaina, she would still be alive today, and I— wouldn't be on the run. Her death was fortuitously my fault... "
At that point, David became choked-up. After a few seconds, he let out a quiet sigh.
"Look, I know you mean well, but I can't take the responsibility for what might happen."
Al: "He's right, Sam."
Sam: "You know, technology has evolved since then."
David was silent for a few more seconds.
David: "I said: no."
David slowly stood up. Then, Sam quickly stood up.
Sam: "Okay, say we don't study it. Say we don't try and trigger the metamorphosis."
David: "Okay?"
Sam: "David, there's still a chance that we could rid you of this thing. Isn't that what you've been chasing all those years? To be human again? To have a chance at a normal life?"
David looked at Amelia. Then, looked back at Sam.
David: "Yes."
Sam: "There are professors who teach and search at a couple of the most prestigious universities in this country. If we find a professor who teaches biochemistry and he or she is honest, there's always a chance; a chance he or she will come to your aid and come up with an antidote... It's worth a try, isn't it?"
David was quiet for a moment.
David: "I suppose."
Both David and Sam sat back down.
Al: "Uh, Sam? I'm going to back and figure this out with Ziggy and the gang. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Al opened the Imaging Chamber door, then closed it.
Sam: "Okay, then. We can look around for professors at Harvard AND MIT. They may not be able to tell you what caused your altered body chemistry, but they may be able to reverse the process. It's worth a try. If it works, you can get your life back. That IS what you really want, right?"
David nodded.
David: "Right."
Amelia: "I really appreciate this, deartháir."
Sam: "It's not a problem, deirfiúr."
Amelia: "I've only got one question."
Sam: "What's that, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "Who are you? Really?"
Sam sat on the chair stunned for a few seconds.
Sam: "Uh, what are you talking about, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "Okay, you can drop the act. I'm not your deirfiúr and I know you're not my deartháir. From the moment you picked us up, I knew there was something different about you. You didn't know where your car was. You weren't able to drive to the Purple Shamrock or to this house. I saw you talking to yourself outside the Purple Shamrock, and I think you were doing it outside a while ago. You actually spoke to our athair, which you know that neither of us ever do. You somehow knew who David was and knew scientific jargon that I know you've never used. Sorry, but characteristics such as these are not what my deartháir possess. Everything is different about you. The way you walk. Your choice of words. All of your overt mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. The only thing that's not different is what you look like. David will tell you how perceptive I am and how I found out who HE was. So, now, my question is: who are you? Don't try to convince me that you're my deartháir, because I don't have the patience for games. Just tell who you really are, and I promise: your identity will be kept a secret."
Sam was still stunned. He didn't know what to say or if telling Amelia and David who he would be wise. He thought about it for a moment, but he still couldn't decide.
David: "Look, I can assure you that you can trust her. She's kept my identity a secret for a month. In my opinion, she's trustworthy."
Sam was silent for a moment, still wonder if telling them about the Project was wise.
Sam: "Uhm, I need you to understand that it's pretty far-fetched."
Amelia: "More far-fetched than a man who physically turns into a green monster when gets angry. Come on. What is it?"
Sam couldn't believe it. He actually, for the first time in a long time, considered telling a couple of people who he was and where he came from. However, he did feel that they were honest with him, and that she should do no less. He decided to tell the truth, no matter how insane it may have sounded.
Sam: "Okay... My name isn't William and I'm not your brother."
Amelia: "I've figured that part out... Go on."
Sam: "I'm not an accountant. I am a quantum physicist named: Doctor Sam Beckett. In 1995, I invented a time machine that enabled me to go back and forth within my own lifetime. The project I accomplished this on is: Project Quantum Leap. Like David, I was impatient. Like David, to prove my theory, I experimented on myself. I prematurely stepped into this particle accelerator that took me into the past, like I wanted to. However, something went awry. For whatever reason, some unknown force is driving me to change history for the better. I relive and inhabit other peoples' lives. I am suppose to put right what once went wrong in their lives. Once I do that, I am taken into another person, in a another place, and in another time period to do the same thing. We call it: 'leaping'."
Amelia: "And now you're HERE?"
Sam: "And now I'm— here."
Amelia: "Are you saying you're from the future?"
Sam spoke without hesitation.
Sam: "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."
Amelia: "Okay, if you're for the future, then where is my deartháir?"
Sam: "William's in the future. You see, whenever I 'leap' into somebody, I switch places with them in time. And once I fix whatever mistake that person or someone around them made, I 'leap' out of them, and the person I inhabited is returned back to his or her own time."
Amelia: "What do they do in the meanwhile?"
Sam: "They're kept in the Waiting Room. It's a hospital-like, sterile environment where they remain until they return to their own time. They're never allowed anywhere outside the Waiting Room. It's for their own safety."
Amelia: "Okay, if you're not my deartháir, then why do you look like him?"
Sam: "When I leap into somebody, you see the illusion of their physical aura. I see the person I leaped into whenever I look in a mirror. It's the same in the future. To everybody else, William looks just like me."
Amelia: "And what's your mission this time?"
Sam: "Well, I'm not really sure right now. The details are still being worked on. For all we know, I'm here to help cure David."
Amelia: "How would you even know what you're suppose to do if you're stuck in the past and everybody else on this project of your's is in the future?"
Sam: "My buddy: Al."
Amelia: "Al?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's an Observer from my own time. The Project was designed around our brainwaves. Even though we can's interact physically, we appear to each other as holograms. I can see and hear him and he can see and hear me. But Al is a hologram that only I can see and hear."
Amelia: "Ah, so, you weren't talking to yourself. You were talking to Al."
Sam: "Exactly. Al gives me the information I need to know what's going to happen so I can change it for the better. Our Project has a parallel hybrid artificial intelligent computer that does the research and comes up with the possible objective based on that research. Al calls her: Ziggy."
Amelia: "Is Al here right now?"
Sam: "No. He WAS here, but he left several minutes ago."
There is a moment of silence.
Amelia: "Okay. Well, if there's any help we can give you on this side of time, let us know."
Sam: "You believe me?"
Amelia: "There's no reason not to believe you. Everything thing you told us explains everything I saw tonight."
Sam: "Just remember, don't call me: Sam around other people. Everybody sees me as: William and it's important that everybody else believe that I am the person I replaced."
Amelia: "Okay, well, that's fine. For the time being, we'll just go with it. See where it all leads."
And in that moment, a great feeling of relief came over Sam. It had been ages since he had revealed who he really was when we was still leaping into people. His instincts told him that he could trust the both of them. Still, Sam was rather curious about who's life he had to save or who's life needed to be changed for the better.
"Well, I don't about you guys, but it's been a long day and I'm tired. I assume your room is the master bedroom, Sam— or William, that is?"
Sam: "Uh, yeah, the master bedroom is mine Uhm, would you mind if David and I stayed up and talked for awhile?"
Amelia shrugged her shoulders.
Amelia: "It's fine by me. I'm tired. I'll see ya in the morning."
David: "Good night."
Amelia: "Good night, you guys."
Sam: "Good night."
Sam's Narration: "David and I talked for about hour or so. It was amazing how much we have in common. He had the same humble beginnings of growing on a farm like I did. He talked about his father and Helen, his younger sister. He remembered guest lecturing at the Ivy League colleges. I heard all about his misfortunes of losing two wives to death in less than two years, not to mention the loss of his mother when he was twelve. We talked about Elaina and how much he missed. Despite all of his heartaches, David led a pretty interesting life. David goes from town to town searching for an end to what started his journey in the first place, the way I do with leaping back and forth through time, hoping my leap home will be around the corner. That hour, we bonded. We were two lost souls who wanted nothing more than to go back to our regular lives, and yet had no idea how to ascertain those aspirations. Perhaps it was fate that put us here in the same place at the same time. Makes you wonder what plan destiny had for both of us."
_______________________________________________________________
William Murphy's Home
66 Simonds Road
Lexington, Massachusetts 02420
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
7:06 a.m.(EDT)
Downstairs, in the living room, David and Amelia hear the door bell ring.
Amelia: "Oh, could you get that, David? I can't leave the stove unattended."
David: "Sure."
David walked over to the door and opened it. He saw what appeared to be a slightly older Amelia. She was a red-headed lady, appearing to be in her mid-50's.
"Yes?"
Aileen: "Dia dhuit, top of the mornin' to ya, a dhuine uasail. Is Uilleam at home?"
David: "I'm sorry?"
Aileen: "Me' son, William. Is he at home?"
David: "Oh yes, of course. He's upstairs. Come on in, please."
Aileen: "Go raibh maith agat."
Aileen walked into the house and David closed the door behind her.
David: "So, you're William's mother? Hi, I'm David Brewster."
Aileen and David shook hands.
Aileen: "Aye, I am his máthair. Missus Aileen Murphy's the name. And don't you be forgetin' the missus."
David: "Of course not."
Aileen: "Mar sin, Daibhidh, I heard me' iníon: Amelia is here."
David: "Amelia, yes, she is. She cooking breakfast right now. How did you know she was here?"
Aileen: "Me' fear céile told me last night."
David: "I'm sorry, WHO told you?"
Aileen: "Alroy, me' husband."
David: "Oh yes, I met him last night."
Aileen: "Aye, would you be the Daibhidh, me' iníon álainn's grá spéis he mentioned?"
David: "I— think."
Aileen: "Cad?"
Amelia came out of the kitchen and into the living room.
Amelia: "David, who was that?"
Suddenly, Aileen and Amelia's eyes met. Amelia came partially excited.
"Máthair!"
They both embraced each other for a few seconds.
\
Aileen: "Oh Amelia! How is me' iníon álainn?"
Amelia: "Go maith, máthair. I'm doing very well."
Aileen: "Mhaith! I am glad. Your aintín: Maureen was excited to hear you were in town. She said she really wanted to see her little banphrionsa."
Amelia: "That's sweet... So, how did you find out I was here, máthair?"
Aileen: "Your athair told me."
Amelia: "Oh, athair. Right."
Aileen: "Féach, Amelia— "
Amelia: "So, máthair, I see you're met my new grá spéis, David."
David looked at Amelia and spoke quietly.
David: "Grá spéis?"
Amelia: "Love interest."
David: "Ah!"
Aileen: "Aye, Daibhidh and I have just now."
David looked at Amelia again.
David: "Daibhidh?"
Amelia: "It's Scottish-Gaelic for: David."
David: "Ah!"
Amelia: "Máthair, I was going to make a pot of tea. Would you like a cup?"
Aileen: "A spot of tea would be lovely. Go raibh maith agat."
Amelia: "Great. Would you like milk or cream in your tea?"
Aileen: "Milk would be lovely."
Amelia: "You go it."
Amelia looked at David.
"Uh, David? Could you come help me for a moment?"
David: "Sure."
Amelia and David walked into the kitchen, while Aileen sat down at the dining room table. Amelia spoke softly.
Amelia: "Okay look, David, I need to let you know a few things. To my máthair, you're my boyfriend, but all the further she needs to know, okay? I've only told William that you and I have been physically intimate. So, as far as my máthair is concerned, we haven't been. You see, my máthair, particularly, is very old-fashioned. Both sides of my family are hardcore Irish-Catholics. There are things that they do and don't believe in. They don't believe in divorce. They don't believe in birth control, even though you and I have never used any. And they don't believe in being physically intimate with anybody until you're married. Okay? So, the less she knows about us, the better. We're boyfriend and girlfriend, and that's all it's been the past month, as far is SHE is concerned. Please, just don't go into to many details about us."
David: "I understand."
Amelia: "Do you, really? There's just some things you don't tell your parents."
David: "I know what you mean. My sister, Helen and I were always really tight. We shared a lot of secrets that our parents never knew."
Amelia: "Thank you. I appreciate your discretion."
David expressed a slight smile.
David: "It's all right... I'm no stranger to secrets."
Meanwhile, upstairs, in William's bedroom, Sam was on the phone with a professor named: Randal Smyth-Wilson, who teaches Biogenetics and Genetic Engineering at Harvard University. He is disusing David's affliction, but he was not giving him any details about the Hulk.
Professor: "The thing is, Mister Murphy, all of my studies and research involve with altering the genomes of living organisms, particularly embryos and not full-grown adults."
_____________________
Sam: "But it still involves the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism, right?"
_____________________
Professor: "Yes. But, Mister Murphy, in fully-developed humans, a copy of the entire genome is more than 3 billion DNA base pairs and is contained in all cells that have a nucleus. That's a lot to work with. Perhaps your friend would be more interested in working with a Molecular Biologist or a Eukaryotic Cellular Microbiologist."
_____________________
Sam: "Maybe, but as a biogeneticist, you can do gene therapy. You can help him by replacing a defective gene with an effective one."
_____________________
Professor: "Yes, with embryos, not fully-grown humans."
_____________________
Sam: "It wouldn't hurt for him to come in, give a blood sample, and see if anything could be done. If the problem lies in his DNA, you may be able to help him."
_____________________
Professor: "No, I suppose not... Okay, my Office Hours are 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. If he could get to my laboratory around that time today, I'll see if I anything I can do. If anything, I may, at least, be able to identify what the problem is."
_____________________
Sam: "That would be great, professor. Thank you. We'll be there today."
_____________________
Professor: "Very well, then. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
_____________________
Sam: "Great. We'll see you then."
Sam hung up the phone. Then, Sam heard the sound of the Imaging Chamber opening and closing.
Al: "Hey, Sam. How ya doing?"
Sam: "Hey, Al."
Sam looked at Al with curiosity.
"Did you not sleep last night or something?"
Al: "Eh, what do you mean?"
Sam: "You're wearing the same clothes you had on yesterday."
Al: "Oh, right. Well, to us, it's still yesterday."
Sam: "What?"
Al: "Yeah. You see, Ziggy was downloaded with some time displacement software, so we could jump ahead in your time. It came in really handy last night when we gave you time to sleep. To us, it's only been about an hour."
Sam: "Wow, technology is evolving in ways we never thought possible."
Al: "I was pretty impressed myself."
Sam: "Did Ziggy become up with a theory of why David goes through his metamorphosis into the Hulk?"
Al: "Eh, yeah."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
"Ziggy says that since David self-dozed himself with synthetic gamma rays through his brain, the gamma pulse starts there. When he gets angry, oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticotropin-releasing hormones, along with additional brain neurotransmitters and adrenaline, are rapidly released from the hypothalamus. This results in the pituitary gland producing and releasing large amounts of the adrenocorticotropic hormones, which causes the adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids. Due to the gamma overdose, that process is what causes the metamorphosis to happen. Ziggy said that the synthetic gamma radiation David used on himself evidently let his cells assort the energy temporarily and then it abates. That's why David didn't die of radiation sickness immediately after his gamma injection."
Sam: "Okay, great. All of that makes sense. Now, what about the cure?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says his best shot is to give a specialist a blood sample, have that specialist look for any abnormalities anywhere in his blood, add antibodies that could make hum immune to those abnormalities to sensitize a serum and, thus, preventing future metamorphoses."
Sam: "And Ziggy thinks the serum would be the antidote?"
Al: "Yeah. But the problem is: she doesn't know whether the serum will neutralize those cells permanently or only suppress the next possible metamorphosis."
Sam: "But it's worth a try, right?"
Al: "Well, yeah, sure."
Sam: "Al, I got David an appointment to see a professor of Biogenetics and Genetic Engineering at Harvard University a couple of hours from now. His name is: Doctor Randal Smyth-Wilson."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Okay, yeah, he would be a good specialist for David to see. Timing is good, too, because he leaves Harvard in less than a week to take a professor position at Cambridge University in England. But we've got to be careful, Sam."
Sam: "What do you mean?"
Al: "Ziggy extrapolated forward to see what would happen if the day's events would stay in motion. She picked up an item form the National Register that reported a Hulk-sighting in Boston today."
Sam: "Today?"
Al: "At least, sometime within the next 24 hours."
Sam: "And there's no way to prevent it."
Al: "Unfortunately, no. We don't when, where, or under what circumstance David Hulk's-out."
Sam: "Al, this meeting could be very important. This is a chance to rid David of the Hulk and give him his life back."
Al: "Okay, well, that's great, Sam. Unfortunately, Ziggy doesn't think you're here for David."
Sam: "Well, what about William? Am here to correct a mistake that HE made?"
Al: "Eh, no. Ziggy says that William's life looks pretty good. He gets his doctorate in a year and continues to have a thriving practice."
Sam stood quietly, full of questions, for a few seconds.
Sam: "Well... Then it's gotta be Amelia. She's gotta be the only variable keeping me here."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy checked into that. She says that this is only a preliminary hypothesis, but she thinks you're here to get Amelia to take the internship at Johns Hopkins that she should've taken over a month and a half ago."
Sam: "How can that be? Someone would've had to take the slot that was meant for her by now."
Al: "Yeah, you'd think. But, according to Ziggy, Johns Hopkins is still short one intern. She says if Amelia were to take the slot that was meant for her, she would still get it. Only difference is: her internship will end in September, instead of July."
Sam: "Are you sure about that?"
Al: "Positive. That's what Ziggy says and she ran the numbers three times before she even made it a preliminary hypothesis."
Sam paced for a few seconds.
Sam: "There has to be a reason why she didn't report in for her internship. I mean, how do we even know that this is what she'd want?"
Al: "Ziggy predicts that this particular career path has the highest probability of her being successful."
Sam: "And what about David?"
Al: "What ABOUT David?"
Sam: "Does he follow her to Baltimore or not?"
Al: "There's no data on that."
Sam: "No data?"
Al: "No. Doctor Banner did a very good job at faking his own death. The Hulk the perfect scapegoat to how Doctor Banner died."
Sam: "Yeah, but... — people think that the Hulk that David turns into is murderer and we know that's not true."
Al: "Of course it's not true. But the death of Elaina Marks is something that David can't prove that neither he or the Hulk didn't caused the lab fire that killed her. David had no choice but to go on the run."
Sam slowly sighs.
Sam: "Okay, look, David and I have an appointment to see that professor in a couple of hours. I'll run the idea by Amelia to see what she thinks. That's all I do."
Al: "All right. Meanwhile, you gotta get downstairs. Your mother— I mean— William's mother is downstairs visiting with Amelia and David."
Sam: "His mother's here?"
Al pressed some button on the hand-link.
Al: "Yeah, Aileen Catriona Abercrombie-Murphy. Fort-seven years old. She worked as a seamstress for a short time, until she met her husband and married him in 1954. From then on, she was a homemaker and housewife until her husband's death in 1993. She dies five years after him."
Sam: "Okay, well, I guess I'll see ya down there."
Al: "Yep, see ya in a minute."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and disappeared. Sam opened the bedroom door and walked to the stairs. He could hear everyone talking downstairs. As he listened, he began walking down the stairs. Al appeared where Amelia, David, and Aileen were sitting.
Aileen: "Le do thoil, Amelia. He is your athair. He loves you. Maybe not the way you want him to, but he does. He worked hard and always provided for us while all of you were growing up."
Amelia: "He worked for us. He provided for us. But he was never there for us. Even during his off-seasons. Name one parent-teacher conference he attend. Name one school play or recital he went to. Did he ever each us to ride bikes? No. Did he ever play catch with William? No. Did he ever take interest in anything we've ever done. No, not even once. When he wasn't working or getting trashed at home, he'd always be out with his friends all hours of the night. Every weekend us the same thing. He spent most of our money to go out with his friend so HE could have a good time, while all of the rest of us were stuck at home. We rarely went anywhere or did anything. That's not an athair to me."
Al: "Wow, you've got severe daddy issues."
Sam came down the stairs slowly and saw Al. Al saw Sam and pointed to Aileen.
"Oh hey, Sam. That lady there is William's mother. Or as they refer to her, his 'máthair'. Just say: 'Maidin mhaith, máthair'."
Sam: "Maidin mhaith, máthair."
Aileen stood up.
Aileen: "Maidin mhaith!"
Aileen walked over to Sam and embraced him.
Al: "You just said: 'Good morning' to her."
Aileen: "Oh, mo mhac, how are ya, me' laddie?"
Al: "Mhac is Irish for 'son', Sam."
Sam: "Oh I'm well. I'm doing well."
Aileen: "Ó mo Thiarna! You and Amelia are gettin' so thin. Are ya eatin' enough?"
Sam: "Oh yeah, of course, uh— máthair."
Amelia: "It's the 80's, máthair. Thin is in."
Aileen: "Aye, if ya get any thinner, I could use ya as skeletons on me' front porch this Oíche Shamhna."
Al: "That's 'Halloween', Sam."
Sam chuckled.
Sam: "Uh, yeah. I know. But we're fine. We're eating— well."
Aileen: "Bhuel, I'm proud ya doin' well for yourself. You have made a an-fáilteach home, laddie."
Sam: "Well, thank you. I uh— I do my best, uh— máthair."
Amelia: "Máthair, I'm going to take William into the kitchen so he can have his breakfast."
Aileen: "Aye, bricfeasta. The most important meal of the day. Téigh ar aghaidh, the both of ya. I'll stay and get acquainted with Daibhidh, your grá spéis."
Amelia: "Okay, come on, deartháir."
Sam: "Okay uhm "
Al: "Deirfiúr."
Sam: "Deirfiúr. Let's go."
Al wiped his brow.
Al: "Mio Signore!"
Sam and Amelia walked into the kitchen and spoke quietly, while Al remained in the living room.
Amelia: "So, did you here back from your friend?"
Sam: "Oh, you mean Al?"
Amelia: "Yeah."
Sam: "Yeah, we were just talking upstairs."
Amelia: "Did you figure out your objective yet?"
Sam: "Well, it's a preliminary hypothesis, but it is anything substantial yet."
Amelia: "Yeah? Are you here to find a way for me and David to stay together?"
Sam: "Well, no, not really."
Amelia: "Are you sure? I was certain that's what you were here to do."
Sam: "Yeah, I'm sure."
Amelia: "Well, then— why are you here?"
Sam took a quiet, deep sigh. A paced for a seconds, then looked at Amelia.
Sam: "Have you ever thought about taking that internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital?"
Amelia: "The internship? Surely my slot's already been taken by somebody else."
Sam: "Well... What if I told you that my friend: Al said they were short one intern and if you took the slot that was meant for you, you could still take it?"
Amelia: "The slot's still open?"
Sam: "Yeah... Isn't that great?"
Amelia though about it for a few seconds and said, with doubt in her voice:
Amelia: "Well, yeah. I suppose."
Sam: "It's a great opportunity. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't take it."
Amelia: "Would David come with me?"
Sam: "I don't know. You'll have to ask HIM."
Amelia: "Al didn't tell whether David would come with me?"
Sam: "No, he said there was no data on that. All he said was that taking that internship was the highest probability of being successful."
Amelia: "I can do that and still be with David."
Sam: "Of course you can. I just don't want all of that education you obtained to go to waste."
Amelia: "You don't that I should be with David, do you?"
Sam: "Amelia, that's not what I'm saying. David could go to Baltimore with you if he wants to. Of course, he were to metamorphose again, he would HAVE TO leave and move on. And, hopefully, I will be able to free him of his affliction."
Amelia: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "I got a hold of a professor of biogenetics at Harvard University. I didn't go into specifics with him, but his is willing to he and I during his office hours. It's a long-shot, but he said he'd be will to see if he could come up with a serum that may thwart David's metamorphoses."
Amelia: "Really?"
Sam: "We don't know if this endeavor will be successful or not, but it's worth a try."
Amelia: "Yes, it is. Thank you so much for this."
Sam: "Well, you're welcome, but I wouldn't thank me quite yet."
Amelia: "I know, I know, don't give my hopes up. The potential itself is enough to give me hope."
Meanwhile, David was sitting in the living room with Aileen. They were having a conversation about Amelia and his relationship. There were times when Irish words would slip into each statement. Amelia and Sam walked into the living room. Aileen stood up.
Aileen: "Awe, there's me' beautiful iníon. Daibhidh and I were just talkin' ya. I ngrá, are ya?"
Amelia: "In love? Maybe a little."
Aileen: "Aye, i ngrá enough chun pósadh?"
Amelia: "Get married? Uh, no."
Aileen: "Uimh? You are ag iompar clainne, are ya not?"
Amelia rose her brow and widened her eyes.
Amelia: "Pregnant? Máthair, I'm not pregnant."
Aileen: "Uimh?"
Amelia: "No."
Aileen: "Mar sin, uimh leanbh, iníon?"
Amelia: "No baby. Tá brón orm, máthair."
Aileen: "Uimh garpháiste?"
Amelia: "No grandchild."
Aileen: "I see. Mar sin, what about pósadh, me' iníon? When are you plannin' chun pósadh?"
Amelia: "Máthair, I only met David a month ago. The subject of marriage has never been brought up."
Aileen: "Iníon, you're not plannin' to gnéas a sheachaint go deo."
Amelia: "No, máthair. I will marry somebody and that special moment will happen for me then."
Aileen: "Mhaith, iníon. Once you experience caidreamh collaí, you'll wonder what you were waiting for."
David: "I'm sorry. All of this confusion is probably MY fault."
Amelia: "It's okay, David. Máthair's English is pretty broken up. You would've had to be raised in my family to understand both languages."
Sam looked at Al and spoke quietly.
Sam: "Al? What were Amelia and her mother talking about?"
Al: "From what I've been able to gather, the mother thinks Amelia's still a virgin."
Sam: "And she's not?"
Al: "No even close."
Sam looked at David.
Sam: "Well, David, we should be going soon. I got us an appointment with a professor from Harvard."
Aileen: "An appointment?"
David: "Yes, I'm going to be seen today by a doctor. I have a medical problem."
Aileen: "I hope nothin' serious."
David: "Well, let's just say that it's nothing to get worked up over."
Aileen: "Aye, Amelia, this gives us a chance to visit your aintín: Maureen. She said she's been anxious to see her milis agus álainn banphrionsa."
Amelia: "Sure. We can do that while you guys go to the appointment."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Uh, Sam, this Dr. Randal Smyth-Wilson is located at the Science Center Building Operations, 1 Oxford Street in Cambridge."
Amelia: "How long do you think you guys will be?"
Sam: "The professor's office hours end at 11:30."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says it's 13.6 miles southeast of here. Depending on traffic conditions, it's a 22-minute drive from here to his office building, which is B11."
Aileen: "Do ya fella's need a ride?"
Sam: "Oh, no thank you, uh— "
Al: "Máthair."
Sam: "Máthair. No thank you. We'll take MY car."
Amelia: "Good luck."
David looked at Amelia and smiled.
David: "Thank you."
Sam went outside and David closed the door behind him.
_______________________________________________________________
Harvard University
Science Center Building Operations
1 Oxford Street, B11
Cambridge, MA 02138
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
9:57 a.m. (EDT)
Sam: "What makes it so unique?"
David pointed to the screen.
David: "You see that single strand of DNA? Look at the end of it."
Sam looked intently.
Professor: "Yes, exactly. There's an extra adenine-thymine link to his DNA."
Sam: "And if there's an extra adenine-thymine link to one strand of his DNA, then he must have it in every strand."
Professor: "That's right. Now, the extra adenine gives an extra purine nucleobases used to 'form' nucleotides of the nucleic acids. The extra thymine gives an extra pyrimidine nucleobase, which 'stabilize' the nucleic acid. Keep in mind, thymine is also known as 5-methyluracil."
David nods.
David: "Mmh hmh. Because uracil replaces thymine when broken down to RNA."
Professor: "Exactly."
Sam: "And this is the result of the gamma rays he was exposed to?"
Professor: "Well, the mutation to David's DNA is an obvious side effect. You say that the synthetic gamma exposure was done between you eyes?"
David: "Yes. And it evidently affect the rage center of my brain."
Professor: "The Amygdala, yes. I suspected that."
Sam: "So, that's when we get into physiological psychology."
Professor: "Actually, that's when we get into psychophysiology. You see, physiological psychology . examines the physiological mechanisms which lead to psychological activity. That doesn't pertain to David. His case is psychophysiological. Psychophysiology does the opposite. It examines the way psychological activities lead to physiological responses. The synthetic gamma rays seem to have reacted negatively with David's brain's natural catecholamines. Catecholamines can serve as neurotransmitters, transferring signals from neuron to neuron, as well as hormones, which regulate physiological functions Obviously, when the Amygdala becomes more active than usual, it secretes hormones that temporarily alters his body chemistry, until the functioning of the Amydala is back to normal. Now, I'm not a psychophsiologist, so I can't do anything about the Amydala's function. But I may be able to remove the extra adenine-thymine link and see where it goes from there."
Sam: "Sounds like it would work, doesn't it, David?"
David nods.
David: "I'm sure it's risky, but I'm willing to take the chance."
Professor: "Risky would be an understatement. Injecting a mutant cell into your body could have adverse effects and may even be lethal."
David: "I realize that and I'm still willing to take the chance."
Professor: "You must have one serious affliction to want to take such a risk."
David: "Yes, you could say that."
Professor: "Well, all right then. I only have one request before I begin."
David: "Sure, what is it?"
Professor: "The experiment I would be performing on you has not been tested or approved by the AMA, any hospital, public or private, or any government agency, Legally, I cannot perform it. If you could sign a waiver, I 'd appreciate it."
David: "I understand and I'd be willing to sign a waiver."
Professor: "Excellent. Now, I'm going to use your blood test as a precursor compound, so I can amalgamate a derivative compound for your elixir."
Sam: "You really believe that this elixir will counteract, or at least, neutralize the side effect of his gamma ray dosage?"
Professor: "Body chemistry never lies, Mr. Murphy. If I could figure out the possible cause his extra adenine-thymine link, I can come up with a possible remedy to reverse the effects of his gamma dosage."
Sam: "That's great. When do you think you'll have this antidote ready?"
Professor: "Well, I'll start working on it now. My office hour ends at 11:00. I have to teach a couple of classes today, but I'll be done by 3:00. If you guys could meet me back here around 3:15, we can try it out then."
Sam: "That sounds great. We'll lay low in the meanwhile."
David: "We will?"
Sam: "Yeah, I'll explain later. We'll see you at 3:15, Professor."
Sam and David leave the office.
_______________________________________________________________
Suffolk County
2459 Centre Street
2459 Centre Street
West Roxbury, Massachusetts 02132
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
11:46 a.m. (EDT)
Amelia: "It's great seeing you, too, aintín Maureen."
Maureen: "So, your máthair tells me that you have a grá spéis at the present time."
Amelia: "Uhm, yeah. His name is: David. He's older than I am, but he's really smart, kind, and handsome."
Maureen: "Sounds like quite a catch. What is his last name, dear?"
Amelia: "Brewster. It's David Brewster."
Maureen: "Ah, a Northern English and Scottish name. And what does he do, exactly?"
Amelia: "Oh, well, he's a scientist. He's— uhm— he's in between specialties right now."
Maureen: "Impressive. It seems to me that you're i ngrá."
Amelia: "Well, just between us, I am."
Maureen: "That's wonderful. Does he feel the same?"
Amelia: "That's what he told me."
Maureen: "Awe, that's go hálainn. Is there any talk of any cloigí séipéal, pósadh, and most importantly: leanaí between the two of you, leanaí clainne for your parents?"
Amelia: "Well, no, we've never talked about going that far yet?"
Maureen: "Really? Have the two of you had caidreamh collaí?"
Amelia: "Aintín Maureen?"
Maureen: "I'm sorry, dear. I don't mean to pry. It would be just between us... Have you?"
Amelia was silent for a few seconds.
Amelia: "Yes, aintín Maureen. We've had caidreamh collaí many times. We haven't used any frithghiniúnach. I'm not ag iompar clainne. I know that's against what you believe in, but I love him, okay?"
Maureen was silent for a few seconds.
Maureen: "Of course it's okay, my little banphrionsa. I was just curious. That's all."
Maureen took Amelia by the hand.
"Just tell me this, dear. Is it as go hálainn every time you déan grá?
Amelia was silent for a second and smiles.
Amelia: "Yes, aintín Maureen. It sure is."
Maureen: "So, you CAN see yourself having leanaí with this man in the future?"
Amelia was silent for a few second and smiles again.
Amelia: "Yes... As a matter of fact, I can."
Maureen patted her hand.
Maureen: "Then that's all that matters, dear. And don't worry, you'll always be my little banphrionsa."
Amelia chuckled in relief.
Amelia: "Thank you, aintín Maureen. I love you, too."
Maureen: "You love him. I understand that... I hope I get to meet him before you pósadh."
Amelia: "You will, aintín Maureen. I promise."
The doorbell rang.
Aileen: "I'll get it. You two go on talking."
Aileen stood up, walked over to the front door and opened it. It was Alroy, Aileen's husband.
"Oh, fear céile, what brings you by here?"
Alroy: "I knew you were visiting your sister today and I figured Amelia would be here. May I come in?"
Aileen: "Of course. Come in."
Alroy walked into the living room. Maureen and Amelia stood up.
Maureen: "Oh, hello, fear céile deirfiúr. What can I do for you?"
Alroy: "Hello, deirfiúr bean chéile. Actually, I was hoping I could talk with Amelia in private."
Maureen: "Of course. Come on, deirfiúr, let's giving them their privacy."
Aileen and Maureen walked into the kitchen. Amelia, immediately, crossed her arms and looked at Alroy with a cold, blank stare.
Alroy: "Hi."
Amelia began to speak in a nonchalant and insincere manner.
Amelia: "Hi."
Alroy: "I can't stay long, but I wanted to talk to you."
Amelia stood in silence for a few seconds.
Amelia: "So talk."
Alroy: "Do you think we can sit?"
Amelia: "I'd rather stand, thank you."
In reply, Alroy spoke softly.
Alroy: "I see..."
Both of them stood quietly for a few seconds, then Amelia shrugged her shoulders, keeping her arms crossed.
Alroy: "Amelia?... Do you know what I think about often."
Amelia nodded.
Amelia: "No."
Alroy: "I think about all those times back in the '60's when I had an entry level job in the Treasury Department. It was such a great time for the family. We used to live for the weekends, especially during the summer. Remember?"
Amelia: "I was just a kid. How would I remember that?"
Alroy: "It's only been 13 years since I worked for them. I figured you'd vaguely remember."
Amelia: "Vaguely or otherwise, I don't remember."
Alroy: "I like to think of those times as the Golden Times of our family."
Amelia: "Are you sure I was there? Are sure YOU were there?"
Alroy: "We were all there, Amelia. The movies we watched, the barbecues we'd have while you played with all your col ceathracha in the backyard, the rides we'd take out in the country, the days we'd spend up at The Cape, your confirmation and baptism. Do you remember your first communion dress and how aintín Maureen made the dress for you? It was a beautiful white dress that fit you perfectly. Do you remember what I called you that day?"
Amelia: "No."
Alroy: "Me' aingeal dearg-ghruaig. Remember what that means?"
Amelia: "Red-haired angel."
Alroy: "Aye. You couldn't have been more than 6 or 8. You were always Me' aingeal dearg-ghruaig."
Amelia: "Sorry, no recollection."
A moment of silence filled the air.
Alroy: "Amelia, I am so sorry I wasn't around enough during your older years. When you'rr an ironworker, you work sporadically. I still made sure I provided for all of you, and I knew that as a teenager, a girl needs her mother. I wish I could get those years back, but all I can offer you is getting to know each other again. It won't change the past, but it would make the future brighter."
Amelia stood quietly for a few seconds, incredulous to what her father said.
Amelia: "Nice speech. What television show did you memorize that from?"
Alroy stood silently for a few seconds. He took out his wallet and walked over to Amelia. He opened his wallet and showed her a picture of him and Amelia together.
"What's this?"
Alroy: "It you and me on the day of your first communion. You were so pretty that day. You truly did look like an angel with your beautiful white dress. I've carried this around ever since it was developed. I look at it often. It was one of many times I was so proud of you. I was one of many times I was proud to call you me' daughter."
Amelia looked at the picture intently, then looked at Alroy.
Amelia: "Yeah, well, — that was then and this is now."
Alroy, then, looked back at Amelia.
"Not everything in life has a makeup exam."
Alroy closed his wallet. Feeling hurt and dejected, Alroy spoke quietly.
Alroy: "No... I suppose not."
Alroy closed his wallet and put it back in his pocket.
"Well... I've said me' peace."
Alroy walk to the door and opened up. He looked at Amelia.
"I truly hope that YOU can find peace someday. I really do."
Alroy quietly walked outside as he closed the door behind him. Aileen walked into the living room and saw Amelia just standing there.
Aileen: "Iníon, why so sad?"
Amelia, not wanting to show her true feelings, could bring herself to tell her mother what was wrong.
Amelia: "I'm not sad."
Aileen: "What did your athair want?"
Amelia let out a small and quiet sigh.
Amelia: "Nothing, ready. He wanted to see. He saw me and that was the end of it."
Aileen gave Amelia a side hug as she said:
Aileen: "You know, dear, are a lot of things you can choose in life. But of that things you CAN'T choose is your parents... Whether you like or not, the reality is that the is your father. And he's the only one you're ever going to have."
Aileen patted Amelia's shoulder.
"Come on, dear. Let's all have a spot of tea."
Aileen and Amelia walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.
Harvard University
Science Center Building Operations
1 Oxford Street, B11
Cambridge, MA 02138
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
3:23 p.m. (EDT)
David: "Oh, I hope so."
Sam: "What have you done so far, Professor?"
Professor: "Well, first, with the modified x-ray devise I've used to incubate cultures, I was able to surgically remove the choline and isolate the cell that the DNA belongs to in a special medium. Then, I was able to bombard that cell with x-rays to stimulate it's reproduction, so that it becomes almost like a culture of cancer cells. At that point, I was able to product an extract and synthesized a serum containing those mutant cells that do not have that adenine-thymine link."
David: "How are you going to administer it?"
Professor: "First, I'm to have you lay down under the x-ray machine. Then, with a ultra-thin syringe, I'm going to utilize the Carotid Artery and inject the serum into your brain. It will go from the Carotid Artery, through the Internal Carotid Artery, and into the significant parts of your brain. It could anywhere from the Hippocampus to the Hypothalamus. Either way, it will be a part of the brain that controls emotion and the autonomic nervous system. In conjunction with the injection, I will turn on the x-ray for a few seconds, as a administer the serum, so the serum will keep its strength and counteract the gammy pulse. Now, David, if everything works like it should, when I inject that culture into your brain, it should then destroy those cells that possess those extra adenine-thymine link and take over their function.""
David nods.
David: "That could work."
Sam: "And you think that will cure David?"
Professor: "Well, now, we don't know anything for sure. Keep in my mind: we're talking about injecting a mutant cell into the brain. The effects could harmless or lethal. In this case, it will either, A. Do nothing, B. Cure him, or C. Kill him."
Sam's eyebrows rose and he looked at David.
Sam: "David, are you sure you want to go through with this? There a 1 in 3 chance that you could die."
David: "To the world, I'm dead already. We're so close now. I wanna take a chance at a normal life."
Professor: "Once I infect the serum, you'll feel a little woozy for about 5 seconds or so. Don't be alarmed. That's the induction of the serum once it enters the brain stem, adjoined with the Pons, then to the Medulla Oblongata, then to the Cerebellum, and so on and so forth."
David: "All right."
Professor: "Well, the waiver is signed and notarized. I'm ready to do the procedure when you are."
David: "Well, I hope you're ready now because I am."
Professor: "Great. Let's have you lay under the x-ray machine and I'll prepare the syringe."
The Professor looked at Sam.
"Mister Murphy, perhaps you'd like to wait outside in the hallway. This is a very delicate procedure and the less distracts we have, the better."
Sam: "Oh sure, of course. I'll be right out here until you're done."
Sam stepped out to the hallway and quietly closed the door behind him. Just then, Sam heard the sound of the Imaging Chamber door opening and then closing. Al walked up to Sam.
Al: "Sam, we've gotta talk."
Sam: "Al, do you know what is going on right now?"
Al: "Eh, no."
Sam: "That professor, Professor Randal Smyth-Wilson has synthesized a serum for David that may very well be the antidote for his metamorphosis into the Hulk. He may be curing David right now. Isn't that great?"
A; pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "That terrific, Sam... Unfortunately, Ziggy says that there is going to be a Hulk sighting sometime today here in Boston.""
Sam: "What? Are you sure? Maybe she's still on the original history."
Al: "No, Sam. Unless you do something to change history, Ziggy says that there's still going to be Hulk sighting sometime today in Boston. And, I'm sorry, but without knowing when and where the metamorphosis takes place, we won't be able to prevent it."
Sam let out a frustrated sigh.
Sam: "Well, I guess we have to keep an eye on David for the next day or so. You know, keep him out of harms way, so nothing will trigger the metamorphosis."
Al: "Look, Sam, if you can, that's great. But Ziggy is insisting that she knows precisely why your here. And it has nothing to do with curing David."
Sam: "Oh, then I must be here to make sure Amelia and David end up together."
Al: "No, Sam. Why you're here has nothing to do with David."
Sam: "Nothing?"
Al: "Nothing... You're not here for David, Sam. You're here for Amelia."
Sam: "Amelia?"
Al: "Yes."
Sam: "Oh, to make sure she takes that internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital?"
Al: "Well, let's hope that will happen, but no."
Sam: "Well, then... What is it?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says you're here to make sure that Amelia and her father reconcile."
Sam: "What?"
Al: "Ziggy's certain about this."
Sam: "Certain? How certain? What odds did she calculate on that hypothesis?"
Al:: "100% probability."
Sam: "Seriously? She's THAT certain?"
Al: "Yep."
Sam: "Al, you weren't there to see that fight they had last night. They couldn't stand to be in the same room with each other. Amelia wanted to disown me as a brother for even talking to him... I don't know, Al. I don't think that's it."
Al: "Sam, Ziggy's not like she used to be. She a better calculator of odd then she used to be. Ziggy says that Amelia has 'daddy issues'. And she needs to resolve those issues before it's too late. He's only going to live another 11 years, Sam. If Amelia has unresolved issues with her father after he passes away, she will never have a successful relationship with a man; or anything for that matter. If you can get Amelia and her father to patch things up, Amelia won't have those 'daddy issues' anymore and she will have more healthy relationships with men, and everything else."
Sam: "Well, what am I gonna do? I mean, you know she's not gonna wanna see him."
Al: "Okay, you have a point there. Look, she believed you when you told her who you really were, right?"
Sam: "Yeah."
Al: "So, she believes you know that future and that I exist. Just tell her the truth about what I told you."
Sam: "She's gotta be READY to have a reconciliation with her father, Al. We can't just talk her into it. It's gotta be her choice."
Al: "She may be more ready than we realize. She may be more ready than she realizes. But we're not gonna know that until you talk to her."
At that moment, Amelia walked into the building and walked the hallway to where Sam and Al were.
Sam: "I guess that's all I can do, but I highly doubt she'll go for it."
Amelia: "Doubt that who won't go for what?"
Sam quickly turned and looked at Amelia.
Sam: "Oh, Amelia. I didn't see you there."
Amelia: "Are you still here, Sam?"
Sam: "Yes. Yes, I'm still here. I was just talking with Al."
Amelia: "Oh, Al's here, too?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's here."
Amelia: "How's David doing?"
Sam: "He's fine. In fact, he's great. His in the professor's laboratory getting injected with the serum the professor made to cure him."
Amelia: "Great. So, the professor said it would cure him."
Sam: "We're not sure about that yet. The professor wants him to come back tomorrow for some more blood work to see if it did, in fact, cure him. All we have to do is keep him out of dangerous situations until then."
Amelia: "This is better than I imagined. If that professor can rid David of the Hulk, that means that he and I can be together."
Al: "Uh, Sam, I think to need to tell Amelia about what we were talking about. You have her alone. Now's a good time to tell her."
Sam: "No, I don't so."
Amelia: "Why not? If we found David a cure, he could let the world know he's alive and he and I could be together without any apprehension about possible Hulk-outs."
Al: "Sam, you're gonna have to tell her sometime. If you tell her now, you may have more time to convince her to do it."
Sam: "Yeah, you're right. That's a good point."
Amelia: "And in time, you'll see what a good point it is."
Sam let out a quiet sigh.
Sam: "Amelia?... Remember when I told you that I didn't know why I was here yet last night?"
Amelia: "Sure."
Sam: "Well, I've been talking to Al and uhm— well— we know why I'm here now."
Amelia: "You do?"
Sam: "Yeah. You see,— "
Suddenly, David opened the door of the laboratory and walked out into the hallway.
Amelia: "David!"
Excitedly, Amelia ran to David and embraced him for a couple of seconds.
"So, how did everything go?"
David: "Well, slowly but surely, the serum is circulating through my bloodstream."
Amelia: "Excellent. It's gonna be a long 24 hours. Did the professor say anything about what may happen within the next 24 hours?"
:David: "He said I may feel some odd sensations here or there, but that'll only be a sign the my body chemistry is changing."
Amelia: "This is great. If you get cured, we can be together, Sam can leave for his next assignment, and my deartháir can come back."
Al: "Sam, you've gotta tell her now."
Sam: "Uhm, Amelia? That's— not what I said."
Amelia: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "I told you that I finally knew why I was here. I never said I was here to help cure David."
Amelia: "I don't understand. Finding a cure for David seems like the only evident objective."
Sam: "Yeah, that's what I thought at first, but it's not."
Amelia: "Well, then— what is it? Why are you here?"
Sam let out quiet sigh.
Sam: "I'm to help you make amends with her father."
Amelia looked at David, then looked back a Sam.
Amelia: "You're kidding."
Sam nodded.
Sam: "No."
There was a moment of silence.
Amelia: "Did Al tell you this?"
Sam: "Yes."
Amelia: "And who told Al?"
Sam: "Our parallel hybrid supercomputer, Ziggy."
Amelia: "And this computer— is certain you're here to bring 'the drunk' back into my life?"
David: "Amelia, come on— "
Amelia: "Well, that what he is, David!"
Sam: "Ziggy calculated a 100% probability."
Amelia: "Oh really? This computer thinks that my life would better if 'the drunk' was part of it?"
Sam: "If you make amends, sure."
Amelia looked at David.
Amelia: "Can you believe this? Sam is taking the work of his invisible friend and a computer, which obviously has no feelings."
Al: "Oh please, if she only knew."
Sam: "Ziggy was installed with an ego. Ziggy isn't like computers of this time. Ziggy's much more advanced."
Amelia looked back at Sam.
Amelia: "Sam, if that is the real reason you're here, you'll never go to your next assignment. You may as well plan on staying awhile, because the reconciliation is not going to happen."
Sam: "Amelia, I know you're upset— "
Amelia: "Upset? Upset is an understatement. Don't even try to act like you understand me, because you obviously don't. You don't know squat about what goes on in my head, nor do you know the history of my family. I will not stoop so low as to have anything to do with 'the drunk'. If you're gonna make, then— then— téigh go dtí ifreann agus fanacht ann, tú píosa de bruscar!"
Amelia angrily walked away down the hallway and toward the exit. Sam looked Al and spoke quietly.
Sam: "What did that mean? Screw you?"
Al: "Eh, pretty much."
David: "I'll go talk to her."
David walked down the hallway and toward the door Amelia angrily exited.
Sam's quiet for a few seconds.
Al: "Oh, don't take it to heart, Sam. We knew she would react that way once we told her."
Sam: "Yeah, I know. I know, Al... It's not that."
Al: "What's wrong?"
Sam: "Nothing, really. It's just that— once Amelia mentioned you and Ziggy, it well, — it struck a nerve."
Al: "What do you mean?"
Sam: "Well, I'm just a little apprehensive about— what will happen when I leap."
Al: "Why? What do you think is gonna happen?"
Sam: "Well, I don't know. I mean, what if I leap out and start gong back and forth through time as myself again?"
Al: "Okay, what if you do? That would you've been doing all these years."
Sam: "I know, but seeing you again after all these years made me realize I much I've missed you and how I took you for granted back when we use to work together during my leaps. What if this leap is the last time I ever see you."
Al: "Ah, Sam, nobody knows the future of Project Quantum Leap. And know there's no guarantee that you'll see me again. But soon or later, you'll leap home. It'll be like seeing me again but better. We won't be holograms to each other."
Sam: "Yeah... I guess I get a little homesick sometimes... It's during those times that make me wonder if I'll ever leap home."
Al: "I'm sure you will, Sam. It happened once before. It'll happen again."
There was a moment of silence.
Sam: "Yeah. Yeah, maybe you're right. It's bound to happen someday."
Al: "Sure."
Meanwhile, outside, Amelia quietly sat on the concrete steps in front of the building. David walked down the steps toward Amelia and sat down beside her. Amelia remained hushed, as she looked straight ahead.
David: "Are you all right?"
There was a few seconds of silence. Amelia let out a quiet sigh.
Amelia: "I don't know... I don't know, David."
Amelia then looked at David.
"I'm sorry for making a scene back there. I just saw red and all of my resentful feeling about my father just came to the surface."
David nodded head in agreement.
David: "You know, Amelia, I don't you your father the way you do. But I do know what it's like to loose years with one. My father wasn't a bad guy. It was always me turning my back on him. We lost so many years because of my stubbornness. It took me a very long to admit I was wrong. If someone would've told me ten years ago that my father and I would reconcile, I would've said: 'No way. Not in a million years'. But once we did patch things up, I felt better. I didn't think I would, but I felt so much better. I didn't realize it, but there was this huge void in my life without being a part it. I didn't realize it until he and I reconciled.""
Amelia: "You did what yo u had to do, David. You wanted to be a doctor, not a farmer. Taking over the family farm was HIS dream, not your's. Your father needed to realize that."
David: "Oh he did. Through time, he understood that I needed to do what made me happy."
Amelia: "Do you get to talk with him often?"
David: "Not as often as I'd like. When you're on the run like I am, you've got be careful. After so many visits, even if my father and sister would see me, someone may put two and two together. Someone will draw an obvious conclusion from what is known and evident. And I can't let that happen. I've written him a few times with an alias, but I was still careful in the way I did it... You see, Amelia, it's my plight with the Hulk that's keeping away from my family. I don't any choice. . . But you do."
Amelia slightly put her head down, knowing David was right. The the help of the hand-link, Al appeared. Amelia let out a quiet sigh. She, then, began to hold David's right with her left hand. Then, she rested her head on David's shoulder.
Al: "They're over here, Sam!"
Sam came down the steps at the front of the building, where David and Amelia were sitting quietly.
"Looks like everything's quiet here."
Sam: "Is everything all right?"
David looked up and Sam.
David: "Sure, everything's fine."
David looked at Amelia.
"Right?"
Amelia looked up at Sam.
Amelia: "Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine... I'm sorry I yelled you. It wasn't your fault. It just struck a never."
Sam sat down beside Amelia, opposite of David.
Sam: "Look, Amelia, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
Al: "What? What are you saying, Sam?"
Sam: "I know it sounded like I was pressuring you, and if I did, I didn't mean to. You're an adult and it's your life. And can choose whoever you to let in or out if it. It's your choice and your choice only."
Al: "This can't possibly be helping, Sam."
David smiled.
David: "Funny. I was just telling her the exact same thing."
Sam: "You know, David had a second chance with his father. And he took that second chance and used it to make amends with him."
David: "I wouldn't have had that second chance had he passed away before I could get to him."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "D.W. Banner dies on May 22, 1984 after open heart surgery at the age of 76. David's sister: Helen takes over the family farm in the Grail Valley area of Trevorton after his death. Wow, and she's still alive in our time. She's 77 years old."
Amelia: "Look, you guys, I appreciate your words of wisdom and logic. And it all makes sense. But I need some time to think, okay? Máthair let me borrow her car so I could come over here. I just need to go for a drive and do some thinking."
Al: "That's a good sign, Sam. The fact that she's even willing to think about it shows that there's a potential that the two of them may reconcile."
David: "I understand."
Sam: "Me, too. You take as long as you need. We'll back you up either way."
Amelia: "Thank you. David, are YOU going to be okay?"
David: "I'll be just fine. If I don't metamorphose into the Hulk within the next 24 hours, I will likely be cured."
Sam: "What do you mean? What happens if you Hulk-out before the 24 hours is up."
David: "Well, because it's a slow-acting serum, if something were to trigger my metamorphosis, the Hulk's high metabolic rate would cause chemical processes that will break it down and prematurely absorbed through my bloodstream, rendering the serum ineffective and the experiment unsuccessful."
Al: "Oh no."
Sam: "So, if you undergo even one metamorphosis, that's pretty much it."
David: "Basically, yes."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "I'm sorry, Sam. Ziggy says that the Hulk sighting still happens sometime today."
Sam spoke quietly.
Sam: "I guess I'm just gonna have to keep an eye on him."
Amelia: "What?"
Sam: "I was just thinking that I should keep an eye on David. You know, keep him out of harms's way."
Amelia: "I agree. You guys just try to lay low until we go back to Lexington, okay?"
Sam: "Yeah, that's a very good idea."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "I don't know what to tell you, Sam. Ziggy says the Hulk sighting still happen. And she's a lot more 'on target' than she used to be."
Amelia turned to David.
Amelia: "David, I'll miss you. Lay low, okay? If you rid yourself of the Hulk, we could be together. You know that, right?"
David: "Yes, I do."
Amelia: "You want that, don't you?"
David: "Yes, I do. Very much."
Amelia: "Me, too."
David and Amelia kissed for a few seconds. After that, they looked into each other's eyes. With a couple of tears running down Amelia's face, she spoke quietly.
" If I could write the beauty of your eyes, And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say, 'This poet lies; Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces'."
David: "Her eyes in heaven. Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night.
As Amelia and David kissed once more, Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "This is pretty neat, Sam. They're both quoting William Shakespeare."
Sam: "Oh yeah?"
Al: "Yeah, from Sonnet Seventeen. and Romeo and Juliet. Very romantic."
Sam began speaking quietly.
Sam: "Are you sure I'm not here to make sure they end up together?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "According to Ziggy, Amelia will never have a normal and steady relationship with another man, unless she makes amends with her father. She's not budging on this on, Sam."
Sam: "Okay, but will she end up with David?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "There no information on that, Sam. There is no information of Amelia being involved with a man named: David."
Sam: "What about the internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital? What about that?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Ziggy says that she will be successful if she takes the internship."
Sam: "But David doesn't go with her?"
Al: "As I've told you before, Sam, there's no data on that."
Sam: "Okay, forget about Ziggy for a second. What do YOU think? Do you think they'll end up together?"
Al let out a quiet sigh with a somber look.
Al: "No, Sam. I don't think so."
Sam stood in short silence with total confusion.
Sam: "But— I don't understand. Why not?"
Al: "Sam, Ziggy says there's not going to be another Hulk sighting for another month... And it's not in Baltimore."
Sam in silence for a few seconds, the spoke softly.
Sam: "Oh."
Al: "Look, Sam, we've got to tackle one problem at a time here."
Sam: "Which is making sure that she makes amends with her father."
Al: "Exactly.!
Sam: "Al, I have to make sure that David doesn't go through his metamorphosis into the Hulk today. Reconciling is HER decision and HER decision only."
Al: "Right. The ball is in HER corner. Only SHE can decide whether to make amends with her father. Right now, just stick with David and make sure he doesn't Hulk-out."
Amelia: "Bye, Sam!"
Sam looked at Amelia waving at him.
Sam: "Uh, yeah. Have a nice drive!"
Amelia: "I will. You guy be careful."
Sam: "We will."
Amelia got into her mother's car and David and Sam watch her drive away. Sam looked at al and spoke quietly.
"Any data on what between her and her father?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "No, not yet. It's too soon to say."
Sam, then, looked at David.
Sam: "Well, I suppose we should get going ourselves."
David: "Good idea. Are we going back to the house?"
Sam: "Yeah. If you're not around too many people, you have a better chance of not going through your metamorphosis."
David and Sam got into the car they drove to the science building. Sam drove.
Sam's Narration: "For the next 15 minutes or so, I kept hoping that we would randomly run into Amelia. I even went eastbound on Interstate 90, thinking we would find her somewhere in the South Boston area. Wee had no such luck. As we drove along the streets of Boston, I could help but wonder if I truly did kill two birds with one stone. This would be an incredible leap if I could cure David and have Amelia reconcile with father. Still, I could help but have this disquieted feeling. I've been leaping long enough to know that predetermined destiny is a difficult force to fight. In a world bound by cause-and-effect, there is always some force out there that makes fate more determined to be fulfilled, the more you try to change it. That feeling in the pit of my gut just wouldn't go away. My instincts were telling me something. The question is: what?"
David: "Looks like we're running a little low on gas."
Sam looked at the gas gauge and saw that it was almost empty.
Sam: "Yeah, you're right. We definitely don't have enough to get to Lexington."
Sam spotted a Shell gas station up ahead.
"Here's a gas station. Timing couldn't be better."
Sam pulled in to the gas station and parked where he could pump gas.
_______________________________________________________________
Shell Gas Station
99 Summer Street # 801
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
4:52 p.m. (EDT)
Sam got out of the car and and looked at David through the driver's side window.
Sam: "Can I get you anything? A soft drink, perhaps?"
David: "Sure, that'd be great."
Sam: "Okay, I'll be done in a few minutes."
David sat in the passenger's seat, contemplating getting out of the car and stretching. Meanwhile, Buster Portly from the night came out of the gas station store and walked over to his car, with his friend: Daren in the driver's seat. Three quarters of the way to his car, Buster spotted Sam pumping gas. Buster recognized him from the night before. Quietly, to himself, he said:
Buster: "Well, would you lookie there. Good ol' Slick and his Bentley. I wonder if that loud-mouthed woman is with him."
Buster walked over to his car and leaned down to talk to Daren.
"Hey, man, why don't ya go on without me and I'll catch up with you later."
Daren: "Dude, you're already late for work as it is."
Buster: "I know. I can tell time. I just have a little— 'business'— to attend to."
Daren: "Yeah, I don't quite care for your— 'businesses'."
Buster: "Yeah? Well, I don't care that you don't quite care. Go on, I'll catch up to ya."
Daren: "Okay. See ya at the pub."
Daren started the car and pulled out of the gas station parking lot, driving northbound. Buster watches Sam pump gas, when suddenly, see saw David getting out of the passenger's side of the Bentley. Buster said to himself:
Buster: "Well well well, even better. Miss loud-mouth's boyfriend. That woman's going to be sorry she every crossed me."
Buster watched Sam pump gas until he was done. Then, Sam walked into the gas station store so he could buy a couple of soft drinks and pay for the gas. Once Sam began to walk away, Buster snuck up on David and hit him n the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious. Since the door on the passenger's side was open, Buster put the unconscious David in the passenger's seat. Then, Buster went around the other side of the car, got in on the driver's side, started the car and pulled out of the gas station parking lot. Buster looked at David, as he was driving.
"Boy, do I have plans for you and your girlfriend."
_______________________________________________________________
The Purple Shamrock
1 Union Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-2408
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
5:05 p.m. (EDT)
Meanwhile, Amelia pulled in and parked in the parking lot of the Purple Shamrock. She figured "If I was my father, where would I be? That lead her to the Purple Shamrock. Amelia sat there for a moment. At first, she was hesitant about going inside. Sat and pondered about moments she remembered talking about her talking about her father
Amelia called a conversation she and David had in northern Montana, roughly a month prior.
Amelia: "My athair's a drunk. And I don't care about what anybody says, he'll always be a drunk. He thinks just because it's beer, it's not alcohol. He drinks pints and pints of that Brewmeister Snake Venom. It's 67.5% Alcohol By Volume. Can you believe that?
David: "Amelia, I understand. I had a very strained relationship with my father for a very long time. My mother died when I was 12. I was so devastated, I needed someone to blame. So, I blamed him. It was a cross he never should've had to bear. When I got older, he wanted me to go to a college in-state with an Agriculture Program. He even offered to pay my entire way through. His hopes with that after I graduated, I would take over the family farm. I was still so angry with him. I made sure I went to a college far away with me full scholarship... I wanted to be a doctor. That was ,u dream. That's would I wanted to do with my life. Being a doctor is all I ever wanted to be. I abandoned him at farm when I was 18 and I didn't look back."
Amelia: "You had every right to do what wanted to do with your life, David. I mean, it was your life. Your father took over the family farm like he wanted to do. You became a doctor like you wanted to do... You did what you had to do."
David: "Yeah, but I'm sure there could been a better way to do it. I lost so many years with him. At least, my sister: Helen took over the family farm and my father and I did end up making amends on Thanksgiving a few years ago."
Amelia, then, recalled what her father had said to her earlier that day.
Alroy: "Amelia, I am so sorry I wasn't around enough during your older years. When you'rr an ironworker, you work sporadically. I still made sure I provided for all of you, and I knew that as a teenager, a girl needs her mother. I wish I could get those years back, but all I can offer you is getting to know each other again. It won't change the past, but it would make the future brighter."
Then, Amelia recalled a conversation she had Jack McGee at the bus station in Montana.
Amelia: "I'll find myself when the time is right."
Jack: "You know, uh— sometimes people never really lose themselves. You can be driving on the right road, thinking you're not going the right way. Sometimes it takes staying on the road a little longer to find out you're going the right way."
Amelia stood quietly and smiled for a moment.
Amelia: "I'll— give that some thought."
When Amelia stopped reminiscing, she got out of her mother's car, closed the door and walked slowly to the pub's entrance. As she approached the entrance, she saw her father sitting at the same table as the night before. Her father had a desolate look on his face. Amelia knew that SHE was reason. She remembered how cold she was while he tried to reach out to her earlier that day. She slowly walked up to her father's table and sat on the chair next to him. Although Amelia continued to look ahead, her father looked at her.
Amelia: "When I was 13, I stole fifty dollars out of the money car we had in our kitchen."
Alroy: "I know."
Amelia, then, looked at her father.
"But you put it back the next day."
Amelia sighed quietly.
Amelia: "I wanted to impress my friends. I figured if they thought I had a lot of money, that would say a lot about how much you had. I couldn't bring my myself to spend it, though"
Alroy: "I've always been able to trust you to do the right thing."
Amelia is silent for several seconds.
Amelia: "When you came over to aintín Maureen's house and talked about the old days, I lied when I said I didn't remember... I remember everything. I remember you leaving for work every morning in your nice clean suit and tie. And on Saturday, we'd all go to a matinee. Then, you'd cook us a nice dinner to give máthair a break from the cooking. As we all ate, you and máthair would sip on wine. You'd even do the dishes. And after Sunday morning Mass, you'd take us all out for a nice big lunch... It was a— perfect, happy time... I just thought I'd come down here and tell you that."
Alroy took his left land began holding Amelia's right hand.
Alroy: "Thank you."
Suddenly, Amelia felt a dull pain of sorrow in the pit of her stomach. Then, a couple of tears streamed down Amelia's face.
Amelia: "I've missed those times. Tá brón orm. Tá an-brón orm, athair. I've missed you since then."
It was at this point, the two of them embraced each other.
Alroy: "I missed you, too."
_______________________________________________________________
Shell Gas Station
99 Summer Street # 801
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
5:02 p.m. (EDT)
Meanwhile, Sam had paid for the soft drinks and the gas, and was walking out of the exit of the gas station store. Al appeared in front of him.
Al: "Hey, /Sam. How's it going?"
That is when Sam realized that the Bentley was no long there. Sam eye widened.
Sam: "Al, the car's gone!"
Al began to look around the parking lot.
Al: "It's gone?"
Sam: "Yes, David and I stopped here to get gas. After I pumped gas, I went inside so I could get a couple of soft drinks and the gas."
Al: "How long were you in there?"
Sam: "I don't know. About 6 or seven minutes, give or take."
Al: "You don't think David drove off in it, do you?"
Sam: "And leave me stranded? Surely not. He knows I've been trying to help him."
Al: "Okay, well, we need to find him... Ziggy, send me in on David!"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and disappeared.
_______________________________________________________________
Green Dragon's Pond, far behind the Old State House
206 Washington Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
5:03 p.m. (EDT)
David woke with his legs tied and his arms tied behind his back. He looked around the area and saw Buster standing over him.
Buster: "Hey, buddy. Remember me?"
Buster bent down and picked up David to have him stand. Suddenly, Al appears.
"If you don't remember me, you should. I'm the bouncer that your girlfriend was mouthing off to last night. The thing is: I'm too keen on that. I thought about trying to find her, but you'll do."
David: "Have you been stalking us?"
Buster laughed.
Buster: "Yeah, you'd think so, wouldn't you? No, actually, you and I being at the same place at the same time was just dumb luck. But, you see, I'm an opportunist. I'm the kind of person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by consistent. I see an opportunity and I take it."
David: "An opportunity to do what?"
Buster grabbed David closer to him.
Buster: "An opportunity to show someone what happens when they disrespect me, especially on my job."
David: "I don't understand."
Buster: "You see that body of water?"
David looked at the pond.
"They call this place 'Green Dragon's Pond'. Up until the early 1800's, they use to call Union Street: 'Green Dragon's Street'. Now, this is a game I like to call 'live, die, or swim'. You see, I throw you into this pond, which is around 6 1/2 feet deep. You tr move around like the way you are. If you by some miracle survive, I'll never bother you or anybody you know again. If you drown, then I will show your loudmouthed girlfriend that this is what happens when you don't respect me. Then, I play the exact same game with the exact same rules with her."
Al: "My God!"
David: "Look, I— "
Buster: "Do you know what your girlfriend said to me in French last night?"
David: "Uh, no, I don't."
Buster: "Well, you can trust me when I say: it wasn't very nice."
David: "I'm sure what you said to her wasn't very nice, either."
Buster: "An eye for an eye, right?"
David: "Look, what happened last night is not worth killing anybody over."
Buster: "I'll make that decision. You think you'll be the first person I killed? I've been in and out of jail for man slaughter lots of times."
Al presses a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "Oh boy, he's right. He's got quite a rap sheet."
Buster: "And that's what's gonna happen after you and your girlfriend are dead."
David: "You're insane."
Al: "No shinola!"
Buster: "Hey, give me a little credit. I know the difference between right and wrong... I just choose 'wrong'."
Al presses a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "Ziggy, send me in on Sam!"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and dissipated..
_______________________________________________________________
Al appeared to Sam.
Al: "Sam?"
Sam: "Al? Did you find David."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Yes. He's at a place called: 'Green Dragon's Pond'. Apparently, this bouncer Amelia had a run-in with last night kidnapped David, stole the car and drove up to this pond with an intent to kill David.",
Sam: "What? Why?"
Al: "I don't know. Something about teaching Amelia a lesson by killing her boyfriend. This guy has prior records of man slaughter charges. He not right in the head."
Sam: "My God. Al, if the terror of drowning trigger another metamorphosis, the serum that was made to cure him will be rendered useless... Where is this pond?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Eh, it's less than a half a mile. Ziggy says your fastest way to get there is to head northwest 152 yards on Summer Street toward Kingston Street. Then, turn right onto Washington Street and go another 528 yards. The address is: 206 Washington Street, where that Old State building is. Go far behind the building toward a grassy area. Ziggy calculates that you can make from to there in roughly 9 minutes, giver or take. And make sure you're the right side of the street."
Destination will be on the right"
Sam: "Okay, go back to the pond and see what happens. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and disappeared.
_______________________________________________________________
Al appeared back at the pond.
Al: "Hang in there, kid. The cavalry's on the way."
David: "I'm a little curious as to how you think you'll get off on a man slaughter changer over this."
Buster: "Hey, I'm not killing you with malice. Plus, murder is premeditated with an intent to kill. I didn't plan on killing until I saw you at the gas station. No malice, no premeditation, no murder."
David: "You really think you going to get of on those technicalities?"
Buster smiled.
Buster: "I always do."
Buster turned David around, facing the pond.
"I'm not gonna lie to ya, fella. Drowning is a very painful way to die.."
Al: "Come on, Sam, get here!"
Buster, then, pushed David, where he plummeted into the water.
No! You nozzle! Ziggy, what am I gonna do now?!
David began to squirm around under, trying to get his head above water. As David began to rise, his buoyancy began to improve. Once he began to float and got his head above water, he took his first gasp of air. Breathless, David tried to stay afloat, so he could breathe. Buster stood and watched David with a grin on his face and his arms folded. Struggling to stay a float, the weight of the rope on his arms and legs began to pull David down. David took a deep breath before sank. Again, David began to squirm around again. He found it a bit harder to get his head above water. It took longer the second, but David managed to get his head above water again. Even more breathless, he gasped for air again. Unfortunately, he was afloat for a much shorter amount of time. David was able to get a deep breath before he sank the second time. Even though David tried to murmur around he found it more difficult to this time. He was feeling weaker. He heart was pounding. It took all of David's strength to come up for air a third. Once David was afloat once more and gasping harder to air, he continued to squirm around, hoping that would keep him afloat longer. Feeling disoriented, David didn't notice that he was at the edge of the pond. While squirming around to stay afloat, David hit his head on a boulder at the edge of the pond. It was so excruciating, David sank with very little movement. Buster stood nodding and smiling as he said: "That's it for him. Nobody ever comes back up that fourth time. Nobody."
By now, David is finding it harder to hold his breath and the terror of drowning overwhelmed him. Also, the pain David was feeling from hitting head on the boulder became more exceedingly elaborate and intense. David's anger elicited by the pain had escalated to manic frenzy Suddenly, David felt a chill rushing through his body. David knew that his metamorphosis was inevitable. David's eyes became white and then a pale green. The serum that was injected into him slowed down the metamorphosis, but it was too soon to stop it completely. Sam had finally reached Green Dragon's Pond. "Al?!" Sam exclaimed from the distance. "Sam, over here! Hurry!" Al replied. Meanwhile, David's shirt begins to rip because he is now growing larger and larger and his muscles begin to expand. At the same time his skin pigmentation changes from a healthy peach color to gray and then to a full out green. The ropes around his hands and legs tore off like ragged shoe string. His pant split partway and the shoes he is wearing ripped off of his feet. Slowly, a pair of green hands envelop around the boulders at the front end of the pond. A second or two later, the Hulk's head slowly emerges from the pond as he quietly growls. Sam reached the pond at that moment. Suddenly, the Hulk, with his strength, came up out of the water, over the boulders, and into the grass. The Hulk flexed his muscles and let out a loud roar. Al and Sam stood in amazement. Buster stood in horror. He couldn't believe he was seeing that green creature that he saw the night before.
Buster: "My God, it's— it's that— it's that THING again!"
The Hulk began walking toward Buster with anger in his eyes. Buster nervously and slowly backed up to where some of the boulder around the pond were. The Hulk continued to growl and show teeth as he was walking toward. In a panic, Buster picked up one of the smaller boulders and threw it at the Hulk as hard as he could. The Hulk caught it with both hands as if it were a basketball. The Hulk, knowing that the small boulder was a weapon against him, angrily thew it in the other direction hundreds of yards away. The Hulk, growling, walked up to Buster and grabbed him by his shirt. Buster's eyes widen from fright. Then, with both hands, the Hulk threw Buster into the pond. The Hulk flexed his muscles and let out a loud roar. Buster swam to the other side of the pond. After the Hulk calmed down a bit, he turned and look at Sam and Al. The Hulk slowly walked over to them.
Sam: "Oh David. I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to help you... I'm so sorry."
The Hulk extended his right hand outward and noticed that his hand could go through Al. Confused and continuing to grunt, he moves his hand up and down, in and out.
"Al? He can see you."
Al: "Of course he can. He in a primitive state right now. All creatures of a primitive states can see me."
The Hulk put his left hand on Sam's left shoulder. Sam pats the Hulk's left hand with his right hand.
Sam: "It's all right, David. You're safe now. We're all safe now."
The Hulk looked behind him and saw Buster running from the other side of the pond, back to the spot where they were standing. The Hulk began to growl, warning Buster to stay away. Buster ran passed them and continued to tun toward the Old State Building. The Hulk turned and looked back at Sam and Al Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Uh Sam, Ziggy says that Amelia is at the Purple Shamrock with her father right now. You can take the car and drive over there in roughly 6 minutes, depending on traffic. Just head north on Washington Street toward State Street. Then, turn left and it becomes Court Street. Do a slight right to stay on Court Street. Continue onto Cambridge Street. Turn right onto Sudbury Street. Turn right onto Congress Street, then turn left onto North Street. Turn left onto Union Street and the Purple Shamrock will be on the right side of the street."
Sam: "Thanks Al."
Sam looked up at the Hulk.
"David, you need to go. You need to leave here."
The Hulk continued to look at David, letting out small grunts. Sam pointed to the direction that he wanted the Hulk to run.
"David, please, go... Go!"
The Hulk, then, ran in the direction Sam pointed to.
"I blew it, Al."
Al: "Oh, we don't know that, Sam. For all we know:— there was never any stopping it.":
Sam and Al stood and watched the Hulk run off into the distance.
_______________________________________________________________
Sam and Al are with Amelia. Amelia has a piece of carry-on luggage around her should and about to in on a flight to Baltimore.
Sam: "Do you have everything?"
Amelia: "Yeah. I have both of my big suit cases packed and I have my carry-on."
Sam: "Six day til' the beginning of your internship. You think you're ready?"
Amelia: "I think so. I'm a little nervous."
Sam: "I'm confident that you will do great."
Amelia: "Thank you, Sam... Have you seen David?"
Sam: "No, I'm sorry. I haven't. Not since that incident at Green Dragon's Pond."
Amelia became saddened and let out a sigh.
Amelia: "I guess he just took off. I really thought he and I had something. We bonded so well in the last month. I was hoping he'd, at least, say:'goodbye' to me if he were to leave."
Tears began to stream down Amelia's cheeks. She wiped her tears away quickly.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so crushed. This really hurts."
Sam: "Look, Amelia, if David left without saying goodbye, I'm sure he had a good reason."
David: "Fortunately, I won't need one."
Amelia turned around and saw David standing there, holding his brown leather duffle bag on his shoulder.
Amelia: "David!"
Amelia dropped her carry-on luggage and ran to embrace David.
"Oh, thank God. I've been so worried about you, since you disappeared the other night."
David: "I'm okay."
Amelia: "How did you know to come here?"
David: "I called your mother a couple of hours ago and she told me you leaving to do your internship."
Amelia: "why didn't you call sooner? I was so worried."
David: "Oh, I had to lay low, Amelia. That Hulk sighting attracted a lot of roving reporters. You read the Boston Harold, didn't you?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Yep, that's where Ziggy dug up the Hulk sighting story. The Boston Harold."
Amelia: "That's a tabloid formatted newspaper anyway.. I so glad you're okay."
David: "And I'm so glad you're doing your internship. I'm sure you'll have a lot to offer Johns Hopkins."
Amelia became saddened once again. She was quiet for a few seconds.
Amelia: "You're not coming with me, are you?"
David slowly nodded.
David: "I can't."
There was a moment of silence.
Sam: "But— BUT— you guys could write. Isn't that right, David."
David: "Sure we can."
Amelia looked at Sam.
Amelia: "What are you talking about? I don't even know what my address will be."
Sam: "Yeah, well uh— well, no but uh— but, well, Al would be able to tell ya, right Al?"
Al: "Oh yeah, sure."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link as Amelia was pulling out a piece a paper from her breast pocket.
"It's uh— it's going to be: 611 South Charles Street, Apartment 407"
Sam: "It's going to be: 611 South Charles Street, Apartment 407."
Al: "Baltimore, Maryland, 21230."
Sam: "Baltimore, Maryland, 21230."
Amelia wrote everything down.
Amelia: "21230... Okay, wow. It's not everyday that you know exactly where your going to live when you move out of state."
Sam: "Well, sometimes there's a benefit to knowing the future."
Al: "We can't tell her any MORE, Sam."
Sam: "I'd tell ya more, but there's a danger in a person knowing too much about their own destiny."
Amelia: "Makes sense."
David: "Look, I— "
Buster: "Do you know what your girlfriend said to me in French last night?"
David: "Uh, no, I don't."
Buster: "Well, you can trust me when I say: it wasn't very nice."
David: "I'm sure what you said to her wasn't very nice, either."
Buster: "An eye for an eye, right?"
David: "Look, what happened last night is not worth killing anybody over."
Buster: "I'll make that decision. You think you'll be the first person I killed? I've been in and out of jail for man slaughter lots of times."
Al presses a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "Oh boy, he's right. He's got quite a rap sheet."
Buster: "And that's what's gonna happen after you and your girlfriend are dead."
David: "You're insane."
Al: "No shinola!"
Buster: "Hey, give me a little credit. I know the difference between right and wrong... I just choose 'wrong'."
Al presses a few buttons on the hand-kink.
Al: "Ziggy, send me in on Sam!"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and dissipated..
_______________________________________________________________
Shell Gas Station
99 Summer Street # 801
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
5:07 p.m. (EDT)
Al: "Sam?"
Sam: "Al? Did you find David."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Yes. He's at a place called: 'Green Dragon's Pond'. Apparently, this bouncer Amelia had a run-in with last night kidnapped David, stole the car and drove up to this pond with an intent to kill David.",
Sam: "What? Why?"
Al: "I don't know. Something about teaching Amelia a lesson by killing her boyfriend. This guy has prior records of man slaughter charges. He not right in the head."
Sam: "My God. Al, if the terror of drowning trigger another metamorphosis, the serum that was made to cure him will be rendered useless... Where is this pond?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Eh, it's less than a half a mile. Ziggy says your fastest way to get there is to head northwest 152 yards on Summer Street toward Kingston Street. Then, turn right onto Washington Street and go another 528 yards. The address is: 206 Washington Street, where that Old State building is. Go far behind the building toward a grassy area. Ziggy calculates that you can make from to there in roughly 9 minutes, giver or take. And make sure you're the right side of the street."
Destination will be on the right"
Sam: "Okay, go back to the pond and see what happens. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link and disappeared.
_______________________________________________________________
Green Dragon's Pond, far behind the Old State House
206 Washington Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Tuesday, August 24, 1982
5:12 p.m. (EDT)
Al: "Hang in there, kid. The cavalry's on the way."
David: "I'm a little curious as to how you think you'll get off on a man slaughter changer over this."
Buster: "Hey, I'm not killing you with malice. Plus, murder is premeditated with an intent to kill. I didn't plan on killing until I saw you at the gas station. No malice, no premeditation, no murder."
David: "You really think you going to get of on those technicalities?"
Buster smiled.
Buster: "I always do."
Buster turned David around, facing the pond.
"I'm not gonna lie to ya, fella. Drowning is a very painful way to die.."
Al: "Come on, Sam, get here!"
Buster, then, pushed David, where he plummeted into the water.
No! You nozzle! Ziggy, what am I gonna do now?!
David began to squirm around under, trying to get his head above water. As David began to rise, his buoyancy began to improve. Once he began to float and got his head above water, he took his first gasp of air. Breathless, David tried to stay afloat, so he could breathe. Buster stood and watched David with a grin on his face and his arms folded. Struggling to stay a float, the weight of the rope on his arms and legs began to pull David down. David took a deep breath before sank. Again, David began to squirm around again. He found it a bit harder to get his head above water. It took longer the second, but David managed to get his head above water again. Even more breathless, he gasped for air again. Unfortunately, he was afloat for a much shorter amount of time. David was able to get a deep breath before he sank the second time. Even though David tried to murmur around he found it more difficult to this time. He was feeling weaker. He heart was pounding. It took all of David's strength to come up for air a third. Once David was afloat once more and gasping harder to air, he continued to squirm around, hoping that would keep him afloat longer. Feeling disoriented, David didn't notice that he was at the edge of the pond. While squirming around to stay afloat, David hit his head on a boulder at the edge of the pond. It was so excruciating, David sank with very little movement. Buster stood nodding and smiling as he said: "That's it for him. Nobody ever comes back up that fourth time. Nobody."
By now, David is finding it harder to hold his breath and the terror of drowning overwhelmed him. Also, the pain David was feeling from hitting head on the boulder became more exceedingly elaborate and intense. David's anger elicited by the pain had escalated to manic frenzy Suddenly, David felt a chill rushing through his body. David knew that his metamorphosis was inevitable. David's eyes became white and then a pale green. The serum that was injected into him slowed down the metamorphosis, but it was too soon to stop it completely. Sam had finally reached Green Dragon's Pond. "Al?!" Sam exclaimed from the distance. "Sam, over here! Hurry!" Al replied. Meanwhile, David's shirt begins to rip because he is now growing larger and larger and his muscles begin to expand. At the same time his skin pigmentation changes from a healthy peach color to gray and then to a full out green. The ropes around his hands and legs tore off like ragged shoe string. His pant split partway and the shoes he is wearing ripped off of his feet. Slowly, a pair of green hands envelop around the boulders at the front end of the pond. A second or two later, the Hulk's head slowly emerges from the pond as he quietly growls. Sam reached the pond at that moment. Suddenly, the Hulk, with his strength, came up out of the water, over the boulders, and into the grass. The Hulk flexed his muscles and let out a loud roar. Al and Sam stood in amazement. Buster stood in horror. He couldn't believe he was seeing that green creature that he saw the night before.
Buster: "My God, it's— it's that— it's that THING again!"
The Hulk began walking toward Buster with anger in his eyes. Buster nervously and slowly backed up to where some of the boulder around the pond were. The Hulk continued to growl and show teeth as he was walking toward. In a panic, Buster picked up one of the smaller boulders and threw it at the Hulk as hard as he could. The Hulk caught it with both hands as if it were a basketball. The Hulk, knowing that the small boulder was a weapon against him, angrily thew it in the other direction hundreds of yards away. The Hulk, growling, walked up to Buster and grabbed him by his shirt. Buster's eyes widen from fright. Then, with both hands, the Hulk threw Buster into the pond. The Hulk flexed his muscles and let out a loud roar. Buster swam to the other side of the pond. After the Hulk calmed down a bit, he turned and look at Sam and Al. The Hulk slowly walked over to them.
Sam: "Oh David. I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to help you... I'm so sorry."
The Hulk extended his right hand outward and noticed that his hand could go through Al. Confused and continuing to grunt, he moves his hand up and down, in and out.
"Al? He can see you."
Al: "Of course he can. He in a primitive state right now. All creatures of a primitive states can see me."
The Hulk put his left hand on Sam's left shoulder. Sam pats the Hulk's left hand with his right hand.
Sam: "It's all right, David. You're safe now. We're all safe now."
The Hulk looked behind him and saw Buster running from the other side of the pond, back to the spot where they were standing. The Hulk began to growl, warning Buster to stay away. Buster ran passed them and continued to tun toward the Old State Building. The Hulk turned and looked back at Sam and Al Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Uh Sam, Ziggy says that Amelia is at the Purple Shamrock with her father right now. You can take the car and drive over there in roughly 6 minutes, depending on traffic. Just head north on Washington Street toward State Street. Then, turn left and it becomes Court Street. Do a slight right to stay on Court Street. Continue onto Cambridge Street. Turn right onto Sudbury Street. Turn right onto Congress Street, then turn left onto North Street. Turn left onto Union Street and the Purple Shamrock will be on the right side of the street."
Sam: "Thanks Al."
Sam looked up at the Hulk.
"David, you need to go. You need to leave here."
The Hulk continued to look at David, letting out small grunts. Sam pointed to the direction that he wanted the Hulk to run.
"David, please, go... Go!"
The Hulk, then, ran in the direction Sam pointed to.
"I blew it, Al."
Al: "Oh, we don't know that, Sam. For all we know:— there was never any stopping it.":
Sam and Al stood and watched the Hulk run off into the distance.
_______________________________________________________________
Boston Logan International Airport
1 Harborside Drive
Boston, Massachusetts 02128
Thursday, August 26, 1982
9:37 a.m. (EDT)
Sam: "Do you have everything?"
Amelia: "Yeah. I have both of my big suit cases packed and I have my carry-on."
Sam: "Six day til' the beginning of your internship. You think you're ready?"
Amelia: "I think so. I'm a little nervous."
Sam: "I'm confident that you will do great."
Amelia: "Thank you, Sam... Have you seen David?"
Sam: "No, I'm sorry. I haven't. Not since that incident at Green Dragon's Pond."
Amelia became saddened and let out a sigh.
Amelia: "I guess he just took off. I really thought he and I had something. We bonded so well in the last month. I was hoping he'd, at least, say:'goodbye' to me if he were to leave."
Tears began to stream down Amelia's cheeks. She wiped her tears away quickly.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so crushed. This really hurts."
Sam: "Look, Amelia, if David left without saying goodbye, I'm sure he had a good reason."
David: "Fortunately, I won't need one."
Amelia turned around and saw David standing there, holding his brown leather duffle bag on his shoulder.
Amelia: "David!"
Amelia dropped her carry-on luggage and ran to embrace David.
"Oh, thank God. I've been so worried about you, since you disappeared the other night."
David: "I'm okay."
Amelia: "How did you know to come here?"
David: "I called your mother a couple of hours ago and she told me you leaving to do your internship."
Amelia: "why didn't you call sooner? I was so worried."
David: "Oh, I had to lay low, Amelia. That Hulk sighting attracted a lot of roving reporters. You read the Boston Harold, didn't you?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Yep, that's where Ziggy dug up the Hulk sighting story. The Boston Harold."
Amelia: "That's a tabloid formatted newspaper anyway.. I so glad you're okay."
David: "And I'm so glad you're doing your internship. I'm sure you'll have a lot to offer Johns Hopkins."
Amelia became saddened once again. She was quiet for a few seconds.
Amelia: "You're not coming with me, are you?"
David slowly nodded.
David: "I can't."
There was a moment of silence.
Sam: "But— BUT— you guys could write. Isn't that right, David."
David: "Sure we can."
Amelia looked at Sam.
Amelia: "What are you talking about? I don't even know what my address will be."
Sam: "Yeah, well uh— well, no but uh— but, well, Al would be able to tell ya, right Al?"
Al: "Oh yeah, sure."
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link as Amelia was pulling out a piece a paper from her breast pocket.
"It's uh— it's going to be: 611 South Charles Street, Apartment 407"
Sam: "It's going to be: 611 South Charles Street, Apartment 407."
Al: "Baltimore, Maryland, 21230."
Sam: "Baltimore, Maryland, 21230."
Amelia wrote everything down.
Amelia: "21230... Okay, wow. It's not everyday that you know exactly where your going to live when you move out of state."
Sam: "Well, sometimes there's a benefit to knowing the future."
Al: "We can't tell her any MORE, Sam."
Sam: "I'd tell ya more, but there's a danger in a person knowing too much about their own destiny."
Amelia: "Makes sense."
Then, there was an awkward silence that overcame the moment.
Al: "Uh, Sam, we should give these two to talk privately."
Sam: "Oh yeah... Uhm, I'll be only a few feet away, so you guys can say your goodbyes."
Sam and Al walked away while David and Amelia were still looking at each other. There is a few seconds of silence, then Amelia somberly said:
Amelia: "David, do you love me?"
David slowly nodded.
David: "Yes, I do. In fact, I love you so much, I don't want this Hulk to ruin your life. I'ts ruined MINE. You're not the first woman I've loved and had to walk away from because of my 'Mister Hyde'. It was painful then, and it's painful now. I can't be with anybody until I know for sure that I am rid of this creature."
Amelia: "I wish we could've had one more night together."
David smiled.
David: "Me, too."
Meanwhile, Sam and Al were watching their conversation from several feet away.
Sam: "Is she gonna be okay, Al?"
Al: "Oh yeah, she's gonna be just fine. Now that she's patched things up with her father, her 'daddy issues' are resolved."
Sam: "That's great. And she still goes to Johns Hopkins?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Oh yeah, she breezes through her internship and residency there with no problems. In four years, she moves to Atlanta to research Behavioral Neuroscience at Georgia State University. And on June 20, 1992, she marries an anesthesiologist named: Doctor Scott Danes. Her father even walks her down the aisle She and her husband go on to have two beautiful children and they're still married today in our time."
Sam: "That's great, Al. And David?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Eh, he disappears into the fabric of society. Of course, there are Hulk sights for the next few years. Ziggy says that there was man in '88 who fit his description at Joshua Lambert Institute in L.A., going by the name: David Bannion and exclusive with a widowed biogeneticist named: Doctor Margaret Shaw. Coincidentally, there were a few Hulk sightings in that area at that time."
Sam: "Which probably meant he had to up and leave again."
Al: "Ziggy says if it is David, she gives that a 100% probability."
Sam: "Poor guy. Does he ever find a cure."
Al: "That one's gonna have to remain a mystery, Sam."
Sam: "So, then uh— everything's okay then, right?"
Al: "Yeah. You did a great job, Sam."
Sam: "Yeah, well, it was great to ge to work with you again."
Al: "Yeah, it was great. Just like the old days."
Sam: "Yeah... Just like the old days."
There was a few second of silence.
Al: "Look, Sam, I don't know what your next leap has in store for ya, and I don't know if we'll see each other again. But I want you to know that I'm glad I got see you after all these years. I would wonder about you from time to time. Where you landed. When you landed. What 'wrong' you were making 'right'. I'm glad I got to join you on this leap, Sam. I've missed you."
Sam: "I've sure missed you. I don't know how I made it without you, Al."
Al: "Hey, you did what you had to do, the best way you could do it. That's all any of us can do in any situation."
There was another moment of silence.
Sam: "So uh,— if everything's okay, then— why haven't I leaped?"
Al: "Well... Amelia and David are saying their goodbyes. Maybe you need to say your's."
Sam nodded in agreement.
Sam: "Yeah... Yeah, you're right."
Sam and Al began to walk toward David and Amelia.
David: "Amelia, as much as I'd like to go with you, if I were to meta metamorphose for whatever reason in Baltimore, that will be three places that the creature's been seen where you were present. People are going to start to make a connection between you and the Hulk. They will think you're tied in with him somehow. I don't want that to happen to you."
Amelia reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. A tear or two ran down her cheeks.
Amelia: "I'm gonna miss you so much."
David: "I'll miss you, too."
Sam and Al walked up to Amelia and David.
Sam: "Uh, Amelia? I have to— tell you something."
Amelia looked at Sam with curiosity.
Amelia: "Okay?"
There was a short pause. Sam made a quiet sigh.
Sam: "Your brother's coming back."
Amelia: "Willy? Really?"
Sam nodded.
"When?"
Sam: "Uh, you'll know when it happens. You're a very perceptive person... But uh— my time here is done."
Amelia: "Where are you going next?"
Sam: "Uh, I don't know. I NEVER know."
Amelia: "Is Al here?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's here."
Amelia embraced Sam.
Amelia: "Thank you guys for everything."
Sam: "You're welcome."
Amelia: "And I'm sorry I yelled at you."
Sam: "Don't mention it. I understand."
Sam turned to look at David. They both shake hands.
"David, it's been great knowing you."
David: "Likewise."
Sam: "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."
David: "You did your best. I appreciate it."
Sam: "You know,David, as bad as I feel that the whole thing didn't work out, maybe it was best that it didn't."
David: "Oh?"
Sam: "I know you're afraid of being hunted and hurting other people because of that creature. But one truth does remain... The Hulk saved your life. And I'm sure it wasn't the first time."
Al: "That's a good point, Sam."
David: "That's true."
Sam: "I don't know, David. Maybe it's NOT a curse. I guess it just depends on how you look at it."
David: "I suppose so."
Sam backed up a few steps.
Sam: "You two have a great life, okay?"
Amelia: "And good luck to YOU, wherever you go."
Sam smiled.
Sam: "Thanks."
Amelia turned to David.
Amelia: "David, I don't know if we'll ever see each other again, but will you please, at least, write me once in a while. I may never know where YOU are, but you'll always know where I am."
David held up a piece of paper with her address on it.
David: "I have your address. It'll be under another alias, but I'll write you when I can."
Amelia: "Promise?"
David held up his right hand.and smiled.
David: "I promise."
of blue light and tingled with electrical energy. In a brilliant flash of bright light, Doctor Sam Beckett leaped
William looked around for a few seconds, then saw Amelia talking with David.
William: "Haigh, deirfiúr! How are you?"
Amelia quickly looked at William, realizing that Sam must have leaped.
Amelia: "Willy?"
William: "Aye. You look go hálainn as always, sis."
Amelia ran over to William and embraced him.
Amelia: "Oh deartháir, it's great to see you."
William: "Aye, mar an gcéanna."
Amelia: "How have you been?"
William: "Dn-mhaith, thank you for asking. My practice is thriving. My house is all decorated. Tá an saol go maith."
Amelia: "Yeah, evidently."
William looked over at David.
William: "Ah, you must be Amelia's— grá spéis."
Amelia: "Yes, dearthái. This is David Brewster."
William: "Tá an-sásta orm bualadh leat, David."
David: "Uh, I'm sorry?"
Amelia: "He said: he's very pleased to meet you."
David: "Oh, likewise."
David and William shook hands.
William: "I must apologize. Sometimes the Irish language just slips out."
David: "That's all right."
William: "David Brewster? Any relation to the British scientist, inventor, author, and academic administrator who experimented with physical optics?"
David: "Uh, no."
Amelia: "I have great news, dearthái."
William: "What's that, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "I took the internship at Johns Hopkins."
William: "Really? Comhghairdeas!"
Amelia and William embrace each other.
"I'm so proud of you, deirfiúr. I knew you'd make the right decision."
Amelia: "Well, the opportunity was there and I took it."
William: "Now that's the deirfiúr I know. You are going to do great."
Amelia: "Thank you, Willy."
William and Amelia embrace each other once more.
William: "Oh Amelia, you are an amazing bhean. I've always been proud to be your dearthái."
Amelia: "What a coincidence. I've always been pround to be your deirfiúr."
There was a moment silence. Amelia picked up her carry-on luggage and placed it around her shoulder.
"Well, you guys, I have a plane to catch."
William placed his right hand on Amelia's left shoulder.
William: "You call me when you get there, okay?"
Amelia: "I will."
Amelia looked at David and they both kissed.
"I'll never forget you... Just keep your promise, okay?"
David: "I will... You be good to yourself."
Amelia: "You, too."
Amelia began to walk away toward the escalator. Then, looked back at David and William and waved.
"Well, goodbye."
Both David and William waved and simultaneously said:
David and William: "Goodbye!"
Amelia got on the escalator. David and William watched her until she was out of sight.
William: "She a pistol, isn't she?"
David smiled.
David: "Yeah... She sure is."
_______________________________________________________________
"The Al came out of the Imaging Chamber and walked to the few steps there were to the Control Room. Al walked up to the console.
Sammy Jo: "So, Admiral, how did it feel to be back in action again?"
Al: "Actually, it felt pretty good. It was great to see Sam again after all these years. Still, if, by some miracle, they reboot this Project I won't be able to join too many more of these leaps. I just want to enjoy my retirement. I want to spend time with my grandkids and continue to grow with the woman I love."
Sammy Jo: "I don't foresee that as a problem, Admiral. We'll just review the recording of Doctor Beckett's brainwaves and synchronize them withe the brainwaves of one of the Millennials."
Al: "Ziggy, do you know where Doctor Beckett is right now?"
Ziggy: "I'm afraid not, Admiral. Doctor Beckett is till bouncing back and forth through the vortex of time."
Al: "Did the pictures and videos I downloaded into your hard-drive come out okay?"
Ziggy: "They came out perfectly, Admiral. There will be no doubt that the things and places that existed in 1982 that your recorded are time and dated. It will prove conclusively that these pictures are 'of' 1982 and not 'from' 1982."
Al: "Hey, that should help you guys out with the committee."
Neila: "I must say: this has been a real learning experience for me. Watching what you used to to do over 20 years ago made me realize how rewarding of an experience all of it must have been for you and Sammy Jo."
Marvin: "Yeah, I didn't know what to think about this going in. But now I see how much good you guys had done. Even the one time, I was proud to be a part of that."
Sherman: "This had to have been once of the greatest adventures that mankind had ever undertaken. We got a lot of material to work with for our group dissertation. Thank you for the opportunity to do what will be writing in our dissertation the things you did. We couldn't have done it without you guys."
Ziggy: "I was especially happy to help."
Sammy Jo: "Yes, Ziggy, you did a great job
Al: "And you guys did a great job upgrading her CPU.."
Marvin: "Technology has come along way since the turn of the millennium."
Sherman: "It was a benefit to you parallel hybrid computer."
Neila: "So, what do you think? Do you think we have a chance to reboot this Project?"
Sammy Jo: "I think you have a very good chance. Don't you, Admiral?"
Al: "I do... Well, our 10 hours are just about up. If you all will excuse me, I'm going to go pick up Beth from the motel and we're going out to dinner. Then, we're going to spend Independence Day with our kids and gradkids... Let me know how it all goes."
Sammy Jo: "Thank for your help, Admiral. And Happy Independence Day."
Al: "It was my pleasure and you have a good Independence Day as well."
Al walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex.
Neila: "Doctor Fuller, I hope we can stay in touch with each other. I mean, we do have each other's e-mail addresses."
Sammy Jo: "Of course we can. I've kept in touch with the Admiral off and on for years."
Marvin: "Well, I guess our work here is done."
Sherman: "Yeah, we should get going."
Sammy Jo: "You kids go ahead. I'll close up."
Marvin and Sherman walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex.
Before Neila completely left the Control Room, she looked back at Sammy Jo.
Neila:"Thank you again for everything, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "You're very welcome, Neila."
Neila walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex. Sammy let out a sigh and walked over to the console.
"Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "Yes, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "Do you think Doctor Banner and Doctor Beckett will have come to the end of their journeys and finally find peace?"
Ziggy: "I'm afraid that will be a philosophical discussion that will put us over our time limit, doctor."
Sammy Jo nodded her head in agreement.
Sammy Jo: "Yeah... I suppose you're right."
Ziggy: "I hope you have a nice life if I never hear from you again, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "Thank you, Ziggy... Sleep tight."
And at the strike of 6:00 p.m., with the push of one large button on the console, Sammy Jo turned off all the electricity in the Complex. As Sammy Jo was leaving, she took one last look around at the Control Room. Jammy Jo, then, left the Control Room and the Complex.
_______________________________________________________________
Al: "Uh, Sam, we should give these two to talk privately."
Sam: "Oh yeah... Uhm, I'll be only a few feet away, so you guys can say your goodbyes."
Sam and Al walked away while David and Amelia were still looking at each other. There is a few seconds of silence, then Amelia somberly said:
Amelia: "David, do you love me?"
David slowly nodded.
David: "Yes, I do. In fact, I love you so much, I don't want this Hulk to ruin your life. I'ts ruined MINE. You're not the first woman I've loved and had to walk away from because of my 'Mister Hyde'. It was painful then, and it's painful now. I can't be with anybody until I know for sure that I am rid of this creature."
Amelia: "I wish we could've had one more night together."
David smiled.
David: "Me, too."
Meanwhile, Sam and Al were watching their conversation from several feet away.
Sam: "Is she gonna be okay, Al?"
Al: "Oh yeah, she's gonna be just fine. Now that she's patched things up with her father, her 'daddy issues' are resolved."
Sam: "That's great. And she still goes to Johns Hopkins?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Oh yeah, she breezes through her internship and residency there with no problems. In four years, she moves to Atlanta to research Behavioral Neuroscience at Georgia State University. And on June 20, 1992, she marries an anesthesiologist named: Doctor Scott Danes. Her father even walks her down the aisle She and her husband go on to have two beautiful children and they're still married today in our time."
Sam: "That's great, Al. And David?"
Al pressed a few buttons on the hand-link.
Al: "Eh, he disappears into the fabric of society. Of course, there are Hulk sights for the next few years. Ziggy says that there was man in '88 who fit his description at Joshua Lambert Institute in L.A., going by the name: David Bannion and exclusive with a widowed biogeneticist named: Doctor Margaret Shaw. Coincidentally, there were a few Hulk sightings in that area at that time."
Sam: "Which probably meant he had to up and leave again."
Al: "Ziggy says if it is David, she gives that a 100% probability."
Sam: "Poor guy. Does he ever find a cure."
Al: "That one's gonna have to remain a mystery, Sam."
Sam: "So, then uh— everything's okay then, right?"
Al: "Yeah. You did a great job, Sam."
Sam: "Yeah, well, it was great to ge to work with you again."
Al: "Yeah, it was great. Just like the old days."
Sam: "Yeah... Just like the old days."
There was a few second of silence.
Al: "Look, Sam, I don't know what your next leap has in store for ya, and I don't know if we'll see each other again. But I want you to know that I'm glad I got see you after all these years. I would wonder about you from time to time. Where you landed. When you landed. What 'wrong' you were making 'right'. I'm glad I got to join you on this leap, Sam. I've missed you."
Sam: "I've sure missed you. I don't know how I made it without you, Al."
Al: "Hey, you did what you had to do, the best way you could do it. That's all any of us can do in any situation."
There was another moment of silence.
Sam: "So uh,— if everything's okay, then— why haven't I leaped?"
Al: "Well... Amelia and David are saying their goodbyes. Maybe you need to say your's."
Sam nodded in agreement.
Sam: "Yeah... Yeah, you're right."
Sam and Al began to walk toward David and Amelia.
David: "Amelia, as much as I'd like to go with you, if I were to meta metamorphose for whatever reason in Baltimore, that will be three places that the creature's been seen where you were present. People are going to start to make a connection between you and the Hulk. They will think you're tied in with him somehow. I don't want that to happen to you."
Amelia reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. A tear or two ran down her cheeks.
Amelia: "I'm gonna miss you so much."
David: "I'll miss you, too."
Sam and Al walked up to Amelia and David.
Sam: "Uh, Amelia? I have to— tell you something."
Amelia looked at Sam with curiosity.
Amelia: "Okay?"
There was a short pause. Sam made a quiet sigh.
Sam: "Your brother's coming back."
Amelia: "Willy? Really?"
Sam nodded.
"When?"
Sam: "Uh, you'll know when it happens. You're a very perceptive person... But uh— my time here is done."
Amelia: "Where are you going next?"
Sam: "Uh, I don't know. I NEVER know."
Amelia: "Is Al here?"
Sam: "Yeah, he's here."
Amelia embraced Sam.
Amelia: "Thank you guys for everything."
Sam: "You're welcome."
Amelia: "And I'm sorry I yelled at you."
Sam: "Don't mention it. I understand."
Sam turned to look at David. They both shake hands.
"David, it's been great knowing you."
David: "Likewise."
Sam: "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."
David: "You did your best. I appreciate it."
Sam: "You know,David, as bad as I feel that the whole thing didn't work out, maybe it was best that it didn't."
David: "Oh?"
Sam: "I know you're afraid of being hunted and hurting other people because of that creature. But one truth does remain... The Hulk saved your life. And I'm sure it wasn't the first time."
Al: "That's a good point, Sam."
David: "That's true."
Sam: "I don't know, David. Maybe it's NOT a curse. I guess it just depends on how you look at it."
David: "I suppose so."
Sam backed up a few steps.
Sam: "You two have a great life, okay?"
Amelia: "And good luck to YOU, wherever you go."
Sam smiled.
Sam: "Thanks."
Amelia turned to David.
Amelia: "David, I don't know if we'll ever see each other again, but will you please, at least, write me once in a while. I may never know where YOU are, but you'll always know where I am."
David held up a piece of paper with her address on it.
David: "I have your address. It'll be under another alias, but I'll write you when I can."
Amelia: "Promise?"
David held up his right hand.and smiled.
David: "I promise."
of blue light and tingled with electrical energy. In a brilliant flash of bright light, Doctor Sam Beckett leaped
SAM BECKETT LEAPED OUT!!
WILLIAM MURPHY LEAPED BACK!!
William: "Haigh, deirfiúr! How are you?"
Amelia quickly looked at William, realizing that Sam must have leaped.
Amelia: "Willy?"
William: "Aye. You look go hálainn as always, sis."
Amelia ran over to William and embraced him.
Amelia: "Oh deartháir, it's great to see you."
William: "Aye, mar an gcéanna."
Amelia: "How have you been?"
William: "Dn-mhaith, thank you for asking. My practice is thriving. My house is all decorated. Tá an saol go maith."
Amelia: "Yeah, evidently."
William looked over at David.
William: "Ah, you must be Amelia's— grá spéis."
Amelia: "Yes, dearthái. This is David Brewster."
William: "Tá an-sásta orm bualadh leat, David."
David: "Uh, I'm sorry?"
Amelia: "He said: he's very pleased to meet you."
David: "Oh, likewise."
David and William shook hands.
William: "I must apologize. Sometimes the Irish language just slips out."
David: "That's all right."
William: "David Brewster? Any relation to the British scientist, inventor, author, and academic administrator who experimented with physical optics?"
David: "Uh, no."
William: "What's that, deirfiúr?"
Amelia: "I took the internship at Johns Hopkins."
William: "Really? Comhghairdeas!"
Amelia and William embrace each other.
"I'm so proud of you, deirfiúr. I knew you'd make the right decision."
Amelia: "Well, the opportunity was there and I took it."
William: "Now that's the deirfiúr I know. You are going to do great."
Amelia: "Thank you, Willy."
William and Amelia embrace each other once more.
William: "Oh Amelia, you are an amazing bhean. I've always been proud to be your dearthái."
Amelia: "What a coincidence. I've always been pround to be your deirfiúr."
There was a moment silence. Amelia picked up her carry-on luggage and placed it around her shoulder.
"Well, you guys, I have a plane to catch."
William placed his right hand on Amelia's left shoulder.
William: "You call me when you get there, okay?"
Amelia: "I will."
Amelia looked at David and they both kissed.
"I'll never forget you... Just keep your promise, okay?"
David: "I will... You be good to yourself."
Amelia: "You, too."
Amelia began to walk away toward the escalator. Then, looked back at David and William and waved.
"Well, goodbye."
Both David and William waved and simultaneously said:
David and William: "Goodbye!"
Amelia got on the escalator. David and William watched her until she was out of sight.
William: "She a pistol, isn't she?"
David smiled.
David: "Yeah... She sure is."
_______________________________________________________________
The Control Room
Project Quantum Leap
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico 87501-4893
Monday, July 2, 2018
5:48 p.m. (MDT)
Sammy Jo: "So, Admiral, how did it feel to be back in action again?"
Al: "Actually, it felt pretty good. It was great to see Sam again after all these years. Still, if, by some miracle, they reboot this Project I won't be able to join too many more of these leaps. I just want to enjoy my retirement. I want to spend time with my grandkids and continue to grow with the woman I love."
Sammy Jo: "I don't foresee that as a problem, Admiral. We'll just review the recording of Doctor Beckett's brainwaves and synchronize them withe the brainwaves of one of the Millennials."
Al: "Ziggy, do you know where Doctor Beckett is right now?"
Ziggy: "I'm afraid not, Admiral. Doctor Beckett is till bouncing back and forth through the vortex of time."
Al: "Did the pictures and videos I downloaded into your hard-drive come out okay?"
Ziggy: "They came out perfectly, Admiral. There will be no doubt that the things and places that existed in 1982 that your recorded are time and dated. It will prove conclusively that these pictures are 'of' 1982 and not 'from' 1982."
Al: "Hey, that should help you guys out with the committee."
Neila: "I must say: this has been a real learning experience for me. Watching what you used to to do over 20 years ago made me realize how rewarding of an experience all of it must have been for you and Sammy Jo."
Marvin: "Yeah, I didn't know what to think about this going in. But now I see how much good you guys had done. Even the one time, I was proud to be a part of that."
Sherman: "This had to have been once of the greatest adventures that mankind had ever undertaken. We got a lot of material to work with for our group dissertation. Thank you for the opportunity to do what will be writing in our dissertation the things you did. We couldn't have done it without you guys."
Ziggy: "I was especially happy to help."
Sammy Jo: "Yes, Ziggy, you did a great job
Al: "And you guys did a great job upgrading her CPU.."
Marvin: "Technology has come along way since the turn of the millennium."
Sherman: "It was a benefit to you parallel hybrid computer."
Neila: "So, what do you think? Do you think we have a chance to reboot this Project?"
Sammy Jo: "I think you have a very good chance. Don't you, Admiral?"
Al: "I do... Well, our 10 hours are just about up. If you all will excuse me, I'm going to go pick up Beth from the motel and we're going out to dinner. Then, we're going to spend Independence Day with our kids and gradkids... Let me know how it all goes."
Sammy Jo: "Thank for your help, Admiral. And Happy Independence Day."
Al: "It was my pleasure and you have a good Independence Day as well."
Al walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex.
Neila: "Doctor Fuller, I hope we can stay in touch with each other. I mean, we do have each other's e-mail addresses."
Sammy Jo: "Of course we can. I've kept in touch with the Admiral off and on for years."
Marvin: "Well, I guess our work here is done."
Sherman: "Yeah, we should get going."
Sammy Jo: "You kids go ahead. I'll close up."
Marvin and Sherman walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex.
Before Neila completely left the Control Room, she looked back at Sammy Jo.
Neila:"Thank you again for everything, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "You're very welcome, Neila."
Neila walked out of the Control Room and out of the Complex. Sammy let out a sigh and walked over to the console.
"Ziggy?"
Ziggy: "Yes, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "Do you think Doctor Banner and Doctor Beckett will have come to the end of their journeys and finally find peace?"
Ziggy: "I'm afraid that will be a philosophical discussion that will put us over our time limit, doctor."
Sammy Jo nodded her head in agreement.
Sammy Jo: "Yeah... I suppose you're right."
Ziggy: "I hope you have a nice life if I never hear from you again, Doctor Fuller."
Sammy Jo: "Thank you, Ziggy... Sleep tight."
And at the strike of 6:00 p.m., with the push of one large button on the console, Sammy Jo turned off all the electricity in the Complex. As Sammy Jo was leaving, she took one last look around at the Control Room. Jammy Jo, then, left the Control Room and the Complex.
_______________________________________________________________
Somewhere in Southern Massachussets
A secluded road
Thursday, August 26, 1982
4:10 p.m. (EDT)
"The Lonely Man" theme by Joe Harnell begins to play. As it plays, David was walking along the side of the road on that 81° day, with his brown leather duffel bag around his left shoulder. As cars passed by him, he put his thumb out to hitch hike. The song song continue to play until the end, as David continued to walk further down the road.
THE END
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