A Time Continuum: A Leap Out of Time

SueJBakula

Project QL Intern
Apr 8, 2002
7
1
0
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Working Title
A LOST LIFE

Finished Title
A Leap Out of Time

An Original Story

by

Susan Johnson

Date
27/8/01

? Susan Johnson Contact: Susan Johnson
All Rights Reserved (01623) 478890
Email: ms.susan.johnson@ntlworld.com
All ? Rights Reserved

Disclaimer:
Quantum Leap, Sam Beckett, Al Calavicci,
Gooshie, Donna, Sammi Jo, Katie and
and all other characters including
PQL staff members
from the QL series belong to
Donald Bellisario ?
and Universal ?

Ethos, Jimmy, Bruce and Joel
are characters created
By
Susan Johnson?
in respect of this Story

No disrespect is intended
to the memory of People
named in this work
whether alive or dead.
All intentions are to honour
and to remember the lives
and deaths of people, in this
tragic time in history.

Most of this story
is based on actual facts,
whilst in parts it is
complete fiction

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Last edited:
Chapter One

Blue light flashed from the control panel of the hybrid computer known as Ziggy. Strange noises were being emitted by the whirling and whining of Ziggy?s processors. The female voice of Ziggy echoed through the vastness of the room. ?Admiral, I have located Dr. Beckett."

Albert Calavicci, wearing a white lab coat turned quickly towards the computer ?What!? His tone was more of surprise than anger; he then added questioningly, ?Are you sure Ziggy?? So many times had Albert Calavicci heard this over the past years.

?Yes Admiral.? was Ziggy?s conformed reply.

Needing no further encouragement, Al raced to the Waiting Room only to find it empty. Peering from around the Waiting Room door, Al looked over to Ziggy, a question curving his lips ?Ziggy??

?Yes Admiral.? contorted Ziggy.

Al?s face looked solemn ?There?s no-one in the Waiting Room.?

?I definitely have a location, Admiral." Ziggy?s tone sounded more conceited than usual. Al picked up the hand-link and pressed a few buttons, he stared at it, eyes wide in astonishment. He dashed to the Imaging Chamber shouting at Ziggy. ?Ziggy, centre me in on Sam.? the Imaging Chamber door ?swished? closed behind him.

The Imaging Chamber doors open and the observer stepped out unnoticed in the crowded street. He looked about him anxiously, the street was a good foot deep in snow and it was still snowing. He could not see his friend, and shivered at the sight of the snow.

Still looking for his friend, the frozen snow crackled around him, outlandishly dressed, weary people trudging through the freezing snow, walking through the observer. The observer turned and watched, miffed at a passerby as he emerged from within the observer, unfelt. Frustrated at not being able to find Sam, the observer shouted at the top of his voice ?Darn it Sam! Where are you?? but his words fell silently on the passersby?s ears. How many times had he shouted these words? How many times had he felt this pain, felt this sorrow?

A strange language came from the lips of everyone around him. Head cocked, he listened for a while. A few presses on the buttons of the hand-link revealed his location. He looked at the hand-link in astonishment for quite some time. ?Oh my God!? He moved a nervous hand to his sweating brow. His mouth moved but only a feint whisper left his lips, ?Russia, July 14, 1918.? As he suspiciously looked around, he repeated, ?1918.?

The observer returned to the Imaging Chamber door, pressed a few more buttons on the hand-link. The Imaging Chamber door opened with a ?whoosh?. The observer looked about him once more as the door closed behind him.

Al rushed over to the hybrid computer and impatiently slammed down the hand-link with a crash. ?Careful Admiral, it?s the only one we have since er??

Al looked at the hand-link on the counter and gently touched it with a finger. ?Gooshie, yes I know.? Sadly Al raised his eyes to the Imaging Chamber door, ?Ziggy! Sam?s not there! I thought he might be this time. It feels different somehow.?

Ziggy sounded very agitated, ?But I cannot be wrong Admiral. He is where he is. According to the data he is right where I said he would be, give or take a few hundred meters, or so.? Ziggy?s lights start flashing again showing that she was getting more agitated.

Al could have sworn that if Ziggy?d had fingers she?s be chalking ?one? up for herself. ?Okay! Okay! Don?t blow any more microchips. I?ll have another scout around.?

?Thank you Admiral that would be a very sensible thing to do.? Ziggy?s tone was triumphant. Again Al imagined another chalk mark, ?Sensible! Nothing about this, this situation is sensible.? Al was annoyed, ?Do yer know the date Sam?s leapt into??

Ziggy?s response was cool, ?Yes Admiral, July 14, 1918. Two days before the assassination of the Imperial Family of Russia.?

?Yeah! He?s right in the middle of the Russian revolution and you?re acting like Sam?s just leapt into a swimmin pool. Yer know if you weren?t Sam?s creation, I-I?d have pulled the plug on you long ago.? Al nervously puffed on his cigar, smoke billowed around him. In his imagination Al chalked a point up for himself, why was everything down to points where Ziggy was concerned.

?Admiral tell me one thing. If you pull the plug on me, how will you find Dr. Beckett??

?Arg!? Another one for Ziggy. Al waved his hand to dismiss the remarks. He picked up his overcoat and grabbed the hand-link and headed once more to the Imaging Chamber. ?Ziggy, see if you can get a nearer location for Sam. It?s 50 below out there, and set the Audio Translator to Russian. I can?t understand a damned word they?re sayin?.? The Imaging Chamber door closed behind him.

The door opened once more and the observer stepped out. After several button clicks of the hand-link he could understand what everyone around him was saying. He pulled the overcoat up around his neck and started walking the length of the long street, the snow silent under his feet. The Observer walked into the distance, fading into the crowd.

A three storey building, dirty pink in color, surrounded by a high, roughly built wooden fence came into view. The hand-link beeped and chirped. The observer looked about him and then back at the building. ?Are you anywhere nearer to locating Sam?? He pressed a single button, and the hand-link showed him his current location. ?Are you sure Ziggy, this is erm, I mean this is Ipatiev House, the final dwelling of the Russian Imperial family. Is this right Ziggy??

The hand-link beeped once more. He looked down at the object in his hand; his face was full of anguish and sadness. He turned and stared at the house, eyes full of tears. ?Is Sam in there?? The hand-link emitted a familiar sound. He whispered almost silently, ?Centre me in on Sam.? The observer disappeared.
 
Chapter Two

The Imaging Chamber door opened with a ?whoosh? and the familiar figure of the observer stepped out. He found himself in the centre of a large oak table, surrounded by several high backed chairs. He looked up, immediately above was a large dusty chandelier. ?That doesn?t look none too safe.? He commented and moved quickly from the table and walked around the room. Heavy curtains hung at the windows. His eyes scoured an ornate dresser that almost covered one wall, a picture hung crookedly above an iron fireplace. Ironically he tried to straighten the picture, and laughed ?Ha-ha, stay crooked then," as he realized he couldn?t move it. As he turned amused from the picture he noticed a rough cot in disarray on the floor, and strode closer. The sheets were not sheets but old rags and were none too clean either.
Suddenly a door opened and two coarsely dressed guards entered the room, sandwiched between them was a sorry sight of a figure. One of the guards backed out of the room and stood in the doorway. The observer touched a button on the hand-link. The figure heard this very familiar sound and lifted his head and looked towards to the observer. ?Al!?

The observer responded quickly, ?Sam! Don?t say another word.? Sam?s forlorn face looked questioningly towards the observer. The remaining guard pushed Sam further into the room with the muzzle of a riffle. ?Get over there, darkness is falling, have to take care of the others.? He lit the lamp on the dresser keeping the weapon aimed at Sam and closed the curtains at the windows. The observer spurted out, ?You?re in Russia Sam, the date is 14, July 1918. I don?t know who you are yet, cos there?s no-one in the Waitin? Room.?

The guard turned to leave the room, before closing the door, he turned to Sam, ?If you remember anything more, doctor you?ll have to holler as usual, damn gentry can?t do a thing for themselves.? He continued to close the door and the sound of a key turned in the lock.

?Al! What am I doing in Russia? What?s the year again 19???

?1918 Sam. Well, that?s good, at least we know you?re er, a doctor. Ziggy, find out what you can about a doctor here.? The hand-link tweeted and spluttered, the observer looked anxiously at Sam. He looked like Sam, sounded like Sam, well sort of. He could just make out the image through a thick, smokey haze of what must be this doctor, and the voice came through, gravely and deep, but the under-tones were Sam. He shook his head and continued, ?You?re Dr. Eugene Botkin.?

?What! What am I-I doing in 1918?? The observer looked back at the hand-link, ?Er-erm. You?re in Russia, Ekaterinburg, Ipatiev House. You?re the personal physician of the czar of Russia, and his wife Alexandra and their four daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and their only son, Alexei. Oh no! Sam! You?re erm, he, er Dr. Botkin was assassinated along with the rest of the Russian Imperial Family.?

?Yeah, but what am I doing in 1918, Al??

The observer raised his shoulders and shrugged them, ?There must be some sort of malfunction or something. A lot has happened since you last leapt.?

?What do you mean a lot has happened? I only got here yesterday morning.? Sam?s face was puzzled.

?Oh my God Sam!? he covered his face with a hand, trying to hide the emotion he could no longer hold inside. Tears flooded down his cheeks, he turned his back on his companion, and wiped away his sorrow.

?Al! What is it?? Sam moved closer to his friend. ?God damn it, tell me!?

The observer was silent as he slowly turned to face Sam, and found it difficult to look him square in the face.

?It?s been nearly nine years since you last leapt.? He could see Sam?s face drop, and for the first time he could see through the haze. Time had been hard on Dr. Beckett, although he still looked in good physical shape, lines had furrowed deeply into his face? time had taken its toll.

Sam looked at the floor his face wracked with emotion. ?What! Nine years!? Sam sat slowly into a chair, his elbows on the table, hands cupping his face. He looked worried. ?What-what the hell?? The observer watched Sam with concern in his eyes, feeling Sam?s pain. ?Nine years. Al, what have you been doing for nine years??

?Just like you Sam, to think of someone else before yourself, but of course you wouldn?t know this Sam, I?m a grandfather now.? The observer trying to change the subject a little, trying to make light of this difficult situation. ?Lisa Jane had a baby last year and??

Sam interrupted. ?Lisa Jane! Beth! What about Beth??

?Oh, she?s okay. She wasn?t too keen on being a grandmother, but she got over it. In fact, she loves having the baby around and Ruth, Sharon and Maxine are all pleased too.?

?Who?s Lisa Jane??

?My eldest daughter. Why??

?I can?t remember.? Sam looked confused.

?Well it could be that swiss-cheesed memory of yours.? He wished he could console his companion.

?All I remember before coming here was? erm, seeing Beth.? Sam sat thinking ?Yes, Beth. I told her you were coming home. Yes, you-you coming home Al.?

?Sam, what are you talkin about? Beth?s been with me for 44 years.? The observer scrutinized Sam quizzically.

Sam stood up suddenly, walked around the table and confronted the observer. ?Al, don?t you remember, you were a POW in Vietnam and Beth declared you dead and she married a Lawyer.?

?No, you got that wrong Sam.? His face was stern, ?Vietnam, yes, you got that right. Beth didn?t marry any Lawyer. We have four beautiful daughters together.?

Sam smiled at his friend. ?So Beth waited for you then??

?Yeah course she did, what makes you think she didn?t??

?Then what about Ruth, Sharon and Maxine??

?They?re my kids Sam! Boy your brain really got magnafuzzled this time.?

Sam turned away and whispered to himself, ?I did it.? The observer didn?t see Sam?s smile. ?I?m really happy for yer.?

The observer was by now very confused and looked at Sam thoughtfully. ?Thanks Sam!?

Sam turned back to face his companion and moved closer. ?They keep questioning me about people I know nothing about; I don't know what to say to them, I don't know anything. Al, why am I here??

?Erm, well. We?re having a little trouble with that one Sam. Ziggy?s working on it, but I can hazard a fairly good guess.?

?What?s that??

?Well Sam, I think you?re here to stop the assassination of the Romanov family, and I think the people they are questioning you about are their relations, erm- immediate family.?

"Who?"

?Oh Sam, you must remember the abdication of the czar Nicholas II during W.W.1.?

Sam shook his head. "Nope.?

"And about Rasputin, the Mad Monk?" The observer looked at Sam curiously.

Sam shook his head once more. "Never heard of him, I can?t remember."

"Sam, you must remember something? Ziggy said?"

"Ziggy, Ziggy, Ziggy! Why can?t that darned computer come up with anything?"

"Well Sam, she hasn?t any data on 1918. I mean she?s not been programmed for anything further back November 1952, and, this time you?ve leapt way outside of your own life-time. She?s working on it though.?

Sam?s gaze changed suddenly, ?I?ve met him Al.?

The observer was once again puzzled by Sam?s change of subject. He found it hard to keep up with Sam?s mind going off on tangents. ?Who??

"Yer know? him.? Sam looked upward still keeping his eyes on his friend. The observer looked at Sam in total confusion. "Oh Al, the one that?s leaping me around in time.?

The observer still looked at Sam, as confused as ever. "When?"

?My last leap. He gave me a choice Al. To return home or to carry on helping put right people?s pasts, your past Al.?

?You could have stopped me goin to Vietnam, that woulda helped.?

"But I did help yer, can?t you see, before, when you were in Vietnam, Beth didn?t wait for you.?

"Oh Sam, don?t start that up again." The observer turned his back on Sam, not wanting to show his emotions.

Sam looked on at his friend, wanting to tell him more. "How long?s it gonna take, Al?"

Sam had gone off on another tangent again, leaving the Observer a little confused, "What, how long?s what gonna take?"

Sam was getting impatient at his friend, "Ziggy, how long?s Ziggy gonna take?"

Familiar tweeting and chirping came from the hand-link. "95% done? won?t be long now Sam.?

They both heard the sound of sobbing from outside of the room where the two friends stood. Sam rushed over to the door and started banging on it with his fists, the observer followed him. A voice yelled back from outside. ?Hey, you stop that banging, and you *****, stop that whining. ?Cause if you don?t I?m gonna give you something to whine about. Stop it do you hear!?

Sam shouted back at the voice, "You leave her alone." Sam still banged on the door. "If you touch one hair on her head I?ll-I?ll?? The sound of a key turned in the lock. Sam moved away from the door.

?Be careful Sam!? The observer sternly warned Sam.

The door flew open with a ?crash? and the guard stood challenging in the doorway. "And you?ll do what old man?"

Sam suddenly became very quiet, "Just leave her alone okay!" The sound of sobbing still continued outside.

The guard turned slightly in the doorway, "Stop that whining *****." The guard left the room pulling the door closed behind him. They heard the muffled voice of the guard continue, ?Whining like that will not help you, yer all the same, damned gentry.?

?Be quiet for a while Sam,? the observer held a finger to his pursed lips, ?the guard hasn?t locked the door. I?ll go check on the girl. You stay here.?

The observer walked through the door without opening it. Then popped his head back through. His voice demanding, ?Mind you don?t go anywhere Sam!?

"Al, as if I would.?

"I know you pal, now stay put. I?ll stalk out the territory while I?m at it.?

"Al, I?m not gonna go anywhere, I promise.? Sam shooed the observer away with a gesture of his hands. Sam watched the disappearing image of the holographic observer.

Sam faced the centre of the room and looked about him. Sam started thinking, ?Sometimes after a leap I can?t figure out who I am, where I am or what I?m here to do. This time I know who I am? where I am and I have the probability of knowing what I have to do.

Mostly confusion reigns for the first part of a leap, then the memory that the leapee has left behind, kicks in. This leap seems somewhat different somehow. How can I leap into someone and that someone not be in the Waiting Room?

Also there is the fact that I have leapt outside of my own life-time. This is something that has only happened twice before, and there were reasonings for those times. The first time Al?s and my own masons had merged and we switched places, Al had leapt back in time and I was the hologram. We were in Al?s life-time.

The other time was when I leapt into one of my ancestors. That was due to me having the same metabolic atoms as that ancestor, but what of this leap? There are no connections whatsoever that I can think of to explain.?

Sam heard the observer voice, ?Hey Sam, she?s beautiful.? The observer re-materialized through the closed door. "Oh sorry Sam, I mean sh-she?s pretty for a 17 year old. Hm.?

"Al, lechery will get you nowhere.?

"What yer mean, I?m not being lecherous?" The observer was hurt.

"Come off it, if it wears a skirt and is of the opposite sex, you just gotta have a go. Don?t forget I know you, Al.?

"Aw, that really hurts, I?m a happily married man. Perhaps you don?t know me like you think you do.?

"Oh I?m sorry; I?m forgetting you?ve only been married to one wife and not five.?

?Five! Where?d yer get that from? Oh don?t answer that one? Anyways Ziggy?s come up with the scenario.? The observer pointed to the hand-link. ?Of course I knew I was right all along.?

?Your head is swelling Al.?

"All right, all right, cut it out.?

"What?d Ziggy say?"

"There?s a 99.5% chance that erm, " The observer struck the hand-link. "That you?ve got to stop the ***?" The observer hit the hand-link once more. ??oh, hm, stop the assassination of the czar and his family, the Romanovs? Nothing else has come up.?

"How am I supposed to do that? There are guards everywhere?" Sam glanced at the observer for advice.

?Well, I?ve had a look around; we?re on the first floor. That door on the right leads to the four Duchesses? room, also through there is Nicholas?, Alexei and Alexandra?s room. The door to the left is the Salon, which leads to the hallway. Everyone?s in the Salon at the moment. Apparently you are kept in this room because you erm, Dr. Botkin has a bad heart condition and only had an attack yesterday morning.?

"Al that?s when I leapt in, yesterday morning. A bad heart eh, that?s, that?s why I?m not feeling too good, right?"

"Probably Sam, probably. I must say you don?t look too good either."

"A mirror Al, I can?t find a mirror. Have you seen one?"

"Honestly Sam you don?t need one, I don?t think you?d like what you?d see. How are you feelin??"

"Okay, why?"

"Thought we might join the others. I?ll go and check and see if it?s clear.? The observer moved towards the door.

"Don?t be long." Sam sounded a little more than anxious.

"I won?t." He left the room in his usual manner and re-appeared on the other side of the door.

The observer looked about the Salon, a few more steps into the room he could see a large archway to the right leading to another section of the Salon, to his left there was a stairwell. The room was dark, lit only by two lamps, one in each section. Along one wall was a large marble fireplace and a chase-lounge on which sat the czar, Nicholas and czarina, Alexandra. On another sat the two eldest daughters, Tatiana, and Olga along with the son, Alexei. On two separate chairs sat Maria, and Anastasia with her dog, Jemmy at her feet. All the females were in the process of sewing. Crouched in a corner talking, were three servants, one male and two female. There were no guards in sight. All was quiet except for the sobbing of Olgar.

The observer walked through the darkened hall and headed down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs he turned left, a short passage and down more stairs to the left. Through empty, darkened rooms and corridors he trudged. He passed a room full of noisy guards and watched for a while, mentally counting each one. His final destination, the cellar, empty and dark. The only light came from the moon that shone through the solitary window.

"Oh my God! This is where it all happens, two days from now.? The observer swallowed visibly.
 
Chapter Three

Sam sat alone in the room waiting for his friend?s return. Suddenly a tightening pain crushed his chest. "Argh!" Sam keeled over onto the floor. He writhed with the torturous pain and fell into unconsciousness.

As the observer entered the room he saw Sam in agony and rushed over to him. "Sam! Sam what wrong?"

Sam?s eyes flickered open; he was finding it difficult to breathe. "I think I?m having a seizure Al.? Sam?s face was a ghostly gray.

Sam was breathing heavily, he could hardly speak. The observer tried to pour Sam a cup of water from the jug on the table, but he couldn?t grasp the handle. He hurriedly left the room but soon re-entered a second later. Flapping his arms about in dismay. "They can?t see me Sam! Take some really deep breaths and try to relax.?

"Relax! I-I can?t relax!" Sam was gasping ?God, the pain? It-it?s unbearable.? His face contorted with pain.

?Don?t say anything Sam, just breathe, slowly, deeply.? The observer looked around desperately trying to find something to help Sam, but all he could see was the water sitting on the table, too far out of Sam?s reach for it to help.

Sam could hardly speak, ?What am I going to do Al??

"Right. Remember one-time when you leapt, you thought you were having a heart attack then."

"No. Can?t remember.?

"Your heart is in perfect condition; it?s just psychosomatic, you were fine ?till I told you that Dr. Botkin had a heart condition.?

"I know, but this pain is real.?

The observer glared at Sam, teeth gritted, ?Physician heal thyself.?

Sam placed his fingers to his neck feeling his carotid pulse. ?Feels okay, strong and regular.?

"There you are, just take it steady." The observer took a deep breath and his eyes closed in relief.

Sam lay there taking slow, deep breaths, the pain started to subside, ?Okay, it?s easing off a little.? The color started to return to Sam?s face. He raised himself to his elbows. ?I?ll be okay in a minute Al.?

Sam looked at his friend, he could see the concern in his face and he could feel his helplessness, ?I wish I could do something for you Sam.?

?Just being here is all I need? thanks Al.? Sam?s breathing was starting to return to normal and he managed to get back onto the chair.

"Get some water, and sip it slowly.? Sam just managed to pour out the water spilling most of it on the table. A shaky hand lifted the cup to his lips.

"That?s right, slowly." The hand-link beeped as if to remind them of the task in hand. "Right Sam, as far as I can see there are six guards on the ground floor. None at all on this floor.?

Sam took a deep breath and stood, wincing at the pain in his chest. Sam let the breath out as he spoke, "Right, let?s take a look."

"You sure you?re okay? I mean you can rest a while.?

Sam held his chest. "It?s okay, it?s nearly gone. I can?t sit around here and do nothing; I have to find some way of?" Sam, hunched over, managed to walk over to the door to the Salon, and opened it. "?helping these people."

Sam closed the door silently behind him, while the observer emerged through the wall. They entered further into the Salon. The czar, Nicholas was speaking to the two girls as they entered the Salon, ?Children, please, do put the jardini?re back in the chest, we do not want the guards finding our jewels.? Nicholas noticed Sam, ?Oh Dr. Botkin you are up.?

Sam shuffled over to a vacant chair next to Tatiana and Olga, between them sat a bowl filled with diamonds, gems, jewelry and pearls, the two girls were playing with them.

Alexandra looked up from her sewing; concern was evident in her voice ?How are you feeling Dr. Botkin? Better I trust?? Alexandra?s blue eyes held a sadness she could not hide. Sam smiled at her as he sat down in the chair.

"A little better thank you erm?" Sam looked toward his friend; the observer noticed his friend?s predicament.

"Ma?am, address her as Ma?am.? the observer prompted.

"Ma?am, better, thank you.? Sam nodded to his friend, but he was looking at Alexandra.

Alexandra looked up again from her sewing and smiled at Sam. Olga?s eyes were swollen and red from her weeping, but when she smiled at Sam they sparkled a little. Nicholas looked over to Sam and slapped both hands onto the arms of the chair, ?Glad to hear that Dr. Botkin, indeed, you gave us quite a scare yesterday.?

"Indeed so, I trust you rested well?" Alexandra smiled at her husband but the words were directed to Sam.

"Yes, indeed I did, I rested well.? Sam smiled at the couple, who after all of their years together, still showed their affection for each other. He could tell, they were still deeply in love.

"I see the guards have let you out." Nicholas stood and casually strolled over to the fireplace.

?Let me out? H-how do you mean?? Sam knew he had been locked in the Dinning Room but didn?t wish to appear nonsensical.

"Yes Dr. Botkin. They thought you were feigning your attack yesterday and locked the doors to the Dining Room. I think they feared you would elude them." Nicholas explained.

"They locked me in? I didn?t know that." continued Sam.

Alexandra almost repeated her husband?s words. "Yes Doctor, we tried to persuade them that it was not a necessity, but they locked you in nevertheless."

"I was not aware of that, the door was unlocked when I came in here." Sam?s gaze turned to Alexandra.

Alexandra shook her head, "They must have taken heed, it is a pleasure to have your companionship again.?

"The pleasure is all mine, Ma?am.? Sam looked at the women sewing and then at the bowl of jewels. He knew of their plight and suddenly an idea came to him.

?Ma?am, I have a notion, I hope you will not mind my proposition.? Sam glanced over to the observer and shrugged his shoulders.

The observer laughed at Sam, ?I like that Sam, keeping in character. You shoulda gotten one of your Doctorates in acting. Dr. Samuel Beckett actor extraordinaire.? Sam looked at his companion, annoyed. The observer lit up a cigar and started to blow smoke rings into the air.

Alexandra?s glanced from her sewing to Sam, ?No, of course Doctor, your propositions have been so advantageous in the past. Speak doctor, what do you propose??

?You could sew the jewels into your erm, your undergarments. Pardon this suggestion, but that way they could be hidden more easily.?

"Why Dr. Botkin, you are a genius, children lets do as Dr. Botkin proposes. This will be a great adventure." Everyone busied themselves with this preparation. The children were excited. Sam watched as they flittered around the room.

The observer slapped his hands together; the ash fell from his cigar unseen. ?Good thinking Sam. You could add a couple of Oscars to the Nobel Prize you got already.?

Sam was annoyed at the observer. "Al!"

Anastasia noticed Sam?s remark. "What?s wrong doctor?" Anastasia?s hair shone reddish blonde in the lamplight and her blue eyes although sad, held a sparkle for life.

Sam was a little embarrassed at his sudden outburst towards his friend and was happy to see no-one else had noticed, ?Erm, I-I?ll stretch my legs. I?ve done nothing but lie down since yesterday. No concern, nothing, is wrong my dear.?

"Good idea, we?ll go over to the hallway.? The observer nodded in the direction of the hallway and walked towards it, Sam stood up and followed.