Chapter One Admiral Albert Calavicci rolled over in his bed. "What?", he said to the voice from the ceiling that had just interrupted his sleep for the thousandth time in what seemed a thousand nights. "I said," the computer purred back at him " Dr. Beckett has leapt. Dr. Beeks is taking care of the visitor in the waiting room one Robert Perelli or as he is also known Robert Savage." "As he is known?" questioned the Admiral. Ziggy reported back "Doctor Beeks has informed me that she recognized the visitor as Robert Savage, an actor, highly popular in the late 1980s. As with many of his profession he picked a stage name. His real last name is..". "I get it you overgrown toaster. Great rubbing shoulders with the best of the best. I think I'll go back to bed and let Sam handle this one on his own." Al rolled over on his side and pretended to fall back asleep. "Admiral!" Ziggy huffed providing Al with a silent chuckle. "Aw common Ziggy. An actor? He probably just has a major problem getting the biggest trailer or keeping just enough gel in his hair, honestly." Al had every intention of getting up. Lightweight leap or not he would never leave Sam to fend for himself and maybe this time it would be an easy leap for a change. But, Al could not resist egging on Ziggy whose tone, he amusingly noted, was rising in active with every word. "Admiral may I remind you that regardless of the exact nature of the leap.." Al cut the computer off mid-sentence. "Oh okay, okay don't blown a circuit. I'm going." Ziggy was silent for a moment before replying in an icy, hurt tone. "The Doctor is awaiting your arrival in the waiting room." And, with that, the computer clicked off leaving Al to laugh to himself in the stillness of the room. From the insistent tone Ziggy had taken Al expected to find the waiting room abuzz with activity instead he found it, well dead. Okay, so maybe it was not completely void of human activity, but hell you could have heard a pin wrapped in cotton wrapped in gauze hitting a bed of feathers. Al walked over to the table that held what he saw and felt was Sam. It always seemed that way to Al. There was Sam. It was only when the eyes opened and the new visitors soul poked through that Sam seemed to fade away. Al shivered a little at the thought of Sam fading. "Cold Al?" Al jumped at the sound of Dr. Beeks voice but he caught himself and immediately straightened up. "Naw, so what's the story Doc?" Al was quick to change the subject least the doctor started probing in the messy muck that Al considered his brain and emotions to be. "Well, so far all seems well. The visitor woke briefly but, then seemed to drift off again perhaps thinking his surroundings were only part of a dream." Beeks bent over the resting body and then turned and gave a smile to Al. Al said nothing but moved closer to the doctor and her patient. Al looked down at the body that appeared to be as Beeks said asleep. Well, nothing special about this leap so far. Maybe just maybe they will all be able to take a break on this one. Maybe Sam's just there to pose for some photographs and sign an autograph or two. Al chuckled to himself at the idea but, at the same time, he could feel a cold rumbling in his gut telling him that anything this peaceful usually is just waiting to break wide open with panic and mayhem. Al had not noticed Beeks giving him a once over out of the corner of her eye as he proceeded to look at the body and say nothing. Beeks studied the Admiral. He looked ragged. Of course everyone looks a little rough around the edges when they are woken in the middle of the night but, this was something different. Strain. Strain of being on constant call. Strain of never knowing. It was showing through. Even Al's stone cold wall of hidden emotions could not help betray him a little on this one. Beeks had seen it too many times with medical interns. No control over their lives. Bad hours. Interrupted sleep. After a while it all takes its toll on the body, mind and spirit. Al noticed her staring at him and straightened up slightly. He cocked his head to the side and stared straight at her. "Your patient is right there doctor," he said while pointing at the body that quietly occupied the table in front of them. Beeks blushed and then began to feel anger at her body betraying her by allowing the shock of Al catching her show on her face. "I was simply thinking what a shame that you had to get out of bed what with the little sleep that you have been getting lately. Besides, "she suggested with a crooked grin, "the psychiatrist cannot help but think what a fascinating study you would make." Al gave her a small smile but said nothing more about it, he turned once again to the patient in front of them. "So how is he doc, beds asleep." Verbena was grateful for a topic she felt more comfortable discussing. "His vitals are fine. He should be coming back around any moment." Al gave a grunt of approval. "Ziggy," Al called to the ceiling, " do you have any data on Sam yet beside the name?" Ziggy's feminine voice broke out of its silence "Doctor Beckett has leaped into Tom Savage in the year 1989. Tom Savage is a young actor who has made several very popular films and was named sexiest male of 1988." Al cut the computer off before it could run through the entire life of sexy Savage the wonder actor, "Do we know what Sam is there to do?" "That information is inconclusive at this time." Ziggy replied in a hurt tone. "Inconclusive? You Ziggy?" Al mocked the computer causing Beeks to stifle a chuckle. "I thought you were incapable of not knowing everything at every moment." "There is no need," Ziggy shot back in a smug tone, "to blame me for the being unable to find the proper documentation needed among the primitive human resources I am forced to use.' With that Ziggy abruptly clicked off. "Women" Al muttered to himself as he turned and walked quickly out of the waiting room doors. From Sam's vantage point Al's grumblings about women would have seemed, for once, right at home. Here he was surrounded by women. Reasonable, normal, sane women reduced to screeching, blathering idiots at the sight of one man singing book flaps. Overpriced books filled with nothing but fluff at that. An entire book about the greatness of being Tom Savage. Tom Savage the kid. Tom Savage the youth. Savage in a sweater. Savage bare chested. Shy Savage. Sexy Savage. Savage from the right. Savage from the right. Ridiculous. "Maybe it's this guys" ego I am here to fix" Sam thought to himself. Sam laughed to himself. Yeah, that's it bring this guy down a few pegs. Give a few pimples. A bad haircut. Anything to bring his massive ego back down to earth. But then what? He would just come back to be his old self. The snake like line seemed to wrap longer and longer through the bookstore as Sam signed book after book and posed for hundreds of photos. He tried to make each one personal but, found that time limited his ability to really connect with anyone that came through. In the end he finally gave up and simply signed his name, gave a smile and left it at that. After what seemed an eternity a man Sam supposed was Savage's manager announced an end to the endless book signing. There were still hundreds of hopeful women in line. They begged him to stay, pleaded with him but, his manager quickly pulled him away leading him through the back of the store and down a flight of stairs that led to the stores basement. The basement smelled of dust and mildew and had very little light. It was obviously only used as storage for those things that no one would care about. He saw old store decorations and deteriorated sales rakes. A graveyard of "Free!" and "Buy one! Get One" promises. "Some glamour spot for such a big star" Sam smiled at the familiar sounds of the imaging chamber door sliding open and the low growl of Al's voice. Al almost seemed to glow against the dimness of his surroundings in his neon blue suit, hot pink shirt, bright yellow tie, and matching blue fedora. He waved his cigar in and out of a haphazard pile of boxes. "What's the matter kid? Kicked out of stardom already?" Sam grimaced in his friends direction to both show his inability to talk and also to show disapproval at Al's latest attempt of a joke. Sam looked towards the man who had earlier pulled him away from the creaming masses. "I uh," the manager turned around and hurried over at the sound of Sam's utterance. "Yes? What do you need?" he asked in a concerned, my job may be on the line, kind of way. "I have to ...uh..well is there a bathroom?" Sam noticed the manager seemed a little taken aback by Sam's shy stammering question, he was probably used to this guy Savage screaming and barking orders at him."Sure, sure. Anything you want." the manager said and then charged off towards a clump of men who where standing a the other end of the room. Sam guessed theat some of them worked for him and some worked for the sores. Within seconds Sam was escorted up to a restroom which was subsequently barred by a burly security guard, after a check had been done of the restroom and an assurance had been made to Sam that he would be right out front of the door should any problems arise. Alone at last Sam took a moment to look at his new face in the mirror. A handsome, blue eyed face stared back at him. A lock of perfect blond hair swept lazily across his forehead. He smiled at himself. Perfect teeth and dimples with perfect cheekbones smiled back at him. What ever he was here to do Sam was sure it wasn't to fix this guys looks. He turned away from the mirror and looked towards the hologram that presently appeared to be drifting in and out of the sinks as Al paced back and forth. "So Al, what is it this time?" Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?" Al removed the big cigar he was smoking and shook the hand link a few times. The pile of blinking lights let out a high pitched squeal, "Ah well, it's 1989, August to be exact. You are." "Tom Savage, I know" Sam interrupted. Al continued "Right, Tom Savage. Anyway, Ziggy says he's on a show about cops or doctors or something." "He is doctor Mark on Mercy Angels" Sam interrupted again."right," Al said and began again "his life is like a made for tv movie. He started our on a farm.." One again Sam interrupted " I know, I know. A director was driving past this guys farm. Has blow out. Savage helps him. The director gives him a small part in a small movie. He wins rave reviews. Wins the part Mercy Angels which becomes a big, big show." "Well," Al says in a slightly hurt tone "maybe you can just finish this leap on your own since you know so much. Maybe I will just go back and see what Tina is up to. I would rather look at her than you any day pal." Sam let out a small laugh "I'm sorry Al it's just that I have spent the last to hours with people gushing to tell me all about me." Al did not acknowledge Sam's explanation, he was to preoccupied at whatever the handlink was telling him. Al shook the handlink and then peered down at it again. He hit the side of it and it let out a small shriek. "Al? Are you in there Al?" Sam inquired. Al looked up at him "What? Oh sorry Sam. It just this worthless piece of junk is feeding out a bunch of nonsense." "Ziggy isn't experiencing problems is it?" Sam questioned feeling his stomach begin to know at the possibility of Ziggy being unable to keep up Al's connection or having to figure out the leap with no information from Ziggy. But, Al did not answer instead he began to yell at the handlink, "This is not funny Ziggy. I am aware of that you overgrown toaster," Al answered huffily to whatever comment his invisible sparring partner had just thrown at him. "But, it makes no sense. Well I don't care...run the calculations again. Run them until they make sense then!" Sam could take the suspense no longer "Al do you want to let me know what is going on? It's only my life we are talking about here or at the very least this guys life I have leaped into." Al looked straight at Sam "Your right kid. It is your life and the fact that you may lose it is what's concerning me." "You mean I leaped to make sure this guy doesn't get murdered?" Sam inquired. "No," said Al in a low, concerned tone "According to Ziggy, you are here to make sure that in exactly two days from now you get yourself killed."