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'Oh,boy', whispered Sam Beckett to himself. It was too much of a shock for him to do anything else as he looked up at the older version of himself. He was thirty years older but hadn't really changed a bit. Plain old human curiousity got the better of him and he just stood and stared at who he would become. Even at 83 you could still tell that Sam Beckett had one of the best minds at project, if not in the rest of the area and beyond. It was only then that Sam really realised just how far into the future he had leaped. Nicholas was in his late twenties and he hadn't even born until some time after Sam's, Al's?, present. Sam guessed that birthing techniques for older women had much improved during that time. Ever that, or he'd had gone off with a woman at least half his age, and that was much more Al's style than his!
The older Sam Beckett meanwhile just stared at his 'son' with a very strange look in his eyes and, resolved to have a private talk with Nicholas later.
At that moment, Sam heard the imaging chamber 'door' open again and Al appear.
'Oh my God, Sam, it's you!' he exclaimed unnessarily. But, what else was there to say. Sam looked briefly in Al's direction, but didn't say a word.
The older Sam cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention to the immediate present (or future). 'I'll see you for dinner later?' he asked.
'Uh, yeah, sure', replied Sam/Nicholas. With that he and Sammy-Jo said goodbye and continued their walk and dissussion. But not before, his younger self noted, he had given a glance to the precise place that Al was standing in.
'Oh, wow. What a blast, hey, Sam. Just think, it's us, in thirty years time. God, I must be a right old codger by now.'
'Er, actually, Al, I, er, I don't know how to tell you this, but... That news I got from Tina. It was about you.'
'I, I'm not here in this future am I?'
'Well, technically, you are. Everything's fine there...It's just, you, you die six years before this!'
'Oh'. Al took a moment to take this information in.
'Well, hey, look on the bright side. I'll be over ninety. That's a good innings, as they say. Not many people who have done as much as I have with their life, or had as good friends. And, who knows what else I'll do. I still have twenty odd years, remember.'
'Yeah, I keep forgetting the time period. You'd think I'd be used to time differences by now. It's different with the future than with the past, especially when it's our future! It's been a big shock, and I think the swiss-cheese is affecting my mind even worse than usual. I didn't even think to try and avoid my future self.' He suddenly remembered something else.'Al, I'm pretty sure he, me, I mean, knows what's going on. He looked almost directly at you. How can he not recognise the signs, even after all those years?'
'Well, if he does, he'll know the things at stake and hopefully not get too involved'. Sam looked sceptical at Al's remark. He didn't think he would able to keep out, especially if it meant a chance to see or hear his best friend again after six years, if it was him. And it was him!
Amongst all this animated talk though, neither Al nor Sam had noticed a very familar man who, having abandoned Sammy-Jo, was watching from around the corner of the next corridor, his suspicions confirmed.