Here's part 2!
-- Suze
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DISCLAIMER: All major characters are copyright 1996 to Hanna-Barbera,
Inc. and Turner Entertainment. No permission was asked. No money is
being made (although it is a wonderful thought). =)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is for all the HR's out there (and you know who you
are! *grin*) and my college roommates Jen, Julie and Tahnee. . .without
whom, I would still be watching JQ with a straight face. Comments?
Questions? Concerns? Direct them to me through e-mail at:
moon_princess@hotmail.com. ENJOY! =)
This part is shorter than the first, but it reveals that annoying plot
twist that gives good writing meaning.
FIRST DATE
(Part II)
by Stacy Burger
The city of Rockport was a good twenty-five minutes away from the Quest
Compound. Following the coastline, the city stood out like a picture
postcard. Now at dusk, the city was even more stunning against the
densely wooded forest and darkening sky. The shadow upon the water was
even more enchanting, drawing Jessie deeper into her thoughts.
Jessie sighed as the city came into view. She stared in awe at the
city lights surrounding the town in a bright halo. It all seemed so
peaceful from a distance, she thought. *So perfect* her mind told her.
Her thoughts quickly shifted from the city to Jonny. He was sitting in
the driver's seat, looking passively at the road and driving more
cautiously than she was used to.
Jonny had suddenly changed. . .almost overnight. . .and Jessie, for the
life of her, couldn't figure out how or why. Physically he was the same
Jonny Quest. Maybe it was the new way he dressed. The blue jeans,
black tee shirt and sneakers had disappeared and were replaced with less
casual items. Of course he wore the sneakers from time to time, but he
dressed a little more. . .Jessie searched for the word. . .refined. She
thought back to how he looked at the breakfast table nearly a month ago;
his hair was neatly combed with a few strays dropping into his face,
wearing black jeans and a short sleeved denim shirt. Jessie audibly
gasped when she entered the kitchen.
Perhaps it was a change in personality. Jonny was more talkative
lately, mush to Jessie's chagrin. He certainly seemed to have an easier
time talking to the other girls at school. Occasionally Jessie caught
him flirting with them, too. Not that she particularly cared, mind you,
it was just strange to see Jonny acting that way.
And for a while, Jessie thought Jonny's new personality was contagious.
Their friends Todd, Derek, and Ian were acting peculiar, too. When
Todd asked her to the homecoming dance -- right in front of Jonny and
the others -- Jessie nearly died in disbelief. What was even more
shocking to her was her own reply.
"I'll think about it," she had said.
*What was I thinking?* Jessie asked herself. *Todd is a great guy and
all but. . .but what?*
Then, last Friday in study hall, Jessie received a note in neat block
handwriting. It read, "How about dinner next Friday night?"
Surprised, and a little bit giddy, Jessie scribbled "Why? What's Mrs.
Evans cooking? Liver?" and dropped it on Jonny's desk on her way to the
bathroom. When she returned, a new note sat on top of her physics book.
It read, "I don't mean at home, silly. I was thinking Mexican. .
.maybe Padros. . .and then a movie (your choice of course)."
That night, before going to bed, Jessie scribbled a note to Jonny.
Jonny,
Padros and a movie next Friday! I wouldn't miss it. It's a
date!
Jessie
She slipped the note under Jonny's door. Ten minutes later, she heard
Jonny joyously yelling "yes". Jessie knew she was smiling as she
drifted off into sleep.
*What's happening to me?* Jessie asked herself.
*I'll tell you what's happening, Bannon* her mind replied. *That
childhood crush is turning out to be the real thing! You're falling and
falling hard!*
Before Jessie could think of a more logical explanation, the car came
to a stop.
"Here we are," Jonny said opening his car door and stepping outside.
He stretched leisurely and noticed Jessie about to open her door.
"Don't even think about it!" Jonny said loudly as he jogged to the
other side of the car and opened her door for her. Jonny took her hand
and helped her out of the car. Once the door was shut, he tucked
Jessie's hand under his arm.
Arm in arm, they strolled into Padros.
***** *****
*****
Race Bannon sighed heavily as he looked at the clock on his night stand
for the tenth time since Jonny and Jessie left the compound. The bright
green numbers stared back at him.
9:31 PM.
They'd been gone for two hours now. The phone didn't ring. His beeper
didn't beep.
"They're responsible enough to take care of themselves," Estella had
told him when he phoned her earlier to let her in on the event.
"Remember that time in Djakarta. Didn't they prove themselves then?
Haven't they proved it a million times? This is a long time coming,
Race. They're not six-years-old anymore. Try to relax, dear. They'll
be fine."
But Race couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen.
Good or bad. . .he didn't know.
Where Jonny Quest and his daughter were concerned, anything was
possible.
***** *****
*****
"Is everything set up?" a male voice asked.
"Just as you asked," a female voice replied.
Silence.
"Have our guests arrived yet?"
"They will shortly. I must admit I wasn't impressed. The little brats
didn't put up much of a fight. We used the experimental knock-out gas.
They should be waking up within the hour."
A chuckle, then silence.
"Good. Very good," said the male voice. "See to it that nothing goes
wrong!"
"Yes, Jeremiah."
***** *****
*****
Dr. Quest looked up from his journal for the tenth time that evening.
Gently, he removed his glasses and placed them on the table. He rubbed
his eyes then squinted at the wall clock above the fireplace.
11:02 PM.
Benton listened for a moment. No screaming. No yelling. No crashing.
It was quiet for a change.
*Too quiet* Benton thought.
He shook his head and sighed. Jonny and Jessie had been gone for three
and a half hours. By now, the movie was probably ending and they were
heading home. They promised to be home by midnight, and Jonny would
call if they ran into any trouble.
*Why would they run into trouble? You're being paranoid, Benton* he
could hear his wife scolding him.
"Perhaps," Benton said aloud. He looked at the photo of Rachel and
sighed. Placing his glasses back on, he returned to his journal.
"We'll see, Rachel. We'll see. . . ."
END PART II
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