Chapter 1

Okay, sorry about the long wait but this story requires a bit more detail than the last one so it took me some time to sort out everything I wanted to include. Anyway, please enjoy.

As warm, afternoon sun beamed down on a medium sized, white boat in the Mediterranean Sea, two people surfaced. "Jonny, I think I found something!" The girl called to her companion.

The young man brushed his blond hair out of his eyes and nodded, "Let's get on the boat and take a look."

The two swam for the Questor and, after pulling himself aboard, the boy turned and offered a hand to the red haired, young woman. "Thanks" She smiled and took his hand.

"Anytime, Jess." He grinned warmly as he handed her the towel that was waiting for her. Then Jonny turned and called out to his adopted brother, "Hadji, you still meditating?!"

"Actually, my friend, I was just telling Race where you and Jessie were at. He says that Dr. Quest's meeting is almost over."

"Good. I think I found something that might belong with the artifacts from the dig."

The boys looked at the flat, metal object Jessie held. It was a red color mixed with silver and held strange markings on it. "These look almost Greek." Hadji mumbled as he studied the piece.

Jonny tilted his head and shrugged. "Maybe dad will know what it says. For now, let's take some pictures of it and eat. I'm starved."

Hours passed as the three teens waited for Race and Dr. Quest to return. Finally, Jessie stood up and walked towards the radio. "I don't like this. They should've been here by now."

"Yeah." Jonny agreed as he looked out a nearby window. "Think something happened?"

As if in answer to that, the boat rocked as something rammed into it. Regaining his footing Jonny glanced to his friend and girlfriend to ensure they were unhurt before rushing outside. His eyes widened as he saw another boat and the ninja boarding their vessel from it.

"Guys, it's an attack!" He called to warn them as they joined him.

As two ninja came at him, Jonny used the martial arts skills he'd honed to throw one over his shoulder and kick his companion back. We're outnumbered ….. who are these guys?

Jonny turned at the sound of Jessie crying out just to have the girl thrown against him, knocking them both off their feet. An instant later, Hadji was there to cover them as they recovered from the blow. The three of them held their own against the droves of ninja that seemed endless for as long as they could. Until their leader, Jonny assumed, got tired and threw a gas bomb aboard. As their enemies donned gas masks, they tried to cover their mouths to no avail.

Jonny barely saw Jessie fall before his own vision began to blur. Just before he passed out he saw someone else engage their attackers. Wha …..?

~~~~~~~~~~JQ~~~~~~~~~~

The masked person glanced at the three teens who were unconscious on the deck. Turning to the companions with her, she ordered. "Help me get them out of here."

One took the blond boy and the other took the girl. As their leader went for the remaining teen, a shuriken sliced into her arm. She jumped back to dodge two more. As the enemy swarmed her, she took out a sword and began to hold her own against them.

"Enough of this." The leader said. "Surrender now, Mei. Or you'll cost the young sultan here his life."

The girl tisked at the threat before throwing her sword aside. "Anaya, let him go. You have the map piece. There's no need to hurt him."

The other laughed mockingly. "Let him go? Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself? Besides, with him as leverage, I captured you."

Mei smirked behind her mask. "Don't bet on it." She replied as a flash bomb dropped from her sleeve, providing her with time to retreat.

~~~~~~~~~~JQ~~~~~~~~~~

Anaya growled as her vision returned. "That sneaky bitch."

Her sister appeared then and put a hand on her shoulder. "Relax, we got the map piece and a bargaining chip."

"Are you sure Dr. Quest will comply with our wishes now?"

Melana nodded and smiled confidently. "He considers dear Hadji here family. He'll do as we say to ensure his safety. Now, let's take the boats back and put Dr. Quest to work."

~~~~~~~~~~JQ~~~~~~~~~~

Jonny groaned as he blinked his eyes open and his vision cleared. He was in an unfamiliar room with Jessie resting on another bed nearby. What the ….? Were we captured? Wait, …. we aren't tied up …. Then what's happening? The last thing I remember is the attack …. Hadji?!

As he searched the room for his brother, the door opened and a girl walked in. A girl he knew. The boy stood in a defensive pose as he waited for the second of Dr. Zin's daughters to appear.

She held her hands up. "Jonny, wait. I'm not who you think I am ….."

Jonny still didn't drop his guard as he launched an attack against her. The girl before him dodged the attack and pinned him to the floor. She knelt down on his chest gently so as not to injure him further and held a picture in front of his face. "Look."

The picture showed Dr. Zin as a young man and a woman. Zin held two little babies while the woman held one. Jonny stared at the photo as the meaning sank in. "You mean …."

"Yes," she sighed and stood then offered him a hand. "I am Mei. The third of Dr. Zin's daughters. Please, before you act rashly, hear me out."

Jonny hesitated before taking a seat. Mei sat in a chair before she spoke. "In my family I am what you would call the white sheep. My mother began to realize how insane my father really was. So she planned to escape from him. Unfortunately, I was the only child she managed to get away with.

"So, I was raised with my mother. Trained in sciences, languages and martial arts. Over the years my mother told me of my father and his …. ways. She'd say that we were the Yin to his Yan. The light to balance the darkness in our family."

Jonny stared at her as he listened to her tale. "Where is your mother? Is she the captain here?"

Mei looked away from him. "As opposing forces, fights were a common occurrence. In one of them, Melana …... she killed our mother. Then she and Anaya tried to kill me. I'm vaguely sure they thought I was dead. They left us both for dead. That was when these people we're with found me clinging to life."

Jonny's eyes widened as sympathy washed over him. "I'm so sorry …."

The girl shook her head. "It's in the past now. We must focus on the present. Your family is in danger. Our spies found out that Race and Dr. Quest were captured before they attacked your boat. And in the attack, despite my best efforts they took Hadji."

"You were the one I saw run in as I passed out." Jonny said as the memory came back to him.

She nodded. "We'd just arrived. Anaya threatened Hadji's life if I continued fighting them. I'm sorry. After setting off the flash bomb, I barely had time to escape myself."

"It's okay." The boy said as he noted the injuries she'd sustained and the large bandage wrapped around her upper arm. "You did everything you could. Any idea what it is they were after?"

Mei hesitated for a long moment before replying. "This will be hard to believe, but please bare with me. The artifact you had on your boat was a piece of an ancient map."

"A map? To what?"

"The city of Atlantis. Anaya and Melana are intending to have your father decipher the writing on the map so they can find Atlantis and pilfer any weapons and treasure it holds."

"How do you know all of this?" Jonny inquired as he tried to wrap his head around everything Mei was telling him.

"You know how these people saved me? Well, they belong to a temple that trains their members to defend the secret of Atlantis. To prevent anyone from using the weapons the ancient Atlanteans made. The metal on the map is a sample of something only Atlantis had. Orichalcum. It's a metal that is lighter and stronger than steel. And in the city itself rests far worse weapons and untold riches. We cannot let my sisters get to that place."

"Right. So, what's the plan?"

Mei looked at him and smiled. "Eat and rest first. You two must regain your strength. When we land, I will report to my leader. Then, we'll form a plan to rescue your family and stop mine."

That's it for chapter one. I hope you all liked it. And please, fill free to let me know what you think. Till next time :)