Disclaimer: I don't own this stuff.
Chapter 2-Planning Stages
Dr. Benton Quest had a small grin on his face when he hung up the phone. It seemed a trip to Bangalore was in order. He ran a hand through his grey streaked brown hair, and then rubbed his matching beard thoughtfully.
The Immortal Stone. It was like something out of the story books. He hadn't thought the mythical gem had actually existed. But it did, and apparently it had some kind of powers prohibiting anyone from touching it without getting burned.
"What's the news, Benton? We going on a trip?" Race Bannon leaned against the doorframe of Benton's office, his white hair a rumpled mess, and his blue eyes serious.
"Hadji needs a little help in Bangalore. The archaeology team there found an ancient artifact—the Immortal Stone. Dr. Grace Lin wants me to take a look at it to see if it is the real thing."
"An immortal thingamajig, huh? Sounds great. I just got off the phone with Mr. Harmon—the high school principal. Apparently Jonny and Jessie were caught putting the man's car tires on the flag pole. He wants a meeting with one of us. I think the man's losing it after all these years. He should know by now that Jonny and Jessie aren't ones to follow the rules."
"I thought you threatened to send Jessie to a convent if she pulled another stunt again," remarked Benton with a raised eyebrow.
Race shrugged. "Twenty bucks says it was all Jonny's idea. Jessie would've stolen Harmon's car if she had planned the prank. She's still pissed I took away her license again. But right now I'm thinking of sending Jonny to the North Pole. Damn kid is driving me nuts. I thought he was supposed to grow up since it's his senior year."
"It's Jonny…he decided to live a little before graduation. Should I go talk to Mr. Harmon, or were you planning on talking to him? Civilly, I hope."
"I swear I'll be the soul of discretion. You pack what you need and I'll go round up those hooligans we call kids."
Benton chuckled to himself as Race vanished from the doorway. Sometimes being a parent was amusing, to say the least.
Rockport High School
Jessie cringed in her seat as Race entered the high school office. She nudged Jonny with her elbow, forcing him to glance up from his cell phone. Jonny quickly shoved his cell into his pocket and gave Race a small grin. Race simply glowered at the two teens.
"Think we're grounded again?" asked Jonny as Race walked into the principal's office.
"Either that or we're gonna be cleaning all the vehicles again," replied Jessie with a small sigh. "You should've let me planned the prank, hotshot. It would've been ten times easier to just take Harmon's car and let it magically reappear at the harbor. There wouldn't have been any proof that we were the ones behind it."
"Jess, you don't even have your license right now. Race took it away from you for speeding again."
"Details, details. When did you ever concern yourself with details, Jonny?" replied Jessie with a frown.
Jonny shrugged. "Since you tried to kill me by running that red light?" he suggested.
"It was an emergency!"
"Getting home before our dads found out we had snuck out was not—alright, that was an emergency. But that's not the point. The point is…we're screwed. Man, we need a vacation already. Then dad and Race wouldn't be on our backs all the time." Jonny sighed and slumped down in his seat. Jessie squeezed his hand comfortingly and sat back in her seat as well.
It was almost an hour later when Race emerged from the principal's office. Jonny and Jessie straightened up in their seats as Race stood before them with his arms crossed.
"Hey, daddy," started Jessie timidly.
"You're both grounded. One prank I could have handled—but not a week's worth of pranks. Sticking a 'Kick Me' sign on the back of Mr. Harmon's back? Switching his coffee creamer with ink? Covering his car in saran wrap? Toilet papering his house? Oh, and my personal favorite, putting a personal ad in the paper for him. You two are grounded for the rest of the month, and if I even hear that you're planning another prank on the poor man I promise to make sure you guys spend your summer helping Mr. Harmon out here. Got it?"
"Got it," mumbled Jonny and Jessie quietly. The two teens were sluggish as they got to their feet and followed Race out of the office.
"Oh, and you've been suspended for a couple of weeks too," said Race as an afterthought. "And before you start pouting about unfair treatment, at least look on the bright side."
"What bright side?" moaned Jessie. "No college is gonna accept me now."
"No school," remarked Jonny cheerfully. "That's the bright side, Jess. We don't have to go to school for a while."
Race shook his head. "Actually I was thinking more along the lines of taking an unscheduled trip to Bangalore. Benton got a call from Hadji. Some archaeologists found something called the Immortal Stone. Benton's expertise on the matter is being called for."
Jessie made a face as they reached Race's black SUV. "I didn't think the Immortal Stone existed. I thought it was just a myth."
"You actually know what he's talking about?" demanded Jonny hopping into the backseat. "Man, Jess, you really need to stop paying attention in school."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, Jonny. Actually, my mom taught me about it. It's every archaeologist's dream to find the Immortal Stone. She's made it her life's work to learn everything about it," replied Jessie matter-of-factly.
Race groaned. "Please tell me your mother isn't gonna find out about this thing and fly over to Bangalore. She's gonna kill me when she finds out you've been suspended again."
"It depends. Who found the stone?"
"A Dr. Grace Lin."
"Then yeah, she'll be there. She worked with Dr. Lin on a dig in Peru once."
Jonny chuckled. "I don't care why we're goin' to Bangalore or who for—we get a vacation!"
"Yeah," grumbled Race darkly, "but all you two are gonna be doing the entire time is dig. Lots and lots of digging."
Jonny leaned forward to glance at Jessie in the passenger seat. "Is it just me or is your dad running out of punishments for us?"
"It's definitely not just you," agreed Jessie regarding her dad with a quizzical look. The trip to Bangalore didn't sound so appealing anymore.
Somewhere in Columbia
South America
Estella Velasquez ran a hand through her chin length red hair before replacing her hat back on top of her head. The warm weather was starting to get to her. She had been at the latest dig site since the crack of dawn; she was ready for a nap.
"Oh dios mio," she muttered to herself as her cell phone began to ring. Estella dug through the contents her bag sitting atop the table. She pulled out her phone in triumph and took a grateful seat in a folding chair situated under the shady tarp.
"Hello?" she asked breathlessly.
"Estella?" the voice of Grace Lin crackled on the other line.
Estella smiled. "Grace, it's so good to hear from you! How have you been?"
"Busy. And you?"
"Same. I've been thinking of taking some time off and tracking down my daughter. I've missed her lately."
Grace chuckled. "Well then, have I got a proposition for you. Come to Bangalore. The Quests are coming up as well, so I assume your daughter will be with them."
"What's going on in Bangalore?" asked Estella curiously.
"I think we've found the Immortal Stone."
"You think? What do you mean you think?"
"It's hard to say. Hadji believes it's the Immortal Stone…and no one's been able to touch it without getting burned. Estella, those stories are true. No one here is a virgin—I think that's why no one can hold the damn thing. But, I'm not one hundred per cent certain that it's the real deal. There are so many different names for this thing, but the stories are all the same. Only a virgin of pure heart can touch it—Estella, this is the gem we've been searching for all our lives. I don't think it's a myth anymore. You have to come check it out. You know the stories better than anyone. You're an expert on this thing."
Estella was silent as she contemplated the offer. "Okay, I'll get the first flight out of here today. I'll call you as soon as I get to Bangalore."
"It's a deal!" The two women hung up at the same time. Estella sat back in her seat with a small oh of surprise still on her lips. The Immortal Stone…every culture mentioned it in their history. A gem made by the gods to secure immortality for the virgin of pure heart. She had found the entire myth intriguing. How could every culture across the globe talk about the same gem? Whatever the reason, Estella was determined to find out.
Bangalore
Jonny was the first one off the plane as soon as it landed in Bangalore. Right behind him was Jessie. Both friends were excited to see Hadji again. It had been a while since he had moved to Bangalore permanently to take his place as Sultan.
"Hadji!" Jonny waved a hand in the air, trying to catch the attention of the tall, dark skinned teen in question. Jessie rolled her eyes and pushed past Jonny to run and throw her arms around Hadji.
"We've missed you. Life isn't the same without your voice of reason, Hadji. Jonny's been getting us in more trouble since you left," remarked Jessie as she pulled away.
Jonny made a face. "I have not." Then he turned his attention back to Hadji. "It's good to see you."
"And it is good to see you too, my friends. I have missed you all very much." Hadji included Race and Benton in his words as the two older men joined the three teens.
"I'm glad you invited us down, Hadji," said Benton shaking hands with the Sultan.
"No kidding," agreed Race. "I'm getting tired of baby sitting these two. From now on you can watch them, Hadji. They're all yours. I don't want them back until you're ready to send us home."
"Those are truly some of the most frightening words you have ever said to me," replied Hadji with a straight face.
"If I didn't know better I'd say Hadji was making a joke," murmured Jessie creasing her eyebrows.
Jonny snorted. "Hadji doesn't joke, do you, Hadji?"
"Can a tiger change his stripes?"
"See? What did I tell you?" asked Jonny looking at Jessie. "He's doing his mumbo jumbo stuff again."
"You have quite a way with words, hotshot. You make me speechless," quipped Jessie sarcastically.
"Benton!" A woman's voice startled the quarreling teens as an Asian woman stepped forward.
Benton's face instantly lit up with a mixture of pleasure and surprise. "Grace! It's so good to see you. How many years has it been?" greeted Benton clasping hands with Grace.
"Oh gosh, it has to have been twenty years now. Last time I saw you, you were engaged. You've aged well."
"As have you." The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, barely noticing that they hadn't let go of the other's hands.
"Ahem." Race cleared his throat, spurting Benton into action.
"Oh, Grace, excuse me. This is Race Bannon, and his daughter Jessie. And this is my son Jonny." Benton placed a hand on the back of Grace's back and ushered her into the circle of friends. "This is Dr. Grace Lin, she and I were colleagues way back when."
"How do you do?" murmured Grace shyly.
"It's nice to meet you," said Jessie politely. Jonny nodded along as Race hummed in his agreements.
"Should we go look at this thingamajig or settle in at the hotel first?" asked Race.
"Actually," started Grace, "there's one more person we're waiting for. Her flight should have come in directly after yours."
"Oh no," muttered Race, his face paling slightly. Jessie glanced around the airport and grinned at who she found.
"Mom!" Jessie dashed off to throw herself in Estella's arms as Race slowly turned around.
"Estella is an expert on the Immortal Stone. She knows every name it has gone by according to different cultures. She was more than happy to agree to help us out when I mentioned Jessie would be here," said Grace giving Race an apologetic look.
Race shrugged helplessly. "If you hadn't called her then Jessie would have. They don't see each other enough anymore."
"Maybe you oughtta reconsider grounding us," whispered Jonny loudly.
Estella glanced up sharply. "Grounding? What grounding?"
"Just wait until you hear what your daughter's been up to," announced Race issuing a Jonny with a glare. "Jonny's a bad influence on her."
"Oh, so now it's my fault? Let's remember who was driving through the red light!" protested Jonny.
"Red light?" Estella glanced down at her daughter who was muttering under her breath in Spanish. "I think the two of you have a lot of explaining to do."
"It is a long drive to the hotel…perhaps we can listen on the way? I myself am most intrigued to hear what Jonny and Jessie have been up to lately," said Hadji.
"One word, Jonny," hissed Jessie. "Run!"
Jonny took off like a shot with Jessie hot on his heels. Benton shook his head in amusement before offering Grace an arm. The two turned to follow behind Hadji towards the baggage claim as Estella glared at Race.
"I know, I know. It's all my fault," sighed Race putting his hands up in the air. "It's always my fault."
As the group disappeared a lone female figure stepped out from behind a pillar. Her glossy black hair fell down to her shoulders, matching the color of her eyes. She tapped a manicured finger against her chin thoughtfully before making her way over to a nearby phone booth. She pulled out calling card and set about making a phone call.
"Anaya? It's me. You won't believe what I've heard. It seems the legendary Immortal Stone exists. The Quests have arrived in Bangalore to investigate. Don't worry, I'll keep a sharp eye out and let you know what else I find. Inform father of the latest turn of events." Melana Zin hung up the phone with a calculating gleam in her eyes. Then she turned to disappear in the crowded airport.
Moscow, Russia
A Swanky Hotel
Anaya Zin pulled open the door of the hotel suite, allowing a small group to enter. A woman with blonde hair and dark eyes pushed a quadriplegic man into the suite. Behind her was a beady eyed, dark haired man. The quadriplegic had a scraggly mane of black hair, and dark brown eyes. He had a broad forehead, and long thin fingers that he tapped impatiently against the arm of his wheelchair. This was the dangerous terrorist known as Jeremiah Surd. The woman and man were Julia and Lorenzo, Surd's underlings.
Following behind Surd was another man. He too had dark hair, but it was cropped short and hidden beneath a small rimmed hat. His eyes gleamed out from behind a white mask that hid all but the mouth and chin on his face. He wore a long trench coat, and under his arm carried a thick book. He was Ezekial Rage, a sinister and somewhat insane man.
Anaya motioned for the group to take seats in the plush chairs. Then with a bounce of her dark ponytail she went to knock on the door adjourning the sitting room. There was a brief silence and then a stately, if short, bald man opened the door and entered the room. He had a clean shaven face to match his head, and dark, almond shaped eyes.
Dr. Zin cleared his throat before speaking. "It is time that we joined our forces to take out the one thorn we share. The Quest team. I received word that the Quests are in Bangalore, investigating an object that I am sure will be of great use to us, one way or another. It is known as the Immortal Stone. My daughter, Anaya, can explain how this gem will enable us to destroy the very people we hate."
Anaya stepped forward to speak. "The Immortal Stone can bring you immortality. Legend has it that a virgin of pure will act as a vessel for the stone and the one seeking immortality. If you were to mix your blood with that of the vessel you will become immortal while the vessel dies.
"There are other ways to utilize the stone, however. If the vessel were to be drained of all its blood you could spread the immortality around."
"How so?" demanded Surd in a cold voice.
"Immortal blood could help you walk again, Mr. Surd. Immortal blood could bring back your daughter to life, Mr. Rage. Immortal blood could turn everyone in this room into gods," answered Anaya simply.
Rage thought for a moment. "How will this destroy the Quests?"
"The daughter of Race Bannon is a vital youth. She is still a virgin. I believe that she could become the immortal vessel. For a brief few minutes she will be immortal, but as soon as she spills a single drop of blood she will die. The Quest team will do anything in their powers to save her…if they can find her in time. The Quest boy will recklessly risk his life for hers; and in the process he will die as well.
"For you see, the legend also says that whosoever were to touch the vessel after its death would find their very lives taken from them. The Bannon girl reminds you of your daughter, does she not, Mr. Rage?"
"I thought you said I could bring my daughter back to life," growled Rage.
Anaya didn't even blink an eye. "Your daughter has been dead to many years for that, but you can bring a part of her back. If the Quest boy were to touch the Bannon girl after she had been drained of her life he will unknowingly bring her back to life. But her mind will be blank. You could easily convince that she is your daughter, Mr. Rage. She would never know the difference."
"What about the rest of the Quest team? Benton…and Race…what of them?" demanded Surd suspiciously.
"Once you are back on your feet, Mr. Surd, you will be invincible. Race Bannon will not stand a chance against you. Neither would Benton Quest. You will become gods. The world will be yours."
Dr. Zin cleared his throat once more. "What do you say, gentlemen? Shall we form a temporary alliance?"
Surd listened to the eager whispers of his underlings as Rage stroked his book gently. Both men looked up at the same time and nodded in agreement.
"Good," said Dr. Zin with a sinister smile. "Then first things first, we need that Immortal Stone."
"And I know just the person to get it for us," replied Surd calmly.
A/N: I hope this chapter turned out alright, I kind of have an idea where I'm going with this story.