Note: I am terrible in keeping secrets, as you saw in the previous chapter, but there has to be emotional fallout on both sides for this, and I hope I conveyed it in this chapter.

Serpent's Kiss
An Alternate Timeline Real Adventures of Jonny Quest fic
by Time Guardian

Chapter 6- Belated Confessions

Tomas froze as he felt the cold metal of the gun barrel against his neck. Focusing, he could also hear the heavy breathing of his intruder along with the scent of one of Stella's meals recently eaten on the intruder's breath. He had spent too long in the jungle not to recognize a few things, especially certain people.

He kept his voice as calm as he could, reverting to the language that he hadn't used in weeks. "Felix, what are you doing?"

Felix's voice was agitated, bordering on panic-stricken. "Where is my son? You came, you promised you would help make things right, get back the people that the pyramid stole, but it has been at least two weeks since you made that promise, and Miguel is not back! I want my SON!"

He felt a sense of helplessness. When he had come to town, he had already disguised himself for fear of the town not letting him roam free to scout the area, and he had befriended Felix one evening in Stella's place.

Tomas could tell that the man's pain ran deep, and it had affected him more than he cared to admit. There was many a night Tomas would sit in his room in Stella's place and stare out at the moon. He had come so far to try and eradicate the evil that had nearly ruined his life, and he questioned his purpose more than once, and homesickness nearly made him nearly abandon his plans altogether.

"Felix, I told you. Much evil radiates from that place. Miguel can be saved, but we have to be careful, or it will get us too. Two ladies are trying to harness that evil, and need to be stopped. The people I am with now are people that can help us. They have the means to help us defeat the evil."

He could sense Felix's hesitation before he finally felt the gun barrel lift away from his neck. Felix then stepped around and into Tomas' view. He looked pained as he holstered his gun at his hip. "I am sorry. My anger -"

He understood what was driving Felix's anger. "No need for apologies, my friend. I understand far more than you know. You are afraid for your son. I have a father I left behind by choice, and I know that he is probably angry and worried with me for doing so."

The man's eyes widened as he regarded Tomas once more, the realization allowing him to draw a conclusion. "Señor Quest is your father."

He grinned. "Your powers of observation are as good as ever, my friend. My only problem now is how to tell my father."

In response, Felix solemnly put a hand on Tomas' shoulder. "Fathers love. It's something we do, no matter what. Heed my words."

And with that, he walked out of the clearing and back into the cover of the night.

Tomas let out the nervous breath he had been holding. If only his situation was that simple.

He made a move to leave the circle when he heard one of the three voices that he had been dreading to hear.

"You know, that Felix is smarter than he lets on."

Turning around quickly, he saw Race Bannon step into the clearing.

Tomas suppressed a grimace as he realized that his cover was blown. He sighed. Might as well get the confessions over with. "How much did you hear?"

--

To his credit, Race kept his face impassive, but inside he was wanting to shake the boy until he came to his senses. He had scouted outward from the campsite until he heard the sound of voices, and when he had found the clearing, Race had listened to Felix's conversation. "I heard enough."

Tomas looked up into Race's eyes and gave a wry smile. "So what happens now? Are you going to tell dad?"

Race motioned over to two of the larger rocks towards the edge of the clearing. He walked over and sat on one, while Tomas sat on the other. "Well, first of all, I would like a few answers, but to answer your second question first, I am going to leave that up to you, Jonny."

Tomas took a liberating breath. "Fine by me. I was getting tired of taking a berry bath every other day to keep this disguise up. I just hope these berries aren't as long lasting as the ones you used that time when you pretended that you were a water god to save dad."

He laughed at the memory. Race had been purple for quite a few weeks before the berries finally wore off. "I think with a little elbow grease, you'll be back to normal." He then sobered. "Why, Jonny? Why did you do this alone? You could have brought us in on this much earlier than this."

Race watched as Jonny Quest's gaze trailed to the ground, then to the sky. Precious minutes went by before the boy finally answered. "Zin and his daughters are my problem. They tried to turn me into an emotionless assassin, and I wasn't going to allow them to hurt the one good thing I regained after five years of that Hell."

He let out a breath. This didn't sound like someone who wanted vengeance and yet a suspicion grew in the back of his mind. Race thought about it for a moment and then made a decision to voice his suspicion.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Jonny."

--

The simple statement had it's effect. Jonny Quest nearly fell off the rock that he had been sitting on. He turned and scowled at Race. "What makes you think I am afraid?"

Jonny noticed that in the moonlight, Race's features weren't ones of an angry man. In fact, Race looked downright worried. It was a few minutes before he finally spoke.

"Kiddo, look at all you have been through in the course of over five years. You were torn away from the only family you ever knew, assimilated into a family that used you for their own ends, and then reunited with us. I don't know about you, but I would have been scared out of mind that something else would come along and try and tear my life apart."

Jonny digested the analysis and after a few moments, he reluctantly nodded. "For the first time after all of that happened, when I came to live with you guys after I got out of the hospital, I felt at home and at peace."

Race went on. "You know, your father moved to Maine because he couldn't bear to be at Palm Key anymore. 'Too many bad memories' he had said. I left I-1 and your father to be alone for a while in Colorado. You see, you aren't the only one with fears. I had left because I was afraid that I had let your father down."

He sat in stunned silence at Race's confession. He never knew any of this. Jonny's voice nearly broke - there was something pressing on his mind that he had to know. "Race - my dad, how is he holding up?"

Jonny heard a sigh emanate from him. "I know you didn't mean to, Jonny, but when we reached that building that we had received your last signal from - your dad relived what had happened that day you were kidnapped at Palm Key, and it nearly did him in."

When he had heard that, Jonny cast his gaze downward to the ground.

--

Race saw the guilt and regret wash over Jonny's face, and knew that everything would be all right. He also thought he finally understood Benton's comment about the power of family. Leaning over, he moved closer to Jonny before trying to reassure him.

"Jonny, do you want to know what I told your father after all was said and done? I told him that I believed that you weren't dead, and that you have a good head on your shoulders. I saw that much with your conversation with Felix. You may be a bit impetuous sometimes, but your dad and I still care about you, not to mention two worried friends who will be mad they missed this reunion. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Jonny looked up, and Race saw the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Thanks Race."

And with that, Jonny stood and wrapped his arms around Race's neck in a fierce hug.

Race laughed for a few moments before Jonny let go. "Danged it all if you don't have a strong grip. Now, for my final question: That beeping that I had heard from your pack - you received a message, didn't you?"

He saw Jonny thinking for a moment. "The GPS! I almost forgot - Jessie managed to send me a message only a little while ago. We may have trouble."

Jonny handed him what looked like a GPS unit. Race noticed some of the modification to the unit and nearly whistled in appreciation until he read the message that Jonny had brought up. "Jessie traced you down quicker than we did, though this bothers me - she wouldn't know his plans unless -"

Race didn't want to finish that sentence. He was a world away from his daughter, and helplessness washed over him.

Sounds of gunshots broke him from his thoughts. Race quickly stood, his senses on alert. "Are we under attack?"

Jonny closed his eyes. He listened as more gunshots ensued. He then opened his eyes as he realized the source of the sound. "I had a few of the local police patrolling the perimeter for us. They must be under attack! C'mon Race, let's go!"