Disclaimer: Please see chapter one.

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Warnings: Overall Rating of PG.

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A Note From the Author: 1-29-14 Here it is, the final chapter for Day of Reckoning! I'm not sure when I'll start posting the next installment. I was starting to write myself into a deep hole with no way out as the story arc progresses in future installments. I took a critical look at the series and decided number six need a few cast substitutions. That means going over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb to change the pertinent details, as well as rewriting some key scenes. I'm not quite done yet, and I'm not sure when I will get it done. Until then, enjoy! ~Sapphire

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The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Day of Reckoning

By: Sapphire

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Chapter Seven: Family Ties

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Location: Quest Compound, Rockport, Maine

Price sat in the library, feeling slightly off. Completely oblivious to the conversation around him, he couldn't keep from replaying the conversation between himself and Claudia over and over in his head. He watched the door intently, waiting for Claudia to appear. She didn't. How long did it take to look for an earring?

Claudia had, indeed, been missing an earring when they'd parted ways in the kitchen, he'd seen it himself. The trouble was, when he'd been kissing her a moment before, she'd had both. He knew because he'd felt both of the little drop earrings brush against the backs of his hands when he'd tipped her face up to kiss her.

Movement out the corner library window caught his eye. He looked up and saw two figures headed for the lighthouse. He knew right away it was Claudia and Maggie. He was instantly suspicious. What were they doing out there together? Neither of the women liked the other…

Without a word, he left the library again, followed by the stares of the other occupants. His gut instinct had been telling him something wasn't right. Now he knew for sure. He had to find out what the hell was going on.

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…...

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"You can't come in here," Maggie said flatly, hurrying to close the lighthouse door in Claudia's face.

"Don't fall down the stairs," Claudia laughed just before the door could click closed. Maggie froze. It was all the opportunity Claudia needed. She threw her weight into the door and pushed it open, knocking Maggie back onto the floor. Claudia hurried inside and pulled a gun from her coat pocket and pointed it at Maggie. "Get up," she said. Maggie did. "In there." Maggie stared at her uncle's lab in confusion. "In." Maggie did, but only because she was prodded with the barrel of a gun.

"What do you want in here?" Maggie asked as they entered the cluttered work area. "There's nothing in here for you."

"You are right. I want nothing in here. My employer, however, does. He is very keen to get Dr. Quest's newest prototype," Claudia told her. "Do you know what your uncle has been working on?"

"Of course," Maggie said. "I edited his paper on Monday night…" Maggie watched as Claudia sauntered up to her uncle's work table and took a small device off the top as though she had known where it was all along. "You've been in here before, haven't you?" Maggie asked. Claudia nodded. "I thought so. Did you come in here when you set up my fall on the stairs, or was there another occasion? Say, in the middle of the night in the snow?"

"You are not so stupid as he said," Claudia admitted as she pocketed the palm-sized device Maggie recognized as the Wraith 3 prototype. "I told him you could not so easily be fooled. I was right." Claudia sighed. "Now you are going to have an accident." Maggie paled. "Up the stairs."

Maggie reluctantly did as she was told. Forced to lead the way from her uncle's lab, Maggie started up the stairs following the twisting spiral and carefully climbing over the missing step. She climbed all the way to the top, but stopped abruptly at the door to the catwalk. Maggie spun around and faced Claudia.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Why have you been trying to kill me? Isn't it enough that you got Price and the prototype?" Claudia threw her head back and laughed.

"Is it possible you are as stupid as he says?" Claudia laughed harder. "No, no. I used Price. I told you this was a game. I won him, and used him to get to you. Do you see?" Maggie shook her head.

"No, I don't. What do you have against me?"

"I? Nothing," Claudia answered.

"Then why?"

"It was for the money. Nothing more. I will be paid well for ending your life." Maggie stared. Then it clicked.

"Him," Maggie said. "He's still alive." Claudia nodded, giving Maggie a congratulatory smile. "You're working for Connor Hovand, aren't you?" Claudia nodded again. "Damnit, why didn't I take Jonny seriously," Maggie chastised herself.

"It is of no consequence to me," Claudia told her. "Now, step through the door, please. As I said, you are going to have an accident." Maggie hesitated a moment, and then decided to do as she was told. Whatever the 'accident' was that Claudia had planned, she would have a better chance of getting herself out of that than she would escaping a bullet at such close range.

As she stepped through the door, Claudia shoved her, and Maggie stumbled forward into the rail that faced the cliff and a nearly two hundred foot drop to the rocks below. And Maggie knew what Claudia had in mind. She spun around, looking for an escape, but there was nowhere for her to go. The icy November wind whipped around them, howling loudly, as if an omen of things to come. Maggie shuddered, more from fear than from cold.

"There isn't any reason to kill me," Maggie spoke loudly over the wind in an effort to stall for time. She could think of a way out. She could. She just had to have a little more time. "Hovand's already killed my mother. And he as good as killed my father, too. Can't he just leave me and my brother alone?"

"You are so naïve," Claudia laughed. "It was you and your darling brother and your relatives who ruined Mr. Hovand. Not your mother, and certainly not your weakling father." Maggie was outraged, but did not rise to Claudia's bait for a fight. She needed to keep her emotions under control if she was going to be able to think straight and get out of this mess. "But we have wasted enough time. I must be going very soon."

"I-" Maggie was cut off and Claudia rushed her, knocking her so hard in the chest Maggie collapsed to the catwalk deck. With a kick, Claudia shifted Maggie's entire body to the edge. Another blow like that and Maggie would find herself falling into the waves and rocks below. She grabbed the bottom rail just as Claudia kicked her again, and her body tipped over the side. She held on tight, clinging to the rail for her life.

"Goodbye, Maggie. It has been fun." Claudia gave a cruel laugh as she placed her foot over Maggie's clinging fingers and began to press down.

"What the hell are you doing!" Price burst through the glass door and pulled Claudia back sharply. She was so startled, she dropped her gun, and it clattered across the catwalk deck before skidding off the edge and plummeting into the briny spray of crashing waves below.

"Price!" Claudia exclaimed. She was terrified now.

"I asked you a question!" Price reminded with a shout. Maggie, still dangling over the deadly drop, got a better grip on the cold steel of the rail and began to pull herself upward, reaching for the next rail. Slowly, she began to climb upward to safety.

"This was not in the plan," Claudia said coldly, glaring at Price. "I don't suppose your feelings for me will excuse this in your eyes?" Price was so angry he couldn't speak. "You could let me finish my work here, and come with me," Claudia continued. "Your father will be glad to have you back, you know. And I might get a bonus…" Price fell back against the glass door, as if physically struck by Claudia. His father was alive…

Claudia took the opportunity to finish her work and make her escape. She grabbed Maggie's wrist, twisting her arm around as she was just climbing over the top rail to safety. Then Claudia pushed, throwing Maggie off balance and sending her toppling over the rail. Maggie let out a scream as she slipped.

"Maggie!" Price was instantly snapped out of his daze and lunged toward Maggie, trying to grab her. Claudia stepped out of his way, rushing for the door and escaping through it. Price let out a strangled gasp as he missed Maggie, but he started breathing again when she somehow caught the edge of the catwalk deck with one hand. "Hold on!" Price shouted over the gusty wind. Maggie looked up at him with frightened eyes as he got down flat on the catwalk and started hauling her up through the space between the deck and the rail. He didn't stop pulling until he had dragged her all the way up against the glass beside the door. Maggie slumped against him, resting her head in the crook of his arm, her whole body shaking.

"You came," she said, her voice strained. "I tried to like her, I really did-" Maggie hiccupped, trying to hold back the tears she was desperate to shed. "She told me she was only toying with you- she said you wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell you- just because you knew I didn't like her."

"I don't care about her right now," Price said quietly. "I want to know are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Maggie didn't say anything. She couldn't. So she shook her head instead. "I'm so sorry, Maggie," Price told her. "This is all my fault. I brought her here. And all along she was working for him. If I had known Connor was still alive…" He stopped talking, not sure how to go on. "Maggie, I'm so sorry…"

Seconds later Hadji and Jonny appeared at the top of the lighthouse. Jonny flung the glass door open and stepped through. They took one look at Maggie lying on the deck and turned an accusing glare at Price.

"It was Claudia," Price said. "She was working for my father- Connor. She tried to kill Maggie, but I stopped her. She got away down the stairs…" Jonny dashed back through the door and down the spiral stairway without a word. Hadji leveled a serious look on Price. "I don't think Claudia really hurt her," Price said.

"That," Hadji replied, "is where you would be wrong." Price stared at him dumbly. "This is, possibly, the fourth attempt Claudia has made on Maggie's life."

"What!?"

"Not now, Hadji," Maggie said, struggling to sit up. Hadji held out a hand and pulled her to her feet. She put her arms around his neck for a hug.

"Are you injured at all?" Hadji said gently near Maggie's ear.

"No," she answered, just loud enough to be heard. "I want to go to the house," she said. Hadji nodded, and led her though the door Price held open. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Jonny was heading up the walk to the lighthouse, and they met him at the door.

"She got away," Jonny said. "She must have had a boat tethered down there. I could see it just as it went around the bend into the bay." Maggie shuddered and Jonny put an arm protectively around her.

"She stole it," Maggie said suddenly, looking at her uncle's lab. "She took the Wraith 3 prototype."

"That is not good!" Hadji exclaimed making a bee-line toward the main computer terminal in the rounded VR room. "If Claudia were to come back using the Wraith 3..." He didn't need to finish his sentence. Jonny and Maggie understood his meaning quite clearly. With the Wraith 3, Claudia could get past Iris' lower security settings, and possibly the higher ones as well.

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"Initiating all security systems. All Systems, level five, are on," Iris announced, startling Dr. Quest and Abigail Hovand from their conversation. Dr. Quest gave the frightened Abigail a reassuring look before responding.

"Iris," he said, "who authorized security level five?"

"Security authorized by Hadji Singh," Iris replied.

"From where?" Dr. Quest asked, standing up from his seat in the library.

"Access by the VR main terminal," Iris replied. Dr. Quest knew something was happening. He turned to Abigail.

"I need to see what's going on," he said to his guest. "You will be quite safe if you remain here in the house. I'm sure this is nothing, but I must see what those kids are up to."

"They have been gone some time," Abigail agreed. "Don't worry about me." Abigail smiled, and Dr. Quest took his leave.

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"Would you please explain to me why security is set on level five?" Dr. Quest demanded the moment he stepped into the lighthouse. Four very solemn faces greeted his question.

"I'm so sorry," Price started. "I didn't know…"

"It was Claudia," Jonny said at the same time.

"She stole the Wraith 3," Maggie said.

"She tried to kill Maggie," Hadji said.

"Hold it, hold it," Dr. Quest interrupted them all. "One at a time, please."

"Claudia stole the Wraith 3," Maggie spoke first. "She probably stole other things relating to it, too, earlier in the week. She's been out of the house in the middle of the night, and I'm sure she came out here a few times while no one was looking, too. She knew exactly where the prototype was…"

"Iris," Dr. Quest said urgently. "Call Race Bannon's cellular phone."

"Dialing," Iris said. "Ringing."

"Benton?" Race's voice came over the line.

"We have a situation," Dr. Quest said. "The Wraith 3 prototype was stolen this evening."

"Ah, hell," Race said, quite disgruntled. "I'll catch the next flight."

"I hope you had a nice holiday while it lasted," Dr. Quest said, a little guiltily. It wasn't often the Bannons could get together for some quality family time.

"Don't worry about it, Benton. Jessie's happy. We had dinner and spent the last five days together. Frankly, my folks are getting on my nerves."

"Dad!" Jessie's voice could be heard over the phone.

"Sorry, Ponchita," Race said. "Benton, I'll see you in the morning." Race hung up. Iris informed them the line was disconnected. Dr. Quest turned to the kids, wondering what else had been going on he wasn't aware of.

"So," he said, looking inquiringly at the kids. "To continue, who did what to Maggie?" He touched Maggie's chin gently to tilt her head up to the light. He frowned when he saw the dark bruise on her forehead. "How did that happen?"

"Claudia," Maggie said with a grimace.

"The broken step," Jonny said, pointing to the hole in the spiral stairs above them. "Claudia rigged it the other night when Maggie was up on the catwalk. When Maggie came down, the step broke and sent her flying down to the bottom."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dr. Quest asked. Maggie shrugged.

"I wasn't sure it wasn't an accident," she said. "But tonight- she said she was sorry I hadn't broken my neck."

"I'm guessing," Dr. Quest said, looking around at the others, "that Claudia had something to do with the explosives on Maggie's snowmobile," his eyes caught Jonny's bandaged hands, "and Maggie's burning blankets." He received several nods of confirmation. "I've been suspicious," Dr. Quest said, looking at Maggie, "About all these accidents that kept happening to you. You should have told me what was going on."

"I'm sorry," Maggie said, clearly meaning it.

"You must learn to trust me. I promised your father I'd take care of you and Matthew as if you were my own children. I can't do that if I don't know you're in trouble." Maggie couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Dr. Quest held her a few moments until she had calmed down enough to ask if she could go back to the house. Dr. Quest nodded. "Jonny and Hadji will go with you." Maggie dried her eyes and followed her two cousins out of the lighthouse. Dr. Quest stopped Price from following them. "Where is Claudia now?"

"She's gone," Price said. "Jonny tried to follow her. He said there was a boat tethered at the beach. He saw her driving it around the bluff into the bay."

"I can't call in the local law enforcement on this one," Dr. Quest said after a moment. "It's too sensitive. I'll have to call the officer in charge of the project at the Air Force, as you haven't gotten your orders yet." Price nodded. "Iris, send an urgent message to General Morgan. Text as follows: Wraith 3 prototype stolen. Send necessary personnel. Have information on perpetrator."

"Configuring message text," Iris said. "Sending message. Message sent."

"Alert me immediately when there is a response."

"Affirmative."

"All right," Dr. Quest said, turning back to Price. "Now, what was it you are sorry about?" Price sighed and looked at the floor for a moment before looking Dr. Quest in the eye.

"This is all my fault. She was working for my father- Connor," Price said. "I didn't know he was still alive…"

"But Connor Hovand is dead-" Dr. Quest started in surprise.

"No," Price interrupted, shaking his head. "They never found his body and- and she said he'd be glad to have me back- she was working for him."

"None of us knew," Dr. Quest assured. "It's not your fault and no one blames you," he said, motioning Price to have a seat in his lab. Price moved a pile of paperwork off of a chair and sat. "There is no way you could have known this was going to happen. Even I didn't believe Connor Hovand was still alive." Price didn't respond. He just stared at the floor. "As for Claudia," Dr. Quest continued, "Love is an emotion that blinds us. To you, she was the sweet, charming woman you were in love with. She gave you no cause to suspect she was anything other than what you believed her. A spy is very good in that respect. She may have even loved you, too." Price shook his head.

"I should have seen it," Price countered. "I didn't love her like I should have. I should have recognized she didn't love me, either."

"Oh," Dr. Quest said, not surprised by the young man's statement. "If you didn't feel that way about her, it begs the question why you were marrying her."

"Because the woman I really want isn't interested," Price answered.

"Ah," Dr. Quest said knowingly. "You know, Rachel wasn't interested when I first met her. I was absolutely in love with her, though. I knew I would never be happy with anyone else. I didn't settle for second best, and I think she saw that. She eventually gave me a chance, and we were happily married, and overjoyed with our son until that awful day in Florida…" Dr. Quest trailed off in sad reminiscence. Price watched the older man for some time before the scientist came out of his reverie. "The point is, you will never know true happiness, for however long it is meant to last, unless you go after it heart and soul and never deviate from that path." Price was lost in thought as Dr. Quest sat down at his lab desk and started sifting through the scattered papers covering it's surface.

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MagNolie: I'm glad I caught you.

MattPeru: What's up?

MagNolie: Connor Hovand is still alive.
…Are you still there?

MattPeru: What happened?

MagNolie: Claudia was working for him.

MattPeru: Price's Claudia?

MagNolie: Price brought her here for Thanksgiving.

MattPeru: What did she do?

MagNolie: She stole a prototype of Uncle Benton's.

MattPeru: AND…?

MagNolie: She tried to kill me.

MattPeru: She WHAT?

MagNolie: Four times.

MattPeru: What!?

MagNolie: I want you to come home.

MattPeru: What the hell did she do to you?

MagNolie: I'm okay. I'm worried about you.

MattPeru: Tell me, Maggs.

MagNolie: Come home, Matthew. Please. I'm afraid-

MattPeru: Nothing is going to happen to me here.

MagNolie: The prototype. Matt, come home.

…Matt?

MattPeru: All right. I'll be on the first plane home.

Iris: MattPeru HAS SIGNED OFF.

Maggie closed the empty chat room and stared at her computer screen blankly. There was no telling what Hovand was planning to do with that prototype. With it, he could go anywhere he pleased, undetected. Maggie shivered, sitting there in her chair.

Incoming Message

Maggie opened the e-mail that had just been delivered. It was from Scott. She started reading the note immediately.

Hey Maggie!

Just heard from Ryan. You're coming! Great! I knew you'd agree if one of us met you in person. I really can't wait to see you again. Can we just skip Christmas and New Years this year? Two months until the trip. It seems too long. I'll get you the particulars in a few weeks. Watch your inbox for it.

Scott

Maggie stared at the short message, lost in thought. She couldn't help but remember the conversation she'd had with him just before parting ways in Montana. "Are you sure you want to wait around for that other guy?" he had asked. "You know, all you have to do is say the word and I'm yours." Maggie glanced at the worn paper taped to the side of her monitor. It was covered with phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and post office addresses. Her eyes found Scott's number. Maybe she should call… Price had intended to marry someone else. Maybe it was time she let him go and got over him.

Maggie shook her head. It wouldn't be fair to Scott. He was such a nice guy, and a good friend. It wouldn't be fair to him to use him to get over someone else. Scott genuinely liked her, and she didn't want to use him as one of those cliché rebound dates that you forget shortly after seeing. Scott deserved far better than that. Maybe later, after she had had time to put the pieces of her broken heart back together.

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Race returned home with Jessie immediately. Then Jessie returned to college. Matt called to say he couldn't leave Peru. There was a problem with his documents that needed sorting at the American Embassy, and who knew how long that would take? Abigail returned to Connecticut. For two weeks, no one in the house slept well. Benton Quest rarely left his lab. That was why no one could rest easy. He was furiously putting together a replica of the Wraith 3 and trying to finish development on a detection system that the prototype could not evade. But finally, he had it. Race installed it, and Dr. Quest configured it to Iris and Quest World.

Military Intelligence made a search for Claudia Müller, but found no trace of her. It was concluded she was using an assumed name, and what little information they had on her was passed on to Intelligence One. Race, having called in a favor, was receiving updates as to the status of their investigation. Price, having finally gotten his orders, was getting similar updates from the military. And so life slowly returned to normal.

Late one afternoon Jonny came home from school and found Price poking around the lower level of the house. Jonny watched him wander from room to room for a while, wondering what the man was looking for. Jonny was more intrigued when Price still failed to notice him standing in the entryway ten minutes later.

"Hey, whatcha looking for?" Jonny asked. Price looked up, startled.

"Hey, Jonny," Price said after a short pause. "I'm looking for Maggie. Have you seen her?"

"I just got home," Jonny said.

"Oh," Price said. "Okay." He had just turned to continue his search when Maggie appeared at the top of the stairs. Jonny heard the sharp breath Price drew in when he saw her. She was wearing a sleek black dress, heeled shoes, and a few pieces of very nice jewelry. Her hair and make-up were done nicely, and she had a small black handbag tucked under one arm.

"Hi, Jonny," she said with a smile.

"Hey," Jonny replied, wondering where she was off to. "Price was looking for you." He and Maggie both turned to Price.

"Yeah," Price said absently. "You look nice."

"Thanks," Maggie said with a shy smile. "I've got a date." She went to the front closet and pulled a warm, black leather coat from a hanger.

"Date?" Jonny asked, surprised. He grabbed the coat and helped her put it on, keeping one eye on Price. They guy looked like he was going to be sick.

"Yeah. Rich Lang from the office is taking me out," Maggie said. "We've got dinner plans with Michelle Harris and her husband, Ben. Iris said he was at the gate, so he'll be at the house in a few seconds."

"Well, have fun," Jonny said. Rich's car pulled up in the drive, and the tall, average but clean-cut looking man got out of the car and headed for the front door. Maggie opened it and stepped out, waving to Rich. She turned back suddenly, and looked at Price.

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked, almost as an after-thought. "You didn't say." Price shook his head.

"It wasn't that important," Price said with a sigh. Maggie shrugged, then waved to Jonny and Price and let Rich lead her around the car to the passenger door. Price watched as she rode off with Rich, and Jonny watched Price looking longingly after her.

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To be continued in "Revelations".

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Author's Footnote: I have no idea how tall the lighthouse is, or how high the cliffs the Quest Compound sits on are supposed to be. I did some research on cliffs in Maine, and found a list of the height of all lighthouses in the U.S. (240 of them!) Not very helpful. I decided to fall back on good old personal experience. I have only visited one real lighthouse. Luckily, it sits on a cliff! Split Rock Lighthouse (located in Minnesota, on Lake Superior) and it's cliff were similar enough to the fictional Rockport Lighthouse that I could use Split Rock's elevation for the lighthouse at the Quest Compound.