The Heart of Darkness

by Akane-Rei

PART ONE

Prologue: The Dawn of Awareness

" 'Do you understand this?' I asked . . . .

'Do I not?' he said. "

--Marlow and Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

"Where's Jess?" asked Jonny as he noticed his friend's absence from the dinner table.

"I believe she went to the movies tonight, Jonny," replied his father, Dr. Benton Quest.

"Hey!" exclaimed Jonny. "Why didn't she take me and Hadji with her?"

Race Bannon, Jessie's father and the Quests' long time friend and bodyguard coughed discreetly. "I don't think she would appreciate chaperones at this moment," he said.

"Huh?" said Jonny and Hadji, Dr. Quest's adopted son.

"He means," said Dr. Quest, "that Jessie is out on a date tonight."

Race started choking.

Benton couldn't help but add, "She and Michael probably wanted to be alone."

Race was gagging.

Benton snickered. It was so easy to bait Race sometimes. "Come on, Race," he cajoled. "You know it was bound to happen sometime . . ."

"Yeah," retorted Race, " like when she's 30!"

Meanwhile, Jonny was still trying to process the fact that Jessie was in a date with someone. Jessie was out there somewhere with some other guy besides him or Hadji. It was just too . . . too . . .

"Weird," he said out loud.

"What was that Jonny?" asked Hadji, talking for the first time.

Jonny looked at his friend. "I'll tell you later," he said.

All through dinner he brooded. For the past month, he had been in a somewhat constant state of confusion. Ever since Jessie arrived from Paris with her mother, in fact.

******************************

**FLASHBACK**

Jonny was in the airport with his father, Race and Hadji, waiting for Jess to arrive with Estella from Paris. Although he was surprised to admit it, he missed Jessie's company. Despite their constant bickering, he and Jessie manage to spend most of their time in relative harmony either in Quest World or running around some exotic location his father happens to take them. He knows no one else who could match his curiosity or sense of adventure. Sure Hadji was one of his best friends, but there times when he couldn't understand half the things that come off Hadji's mouth. Besides, Hadji was so composed. No fun to tease at all.

Thinking of his partner in crime, Jonny smiled. He was looking forward to another chance to play Warrior's Legacy with Jessie on Quest World. He had been practicing this past week especially after his humiliating defeat the last time they played.

Jessie had loved that. Hadji had laughed and he, Jonny Quest, demanded a rematch.

He remembered Jessie shaking her head in reply and saying, "Not till you get better at it, hot shot!"

Well, Jonny thought, he's better at it. Now he's looking forward to the rematch.

He tapped his foot impatiently while he watched the gate waiting for Jessie to appear.

And when she did, he didn't even recognize her.

He was watching the people who were exiting the gate in search of their loved ones when he noticed a woman -- perhaps around his age -- searching the crowd.

Wow, he thought. She's beautiful. She was, from head to toe, the epitome of the chic Parisienne. Her fashionable and sexy white dress both covered and revealed just enough to drive an unsuspecting spectator's imagination wild. From her white sandal, which emphasized her dainty feet, to her white chapeau, which covered the top of her titian hair, she was every inch a .

Titian hair?

Jonny noticed the woman approach them for the first time and noticed the color of her eyes. They were striking green. He only knew of one person with those eyes.

Jessie? he thought. Jessie???!!!

Yes, it was Jess. She walked over to their direction and proceeded to give her father a hug.

"Ponchita?" he said hesitatingly. He looked behind Jessie and saw his ex-wife.

"I took Jessie shopping in Paris," said Estella.

Race looked back at Jessie, who gave him a grin.

"Don't worry, dad," she said. " I still have all my old stuff, too. I'm still the same Ponchita you know and love."

"With a few minor adjustments," said Benton.

"Ofcourse," said Estella. She smiled conspiringly at Benton. "It had to happen sometime, Race," she said slyly.

Race still had a dazed look on his face.

Hadji was the first one -- besides his dad -- to finally think clearly.

"Perhaps, my friend," Jonny heard him whisper to him, "it is a good time to close your mouth."

Jonny quickly shut his jaw, which apparently dropped without his notice. He mentally shook himself.

"Geez, Jess," he began, "you look . . . different."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

"N . . . nothing, nothing," replied Jonny.

Jessie smiled and crooked her finger towards him. "Oh Jonny," she said sweetly.

"W . . .what?" Jonny asked nervously. Jess's being sweet to him usually strikes fear in his heart. This was no different.

"Jonny," she said softly, her hands brushing off imaginary lint from his shirt. "Despite all the difference you noticed . . . " she continued.

My son's a dead man, thought Dr. Quest.

He's in trouble, thought Hadji.

I can't look, thought Race.

Jonny sweated.

"I CAN STILL KICK YOUR BUTT IN QUESTWORLD!!!!" shouted Jessie as she shoved Jonny.

Everyone laughed except for Jonny.

Jonny sighed with relief. Same old Jess, he thought.

*****************************

Jessie's new look did not go unnoticed in Rockport High. According to Eliza, one of Jessie's few female friends, Jess has been asked out in almost every class she was in from the day she got back. The rest of the week followed the same pattern. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel irritated at this new development. The fact that he and Jessie had vehemently denied any romantic interest in each other for the past couple of years and the fact that he went to a party with a certain Jeanette Keller a couple of weeks ago made Jess seem even more . . . free of commitments.

Jonny slammed his locker and brooded on his way to class. He didn't understand the unreasonable anger he felt whenever he sees Jess talking -- worse, laughing -- with some other guy.

Not that Jessie ever encouraged them. She still acted her normal, tomboy self everyday. She's still nice and sweet when she has to be and blunt and straightforward more often than not.

"--nny? Jonny!" a voice interrupted his reverie.

He looked up and saw Jeanette Keller's blue eyes staring at him with concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Jonny sighed. "Yeah, " he muttered.

Jeanette giggled. "You looked angry there for a second," she said while her fingers twirled a curl in her blond hair.

"Nah," lied Jonny. "Just thinking."

Jeanette smiled. "Listen, Jonny," she began, "wanna go grab something to eat after school or something?"

Jonny wracked his brain for a reason -- okay, to be honest, an excuse --not to go. Ever since he took her to that party, Jeanette has been attaching herself to him like crazy. They had even earned a reputation around campus for being a couple, and Jonny, more than anyone, knows the utter ridiculousness of the title. The only time they ever went out was at that party.

"I can't go," Jonny answered. "I'm supposed to drive Jess to the mall after school today. She's looking for a birthday present for her mother." Jonny could have kissed Jessie right about now. His reason for not going with Jeanette was actually true. He did have to take Jessie to the mall. Ofcourse, Hadji could always do it . . . by why wreck a good plan?

He felt more than saw Jeanette tense up next to him.

That was when he saw Jessie round up a corner and walk towards him.

"Jessie!" he exclaimed happily.

"Jonny," she said. "Just the person I was looking for."

Jonny brightened.

"Listen," she said, "you don't have to drop me off the mall today. Eliza's going too so we decided to go together. Tell dad not to expect me for dinner, okay?"

"Uh . . . sure, Jess," replied Jonny, deflated.

"Thanks," said Jessie who noticed Jeanette, holding Jonny's arm possessively. "Well, I gotta get to class. Bye!"

"Bye," Jonny said to her retreating figure.

"Well," said Jeanette.

Jonny turned to her and saw an expectant look on her face.

"Well," Jonny said, totally clueless. "Um. . . I guess I better get to class, too. See ya around," he said.

******************************

Jeanette Keller pouted. She is not used to being denied what she wants. In fact, she couldn't remember a time when such a thing happened. all that changed when she met Jonny Quest.

When she moved to Rockport High during her junior year, she had set goals for herself: number one, to be the most popular girl in school. Number two, be the captain of the cheerleading squad and number three, obtain a rich and handsome boyfriend. Number two is in the bag. Number one is self-evident. It's number three that's proving to be elusive. Jonny Quest is the most sought after guy in school. Although his wealth is part of that, there is also the added factor of his all-American good looks. All in all, Jonny Quest fit category number three quite perfectly.

Except for the fact that he refuses to cooperate. She thought she had him when they went to that party some time ago. It had felt so good to see the envious looks her girlfriends cast her way when she walked into the party with Jonny. She wanted that feeling to last.

But it didn't. By the end of the party, she almost forgot that wonderful feeling. And the person that almost made her forget was the very same one who caused it in the first place: Jonny Quest. He was the perfect gentleman all evening. That was the problem. He acted like a perfect gentleman who missed his girlfriend. For the better part of the night, he kept going on and on on how much he missed Jessie and how they used to do this and that. It drove her nuts.

She didn't know whether he was being deliberately rude or whether he was just plain stupid.

Finally, out of frustration, she gave in to her need to lash out at him. It happened while they were on their way back to her house. The drive had started out peaceful enough, but then Jonny began one of his adventure stories starring him and Jessie. Jeanette had wanted to scream.

Instead, she interrupted him and said quite snidely, "You know, Jonny, it's not exactly good dating etiquette to talk about your old girlfriend on your date with your new one."

For a brief moment, she thought those were the last words she'll ever say in her life because Jonny -- in his shock, perhaps? -- momentarily lost control of the wheel and the car dangerously veered towards the cliff. Fortunately for both of them, he regained his equilibrium and they were back safely in the road in a matter of seconds.

Jonny looked at her then and then stared back at the road, blushing and looking very sheepish.

"Jessie's not . . ." he began. "You're not --" he tried again. Finally, he said, " I'm sorry."

Jeanette decided to milk this for all its worth.

"You should be," she said. "What kind of date are you anyway?"

Jonny parked his car in front of her driveway.

"You're right," he said. "I'm not really good company. You deserve better." He looked at her with those big, blue eyes of his. "I hope you find someone who can make you happy."

WHAT!! she thought. He's letting me go just like that? No one, but no one dumps Jeanette Keller. Who does this jerk think he is ?

With a huff, she got off the car and went straight home, fully intending to forget Jonny Quest ever existed.

But the next day in school, her friends started gushing and saying how lucky she was to be dating Jonny. And there was that feeling again.

She had no choice. She did what she had to do. She attached herself to him like a vine.

No one was more surprised than Jonny when she came up to him that day and gave him a hug and a peck in the cheek. Jeanette could read the confusion evident in his eyes. But she always gets what she wants so she easily bulldozed him into having lunch with her in the school cafeteria in front of everyone in school. And so it went on that way. Whenever she and Jonny Quest were in the same room together, Jeanette clung to Jonny with all her might.

Soon they were known as a couple. Jeanette knows more than anyone how laughable that label was. Jonny has not been with her outside of school except for that one fateful disappointing night. But she didn't' mind. Much. As long as everyone bought the image, she's fine. Jonny is too nice a guy to publicly call her a liar and too nice a guy to deliberately 'hurt' her by ignoring her overtures. He puts up with them, tolerates them. That's fine by Jeanette. Eventually, however, she really should push this 'relationship' into a more two-sided one. All she needs is time.

Ofcourse, there is the Jessie Bannon complication. Jeanette didn't' know how it happened, but after Jessie's week long absence, she suddenly became one of Rockport High's most sought after juniors. Sure, she looks a little different, but she's still a tomboy at heart. Jeanette could not see what the attraction was.

It doesn't' matter, she thought. Jonny Quest is mine.

*******************************

Hadji Singh approached the blue van in the school parking lot. It seems that he is the first to arrive here and he resolved to patiently wait for the coming of his two closest friends: Jessie and Jonny. He opened the van and sat on the driver's side. Due to an over developed sense of self preservation, he very much preferred driving the van himself rather than allowing Jonny to do the honors. He enjoyed life and intended to live much longer than that of his seventeen years. Therefore, he thought it prudent to reduce the number of time Jonny is behind the wheel.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the familiar mop of blond hair that belonged to his friend. As Jonny got closer and closer, Hadji could see the troubled expression in his friend's face. Unlike Jonny, however, Hadji knew exactly what was bothering his friend. It was the same thing that's been eating Hadji for the past month: Jessie Bannon and the newly emerging feelings she brings out of them.

Ah, Jessie, Hadji thought.

He remembered the slight crush she had on him a year or two ago. He did not notice it at first until his mother pointed it out to him. He had been embarrassed, ofcourse. Jessie had been like a sister to him. And that is exactly what he told her in that conservatory in his palace at Bangalore.

He remembered her hurt expression and her tentative attempt to restore their relationship to its former ground. It had been awkward, but they had succeeded. Their friendship was as strong as ever.

Now Hadji finds himself in a quandary. His feelings, without his noticing, have slowly developed into something more than friendship. No one was more surprised at this conclusion than Hadji himself. It had taken countless of meditations for him to finally admit to himself that his feelings were real.

Hadji watched at Jonny got inside the car and put on his seatbelt.

"Jessie's going to the mall with Eliza, " Jonny said. "We can go home now."

Hadji looked at his disgruntled friend for a second then started the van.

Jonny must fight his own demons, he thought.

In the back of his mind, Hadji wondered what will happen to his relationship with Jonny should Jonny realize that both he and Hadji are attracted to their best friend.

Perhaps this is what one would call a situation, he thought. For all his brilliance in the area of Physics, Hadji can be -- what was Jessie's word? -- clueless, yes, that was it. He can be totally clueless when it comes to women and physical attraction. His disastrous, if somewhat short- lived, relationships with Anaya and Elise proved that. Hadji mentally kicked himself whenever he thought of those women and his gullibility.

Anaya and Elise had a lot in common. Despite their being incredibly beautiful, they also had homicidal tendencies towards him and the Quest Team. Hadji winced. To say that his luck with women is bad is the same as saying that the ocean is a little wet.

For some reason, the women he became attracted to are eventually the ones that turn out to be dangerous to his health and of those around him. People who don't know him might say he had a death wish.

Hadji did not blame them.

******************************

Race Bannon shook his head. He couldn't get over the change in his daughter's wardrobe since she got home from Paris. From now on, whenever he looked at his daughter, he was reminded of the fact that she was growing up. He had to admit, with some degree of pride, that his daughter was gorgeous. Not that she wasn't beautiful before. It's just that her old wardrobe didn't announce to the whole world that she was beautiful. They were worn mostly for their practicality and degree of comfort. Knowing what kind of scrapes she and Jonny managed to find, he was thankful that his daughter had the sense to dress appropriately.

Now, he did a double take whenever he saw Jessie. Her clothes . . . well let's just say that it shouted "member of the female sex" to anyone who saw it. Not that it was vulgar or coarse. On the contrary, Estella and Jessie had too much elegance and sense of style to ever dress coarsely. It's nothing overt really. It's more of a combination of subtle touches that made the effect of Jessie's clothes devastating.

Race sighed. Until now, he had been treating his daughter like most stereotypical fathers treat their sons. Sure, he was a tad over protective, but Jessie, Jonny, Hadji, and sometimes even Benton can usually reel him in before he goes over board. Now is a different story. Now, he's going through what most fathers go through when they realize that their little girl is growing up and is happen to be gifted with attributes which attract the opposite sex in droves.

He took a deep breath and stared at the view from the balcony. A sound penetrated his thoughts and he looked down to see the blue van cruising along the long driveway of the Quest Compound.

"They're home," said a voice behind him.

Race turned around and looked at his friend, Benton.

"Yep, " he replied.

********************************

Dr. Benton Quest looked at his long time friend. He knew what was bothering Race and can sympathize, if not empathize. Jessie was like the daughter he never had. She, even more so than Jonny at times, has an appreciation for his work that stems from a deeper understanding of concepts which very few people can grasp.

He sighed. There were times, not often mind you, but enough, when Jonny -- with his love for adventure and risk taking -- seem more and more like Race's son than his while Jessie -- with her overtly rational nature -- seem more and more his daughter than Race's. While this situation could have strained the friendship that existed between him and Race, the opposite happened. The 'situation' only served to strengthen the ties that bound his little group. they were known as the Quest Team in many parts of the world. He hoped Race and Jessie didn't mind, but in truth, they are more than a team. They were a family.

He had always hoped that the future would bring about a more permanent connection between the Quests and the Bannons. However, it seems the future might be more imminent than the thought. He noticed the way both his sons have looked at Jessie this past week when they thought he was oblivious to all but his work. He sighed again. Sometimes he wished that he truly were the absent-minded professor whom everyone thought he was.

He watched from the balcony as Hadji and Jonny got out of the van and headed towards the front door.

"Where's Jess?" asked Race to no one in particular, but looking worried nonetheless.

"Race --" Benton started, but Race was already on his way downstairs. Benton sighed yet again and followed him downstairs.

"Jonny, Hadji," called Race as he ran down the stairs, "where's Jessie?"

"Oh, she decided to go to the mall with her friend, Eliza," replied Jonny. "She's looking for a gift for Estella's birthday."

Race visibly relaxed. "Okay," he said. " Did she say what time she was coming home?"

"She says not to hold dinner for her," answered Jonny. " I think she and Eliza will probably grab something to eat after their shopping."

Race began to tense up all over again when Benton said, "I'm sure she'll be fine, Race."

Race turned to him. "I . . . know. I just --" he stopped, unable to think of a rational thing to say.

"Well, " said Jonny, "Hadji and I are heading towards the lighthouse, okay?"

"Alright, son," replied Benton. "Be back by dinner time."

"Okay," yelled the two as they headed off.

Benton looked at his friend. Without a word, they both headed for the library where Race sat down and buried his head in his hands.

"I'm going crazy, Benton," he said. "I feel like I need to see her every minute of the day to keep her safe. The world is full of psychos, you know. Whenever she's not around, I worry like you wouldn't believe."

"Race, Race, Race," said Benton. "You're just being a typical father who happens to have a very beautiful daughter. I'm pretty sure it's normal to feel this way."

"You don't understand," Race replied. "Whenever we're out and I see some guy looking at her, I want to beat him to a bloody pulp! I feel like I always have to be there to protect her from the creeps." He held up his hands. " I know what you're going to say. You're going to say I'm over reacting. But dammit! Benton, I was her age once and I know how guys her age think."

Uh-oh, thought Benton. He wondered if Race noticed his two sons' preoccupation towards a certain red-head.

"Race, listen to me," he said. "You have to control these tendencies and put them at a moderate level. Jessie would definitely not appreciate being babied. You know how competitive she is with Jonny. You're not exactly going to be her favorite person if she notices your coddling her like a two year old."

"Benton, right now, I wish she was back to being a two year old."

Benton laughed. "Come on, Race. You and I both know that Jessie can take care of herself. Didn't you and Estella insist on her taking self- defense and martial arts classes so that she can have the ability to take care of herself in tough situations?"

Race reluctantly nodded. "And she did excel in them," he muttered.

Benton grinned. " Knowing Jessie," he said, " she would."

Race stood up. "Well, Benton. Thanks for the talk. right now, I think I'll check that new security system I added to the compound."

Benton nodded and watched his friend leave.

"He'll be fine," he said to himself as he walked towards his lap top and worked on his new project.

**END FLASHBACK**

Hadji Singh sighed ( a lot of them had been doing that a lot lately ) and looked at his dinner companions. Jessie's absence and the reason for that absence was truly felt. There were subtle changes

going on under the surface of everyone's normality and it all had to do with a certain flame-haired friend who is out on a date tonight.

Not wishing to rock the boat further, he introduced a new topic. "So," he said. "Is everything ready for Estella's surprise birthday party?" he asked.

Everybody started talking at once, and for a while, everything was back to normal.

**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ****

Revised: December 29, 2001