The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Back from the Dead
By: Sapphire
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Chapter Six: Loose Ends
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Benton Quest, along with Jessie, Hadji, Price, and Bandit looked around the charred remains of what used to be the living room. All the furniture was destroyed, one wall would need to be torn out and replaced, the roof above would need serious work, the hardwood floor was a total loss, and the beautiful stairs were damaged beyond repair, the bottom portion all but burned away. The rest of the house was untouched, aside from some relatively minor smoke and heat and water damage.
Jessie watched as Benton Quest stooped over and picked something out of the charred rubble and ash. She recognized the brass picture frame that had held Rachel Quest's photograph in a place of honor on the long table that usually stood behind the loveseat. Dr. Quest used his shirtsleeve to wipe grime from the cracked glass. Underneath the glass, one could still make out the faint image of a woman's face. Jessie wasn't sure, but she thought she saw tears in his eyes. Her own eyes were misting, aware that Dr. Quest was wondering if his son would ever come back. The stillness of the moment was shattered when Bandit started to bark excitedly.
"What is it boy?" Jessie asked curiously. "Show me." Bandit took off for what used to be the front door. Hadji, Dr. Quest, Price, and Jessie looked to one another. "Let's follow him," Jessie said. They ran after the little dog.
"A helicopter!" Hadji said as they exited the house, the sound of rotor blades reaching them. All eyes turned to the sky above the woods, and after what seemed an eternity, the Quest Chopper suddenly appeared. Running to the landing pad, they waited for the chopper to set down. As the engines were cut, the side door opened, and Jonny jumped out.
"Dad!" he shouted and ran to his father.
"Jonny! Are you all right?" Benton Quest asked giving his son a hug.
"I'm fine, Dad," Jonny answered. Then he stooped down and scooped up the little barking dog. "Bandit! Did ya miss me, boy?" The little dog yelped and licked his master's face. Jonny laughed.
"Dad!" Jessie called when she saw Race open the cockpit door.
"Ponchita!" Jessie ran over to her own father and gave him a hug.
"There's blood on you," Jessie said with concern, lightly touching a large stain on the sleeve of his shirt.
"It's not mine," Race assured her. "It was one of Hovand's men."
Matthew jumped down out of the cabin, dragging the man in black along with him. The thug was still out cold. Matt dumped his limp form in a heap on the pavement, then stood over him, waiting for him to revive.
"Who's handy work is that?" Price asked his adopted brother, indicating the unconscious man.
"Mine," Matt announced proudly, "though Jonny held him while I put out his lights. Price laughed, the sound more relieved than amused. Maggie made her appearance then, sliding along the rear seat to the door, where she gingerly slid to the floor, letting her feet dangle out of the cabin door.
"Are you okay?" Price asked as he helped her out of the helicopter. She didn't say anything at first, but wrapped her arms around him tightly. He hugged her back.
"I'm fine," she said through chattering teeth. "But I will never fly again. Not after that ride." She started to shake with cold. "Can we go someplace warm now?"
"Take her up to the house," Dr. Quest told Price. The young man nodded and placed a supportive arm around Maggie to take her weight off her injured knee. They started back to the house.
"That reminds me," Matthew said as he watched them go. "We saw smoke…"
"Hovand had the living room set on fire," Jessie explained. "We were able to get out in time. Fire fighters put the fire out before it spread to the rest of the house." Matthew nodded.
"So what do we do with this guy?" he asked next.
"I guess we'll have to call the authorities and have them come pick him up," Dr. Quest told him. "We'll bring him up to the house and keep him tied up there until they come for him." Race and Matthew picked the unconscious man up out of the snow and hauled him to the house. Everyone followed close behind, exchanging stories as they went.
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"I have to talk to you," Maggie said, sitting in the kitchen, as Price set a mug of hot chocolate in front of her. He took a seat in the chair adjacent to hers.
"It's about my father, isn't it?" Price asked. Maggie nodded.
"He…fell," Maggie said slowly.
"Fell." It was a loaded statement. Maggie looked down at her chocolate.
"I don't think he could have survived," she said quietly. Price said nothing. "He was going to shoot Matt," she said. "I tried to get the gun away. The pilot got shot- killed. Everything happened so fast…"
"How did he fall?" Price asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"The helicopter pitched to the side," Maggie tried to explain. "The door beside us was open… then I was falling-"
"You fell?" Price was shocked. He was watching Maggie carefully. She looked so vulnerable, sitting there huddled over her steaming mug of chocolate.
"I don't know how- I caught the skid with one hand," Maggie said, still unable to look at him, though she was aware he was watching her. "My hand was slipping." Price wasn't sure if she realized it, but the knuckles of her right hand were white, she was holding her mug of chocolate so hard. "He was holding onto my ankle. I- I just did it. I kicked his hand until he let go…" Price couldn't breathe. Until he saw tears on her cheeks. He didn't know how he was feeling, but he knew one thing.
"I wish you hadn't had to do that," he said softly.
"I'm sorry," Maggie whispered. And she really was. She had hated Connor Hovand, but she'd never thought she'd be capable of killing him herself. She'd never dreamed she'd be put into the situation where she'd have to. She was startled when she felt Price's hand lightly touch her arm. She watched as his hand slid down to hers, pulling her hand from her mug of hot chocolate, and linking his fingers with hers. That's when she found the courage to look at him again. Their eyes met, and she saw there was no blame there, reflecting at her in his green eyes. That wasn't to say that he was untroubled by what she'd just said because, clearly, he was upset.
"I almost lost-" Price began to say, but he fell silent when the kitchen door swung open and the room filled with friends and family.
"Hot chocolate!" Jonny exclaimed enthusiastically, eyeing Maggie's mug. "Slammin'! I could really go for some of that right now." Price dropped Maggie's hand and stood up to heat more water for the instant hot chocolate. Jonny sat in the chair Price had vacated.
"Where do we put him?" Matthew asked as he and Race brought the man dressed in black into the warm kitchen.
"I suggest we tie him to a chair," Hadji said. "Perhaps he will learn from the experience."
"Only if he wakes up. If he doesn't, he won't know what we did to him when he finally does," Jessie pointed out. Hadji shrugged.
"Here, put him in this one," Race said pulling a chair out from the kitchen table. The high backed oak chair was ideal. Dr. Quest produced some rope, and they bound the hands and ankles of the man in black before they secured him to the chair. "That ought to hold him until the police get here, at least."
"Are you warmed up now, Maggie?" Benton asked his niece while Race talked to the police on the telephone.
"Yes," Maggie answered. "I'm really tired though." To illustrate her point, she gave a big yawn.
"I'll take you up to your room," Matthew offered. "You can tell me what happened to you on the way," he said pointing to her cast and knee brace.
"You'll have to take me to your room. Mine has no window," Maggie said. Matthew gave her a quizzical look. "I'll tell you about it on the way, and I want to know why you're not in Peru." Matthew nodded, then pulled his sister up onto his back. "A piggy-back ride. This is different."
"You have to take her up the back stairs. The hallway is boarded up by the living room stairs to keep the heat in," Benton told them. Matthew nodded and he headed up the back stairs, Maggie giggling as Matthew stumbled his way up.
"How did Hovand get his hands on you, Benton?" Race asked Dr. Quest, now that he was finished talking to the police.
"Yeah, Dr. Quest. We thought you and Hadji were going to stay in Nigeria for another week," Jessie said with curiosity.
"We received a phony message from Race saying we needed to return home immediately. There were no details, but it seemed urgent. Hadji and I got on the next plane, and when we arrived in Rockport, Mr. Hovand's thug was waiting for us," Dr. Quest explained.
"Unfortunately," Hadji added, "we did not treat the message with suspicion, though we both found it odd that Race would contact us only hours after the rest of you left Nigeria. You could not possibly have reached home yet."
"He's not very creative," Jonny commented, "and he left a lot to chance."
"But would Hadji and Dr. Quest have come home if the message had said anything more? He doesn't know us well enough to concoct a plausible story. He's not stupid, Jonny."
"The simplest plans are often the most effective," Hadji said.
"You're right, my father isn't stupid," Price agreed. "He's very intelligent. Or, at least, he was," Price said, dejectedly. "I just wish he hadn't been as brilliant as he was. It would have spared a lot of people a lot of pain."
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Matthew came back downstairs an hour later. By then, the man in black had been picked up by the authorities. Matt took a seat next to Price on the couch in the library. Now that the living room was destroyed, the library had become the family's main gathering place, aside from the kitchen.
"Maggie's finally asleep," Matt said. He sighed heavily. "She worries over everything, even our mother," Matthew nodded toward Price. Price was surprised by that. Why would Maggie be worried about his mother? Dr. Quest was chuckling softly. It earned him some questioning stares.
"I understand her completely," Dr. Quest said quietly. "My mother and I, and I suspect Laura, too, share that particular trait. It's inherited I suppose."
"Not, me, though," Jonny said with a grin. Dr. Quest smiled at his son.
"Not yet, anyway," he agreed with a laugh. He sobered, and addressed the group again. "You see, the safety of this family has recently been compromised, and until the threat has been completely neutralized, neither she, nor I for that matter, will breathe easily."
"She thinks of mother as part of her family?" Price asked, looking at Matt.
"Again, like me," Dr. Quest explained, "Maggie's idea of family is not always defined in the traditional sense." Understanding looks were cast in the direction of Hadji, Race, and Jessie. There was no question they were members of the Quest family, blood ties or no. "Abigail is, for all intents and purposes, Matthew's mother. That alone is enough for Maggie, though I believe they have a friendship as well."
"I didn't know that," Matt said. "Did you?" he asked Price. Price shook his head. "Maggie wants us to tell Mother everything that happened the last few days, but I think it would just upset her unnecessarily. What's the point in telling her he survived the warehouse fire just to tell her he died in a fall?"
"Maybe," Price reluctantly agreed. "It's hard to tell with Mother. She doesn't talk about Father at all. It's like she's just going through the motions of grief, but she isn't feeling it." Price shook his head. "He's dead. Maybe we should just leave it at that."
"Then, as far as Mother is concerned, I was never here. I've been in Peru the whole time," Matthew said decidedly.
"Peru?" Price asked. "Are you sure that was legit, and not a set up?"
"Maggie already asked that," Matt said. "The guy who was supposed to go to Peru came down with appendicitis. The project can't wait until he recovers, so they found a substitute. That would be me. I talked to the head of the project, and the director of UWA Projects. I know both of them personally. It was on the up and up from the get go. I'm guessing Connor was monitoring me, considering what he was planning, and he got hold of my travel itinerary."
"That was a definite stroke of luck for Connor Hovand," Dr. Quest commented.
"Yeah, Uncle Benton, I know what you mean," Matthew said.
"So, you're still planning to go to Peru?" Dr. Qeust asked. Matt nodded. "At least you'll be safely out of Connor Hovand's reach while you're there, which is more than I can say for the rest of us, what with Maggie and Hadji off at college," Dr. Quest said thoughtfully.
"You don't think he survived that fall, Benton?" Race asked skeptically.
"He's fooled us once, Race," Benton replied evenly.
"No one's found his body," Jonny pointed out.
"Yet," Jessie reminded.
"In any case," Dr. Quest said, eyeing Jessie and Jonny wearily, cutting off an impending spat before it could get going, "circumstance isn't enough evidence when it comes to the safety of my family. I won't believe it until I have tangible proof." There was no argument. "Iris," Benton said, "activate level two security, authorization, Dr. Benton Quest."
"Level two security activated," Iris said.
"Iris, I'll require immediate notification of anyone attempting to gain access to the property," Dr. Quest continued.
"Understood," Iris replied.
"Well, goodnight everyone," Dr. Quest said as he rose from his chair. "It's been a very long few days. I think we could all used some rest." He left the room after a few goodnight wishes, and the others trickled after him one by one.
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The household had a busy start the next day, which turned out to be an accurate indication of how the rest of the day would proceed. Breakfast was interrupted by Iris, announcing a visitor at the front gate. Dr. Quest gave the visitor clearance when it turned out to be Sheriff Olson. Minutes later, the sheriff was knocking on the kitchen door, where he'd been instructed to come.
"Morning," Sheriff Olson greeted everyone around the breakfast table. "I thought you'd like the news in person," he said. "We found two bodies just after daybreak. One was the gunman you described, the one wearing the white snowmobile suit. The other had a gunshot wound to the head, the pilot." Maggie was glad she'd already finished her breakfast. She wouldn't have been able to eat otherwise, after being reminded of what had transpired the day before. "We're still searching for the third man," Sheriff Olson said.
"Thank-you for coming," Dr. Quest said, "we really appreciate it. Do you have time for some coffee?"
"I wish I did," Sheriff Olson said, "But I've got work to get back to. Another time though." Dr. Quest nodded. "I'll keep in touch, let you know if we find anything." Dr. Quest nodded.
"Thanks, Carl," Race said, letting the sheriff out. Sheriff Olson tipped his hat, then headed for his car as Race shut the door behind him.
After breakfast, Matthew made arrangements to leave for Peru that afternoon. While he was on the phone, the work crew arrived to start clearing out the rubble from what had been the living room the morning before. They would also replace Maggie's window as soon as a new one could be ordered and delivered.
Jonny and Jessie were informed there would be no Questworld or recreational activities until they had caught up with their studies. Needless to say, they quickly got to work. Hadji, meanwhile, was resigned to spending the remainder of his spring break going through the mainframe files, checking to make sure the power failure hadn't had any adverse effects on Iris.
After an early lunch, Price and Maggie drove Matthew to the train station and saw him off. From there, they headed for the Rockport clinic. Maggie had an appointment with Dr. Carson to have her knee looked at. There was concern she may have damaged it further by using it as much as she had the last two days.
Dr. Carson wasn't thrilled about the strain she had put on it. Fortunately, no further damaged had been done. Dr. Carson gave Maggie a sound scolding, forbidding her to put any weight on it for three weeks, instead of two. Then she'd turned on Price, giving him a thorough exam when she heard how he'd acquired his colorful bruises. Dr. Carson was one of the two physicians the Quest family regularly saw. She asked few questions, and was surprised at none of the answers. She deemed Price fit enough, though she stressed how lucky he'd been.
"You know," Price said as he drove through town on the way back to the compound, "we never finished the conversation we started on the train."
"Which one was that?" Maggie asked curiously. Surely this wasn't about his father. Price seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"The one about school," he clarified. Maggie gave a nod. "Now that things are back to normal, relatively speaking, you are going back, aren't you?" Price glanced at the young woman in the passenger seat beside him. She was frowning.
"I suppose I should at least finish the semester," she agreed. "No sense in wasting the tuition I paid."
"Aren't you going to finish school?" Price asked, concerned.
"Of course I will," Maggie said defensively. "I've always wanted to get a degree." She was silent as she thought for a few long moments. "I know it sounds crazy, but despite people trying to kill me, I've felt better the last few days than I have the last six months."
"You've been through hell in the last year," Price said quietly. "Maybe it's finally catching up with you."
"Maybe," Maggie replied with a shrug. Price wondered what she was thinking, and suddenly, he was determined to find out. On the other side of town, he pulled over, parking in an empty lot beside the Rockport Garden Center. Maggie looked at him questioningly.
"Talk to me, Maggie," he said seriously. "Tell me what's wrong." Maggie slowly looked away, clearly debating with herself what to do.
"The body they found at the warehouse was my mom's," Maggie finally said. Price was shocked, but knew it had to be true. It certainly hadn't been his father's body, and Laura Hardy was the only other person unaccounted for. It's just that no one had thought of her before…
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Price said quietly.
"How could you?" Maggie countered. She met Price's gaze briefly, then looked out the window again. "I miss my mom," she said. Price saw one small tear trace it's way down her cheek. He reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Maggie's fingers twined with his. "At school I feel isolated and alone," Maggie said. "Being here eases the ache a little."
"Because you have your uncle and Jonny," Price said. Maggie nodded.
"And they, more than anyone, understand how I feel right now- like I've been cheated of the life I should have always had, and robbed of the life I always knew," Maggie said.
"I know what that's like, too," Price said, his words barely audible. He gripped her hand tightly for a moment, then let go, placing both hands on the steering wheel and staring down at them. Maggie felt sick. She shouldn't have spoken like this to Price. It remained unsaid between them, but they both knew the source of her emotional pain was Price's own father. She realized, perhaps too late, that this was not something she should burden Price with. It had to be hard for him to listen to her bitter feelings toward that man.
And what was worse, Connor Hovand's death had been a result of her own actions. No matter what, Price was still Connor Hovand's son, and Connor Hovand had still been Price's father. He might not admit it, but Price was feeling the loss of his father all over again. This time, though, it was her fault and she hated how it made her feel.
"I'm sorry," Maggie said quietly. She wasn't sure Price had heard her.
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When they returned to the Quest Compound, Maggie was extremely quiet and subdued. Price, too, was not his usual self. Dr. Quest noticed, and was worried. Feeling that it wasn't appropriate to approach Price, he decided to speak to his niece. She accommodated his request to join him in his private study upstairs. After a few cursory questions, Benton began to get an idea of what was bothering Maggie, and when he asked her when she planned to return to school, it was like a dam had broken. Suddenly everything Maggie was feeling came flooding out in a storm of sobs and tears.
At first, Dr. Quest felt overwhelmed by the emotional young woman sitting across from him. When he finally realized where it was all coming from- the loss of her mother and father, the departure of her brother, and even Price's impending departure for Germany- he suddenly understood her in a whole new light. And more importantly, he knew how he might be able to help her. He rose from his chair and went to her, and she didn't hesitate to cry on his shoulder.
"Maggie," he said calmly and compassionately once she'd cried herself out, "I'll have to see how Jonny and Hadji feel about it first, but I'd like for you to come and live here, with us." Maggie drew away, looking up at her uncle in surprise.
"Really?" she asked. Dr. Quest smiled and nodded.
"I think you should return to school and finish the term first, but yes, I'd like you to live here." Maggie threw her arms around her uncle and hugged him tight.
"I'd like that, too," Maggie said. "More than anything."
"Would you like to find out what Jonny and Hadji think now?" Benton Quest asked his niece, a twinkle in his eye. Maggie nodded, smiling back at him. They both knew what Jonny would say. They left Dr. Quest's suite on the second floor and made their way downstairs to the library where Jonny and Jessie were hard at work, studying. It turned out that Race and Hadji and Price were there, too.
"Jonny, Hadji," Dr. Quest said, smiling at his sons, "Maggie and I would like your opinion on a matter of some importance." Maggie tried not to laugh. Jonny knew his father was teasing him, and he flashed both of them his famous crooked grin after leaving the table where he'd been doing his schoolwork. Hadji, too, was amused. "I've invited Maggie to live here, with us," Dr. Quest said.
"And I've accepted," Maggie finished. "Is that all right with you?"
"Slammin!" Jonny said, giving both his father and his cousin a hug. Hadji grinned happily for his family.
"Thank god, another girl around here," Jessie commented. She exchanged a glance with her own father. Race nodded. He'd been hoping this would happen. Having Maggie living at the compound would ease many of Dr. Quest's worries.
Maggie was aware that Price was silently keeping to the background. She turned and met his gaze, feeling oddly like she wanted his approval, too. Their eyes locked for a few moments, then slowly, Price nodded. Price understood how much she needed this, how much she wanted this, and was happy for her. Now he wouldn't worry about her so much while he was gone.
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A few days later, Jonny, Hadji, and Dr. Quest saw Maggie and Price off at the train station. Price had only two weeks left of his leave to visit his mother. Maggie had missed a week of school, and she needed to get back before falling too far behind. Maggie smiled and waved as the train pulled away from the platform. When they were out of sight, she settled into her seat beside Price.
"I'm glad you're happy," Price said.
"Thank-you," Maggie replied. "I am happy."
"Can I ask you a favor?" Price continued.
"Sure," Maggie answered. "I'll try to do whatever it is."
"Make sure my mother doesn't get too lonely with Matt and I both gone," Price requested. Maggie smiled.
"Of course I will," Maggie agreed. "I would have made sure of it, even if you hadn't asked me." Price smiled and reached for her hand. Maggie smiled back.
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To be continued in… Outlaws.
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