Chapter one
Nightmares
It was like she was there again, the smells, the looks, everything was like it was on that fateful day.
The day was Friday June 22, 2001
**"Jessie, are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Dr. Quest for the millionth time asked Jessie who was sitting at the kitchen table her nose in an advanced trigonometry honors book.
"Dr. Quest, you know I'd love to go with you guys, but I really need to study if I want that shot at Harvard." Jessie said looking and the older man. **
The scene changed…..
**"Bye mom, have fun with dad and I want a little brother!" Estella looked at her daughters request and smiled.**
Estella disappeared ….
**"Have an adventure for me!" Jessie said turning to Jonny
"You got it Ace!" he said about to hug her, but at the last minute decided against it, giving a high-five instead.**
The Image of Jonny disappeared and was replaced by a new one.
**"Goodbye Jessie, stay safe." said Hadji as he picked up his suit case and boarded the Questor II .**
He too disappeared. Her Dream jumped yet again and she saw herself sleeping at the table.
**The clock in the living room greeted the midnight hour, the chiming waking Jessie. Standing, and stretching she walked to the fridge and IRIS's voice was loud in the quietness
"INCOMMING S.O.S. SIGNALS FROM QUESTOR II"
Jessie looked at the ceiling sickly as the SOS transmission started
"JES- …S…. BOMBING US……KNOW…….RAGE……NEED HELP…….CURRENT POSITI….
That's all there was, the rest was static**
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Jessie screamed waking her from her sleep, and only to be heard by the empty house. She sat up right and wiped the sweat away that threatened to drowned her. Looking over the calendar by her desk, she noticed the date, June 23, 2003. Two yeas now. But she wont believe that they are gone, she wont. That is when she realized, it was time. The sun was up and waiting to greet her as she later left the mansion. In her hand was only one thing, a picture of her family.
The wind was menacing. Causing the fallen leaves to dance in the air and make what seemed to be faces at Jessie. 'The Questor III' thought Jessie as she entered the boat docks 'still a partial prototype, but, hey, its my work, it'll be fine'.
10 minutes later Jessie was heading away from the docks and she took one look back, the compound was looming at her. She looked away, and out to the sea in front of her. Which last night was black, and deadly, now was bright and alive with activity. Full of fisherman, and families on the shores. Jessie was determined to find her family alive. With the compound out of sight, Jessie headed to where her family was supposed to go. Palm Key. Night began creeping into the sky, the first star came out and Jessie looked at it for a while. It spoke to her, words of encouragement, words of fear, of love and of hope. Setting the ship on auto polite she looked up at that same star again and said out loud "I promise I'll find them Mrs. Quest" and with that she went to her cabin.
Sleep was far from her however. She lay there staring at nothing, listening closely as a distant 'thud' sounded. Looking out the port hole, she saw a pair of feet, then another. Jumping out of bed, grabbing the only weapon in her reach she headed for the scorce of the 'thud'. With her grandfathers sword held in the ready position, she kicked in the bridges door, and was met by a pair of evil looking gray eyes.
"Who the hell are you? And what do you think you are doing?" Jessie was within 3 feet of the stranger who was eyeing her with his deadly eyes.
"Just fulfilling me captains orders lass." he said with a slight Scottish accent. With that he drew his sword and attacked. Jessie however was ready for it. Metal against metal, the sound was ear shattering in the dead of night. Minutes flew by, the fight left the bridge and was now on deck. Jessie swung as the man did, and they grabbed each others arms, their swords high in the air. Her eyes never leaving her opponents, held fury and determination. Time seemed to stand still as they were locked in this position. In a blink of an eye, time started again, as the man finally pushed her away. She staggered back and was about to slice the man in the stomach, when a flash of blonde caught her eye. Shaking it away, she readied her sword, but it was too late, the man knocked the sword out of her hands and pinned her. He was about to slit her throat when his friend approached and whispered something to him. Jessie couldn't make out the words, or his face, but one thing was for sure, he saved her life. Or at least she thought he did.
Jessie was bound and gagged and brought on board the strangers ship. She was forced into the hold and locked in. She didn't want to sleep, but the exhaustion overwhelmed her and she slipped into an uneasy slumber.