Manipulation
by Time Guardian

Chapter 6 - Schemes

-Airport Cafe-

Race Bannon was not in a good mood to begin with, so when he had arrived at the airport in Maine only to have learned that Jessie grabbed potential evidence, he nearly lost it.

He followed his daughter and Dr. Quest to a small cafe area just off of the main terminal. They were waiting for Hadji's plane to arrive, but there were more pressing matters on his mind.

"You are grounded until you are 21," he growled as they sat down.

Jessie groaned, "Dad, at least let me explain."

Race's hands started to tremble, so he took a quick deep breath to calm himself before he continued. "Jess, you are my life and my number one treasure. Because of me, Jonny was lost to us, and I don't want to lose you too."

He felt a hand on his arm. "Race, Jessie is all right and here with us now.
Let's let her explain."

Race fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Go ahead Jess."

Jessie gave her father a worried glance, then started recounting what happened.

"As I was leaving my last class, the teacher asked me to take some paper work to the admin offices. I went and started talking to the secretary,
and that's when I saw him."

Dr. Quest was taken aback. "Jonny? You saw him? Are you sure?"

"He was an extremely close match to picture you generated from that software,"
Jessie replied, "Anyway, he was in the principal's office talking to him. I couldn't catch much of the conversation, but I noticed an open backpack propped against the door. I asked the secretary, and she verified that it belonged to the new student in the Principal's office. When she had her back turned, I took a quick look inside the bag and spotted the laptop. I made a split second decision, made sure no one was looking, and that's how come I have it."

Dr. Quest shook his head in amazement. "I appreciate your eagerness to help, Jessie, but your father is right. What you did was very dangerous. If he knows that we are onto him-"

The airport announcements came on before Dr. Quest could finish his thought.

"Flight 24 from Bombay has arrived at gate 2."

Race got to his feet. "Come on, you two. Let's pick up Hadji and get back. We'll finish our conversation and punishment arrangements then."
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Dr. Zin sat in his mountaintop hideaway and surveyed his surroundings. It wasn't easy getting into the United States, but with the right officials on his payroll and a disguise, he was able to get through with minimal effort.

His contact had set up the place so he could be close at hand when his plan was executed.

The technology Dr. Quest developed could easily be adapted to carrying out cyber attacks, plundering the worlds markets and crippling their defenses. His trained assassin will kill the doctor, and steal the technology for him-and who better to be the assassin than the Doctor's son?

He turned to a nearby console. After adjusting a few settings, a section of wall slid open, revealing a communications screen showing a familiar face.

"Dr. Zin! It is a pleasure. I trust you found the accommodations appealing?"

"They are adequate," Zin conceded, "I wish to check the progress of our operation. When will our assassin complete his task?"

"He has infiltrated a local high school where the doctor is planning to give a lecture soon. He will kill him then, and secure the technology for your use," came the reply.

"Excellent. Have you had to use anymore of the drug on him?"

"No sir, for the last few months, he has proven himself totally loyal to us, so the drug has proven unnecessary. He has even stopped asking about his name."

Dr. Zin smiled at the screen. "He has no identity and is completely bent to our will. Everything is falling into place. Keep me informed." -
"Yes sir."

The man closed his communication screen when Dr. Zin's image disappeared.

The man had invested a lot of time in Jonny Quest. He had put the boy through training that most men don't go through until they are much older.

Combat scenarios, martial arts, endurance training, sensory depravation, it had all been necessary to break him, to make Jonny totally reliant on him and him alone, and ready him for the mission at hand. As a master stroke, he even conditioned the boy to call him father. -If Dr. Quest only knew...-

Everything was being manipulated as planned. Once the plan plays out, the man would finally be able to fulfill Zin's purpose and gain his freedom.

Now all he could do was wait on Jonny.