Date : 30th December 2004
Disclaimer : I don't own any of the TRA:JQ characters and neither do I own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. No money is made out of this fic. Don't sue me as I'm not sure I can afford Ally McBeal.
Category : A, DBN-HR, F, E, JQ/Buffy Crossover
Rating : Parental guidance is advised.
Author's note : This takes place after Season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is my account on what happens and is based fully on my own creativity.
Archiver's Permission: Granted to those who want it. Just inform me on where it can be found.
THE CALM BEFORE…
The LAX teemed with people, kids running about getting lost in the crowd, their frantic parents screaming for them to stop. Baggage carts littered the place, as huge suitcases wheeled freely away from their distracted owners. It was a mosh of generations; the young, the adults, and the elderly. Throw in an occasional four-legged fiend in a cage and the whole airport seemed like a monster petting zoo.
Jonny ignored the raucous around him as best he could. The trip over had been agonizing to say the least. He now wished he had taken Race up on his offer to fly him down with the Dragonfly. Instead, he had spent seemingly uncountable hours under unimaginably torturous conditions.
"Kids!" he muttered to himself, narrowly avoiding a knee-to-head on collision with a screaming tyke. As if it wasn't enough that he was here on business alone, everyone around him seemed to be screaming "Merry Christmas" as if it was some bizarre contest of some sort to outshout all others.
The air outside the stuffy airport was crisp; nothing compared to the Maine winter he had left behind, but it was chilly enough to warrant a jacket.
He caught a bus headed south, and settled in as comfortably as he could. The dark landscape seemed to rush by him; trees dark in the shadow, and occasional lamp-post. Street signs whizzed by, and he was left wondering how much farther there was to go before he reached his destination.
A few hours later and a few stops after, the bus passed a sign.
"Welcome to Sunnydale!"
"1630 Revello Drive. Yep, guess this is it." He stood in front of a smallish house, in a quiet neighborhood. "Cozy."
IRIS had searched for the address he needed, cross-referencing all the Summers in southern California till it was narrowed down to 3 residences. Jonny had tried the first two without luck, one in an upper-class neighborhood, and the other at the other end of town.
He checked his watch and sighed. Under normal circumstances, it was definitely too weird to simply just ring the doorbell and hope that IRIS had not failed him this time. Then again, this wasn't a visit under normal circumstances.
He reached out to ring the bell, and retracted his hand. How the heck do I go about this? What if she isn't home? What…? Then he saw her strolling back home, hands in her pocket. A tall man was following a little way back. A very pale guy.
"Buffy, behind you!" he yelled, before launching himself at the guy. They crashed into a tree, and rolled onto the ground.
Jonny took a hard hit to his chin and let go of the man. Then they were both at it again, smacking each other down… before they were rudely interrupted by a furious looking Slayer.
"What the hell is going on?" she hissed, separating the two men.
"He's a vampire!" Jonny rasped, catching his breath.
"Uh-huh. I was fully aware of that before you launched yourself at him!" Buffy snapped.
"But…"
She sighed. "Jonny Quest, meet Angel. No last name."
Jonny cocked his head. "Angel? The dead Angelus?"
"Angel!" Angel corrected tersely. "And who's the bozo?"
"A Slayer."
Angel broke down in laughter. "And I thought only girls were Slayers…" He snickered at Jonny's annoyance. "No offense, of course…" But his smirk meant otherwise.
"None taken," Jonny sniped back.
"And also not dead." Angel reminded, brushing off his leather duster.
"I can see that. What I can't see is how… I mean she ran you through and sent you literally to hell."
"Hey, boys!" They paused and looked at Buffy. "Standing right here, so speak to me, not speak of me in the third person!"
"Fine. But explain."
"I can't. He just reappeared one day, all deranged and…"
"Hey!" Angel protested.
"Fine. He showed up one day, 'disoriented' and 'confused'."
"Which accounts for why I'm standing here… but why are you here? And how do you know each other?"
"We were partners a while back." Jonny said no more, to Buffy's relief.
"And you're a Slayer too?"
"More specifically the Destined One. Catchy title, very comic book worthy."
"And…"
"Erm, hello, my turf. I'll ask the questions," Buffy interjected, moving in between them. "Why are you here, Jonny?"
"Last time I checked, you had an apocalypse headed this way."
"And you're here to help?"
Jonny shrugged. "Why not?"
"Do you know something I don't?"
"As in how this will come about? Yeah, that much I do I guess."
"How?"
"Prumiva."
"That bitch! I so wanna stake her skanky ass!"
"You'll get your chance soon enough, if we live through this long enough to get to her." Jonny adjusted the strap of his duffel bag. "So, how've you been?"
Buffy shrugged in response. "Been dealing. You?"
"Same."
"Where you shacking up anyway? Till this is over, that is?"
"Dunno. Didn't cover that part of the equation."
"You could stay over…" she began. Angel cleared his throat loudly in protest.
"I can find a decent hotel room till then…"
"The Four Seasons is full!" Buffy deadpanned. "It's here or the streets."
"Or my place," Angel interrupted. "Big spacious bachelor pad,"
"Sure, if you don't mind."
"I'll mind it less then you staying here."
"Honest aren't ya?"
"Brutally so."
"Well, I'll be waiting here. You two do whatever it was I interrupted." Jonny leaned against the tree, scanning the street.
Angel rolled his eyes. "I don't like him," he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her goodnight.
"Then why the hell did you offer to put him up?" Buffy asked, a smile creeping onto her face.
"Well, I've got a lot of space… and at least I can keep an eye on him… and…"
"You're jealous!" she snickered. Angel glared in response.
"No, I'm not… unless I have reason to be."
Buffy leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "That answer your question?"
"It'll do."
"So, this is home, huh?" Jonny wandered around the hall, scrutinizing the area. He was impressed. The mansion was of a respectable size, but the main hall was immense. Close to the size of the Quest Mansion. Well, at least we still have the Compound.
Angel barely nodded. "Curtains remain drawn, blood's in the fridge. No shoes on the furniture."
Jonny nodded in response. "No prob."
"You can sleep on the couch if you want to."
Another nod.
Angel turned and headed into the darker shadows of the mansion.
"Hey, Big Guy!"
He turned around.
"I'll be out of your hair as soon as I'm done here," Jonny said.
Angel didn't respond, but turned around. "I'll be at the back if you need me."
Jonny lay on the couch, staring at the high ceiling. He had rolled up his jacket and used it as a pillow while he mulled over his thoughts. The mansion was chilly, but he wasn't sure how Angel felt about fires, being a vampire and all. For now, the fireplace was cold and dark, with no welcome flame to warm up the place.
Dawn would be in less than a couple of hours. He wondered if Angel had a training room. All this waiting about was driving him crazy; he needed some activity to keep his mind off the coming apocalypse.
Maybe he could meet Buffy's Watcher. Or even the rest of her Scoobies as she called them.
Flipping off the couch, he grabbed his jacket and made for the front door as quietly as possible. The door closed with a soft creak. Jonny kicked some fallen leaves out of his way, sending the stiff parodies of spring aside.
The air was cool and fresh. Looking up, the sky was clear; a few wispy bits of cloud trailing along. He drew a deep breath and stuck his hands into his pockets. It was a long walk to Buffy's home, but it was a welcome distraction for now.
Looking around, he found it hard to see how this could possibly the Hellmouth. It was too much like Rockport; from the clustered suburbs to the way each morning seemed so clean, untainted. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving his own town in the time of an impending apocalypse, but chances were, Sunnydale would be hit hard.
He had checked in with the rest when he had landed. Nothing had changed and they were hoping the storm would simply blow by. Somehow, deep down, Jonny doubted it. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and felt the harsh bristle of a two day stubble.
Two days… The last time he had spent time alone with Seth. The memory weighed painfully on his mind now. He had ended it. Ended their nights of passion, stolen kisses, and hungry touches. It was over… it had to be.
What made it harder was that Seth took it all calmly. Why the hell did the guy have to be so goddamn understanding sometimes? It wasn't as if he had wanted hysterics, but… It had been almost cold, numb. Didn't he care at all?
The lonely country road that ran on a ridge by the hillside soon gave way to wider streets, and an occasional car cruised pass him. When he finally arrived at Buffy's doorway, it was past eight, and the sun was shining brightly.
Again, the indecision of what to do next hit him. Finally reaching a decision, he reached out to ring the bell… And she opened it.
"Hey!" he said, looking in.
"Hi." There was a pregnant pause.
"I'm not a vampire or anything, but could I come in?" he asked, a small smile teasing the corners of his lips.
She stepped aside in response. He stepped in, and sniffed the warm aroma of homemade waffles.
"You want some? There are some extras," she offered, walking around him.
"Yeah, okay."
He followed her into the tidy kitchen, and leaned on the counter. She slipped him a plate of waffles and handed him a fork. "Syrup's on the side if you want any."
He poured a little syrup on the waffles and took a mouthful. She watched him silently, as he methodically chewed.
"Why did you come here? Really?"
Jonny watched her as she eyed him suspiciously. He swallowed and took a second. "It's not what you think… I'm not here because we…"
"Fine, then what is it? You can't have flown all the way here just to help beat an apocalypse!"
"Look, you left that morning… so why make me seem like the one who kept things unfinished?" he demanded, setting down the plate of half-eaten waffles.
"So, you're back because of that!"
"I didn't say so!"
"Yes, you did!"
"No, I was just jumping onto the 'push-the-blame' bandwagon!"
"Fine. So I ran out! This is my life back here. I'm trying to get it back in order!"
"Yeah, and I left mine to be here for this." He shifted his weight a little. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna say a word to Angel."
"About what?"
"About us, that night!"
"There wasn't an us! It was just you and me feeling very needy and…"
"Horny?"
"Well, yeah, I guess!"
"So it was just sex!"
"Yeah."
"Okay, so I won't say a word to Angel about our sexual encounter, if that's what you're afraid of! I'm not here to hunt you, Buffy. Life's been a little too complicated for that; so I'm not gonna get into that now. I'll be gone the moment all this crap blows by."
"Okay." There was a moment of silence, and Jonny picked up his plate again. The syrup had completely soaked through the waffles. He shoveled a forkful of soggy batter into his mouth.
"This is pretty good."
"Credit goes to my mom." She smiled. "It's been a while hasn't it?"
"Yeah… it has."
"So, what's up with you?"
"Slaying pretty much. Got kinda kidnapped a while back, but I got out of that. Turns out I had control over them anyway."
"Sounds intense."
"Probably was, but it's over now. How 'bout you?"
Buffy perched herself on the countertop next to him. "I came back… that's basically it." She rubbed her arms a little. "I came home, I guess that's a better term."
"And Angel?"
"He just reappeared. God knows how the hell he made it through the hell dimension to be back here, but he did. It's been… complicated I guess. But that's our lives… complicated I guess."
Jonny nodded.
"Apocalypse now… now that's a catchy title. They should make a movie."
"They did…"
"Really?"
"Yeah… military movie." Jonny set down his empty plate. "So, are we supposed to be training or something?"
Buffy looked at the clock on wall and sighed. "Yeah, I'm due to meet the rest in about half an hour. You wanna come?"
He shrugged. "Sure, why not. Gonna be fighting together anyway."
"Giles will be so thrilled!"
"About me?"
"Well, yeah, kinda. I mean, another Slayer line and all that… that's probably like huge for him!"
"Hope I don't disappoint."
"So, you're the other Slayer?" Giles eyed the boy disapprovingly. "Hmm…"
Jonny was slouched against a pillar, idly taking in the details of the small library. He turned to meet the Watcher's gaze and smiled a lazy smile. "Yeah, that would be me."
"And you say that you also have the same qualities of the Slayer?"
"Giles, he can show you, if that's what you want!" Buffy exclaimed, hands on her hip. She gave her Watcher a disapproving glare.
"That won't be necessary, Buffy. I believe him. What I find hard to accept is that a second line of slayers exists." Giles wrinkled his brow. "But, now that it is brought up, I do remember reading some obscure references to a few 'gifted' individuals who were not of the Chosen line."
"That would be us… the forgotten ones." Jonny mussed, liking the British-ness of the man, but somewhat annoyed by his skepticism.
"So it would appear," Giles noted gravely.
Jonny clapped his hands together. "Okay, now that we're done with all that, where's the training room?"
"You're looking at it," Xander quipped, spreading his arms out.
"You're kidding, right?"
Xander tossed him a staff. "Nope!"
Willow smiled, and resumed her research. Oz squeezed her hand gently, and they shared a secret smile. "Xander doesn't really like new guys," Willow seemed to say, rolling her eyes a little. Oz followed suite, a soft smile on his face letting her know that he understood. He gave her another squeeze, and then resumed his reading.
"Will, ya know how I always said that Buffy gets pretty scary when she pounds the baddies?" Xander said, taking a seat next to her.
Willow nodded.
"Let's just say I rather be facing her than this guy!" Xander pointed at the training session in progress.
"I told you not to watch… you weren't ready for such violence," Willow cooed, only half-mocking.
With a sharp push of the door, the rhythmic clicking of heels that marked the entrance of Cordelia Chase.
"Speaking of things you weren't ready for," Willow mumbled.
"I have no idea why I hang out so much with you losers, but…" Cordelia's voice died away when she caught sight of the new arrival.
"Ahh… Cordy, my dear sweet princess. Join us in these first-class seats!" Xander enthused, putting a lot of emphasis on his possessive terms.
Cordy did not look away. Catching her tongue finally, she said, "And who would you be?"
"Jonny Quest. And you?"
"Cordelia Chase, my girlfriend and integral part of the Scoobies!" Xander persisted, putting an arm around her slender waist and half-dragging her to the side. "Resident Armani clothes-horse."
Jonny nodded. "Pleasure. Are those Jimmy Choos?"
"Pleasure's all mine, I'm sure," Cordy mused. "And yes, they are." She giggled a little, before ceasing abruptly when she caught Xander's disapproving glare.
"What?" she demanded of him.
"You're flirting with him!" he hissed back.
"No, I'm not!" she protested indignantly.
"You just giggled!"
"Whatever. Is there anything for me to do?" She glanced at the overloaded desks and immediately regretted her question. Without another word, she took a seat and grabbed a book from the top, and immediately swapped it with something thinner, and considerably less dusty.
Jonny and Buffy squared off, smiles on their faces.
"Now, keep minimum contact. This isn't a catfight to the death," Giles said, pushing his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Ready?" Buffy smirked.
"Bring it."
"Gladly." They sprang into battle, going through a complicated sequence of attacks, reversals, and counterattacks.
"Minimal contact!" Giles insisted, stepping aside to avoid being caught in the middle of the brawl.
"Aww… relax, Giles. I won't hurt him!" Buffy shot back.
"I'll try to not hurt you," Jonny jeered. With a resounding clash of staffs, they both fell back, breathing heavily.
"That was a rush," Buffy said, bursting into laughter, gasping for air. Jonny collapsed onto the floor, convulsing with laughter.
"Like that night, huh?"
"What night?" Giles asked, staring incredulously at the two teens.
"The night we met in a dark alley. I wiped out a few vamps, she thought I was one, and so we got into a little tussle." Jonny got up and dusted himself off. "You've improved."
"Thanks. So have you. Your blocks are less sloppy."
"Can it!"
"How's the research coming along, guys?" Buffy asked, loping over to the desks.
"As far as we can tell, it won't be good."
"How bad?"
"Well, remember the part about the earth tearing apart?"
"Yeah?" Buffy frowned, not liking Willow's tone.
"Well, it's gonna open up lotsa exits for the Hell dimensions." Willow looked up, almost apologetically for having to be the herald of bad news.
"It's okay, Will. We'll just deal with them all then."
"Buffy, you don't understand. There'll be a LOT of exits. Portals or dimensional rips or something. But whatever it is, it'll get very messy."
"How about a binding spell?" Jonny ventured, joining the cluster. "You said they were portals, right? Could you cast a binding spell? To close up all the portals."
Willow blanched. "Why are you looking at me?" She felt Oz squeeze her hand, and she squeezed back, not feeling quite as strong as she wanted.
"Well, you're the spell caster, right?" Jonny looked straight at her, his penetrating gaze piercing her. She felt a little ripple inside, and for one moment, she felt stronger. It was a fleeting moment, but it gave her enough to start.
"Yeah. But I only cast small spells. Make pencils fly and stuff."
"Will, you also restored Angel's soul. That was huge!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Stop looking at me!" Willow cried. "This isn't the same. We're talking vast amounts of magic here. Obscene quantities!"
"How obscene?"
"Prada boots obscene!"
"Oh…!" Buffy trailed off.
"I could get help." Jonny offered, somewhat reluctantly.
"Really? Where from?" Giles ventured, perking up.
"Back home. I'm not sure if he's able to perform binding spells, but it would be worth a shot." Jonny sighed. Seth.
"When can you find out?" Giles was clearly excited about the prospect.
"Now. But how sure are we that these portals can be bound by magic? It was just a shot in the dark for me." Jonny drew out his cell phone.
"I dare wager that we could do it, if we had enough manpower," Giles said, wiping his glasses.
"Hey!" Willow protested. "Woman power too!"
"Yes, of course. I didn't mean to exclude your contributions."
"Give me a few minutes." Jonny stepped out of the library, speed-dialing Seth's phone.
JQJQJQ
MAINE
Seth sat outside, in the cold, watching the surf pound the jagged rocks below. His hands glowed, as he watched the desolate coast, the pulsating radiance. There was no color to it, just a brilliant iridescence.
"Why did you lie?" a soft voice asked. Seth turned around, the glow disappearing in an instant. "Why did you lie about your powers?" Jade repeated, her breath misting as she spoke.
"I didn't," Seth mumbled. "I'm a Healer. Nothing more."
"What was that then?" Jade demanded. "And at the I-1 base. I saw more than just healing, Seth."
"Leave me alone! I can do a little more than heal, okay? Are you happy?"
"Why are you afraid of yourself?" Jade ventured closer, pulling her coat tighter around herself.
"I'm not!"
"You deny yourself of your gifts…"
"Gifts!" Seth retorted. "Gifts, you say!"
"What did you do, Seth? Why are you so afraid to show your powers?"
Seth looked at her sullenly. She knows, he realized. She knew about him, his past. But how?
"How did you find out?" he asked softly. "I know that you know…" He trailed off, and turned away again, facing the horizon.
Jade laughed. "We go a long way back, Seth. You obviously don't remember, but then again, you were too young to have any memory of this. It must have been, what, fifteen years ago?"
Seth didn't respond.
"You know that you're adopted, right?" Jade ventured, her silky voice slightly aloof.
Seth snorted. "A mom of Gaelic heritage and dad who's a Sioux medicine man… I wonder what gave it away. Seriously, Jade, cut to the chase. It's too cold to be playing Family Trees right now!"
"Fine. I knew your parents." She paused. "Guess you didn't see that one coming."
Seth shrugged. "And?"
"When your parents were in I-1, they were placed in charge of the Special Phenomena Unit. Basically, they were in charge of dealing with the multi-dimensional aspects, which I-1 dabbled in. Inter-Dimensional Relation Officers was the coined terminology; ask them if you don't believe me." Jade half-smiled, in reminiscence of the good times. "Anyway, your mom and I were friends, having been boot camp partners for a while and all that. But she was always the one for diplomacy, I had my tactics…"
"You slept your way around," Seth interjected roughly. "Again, cut to the chase."
Jade looked at the boy with an amused smile. "Guess you kinda figured out that whole Jezebel thing, huh?" She received a blank stare in reply. "Anyway, we both know that this isn't your true form. You're not…" Jade stopped and gasped. Seth had bounded over to her, and had clamped his hand tightly over her mouth.
"Don't say it," he almost pleaded. "Please… not now… it's been so long. I've tried… I've tried not to…" His body trembled, his sobs wracking his entire body as he sank into the soft snow. "I've tried… it's not my fault."
Jade, still shocked from the sudden interruption stepped back. She tasted blood in her mouth. Seth's grip had been strong, remarkably forceful for a boy of his stature. She knelt next to his collapsed form, and turned his face to meet hers.
"Do you want to talk?"
"What's left? You know and I know." Seth blinked away his tears. "There's nothing left."
"Yes, there is."
"Like?"
"Like what you were meant to be. The potential you have." There was a pregnant pause, and Jade was well aware of the crashing surf and shifting winds.
Finally, Seth nodded. "Tell me."
"Do you want to go somewhere else?" Jade asked.
"My room."
Seth kicked off his boots and sat cross-legged on his bed. "Tell me," he said, a monotonous intone.
"May I?" Jade asked, seating herself before he responded. "What do you want to know first?"
"What exactly am I?"
"You're I-1's secret weapon. The problem is, they never got the instruction manual on how to work you, so you're also a huge 'maybe'." Jade paused, and checked the boy's expression. Seeing nothing, she continued. "You were also the last thing that they ever transported from another dimension… as the consequences were uncertain."
Seth nodded. He cracked his knuckles, each crack a resolute audibility of how he felt.
"That's why they tried to destroy you, after they freaked out."
Seth straightened up at this. "What?" he exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about? I-1didn't try to destroy me, they brought me here. To help out!"
"They changed their tune yes, or so it seems. But back when you manifested powers beyond their wildest comprehension, they were terrified. Remember, national security was still numero uno on the agenda, and they weren't sure if bringing in a seemingly infinite well of power was beneficial to the country."
"So they decided to kill me off?" Seth's hands were now clenched into fists, his knuckles white against his tan skin. The veins in his skinny arms were bulging, and for a fleeting second, Jade wondered if she was in any danger right now, sitting next to the angry boy.
"Yes. Only you didn't let them."
"How?"
"You were brought through the dimensional gates as a newborn baby; it was the only way you could have been channeled through, contained in a human vessel. So, while the human part of you was completely natural, the power that dwells within isn't." Jade paused again. She straightened her legs. "So, baby right? Should have been pretty easy to destroy. That's where they made the single biggest mistake about misjudging size and experience.
"I kicked their asses didn't I?"
"No. I did." Jade snickered.
"But why?"
"I couldn't let them touch you."
Seth frowned, confused.
"You're my son." Jade turned away, blinking away tears.
Seth went limp. "I'm your son?"
Jade nodded. "Never would have guessed it, huh?"
"But how?"
"Do you actually want the biology lesson?"
"I mean how's that possible? If I'm some inter-dimensional being… how can you be my mom?"
"Because you're not, some inter-dimensional being, per se. Remember, it's only the force in you that's supernatural."
Realization dawned upon Seth. "You volunteered me for some crazy-ass I-1 agenda?" he demanded. "Seriously, was I that much of a burden?" he added, bitterly.
"Those were the days when I still took orders from them."
"So they just ordered you to hand me over, and you did?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, Mom. Seriously, thanks for everything."
"Look, I'm the reason you're still here today!" Jade interjected angrily. "Otherwise you would have been demon food in some hell dimension they were going to throw you into."
Seth was silent for a while, her words sinking in. "Why did you give me away to… my other parents?"
"Because I had to go into exile for a while. I couldn't keep running, with you. Not because you were a burden, but I just didn't want to put you through all that shit. Your parents offered more stability."
"Wouldn't I-1 had known?"
"We fooled them long enough. Your parents were being transferred anyway, so they claimed you as their own, took you far away where you would be safe. They could also help you develop your gifts."
"Trained me as a Healer."
"Yeah. But naturally, you surpassed them. It was only a matter of time before I-1 caught wind of you again."
"They didn't try to destroy me this time though."
"Yeah, well, they decided that since you'd mastered your powers, you could actually be of some use to them I guess."
"Why didn't my parents object?"
"It would have been inevitable. Regardless of consent, you would have been taken under I-1's wing eventually. And then you gave them the perfect excuse."
"The text?"
"The text," Jade affirmed. "I still have no idea what caused you act so stupidly, but then again, here we are, a daytime soap of errors."
"It was a harmless enough spell… I didn't think it would be permanent."
"And yet, it was." Jade reached over and pulled Seth's shirt up to reveal a long scar that ran from his heart down his side." He had told Jonny that it had been a bad biking accident.
"Okay, so I absorbed the book."
"It wasn't just any book, Seth. It was a very powerful spell book, ancient and untapped for many centuries. You were dealing with potent forces… I would have thought you were at least taught that much."
"I dunno, I was just drawn to it, I guess… it was just something that I needed to do." Seth glanced at the clock on his bedside. It was nearly ten. "But the moment I touched it, I felt it become a part of me. It was weird. Then, it was terrifying. I couldn't let go, it just…"
"Consumed you?" Jade concluded. "No, it didn't. You did it."
"How? I didn't even know that would happen. I didn't plan on doing it, if that's what you're hinting at."
"Seth, you're a potent magical force yourself. In fact, you're drawn to magic. It's in you. In fact, magic's drawn to you as well."
"Great. So it's my fault that I'm a walking lightning rod?"
Jade shook her head. "Let's not even get to that. The point is, you absorbed that book. Entirely! They couldn't find a single incantation left in that book when they found you."
"I was gone for a long time…" Seth looked away. He fingered the scar under his shirt, feeling the raised welt of flesh. "It was a very dark place…" He shuddered and hugged his knees.
Jade looked at him now, and saw not the mage he was rumored to be, but a young boy. Her son. "So then I-1 of course heard about it. The energy levels in your vicinity at that point were off the charts. In fact, I heard that a few of the I-1 guys thought that it was a malfunction… No one had seen spikes that high before, at least not from an isolated source. You were a freakin' Christmas tree on the map!"
Seth snickered. "And so they trained me in my control of magic. Told me to suppress it. To only use it for healing."
"And the book?"
Seth pointed to his head, and made a twisting motion and a clicking sound. "Locked away. They made sure of that." He gave a wry smile. "Radical character modification." He laughed bitterly. "The bastards hurt me so bad that it took all my control to never unleash anything. And then, it was gone. I couldn't do it anymore. That sense of power in me… Gone!" He stood up.
"So there, Jade. It's not that I'm afraid of it anymore. I was. But it's gone now. They put it into a little box somewhere, locked it, and threw away the key."
"It's still in there."
"Yeah, but I can't access it. It's that simple, Jade. It's there, but I can't get in. I can't get into my own head!" Seth paced to the window. "All that's left are the simple tricks; rapid shifts in atmospheric temperature, altering the density of air… that kind of child's play that I had learnt on my own."
"You'll need to unlock it."
Seth turned around, his body tense with anger. "I can't! I can't, do you not understand? I fuckin' can't!" His hands were glowing again.
"What about that?" Jade asked.
"What about it? It's simple… child's play." He tossed the glowing orb of writhing energy from one hand to the other.
"Don't you want to be able to use them again?" The silence between them was thick. Suddenly, a ringing shattered the moment. Seth flipped open his cell phone. Jon.
"Speak," was his simple command. He listened intently for a few minutes, and then said, "I'll try." He snapped the phone shut. Looking at Jade, he asked, "What do you have planned?"
"Pack," she said, leaving the room.
"Where are we going?"
"You won't be needing too many sweaters."
"Not a smart move, Jade. Divided fronts are not what we need right now," Race said, his brow creased.
"It might be the only chance you have, Bannon. Let's not lie. We both know that this is gonna be a whole lot bigger than we've played it up to be."
Race stayed silent. He crossed his arms, paced two steps, uncrossed his arms, and then crossed them again. "I still don't like it."
"You of all people should know when tough choices have to be made. It's not a matter of liking the business, Bannon. It's a matter of saving the world."
"Now you sound like an I-1 agent." Race snickered, the frown disappearing for a second.
"Whatever."
"You will be careful?"
Jade smiled demurely. "Aren't I always?"
"I mean it!"
"I love you, Bannon. But you're not family… yet."
"Fine."
JQJQJQ
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"Why are we going back there?"
"You know why."
"Jonny got his sword from that hellhole! There's nothing else there!"
"Yes there is. You felt it."
"No I didn't," he lied. Weak.
"It's an endless well of power, Seth. If you can tap into it, maybe you can help Jonny."
"That was a low blow, Jade."
"It worked didn't it?" Seth did not answer. He watched the clouds fly by as Jade piloted the Dragonfly across the skies. "Belt up, kid. We're landing."
"Eight in the morning, Jade. That's like ten the night before in Cali." Seth held on tight to his seat as they charged through the desert. The desert heat had not kicked in yet, and for now, it was definitely chilly.
"Chill. We'll get there."
"It took a long time the last time."
"We weren't sure of the way the last time. This time I am. So just shut up and let me drive!"
"Damn desert!"
Jade screeched to a halt, throwing up a massive cloud of dust. "Get out, we're here!"
"Where?"
"The gap. Now, we walk, just like the last time. Can you remember how to?"
Seth glared at her. "Yes."
"Fine, that's where we're headed. This is the easy part."
Seth hoisted his pack, grunted in response and began to walk. "What if this is pointless?" he asked suddenly. "What if whatever it is that you intend does not happen?"
"It's a gamble. That's life. You throw your dice and watch it roll. If you win, that's great. If you lose, then you haul ass and hussle!"
"What are you? A football coach?" he asked incredulously. "That's gotta be the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
"Bit of wisdom if you'll take it. But Seth…"
"Yeah?"
"Shut the hell up! Stop trying to be a wiseass. Really, it's not your best feature."
"And what would my best feature be?" Seth snapped back, hustling.
"What does Jonny think?" Jade laughed at her son's obvious embarrassment.
"My eyes."
Jade smiled. "They're mine, ya know."
Seth laughed, a genuine laugh. For the first time, Jade sensed warmth in the boy, a soft ripple of tenderness. Looking at him now, it was almost impossible to recover the moment. Standing on a shallow rise, silhouetted against the rising sun, he appeared almost harsh; rigid and beautiful, like a monument of granite. "What?" he asked, looking at her as she watched him. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing. Time's wasting." She jogged up the rise to join him. "Let's move!"
"Yes, coach!" She turned and caught a glimpse of that smile again.
"Here we are," he said, trying his darndest to pull off a 'Vanna White.'
"A little more hairspray and a whole lot less attitude," she said, flashing a smile at his annoyed glare.
"Any ideas on how we're gonna get in?" Seth pointed to the massive rockslide that had resulted from their last adventure.
"Work. A lot of it!"
"You're gonna need a whole army to move those."
"Already done."
"What?"
"You heard me. I've already called for backup."
"When?"
"Before we left the Dragonfly. All we have to do now is plant the homing beacon and the drop-off will be here in less than an hour."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No."
Seth shrugged. "What're we waiting for then?"
Jade unslung her pack and dug out a small device and placed it on the rocks. Flicking a switch, it unfolded, forming a small dish. Keying in a PIN, Jade activated it. "Showtime."
To be continued…