Chapter Two: Face-to-Face

Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters from The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. They all belong to Hanna-Barbara. However, this story is mine, as are all the characters seen here that did not appear on the show.

Please note: Dialogue marked by angle brackets indicate that a character is speaking in Hindi.

Hadji's breath caught in his chest as he recognized the woman who stood before him. He had been expecting Jessie, the high school senior. The woman who stood before him now was not the girl who had wrestled with Bandit on the living room floor in Maine two Christmases ago. She had changed so much in only a year and a half!

Her shining red hair was longer and waved down to her waist. The formfitting dress she wore, made of raw silk, he guessed, revealed the curve of her hips, her slender waist, and the fullness of her— He stopped himself and raised his eyes quickly to her face. She was wearing cosmetics, he noted with surprise. For as long as Hadji had known her, Jessie had always been a minimalist where make-up was concerned: she'd never seen the need for more than a swipe of lip balm for even the dressiest of occasions. Apparently that had changed, for now, with smoky color on her lids and mascara darkening her lashes, her green eyes seemed deep and mysterious. Her full lips were slicked with a gloss the color of ripe berries, and they glistened in a way that drew his eyes straight to them.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out, and then realized what a stupid question that was. "I mean—I thought Madhu was coming to get me."

Hadji smiled at her, relieved that the tension had been broken. "I have wanted to talk to you all day! I thought that escorting you to dinner would give me a reason to see you sooner."

Jessie stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. She suddenly felt very awkward. Hadji was still Hadji, but the way he had gazed at her was unlike him. She wanted to hug him, but somehow it felt…strange. She felt stranger still when he took her arm and tucked it beneath his own to lead her through the palace to the dining room. Still, she managed to respond naturally to his inquiries about her flight and what was going on at home and at school. They spoke on the phone two or three times each month, but that was entirely different from talking to him face-to-face after all this time.

Hadji stopped before a particular door and the servant who stood before it bowed as he opened the door for the Sultan. Hadji released Jessie's arm and gallantly bowed her into the room before him. She entered to see Neela sharing a low, white-and-gold sofa with a lovely young woman in a pale pink gown. A couple of men, one young and one middle-aged, sat in matching white brocade armchairs which were set at angles to the sofa.

Neela stood when Jessie came into the room. She was dressed in a sari that was much more elaborate than the one she'd been wearing that afternoon. It was dyed the colors of the sunset and was heavily embroidered with gold thread. Hadji's mother also wore many gold bracelets on her arms, and they jingled musically as she moved. "Dear Jessie," she said warmly, "I hope you are well rested."

Hadji entered the room behind Jessie. As he did so, the other three people in the room stood. The Sultan greeted his mother, and then introduced Jessie to the others. The older man was Vasudev Hiranya, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Hadji's Primary Advisor. He bowed to Jessie politely and gave her a smile that did not reach his eyes. The younger man was the Minister's son, Tungesh. He was standing close enough to Jessie to shake her hand, but to her surprise, when he took her hand, he brought it to his lips instead, glancing up at her to see her reaction. Jessie was put off by this, for Tungesh was only about sixteen years old! He was too young to go around kissing women's hands as far as Jessie was concerned. The young woman was Hiranmayi, the Minister's daughter. She was an actress in a popular Indian television program. Hiranmayi inclined her head toward Jessie but did not make eye contact with her.

Another pair of servants opened the doors to the dining room, and Hadji took Jessie's arm once again. Neela walked behind them, accompanied by Minister Hiranya, and the two siblings followed last. Hadji took his place at the head of the table, and Neela sat at its foot. The Minister was placed at her right, and Tungesh sat at her left. Jessie was seated at Hadji's right while Hiranmayi sat at his left. Well, thought Jessie as she looked around the boy-girl-boy-girl arrangement, this worked out pretty well. I bet Neela had this all planned out as soon as she found out I was coming.

Jessie felt like she was at a restaurant. The delicious food, served in individual covered dishes, was French cuisine, rather than Indian. Neela was an excellent hostess and kept the conversation light and general. Jessie tried to stay focused on what everyone was saying, but she found her gaze drawn again and again to Hadji.

She'd always thought he was good-looking, but he'd never looked better to her than he did at that moment. He was dressed in ivory trousers and a navy blue coat trimmed with gold braid and buttons. He also wore an ivory turban accented with the ruby brooch that Jessie knew had belonged to his father. His smooth, golden-brown skin seemed to glow in the warm light cast by the wall sconces. With high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and a sculpted mouth, his handsome face was a symphony of masculine beauty. All of these elements combined to make Hadji truly look like the prince that he was.

"Miss Bannon?"

Jessie snapped back to reality to see that everyone was looking at her oddly, with the exception of Neela, who had a gentle smile on her face.

"Jessie," Hadji's mother began, "Tungesh was asking you about your education."

Jessie shifted her gaze to the young man, noting that dark-eyed Hiranmayi was staring at her intently from across the table. Hurry, and think of an excuse, she told herself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hiranya. I'm afraid I'm still a little worn out from the long flight. What did you say?"

"Think nothing of it, Miss Bannon. I was merely curious to know which field of study you are focusing on."

She smiled at him. "I haven't decided yet between Biochemical Research and Marine Biology, but I'm leaning toward Marine Biology. And please, all of you call me Jessie."

The young man's face lit up, and with that charismatic smile on his face, he looked almost like a brown-eyed, black-haired version of Jonny. "And you may call me Tungesh," he invited.

The conversation quickly turned to marine conservation and from there to environmental problems faced by both India and the U.S. Now that they were talking about a subject that was dear to her heart, Jessie was able to get through the rest of dinner without another embarrassing incident.

After dinner, everyone returned to the sitting room for coffee and even more conversation. The room was beautifully decorated with red-painted walls and plenty of gilt-and-brocade furniture. A golden statue of Ganesh, the Elephant God, dominated one corner of the room. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and cast soft light throughout the room.

Jessie sat beside Neela on one of the two sofas. Tungesh sat next to his sister on the sofa opposite the two women while Hadji and the minister took the two chairs. In the area between the two couches, a low gilt table held and arrangement of white lilies. Their delicate fragrance was just barely noticeable in the air.

Jessie was determined to talk to Minister Hiranya's gorgeous, raven-haired daughter, who'd said next to nothing the entire evening. "How long have you been acting, Miss Hiranya?"

Hiranmayi smiled with pleasure. "I have been a member of this program's cast since I was fourteen, but I began acting in television commercials when I was seven years old. So, it has been about ten years."

"It must be hard work. Do you ever have trouble memorizing your lines?"

"The job can be difficult because we often work long hours, but we do not film with an audience, so we only have to memorize a few scenes at a time. I am hoping to have the opportunity to appear in a film soon. I went to an audi—"

"Hiranmayi, that is enough," Minister Hiranya cut in. "You do not want to bore the Sultan or his guest." His emphasis on the last word was slight but noticeable.

"But she's not," Jessie protested. She turned to Hiranmayi, who was now looking at her hands in her lap. "I would enjoy hearing more—"

The minister raised his eyebrows, wearing an expression bordering on disdain and smiling unconvincingly. "No, no, Miss Bannon. I am certain you are just being polite."

Jessie could not keep the frown from her face, but it appeared only briefly. Neela, accomplished hostess that she was, quickly filled the following silence with vague speculation about the next day's weather. Jessie endured another fifteen minutes of stilted conversation in which Hiranmayi took no part, and then she decided she'd had enough.

"Please excuse me. I'm afraid I'm still feeling the effects of my flight. I'll say goodnight now." When she stood, Neela did as well.

"I believe I shall also retire," the older woman declared. "Good night, my son. Good night, Minister, Tungesh, Hiranmayi." She inclined her head to each in turn, and then turned to Jessie. "Let me take you to your room. It is so easy to get lost in this place, and you have not been here in so long." Neela exited through the door opened for her by a servant, and Jessie followed her.

Hadji thoughtfully watched Jessie leave the room. He had seen the frown flit across her face and was impressed that she had not called Minister Hiranya on his rather rude behavior. There were times when she could be as reckless as Jonny was, although Hadji knew that his adopted brother was usually the instigator of most of the scrapes the pair ended up in. She had certainly matured this last year or so. He wasn't sure he was prepared to see her as a grown woman, but it was apparent that he was going to have to adjust. He'd wanted to talk with her more, but now he supposed he would have to wait until tomorrow.

The minister cleared his throat, and Hadji turned to look at him. My pardons, Sultan, Minister Hiranya said in Hindi, but perhaps it is best if my children and I took our leave as well.

Of course, Hadji replied smoothly in the same language. I know you must have things to do. Let me escort you outside. He waited with the trio while their car was brought around, then he bid them good night. As he watched their vehicle go down the drive, he breathed a small sigh of relief. He did not especially like Minister Hiranya, but the man was the best at what he did, and he truly loved Bangalore. Hadji knew the older man would do everything in his power to ensure the region's continued prosperity.

As the Sultan turned to go back inside, a sudden movement caught his eye. He looked up to see Jessie on her third-story balcony watching the minister's car drive away form the palace. He could not see her face from so far away, but he saw her shake her head before moving back into her room. It appeared that she had not seen him, and he felt a sudden urge to call her back out. No, he told himself. She said she was tired. There will be time to talk tomorrow. As he entered the palace, the guards closed the doors behind him, and an odd thought crossed his mind: How can a man who is surrounded by so many people feel lonely?

Up in her room, a barefoot Jessie paced back and forth. Her red hair bounced behind her from the force of her steps. She wasn't tired in the least; she had only used that as an excuse to remove herself from the presence of Hadji's primary advisor. "That jerk!" She muttered to herself. "How would he know whether or not I was only being polite? And in that condescending tone, too! How dare he speak to Hiranmayi in that way? I don't care if he is her father!"

She continued to pace as she recalled the conversation she'd had with Neela as they'd walked to Jessie's room.

begin flashback

"Do not worry about the minister, Jessie," Neela had told her. "He is known to have extremely conservative views toward women, although he was not so strict before his wife died two years ago. It was through her intervention that Hiranmayi was able to begin working as an actress. Now that she is seventeen, I believe he wants her to end her career and become a wife and mother."

"But she's only seventeen! I'm older than she is, and I know that I'm too young to get married! Besides, what makes him think that she can't have a career and a family?"

"I understand, Jessie, but that is the way he feels. It is still the custom here in India for a young woman to do as her father wishes, even when those wishes do not coincide with her own." She'd paused to look at Jessie as they walked. "I believe he is hoping that she will become the next Sultana of Bangalore."

When Neela had said that, Jessie had felt the heat of the anger that marked her cheeks spread to her whole face. "What?" Jessie had practically shouted, then controlled herself and lowered her voice. "Hadji is too young to get married, too! He's only a year older than I am."

"He is young, but he is a man. He has a great deal of power but bears a heavy burden because of it. He needs someone with whom he can share these things." Upon seeing that they had reached Jessie's room, the older woman stopped and gave her a hug as she bid Jessie goodnight. Jessie had returned the hug distractedly with a murmured, "good night," then she'd turned and entered her room.

end flashback

Jessie suddenly stopped pacing as a thought hit her with all the force of a cannonball. Does Neela want me and Hadji to get together? "No way!" She exclaimed. Okay, Neela knew I had a crush on Hadji a few years ago after that incident with Anaya Zin, but that was so long ago. I'm over it now… She remembered how handsome he'd looked tonight and amended her thoughts …well, mostly. She began pacing again. It doesn't matter, though. He's always been oblivious to me as a woman. He always goes for tall, dark-haired women. I'm just a short, carrot-topped—"Now I'm just depressing myself. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way I look," she told herself firmly.

She turned when she heard the sound of a motor and stepped onto the balcony to see the minister's car driving away. She watched it until she couldn't see it anymore, then shook her head in disgust. Poor girl. To have father like that--! She suddenly missed her own father, and as she went back inside, she decided that since it was after eight o'clock in the morning in the States, it wasn't too early to call him, so she proceeded to do exactly that.

By eleven o'clock Bangalore time, Jessie had pretty much given up on going to sleep. She'd spoken to her father and Dr. Quest (Jonny had already left for school), taken a shower, and finished the novel she'd been reading. Finally, she decided to take a walk on the off chance that it might help make her sleepy. Dressed in hot pink flip-flops, yellow Scooby-Doo pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt decorated with the Star Wars logo, she headed downstairs to the palace's large courtyard. The hallways here were dim and a little spooky, but there were palace guards posted here and there, so she knew she was safe. Once outside, she wandered along the garden paths and was surrounded by the perfume of the night-blooming jasmine as she observed the shapes and shadows of the different flowers and trees and basked in the glow of the full moon.

Hadji stood up and tossed the proposal he'd been reading onto his desk. He glanced at he clock on the wall and saw that it was a little after eleven p.m. All the proposals and bills, written in the dry, convoluted language of lawyers, were starting to turn his brain inside out. He was ready for a break. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, then decided to take a walk in the courtyard garden.

Stepping outside, he immediately saw Jessie. A jolt of pleasure ran through him. She was crouching down by some kind of flowering bush, looking closely at one of the blooms. Feeling suddenly playful, he walked over to her as quietly as he could. He hoped the sound of the falling water from the many fountains in the courtyard would cover the sound of his footsteps. Intent as she was on her examination of the night-dark blossom, she didn't notice he was there until he spoke.

"If you like it that much, it is yours," he said from behind her.

Jessie yelped and tipped over but was kept from hitting the ground by Hadji's quick reflexes. "That wasn't funny," she huffed as he helped her to her feet.

"That depends entirely upon where you are standing," he replied with a grin.

"Or falling down," she retorted. She held up the flower she'd been looking at. It had broken off the stem during her almost-fall and now rested, slightly squashed, in her cupped hands. "I was only trying to figure out what color it would be in the daytime."

He took it from her and, on impulse, tucked it into her hair, just behind her left ear. She stood with her face turned to look up at him, and his stomach tightened. The light of the full moon gave a blue cast to her pale skin and made her hair look very dark. She looked to him like a blue-skinned goddess from Indian mythology, and he wanted to touch her to make sure she was real…

…so he did.

Hadji cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to capture her mouth with his. Her body tensed, and it suddenly occurred to him what he was doing, and to whom. He released her, and they both took a couple of steps away from each other.

"Jessie—I—I am so sorry…" he faltered.

Jessie stared at him as she touched her lips with her fingertips. He wished he were the one touching her mouth instead.

"Don't apologize," she murmured. "That was just a little…unexpected." She turned away from him and began walking toward one of the entrances. "I'll go back…"

He reached out and caught her hand. "Please do not go—I would like to talk to you for a while. Really—just talk." Just do not leave me alone right now, he thought desperately.

She turned back to him with an enigmatic smile on her face. "Okay."

Relieved, Hadji led her toward one of the mosaic-inlaid benched that protruded from one of the garden's walls. "Besides," he teased as he pulled her gently along, "you were heading in the opposite direction you would need to go to get to your room…"

Author's Notes: I hope you find this chapter a little more interesting. I know I haven't had much action yet, but I love the characters so much that I really wanted to get everything set up before I start tearing them down again…Was that a spoiler? I don't know yet! ;

! Thank You! To Palin 1, Chihuahua, and Echo for their reviews and encouragement. I would love to hear from more of the readers out there. Even if you don't like it, tell me why…

Let me know if you like the slightly predictable romantic cheesiness at the end here. We all know what a smooth operator Hadji is. I mean, come on, he's gone from "stranger" to "true love" in only one episode on more than one occasion. If you don't like it, I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep, and neither could Jessie or Hadji, so I thought I would give them something to do to entertain me. Blame them; it was all their idea… ;-) It's 2 a.m. (1 p.m. Bangalore time) and I am going to bed.

P.S. This website has some interesting tidbits about Bangalore, just in case you were wondering how I know what time it is in Bangalore right