The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Play Against Danger
By: Sapphire
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Chapter Eight: End Game
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Location: Kings Mountain, Vermont
Saturday Evening
"How long does it take to get a coat?" Maggie complained, pacing back and forth in the living room of the suite.
"Not this long," Blain said.
"I have a bad feeling," Maggie said.
"I believe I am sharing your bad feeling," Hadji admitted.
"Let's go," Scott said, tired of sitting there, following Maggie with his eyes as she continued to pace. He got up, grabbed Maggie's hand, and headed for the door. "Coming?" he tossed over his shoulder at the other two. They quickly followed after him.
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Jonny hated letting a lunatic move him from one location to another, but he had to get Dr. Mansfield away from Jessie. In a drug-induced sleep, there was no way for her to defend herself. Ryan, too, was expendable as far as Dr. Mansfield was concerned. The only person who was remotely safe, was himself. Jonny was betting on it. All he had to do was find a way out of this…
"Zachary! I'm speaking to you!" Dr. Mansfield shouted. Jonny was pulled from his thoughts by the pounding in his head the shout caused, looking around, but no one else was outside behind the staff wing of the lodge.
"Who's Zachary?" Jonny asked, wincing until his headache eased to a dull throb.
"You are, Zachary," Dr. Mansfield said, irritated. "Haven't you been listening?"
"It's hard to concentrate," Jonny said. "My head hurts."
"Then I will repeat," Dr. Mansfield said. "She should have been mine. You should have been mine. Now I'm setting things to rights, and you are where you belong. Zachary is your rightful name. It may seem odd to you at first, but I have things that will help you acclimate." Jonny stared at Dr. Mansfield in disbelief. His stomach was churning, thanks to the things the doctor was saying. What the hell was he planning to do?
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Jonny said.
"It's the concussion," Dr. Mansfield said. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you, son." Jonny felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He was no son of the lunatic.
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"Wait," Maggie said, stopping so abruptly in the middle of the hall Hadji ran into her.
"What?" Scott asked, looking back. They were almost to the infirmary at the far end of the staff wing.
"I swear I saw Jonny," Maggie said, pointing toward a door down a narrow offshoot hallway from the main. "He just walked past the glass door. Outside."
"But… he's supposed to be resting in the infirmary," Blain said.
"I know," Maggie said, running for the door.
"I have a very bad feeling about this," Hadji said, chasing after her. Maggie reached the door first, pushing it open and rushing out into the cold. She looked right, the direction she'd seen him walking, and there he was. She opened her mouth to call out, but froze.
"Shhh!" she hissed as the others caught up with her, pushing them back into the door's alcove, heart pounding. Her expression was horrified as she looked up at the others. "It is Jonny. Dr. Mansfield is with him, and he has a gun."
"No way," Blain breathed. He snuck a look around the corner. "He does. Was he the one behind all the attacks?"
"It would seem so," Hadji said, before taking a quick look himself.
"They're headed for the staff parking lot," Blain said after another peek. "Slowly."
"The concussion must be slowing Jonny down," Maggie said. "Anyone have a plan?"
"Maybe," Scott said, thinking fast. "Come on. We need to use another door. Fast." He yanked the side door open and ran back inside. The others followed, hoping he knew what he was doing.
"Care to explain the plan?" Blain asked as they ran.
"We have to get ahead of them," Scott called back. "Mansfield thinks we're up in the suite. He won't be expecting us. I'm hoping we have the element of surprise."
"You are planning another ambush," Hadji said, understanding.
"The main doors to the staff parking lot are over this way," Scott explained. "We can cut Mansfield off at the corner of the building before he reaches the lot. He won't even know we're there. Two of us need to get a line of sight on Mansfield. That's Blain and Maggie. Probably hide between some cars. Hadji and I will wait at the corner of the building. We need a signal when Mansfield reaches us, and we need a distraction, too. With his attention on you two, Hadji and I will disarm the bastard and take him down."
"We will have to make it work," Hadji said. "We're here." They slowed as they reached the doors. "I will not allow him to take my brother."
"Absolutely not," Maggie agreed as they exited the building. "Come on, Blain. Let's go." Blain nodded, following her as she slipped between the parked cars, ducking low to keep out of sight. Luck was with them. A ski patrol SUV was parked on the yellow no parking stripes right where the sidewalk Dr. Mansfield and Jonny were using dumped into the parking lot. Passing behind it, they went unseen, and found a position two cars down. Keeping low, they looked back toward the building. Scott and Hadji were standing with backs to the wall, eyes on her and Blain, waiting. Maggie shook her head. Not yet. Jonny and Dr. Mansfield were still too far away.
"Did you have a certain distraction in mind?" Blain whispered.
"No, why?" Maggie returned.
"I think I've got one," Blain said with a slow smile, lifting up a forgotten tire iron he'd just found partially under the car they hid behind. "How about a car alarm?"
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"Easy, Zachary," Dr. Mansfield said as Jonny stumbled along the last few yards of sidewalk to the parking lot. He was dizzy from the concussion, but not that dizzy at the moment. No, Jonny was doing his best to stall. Dr. Mansfield caught his arm to steady him. Jonny had hoped he'd pocket the gun, but no dice. "We're almost to the car."
"I'm gonna be sick," Jonny said, meaning it, because not only was his time running out, but a wave of dizziness hit him hard. He stumbled forward toward a trash can across the sidewalk from the corner of the building, reaching it just as he started to wretch. Jonny's stomach heaved twice, and then pain exploded in his head at the sound of breaking glass and the shrill scream of a car alarm. Nausea instantly forgotten, Jonny clutched his head between his hands and crumpled to the cold sidewalk.
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"Go!" Scott mouthed at the sound of breaking glass and car alarm. It was a brilliant distraction. Between Jonny vomiting and the car alarm, Dr. Mansfield didn't know what hit him. Hadji raced ahead, grabbing Dr. Mansfield's arm, wrenching his wrist until the gun fell to the sidewalk with a clatter. Scott kicked it away, then kicked out at Mansfield's knees, downing him. He and Hadji were instantly on him, pinning him to the frozen sidewalk.
"No! No! Where did you come from?! How are you here?!" Dr. Mansfield screeched.
"We've got him," Scott said as Blain ran up to help. "You go call the police." Blain nodded, then ran for the doors to find a phone.
"Jonny!" Maggie dropped her knees next to Jonny. "I've got you!" she exclaimed softly, sliding her arm around his shoulders and pulling him upright a little so she could cradle him to her. "Your poor head. That alarm must be killing you," Maggie empathized.
"Maggie, get him inside, away from the car alarm," Scott said as the commotion began to draw a crowd. She nodded, pulling Jonny more upright.
"We must search Dr. Mansfield. Check for additional weapons," Hadji said. "I will hold him. You search." Scott nodded.
"Come on, Jonny," Maggie encouraged. "You'll feel better when we get away from that noise."
"Can't think straight," Jonny mumbled as Maggie got him to his feet. He leaned heavily against her as they headed for the doors, the gathering crowd parting to let them pass. "Jess-" Jonny suddenly blurted out. "Infirmary."
"Let's go," Maggie said, hurrying him up as they passed through the doors. Once inside, the sound of the alarm was much reduced. The pain in Jonny's head eased. After just a few steps, it was Maggie who had to keep up with Jonny, and not the other way around.
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Ryan kicked hard. First-aid tape was strong, especially with the amount Dr. Mansfield had made Jonny use, but Ryan was determined and this time the tape gave with a tear. He'd already broken the tape holding his wrists to the heavy exam table, and now his legs were free. Now to cut the tape bindings at his ankles and wrists.
Jonny had tried to make the bindings loose, but Mansfield had caught on and made Jonny wrap the tape tighter. That made Ryan's job harder as he rolled across the floor to the cabinets where he'd found the tape earlier. There was a pair of scissors there, he remembered, and probably other useful things.
A glance at the clock told him too much time had passed. Mansfield could be long gone with Jonny by now. But Ryan still had to try. Heaving himself up using the counter's edge for leverage, he managed to get himself up onto his knees. It was enough to see what was available on the counter. He grabbed the scissors in one hand, then sat on the floor, leaning forward with a bit of an upper body twist, and cut the bindings on his ankles. One problem down! He was trying to get a blade of the scissors under the tape around his wrists when the outer door to the infirmary flew open.
"Jessie! Ryan! Are you in here?" It was Maggie. She and Jonny came running in through the door from the waiting area.
"Am I glad to see you!" Ryan exclaimed, dropping the scissors. Jonny went straight to Jessie, slipping an arm under her shoulders and pulling her up so her head was resting in his lap. He pressed two fingers to the side of her neck, then slumped back against the side of the exam table in relief, finding her pulse strong and steady.
"I'll do that," Maggie said, going to Ryan. She picked up the scissors and snipped through the tape around his wrists.
"I was almost free," Ryan said as the last swaths of tape were severed. "How'd Jonny get away from Mansfield?"
"Later," Maggie said. "When we're all safely in the suite, we'll talk. Right now, let's just get you, Jonny, and Jessie out of here." She glanced over at Jessie and Jonny. "What happened to Jessie?"
"Some kind of sedative," Ryan replied with a shake of his head. "I don't know how much he gave her, or even what it was, exactly. The syringe he used is over there on the other side of the second bed." He got up off the floor and walked around the beds and bent to pick up the syringe. "Should we take it with us?" he asked, examining it.
"It might be helpful," Maggie said with a nod. "I'll take it," she said, "You're going to have your hands full carrying Jessie." Ryan handed it to her then went to get Jessie. "Come on, let's get out of here."
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After dealing with the police, a trip to the hospital was in order. Jonny was checked over and released. Jessie was kept longer. While they waited, Jonny, Hadji, and Maggie put in a call to Dr. Quest and Race at their Chicago hotel, telling them everything. They weren't happy, and not because they were left handling the fallout.
"We should be angry with you kids," Dr. Quest's voice came through the receiver. "I remember Wednesday night, Race and I expressly told you to come home if anything else happened."
"Except we did precisely what you would have done," Hadji said.
"Eliminated the threat instead of running away," Jonny finished.
"In two weeks, all of you will be over eighteen, and we can't make decisions for you anymore," Race allowed, "but we can lecture some sense into you. Just wait until you kids get home." He laughed at the groans that ensued.
"We worry about you," Dr. Quest reminded them. "In the end, we're just glad you're all okay. Let us know when Jessie's awake, will you?" They promised they would call. It took a few hours before Jessie was awake and alert. Doctors gave her a clean bill of health before releasing her.
It was nearing midnight before everyone was safely ensconced in the Quest's suite. Jonny and Jessie were squashed together on the sofa, Hadji on the other side of Jonny, and Ryan on the other side of Jessie. Scott and Blain had an easy chair each. Maggie was perched on the arm of Scott's chair, closest to the lit fireplace.
"So, Hadji was the target of the attacks all along," Scott said thoughtfully. "But… Jonny was the one standing in front of the window the first night."
"Hadji said it himself that night, when we found the spot Mansfield hid. You could see the chair Hadji had been sitting in," Maggie told them. "We just didn't realize how significant that was at the time."
"But he was aiming for Jonny on the slopes Thursday morning," Blain said.
"Hadji was coming down the slope right behind me," Jonny reminded. "We just assumed it was me because I got to the bottom first."
"It seemed logical that Jonny was the main target," Hadji said, rubbing his bruised neck, "until this happened. However, I was the last one in the restroom, which could mean I was a convenient victim."
"But Jonny had to be the target that afternoon when we crashed," Scott said. "I know Ryan and I were the ones to get the worst of that, but it would be easy to confuse me for Jonny, just like Maggie said."
"I don't think that was meant to kill me," Jonny said. "Mansfield was trying to kidnap me, as best as I can tell. It would have been easier if I was laid up with an injury. Harder for me to fight back."
"That makes sense," Jessie said. "The sedative was meant for Jonny, not for me. I just got in the way. Mansfield would have had hours to do who knows what with him. The crash would have had the same result if Jonny ended up in the infirmary."
"We'll never know who the target was the day we botched that ambush," Ryan said. "We spotted him before he could make a move, at least."
"The trap with the key card was definitely meant for Hadji, though," Jessie said. "I'm still glad it was only Ryan and I that stumbled into that."
"What I don't get is why he targeted Maggie with the fire," Scott said. "That doesn't make sense at all unless he was up to something else entirely and stumbled onto her, all alone." No one had a better explanation. "I'm glad I stayed with her in the infirmary that night, though. Who knows what Mansfield would have done to her otherwise?"
"Thanks for that," Maggie said. Scott reached up and squeezed her hand before letting go. "By that point I don't think he cared who he had to eliminate to get to Jonny and Hadji," she surmised. "The truck in the warming house was proof enough of that."
"That had to be spur-of-the-moment," Blain said. "He couldn't have planned it."
"I agree," Hadji said, "but I wonder, had we chosen another campfire, would he still have done it? And if so, without the warming house to shield us from the truck, it could have ended much worse. Perhaps we were lucky."
"I wouldn't call what happened 'luck' at all," Ryan said. "More like creepy. I heard that stuff Mansfield said in the infirmary, about the wife and son he thought should have been his. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end."
"What exactly was he saying?" Jessie asked. "I remember bits of it, but I was so far gone on that sedative, it's fuzzy."
"Basically, he used to know my mom, a long time ago, before she met my dad," Jonny said. "Dad confirmed she used to have a friend called Thomas Mansfield. But Dad said if Mansfield had any romantic interest in my mom, she either didn't know about it, or didn't think it was important enough to mention to him."
"So, he had an obsession with Aunt Rachel?" Maggie asked. Jonny nodded.
"In his mind, my dad was responsible for my mom's death," Jonny continued. "Mansfield's plan was to kill Hadji so Dad would feel the same kind of loss he did at my mom's death, which is delusional, because my Dad was devastated when my mom was killed." Jessie set her hand over his, giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go. He gave her a quick, appreciative smile in return. "Mansfield kept calling me Zachary," Jonny told them. "Said that should have been my name because I should have been his. He said he had things that would help me 'acclimate' to my new name." He couldn't stop a shudder. It was creepier than Rage mistaking Jessie for his daughter, Carla. Jessie's hand was back on his, and this time she didn't let go.
"That's messed up," Blain said.
"Yeah, it is," Jonny said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
"It's really late," Maggie said, looking at the clock. "We have to check out tomorrow morning. We should get some sleep." There were nods all around.
"Are we meeting up for breakfast?" Blain asked.
"Yeah," Maggie agreed. "Maybe at eight? We'll have to eat early if we want to hit the slopes one last time before we leave."
"It's a plan," Scott said, getting up from the chair to give both Maggie and Jessie a hug goodnight. Blain and Ryan followed suit, then followed him out.
"Are you really okay?" Jessie asked Jonny once they were gone.
"My head will be fine," Jonny said with a shrug.
"That's not what I meant," Jessie said with a frown.
"Dr. Mansfield wanted to abduct you," Hadji said, "and it appears he had some very disturbing plans for you."
"Yeah, that," Jonny said with a slight shiver. "I don't care if I sound like a baby, but I'll feel better once I see my dad."
"Not at all," Maggie said, giving him a hug. "Dr. Mansfield is a very sick man. The things he said to you, they were enough to freak out anyone." After that, they said their goodnights and headed to bed.
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After breakfast, everyone went skiing one last time before they were due to depart. The atmosphere among them was blissfully relaxed now that they didn't need to stay together in a pack. Jessie and the guys took the more advanced runs with relish. Maggie stuck to the LS runs, others accompanying her from time to time for the company, with nothing more to worry about than improving her novice skills. Around mid-morning, Maggie decided to take a break and found some hot cocoa to sip at the lodge's little outdoor concession. Scott found her there at a little table.
"Can we talk?" he asked, taking a seat opposite her.
"Sure," she said, curious.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking," Scott said, "and since we're friends, and considering some of the stuff we've talked about this weekend, I want to give you some advice, which you're free to ignore if you want."
"Well, that wasn't what I was expecting you to say, that's for sure," Maggie said warily. "Do I want to hear this?"
"Maybe. Maybe not," Scott said uncertainly. "But we're friends, remember? That means I can say something and you won't hold it against me if you don't like it, and vice versa. As long as the intentions are good. Believe me, they are."
"May as well say it, then," Maggie said, nervously playing with her hot cocoa mug. Scott nodded, then swallowed hard. It was possible he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life, but he had to or he would always wonder.
"So, this other guy," he began. Maggie's gaze dropped to her cocoa. Scott had expected that. This wasn't a topic she liked discussing, but she needed to. "Maggie, look at me," Scott implored. Maggie slowly met his gaze. "I only know what you've told me and what I've seen from your side of things, and what that tells me is you're unhappy and you have been for a while. Do you really want to move past it?" Scott asked.
"Yes," Maggie said emphatically.
"Alright. Then here's my advice," Scott said, not without a little trepidation. "Talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Get it out in the open and then go on from there." As a friend, it was sound advice, Scott knew. But he wanted more than a friendship with her. If she followed his advice, there was the chance the other guy might wake up and realize what a great girl he had right in front of him, and Scott would have succeeded in pushing her right into the arms of someone else.
"No," she said, shaking her head, surprising him. "If he felt anything for me…" she shook her head again. "No."
"I said you could ignore my advice if you wanted," Scott reminded, "but I want you to at least think about it. You might get some closure, at the very least." Scott could lose her. He knew he could. But he would rather risk that than risk being the one Maggie settled for, the one that was second best. Scott wanted her to choose him because he was the one she wanted. She couldn't do that if she was forever hung up on what could have been with someone else.
"I don't think there's anything to think about," Maggie said. "He had his opportunity, and he didn't choose me."
"Then that's that," Scott said, sensing he'd said enough and she was done. "How about you finish that cocoa and we head for the chair lift? We should have enough time to take the LS run a few more times before we have to head in and pack up."
"That sounds good," Maggie said slowly, shaking off that very personal conversation. "Want to help me finish my cocoa?"
"Sure," Scott said, taking the cup. They shared the last half, then headed for the ski lift together.
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Jessie came down off the upper runs and headed for the chair lift, looking for any sign of her friends. She just caught sight of Maggie and Scott as they were scooped up into a chair and started up the mountain. Even if she hurried to catch a ride, they'd be off down a run before she got to the top. Luck was with her, though, because she heard a familiar voice calling her name from somewhere behind her.
"Ryan!" she greeted as he slid to a stop beside her. "I was hoping I'd run into someone. Want to ride up together?"
"Sure," Ryan agreed as they headed for the lift. "I figured that's where you were headed." They waited their turn at the lift, and were soon on their way. "Which run were you thinking?" Ryan asked.
"Something challenging," Jessie said. Ryan laughed.
"I figured," he said. "How about we make it more interesting."
"Like how?" Jessie was curious.
"A race," Ryan proposed.
"The stakes?" Jessie queried.
"Aside from bragging rights?" Ryan asked, making her laugh.
"Yeah, aside from that," she agreed.
"Well, we're headed home in less than two hours, and there's no telling when we'll get together again. So, how about a future claim?" Ryan said.
"Future claim?" Jessie was intrigued. "How does that work?"
"Next time we see each other, the winner gets something from the loser," Ryan said. "It's kind of an interesting bet, because you have no idea what the winner will decide they want. It could be anything. Last time I made a future claim bet with Scott, he won. He made me sing karaoke- which I hate- to Man! I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain because he thought it would be funny. It was." Jessie burst into laughter.
"I'm never betting a future claim with Jonny. Ever," she declared. "But I think it's an interesting idea, so you're on." Ryan grinned.
"Deal," he said.
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Jonny, Jessie, Hadji, and Maggie returned to the suite just in time to pack up before they had to depart. Check-out was at noon, and they had promised Race and Dr. Quest that they'd head home right after. The packing was done efficiently, and they were soon hauling their gear down to the lobby.
Blain, Ryan, and Scott were already down there. When everyone was checked out, it was time for good-byes. Maggie and Jessie gave the guys from the Montana trip a round of hugs. Jonny and Hadji exchanged handshakes and farewells with them.
"It's always exciting when we get together," Blain said with a grin.
"Maybe a little too exciting," Ryan agreed wearily. "Next time can we scratch 'life-threatening danger' off the activities list?" Jessie and Maggie smiled, giving the guys an extra hug.
"Thanks for all your help," Jonny said.
"You didn't have to put yourselves in danger," Maggie said, "but I'm glad you were there for us."
"Any time," Scott said, giving her a grin.
"It has been a real pleasure," Hadji said sincerely, "but I believe it is time to go."
"Yeah, it is," Scott agreed, giving first Jessie, then Maggie a kiss on the cheek. "We've got to figure out something for this summer. Promise."
"We promise," Jessie returned as Jonny and Hadji headed outside to start loading up the Quest van. Maggie gave the guys a final wave, then picked up her bags and followed them out. "One last thing," Jessie said, picking up her own bags before turning to Ryan. "Do you have any idea what you're going to want for that future claim you won?"
"Actually, yeah. I do," he said, slowly smiling. "I was thinking… a date."
"Okay," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "A date it is."
"Way to go, Ryan," Blain chortled, slapping his cousin on the back. Then he winked at Jessie. "Between you and me, he's a catch. He's got beauty and brains. But he's the lucky one. You outshine him on both counts." She couldn't help but laugh as it was Ryan's turn to blush.
"I'm gonna miss you guys," Jessie said with a final smile directed at Ryan. "See you all soon!" She walked through the lodge doors to add her bags to the carefully stacked pile in the back of the Quest van.
"Ready to go?" Jonny asked after closing the back of the van.
"Yeah, let's go home," Jessie said. They all gave a final wave to the guys watching from the windows as they climbed in, and the guys waved back.
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To be continued in… Judgement Day.
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