Sunday, 10:30 PM – Dig Site, Cambodia

Hadji sat by the fire staring up at the starry sky, the noise from the others celebrating made him smile. He liked it in Cambodia, the forests and rivers reminded him of Bangalore. A deep longing hit his heart and he realized it had been some time since he stepped foot in his home country. His mind then traveled to Jonny and Jessie. He hadn't seen them in so long, and the truth was, he missed them. He missed their voices when they argued, and laughed, and he missed their presence around him. They made him feel comfortable, made him feel at home when, in reality, he was so far away from it. The sudden silence around him brought him out of his thoughts. It's not supposed to be quiet.

He stood up, his brows furrowing, and looked around. The image that met his eyes, he would never forget. The bodies of his friends littered the ground around him. His breath quickened, as he looked around the camp site, he didn't see her. Hadji ran to her tent, only to find it empty. His heart skipped a beat. Where is she?!

A soft, muffled cry made him dash outside. Red hair caught his eyes as he turned towards the left. A figure dressed in black was dragging the owner of the cry into the forest. Her fear filled emerald eyes met his, and he sprinted towards her and her captor. Loud shouts came from his right, and as he turned, he felt a sharp needle strike his neck. Instantly his legs gave out on him and he collapsed to his knees. He looked up to see six sets of dark eyes glaring down at him. What he thought were growls came from the six men, then after listening to the noise for a short time, he realized that they were…laughing at him. Obviously, they found his attempts to get back Estella amusing. He glared at the wolf print on their backs as they left him and followed the man that had carried Estella into the forest. He willed his legs to move as he stumbled towards the satellite phone Estella kept in her tent.

"Must…get help," he mumbles to himself, "Call…Quest's." His numbed hands fumbled with the phone as he dialed the number. He was glad when he heard Race's voice.

"Hello?"

"They took her…"

"Hadji! Is that you? What happened?! Took who?"

"Estella…" he mumbled before the darkness consumed him.

Saturday, 9:30 AM – Quest Compound, California

Jonny glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. 9:30. His messy blond hair and pure blue eyes reflected the actions of Fridays events. Both he and Jessie had been completely drained of energy and he surprised even himself when he agreed to go to the movies so early in the morning. He sat at the kitchen table wondering why Jessie wasn't down yet. They were going to the movie with Kristen, Kaylyn and Josh at 10:30 and then going out to lunch afterwards.

"We're gonna be late," he mumbled to himself as Race popped his head into the kitchen.

"She's still in bed, Jonny," he said with a smile, "you two do something I should know about? I've never seen her, this tired before."

Jonny shook his head as Race sighed and retreated from the kitchen.

As Jonny sat there, thinking about Jessie up in her room sleeping, a smile crossed his face. He stood up from his seat at the table and rummaged through the cupboard for the biggest pitcher he could fine. He then filled it halfway with ice and then put it under the kitchen facet as cold water spilled into it. As the water flowed in to the giant pitcher Jonny herd a noise from behind him, only to find that it was Race. Jonny smiled as Race gave him a suspicious look.

"Thirsty?" he asked as he raised his eyebrow.

"Uhhhhhh, yeah," Jonny replied as he grabbed the pitcher out of the sink and made a dash for the stairs.

"It's your funeral, Jonny!" Race yelled as Jonny took the stairs two at a time. When he reached the top he turned left and skidded to a halt in front of Jessie's door. He slowly opened it and found Jessie tangled up in the covers of her bed on the other side of the room. Jonny looked around, then he left the door slightly cracked in case he had to make a mad dash out. He took a deep breath, he had always liked the smell of Jessie's room, the way it made him feel comfortable and at home. He looked down at her carpeted floor as he proceeded to her bed.

I can actually see her floor.

Seeing the floor was a big contrast to his room, where his many dirty cloths littered the shiny hardwood. The light from Jessie's blinds gave the room an eerie glow that added to the comfort. The small rays of light caught the dust that was floating in the air and as Jonny made his way towards Jessie's bed he could finally make out her peaceful features. Smiling down at her, he almost regretted what he was about to do to. But that thought was drowned out as the telephone on her night stand rang. Jonny instantly knew he was caught, even before Jessie opened her eyes. He looked down at his friend only to see her shocked green eyes staring back at him.

"Jonny, don't you…" Jessie began as a smile played across Jonny's face. It took only a second, as time slowed; the freezing cold water hit Jessie square in the face. Jonny dropped the now empty pitcher and sprinted out of the room towards the stairs. He felt Jessie hot on his heals as he reached the top of the stairs.

"QUEST! YOU'RE DEAD!" she roared from behind him, "They won't even find your body when I'm done with you!"

Jonny smiled to himself as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, only to slam into the very muscular body of Race. He felt Jessie ram into his back and they both fell backwards onto the floor.

"You two go upstairs and pack your things," Race ordered, then turned to Jonny, "I'm going to call your father and tell him we're leaving."

"Where are we going?" Jonny asked as Race turned away from them.

"Cambodia," the older man murmured to them as he exited the kitchen. Jonny turned to Jessie, only to find his friend shaking slightly and wide eyed. The one thing he thought he would never feel from her was radiating off in waves…fear. The word she whispered made Jonny's breath catch in his throat.

"…mom…"

Monday, 9:15 AM – Unknown Compound, Cambodia

Estella felt the vibrations in the floor as her captor walked towards her cell. She was lying on her stomach, where they had dropped her hours earlier. She instantly knew they were coming for her even before the keys found the lock. She heard the door gnaw at the floor and the hinges squeak as it was forced opened. She refused to open her tired eyes as her captor entered her cell, she was too tired, and she just wanted to be left alone. She knew it was a man when he called out to her. The voice was soft and soothing, almost calm and it reminded her of someone she knew. He slowly coaxed her into looking at him, and in an instant she was up and backing away. She only got so far when she became aware of the cold metal wrapped around her wrists. She brought herself up and glared into the striking blue, but pale eyes of her captor.

"Who are you? Where am I? Why have you kidnapped me?" she demanded as her glare continued to penetrate him. To her surprise, he smiled and laughed at her.

"My name is Tadashi, you are in my organizations compound, and I am merely barrowing you," he said with a shrug, "But right now I would like you to come with me. I have something to show you." He motioned for the guards to come in and they took the chains off and handcuffed her hands behind her back. He smiled again as he lead her out of her cell and down the hall where they were greeted with white walls and numerous prison cells.

The further they walked the more cells she saw and when she got to a point, the cells and walls vanished only to be replaced with full length glass. Estella stopped in her tracks when she saw what was on the other side. The spaces weren't rooms at all…they were laboratories. Estella, as she was shoved in the back, counted at least one person in every lab and five scientists in white lab coats. Numbers of the prisoners were struggling against the straps that held them down to metal tables, there wide eyes pleading for help. Others were just lying there, like the dead. She looked at the glass and thanked god that it was sound proof because she would have been consumed by their screams and cries of pain.

"Wh-what are you doing to them?" she asked Tadashi hesitantly, not really wanting to know the answer. To her dislike, she was greeted with another smile. This one was darker and made her skin crawl.

"I am somewhat of a scientist. I am fascinated with the unkno…" Estella cut him off before he could finish.

"This is not science," she said in disgust, "this is torture."

"Ahh, yes," Tadashi gave a heavy sigh, "it's amazing how many times those two subjects are used in the same sentence." Estella glared at him.

How could someone do this to innocent human beings?

She was so taken aback about how calm he was. She watched as one of his scientists on the other side of the glass inject a pure blue substance into a man strapped to a table. Estella instantly saw a change in the man's actions. He no longer struggled against his bonds; he went slack and started to breathe heavily, sweat glazing his forehead. Before Estella knew what happened, she was shoved in the back, a gesture that told her to start walking. She was brought into a warehouse. Jeeps and off road vehicles lined the outer walls as, what Estella thought were military personnel scattered about accomplishing their daily assignments. Tadashi stopped and turned to her.

"I'm wondering if you know the full extent of the situation your in Miss. Velasquez," She looked at him. Thoughts and ideas running through her head as she scanned the large warehouse.

"You're some kind of black market thug. You buy vehicles and stat-of-the-art weaponry from very powerful groups of terrorists," she paused, letting a beat pass as she looked around again, "my guess, you settle only for the best of everything. Your main subject is chemical warfare, as you told me earlier. You bought those poison darts you used on my team back at camp and also that virus you injected into that poor man back there," she flicked her head back the way they came. Slowly, a smile grew on Tadashi's face. Estella rolled her eyes.

This guy smiles way too much.

"I am impressed. You've figured that much out with such little information," he stepped closer to her, "but you are mistaken about me buying the chemicals I use. You see, I am the one that sells them. The poison darts you witnessed before were made in my earlier years when I had limited supplies. You will be relieved to hear that they aren't fatal, though I regret not making them," he noticed he had her attention now, "The substance you saw injected into that man back there is my most prized possession, and I only just finished it."

"What does it do?" asked Estella as she was lost in his pale blue eyes. Though she hated to admit it, he was rather, good looking for someone who was completely crazy.

"The main substance I used was scorpion venom and the poison is executed in three stages. Once injected, the subject experiences a very high fever. The second stage makes the fever change and drop to a hypothermic temperature. The virus then attacks the nervous system, eventually shutting down all the organs," he paused, "I am told that all three stages are almost unbearable, and that only two of our test subjects have endured the pain to the final stage," he smile to himself at the thought, "I call it Black Trinity."

"You created such a thing, why?"

"Because," Tadashi replied looking around, "I want to share my knowledge with the world. I love seeing my weapons used in combat and I am honored to be the supplier. I hope someday to be the most feared person in chemical warfare."

"So, where do I come in," she asked, "why kidnap me?" Tadashi smiled as he took another step towards her. His pure blue eyes a complete paradox to his dark personality that hid behind his smiles.

"Because…you're going to lead me to a very, special object. This object will make me famous and launch my materials into the real world," he paused, "You're going to lead me to the Heart of Thunder."

Monday, 8:45 PM – Dig Site, Cambodia

Jonny glanced around the dig site. He though it odd that it showed no evidence of its previous night. Or that it had no clues leading to the people who had taken Estella. Anger flared up in his being as he though about it and he glance over at Jessie. Her hands were at her side, clenched into fists of pure rage. She was scanning the area, probably looking for answers for the many questions she held in her mind. The only clue was the howling wolf Hadji had told them about, which was so little information. He took a step towards Jessie only to feel a hand on his shoulder. He turned and found himself staring back into Hadji's eyes.

"It is best to leave a raging tiger alone, my friend."

"I want to help her, Hadji." Jonny said as he started walking through the camp site, "I feel helpless, and you of all people know I don't like feeling helpless."

"I know Jonny, but she's fuming right now, let her cool off a bit, then go over," Hadji replied placing his other hand on his shoulder.

Jonny looked into his friends hazel eyes. Hadji had always been there for him whenever thighs got tight, but the one time Hadji needed him, Jonny was halfway around the world. He felt helplessness eating at his heart, and knew that it was nothing compared to Jessie's.

The voices of his father's and Race's caught his attention, and upon finding them, he froze instantly. They were shaking hands with members of Estella's' dig team. The sleeve on one of the men's arm had pulled up in the action. Although the arm was already littered with tattoos, Jonny was drawn to just one of them. The head of a howling wolf was surrounded by the flames of a dragon and Jonny instantly knew he had found the traitor. Hadji had told him of the howling wolfs on the back of the kidnappers shirts. He glanced over to Jessie, she was now standing and her fists were at her sides. Jonny instantly knew she had seen the tattoo to, and hoped to god she wasn't going to do anything reckless.

He kept watch over the group as they continued to talk and it was only when the men parted that he took a step towards them. The man with the tattoo however glanced over in his direction and the look on his face told Jonny that he knew. The man immediately spun on his heals and made his way to the edge of the forest. Jonny's eyes found Jessie as she quickly followed after him. He silently cursed to himself, the mental battle raging in his mind. Go after Jessie and most likely find the people after Estella's' kidnapping, or Take the time to tell his father and risk loosing Jessie's trail. Jonny quickly chose plan C. Hadji was a few yards away, while both fathers were no where to be found; Jonny could tell him and then go after Jessie.

"Hadji!" he yelled, catching his friend's attention, "Jessie found the traitor. She's going after him, I'm chasing, tell parents to follow and bring help!" He didn't wait for his friends questioning voice before he took off into the jungle after his reckless red headed friend.

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Jessie's anger fuelled her pace. Her determination to catch this man, the one who had betrayed her mother, was enormous and she was sure that she was catching up. The thought put a smile on her face as the branches of the jungle trees wiped at her head. Crashing from behind her caused her to look back, the bleach blond hair of her follower told her Jonny was not going to let her do this alone. Still, she didn't slow for him, he would catch up or stop and none of that mattered right now.

The jungle emptied out into a dirt path, and what little tracking her father had taught her told her was that the man had taken this route. She looked down and followed the fresh foot prints as Jonny came up behind her. His deep breathing made her smile.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" he asked between breaths.

"What dose it look like I'm doing," she snapped back without stopping or turning to him, "I'm following the man who betrayed my mother." His sarcastic laugh made her slow a little.

"Do you know how reckless this is? Darting off into the forest with no help, no backup, and no idea as to where you're going. They might have guns Jess!"

"Why did you come if you thought this was such a bad idea? You could have stayed back at camp and waited to tell our fathers."

"What?! O, I can see that conversation going well," he yelled at her, "Sorry Race, but I thought I should wait to tell you that Jessie ran off into the jungle, alone, chasing after the man responsible for Estellas kidnapping," he took a breath, his annoyance showing more than anger, "You thought I was going to let you run off into the Cambodian jungle, following someone that's most likely a bad guy, by yourself," he snapped back as he matched her stride.

"I'm glade you came," she whispered to the side, "and no, I didn't think about the consequences, but she's my mom Jonny, you can't have expected anything less."

"I know Jess. But I swear to God, if I die before I graduate high school, I'm gonna be pissed," he answered as they passed a wide open field, he paused, then asked, "do you know where your going?"

She smiled sideways at him, "Yeah, this guys foot prints are fresh, but he's moving faster than we are." she said as she picked up her pace, forcing Jonny to do the same, "This guy knows how to run away."

They half jogged the dirt road for what seemed like hours, finally hearing commotion up ahead as they neared a towering mountain. The sound of a motor and wheels on the dirt road meet the two from behind. Jessie glanced at Jonny before grabbing his dark blue t-shirt, pulling him off the road and into the forest. The truck past and the howling wolf insignia was plastered across the front hood. Jessie smiled at Jonny; they had found them, whoever they were.

"We should get closer, I have to see what were up against." Jonny whispered from beside her. Jessie's smile made him uncomfortable, "What?"

"You're curious," she whispered back as she moved through the underbrush. But the two weren't ready for what they saw. A high metal fence was surrounding the entrance, where two, open, silo doors were worked into the rock wall of the mountain. Jeeps and Trucks littered the open area along with people, no, soldiers. Almost all of the men carried weapons, weather they were slung across their shoulders or in ready positioned hands.

"We are so in over our heads here, Jess," Jonny breathed out from beside the red head. Her sharp intake of breath made him look at her only to find that she was staring straight ahead. He followed her gaze and saw a woman with flaming red hair standing next to a very tall man. Her hands were handcuffed behind her and she was flanked by two guards. Before Jonny could stop her, Jessie ran to the fence bordering the compound. The men had led the woman away, but Jonny knew it had been Estella. The voices of men shouting brought him out of his thoughts and he dashed to Jessie's side.

"What the HELL are you doing?! Are you crazy?!" he yelled at her as he pulled her back away from the fence, "We have to get out of here!" Gunshots were heard just before the tree branches above the two's head ripped apart. Jessie wrenched her arm free and pushed Jonny ahead of her into the forest.

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Jonny ran for it, pumping his legs, willing his body to go faster. The Cambodian forest seemed much denser as he tried to find his was back to the road they had followed in. It had seemed to take a short time to reach the unknown compound when Jonny and Jessie were following the man. But now, he realized, they were miles from their campsite, miles from help and he cursed himself for even following the traitor in the first place without thinking about the consequences. He glanced back and through the dense foliage he saw flashes of flaming red hair. This told him Jessie was close behind. Reassurance flooded his mind and he told himself that they would be safe and reach the road in no time. But he was sure that the soldiers had, in fact, seen them, considering that they had been shot at. But he was confused to as why they hadn't followed. His thoughts were interrupted as he entered a wide clearing. He thanked god as he glanced up and saw their dirt road at the other side of the field.

"Ace, you ok back there?" he yelled back at the red head as she entered the clearing behind him.

"Yeah Hot Shot, I'm fin…" her voice cut off as he felt her getting farther and farther away from him. Jonny halted to a stop and turned around to find his friend stopped dead in her tracks, her emerald eyes filled with fear.

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Jessie found Jonny's blue eyes. He was a good distance ahead of her but still wasn't out of range. He started to yell her name but she just shook her head and looked down at what she had felt underneath her left foot. She could just make out a metal, circular shape and her fear was realized. The sinking horror of what they had blindly run into also hit her like a punch to the gut. If she hadn't slowed down, trying to listen to see if they were being followed, she didn't think she would have noticed the tiny crunch the metal made as her left foot crashed onto it. The unevenness of the ground was what made her stop and look down. She was jerked from her thoughts as Jonny called out to her.

"Jessie! What are you doing?!" he yelled in desperation, "We have to go!"

"Can't," said replied shaking her head.

"What! What are you talking about?!" he pleaded with her, "Why?!"

"I'm standing on a land mine, Jonny," she watched as the blond boys eyes grew wide in terror, "I'm not going anywhere."