Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest. I am making no money off of this and it is purely for fun and enjoyment.
Chapter 3
Grimacing, Race pressed the bag full of ice against the side of his head as he sat down on the couch in Corbin's suite. While the bleeding had stopped, the pain still throbbed and he could already feel a welt growing in the spot where the woman known as Jezebel Jade had cracked his skull.
Coming out of the kitchenette, Phil took a seat across the table from his partner. Setting down a handful of beer bottles, he grabbed one, popped it open and handed it to Race, then did the same for his own. Looking at Race's pained face, Phil took a swig of his beer. Shaking his head he couldn't prevent letting out a short laugh at Race's expense.
"I'm glad this amuses you." Race grumbled, taking a drink.
"I'm sorry," Phil snickered, "but I can't help it. Besides, you'll be fine. You're going to feel like you got hit by a semi-truck, but you'll be fine. At least she didn't break your arm."
Leaning back, Race closed his eyes momentarily. "Yeah, lucky for me."
Laughing Phil said, "Get over it, Bannon, you'll be fine. We'll get Doctor Arman and Jade. Don't worry about it."
Opening his eyes, Race peered back at his partner and realized while Phil seemed to know most of Race's past, Race knew next to nothing about Corbin's. "So how do you know this Jezebel Jade?" He decided to ask.
Phil shook his head as his eyes seemed to wander. "The first time I ran into that woman was in Korea, near the DMZ."
"Really?" Race was instantly intrigued. "Which side?"
"The safe side," Phil replied. "Shit, I wouldn't go into North Korea without a damn good reason and that woman is not a damn good reason."
"What's her story?"
"She's a thief." Phil replied. "Granted, she'll tell you she's a 'collector of fine antiquities' or some bullshit like that, but at the end of the day she's just a thief. She'll steal and sell anything for the right price."
"Well she's probably the sexiest thief I've ever seen." Race quipped.
"That she is, but don't let her looks distract you," Phil offered. "As you're busy ogling over her assets she'll snatch her prize right out from beneath you and leave you standing there like an idiot."
"You sound like you speak from experience, Phil?" Race poked.
"Screw you, Bannon." Phil laughed, "If you're implying that there was something between her and I, you're wrong. Granted, she is easy on the eyes, but my mission was a bit more important than my love life at the time."
"What happened?" Race asked.
Taking a long gulp from his bottle, Phil began to recount his tale. "North Korea had gotten its hands on a stolen Chinese warhead with potential nuclear capabilities. However, what it didn't have was the launch codes as they had been intercepted by South Korean military intelligence personnel. But in typical bureaucratic fuckery, the codes were then stolen from the South Koreans."
"By Jade?" Race asked, catching on.
Phil nodded, "My mission was to retrieve the stolen launch codes back from Jade in order to prevent them from getting across the DMZ into North Korea. I knew Jade had them and was going to take them to the DMZ and sell to her contact across the border."
Race shook his head, "So she was just going to sell the codes back to the North Koreans? Regardless of the implications of what could have resulted if they had launched a nuke?"
Sneering, Phil replied, "Jade doesn't give a damn about any of that. Like I said, she's a thief. She cares about money, that's it."
"Isn't that kind of harsh?" Race asked.
Phil eyed him for a few moments. "Am I hearing this right? Are you actually defending her? The woman attacked you in a darkened alley, Race. She could have killed you and you're damn lucky she decided to just toy with you instead. Jade is not the type of person that I would align myself with, pal."
Looking away, Race nodded. Corbin was right, but there was something about the woman that made Race think twice. Phil's statement was spot on, Jade could have killed him, but she hadn't and Race wanted to know why.
Getting back to the subject, Race prodded, "So what happened? Did you retrieve the codes?"
Phil sighed before downing the last of his beer, "Actually, no I didn't. I may not be a fan of Jade, but I respect her abilities. Every time I got close, she managed to give me the slip. It's like she knew what my next move was going to be and altered her plans accordingly. I chased that crazy bitch from Yongsan all the way to the DMZ, but she made it to the border before I could arrest her."
"Why didn't you go after her?" Race inquired as he popped open another beer.
"Are you nuts?" Phil snorted a laugh. "I didn't have clearance to cross the DMZ."
"So Intelligence One was willing to let the codes fall back into the hands of the North Koreans?"
"I guess they assumed I would have made the arrest." Phil replied. "But either way, I-1 wasn't going to let me cross the DMZ due to the international ramifications that could have arisen if I had been captured. If I couldn't retrieve the codes in the South, the contingency plan was to shoot down the missile from a battleship that was underway in the region in the event there was a launch. A risky move, as the air defense capabilities at the time had a pretty high margin of error when attempting to shoot down a SAM armed with a nuclear warhead."
"I never heard about a launch." Race threw in once he saw that Phil wasn't going to say any more at the moment.
Shaking his head Phil said, "You know, that's the part I never figured out. Nothing ever happened. No launch, no threats, no intercepted communications about the codes, potential launch, or the warhead. It's like Jade got across the border and just disappeared, along with the launch codes."
"Lucky for you," Race added. "Lucky for all of us really."
"No shit," Phil said. "My career could have been ruined, but more importantly if the North Koreans launched their stolen warhead there probably would have been war. Eventually we found out the warhead was 'reacquired' by the Chinese military and disassembled." Pausing for a moment he then added, "So Jade got the best of you tonight. Just like she outsmarted me years ago. Don't underestimate that woman and don't for one minute trust her either. The only person she cares about is herself."
Shaking his head, Race smiled. He was impressed, by both his new partner and the mysterious woman that had gotten the best of both men. "So, what's she doing here?"
"If she's meeting with Doctor Arman then she's probably trying to either steal some of his renaissance pieces or she's here for the same thing we are, the biological agents."
"You think she's working for Vostok?" Race wondered.
"I doubt it," Phil said. "Vostok isn't the type to hire outside help."
"So she's working for someone else that could possibly be interested in Arman's work."
"Or she's freelancing," Phil suggested, but he wasn't convinced that was the case. "but we need to concentrate on Arman and Vostok first. Jade is a nuisance, but if she gets in the way, she can cause some serious trouble."
Race titled his head and laughed, "Got it, boss." Feeling the ice beginning to melt, Race finished the last of his beer and stood. "I think I'll get some sleep."
"Good idea," Phil stood. Going to his suitcase he rummaged through the bag, grabbed a bottle of extra strength painkillers, and tossed it to Race. "Take some of these. You'll already feel like you're hung over when you wake up, but these should help. Take them again in the morning."
"Thanks, Phil." Race said as he waved the bottle at the man.
"We head out early in the morning. We'll head out to the Charles Bridge first to for a contact meet, then to the Prague Castle. Meet me in the lobby, ready to go, at six."
"Damn, why so early?" Race asked as he looked at the clock, it was already closing in on midnight.
"You want to be in the field, get used to it." Phil grinned.
Shaking his head, Race replied, "Got it, partner." Then headed for his own room.
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Jade whistled appreciatively as Doctor Askar Arman showed off his collection of renaissance period art. After having shaken the Intelligence One Agents, Jade had headed back to her own hotel and contacted Arman to express her desire to meet again.
The Kazakhstani scientist actually repulsed her, but Jade knew how to work her angle with the man and he had been more than willing to accommodate a last minute visit to his Prague loft, even at three in the morning.
"You have quite the collection here, Askar." Jade breathed.
"Thank you, Miss Jade." The man replied. His voice grated on Jade's nerves. "I've heard that you are quite the collector yourself."
"I dabble." She smiled as her eyes fell upon a collection of miniature portraits from the early period of the renaissance. Walking over the display of at least twenty of the small paintings, Jade said, "These are quite lovely."
"Those are not the only things here that are quite lovely." Askar's words dripping from his tongue like slime.
Jade cringed at the subtle statement. She needed to find what she was looking for and get out. Spending any longer in the presence of the disgusting man than was necessary was not part of Jade's plan.
"I've heard you have a collection of much finer pieces as well." Jade purred as she turned to face her mark. She attempted to mask her frown when she saw the wanting desire in the man's eyes.
"I'd be happy to show you." Askar said.
Jade let the man take her by the arm as he led her towards his private office. She took comfort in the small concealed blade that was tucked safely away on her person.
As they entered Doctor Arman's office, Jade ensured she showed a vested interest in the collection of Italian and French paintings that adorned the wall. "These are some very valuable works, Askar," Jade stated as she watched the man close the door from her peripheral vision. "I'm very impressed."
Casually strolling around to the man's desk, she observed the small safe tucked away into the wall near the floor; Askar's attempts to conceal the compartment were amateur at best, not to mention he was making it easy for her; the safe was open.
"What else would you like to see, Miss Jade?"
Jade smiled seductively at the man as she placed her hands on the edge of the sturdy oak desk and leaned forward, giving the old scientist a pleasant view. As his eyes locked onto her chest, Jade's eyes drifted towards the documents that were strewn about the desk. Her gaze drifted across a number of letters that appeared to be written in Russian. Intrigued by the letters, she looked back at Askar and saw the man was still staring at her breasts. 'Some men are so easily distracted.' Jade mused to herself.
"Perhaps a drink first?" Jade suggested, bringing Askar's attention back to her eyes as she shot him one of her most seductive smiles.
"Of course," Askar stammered, knowing he had just been caught glaring.
"Some wine?" Jade suggested as she moved to sit on the edge of the desk, crossing her legs in a very deliberate fashion. "I'll wait here and get...comfortable."
Askar nodded quickly, "I'll only be a moment." He grinned as he headed from the room.
"As will I." Jade sneered after the man left.
As soon as the door closed, Jade moved back behind the desk to the safe. Kneeling down she pulled the door open the rest of the way, immediately finding the small velvet satchel. Opening it, her eyes shone as the tiny jewels sparkled against the low light. Closing the bag with the little ropes, she quickly tucked her stolen wares into her purse. Standing she moved to the window behind the desk, opened the panes, then removed her heels. Just before she was about to climb onto the ledge into Prague's darkened, foggy pre-dawn hours her eyes fell upon the letters on the desk once again.
Thinking they could be of value, she snatched the handful of documents from the desk and stowed them away in her purse.
Before Doctor Askar Arman returned, Jade was out the window, on the ledge, down the rain gutter, and disappearing into the fog before the Kazakhstani even knew he had been played.
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Pulling himself out of bed, a dull pounding served to bring Race back to the real world. He had only managed to sleep for a few hours before having to wake up and be ready for the day's events. Grumbling to himself about his current partner's insistence at such an early start, Race dragged his aching body towards the bathroom in order to prepare for the day.
Thirty minutes and two painkillers later, Race entered the nearly deserted hotel lobby. A small gaggle of college-aged students lingered in the far corner, but soon moved off towards the doors, heading out to enjoy the city's early morning ambience.
Taking a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs, Race saw Corbin leaning against the check-in counter, speaking in a low voice to the woman that stood behind it. A pretty young woman, her curly auburn hair and light brown eyes complimented her strong, European cheekbone structure. Race watched as Phil said something, causing the woman to smile, giggle softly, then cover her mouth with her hands. Smiling back at the woman, Corbin nodded as he met Race's questioning gaze.
Phil said something to the woman again, who once against responded with a bashful giggle before brushing her hand lightly over the agent's forearm. He smiled at the young lady one last time before striding over to Race. Standing up as he approached, Race saw Corbin appeared surprisingly well rested for someone that had to be fighting off the affects of jetlag just as Race was.
"You ready to go?" Phil asked as he reached Race's side.
Nodding Race said, "Yeah." Then jerked his head back towards the woman at the counter, who had returned to her tasks. "What was that all about?"
Phil winked, "Gathering intel."
"Is that what you call it?"
Phil guffed curtly as he rolled his eyes.
Race laughed. "I thought you were all business, Corbin. All business all the time."
"Then you don't know me very well, Race." Phil said as the two men headed for the door. "But in all seriousness, you know that getting in good with the locals is the best way to gather any information that could be pertinent to our situation. If something is strange or out of the ordinary, the local populace will know about it before we do. Even in a tourist hub like Old Town."
Race nodded as they emerged on the street, heading for the cafe at the corner before making their way towards the Charles Bridge. The chill that accompanied the pre-dawn fog gave Race a shudder as the quietness of the early morning settled over him with a sense of both calm and apprehension.
"So what's the plan?" Race asked. He kept his voice low, as if the need to whisper was imperative due to the hazy mist that surrounded them.
"Like I said last night," Phil replied. "We head to the Charles Bridge. After that, depending on what information, if any, we receive, we reassess from there."
"We still need to check out the Garrison."
Phil nodded as they made their way into the cafe, which even in the early morning hours, had quite a number of patrons already in line to purchase their morning brews. "We will." Phil replied as they got in line.
The duo ordered, received their coffees, then proceeded back out and on foot towards the bridge before Race continued, "If Vostok gets his hands on those components, I think we might have an even bigger problem on our hands, Phil."
Phil shot the other man a quizzical look then asked, "What do you mean?"
"I think Vostok might have bigger plans than just setting off a dirty bomb on a mass transit system."
"Perhaps we need to bring Doctor Arman in when we catch up with him again." Phil suggested. "If Vostok is here already then we'll get him. It sounds like we can't take the chance of an exchange between Arman and Vostok anymore."
Silence settled back over two agents as they traversed the last few blocks to the bridge, the echoes of their footfalls off of the cobblestone streets, combined with the thick, hanging fog, created an eerie sensation that made Race instinctively hover his hand close to his concealed sidearm.
Stepping on to the bridge, Phil nodded his head towards Race, who moved away from his partner, heading towards the mist-cloaked far end of the structure. Even as he slowly moved ahead of Phil, Race kept his senses sharpened to the veteran's movements behind him, ready to react if Corbin needed his assistance.
Keeping pace a number of steps behind Race, Phil veered towards the eastern side of the bridge and the only other visible occupant. An old man, dressed in a shabby overcoat, a grey knit hat, and fingerless gloves peacefully fed a half dozen or so pigeons that cooed with needful anticipation as the elderly gentleman tossed handfuls of seed upon the cold, damp stones.
"Good morning." Phil said to the man as he saw Race leaning against the western side of the bridge, about twenty feet north of Phil and the birdman.
The man raised his head and peered at the dark-haired American with a look of a man who was more than a down-on-his-luck elderly bird lover. "That it is. A little early for a young man such as yourself though."
Phil gave the man a short smile, "I've always been an earlier riser. With such pre-dawn peacefulness as this, it helps one forget, even if only for a few moments, of all the terribleness that plagues our planet."
"Terribleness brought about by terrible men." The man spat.
Phil nodded as he sipped his coffee. "Do you know anything about men like that?"
The man tossed another handful of seed to the fat pigeons before responding. "Only that there are a number of men like that here in my beautiful city."
"Do you know where?"
"I do not," He replied with a shake of his head. "Only that they are close, but there are not many places within Praha that could conceal their preparations for their supposedly dastardly deeds."
Phil placed a hand upon the man's shoulder, "If you can find out where they could be operating,"
The old man nodded before Phil could finish his sentence. "Of course. I'll reinitiate contact once I gather some more definitive facts."
"Thank you."
"I need more birdseed." The man grumbled as he tossed the last handful to the winged inhabitants of the Charles Bridge.
Reaching into his coat pocket, Phil withdrew a few Czech Koruns and placed them in the man's palm. Concealed between the folded-up bills was a small, disposable cell phone. "For your pigeons, my friend."
The man nodded before turning away and shuffling off into the fog.
Race came up next Phil as the older agent watched the old contact vanish into the haze.
"Anything?"
Phil shook his head, "Not much, except that Vostok is definitely here, but he's more than likely operating outside of the city at the moment. Pavel will find out where and let us know."
"Another old man, huh?" Race joked.
Corbin gave Race a strange look then said, "No one is going to suspect an elderly man that's feeding pigeons at six in the morning is a spy."
"Gotcha ya." Race said, deciding to drop the subject. Even though they had only been partners for a little over two days, Race sometimes got the impression that Corbin was sizing him up, but for what reason Race could not figure out.
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Prior to her late night excursion to Doctor Arman's loft, Jade had checked in to a new hotel, one where neither her employer nor her mark knew to look for her. The Aria Hotel was a luxurious establishment, one that Jade felt right at home in.
Having made her way swiftly to her room, Jade exhaled thankfully that she had made it back without being spotted. Clicking on the light upon the small desk in the corner of the room, Jade retrieved the small velvet satchel from her purse. Covering the desk with a small, soft cloth she gently spilled the contents of the bag out onto the desk.
The fistful of assorted jewels sparkled with an array of glimmering, shifting colors against the lighting of the desk. Jade's eyes grew wide with desire as she gazed upon jewels spilling out before her. As she emptied the remainder of the contents out, her face scrunched up with confusion as a black, cylindrical tube rolled out of the bottom of the bag and landed upon the cloth with a gentle thud.
"What the hell?" Jade mumbled as she cautiously picked up the strange device, the end of which was secured tightly with a black rubber stopper.
As she rolled the tube between her delicate fingers, her thoughts drifted to the man that she had just stolen from. "Holy shit," Jade breathed as she quickly, but carefully placed the tube down.
Grabbing her purse, she pulled out the documents she had taken from Doctor Arman's desk. The documents were all in Russian, but as her eyes moved back and forth between the black tube and its unknown contents and the documents she clutched in her hand, Jade began to comprehend that her current situation had just gotten much, much worse.
Grumbling as she scrolled through her options in her head she rolled her eyes and sighed heavily at her new predicament. "Goddamnit, Jade." She mumbled aloud.
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To Be Continued...
A/N: Not to insult anyone's intelligence, but for those that may not know, DMZ stands for Demilitarized Zone. It's the area between North and South Korea.