Good evening. Thank you so much for the reviews! They are so very much appreciated and I am very grateful for them. My idea of posting every Monday is getting a bit challenging. This week I couldn't even print out the chapter. This was bad, I usually print and edit hardcopy. I can catch mistakes quicker, but alas, I couldn't. The organization I work for was moving us to another building and I just didn't have a chance to print.

So again, if you find mistakes, please, please tell me so I can fix them.

jdcocoagirl: Thank you for continuing to read. I hope you like all the twists and turns this fic has.

Anatolie: Well, I am hoping that I can post every week. That's the plan. The great thing is that I have finished the fic and it is complete. The challenge is that I caught all my grammar mistakes…I hope!

RRL24: The reunion will come soon. But I try to pace the story. So, it will happen soon. Jessie will do anything to get Jonny back.

harry101: The key…the key….the key….Well, it will be explained in this chapter. I hope it is not too cheesy. LOL!

Thank you so much for continuing to read! Just a note about myself:

-I always complete my fics

-I believe in HEA

-Music tightens the story line. I hope that you enjoy the music selection as much as the story.

If the chapters are too long, let me know and I'll divide them. Till next week!

Playlist:

Blue Foundation: Eyes on Fire

U2: Vertigo

Coldplay: Us Against the World

6 Underground: Sneaker Pimps

Ivy: Edge of the Ocean

Chapter 4

DR128 finished putting the window back in its original place when he heard a knock on the door. Pulling out a gun from his ankle strap, he slowly walked out of his bedroom to the living room suite and toward the front door. Standing by the door with the gun in hand and the safety off, he called out in a perfect Russian accent, "Кто там?" (Who is it?)

"Won't you open the door to an old friend?" A familiar voice called out.

He recognized the voice and the phrase. It was a phrase that only the two of them shared. He was surprised. Visits never happened after a hit, especially from him. Immediately, DR128 relaxed. Emotion was never something you showed in front of this man or anyone else at the agency, so he quickly composed himself. Opening the door, he looked straight at the man in front of him with an emotionless gaze, "Master."

"May I come in, DR128?" the man asked politely.

"Of course," he answered with a curt nod, "Please."

He was about to close the door, when he noticed another person walk behind the first man.

"Hello DR128," a second man smiled frigidly, his smile pernicious. DR128 glared emotionlessly even though part of him inside felt a discomfort from the malignant gesture. This second man wore a long trench coach and a dark hat that covered the baldness. The same man from the square. The same one that gave him the signal to shoot. His thick black glasses made his eyes seem bigger than they were. He had an intimidating manner, a cold disposition and a way to make people cower to him. DR128 felt that every time the man appeared to him. However, he didn't show it. He couldn't look weak in front of the man.

"My apologies Doctor," DR128 answered as he let the second man inside his room before closing the door.

The first man wore a black sports jacket, white shirt and black trousers. As soon as he walked in, he noticed the neat living area. Walking further down the bedroom, he noticed the weapons hidden away from view and a perfectly looking window that no one would notice had actually been pulled apart from the structure. Satisfied, he smiled and turned back to the living room where his agent and the other man stood by waiting, "I wanted to surprise and congratulate you DR128. The mission was a complete success. You did well today."

Withholding the reaction from the praise, DR128 answered in a very neutral tone, "I'm glad I met your expectations."

Master took a seat on a small table by the window, "We haven't seen each other in over three months. I was wondering how you were."

"I am fine Master," he replied, with such detachment that the Master's stare lingered a little more.

"Are you wondering if there is another reason as to why I am here?" he asked looking at his young agent with curiosity and slight wonder.

"No sir," DR128 answered. "If there is a specific reason, I'm sure you will tell me."

Master smiled at his young protégé, "You know that you're one of my best agents DR128, that's why I came to see you personally."

As the Master spoke, DR128 watched the doctor walk over to another chair by the table where the Master sat and took a seat. He had not taken off his hat or the coat.

Ardently, he stared at young man standing in front of him, dissecting him piece by piece, wondering how long it'd take before the kid snapped. He isn't like the others. This kid is dangerous. Unfortunately, his partner didn't feel the same way. Master had a certain fondness for DR128 that the doctor could not understand. He knew the reason for preference, but he still didn't comprehend it. Emotions were very foreign to him.

"I need to send you on another assignment. Would you like to know where?" Master asked with a fond smile.

"I will go anywhere you would like me to Master," DR128 responded with the same aloof tone. For the past three years, he had been assigned to Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Norway, he figured it would be anyone of these countries.

Wanting some kind of conversation, Master sighed regretfully. DR128 acted just like the others. He knew a conversation would not take place, but sometimes he wished the young man would exhibit some type of behavior, anything that would make him stand out from the rest. The environment he lived in caused the effect, but somehow, Master wished it hadn't.

Well, this will not be something permanent, he thought to relieve the guilt that washed daily over him. Another part of him thought it was for the best. He needed his agent keen and ready, especially for this mission. He will change, but for now I need him focused. "This one is not in your assigned area, but it is a onetime assignment. I'd like to send you to the United States."

He didn't remember ever being in the United States, "When would you like me to leave?"

"About a week from today," the master replied. "I need to brief you first and also go over some condition training. I want you back at headquarters by tomorrow midday. Your flight will leave at 0700. The jet will be waiting for you at the usual assigned place. "

"I'll be there," replied DR128 with the same emotionless tone he usually carried.

"Good," Master replied as he stood up to leave. "We'll see each other tomorrow evening. We'll have dinner and I'll explain all aspects of your assignments then."

"Before we go," the doctor suddenly stood up and took out a small gun-like device from his coat, "Please show me your left arm, DR128."

Master remained quiet as DR128 did as told, without question. He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed his arm. The doctor walked over, held the arm with his own hand and injected him with the gun.

"Alright, thank you, DR128," the doctor grinned cattily. Turning to the Master, he said, "Now, we can go."

Nodding, Master began walking out, "Have a good flight."

"Thank you, Master," he said as both men walked out door.

The doctor walked out first, but before Master walked out, he stopped before the younger man, "Do you know you are my very best creation DR128? There isn't anyone better than you. I need you to know that."

"Thank you Master," he nodded without any sign of satisfaction from the compliment.

Master smiled and tapped DR128's shoulder, "Make me proud."

"I will."

"Good," With that, Master turned around and walked out as DR128 closed the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What is that, Jessie?" Claire asked as Jessie walked up to her.

"I call it Phoenix," she replied looking at her friend intently, "It's an extra pair of eyes inside QuestWorld. I've been working on it for almost three years." Jessie took a seat next to Claire again. "Phoenix is my ticket to finding Jonny."

Shocked, the blond gawked at Jessie incredulously, "Jess…you're not a programmer. How…when did you learn how to do this?"

"Well, my degree is in computers and as a system analyst I was able to gather some information on programming," Jessie responded with a nod. "I also took extra classes online, read a lot of books and I even had Doctor Quest and Hadji help me. Although, both of them thought I was working on school projects."

The girl shook her head, astonished at what her friend was telling her, "You learned on your own?"

"Claire, I was a book worm and a workaholic for four years. I never dated anyone unless you dragged me somewhere every now and again. I had the time…and the motivation," Jessie said with a smile.

Looking at the silver disc, Claire gently took it from her friend while asking, "So, how does Phoenix work? Does it even work?"

Sighing, Jessie answered with a small smile of uneasiness, "Phoenix is able to pull out people in a designated area based on the criteria that I set forth in the search features. For example, I can tell Phoenix to find any person who has brown hair, blue eyes and weighs approximately one hundred and forty pounds. She will download, via Quest Industry satellites, a recording of the area and extract those people matching that description. The recording then comes to life in 3D through QuestWorld. It's kind of walking through a scene at a specific time frame."

"Are you kidding me?" Claire asked impressed. "Jessie, that's impossible! Are you sure everything that you're saying can be done?"

"I tested it out last Christmas break," Jessie responded, now a little excitedly, "Without Doctor Quest knowing, of course. The program had some glitches which I hope I fixed this time around."

"You tested out your program on Quest Industries computers without authorization?" Claire asked seriously, "Have you gone crazy? Jessie, I'm surprised you didn't get caught!"

"I wiped out any traces of the program from QuestWorld," the redhead shrugged. "I've worked with it for so long; it's easier to do than you think." She smiled, reminiscing a little of a time long ago. "You have no idea the stunts Jonny, Hadji and I pulled with QuestWorld. It helped that I know so much about it."

Still a bit perturbed, Claire turned to face her friend more directly before asking, "And you plan on doing this again? Jessie, do you know what you're doing? You're lying to our employer and your dad."

"I'm doing whatever I need to do to find Jonny," she replied adamantly. "Claire, you don't understand what I've had to live through! I can't get him out of my mind. I can't give up on him."

"But Jessie…"

"What if you found a way to get your parents back?"

At the direct statement, Claire grew silent. Jessie had hit a nerve that now put Claire in a more understanding position, "I…"

"Wouldn't you do anything in your power to get them back?" Jessie continued, "You can't tell me you wouldn't, Claire. You've cried as much for them as I've cried for Jonny."

Sighing Claire shook her head, "I can't tell you I wouldn't. But Jessie, I can't get them back…"

"But I can get him back," she answered resolutely. "I know I have to tell them, but give me a chance Claire," Jessie begged. "I can't give Doctor Quest or my dad any more false hopes. Let me make sure Phoenix works correctly and I'm able to find a good lead."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Claire replied, "But you're my best friend and I love you." Jessie immediately hugged her friend. "I'll keep my mouth shut, but you have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"If you get caught," Claire began, "You better make sure you have enough money in the bank to support me when both of our butts are thrown off the compound."

XXXXXXXXXX

The two men walked out of the hotel and into a limo that waited for them just outside the entrance of the hotel. Neither looking at each other, they both held complete silence, as they entered the car. Once inside the vehicle, the limo driver, unaware of the events that took place inside the hotel moments earlier, asked in a light tone, "Where to gentlemen?"

"The jet," Master called out before pulling up the privacy window up.

Once confirming that it was safe to speak, Master pulled out his gun from his breast pocket and aimed at the doctor who practically jumped out of his seat when he realized what was aimed at him, "What the hell!" he cried out surprise.

"You ever touch my son again without my authorization, I promise to put a bullet between your eyes!" Master's eyes simmered with range.

"Get the damn gun away from me!" the doctor seethed. "You may think you run this entire secret organization, but don't forget that the reason you are and continue to be here is because of me."

A splenetic grunt came out of the Master's mouth before looking at his counterpart with a scathing gaze, "You damn bastard. You put yourself on this high pedestal that only you believe is worthy of something. You are here because you are part of my payroll! Don't provoke me again." He tapped the doctor's forehead with the tip of the gun he carried, "I won't hesitate to end your life if need be, especially when it comes to him!"

"Don't…" the doctor stopped when he heard the click of the gun after the Master once again aimed it between his eyes.

"When it comes to my son, all bets are off."

The doctor looked deeply into Master's intense gaze, he knew he wasn't kidding. Therefore, he nodded, accepting the reprimand. The Master put his gun away. However, once he felt safe again, it didn't stop him stating, "You're making a mistake sending DR128 to the states."

Letting down his guard a little, Master replied, "He's the best choice, you know that. His shooting accuracy range surpasses any other agent's range. He's our best shooter. What was his last recorded range?"

"Three yards," the doctor responded.

Master laughed, "See…we need him to complete this assignment. It's the only way we can take the next step. DR128 isn't messy. He'll do the job with enough finesse. We need that for this occasion."

Ignoring Master's train of reasoning, the doctor reiterated, "You also forget that he's also a danger to the organization. You've known this for years!" the doctor replied with venom in his voice. "What's going to happen if they find out we've had him all this time?"

"They won't," Master replied, "I've taken care of that."

"How?"

"You don't have to worry about that," he replied with pride. "They won't even know he's there and I'll have DR128 half way to Sweden by the time they realize anything…if they realize anything."

"I'm still not convinced," the doctor replied. "Something could still trigger his memory."

"Well, you took care of that didn't you?" Master replied sarcastically.

"I've only injected an enhancer. Not the actual serum. The drug won't work accurately without the serum," he replied defensively.

"I don't want anything that might hurt him."

"Please! What might hurt is sending him to the one place he shouldn't be at! What I did, I did for protection. I was protecting you and him! You know that the day will come when we'll have to do this. DR128 will end up like the rest of them. You are only prolonging the inevitable."

The Master stayed quiet. He wasn't blind to the fact that the doctor had a point. DR128, his son, would meet the same fate as his counterparts in time, if there was no other choice. It would be the only way to keep him safe and away from the evil that had taken him in the first place. Still, he didn't like it. After everything was over, he'd try one last resort. Placing him like the others would only happen when there was no other choice. "Whatever else you decide to do with my son from now on, I advise you to let me know. For your own good."

"Duly noted," the doctor replied with a sigh. When it came to DR128, his partner became a bumbling fool. When would he start facing facts? "You know that I'll have to do a follow up when he arrives at headquarters."

"I know," Master answered with a nod. "The enhancer has a possibility of giving him an allergic reaction, I'm not too fond of that happening. Give him a second dose of the enhancer, but do not give him the serum yet." He looked at the doctor intently, "I will know if you did, so back off. If he has as much as a cough, get that thing out of him."

"Let's see how he handles this first dose."

Master looked out the window without a reply.

"Why do you take care of him so much? He's just like the others." The doctor said annoyed. He had wondered when his friend had turned so…emotional. This was a characteristic not suitable for men in their position. This career did not demand or require the emotions of people.

Master felt like shooting him this time. The doctor would never understand what it was like to be a father. He would never understand what it was like to grasp the last semblance of a family he desired, but never got. The doctor had no idea what love was, how it felt when you first saw beauty in front of your eyes; how one felt when you lost love. And, the joy resurrected when you found out she left you something to appease her absence. What would the doctor know? He had never been in love. "He's not like the others. He's the only thing I have left of Rachel," Master replied with equal annoyance. "He's my son."

XXXXXXXXXX

DR128 lay in bed. Wearing only a pair of black briefs. He stared at the ceiling, thinking and trying to figure out what occurred around him.

Tonight's assignment had been very different from previous ones. All the rules taught to him were thrown out the window. Why would he need to expose himself so much on camera? What on Earth did Master have planned? He sighed, running his hand through his thick blond hair. Something was off. He knew it deep in his gut. He dare not ask. It wasn't allowed. Never ask, you never ask.

Yet, he questioned. Sometimes he wondered if anyone else questioned. He doubted it. The few times he worked with other operatives, they never showed doubt. Even tonight, the woman he worked with didn't have any of the doubts or questions he had throughout the night. His counterparts never asked questions. They were like robots, lifeless and one dimensional. He wondered why he always questioned in his mind. What did they inject me with?

Looking at the arm, the one that the doctor had injected, he noticed a slight discoloration in the skin. In the dim light that his nightstand lamp offered, he saw the red bump that looked like a giant mosquito bite. Is this the reason I'm not like the others?

Whatever Master was planning, he didn't like it. The doctor also seemed nervous. He was never nervous about anything. Something felt very off and very wrong. Never one to question or to act without protocol, for the first time DR128 felt the need for a contingency plan. Just in case he was the target, this time.

Turning off the lamp, he pulled up the covers and closed his eyes. On other nights he would force himself to fall asleep. Tonight however, he planned.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Jessie walked into the mansion after arriving to Maine the next day, she couldn't help to smile as she looked around the house. The mansion had eight rooms, an indoor swimming pool, two living areas (one used as a library/family room), a formal dining room, a study, an island kitchen and a gym.

When Jessie first described to Claire the mansion and then told her that it was a place of warmth, her friend laughed heartedly. "How could a large place like that be warm?" Claire had asked.

"Just because it's a large house doesn't mean it's not warm, Claire. When you walk in, you just feel the warmth, the love in that house. I could never describe the feeling. You just have to be there."

Remembering those words now as she looked around, Jessie sighed in satisfaction. Sure, she had been there a few times each year when she was home from school, but this time was different. This time she was staying permanently. Immediately, she felt relieved to be home, but also excited to begin the next part of her journey.

"You look like you haven't seen this place in years," her father answered as he walked in carrying his daughter's suitcase inside.

"It's not that, Dad," she answered looking at him. "I'm just happy to be here."

"So am I," Race smiled. "Hadji is taking Claire to her room—"

"I can take my own stuff Dad, don't worry," Jessie told him as she gently took her bags away from him, "Why don't you call Mom to see if she made it back okay?" Estella had left about a half hour before they boarded their own flight.

"I'm sure she's still up there. Her flight was much longer than ours, but I'll go check," he said as he started walking over to the study.

"Where's Doctor Quest? Wasn't he in the car behind us?" Jessie asked making her father stop.

"He turned to the light house," Race replied. "He's checking on some specs he received from Japan this morning."

"Another project?"

Race shrugged, "When is there not, Ponchita? I'll go call your mom. I'm sure she's okay. Hell, I'm more worried about the passenger sitting next to her. She 's probably boring them to death with some tale of Mayan excavations."

"Dad!" the girl giggled.

"What?" Race snorted, "Honestly, I worry about any passenger that sits next to your mom or Benton…..scary how those two brains work."

Laughing as she picked up her suitcase, Jessie headed up the stairs and began walking to her room. But somewhere in between, she couldn't stop herself and headed to another room, Jonny's room. Putting her suitcase down by the door, she twisted the knob and walked in.

It was just as remembered it. Jessie hadn't been there in years. Not even on previous visits to the compound since she left for college. She didn't dare enter. Too many memories, too much guilt. Somehow, today, for some reason, Jessie found the courage to walk in.

The walls, painted in deep royal blue, had photographs of the different places around the world where the group visited during their travels. The dresser had his trophies and medals from school. Jessie walked up to the dresser, and picked up one of the medals reminiscing about the past, "You are such over achiever."

Putting it gently down, she continued walking the room, her gaze falling to his night stand where a particular picture frame captured her attention. It was a picture of her, Hadji and Jonny taken at prom a year before Jonny's disappearance. Jonny and Hadji looked so handsome in their tuxedos while Jessie had a cute bubble pink dress. Picking up the frame, she wondered what ever possessed her to wear a pink bubble dress, "I look like cotton candy."

She remembered that night, so clearly….

The school had rented out the ballroom at a Double Tree Grand, an hour away from their local high school. Doctor Quest had allowed Jonny to borrow the Lexus for the night. Jonny drove while Jessie took the passenger seat and Hadji sat in the back. None of the three had dates for the night since they had just gotten back from a trip to Australia's outback. By the time they got back, they had decided to go as friends and see where the night took them.

Ironically the only one who actually scored that night was Hadji who had met Nicki, a girl who Jessie knew had a huge crush on her Indian friend. Nicki took Hadji away immediately as soon as they entered the ballroom.

"Well, I guess we're on our own, Jessie," Jonny told her as they looked around the ballroom to find everyone on the dance floor dancing to U2's Vertigo.

She nodded happily. Somehow, the mere thought of them being on their own for the night sounded rather pleasing, "Leave it to Hadji who doesn't even go to this school to land a date. Let's make the most of it. Wanna dance, hotshot?" she asked loud enough through the music around them.

"Sure," he replied extending his hand to her, "Come on."

The two joined the rest of their class as they danced to the U2's rhythm of guitars and drums. Jessie never realized that Jonny could actually move; she was impressed. Then out of nowhere Hadji and Nicki joined them.

Dancing and having a lot of fun, the four were almost sad when the song ended. The high pumping energy of U2 died down as Coldplay's Us Against the World began to play. Nicki wasted no time wrapping her arms around Hadji's neck.

Jessie and Jonny looked at each other, a bit awkwardly at first before Jonny took Jessie's hand and asked, "Do me the honor Jess?"

Smiling, she nodded and stepped closer to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck as he gently pushed her closer to him. Swaying to the slow rhythm of Coldplay neither said a word to each other, until a point came when their eyes met and suddenly they couldn't take the gaze away from each other.

"You look…really pretty tonight Jessie," Jonny finally told her.

For the first time in the entire time she had known him, she had never felt her heart beat faster than at that moment. She tried to play it off, "Jonny Quest, you are giving me a compliment? Did someone do something to you?"

He grew serious for a moment before answering her, "I was being serious."

At the mere statement, she mirrored him, "I'm sorry Jonny. I didn't mean to…"

"I just wanted to compliment you, Jessie," he sighed, his gaze looking down to the floor as if afraid to face her, "I think you're the prettiest girl in this dance."

"Jonny,"

He looked at her.

Thank you," she sincerely told him as she rested her head on his chest and the two continued to dance in silence in each other's arms.

Looking at that picture that now sat on his nightstand, Jessie remembered that moment as the inception of their love for one another. The memory just strengthened more her resolve to find him. For Jessie realized and believed that a love like theirs not only would survive distance and time, but anything the world brought them. She couldn't allow herself to think otherwise because thinking any less meant losing him eternally. "We're going to find each other again, Jonny. It really is us against the world," she whispered to the picture.

"Did you lose your way?"

Jessie was suddenly startled by the voice of her father, "Dad! Sorry, I didn't realize you were there."

"I just noticed the door open," he said. "Benton usually keeps it closed."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize…" she began as she put the picture back on the nightstand.

"No, don't be," Race answered gently. "He does the same thing every so often. I just thought I'd find him instead of you."

"I was just taking a walk down on memory lane," Jessie told him as she walked out of the room with her father and closed the door. He picked up her suitcase and began walking along with her.

"Good memories?" he asked.

"They were great," she whispered with a tinge of sadness in her tone.

XXXXXXXXXX

One week later…

Phil Corvin spent the last week working overtime trying to find leads that took him one step closer to finding the punk who had single handedly assassinated UN Ambassador Daud right in front of him. So far, he had found nothing. The autopsy report confirmed what Alex told him, acute arsenic poisoning. The small dose killed him within seconds. To make matters worse, they never found the needle the forensic doctor mentioned during her conversation with him anywhere at the crime scene.

Alex later told him that there was a possibility that the needle dissolved in Daud's body with no traces left behind. Much to his dismay, I-1 had not found any technology equaling the weapon Corvin suspected killed the Ambassador. To the Lead Field Agent's frustration, the case was going cold and he was growing impatient.

Sitting in his office rereading witness's accounts from that day, he heard a knock on his office door, "Come in," he called out without bothering to look up.

A handsome, well-built African American man walked in to Corvin's office with a confident stride, but a bothered look. Wearing designer jeans, a stylish long sleeved purple shirt and carrying a zipped portfolio in hand, the man looked like a model about to pose in a photo shoot. Corvin smelled a whiff of the subtle male cologne, Drakar? He thought. Immediately, he looked up knowing who it was, "Zach, I thought you were on vacation?"

"So did I," Zachary Scott replied as he made himself comfortable and sat on one of the chairs across from Corvin's desk, "I-1 Intelligence called me last night during dinner with a very special lady who would have accompanied me to a very nice trip to Hawaii today. Long story short, thank goodness for travel insurance."

"What's going on?" Phil asked curious to know what would make his friend call off his vacation abruptly-a vacation he had been planning for months and had not stopped speaking about whenever the opportunity rose.

"This," Zach replied as he unzipped the portfolio and took out an IPAD he carried inside of it. Tapping in his pass code, he pulled up his email account, "Last night, Intel sent me this video that I'm about to show you," he said handing over the IPAD to Phil.

Corvin watched a young man eating dinner at what looked like a stylish restaurant. Another scene appeared showing the same man kissing a woman in a hotel lobby. Then, after walking into a nearby elevator, the cameras captured the couple continuing their make out session inside the elevator. When they reached the desired floor, the two walked down the hallway to a room where they locked themselves in. Footage showed the woman walking out of the room about an hour and a half later, her hair bedraggled and a huge grin on her face.

Corvin's attention wasn't focused on the happy woman on screen, but on the man she had her hands on. He played the video a few times before whipping his head up and looking straight at Scott, who held a solemn look on his face, "This can't be him."

"We ran the description and even compared the man in the video with our missing person's description. Phil, it's a frightening match," Zachary sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, but we may be looking at him."

"Impossible!" Phil brusquely said, "Where was this video taken?"

"Moscow. Just last week."

Phil looked stunned, "This kid went missing five years ago in Peru and he turns up in Russia and looking too damn well!" He shook his head, still unable to believe what he had just seen. "This cannot be Jonathan Quest. Who sent you this?"

"I-1 Intelligence is still trying to find out."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Zach looked into his portfolio and pulled out some paperwork, "It was sent by an agent named…. Joseph Ruttenberg."

"I've never heard of him," Phil responded looking at the video once again. "He's I-1 too?"

Zach nodded, "One of our agents in Europe. Problem is, Ruttenberg sent the video hours before leaving for his next assignment. We haven't been able to contact him."

"Where is he?"

"Classified."

"When will he be back?"

"Also classified."

"Damn it! How did he manage to send this information and provide no follow up contact?" Phil slammed his hand on his desk, "Zachary, you've been working this case for five years, how can you be so calm at a time like this?"

"I slammed my fist to my office wall last night," he answered with a hard sigh, "I came to you because I'm not sure if we should even tell Benton anything at this point. At least not until we have more information or find Ruttenberg. My guess is that he must have come into this information by accident a short time before going underground. But, I'm surprised just like you. He should have left someone who could answer our questions. So, what do we do? Keep Benton in the dark for a while?"

Phil thought about it for a moment, but immediately nicked the idea of keeping quiet. If Benton found out he had withheld any information regarding his son, he wouldn't forgive him, "No, we need to let him know. I think we should take a drive over to the compound tonight."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hadji sat in a very comfortable chair inside the library reading one of the many books required for his dissertation when he heard the familiar voice of the Texan beauty that had now come to live with them, "So what are you reading?"

He smiled. It was ironic that in a house so big, neither one had the chance to be alone for the past week without someone interrupting, "It is called The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos. I am going to use it to defend my dissertation."

She walked inside the room and sat across from him, "You know, I've been here for a week and every time I see you Hadji, you have a book up your nose. You're here for the summer. Don't you want to have some fun?"

Closing the book and looking at her, he replied, "I guess it depends on the type of fun you mean."

"Really?" she suddenly smiled finding a double meaning in his reply. She could have sworn Hadji turned red.

"No…I am sorry, that is not what I meant…" he sat up nervously.

She started laughing, "I'm only kidding! Hadji. Don't freak out. See, you really need some time away from those books."

Relaxing and smiling back, Hadji shook his head, "Well, what do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we'd go dancing tonight," Claire answered excitedly. "There's this club called Oasis that I heard is really hot. Maybe we can go tonight?"

"You have a wild streak?" Hadji asked looking at her with keen interest. He had never met someone that he had so much curiosity in knowing. During her internship last summer, Hadji had seen her studious side. When Claire worked, she was all business; he guessed that when she played, she did just as hard.

"What would ever give you that idea?" she grinned. "I start working for Doctor Quest next week. Believe me, I will see very little party nights for a while. Why not take advantage of the time I have off? And what better way than having a handsome man like you, take me out?" Her blue eyes glimmered with excitement, and even though she flirted with him, Hadji could tell there was still a bit of shyness deep within her.

"I would be honored to take you out tonight Claire," he nodded calmly, before pausing for a moment and adding, "I have actually wanted to ask you out for some time." This time, he actually did blush. "But, would you mind if Jessie tagged along tonight? I mean, I would hate to leave her…"

"Not at all," she said. "I wouldn't think of leaving Red at home. For the past week, she's been on her computer working like a mad woman." Claire knew what Jessie was working on and she was worried. Her friend had been a hermit in her room for the most part of the week.

Hadji nodded, "Yes, I have noticed. What is she working on?"

"Jessie wants to have a project ready to turn in when she applies for her Master's degree next year," Claire immediately replied, "I think she's trying to perfect it. You know…she's not a procrastinator like me," she laughed hoping Hadji would buy in to the lie.

"Oh," the young man thought the answer was rather strange, but decided not to pursue the questioning for the moment. At least until Claire felt more comfortable around him. Jessie had been working throughout most of the day for the past week and had been fairly aloof about what she was working on. Race had been too busy with security upgrades to the compound to notice and Doctor Quest had been negotiating a contract with Australia for a new site he wanted to open in Sydney. No one really noticed much, except him.

"She says that with studying for the GRE, filling out applications and writing an essay, she doesn't want to worry about finishing the project too," Claire continued. "You know Jessie, she's as much a bookworm as you are."

"Well, I guess an outing tonight will do her some good," Hadji told her. "How about we leave at around seven? We can catch dinner and head for the club afterward."

"Sounds perfect!" Claire exclaimed as she stood up. "I'll go tell Jessie. I'll leave you now so you can study a bit more." She began to walk out when suddenly, she turned around and walked back to him. "Oh, I forgot one more thing." Then, surprising him, she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on his lips, "See you later Hadji."

As she walked away, Hadji couldn't stop himself from smiling, "See you later, Claire."