Besieged in Bangalore Part 1 by IRIS


Before you go any further I want to apologize for the very cheesy
introduction to this story it was written for a fanfic contest and the
Beanie Babies part was a requirement.  Sorry it's lame but it was the best
I could do.  Enjoy the rest of the story!    IRIS

	Hadji yawned and stood up, stretching.  Dr. Quest had asked him to
run a diagnostic test on the computer system before their departure for
Bangalore in the morning.  The test had taken longer than Hadji expected,
and it was now after midnight.  Hadji shut down the system and walked
quietly to the kitchen to get a glass of water, being careful not to make
too much noise. He tiptoed down the hall toward his room, but stopped when
he saw light streaming from under Jessie's door.  He was surprised that
she was still up, since everyone else had gone to bed early.  Hadji,
overcome with curiosity, snuck into Jessie's room.  Upon stepping into the
room, he was pelted with Beanie Babies.
	"Hadji?"
	Jessie stared at him in surprise from where she sat on the floor
surrounded by a pile of tangled clothing.  
	"I'm sorry to disturb you, Jessie," said Hadji as he bent to
pick up the little projectiles.  
	"That's okay."  She grinned at him as he replaced the Beanie
Babies on her bed.  "I'm sorry I beaned you.  When I heard you open the
door I thought you were Jonny."  
	"I take it he has done something to upset you," said Hadji.  He
pointed to the mound of knotted clothes on the floor.  "Would that be the
reason you are angry with him?" 
	"Yeah.  Jonny was mad because I beat him in the new VR game, so he
thought it would be funny to tie all my clothes together just before I
needed to pack for a trip."  
	"That is bad, even for Jonny," said Hadji, sitting on the floor
beside her and picking up a rope of blue jeans. 
	Jessie smiled at him. 
	"Thanks, Hadji.  You know, sometimes I just don't understand how
Jonny can be so immature.  You were never like that at his age."
	The next morning the Quest team departed for Bangalore in the
Dragonfly. During the flight Hadji told his friends of his country's many
problems, and of the reforms he was trying to make as Sultan.  
	"The last time I was in Bangalore I was shocked by the disparity
in our society.  The rich are very rich, and the poor are extremely poor.
There doesn't seem to be any middle ground."  Hadji sighed and rubbed his
temples.  "I do not feel right living in a luxurious palace when people
are starving in the streets.  So I decided to hold an auction of some of
the palace adornments.  Some are family heirlooms that cannot be sold, but
many were gifts that would sell to art collectors or museums.  All of the
proceeds will go to create funds for housing and education."  
	"That's a great idea, Hadji!" exclaimed Jessie.  
	The young sultan sighed.  
	"Unfortunately, planning the auction is going to keep me very
busy.  I'm afraid I won't be a very good host during your visit."  
	"Maybe we can help you," Jessie suggested.  
	"Yeah, it might be fun," agreed Jonny.  
	"Thank you, my friends, but I do not think you will find my
diplomatic duties amusing," replied Hadji ruefully.  "I want you to have
an enjoyable vacation in Bangalore.  You should do the things that
interest you and not worry about my duties."  
	"What interests us is being with you, Hadji," said Jessie
earnestly.  "We hardly get to see you anymore."  
	"I know, but---"  
	"No more buts," Jessie cut him off.  "We're going to help you, and
that's final." 
	An exhausting week later, Hadji stood with his friends in the
ballroom of the hotel where he had decided to hold the auction.  The rows
of chairs were already starting to fill with eager participants, wealthy
art collectors and museum representatives.  Hadji adjusted his turban and
glanced again at the stage where the auctioneer was shuffling his papers.
Beside him, Jonny shifted uncomfortably in his formal attire.  Jessie
nudged him discreetly with her elbow.  
	"Stop fidgeting, Jonny."  
	"Sorry," he mumbled.  "This tie is choking me."  
	"At least you're not wearing heels," she shot back with a grimace.
	Hadji smiled as he looked at Jessie.  She was wearing a simple
fitted dress of deep green that brought out the luster of her large eyes.
Her bright hair was pulled back into a graceful twist, and an elegant jade
necklace hung at her throat.  He thought she looked beautiful.  Hadji's
smile vanished when he noticed the time.  
	"Oh, my friends, this is not good," he said.  "It is almost time
to begin, and the men who are supposed to bring out the art have not yet
arrived."  
	"Relax, Hadj, it's still early," said Jonny.  "You're just a
little nervous."  
	"You are right, Jonny," replied Hadji with a sigh.  "I
just want everything to go smoothly.  This auction could make a big
difference for so many of my people."  
	Jessie squeezed his hand comfortingly.  "Spoken like a true
sultan."  She smiled up at him, thinking about all the qualities she
admired so much in him as a friend, and how they made Hadji a concerned
and just ruler of his country.  "Don't worry, Hadji.  I think your people
are in excellent hands."  
	"Thank you," said Hadji, sincerely moved by her words.  He felt a
surge of pride at her admiration, more valuable to him than any other
praise he had received. 
 	Minutes passed, and still there was no sign of the moving crew.  Hadji
became worried in earnest, and Jessie and Jonny were forced to admit that
something was wrong.
	"This is very bad," said Hadji in agitation.  "I fear there has been a
terrible misunderstanding."  His jaw set in determination.  "I must bring
out the items myself."
	"Wait a minute, Hadji, you can't do that," protested Jonny.  "You're
supposed to be on stage moderating."
	"Besides, you can't be carting large artifacts in your ceremonial
clothing," added Jessie.  She thought he looked very handsome and
distinguished in his formal sultan's robe.  "But we could do it, right
Jonny?"
	He grinned at her and repeated one of his favorite phrases.  "Slammin'!"
	"Oh, no," protested Hadji.  "You two have already helped me
enough.  This was my idea, and I should be the one to do this."  
	"You should know better than to argue with us," said Jessie, her
eyes sparkling.  
	"But you'll ruin your dress!" Hadji said, echoing her
previous argument.  
	"This old rag?" Jessie flashed him an unladylike wink.  "I'll just
go tell my dad where we're going to be."  She headed off toward
the rows of seats where Race and Dr. Quest were sitting with the other
attendees, as Dr.  Quest wished to purchase some of the items himself. 
	Jonny turned to Hadji.  
	"Go on, sultan, let's get this show on the road." 
	Hadji sighed in resignation.  
	"Again, thank you, my friend," he said, and went to take his place
on stage. 
	The auction had been going smoothly for over an hour when Hadji noticed
Jessie struggling to carry a large statue up the stairs to the stage.  He
quickly stood and went to help her, but he had only taken a few steps when
a deafening explosion shook the stage.  Hadji heard Jessie scream his name
as the force of the blast caught him from behind, hurling him violently to
the ground.  Pain shot through his body before he was engulfed in
blackness.
	"What the --!"  Race and Dr. Quest shot out of their seats as
Hadji's heavy ornamental chair erupted in a blinding flash of splinters. 
They shielded their faces with their arms as a wave of heat from the blast
slammed into them and pieces of shrapnel rained down into the audience. 
Commotion broke out as people began screaming and trying to get away.  On
stage, the auctioneer remained crouched beside the podium, arms over his
head.  Hadji lay unmoving a few feet from where his chair had exploded. 
Jessie was at his side in an instant, with Jonny not far behind.  
	"Race, get Hadji out of here!" shouted Dr. Quest above the uproar.
"I'll handle the crowd."  
	But Race was already sprinting towards the stage, leaping
over the chairs in his way.  Tears stung Jessie's eyes and she choked in
the smoky air as she knelt by Hadji's side.  She turned him gently onto
his back and quickly checked for a pulse.  Her heart rose in her throat as
she finally felt a faint heartbeat, and she could only nod in relief to
Jonny's questioning glance. Then Race was beside them, and Jessie found
her voice again.  
	"Dad!" she cried urgently, "We've got to get him to the
hospital!"  She helped her father lift Hadji into his arms.  
	"Let's kick it!" shouted Race, and they ran for the door. 
	Race drove like a madman, violating even more traffic laws than usual as
they sped to the hospital.  Jonny sat next to him gritting his teeth, while
Jessie sat in the backseat of the van, cradling Hadji in her arms.  Shallow
wounds covered his body, and his turban was soaked with blood.  Jessie
carefully unwrapped the turban, biting her lip when she saw his dark hair
matted with blood.  Quickly she pressed the cloth against the gash in
Hadji's head, trying to stop the bleeding.  Her other hand wrapped around
his wrist, checking for a pulse.  It seemed as if she could feel Hadji's
life slowly ebbing away.  Jessie closed her eyes, fighting back a sob.
	"Hang in there, Ponchita," said Race grimly.  "We're almost there."
	Hadji woke slowly without opening his eyes.  The air had a
familiar sterile smell and he could hear the monotonous beeps and whirs of
typical medical equipment.  He did not need to see the white ceiling tiles
to know where he was.  He lay still for a moment, remembering the
explosion that had put him there, wondering how long he had been
unconscious.  He was not in any pain at the moment, but he felt a slight
pressure on his ribcage.  Hadji opened his eyes to see a blur of red a few
inches away from his face.  Jessie!  She had fallen asleep in her chair
with her head on his chest, one hand holding his right hand to her heart
and the other stretched across the bed to rest in Jonny's hand.  Jonny was
asleep in his chair also, his head drooping on his chest, his right hand
wrapped around Hadji's left.  Hadji's eyes filled with sudden tears as he
realized how lucky he was, not only to be alive, but also to have such
good friends.  He looked down at Jessie again and saw the fine lines of
fear and pain in her face, smoothed only slightly by sleep.  He wondered
how long she and Jonny had stayed with him, knowing that they had been
exhausted even before the accident. 
	Hadji looked up as the door to his hospital room opened.  A young woman
entered, and Hadji noticed for the first time the man in the bed beside
his.  The woman crossed the room and pulled the privacy curtain, never
seeing Hadji.  He glimpsed her face as she passed by and could tell she had
been crying.  After a moment he heard low voices from behind the curtain.
	"I'm glad you're here, Sarah.  It's much easier to go knowing that there
are people who loved me."
	"Oh, Keith!  Why did this have to happen?  I know I haven't always
been the nicest sister, but I do love you, we all do!  It's just not
fair!" the young woman began to cry again. 
	"Don't cry, Sarah.  I know it isn't fair, but these things happen.
I'm trying very hard not to be angry, too. But I realized that I shouldn't 
complain.  I've had a good life.  I was lucky to love and be loved by a
lot of people.  My only regret is that I didn't spend more time with the
ones I was close to.  I see now that I let my work get in the way too
much."  
	"But Keith, your work helped a lot of people.  How can you regret
that?"  Sarah asked.  
	"I don't.  I'm just saying that no matter how important whatever
you're doing seems, your family is more important.  I would have liked to
have fallen in love, gotten married, had children, but I never thought I
had the time.  If there were one thing I could change, I would make the
time.  Because in the end it doesn't really matter how much money you make
or whether or not you won the Nobel Prize.  Those things mean nothing if
you can't share them with people you love.  I'm very lucky to have you and
Mom and Dad. Some people don't have anyone, and what's worse, some people 
don't even realize what they have until it's too late."  
	At this, Hadji heard Sarah sob.  
	"Don't be sad, Sarah.  I don't want you to waste your life.  Learn
from my mistakes.  Don't ever let anything come between you and having
someone to love.  Promise me that, and I'll feel as if I have done some
good."  
	"I promise, Keith."  With that, Sarah broke down completely, and
Hadji listened to Keith quiet her down.  A few minutes later, Sarah left
the room.  
	Hadji thought about what his roommate had said as he looked at
his two friends, and he realized that he was guilty of the same crime.  He
tried to remember the last time he had visited Jonny and Jessie just for
fun, but he could not.  Ever since he had become sultan, he had allowed
the duties of ruling a country to slowly squeeze out everything else.  And
he had to admit that even before that, when he was working for Dr. Quest,
he had always put his responsibilities first.  How much fun had he missed
by working on projects instead of taking breaks to play with his friends?
Looking back, Hadji deeply regretted being so serious all the time.  He
glanced back at Jonny, whose clean-shaven face looked almost childlike in
sleep, and was reminded how young they all were.  Jonny, the youngest of
the three, was only 16, and already he had experienced more than most
adults.  Hadji knew that all the things they had been through had made
them older and wiser than most kids their age, but even at 18 he was not a
mature adult ready to take on all the responsibilities of governing a
country.  He realized that he had been trying too hard to be too old too
fast.  He needed time to be a normal teenager, to be ignorant and
irresponsible like everyone else.  Hadji thought it ironic that he, always
quick to offer advice and wisdom, had been so blind to something so
obvious.  He vowed to heed his dying roommate's advice, lest he waste
additional time.  Jessie stirred and murmured something in her sleep,
tightening her grip on Hadji's hand.  For the first time, Hadji noticed a
side of her that few ever saw.  For all her strength, intelligence, and
composure, Jessie was vulnerable.  She could handle danger, pain, and even
death without fear, but she could not face the possibility of losing
someone she was close to. Hadji recalled all the times he had seen her in
a fight: no matter what, she never gave up.  And if the lives of her
family and friends were at stake, she would risk anything to save them,
usually at tremendous peril to her own life.  Hadji often thought that she
was reckless on these occasions, but now he realized there was something
else.  More than anything, Jessie was scared of being alone, and she would
go to any length to prevent that from happening.  Seeing her there,
covered in dirt and cuts from the explosion, Hadji was seized with the
impulse to hold her tight, protect her, promise her that she would never
be alone.  He hated to be the cause of her worries, to be the reason she
sat in a cold hospital room when she should be resting in her own bed. 
	Frowning, Hadji sighed, and Jessie raised her head groggily.  He
squeezed her hand gently, and she sat up with an exclamation of surprise. 
	"Hadji, you're awake!"  Her large green eyes filled with tears of
relief, and she took his hand in both of hers.  "How do you feel?  You
gave us a real scare, you know."  She glanced at Jonny, who shook himself
awake.  
	"I feel much better now, thank you, Jessie," Hadji smiled at her. 
	"Gee, Hadj, you were out for a long time.  Guess I fell asleep."  Jonny
grinned sheepishly.  "It's good to have you back among the living, so to
speak."  
	"How long have you both been sitting here?  You should have gone
home and gotten some rest," said Hadji, indicating their haggard
appearance.  
	"We couldn't leave you here without knowing if you were gonna
be OK or not. What kind of friends do you think we are?" asked Jessie 
in mock-horror.
	"The very best," Hadji replied seriously.
	The Quest team stood among the wreckage of the auction ballroom,
with the exception of Hadji, who remained in the hospital under Neela's
watchful eye.  Hadji's mother had sent some of the palace attendants to
help clean up the mess and redistribute the artwork, as Dr. Quest had
succeeded in calming the bidders after the explosion and convincing them
not to withdraw their purchases.  Now he was helping to make sure that
everyone would get what they paid for.  Race whistled through his teeth as
he examined the site of the explosion.  
	"Fur on a catfish!  There were enough plastic explosives in that
chair to blow Hadji from here to next Tuesday."  "
	This is too strange for school," said Jonny, frowning.  "Why
would anyone want to kill Hadji?  Look at all the good he's doing, all the
people he's helping."  
	"I think it would be smarter to look at the people he's not
helping," said Jessie, scowling.  "Think about it.  If you were a
greedy member of Bangalore's elite upper class, how would you like to see
some of your country's wealth going to help other people instead of lining
your own pockets?"  
	"You've got a point there, Ponchita," said Race.  "And
it's a buck to a bent dime that whoever's behind this is not gonna give up
after this, unless we stop him."  
	"I think I have an idea," said Jessie slowly.  "I bet whoever
tried to kill Hadji was also trying to sabotage the auction.  That's why
the moving crew never showed up.  Either they were paid off, or they were
in on it too."  
	"Well then," said Jonny, "what are we waiting for?"