Disclaimer: Jonny Quest belongs to Hanna Barbera and Turner Productions. I am not affliated with the mentioned companies in any way. The JQ characters here are used without permission of the owners. No cash is made from this.
First Contact of Another Kind
Part 2: Getting to Know You
by Ina-chan
“Found them yet?”
“Sorry Dude, no one’s here.”
The other voice muttered something under his breath.
“Stay cool, man. We’ll find them...”
I echoed my companion’s sigh of relief when our two pursuers finally left the vicinity. Only then was I able to contemplate the seriousness of out situation, as well as come to one logical conclusion. IT’S ALL HIS FAULT! His infantile impulsive stupidity led us to this particular perilous position...
“No! Don’t do it! Don’t jump! There are people who can help you!” A concerned passerby who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time
“SHUT UP!” My companion hissed as loudly as he dared
At that moment, I was honestly thinking about jumping. I would welcome death with a joyous embrace if it meant getting away from this spawn of evil.
He gave me a sheepish smile, “I think it’s safe to go in. Come on before we attract anymore attention.”
No. Jumping would not bring me complete elation. Pushing him off and watching him splatter all over the ground would drive me to ecstasy.
“Well, you got to admit. It was fun,” He continued as he watched me climb into the room
“Fun?” I replied flatly, “You think standing on a ledge six floors above ground FUN?”
He raised an eyebrow, “You mean you didn’t enjoy that exciting surge of adrenaline...”
True that the situation was exciting in it’s own right. But I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. Besides, I was beginning to doubt if this person is truly who he claimed to be...
“Tell, OFFICER, why in the world were you sent alone to investigate the lab, when the rest of your pals are waiting outside the front door?”
My companion paled a tad bit, “Surveillance...”
“Hmmm... trying to fire your gun without taking the safety lock off. Dropping your gun when you tried to take the safety lock off,” I interrupted, “You seemed to have fared very low in your training.”
“I...”
Endangering yourself and the life of a civilian, the very codes of a police officer.”
He threw up his hands in defeat, “All right! I admit it! I lied! I’m not with the police.”
“I lied! I’m not with the police.” I repeated sarcastically
“Look, I will not stand idly by when my... when his life is in danger.”
“Just who the hell are you anyway?”
He just stood there and stared at me, infuriating me by matching a bored expression with my indignant one. 1... 2... 3... 4... No. I will not let this CHILD get the better of me. I need to take another approach.
“I get it! This is some kind of high school prank is it? You’re one of those goons, aren’t you. You think this whole thing is one big practical joke.”
That got him. Those clear blue eyes darkened in fury. His face seemed to radiate an aura of indignance. With great discomfort, I find myself drawn into those eyes. Hypnotized by the sincerity of his raw emotions. Dear God! It’s not possible is it?
“How dare you,” He said quietly, “I would do anything for that man you consider your mentor. I flew all the way from New Mexico the moment I heard the news about Gloria. I literally dropped everything in my life to make sure he’s okay. How dare you insinuate that I would even dream of hurting him for a JOKE.”
I froze. The pieces are coming together. I have seen this boy before. Blue eyes, blonde hair, New Mexico. The sociology student in the snapshot...
“It’s you!” I said out loud, “You’re the Doc’s... I don’t believe it!”
He looked at me in surprise, “You know about me?”
“Well, not a lot. The Doc mostly keeps to himself about his family life. But he did show me that picture of yours when you first got into New Mexico University* last year,”I replied
He smirked, “I see. So the prodigy is familiar with the infamous family troublemaker.”
Now it’s my turn to look surprised, “You know about me?”
“Sure, you’re all he blabs about during family reunions the past four years. He even predicted that you would be the youngest person to receive a first Ph.D. since...”
“The Doc.” I finished for him.
Now that was truly a surprise. I never realized how high he thought of me. I know that we had a very good relationship as far as student and teacher relationships go. He obviously kept his high opinions about the people he cared about to himself. A habit he practices religiously as I can observe from the looks of contempt this young man was unconsciously giving me.
“You resent me a lot, don’t you.”
“They all blamed my father, you know. For encouraging me to waste my ‘potential’,” He ranted on, “They all ‘respected’ my decision to choose the path I chose. But I think they’re still hoping that I come around, even my dad believe it or not... HE was hoping that I follow his footsteps and win a Nobel Prize for finding the actual weight of a single proton or something.”
“What’s so wrong about that?” That was a slightly insulting remark to say about the line of work I’m choosing, “What is so wrong about discovering things that can lead to the solution of the world’s problems?”
“There is nothing wrong about that,” He said in a tone that really meant ‘I didn’t expect you to understand, anyway’, “It’s just that in real life. There are a lot more complicated yet realistic problems that are needed to be solved other than determining if energy is indeed equal to the mass multiplied by the second power of the speed of light.”
That surprised me. I never expected someone so young to have such insight. The intensity of the fire burning within those beautiful blue eyes is almost blinding now, as this chil... young man continued to express his passion against the damning cancer eating away at society. I’m ready to admit that I think I’m feeling a mild tug of attraction to this man. That made me feel a bit sick.
“Are you okay?” He suddenly said with concern, “You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” I replied stiffly
“I’m sorry to dump all that on you, Carrots,” He said patting my arm.
His touch lingering a tad bit longer that he should have. Dear Lord!
“I would appreciate it if you would stop...”I stuttered
He looked at me in confusion, “Stop what?”
“...stop calling me Carrots” I finished lamely
He raised an eyebrow, “Sure, whatever you say...”
I tried to stifle a gasp as he flashed another one of those heart stopping smiles. If I didn’t know better I’d think he was flirting. GOOD LORD!
“...Red. Come on, we have to make a plan to get to the labs without those creeps detecting us.”
I nodded dumbly as I cautiously followed him out of the room. This is not a good situation. So here I am stranded in the laboratory where I worked. Forced to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a person who happens to be related to my boss. Whom I also find myself irrepressibly attracted to. And who also happens to be practically a young man who hasn’t quite finished growing up. I think I really, really, really am going to be ill.
(to be continued)
* I dunno if there is such a place. Is there?
© Ina-chan, 1997