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 3: Confounding Observations
by Ina-chan
“How many?”
He looked at me in mock pain, “What? Not even asking first if I was okay?”
“You still exist, you’re okay,” I replied sarcastically, “Now how many?”
He slid off the air duct opening and gracefully landed beside me, “Aside from the two we encountered earlier, there were two by the main labs and one filing her nails by the administrative offices. They don’t seem to be carrying any serious weapons...”
“You mean aside from the gun you dropped,” I cutted in
He made a face, “...No other serious weapons. I honestly don’t understand how a small group like that managed to take over the microbiology wing with such ease.”
“I guess it’s the same way you managed to ‘borrow’ a uniform and a weapon, then slip into an evacuated building without anybody noticing.”
“Touché.”
“Anyway, the strains would virtually be inaccessible without a security card and a passcode for the ‘vault’.”
“Vault?”
“It’s a nickname for the freezer in the main lab.”
“Hmm... so who has access?”
“A few. But at the moment, IF the lab is indeed evacuated save for us and IF they haven’t managed to get the other cards and codes, it would only be me and the Doc.”
He suddenly stood up and rhythmically beat his forefinger on his lip as he started to pace around the room, deep in thought. It was quite fascinating to watch him. His every gesture and every expression blared loudly his thought process. By just observing him, one can almost imagine an idea popping into his head, his mind processing it, then discarding or modifying it. His every mannerism had this air of choreographed gracefulness in them. Like a dancer in a ballet. Almost feminine...
NO WAY! He’s not... NO! It couldn’t be! He can’t be one of those... NO! NO! NO! But that will explain a lot of things... but IF he is... what would that make me? Oh God this is really sick! I really should stop thinking about these kinds of stuff and focus on...
“...saving him,” His voice filtered through my thoughts
“Uhhhh... right,” I replied instinctively
“Wow, I know I’m not a rocket scientist, but at least give me a chance by listening to me,” He said tartly
“Sorry,” I replied sheepishly
“As I was saying,” He continued, “Since apparently there are only the two of us, it would be easier to take them one at a time.”
“You serious?”
He gave me a look that indicated he was. Jeez Loueez...
“Look, don’t you think you’re carrying this too far? I mean we’re talking about a group of misguided idealistic college students. Not a bunch of hardened terrorists.”
“Who are also willing to release communicable viral diseases to get what they want. If that’s not an act of terrorism, then tell me what is?”
Stubborn little... “I’m just saying that it would be a lot simpler if we just go over to the phone and tell them what we know. Then everything will be done over with and we can go back to our normal lives.”
He glared at me, “NO! If we do that, they’ll just storm right in, grab him and dump him in a mental institution before we can even blink.”
“Hey. I care about the old man too. You do understand that even if we do it your way, he’s still going to need help.”
“At least if we do it my way, we’ll get to him first and he’ll have a fighting chance to defend himself.”
He gave me one of those heart-melting pleading looks. I didn’t understand why I even bothered arguing. From the beginning, I was already destined to loose this one.
“How are we going to pull this off?” I sighed in defeat
He brightened and slapped me playfully on the shoulder, “Don’t worry I have a plan.”
“Oh, you mean like the brilliant one that you had back with the ledge.” I countered
He crossed his arms and mouthed a laugh.
“Alright, alright... what is it?”
That was then he gave me his trademark lopsided grin. The grin that brings a lot of emotions out of me. At this moment, however, all I could feel is a sense of dread.
***
The plan was really simple. So simple and easy that it almost seemed like a stroke of genius. I could now understand why everyone seemed upset about ‘wasting’ his potential. The kid was a natural master strategist, packaged with God’s gift of improvisation and resourcefulness. He would have made it far as a scientist.
“Three down, two to go.” He said as he tightened the gag of a rather loud-mouthed girl, who was wandering in the main lab.
I was tying up the guy who was with her, knocked out cold after my companion executed a few impressive moves. Done with my task, I couldn’t help but look at him with awe, “From where in the world did you learn to do that?”
He grinned at me sheepishly, “Long story. How’s Miss Perfect Nails?”
I looked over and smirked at the other tied figure who looked more distressed that her nails might get ruined, rather than the fact that she was captured, “Still bawling about her babies.”
“Okay, all we need to do now is go after the other two then find...”
“That won’t be necessary.” A voice called out from the doorway
“Yeah, dude.”
The loud-mouthed one started yelling something through her gag.
I slowly inched away toward...
“FREEZE!”
I stopped and obeyed the command.
“Whoa! Cool dude! It actually works.”
“Put that thing down before you hurt someone,” I called out weakly
The guy holding the weapon snorted, “Right. Just as willingly as your friend did earlier? I don’t think so.”
“I’m serious, you’re going to get someone killed.”
The guy laughed and started moving the thing around playfully, “Well, unlike butterfingers here. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
The gun went off.
And everything happened all at once, it was like watching everything in slow motion. The loud girl giving a muffled shriek through her gag. The two men’s look of horror. Ms. Perfect Nails stopping her bawling. The other guy... still out cold. And my blue eyed companion running toward me...
“LOOK OUT!!!!”
...was the last thing I heard before I was knocked down by a strong force and tumbled onto the floor... before I felt the sharp edges of small glass particles raining around me. I opened my eyes to see myself reflected in a pool of blue, full of concern.
“Are you okay?” He whispered breathlessly
All I could do was nod stupidly. This was wrong. This was all wrong. Morally, ethically, logically. I should be very ashamed of myself for feeling like this toward him. But at this very moment, I didn’t care anymore. This felt so... perfect.
To feel the quick beating of his heart against mine...
To feel the warmth of his breath against my skin...
To drown in those deep sea of blue...
To inhale the faint intoxicating sweet smell of sweat mixed with perfume...
....WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then it all started to make sense. The flirting, the weird behavior, a man wearing perfume....
He is a f...
“OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
(To be continued)
© Ina-chan, 1997