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.

A Question of Identity: Chapter 6

by Ina-chan

�This is impossible...� Hadji repeated incredulously

Benton Quest stared in horror and disbelief at the screen before him. A collage of chaotic emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

Shock, confusion, astonishment...

�How in the world could this happen?� Dr. Quest whispered, he numbly turned to his best friend.

The puzzle began to fit together in Dr. Quest�s mind, though he did not wish to acknowledge it.

Betrayal...

�I see you finally found out my former operation,� Dr. Harrison said quietly.

The box was opened and the demons escaped.

Anger...

�How could this happen?� Dr. Quest repeated in a louder voice to his... former best friend, as he pointed to the terminal before them.

�I made a mistake,� Dr. Harrison simply replied

Indignant rage...

Hadji winced as Dr. Harrison�s body recoiled from Dr. Quest�s fury and flew across the floor. Dr. Quest is mostly a clement person and rarely displayed his wrath, but that did not mean that it was not very impressive to watch when he did. Hadji prepared himself to restrain the older man if worse came to worst.

Dr. Quest grabbed the other man�s collar and roughly shook him, �What did you do?�

Dr. Harrison made no effort to physically defend himself, �When she died, I lost my mind. I thought I could play God and bring her back.�

Dr. Quest tightened his grip, �How dare you make a mockery of my wife�s memory! After all you said...�

Dr. Harrison laughed bitterly, �Really Benton. Can you honestly tell me, that even for a moment, that you did not even think of doing anything just as desperate? Just as ethically immoral? Or just as selfish?�

The words hit home. Hard. As if all the strength was drained away from him, Dr. Quest let go and almost collapsed on the floor. Hadji assisted the scientist to a nearby chair, and pondered on the situation as a deafening silence clouded over the room. With some reluctance, he started to leave the room. Dr. Quest gave him a grateful look as Hadji gave him a glance of concern before stepping behind the electronic door.

�Why?� Dr. Quest said finally

�I loved her. Ever since we were children. She was the annoying kid sister who always tags along, I was the immortal big brother she adored. And when we grew up, I loved her even more than that. Then, you came in... She was such an idiot,�

Dr. Harrison laughed softly at the memory, �She would never admit it at first. But I saw it. The expression in her eyes at her disappointment when you would chose someone else. Or the hope when you broke up with that serious thing you had with your Indian archeologist friend. I didn�t have a chance. She was a visionary. All that she said about artificial intelligence being the future way back when we used punched-out cardboard for floppy disks, I didn�t see it. I couldn�t share it. But you did. You had the gift to turn her dreams into reality. So I told myself, just as long as she�s happy... So when she... That... She...�

Dr. Harrison took a deep breath before continuing, �I blamed you. I hated you. I told myself that you should have known what was going to happen. I gave her under your protection and you let her... Thus began the delusions of a madman. I thought that if I could bring her back... I thought that I could have done better and rubbed it at your face. Damn it Benton! I was so angry at you, at her... She left you with a son, a small piece of herself. All I had were fading memories and broken dreams.�

�You know that I would have done anything. ANYTHING. Had I known what she was up to,� Dr. Quest said quietly

�I know,� Dr. Harrison humbly replied, �I also know that even if you did find out in time, there would have been nothing you could have done to stop her. Wild horses or speeding locomotives wouldn�t prevent her from protecting you or Jonny. Of course by the time I realized that, it was too late to turn back.�

�This rapid cell replicating project was based on your earlier experiments on human cloning, wasn�t� it?� Dr. Quest hypothesized

�I thought of it as my penance. Try to do some good from the fruits of my sins.�

�How old is she?�

�Biologically... fourteen, fifteen. I honestly lost track. Chronologically, she�s seven years old. �

�A year. One YEAR after she died.�

�I was a man obsessed.�

�My God, Jon...�

Dr. Harrison gave him a hard look, �I told you all this to let you know the truth. To explain. Not to justify if what I did was right or wrong. We already know the answer to that, don�t we. But I am telling you one thing Benton. Despite my earlier motives, or Amanda�s true origins, Amanda is MY daughter in every way that counts. I would do everything it takes to protect her, even if it means I literally have to go through you.�

�Despite her true origins,� Dr. Quest began, �Amanda is not Rachel. She�s an innocent child who does not deserve to face the consequences of the mistakes made by two foolish old men.�

Once again, a wave of silence washed over the room as the two men drifted into their own thoughts. The box was opened and the demons escaped, bringing plague, chaos, suffering, despair, and death. Yet as soon as the last demon departed, the intrepid figure of Hope followed close behind. Bringing with it the strength of the human spirit...

...to begin the healing of reopened wounds.

...to exorcise persistent old ghosts.

...and perhaps to renew a old broken friendship.

Dr. Harrison began to chuckle, �I remember being so proud of her when she decided to follow my footsteps. Then after seeing her in action for the first three months, I knew she would never be a biologist.�

Dr. Quest smiled, �I remember. She kept crying every time a lab rat died.�

�And remember that feminist demonstration. She was so gung-ho about it...�

�God, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment when she burned her bra in front of all those people...�

�We were quite a trio, weren�t we?� Dr. Harrison commented reflectively

�The �Biologist�, the �Physicist�, and the �Engineer�,� Dr. Quest agreed

The monitors blared for attention. The nostalgic moment of kinship gone.

�Hadji!� Dr. Quest called out as he faced the screen that flashed a familiar leering figure.

Hadji ran into the room and started to give his full attention to one of the terminals.

�Well, well. It is good to see you again Dr. Quest,� Dr. Zin greeted satirically

�Likewise,� Dr. Quest muttered, �Where are the children?�

�Always to the point. Not even a hello? How very rude, when I graciously took the effort to greet you,� Dr. Zin taunted

�Where are the children?� Dr. Quest repeated

�Safe. For now,� Dr. Zin laughed, �But you are not the reason why I made this social call. I have a proposition for Dr. Harrison.�

�What do you want?� Dr. Harrison said coldly

�You have been selected and given the honor to serve me at the dusk of the rise of the Zin Dynasty. I am sure you know why, I have been informed of your �expertise.��

�And if I refuse?�

Dr. Zin laughed with a more sinister tone, �You can not afford to refuse. Anyway, it does not matter to my purposes if you do. I have your little project with me. I am sure it would only take a matter of time before my scientists will understand how she works. Do not worry, she will be taken good care off, doctor. It is the other two whom I can not assure their fates.�

The figure dissolved to show three angry teen-agers being detained by the twins and their thugs. Jessie yelled in pain as the twin holding her twisted her arm to cease her struggling, when Jonny suddenly sprang out and lashed at his best friend�s attacker. Surprised at his unforeseen assault, the woman fell, stunned. The bigger thug, who recovered from the duo�s earlier charge, quickly held the boy into an infallible lock.

Dr. Harrison grinned at Dr. Quest as he rubbed his jaw, �Like father, like son.�

�Laugh all you want. But you will not be laughing if you decide not to join me,�The image of Dr. Zin appeared once more, �The offer stands. But if you are not at the helipad within one hour, I would assume that you declined. I certainly hope not.� Dr. Zin gave one last twisted smile then the screen blinked out.

�Hadji,� Dr. Quest looked at him expectantly

�I�m sorry, Dr. Quest. I could not trace the exact location from where the transmission was coming from. And all communications are still being jammed. But I did manage to incorporate a piggy back program on Zin�s broadcast to send a message to Race,� Hadji replied helpfully

�I just hope it pulls through,� Dr. Quest said gravely, �We�ll need all the help we can get.�

�Don�t worry Benton, we�ll get the children back,� Dr. Harrison said, determination sharpening his words, �I�ve decided to take Zin�s offer in exchange for the kids. I owe you that much. You and Rachel.�