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 8

by Ina-chan

�Are you sure it will work in time?� Malana�s voice filtered over the noise of the jeep, as she referred to the man on the passenger seat beside her

�Trust me. As soon as we take off, everything will go on according to planned,� The young man replied confidently, tapping the laptop he held in his arms

Malana looked at the man mercilessly, �It better. For your sake. We cannot afford to make anymore mistakes.�

The young man paled considerably and shut up...,

...to Jessie�s frustration, as she finally gave up straining to hear any further conversation. Zin was up to something. She knew that with a grand scheme like this, they will stop at nothing to fulfill their objective. She also knew that if they had made their intentions clear, it would be only a matter of time before Dr. Quest figured out what they were really up to. That worried her. This could only result one final outcome. That Zin will make sure that everyone involved in this operation will not be able to warn anyone.

Bandit whimpered in complaint because Jessie was unconsciously tightening her grip on him. Jessie patted him in apology then turned to Amanda who was tugging her sleeve for attention.

�Jessie, what do you think will happen?� Amanda whispered worriedly

Jessie turned to the blonde girl, �I don�t know. Don�t worry, We�ll think of something. Good guys always win, remember?�

Amanda gave her a apprehensive smile, �I�m sorry for all the mean things I did to you. I guess I was just envious of you.�

Jessie gave her a puzzled look, �Me? Why in the world would you be envious?�

�Because of your relationships with Jonny and Hadji.�

�Eh?� Jessie looked at her with surprise, �My what?�

Amanda gave her a sheepish grin, �You�ll find it pretty weird. I lived in this place all my life with no kids around even close to my age. And the girls in Maryland, well they like live in a different dimension or something. So it never really bothered me until you guys came. And I saw how close you guys are. Looking out for each other and stuff. I dunno... it just made me realize how lonely it really is to be an only kid, you know?�

Jessie softened with empathy. She knew what it felt like growing up like that. Before she started to live with her Dad four years ago, her time was divided between boarding school and her Mom�s archeological sites.¹ Though she had a degree of kinship with her former school mates, it wasn�t really the same level of closeness she had developed with her two best friends. It was probably because of all the danger and adventures that the three of them went through together. Situations like that can really determine who you can trust with your life.

�Well, I was no angel to you either,� Jessie began

�I noticed,� Amanda replied with a grin

�I was thinking the worst about you, that I actually asked Hadji to make a background check on you,� Jessie confessed sheepishly

To her surprise, Amanda laughed. Jessie gave a confused look.

�That�s all right,� Amanda replied, �It makes me feel less guilty to the fact that I did the same to you guys. I was wondering though, for someone who has such high-profile parents, you guys really make an effort to make yourselves virtually unknown.�

Jessie chuckled.

�I know better though,� Amanda continued, �After seeing you and Jonny in action today, I figured you guys go through a lot more than boring conventions when your fathers take you along in their trips.�

�I guess you can say that,� Jessie replied. Then her tone turned more serious, �I�m glad though.�

�About what?�

�When I get this �feelings� about a person, it usually means that that person is going to hurt my family. I�m glad that I was wrong this time. That I was wrong about you. Despite your flaws, you�re really a nice person.�

�Thanks,� Amanda responded with a grateful smile. She looked wistfully at the other jeep traveling in front of them, �It would have been nice wouldn�t it?�

Jessie looked at the direction Amanda was referring to.

�I mean, it would have been nice growing up with him and having a brother,� Amanda clarified. She then turned to Jessie, �If something happens... Well... I�m glad he has you.�

Jessie frowned, �Don�t talk like that. Jonny, Hadji and I have been in worse situations than this. There�s no reason all of us won�t get out of this one.�

Amanda shook her head, �That�s not what I meant. I mean, I�m glad that he has you because if something happens, I know you�re gonna look out for him.�

Jessie was about to say something when they cleared the part of the compound that was very populated. Only this time, there was no one in sight, �What�s going on?�

�Evacuation protocol,� Amanda guessed, �I have a bad feeling...�

They reached the helipad area where they saw Dr. Harrison and Hadji waiting.

�Amanda, baby, are you okay?� Dr. Harrison called out as soon as they were in hearing distance

�I�m fine Daddy,� Amanda called back cheerfully, �You wouldn�t believe all the stuff that we went through.�

Dr. Harrison gave the girl a smile of encouragement before turning to the foursome of terrorists, �Okay, I�ll go peacefully if you let the children go.�

Malana smirked, �You are in no position to negotiate.�

Dr. Harrison glared at her, �The children have nothing to do with this. I�m the one you want.�

�The children are our insurance.�

Anaya placed a hand on her twin and gave her a significant smile, �Come now sister. Let us show our �hosts� that we are not that heartless.�

Malana nodded knowingly and turned back to the men, �Very well. We will release that one.� Malana pointed to Jessie.

Dr. Harrison shook his head, �All of them or no deal.�

Malana laughed, �Very well.�

Anaya gave a signal. The taller thug grabbed Jonny and aimed his smaller weapon on the boy�s temple point blank.

�Wait!� Dr. Harrison called out desperately, hating every word, �If your generous offer still stands, we will take it.�

Malana smiled, �Smart move Harrison.�

Jessie gave an anxious glance at her friends. Bandit whimpered.

�Don�t worry Jess, I�ll be kicking your butt all over Questworld when we get home after this,� Jonny said cheerfully, �And make sure Bandit doesn�t run away again, �kay?�

Jessie nodded, then turned to Amanda. An unspoken dialogue passed between the two girls, and suddenly Jessie began to feel fear for her new-found friend.

�Hadji, it is good to see you one last time,� Anaya called out to the boy with a twisted smile

Jessie glared at her, the tall thug gave her a rough shove forward.

Jessie and Dr. Harrison walked.

After the exchange was made, Jessie and Hadji watched the helicopter take off with grim expressions on their faces.

�Come on, we have to help Dr. Quest,� Hadji said breaking the silence

�You guys figured out what Zin�s up to?�

�Not quite. But we have enough suspicion to go around and figure out that Zin would never leave witnesses that can foil his master plan.�

Jessie nodded and raised her handcuffed hands as Bandit would allow her, �You don�t happen to have a handy saw around, do you?�

Hadji gave her an amused grin, �I�m sure we can find something.�

***

Jonny could feel hate welling up inside him as Zin�s holographic image appeared in the chopper. He clenched his teeth to prevent every vicious word that threatened to roll out of his tongue from coming out.

�Everything is going according to planned, Father,� Malana reported before glancing to Jonny�s direction, �With a small bonus.�

�I initiated the countdown,� The younger thug offered cheerfully, �In less than five minutes there will be an unexplainable malfunction that will cause an irreversible power down.�

Dr. Harrison looked at him in alarm, �No! That will cause the generators to explode.�

Malana laughed, �That is the point, doctor. No witnesses.�

�There are valuable research down there. Years of work that can save lives will just go up in flames.�

�What makes you think that we care?� Malana retorted with a smirk

�Marvelous work my daughters,� Dr. Zin said, extremely pleased, �The Dynasty of Zin is rising in the horizon. Soon, the children of Genghis Khan shall once again rule with glory.�

�I never thought I�d be so amused to see a bunch of bananas,� Amanda whispered

Jonny smirked.

�You know what to do next,� Dr. Zin said to his daughters before the holographic image blinked out.

Malana gave a cruel smile to their taller lackey, �Get rid of the excess baggage.�

Without another word, he slid open the chopper�s door, pulled a very surprised young man and shot him on the head. The poor guy was dead before he even realized it.

Jonny winced and Amanda buried her face in her father�s shoulder as the young man�s body seemed to hang in the air for a few seconds then free fall toward the earth below.

The remaining thug then grabbed Jonny to a standing position and roughly pushed him to the direction of the door.

�NO!� Amanda screamed in horror

Jonny glared at the man pointing the gun at his head angrily, �You know. this is turning into a very annoying habit.�

The older man smirked, �Tough. Don�t worry kid, this is going to be the last time.�

As if in slow-motion, the man slowly pulled the trigger... when the chopper suddenly shuddered as Anaya dodged a small missile that flew alongside them. Hope rose within Jonny�s chest.

�That was a warning shot girls. You can try every trick to outmaneuver me but you have to land sometime,� Race�s voice cockily blared from a speaker

Jonny saw his chance and moved. He grabbed the distracted man�s arm and tackled him to the floor, causing several loose articles to scatter about. The gun blew off, narrowly missing Anaya on the pilot�s seat, but definitely creating some damage to the chopper�s sophisticated controls, causing a spectacular display of electrical fireworks.

�S***!� Anaya cussed angrily as she abandoned her seat. She stunned Dr. Harrison with a sudden back fist and pushed Amanda out of her way before the two could react. During the ensuing chaos, Malana was able to grab two parachutes and tossed one to her sister. In a blink of the eye, the daughters of Zin disappeared from the door.

The thug stood up and struggled to maintain his balance when the chopper suddenly shuddered again, spilling him out of the door. Jonny lunged to grab the falling man in vain. He would have fallen too if Amanda had not managed to grab hold of shirt and pulled him in with sudden inhuman strength. Dr. Harrison scrambled to the pilot�s seat and looked at the mess in front of him helplessly.

Amanda flashed Jonny with a grin as she held out a handcuff key, �It�s real nice of him to drop this before he �left�.�

Jonny gave her a grateful smile as she released his bonds. Then clambered to the co-pilot�s seat. He looked at the charred instruments in dismay.

Dr. Harrison gave the boy a rueful smile, �Looks like we�re going to have to bail out.�

�Dad,� Amanda called out weakly, �There�s only one chute left.�

Dr. Harrison looked at Jonny sternly, �Take it.�

�What about...� Jonny protested

�I think I can land this thing. But I�m not taking any chances with you and Amanda with me,� Dr. Harrison said, cutting him off, �Don�t worry Jonathan, things will work out.�

�Dad...�Amanda argued

�Go!� Dr. Harrison barked firmly

Amanda helped Jonny put the parachute on and both looked anxiously at the ground below.

Jonny gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, �Don�t worry. I�ve done this with Jessie before.�

To his surprise, Amanda gave him a tight hug and whispered softly into his ear, �I�m sorry Jonny. I know you�ll understand why I have to do this.�

Before he can react, Amanda made her final gesture of love...

Sister pushed brother out of the flying vehicle.

Less than two minutes later, residents surrounding the tight-security laboratory complex was rocked with an explosion.