The rest of the day was unpacking. Boxes after boxes, and when they thought they were done around noon, thats when the cars and the rest of the stuff came. So until late in the day, unpacking was all that happened. "Well, we seem to be done, hey honey go run into the main house and ask Mrs. Sechler where we should put these boxes." Race said. "Okay," Jessica said and walked to the other house, and walked in. They were told that they didn't need to ring the doorbell to get in, just walk on in or unlock the door. "Why hello Jessica. Hows unpacking?" Mrs. Sechler said. She had just gotten off work and was looking at the mail. "We just got done, I was wondering were we should put the boxes?" "Oh, just take them with you and Kylee when you go out and take them to the drop off site, she'll show you." "Okay thanks Mrs. Sechler." "No problem dear. Oh and just call me Sandra, when you call me Mrs, it sounds like I'm still in the classroom teaching. So what do you think of the town so far?" "Okay Sandra. And the town is so far so not too bad, atleast as much as I've seen." "What was it like living with the Quest's and traveling so much?" "It was," Jessica paused. The mention of the Quest's brought her back to the family she left and tried to forget. "It was fun." "I bet, sorry you probably won't experience that around here. So do you have a mom?" "Ya, she lives in Columbia, and is an archeoligest. Why?" "Oh just currious. I'm sorry for asking so much. I just didn't know if you were raised by your father or what?" "Oh. Well no, I stayed with my mom most of my life untill I came to live with the Quest. I visited her a lot, but when I talked to her last, she wanted me to stay here longer to get to know more people." "She sounds like a good mother. Whats her name?" "Estella Velequez." "I think I know her. She was a professor of archeology in Texas for a while wasn't she?" "Yeah, about four years ago." "Okay, than I know her. I was a professor at the same University where she was when we lived there for a while. What a small world." "Yeah it is." "So have you lived most of year with your father?" "Uh-huh." Just then the door opened and the sound of two arguing teenagers filled the air. "Kylee, I am not letting you drive my car tonight. I have to be at school soon and I need it." Brent said. "Well than what am I suppose to do?" Kylee complained. "Drive the one you recked." "I can't. It's at the salvage yard." "Too bad!" "Sounds like those two are going at it again over the car." Sandra said. "Hey Kylee, don't worry about the car part, my car arived today so I can take us." Jessica said. "WAHOO!" Kylee said. Brent then walked over to Jessica and wispered to her. "You've just made a bad mistake." "So what do you drive?" Kylee asked as they walked to the guest house garage. "Its a 99 Jeep." Jessica said. "Ooh, sounds cool." "Now remeber, you have to help me get there, I have no clue where I'm going." "Trust me! I'll get us there!" "Thats what I'm afraid of." They then left for the mall. "GO HHS!" "Okay Jessica, I want you to meet Kendal and Bethany. Kendal, Bethany, this is Jessica Bannon." Kylee said. That was how most of the night went. Jessica meet tons of people during the game and doubted if she would remeber anyones name by the time she went to the school. "Hey Jessica, wanna go meet some of the guys on the basketball team?" "I guess, but the games still on." "I ment after the game. I was hoping you would say yes, I was wanting to see Kyle," Kylee said. "Whose Kyle?" "Kyle Winthers, number 21, and my boyfriend," she said with grin. "Wow, Kyle and Kylee," Jessica said. Monday came early at the Quest Compound. "Son, would you come down for a minute?" "WHAT?" "I said come down here!" "Just a minute." This was a typical Quest Compound conversation anymore. What was once a vibrant exciting house, was turned into an abandon shack that is possessed by no one. While waiting for his son, Jonny, to come down, Benton glanced up at a framed article on the wall in his study. It was an article in TIME magazine, which he and the Quest Team made the cover as the Man Of The Year of 00. Next to the framed cover, was a frame version of the front of the article which had a picture of him in the center dressed in a black suite with his arms crossed and with a huge cocky grin. To the left of him is Jonny featuring his trademark lopsided grin, a white suit and Questworld equipment on. Then to the left of Jonny, is Hadji, who is also wearing a white suit and has a computer draped across his arms. To the right of Benton, was Race, who was in a hovering protected pose with a laser gun in one hand, and carrying on the theme of black and white, he too was wearing a white suit. Next to him was Jessie, who was wearing a white flowing gown, with her hips resting on the side of her father and a cell phone resting firmly in her hands against her ear. The background of the picture was an old fashion looking brown map. "So Dad, you wanted me?" Jonny asked in a sulky tone. "Oh yes Jonny, I just got a phone call from Christoph Holland, and he is on his was and I think you should help him out when he arrives." "Why?" "Because it might make things go better than they are right now. Just try and make friends with the guy, who knows, he might even be another Bannon brother." "Sorry Dad, Ive met all of Race's brothers and I doubt if he even compares!" "Don't knock them till you try them." "Dad, has any one told you that you sound an awful lot like Hadji?" "Nope, but thanks for the compliment!" "Do you have everything?" "Yup." "Transfer papers?" "Check." "Grade slip?" "Double Check." "Parking pass on your jeep?" "Done." "Money?" "Yes, ... no." "Gotcha!" "Can I have some?" "Heres you $15 for the whole week, don't spend it all in one day." "I won't. I should be going if I'm going to be in the counseling center by 7:30." "You better, don't want to be late on your first day, plus isn't Kylee going with you?" "Yeah," "I know honey, I don't it any more than you do..." "But I have to make the best of it, I know I know." "I'll be out of town tonight, Sechler and I are going to a conference in Kansas City and I won't be back until late, so don't wait up for me." "Sure Dad." "Well, ... you better be on your way." "Hey Jess, you look great in that new outfit we bought," Kylee said as she ran out of her part of the house to meet Jessica. "Thanks," Jessica said trying to avoid gazing into her eyes, she knew they girl would say it, she just knew it, and she didn't want the whole school on the first day knowing it too. "Oh my gosh girl, pink and black are your colors!" Kylee said while getting into the Jeep. "It's not really, I mean I've worn it a lot since I was ahem younger," Jessica said. 'Smooth Bannon, smooth.' "But that's when your parents pick out your clothes right?" "Yeah." "And this is different, your wearing it on free will. Plus I bet you parents never dressed you in a tight long sleeved pink T-shirt with a tiger on it with tight black pants and a big black shoes did they?" Laughs, "No can't say they did." "You look adorable, plus I heard from the grapevine that the whole school is wondering who you are and along with those people is Carey Bell, the one who works at the restaurant." "Cool." Jessica said pathetically. 'Well, this is it, my moments glory.' "Plus chickita, with that new medium 'do of yours, your definitely going to fit in and make heads turn." "Joy." Jessica said as she pulled out of the drive way. "That must be him." Benton said as a black car pulled up to the door. "Here come the Men in Black," Jonny whispered to Hadji as the walked out the door to greet their new bodyguard. "One should not be judge a person until they have a chance to judge you," Hadji said. "Im sure they gave him our files, he's had plenty of time to judge us." "True my friend, but you shouldn't assume anything but the least expected." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Jonny said as he walked towards the just as the door opened and a young fellow, who looked around 27 stepped out. When he got out, he swept his fingers through his damp looking raven hair that seemed to match his black suit. He then looked at the three people, steering them up and down, letting his dark brown eyes pierced through each of them. "Ello Dr. Quest," the guys said in a crude British accent that would make any British person cringe. "Hello, you must be Christoph Holland," Benton said as he shook Holland's hard hand. "Well, these are my two boys, Jonny, and Hadji." "Hmm ... yes, quite the trouble makers that I-1 buzzes about," Holland said. "Like I said Hadj," Jonny whispered, "he's had plenty of time to judge us." Ring Ring Ring Ring "I'm coming, I'm coming," Jessica said as she raced towards the phone. She wasn't use to having to do this, usually one of the guys beat her to it. "Hello." "Hey Jess," "Jonny? How's, what's going on?" "Did you just get home?" "Yeah, I just walked in when the phone rang," she said trying to catch her breath. "What time does school get out?" "2:45, why?" "Well, what in the heck have you been doing for almost an hour and 30 minutes?" "Jonny, is that blond hair color getting to you or what? Hello, this is central time zone, I'm no longer living in Eastern! And when did you get so quizitive?" "Sorry, I've been all edgy today since our new bodyguard/slave driver, Holland, arrived." "That bad?" "Worse, he has this evil looking eye that follows your every move, and this awful British accent and he's always wanting to know what were doing." "Sounds fun." "So how's life where your at?" "Oh besides the fact that I live with a girl who is Miss. Popularity who won't shut up and Mr. I'm all in a depressed mood guy, so far so good." "So is that what the kids are like?" "Yup. And don't even asked how many times I got lost at school!" "How is your new school?" "You just had to ask. Lets see here, its huge, I have odd classes, I feel like a total outsider in Journalism 2, which the teacher thanks I have possibility with my picture taking skills and computer skills, but the students don't want anyone new to join their realm of cliques, and that plus my media director loves me to death. He wants me to do a bit on my experiences traveling the world and crap. And tomorrow I get to face a whole bunch of new classes." "Boy wish I could've been there. So where's Race?" "Out of town, like always. That's all he does anymore. I don't see him much if at all." "Sorry, hey, hate to cut you short but Mr. Evil eye is starring at me, and it's giving me the creeps. Must run, stay tough like always Jess." "Thanks, bye." "Bye Kylee. Don't forget to met me at the jeep after school." "Sure thing Jess." "Lets see here, PE, joy." Jessica said to herself as she glanced at her schedule. She was then jumped as someone tapped on the shoulder. She turned around to see Carey Bell, the boy she had seen at the restaurant. "Oh sorry to scare you." "It's okay," Jessica said with a smile. "So you must be Jessica Bannon, right?" "Yeah, how did you know?" "Well, it's not every day my junior class gets a new student, plus when your STUCO president, you hear about everything. Hi I'm Carey Bell, and if I'm not mistaken, we have the next class period oh wait next two class periods together." "Good," Jessica said while shaking his hand, "than you can show me the way before I'm late." "Just think of me as your on personal tour guide, how's that?" "Sounds fun to me." "Young Jonathan, young Hadji, where are you two going?" asked Holland. "School, have a problem with that?" Jonny snapped back. "Yes, and I want you two to wear these at all times," Holland said as he handed them a black box shaped like a pager. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what are these?" Hadji asked as he fiddled around with his black box. "Its a tracking locater that is also a pager that we can get ahold of you whenever we want." "So basically your following us?" "I wouldn't put it that way, but if you insists, yes we are." "Son, just wear it," Benton said as he appeared in door opening. "Yes, dad," Jonny and Hadji both said, and placed them in their pockets. "I wouldn't eat that if I was you." "Gee wiz, you sure do have a thing with scaring people don't you?" Jessica asked as she calmed herself down. "Sorry, but still, I wouldn't eat that," Carey said. He was refering to a line that had formed with students recieving a plate full of pasta. "Okay, than what do I eat?" she asked. "Well would mexican do?" he asked. "Where am I going to get mexican? They don't serve it here and it's my understanding we have a closed campus lunch." "We do, but me being STUCO prez, and you being new, I can pull a few strings and we can get signed out for the rest of this block to go eat, how does that sound?" he asked with a smile. Jessica smiled back and said, "sounds great." She just smiled as he went to talk to a teacher, and went to the office to sign them out. There was something about him that reminded her of Jonny. It wasn't just his blond hair, but his sense of carring. "So I hope you like mexican food. Theirs a great mexican resturant here thats pretty close to authentic." "Well I'll be the judge of that." Jessica said as she followed him to his car. "Now since when are we the judge of food?" "Nope, but I've lived in Central Mexico and South America long enough to know what it's suppose to taste like." "Ah I see." he said. He then walked over to the passenger side, and unlocked the door to his green Explorer. He then went over, unlocked his and got in and started the car and was on their way to the resturant. "Ooh this is so good!" Jessica said as she bit into her cheese enchalauda. "Told you. So does it meet with your aproval?" "Um-hm..." "Hey, I have a question for you." "Shot away." "Where you ever in Time magazine? You look awfully alike with this girl I saw in it." "Wow thats kinda out of the blue question. Why do you want to know?" "Just currious I guess. And like I said, you look alot like her, which is a compliment." "Thank you, and yes, that is me if your refeering to last years Man Of the Year issue." "I thought that was you. I love that picture. Man, I'm eating lunch with a Quest team member." "Former Quest Team member, and I'm flattered." "Well how about you tell the story to me later because we need to be going so we won't be late to our last block class.” "So Race, how long do you think we should carry on this experiment of yours?" "Im not sure Sechler, I guess however long it takes for one of the two critterias to be meet." "You know, with you out of the picture in Maine, the action could just die down for a while." "I know, and I've taken that into effect, but If all goes like it useraly does when Im out of town or what not, it'll happen." "I sure hope this little bit of insight you will gain will help you out." "Same here." Race said, he then hung his head as he thought about what he was doing. He hoped for all sakes that everything would turn out as planed and it would be finaly over. But he just didn't know how some of the key members in this experment, who didn't know what was going on, would say. "Please turn off all electronics and fasten you seat belts, we are about to land at *KCI, thank-you." “So how was your lunch with Carrey?” “How did you find out about it?” “Hello... I can find out anything. The world is at my fingertips!” “Sure, now buckle up and lets go,” Jessica said as she put her jeep in gear and flew out of the parking lot. It had only been a week since she had moved into the town and already she was feeling like she had been doing the same routine for years. Driving the same route with the same passenger at her side. The route to and from school was an easy one to remember, she felt ease taking the sharp turns down the road. The only thing that made her feel uncomfortable about going back to her new home was knowing that her father wouldn't be there to great her when she got home. It didn't really bug her that much, at least it didn't while she was living at the Quest Compound. Kylee sighed as looked at Jessica. She seemed to have an earnest look on her face. She knew how she felt. She knew what it was like being the new kid at school. But the only thing she knew that she didn't feel the same was joining in on your junior year during the semester. It had only been her second day at school and already she had her a lot of people talking about her. Some were good, but most where in question. A lot of people where wondering who she was and why she was invading their turf? She hoped Jessica wouldn't find out, she would feel so bad if she did. But if go as they useraly do, than she wouldn't have much of a problem. Soon people would forget that she was the knew girl and accept her among their on, at least she hoped they would. ***Two Months Later*** “Hey Ponchita, where are you going in such a rush this early?” Race asked. “To school.” “School doesn't start for another hour and half minutes. So were else are you going?” “Well, I told Haylee that I would pick her up.” Jessica said. “Okay, Haylee’s your journalism partner for your story, right?” Race asked. “Yup, plus her, Brad, Carrey and I are doing a little feature parody thingy for the announcements in media. So, I really don't want to be late.” “Okay, okay, but before you go, I got something to tell you.” “Can it wait until tonight?” “Are you in that big of a hurry?” “Yes, I have to get to school before Coach Paley gives away the new camera.” “Just go.” Race said. He was starting to get troubled by the way she was starting to act. He was happy that she was accepting what was going on. He just wished she would stop and take some time out for her Mom and him. From what he could tell, she had blown off two trips to be with her Mom and besides the fact that he was always doing stuff out of town or wasn't home, he hardly ever saw his own daughter. All Race could do was to dreed what he was going to have to tell her soon. He didn't really know how to break everything to her. Expressly the part about the fax and what it contained. Ring... Ring... The sound of the phone jarred Race back to reality. He slowly got up to answer it, he figured it was probably Carrey wandering if Jessica had left or not. It seemed anymore that Carrey had been calling over here a lot and that Jessica had been spending a lot of time with him. It also struck him odd that she was going by her full first name. She normally hated it when someone called her Jessica. But no, it was if someone called her Jessie, she would scream at them that her name was Jessica. Ring... Ring... “I'm coming...” Race said. “Hello.” “Race, I need to talk to you...” “So Jessica, your going to be behind the bar acting like the watress eh?” asked Brad Nixs, who had one hand grasped on a script and the other waving around while he directed people. He was a tall muscular man who had a huge sense of humour and the personalty that no one could hate. “Sounds all right to me. So how many more takes do we have before this is over?” Jessica asked. She was dressed in an old fashion mobster suit and was holding a wine glass in her hands. “I say if we can get this take right than one more since we’ve been filming backwards.” Brad said. He then moved behind the camera that was on a tripod and placed his white shirt sleave over the lens and pushed the white balance button. “Okay I believe we’re ready, we all know our places right?” “Sure, lets just get this over,” Carrey said as he sat down on one of the bar stools.He was dressed up like an Abercrombie and Fitch poster boy; it wasn’t his normal style of clothing, at least not the brand. He had the long sleave button up plaid shirt that was left open to reveal a grey tee, a baggy pair of khaki jeans and a pair of brown Dr. Martins. He normally wore that type of clothing, not the brand. “Okay, you two ready?” “Yup,” “Carrey?” “Sure lets get it over with, so maybe I can still return these clothing and get some of my paycheck back.” “Okay and were rolling.” “So what can I get you, partner?” Jessica asked in a fake Italian accent. “I hear the Kickapoo Chief calling.” Carrey asked acting all secretive. “The Kickapoo Chief is in its limmo.” “Dang, too late.” “Better luck next time, Mr. HHS!” Jessica said, she paused as she waited for Brad to give her the cue it was over. “Uhem... are we done?” “Yup, just seeing what you would do!” “You stupid little... oh my gosh, it... can’t be you!” Jessica stuttered out as she saw the sight of a blond haired boy standing at the ends of the stairs. She then jumped over the bar and ran over to his direction and hugged him. “Hey Jess, nice of you to notice me!” Jonny said. “How long have you been standing there?” “Oh only about five minutes.” “Why didn’t you say anything?” “Because it was funny to watch you act stupid. So where’s your hair?” Jonny asked as took hold of her red locks and followed them down to the middle of her shoulders, where they stoped. “I cut them, you like?” she asked. “Yah it looks good.” “Man, it’s so good to see you again,” she said. She then remebered that her friends where watching and had no clue who the heck he was. “I guess I better introduce you all. Jonny, this is, Carrey Bell, Brad Nix and thats Haylee Wheeton. You guys, this is the Jonny Quest I told you guys about.” “Oh yes the one who dyes his hair blond, right?” Brad asked. “Shush.” “Jessie, you told them?” “Don’t get all mad at me, I was giving Brad a hard time about highlighting his hair blond and showed him the April Fools joke Hadji and I pulled on you when we switched your shampoos. Nothing big! Come on lets go up stairs. Sorry about the shoot today, I hope you understand.” “Sure, totally,” Haylee said. “Call me girl!” “See you guys!” Jessica said. She then wapped Carrey on the side of the head as he walked by, “hey you, keep those clothes, I like them. I might even have to borrow them from you!” Jonny then leaned in and say, “don’t let her borrow them, you’ll never see them back!” “SHUSH!” “So how has it been, I mean here in your new life? You seem to have the new friend thing down packed!” “It’s been okay, people here are pretty cool.” “It hasn’t been the same since you guys left.” “Don’t think it’s not hard for me to be here and not there with you guys.” “Well its hard for you to show it!” “Did you come here just to persecute me or why did you even come?” “Well since you hasn’t visited us so we decided to visit you.” “Sorry.” “So whats with the chief and the Kickapoo thing?” “Oh, just friendly school rivalry, something I was deprived of back home.” “Why are you so touchy?” “Why are you?” “You know Jess, you sure have changed. Your not the same person who left two months ago. Who are you and what has happened to the Jessie I once knew?” Jonny asked. He then stared at her in the face. She looked like the same person who he once new, same hair colour, just different length, same size, same smile, same attitude, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something was different. “I’m still the Ace you once knew. You know Jonny, it’s funny how having a life beyond saving the world can be like. I never once imagined what it would like to live like the others, you know, get up at the crack-o-dawn to go to school, do homework, work on an oral report, to actually make friends who don’t live on the other side of the world. You know, but then again, I doubt if you do.” Jessica said harshly. She then stood up from her sitting position at the bottom of the stairs and walked off. “You Jess, it’s always been a big problem of yours, I mean the walking away from a fight. You maybe Race’s daughter, but you sure don’t act like it.” Jonny said. Jessica then stoped in her tracks and stood there. Jonny gulped, he knew that last remarked struck a nerve with her. She then turned around and stared at him. “Jonathan, I am very intrigued that you would say that to me. I’m glad you came all the way out here to argue with me. I sure hope our fathers are having better luck than you and I are. Now if you will excuse me, I have some friends that I need to get a hold of and talk to.” Jessica said. She then aberrantly turned around and left. All Jonny could do was stare. He didn’t know what to think. Just then he figured out what was different about her, she had matured. “Race, I don’t know if you heard or not, but their was an attempted break in the other night.” “Yeah, I heard.” “You know Race, this little experiment of yours might be doing more damage than it will fix.” “Benton, you know as well as I do that we really don’t have much of a choice. It’s not as if they came to us and asked us if we would be interested in it, it was more we had to do it or else.” “I know Race, but what exactly is the “else” that’s holding us from not doing it?” “Well, as far as I can tell from what I’ve found out, it’s separation for permanent, losing of government funds, I will lose my I-1 connections and ranks, and I’m sure their’s more.” Race said as he laid his coffee mug on the table. “They sure have some big hold on Quest Enterprise, don’t they?” Dr. Quest asked. “More than you could ever imagine.”