Archive Permission:  If you want it, but you gotta ask.  Unless you're Suze.

MiST permission:  Normally, I probably wouldn't give this, but this story is 
just begging for it! =)

Challenge:  The challenge was to use as many episode titles in a story as 
possible.  This one is a major fluff piece using Classic Jonny Quest titles.

Disclaimer:  Not mine, WB/HB/Time Warner, whoever owns them.  I am using them 
in a piece by a fan, for a fan, and certainly not for profit.  (I do accept 
donations…;)  j/k)

Categories: H, Jessie-Hadji HR, V



    "So, Jonny… whatcha up to?" asked Jessie, about to embark on one of her 
favorite past times, annoying Jonny Quest.  He was sitting at his desk in his 
room, bent over a ragged notebook that looked as if it'd seen better days.

    "Leave me alone, will you, Bannon?"  

    "Ooooh, Bannon, eh?"  Jessie smirked, knowing he only resorted to last 
names when he was really frustrated.  "But Jooooony… I'm bored.  Whatcha up 
to?"

    "Homework, now, go AWAY!" was the frustrated answer.  He reached up and 
ran his fingers through his blonde hair, not taking his eyes off his notebook.

    "Wait… is that the short story assignment Dad assigned us a month ago?  
You're just starting it??" she asked incredulously.

    "Yeah, so, go away!"  

    "Jonny, that's due in four hours!"

    "Yeah, so?"

    Jessie giggled.  "Good luck."

    "Shut up."
    
    "Make me."

    "I'll make you, you little…"

    "JONNY!"  Came the voice from the hallway.  "Do I have to come in there?"

    "No, Dad. I'm sorry."

    Dr. Quest peaked into his son's room.  "Everything all right in here?" he 
asked, looking from Jonny to Jessie, to Jonny, and back to Jessie.  

    "Yes, Dr. Quest," Jessie answered sweetly… a little too sweetly.  He 
fixed her with a questioning glance, before finally ducking out of the room 
and going back on his way in the hallway.

    "So let me see what you have so far."  Jessie reached down and yanked the 
notebook off Jonny's desk.  

    "Hey, give me that!"

    "'The Mystery of the Lizard Men by Jonathan Quest'… that title sucks, 
Jonny." 
    "I don't remember asking your opinion, Professor Bannon."  

    "Heheheh, trust me, Jonny, you need my help."

    "You need help."

    "Bite me."

    "If you insist."

    "Hey, get off me you creep!"  she yelled as she yanked her arm out of 
Jonny's grasp.

    Both kids were startled to look up and see Race in the doorway, hands on 
hips, stern expression and eyebrow cocked.  "Mind telling me what's going on 
in here?"

    Jonny gulped.  "Nothing."

    Race fixed both kids with a stern look before stepping out of the doorway 
and going on his way.

    "Well, that was certainly frightening," Jonny said.

    "Not any more frightening than this story… 'they ran down the dangerously 
narrow trail, in pursuit of the PoHo, hoping to avoid the deadly dragons of 
Ashida'"  Jessie rolled her eyes.

    "I didn't say you could read it!"  Jonny reached for his notebook, only 
to have Jessie move out of his way, still reading his story.

    "Oh, wait, I like this better," she said sarcastically before continuing, 
"'The treasure of the temple awaited them, if they answered the riddle of the 
gold and didn't invoke the curse of Anubis.'"

    "Give me that!"

    "Give up, Quest, you're not getting this back!"

    "Yeah, like your story is any better!" Jonny retorted, giving up on 
chasing Jessie around his room and flopping down on his bed, steeling himself 
for her comments on his story.

    "'Turu, the terrible werewolf of the Timberland lived on the highest 
mountain in that countryside, the Devil's Tower the locals called it.'"  
Jessie snickered.  

    "Hey, I never said writing was my strong point, okay?"  Jonny crossed his 
arms over his chest, pouting.

    "Good thing, too."  

    "Bite me."

    Jessie looked at Jonny, a sly grin on her face.  "Only if you insist."

    "You two just need a referee 24/7, don't you?"  Hadji piped up from his 
position in the doorway.

    "Um, Hadji… when did you start using '24/7'?" asked Jessie.

    "Yeah, Hadj… getting trendy, are we?"

    Ignoring them, Hadji walked into the room and to Jonny's bed.  He shoved 
Jonny's legs over and sat at the foot of the bed.  "So… what are we doing, my 
friends?"

    "She won't leave me alone!  She's reading my stuff…"

    "Are we going to cry, Jonny?"

    "HADJI!  Don't you gang up on me too!"

    Hadji grinned at Jessie.  "What are we reading, Jessie?"

    "Jonny's short story assignment.  Want me to continue?"

    "Please do."

    Jonny shot a glare at both of them, but kept silent. 

    Jessie dramatically cleared her throat and continued.  "Let's see, where 
was I… oh, yes, 'There it was, in the shadow of the condor statue, a golden 
skull and double crossbones.  The treasure of the mythical pirates from below 
glimmered in the sparse light.'"

    "Well, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be."  Hadji winked at Jessie 
conspiratorially.

    "Hadj…" Jonny trailed off.  "You're such a traitor.  What ever happened 
to boys against girls??"

    "I like girls."  Again, Hadji winked at Jessie.  

    "You guys make me sick."  Jonny leaned back onto his bed and waited for 
Jessie to continue.  "Life would be so much easier for me if you weren't 
dating…" he muttered.

    "You guys, you made me lose my place… here we go… 'On the prowl for the 
second treasure, they again looked at the map, realizing they needed to head 
to Terror Island.' Terror Island?  Yeah, that's original."

    "You know what, Bannon, I can't wait to read your work of art."

    Jessie stuck out her tongue at Jonny and continued scanning his story.  
"'Again they boarded their ship, the Sea Haunt, one step ahead of an attack 
of the Tree People.'"

    "Tree People?" Hadji queried.  "Isn't that what we called monkeys when we 
were little?"

    "Yeah, they're supposed to be these ape… creatures…"

    "I like it."

    "Hey, Hadj, I thought you were on my side." Jessie asked.

    Hadji looked from Jessie to Jonny, "With the two of you, it's impossible 
to choose sides.  More like selectively choosing to give up…"

    "Aw, Hadj, we're not that bad to live with, are we?"

    "…"

    "Hadji?"

    "Go on, Jess."  Hadji said, still not answering the question.

    "Okay, I guess."  She went back to scanning the notebook for more prose 
to nitpick.  "'The monster of the monastery stood before them, holding out 
the dreadful doll, rumored to belong to the zombie king, voodoo master.'  
Now, Jonny, one would think if anyone knew something about the supernatural 
it'd be the son of a phenomenologist…"

    "No comment.  Keep ridiculing me, Jess."

    "With pleasure.  Oh, now don't pout, you're gonna do the same thing to 
mine… Let's see… yeah, here we go… 'After they escaped the house of seven 
gargoyles with their lives, they decided they could deal with a small matter 
of pygmies.'  That makes no sense to me, does it to you, Hadji?"

    "It's Jonny."

    "Yeah, enough said."  Jessie grinned.

    "Yeah, well…" Jonny paused, "Well…oh, I give up."

    Jessie and Hadji looked at each other in amazement.  "I don't think I've 
ever heard him say that before," she said.

    "Truly a momentous occasion, indeed."

    Jonny kept silent.

    "Moving on…." Jessie continued, "'Double danger awaited them, the 
invisible monster kept vigil, awaiting the perfect opportunity to capsize the 
boat and cause an arctic splashdown for the intrepid crew of the Sea Haunt.' 
Actually, I don't think that's half bad…"

    "Are you kidding, Jess?  That's my worst one of all you've read!"

    "Really, Jonny, I think she's right."

    "I can't believe you guys." Jonny replied.  

    Jessie again continued reading, "'The fraudulent volcano…'  hey… how can 
a volcano be fraudulent?"

    "Ask Dr. Zin." Replied Hadji.

    "What?"

    "Long story, nevermind," answered Jonny.  "Continue."

    "That's about all I have to poke fun at… you still need to finish."

    "Yeah, I do… so, Jessie, Hadji… GET OUT!"  Jonny jumped off his bed and 
gestured wildly.

    "We're going, we're going."  Jessie replied, grabbing a hold of Hadji's 
hand and pulling him out into the hallway, leaving Jonny to his work.  

    Jonny walked to his door, and stuck his head out into the hallway after 
them.  "Have fun making out," he said before pulling his head inside his room 
and shutting his door.

    "What did he say?" 

    Jessie and Hadji jumped at the sound of Race's voice behind them.  "Uh, 
nothing, Dad."

    Race eyed them skeptically. "You'd better hope I heard him wrong."

    Hadji's eyes opened wide, and he let go of Jessie's hand.  "Nope, no 
worries here, Race."

    Dr. Quest, standing beside Race, tried to hide a grin.  "Let's go, Race, 
I've got some files to show you in the lighthouse."

    As they continued down the hallway, Jessie and Hadji breathed a sigh of 
relief.  They continued to watch them walk down the hallway and down the 
stairs to the bottom floor of the compound.



    "So, Benton… do we have to worry about those kids?" asked Race.

    "Race, I know I like to tell the kids there's no such thing as a stupid 
question, but…" 

    Race rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, I know.  So what files are we looking at?"

    "Something Corbin sent over, from I-1."

"I know what those are about," Race began. "Remember the robot spy Dr. Zin 
sent to spy on us?  They found another one, this time spying on the Quetong 
Missile.  Mystery to me how that works exactly…"

    "Isn't that in Calcutta now?" asked Dr. Quest.

    "Yeah, at the university there," responded Race.

    "Well, I guess we're going on a Calcutta adventure, then."