Title: Quinque #9: The Price of Neutrality (1/3)
Author: Caitlin Makintosh
Categories: E, Alt, Future
Disclaimer: If you know them, they belong to HB.
Date Posted: Jan. 27, 2000
Archivers: Go for it.

Prologue

The year is 2015.  The world as we know it no longer exists.

In 2003, Ezekial Rage launched nuclear bombs from China at Cairo, London, 
Moscow, and Tokyo.  The targeted cities retaliated before asking 
questions.  By 2005, the world economy had collapsed, and the United States 
government fell apart.  The former superpower has split into two warring 
halves, Dulab and Zinja.

The new America is one of hardships and struggles.  Warfare has decimated 
most of the population between the ages of 35 and 65 and has drained the 
continent of its natural resources.  The young and hardy have quickly risen 
through the ranks to become the new leaders.  They are strong, smart, and 
willing to do anything they have to if it means the end of the war.

Dulab, consisting of the former states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
South Dakota, and Montana, is dedicated to upholding life as they knew it 
before the war.  They are led by Commander Bennett and Roger "Race" Bannon, 
men well acquainted with military expeditions.  Zinja, made of the states 
of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Kansas, has fallen under 
the rule of a madman named Dr. Zin.  Zin's ultimate goal is global 
domination, starting with the fall of Dulab.

The Dulabian's fight back courageously.  They have organized Task Forces 
composed of their best young freedom fighters.  As Quinque, the most elite 
Task Force, Jonathan Quest, Jessica Bannon, Alexander Anderson, Ashley Ray, 
and Dion Jennings fight to defend and expand the Dulab territory against 
Zin.  Quinque is passionately determined to resurrect the world they once knew.

Quinque #9: The Price of Neutrality

"Penny for your thoughts."

Jonny Quest jumped, startled by the voice.  Turning from the window he had 
been staring out of, he grinned when he saw Laurie Ray wheeling toward 
him.  A month ago Laurie had gotten into a fight with Anaya Zin that left 
her paralyzed from the waist down.

"Hey, I was just . . . " Jonny started.

" . . . looking for Quinque?" Laurie finished, smiling.

Jonny nodded and resisted the urge to look out the window once again.  "Yeah."

"They'll be all right without you.  Jessie has the same amount of 
experience you do, you know, Donn.  She can lead them this once."

"I know." Jonny sighed.  "But that doesn't stop me from worrying."

A week ago, Quinque had been sent out on a mission, and for the first time 
since Quinque had been established, Jonny had not gone with them.  And all 
because he was dead.  Two weeks ago Jonny had watched his own funeral on 
television.  It had been more than a little disconcerting.  Race, Bennett, 
and Quinque had gone to Maine, to the Quest compound, and spread his 
"remains" across the ruins.

In order to throw any Zinja spies off Jonny's trail, Race had told Jonny to 
remain hidden for a month.  Race felt that would be enough time for Dr. Zin 
to believe that Jonny was really dead this time.  After the required time 
had passed, Jonny could once again join Quinque under the new call sign of 
Donn.

"Me neither," Laurie admitted.  "Sometimes it's still hard to believe that 
my little sister is a member of Quinque.  I can remember changing her diapers."

Jonny laughed.  "They grow up sometimes."

"Every once in a while."  Laurie laid a friendly hand on his arm.  "They'll 
be fine."

Jonny gave a small sigh and then grinned.  "I know."  He looked out the 
window one last time.  "I'm going to go home and get some sleep.  I'll see 
you in the morning."

Laurie nodded.  "I'll be down in the labs.  Sleep well, Donn."

"You should get some sleep yourself, Beanbag."

"I will," Laurie agreed.  "Eventually."

Jonny fondly ruffled Laurie's hair and then walked out of Intelligence 
Command headquarters.  The guards at the entrance doors waved to him as he 
left.  As part of his agreement to hide for a month, Race had given Jonny 
his own apartment.  Usually Jonny stayed at Jessie's house, but Quinque 
felt there was a strong possibility that Zinja spies might be watching 
it.  And since they did not want . . . he shook his head.  He didn't need 
to rationalize this whole situation to himself again.

Finally he stood in front of his apartment door, unlocked it, and walked 
in.  He flipped on the lights, and stopped when he saw a person sitting in 
one of his chairs.

A silly smile stretched across his face.  "Jessie."

The beautiful woman with long red hair smiled.  "Hey, stranger.  Long time 
no see."

"It's only been a week."

Jessie grinned.  "And from what Hadji's said, you've been mopping around 
for that entire week."

Jonny took off his jacket and let it fall to the floor.  Jessie sighed.

"You're how old and still can't manage to hang up your jacket like a normal 
person?"

Jonny flashed her a lopsided smile.  "Whoever said I was normal?"

Jessie laughed.  "Good point."

She walked across the room and gave him a tight hug that he energetically 
returned.

"When did you get back?" he asked.

"Earlier today."  Her green eyes met his blue ones.  "We missed you out there."

He laughed.  "You four were probably glad to have the 'danger magnet' out 
of the way for one mission at least."

She grinned.  "Well, that was brought up once or twice now that you mention 
it."

Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the forehead.  "It's good to see you 
again, Jess.  And by the way, Merry Christmas."

"The same to you, Jonny."  Grabbing his hand, she pulled him over to the 
couch.  "I got something for you."

"Uh oh."

Jessie hit him lightly on the arm.  "It's nothing bad, I 
promise."  Reaching under the couch, she pulled out a flat, square 
package.  "This is going to sound so cheesy, I know, but well, this is just 
a little something to remind you that you mean the world to me."

Blushing, she handed Jonny the present.  Curious, he tore into the paper, 
and couldn't help but laugh once it was open.

"An inflatable globe.  Jess, it's what I've always wanted!"

Jessie rolled her eyes.  "I warned you that it was cheesy."

Jonny smiled.  "So you did.  And I love it even more because of all that 
cheese."  He paused.  "I hope it's cheddar cheese."

Jessie sighed and ruefully shook her head.  "You're incorrigible, Jonny 
Quest."  She reached under the couch and brought out another present.  "I 
got you something else, too."

Jonny could tell from the look in her eyes that this was the more serious 
of his presents.  He felt like a little kid as he ripped into the paper.  A 
silver necklace fell onto his hand.  He looked at it and saw a simple 
golden sun engraved into a circular piece of metal.

Jessie ducked her head.  "It's just a little something to help you remember 
who you used to be.  Apollo."

Jonny gave a small grin as he stared at the sun.  Technically he was on his 
third life now.  Jonny Quest had been the first to die followed by Apollo 
ten years later.  And death wasn't something that got easier with practice.

He shook his head slightly, throwing away his thoughts.  Turning, he gave 
Jessie his patented smile.

"I got something for you, too," he announced.  He reached over to the 
coffee table that stood next to the couch and pulled a small package out of 
a drawer.  "Merry Christmas, Jess."

She smiled as she took the present.  Tearing into the wrapping, she laughed 
when she saw the small silver tennis racket attached to a chain inside.

"Jonny, I don't play tennis," she said.

"Oh, I know.  But it was just something to remind you of life before the 
fall, Ace."

Jessie laughed, then leaned over and kissed him.  "I love it."

Jonny returned her kiss.  "Good."

Yawning, Jessie stretched.  "I think now would be a good time to go to 
bed.  I've been up for a while and we're going to be sent back out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"  Jonny raised an eyebrow.  "Why so soon?"

Jessie shrugged.  "That's just what Sultan said when we debriefed today."

Jonny nodded.  "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."  He paused, 
studying Jess.  "You are going to spend the night here, aren't you?"

Jessie smiled gently.  "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

Jessie knocked on Race's door the next morning.  Her father's voice sounded 
from the other side, telling Jessie and Jonny to enter.  He smiled when the 
two walked into the room.  Admiral Tony Taber, a former Zinja commandant, 
sat in a chair next to Race's desk.

Taber turned and his eyes widened at the sight of Jonny.

"Apollo?" Taber whispered, his face pale.  "But, you're dead.  I was at 
your memorial service."

"Admiral Taber," Race said calmly, "I'd like you to meet the newest member 
of Quinque - Donn."

Taber started to laugh.  "Of course, why didn't I think about that?"

Jonny, Jessie, and Race exchanged glances.

"Think about what?" Race finally asked.

Taber shook his head, ignoring Race's question,  and recovered his 
composure.  "I'm sorry about that.  You just look so much like 
Apollo.  It's nice to meet you, Donn."

"The pleasure is all mine," Jonny replied.  "And don't worry about the 
mistake.  I've been getting that ever since I came to Columbus."  A 
virtuous look crossed his face.  "I couldn't imagine why."

Taber laughed again.  "You don't know how good it is to see you again, Donn."

Jonny smiled at the man.  "I think I have some idea.  I've always heard 
that Apollo and you were friends."

"So I like to think," Taber replied.  "I hope that we can become friends, 
too, Donn."

"Oh, I don't think there's any doubt about that."  Jonny held out his hand 
and innocently said,  "For some reason it feels like I already know you."

With a smile, Taber took the proffered hand.  "I couldn't imagine why," he 
said wryly.

Leaning back in the chair, Taber couldn't keep a silly little smile off his 
face.  Throughout the last month, Jonny had heard how his "death" had 
affected Tony Taber.  They had become friends after Taber's defection to 
Dulab.  From what Sultan had told him, Taber had been devastated by 
Apollo's murder.  Looking at the man now, Jonny knew he had made the right 
decision in visiting with him.  Now Taber knew Jonny truly was still alive, 
and Jonny could tell the man was ten times more content now than he had 
been when Jonny had first walked in.  Jonny was glad that he had been able 
to help the man - he really did like him.

"Dad, we've got to go meet with Sultan now," Jessie said.

Race nodded.  "I won't keep you."  He smiled at Jonny.  "Good luck on your 
first mission, Donn."
Jonny grinned.  "Thanks."

* * *

A few minutes later they walked into Sultan's office.  The rest of Quinque 
was already there and they all turned to smile at Jonny and their public 
leader when they entered.

"Welcome, Donn," Hadji Singh, Jonny's adopted brother, said.  "It's good to 
have you onboard the team."

Jonny waved a hand.  "Can we please stop all that?  It got boring after the 
first couple of days.  While we're together, please, can't everything be 
normal?"

Hadji smiled.  "Without a doubt, my friend."  He handed Jonny a file 
folder.  "Here's your next mission, my friends.  Have you ever heard of No 
Man's Land?"

Ashley Ray raised an eyebrow.  "No Man's Land?  What kind of name is that?"

"It's out by Oklahoma City," Jonny said without bothering to look at the 
file.  "It got that name because the people in it won't allow themselves to 
be ruled either by Zinja or Dulab."

Hadji nodded.  "Every three months, we send a Task Force out to No Man's 
Land - just to check on things.  We don't try and force them to join Dulab."

Xander Anderson grinned.  "And we got the short straw this time?"

"You could say that.  All you have to do is stay there for a week and make 
sure they don't need anything.  And don't be surprised if there's a Zinja 
agent there as well.  They send people out to them as often as we do."

"Doesn't sound too hard," Dion Jennings signed.  "I think we just might be 
able to handle it."

"I would hope so."  Hadji laughed.  "You shouldn't have to worry about 
running for your life or anything exciting along those lines.  In fact, 
comparatively, this mission should be quiet.  That's one reason why Quinque 
was picked this time - it should be good introduction to Task Forces for 
our 'newest member.'"

Jonny shook his head.  "You know, I could really grow to hate those two words."

"Remember, publicly Jessie is Quinque's leader," Hadji stated.  "But out 
there, Jonny will be the one to listen to.  When you're in No Man's Land, 
Jessie will be the front man.  However, Jonny will have the final say on 
everything."

"Got it, Sultan," Ashley said.  "When do we leave?"

"Now."  Hadji smiled.  "Jessie gets to drive.  I'll expect to hear from you 
in three days."

"Yes, Sultan," Jessie replied.

Hadji handed Jessie a set of keys.  "Good luck, my friends."

More coming soon.  I hope. :)

Caitlin