From: "vicki y." <vicy2@hotmail.com>
To: JQML@onelist.com
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1999 17:42:02 PST
Subject: [JQML] [FIC] "Better Than a Crystal Ball" (2/?)
Message-ID: <19990328014204.26801.qmail@hotmail.com>
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From: "vicki y." <vicy2@hotmail.com>

March 27, 1999


Disclaimer: I don't own anything.  It's all HB.
Category: F, J/J HR, A
Rating: PG
Archivers: But of course! 

This is the second part to my fic.  Hope you like!

"Better Than a Crystal Ball" (2/?)

by: vicki y.







“Dr. Quest, please hurry! I will explain to you and Race the situation 
when you arrive.”

Hadji Singh was near panic.  If you looked at him, however, you would 
never know.  All of the years Hadji had spent practicing yoga taught him 
how to manage his emotions and stay calm in tense situations.  That was 
probably why he could put up with Jonny and Jessie’s constant bickering.  
But right now, his emotional state is the last thing on Hadji’s mind.  
Surd has just broken into the Questworld system, which usually would not 
be a big problem. The Quests and Bannons had defeated Surd many times in 
Questworld.  This time however, Surd did not just want to try and take 
complete control of the virtual reality world.  He had discovered the 
time travel program, 'Rachel', that Dr. Quest had developed after the 
death of his wife, and was going to use it to destroy the Quest Team.

“Hadji, what is the matter.  You said something about Surd and 
Questworld, but nothing else.  Is Surd in Questworld again?”   Dr. 
Benton Quest entered the lighthouse with Race Bannon right behind him.  

“Yea kid, what’s the matter? And where’re Jonny and Jess?”   Concern 
entered Race’s face.

Hadji looked up at the blank wall screen that showed Questworld and 
pointed.  “In there.  With Surd.  And Surd has locked us out.  That is 
why I summoned Dr. Quest and you.  It is beyond my capabilities to break 
Surd’s lock. And I am afraid to say that that is not the worst of it.”
  
Race looked as if you were about to shake the Indian boy.   “Hadji, how 
could it be any worse?”

Hadji turned to Benton. “Surd has found the 'Rachel' program.  He says 
he will use it to destroy our family.”

Benton’s eyes widened.  “Good God.  We have to try to establish contact 
with Jonny and Jessie as soon as possible.  There is no telling what 
damage Surd could do with the power to go back into time.  There could 
be disastrous results.”

Benton rushed to the computer console.  He has created the 'Rachel' 
program to be able to see his late wife on more time and save her from 
her fate.  However, once it was finished he realized that it would be 
irresponsible for him to try to change history.  Rachel was gone and he 
had to deal with it.   But now both his program, and more importantly, 
his son, were in the hands of a madman who hated his family.   Benton 
Quest knew that he could not fail.

“Hadji, find out if Surd has accessed the 'Rachel' program yet,"      
Benton ordered as his fingers flew over the keyboard.  “Race, get on the 
phone with some of your old contacts.  Try to find out where Surd is.  
If we can’t get into Questworld, we might have to go to the source of 
our troubles.”

“You got it, Doc.  And…,” Benton looked up to face Race when he heard 
his friend waver.  The look on the man’s face was unmistakable.

“I know my friend.  Both Jonny and Jessie will be fine.  I promise you.”
“Thanks, Benton.”  Race then left the lighthouse to track down the 
elusive Dr. Jeremiah Surd.

                             *******

“Hadji!!  Are you still there.”  Jessie Bannon was trying to reach her 
friend, but she knew it was hopeless.  She had heard Surd give his 
accomplice, Julia, the order to lock the Quests out of Questworld, 
thereby cutting herself and her best friend Jonny Quest from the outside 
world.  They were on their own against Surd.

Jessie felt a touch on her arm.  “Jess, he’s gone.  It’s just you and 
me.”

“Why, young Mr. Quest, I am insulted.  I’m still here.”  They could hear 
the pleasure in Surd’s voice.  “Well, that is enough small talk.  Time 
to get the show on the road.”

“Surd, the program is useless to you.  It time transports the person 
from Questworld into the real world, and in the real world you’re in a 
wheelchair.  You’d be helpless.”  Jessie tried to reason with him.  And 
stall him until Hadji could get them out of there.

“You don’t think I know that you little smart ass,” Surd bit out at 
Jessie.  He was obviously very sensitive to his present physical state. 
“Your father put me in that blasted contraption.  That is why I am not 
going to use the program.”  Surd then looked up into the air.  “Julia, 
Lorenzo, log in!”

In front of Jonny and Jessie two people appeared.  They recognized them 
as Surd’s lackeys, Julia and Lorenzo.

“So you’re going to use these two to travel in time Surd.  You sure you 
trust them?  I mean, how many times have you had us in your clutches, 
ready to finally destroy us, and then one of them messed things up for 
you?  I bet this time won’t be any different.”

“Shut up you little brat!  I have never made a mistake when dealing with 
your family.  You were just lucky.  This time-,” Julia was interrupted 
by Surd.

“-this time there will be no failure.  And your psychological games will 
not work, Mr. Quest.”  Surd turned away from Jonny.

“Computer, open the “Rachel” program.  Also, give me a remote control of 
the program.” A gadget appeared in Surd’s hands.  “Julia, Lorenzo, 
prepare yourselves.”

All of a sudden there was a booming male voice that seemed to come out 
of nowhere.  “Think again, Surd.  No one’s going anywhere.  Kids, are 
you okay?”

Jonny responded first. “Yea Dad, we’re fine.  You took your time, 
though.  Surd just opened the 'Rachel' program.  Can you override him 
and close it?” 
“Ah, Dr. Quest, so nice of you to join us,” Surd said.  “I’m afraid, 
however, I will not be able to allow you to interfere with your own 
destruction.  Computer, activate ‘Quest Block’ now!

A sort of electronic bubble enveloped around the remote control in 
Surd’s hands.  “It is of my own design.  It prevents any outside 
influence from interfering with the program.  Now back to business.”

  Surd punched several buttons on the remote control and a pink portal 
appeared.  “Julia, Lorenzo there is your gateway to the past. I’ve set 
it for eight years in the past, around the time Mr. Bannon and his 
daughter came to live with the Quests.  It will open again in 48 hours 
at the same location where you will land.  That should give you enough 
time to complete your mission.  Good luck.  And do not fail.”

“We won’t Jeremiah,” Julia responded.

“Yea boss, it’s in the bag,” Lorenzo added.

Suddenly, a sort of lightning bolt hit the remote in Surd’s hands, 
causing him to drop it.  “Hurry! Quest must be trying to override my 
control of the program.”

As Julia entered the portal first, Lorenzo turned back to Jonny and 
Jessie with a smirk on his face.  “See you two later.  Eight years later 
in fact.”  Lorenzo then disappeared into the portal.

“Not if we see you first,” Jonny muttered as he grabbed Jessie’s hand.  
“Come on Jess.  We gotta try and stop them.”  He then started running 
towards the closing portal.

“I hope you know what you’re doing Jonny,” Jessie said as she clutched 
her friend’s hand and followed him.

“So do I,” he responded as they leapt into the almost closed portal.

                           **********

“Hadji, they’re gone!  They followed Julia and Lorenzo into the past,” 
Benton exclaimed from his seat in front of the wall screen. 

 After they were able to gain access into Questworld, he sat himself in 
front of the computer that contained all of the information regarding 
‘Rachel’.   He looked up just in time to see his son and one of his best 
friends disappear into a time portal.

“I suspected they would do as much, Dr. Quest.  That is why I did a 
little reprogramming,” Hadji responded.

“Hadji, what are you talking about?  What did you do?," Benton 
questioned.

“Right before Julia and Lorenzo entered the time portal, I was able to 
access the ‘Rachel’ program.  While I was not able to shut it down, I 
was able to change the coordinates of the portal.  They are not going 
into the past to the town of Rockport, as they anticipated.  I sent them 
into the future, destination Quest Compound.”

“Excellent idea Hadji!,” Benton exclaimed.  “That way, they cannot 
affect history, and maybe Jonny and Jessie will be able to get some help 
from our future selves.”

“That is exactly what I thought Dr. Quest.  However,” Hadji continued, 
“there is one thing I am worried about.”

“What is it Hadji?,” Benton inquired.

Hadji looked up at the now blank screen.  “I wonder how Jonny and Jessie 
will react to what they find in the future. Especially their own.”


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