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Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 19:13:05 -0500
Subject: JQ: Fic: A Complex Technicality (7/10)
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Disclaimer:  I don't own the Quest Team.  Don't have any money, not
wanting any.

Category:  Angst, Episodic, Adventure-y, with a touch of DBN-HR (YES!)

Archivers:  Take it.

A Complex Technicality (7/?)

By Dana Cain


	It was incredibly hot.  
	So hot that Hadji and Jessie felt the sweat pour down their temples. 
Jessie could feel it mixing with her dried blood, turning into a gooey,
almost pussy solution.  It ran onto her new black dress, corrupting it
with the swirled fluid.  Hadji tried to look over at her, to reassure
himself that Jessie was better, but his eyes opened only to see black -
it was what they saw when they were closed.
	"Jessie?  Are you feeling any better?"
	"Yeah, Hadj.  Doing much better."  Her voice sounded muffled.
	"Please tell me if you are not.  I do wish to help you out in any way
that I can!"
	Jessie smiled an invisible smile.  
	"Thanks, buddy."
	"Do not mention it, my friend."  Hadji could hear Jessie squirming
around in the trunk of the car.
	"Hadji, why didn't we change out of our funeral clothes?!?  It's so hot!
 Ugh!"
	"Moving around will only make it worse, my friend.  Where do you think
they will take us?"
	The trunk went silent as Jessie sat in thought.
	"Wow, I really haven't thought about that.  Probably one of Rage's bases
somewhere.  Won't that be great?"
	"Do you think that Rage's disciples have bugged the trunk?"
	"Yeah, I didn't think about that before, but I'm sure they have," Jessie
warned.
	"Not that we know anything," Hadji murmured.
	"That's for sure!" Jessie cried.
	Hadji started to think about Dr. Quest, Race, and Jonny at the funeral. 
He hoped that they would be able to find them.  
	It felt like hours to them - just sitting in the car, listening to the
hum of the wheels against the pavement.  They sat in silence for so long
that Jessie felt herself falling into a feverish sleep.	
	Jessie started to wonder how she and Hadji could escape.  She felt his
hand on her knee.  She jumped, startled.  The hand moved down her leg,
towards her ankles.
	"Hadji, what are you doing?"
	"Shhh."
	His hands struggled with the rope around Jessie's ankles.  Then his
hands moved to her face, her elbow, and then her hands, setting them
free.
	"Thanks," she whispered, moving her hand to her temple.  She felt the
stickiness of blood.  Her head still ached from the blow.  She wondered
if they were going to suffocate in that disgusting car trunk.  She
already felt weak.  No, they wouldn't kill them.  She and Hadji knew too
much about Dr. Davidson.  She shivered with horror, wondering what Rage
would do if he managed to get his hands on the Davidson device.
	Kitty and her father had already lost their lives  - but why?
	Nothing made sense! 
	Maybe Rage's cronies *would* try to kill her.  
	Was that their plan right now?  No, this wasn't where Jessie wanted to
die.  She knew of many ways to die, and she also knew that the "Book of
Rage" spoke of many ways to die, but surely suffocating in the trunk of a
car was *not* one of them.
	Hadji's mind began to wonder on the mystery of the hour: the password. 
Surely Dr. Davidson and his daughter had been killed so that they
couldn't continue with their password updates.  It would be easier to
hack into the system that way.  
	Hadji also knew that it was too hot.  Way too hot for he and Jessie to
continue to live much longer.  Hadji winced when thinking of his best
friend.  The injury only made the situation worse.  He put a hand on her
sweaty forehead.  She had a fever, just as he feared.  
	Surely they will spare us.  We know about the current password.  Surely
we can be assets to their cause.  Surely they won't let us suffer like
this much longer.  Oh, I do hope Hans is all right.  Why did they insist
on hitting Jessie?  Where will they be taking us?  What's going to happen
to -
	Hadji's mind had overdosed on thought.  He simply gave up with a small
breath, entering a world of sweaty, sticky sleep.
	**********************************************************
	Hadji suddenly sensed light, and awoke to see disciples staring at him. 
He looked over at Jessie.  She was still breathing, but blood was
everywhere.  She looked horrible.
	"So you got out of it, eh?" the woman called Miranda asked Hadji. 
"Don't worry.  You won't escape."
	Jessie slowly tried to rise.
	"Ugggh . . ."
	"She's hurt!" a man in a black robe cried.  "Who hurt this woman?"
	"Don't worry about it," Miranda said.  "She's not hurt too badly."
	"Why did you put them in a trunk?  They could have suffocated!" the man
in black cried.
	Hadji saw another person approach. 
	"Give the children to my care.  I have been assigned to them."
	Hadji marveled at the woman. Her face - everything about her - was
hidden in black.  Hadji only guessed from her voice that she was a woman.
	"Yes, priestess Laura!" they all cried, giving a gentle bow to the lady.
	"Brother Fredrick, Brother Lars - assist me in taking these two to their
chambers.  The girl has been injured.  Give me the materials necessary to
heal her wounds."
	Hadji's mind started to race with thought.  There was no way that they
could both escape, given Jessie's condition.  What would they do?  He
could get away, and get help, but Jessie's life could be in grave danger!
	The priestess turned toward Hadji, her black veil obscuring her face.
	"Do not worry," she whispered to him.  "I will aid you in any way
possible.  Let them take you."
	Hadji gave a partial resistance when Brother Lars tried to handcuff him,
but he knew that it would be fruitless to put up any kind of fight.
	Jessie's limp body was lifted out of the trunk, blood covering her
funeral dress.  Black flashed in front of Hadji as a blindfold covered
his eyes.  They would never be able to get help without knowing their
location!
	Hadji felt a hand on his shoulder.
	"Young man, I am leading you in the direction you should go," the
priestess said. "Trust me, and I will take you to safety."
	After walking for what seemed like a mile, Hadji finally came to a stop.
 
	"Wait here," Brother Lars said.  Hadji's handcuffs were removed, and the
blindfold was taken away.
	Hadji looked around and gasped.  He was in a small room with bright
lights, one bed, and a metallic floor.  There were no windows, and there
was a tiny light switch at the door, which looked several inches thick. 
He sat on the bed and sighed.  
	How would he ever escape?
	The thick, shiny door slowly opened to reveal the priestess, carrying a
pitcher of water and a glass on a tray.
	"Lie down, Hadji.  Get rest."
	Hadji looked at her strangely.
	"How long do you intend on keeping us, madam?"
	"Keeping you?   Do you expect us to kill you?"
	"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."
	The priestess walked over to Hadji, then to a panel in the wall.  She
gently pushed the panel.
	"I've turned off the tape recorder.  Never turn it off by yourself.  
You won't die, Hadji.  Ezekeial Rage wishes you to die, after you have
told him what you know, but I'll stop that from happening."
	"How can we trust you?" Hadji asked.
	"What do you have to lose?  I'm not what I seem.  Trust me."
	Hadji took a long drink of his water, then looked at the priestess.
	"Can you get us out?"
	"I don't know yet, but I'm sure I can.  Rage is a lunatic, and if he
gets his hands on the Davidson devise, we're all as good as dead."
	"He has tried to steal a nuclear device before, and it worked."
	"It won't happen this time," she said in an assuring voice.
	"I can only hope that you are right."
	"Do you need anything else?  Someone will be bringing your food later."
	"I am fine, thank you, madam," Hadji said.
	The priestess walked over to the panel at the wall.
	"Silence is your only friend, Hadji.  Remember that," she said softly,
and pressed the panel on the wall.  She carefully walked out of the cell.
	Hadji sighed to himself and sat on his bed.  Could he and Jessie trust
the priestess?  
	Did they have a choice?
********************************************************************
	Jessie softly coughed, then moaned with pain.
	"Shhh.  You're wound is bad, but it is nothing I can't heal," the
priestess whispered.  She sat in a small metallic chair beside Jessie's
bed.  The priestess gently rubbed ointment on Jessie's temple.
	Jessie looked up to see a hooded figure, a veil covering the face.
	"Who are you?"  Jessie whispered.
	"Priestess Laura of the Cult of Rage."
	Jessie sat up, frightened.  
	"What are you doing to me?!?"
	"Lay down, Jessie.  I won't hurt you.  I'm here to help you."
	"Yeah, and I'm some idiot!"
	"Please, Jessie.  Calm down."
	Jessie shot her an angry look.
	"Why should I?  What are you up to?"
	The priestess shook her head.  
	"I'm not up to anything, child.  Lay back down.  You need your
strength."
	Jessie inched away from the priestess.
	"What do I need my strength for?" she asked.
	"If you want to make a clean escape, you need to be well."
	Jessie gave the priestess a quizzical look.
	"Escape?" she whispered, shaking her head.  "You'll help us escape?"
	Laura placed a hand on Jessie's shoulder, and nodded her head.  
	"I will help you," the priestess said, "but you need to rest."
	Jessie put her head back on her pillow.  The strange woman started to
rub the ointment on it again.
	'Who is this woman?' Jessie wondered.  What could she be doing?  Was she
sincere with her promise?  How much did she know?  Where was Hadji?  Did
they have the Quests?  Did they have her father?
	"What will Rage's cult do to me?" Jessie asked, looking up at Laura. 
Jessie wanted to see Laura terribly - and she hated the fact that she
couldn't find a face.  She didn't even have an expression to ease her
worries.
	"They will do nothing to you.  They want the codes, Jessie.  They know
you have them."
	Jessie sat up, looking angrily at the priestess.
	"I don't know anything!" Jessie cried.
	"You know much more than they do, Jessie," Laura assured.
	Jessie stared at Laura.  
	"Did Rage have the Davidsons killed?"
	Laura shook her head.  "No.  I'm sorry to say that the government killed
off the Davidsons before the Disciples of Rage could get to them. 
Solomon Davidson was too dangerous.  Kitty knew too much."
	"They *killed* the Davidsons?!?"  Jessie cried.  "I don't believe you!"
	"You don't have to believe me.  The cult will probably get the flack for
it, since we've kidnapped you and Hadji, but remember that I've told you
the truth."
	"You're not going to help us escape, are you?"
	Laura's veiled face turned to Jessie.  
	"If you keep doubting me, and not trusting me, I can't help you.  You
and Hadji are innocents, Jessie.  To kill you - or to subject you to
torture if you won't help us - is wrong.  I won't stand for it.  I want
to help you and Hadji, but only if you let me."
	Jessie knew she had asked a million questions, but she couldn't help
asking more.
	"Who are you, and why are you choosing to side with us?"
	The priestess put a hand on Jessie's forehead.
	"You're running a fever," she said, and reached for a wet cloth.
	"And you're dodging my question!" Jessie cried, knocking the cloth out
of Laura's hands.
	"Don't get angry, Jessie!"
	"How can I not?  You say you're an ally, but how can I trust you?  How
do I know that you won't turn Hadji and I over to Rage as soon as we
attempt to escape?"
	"Jessie, I could never -"
	"And, speaking of, where is Hadji?  What have you done with him?"
	"Hadji is safe, I can assure you," the priestess said.  Her voice was
wavering with anger.
	"What is going to happen to us?!?" Jessie cried, her voice getting
louder.
	Laura stood up.  She sighed.
	"Calm down, Jessie.  You want a reason to trust me, and I must be fair. 
I'll give you that reason."
	Jessie fidgeted on the bed, her mind doing flip-flops.
	"I joined the cult less than a year ago.  A few months ago, to be exact.
 Yes, the people here are insane, Jessie.  But I thought that by joining,
maybe I could show them the error of their ways.  It hasn't worked.  I've
pretended to be a faithful disciple, and I earned the right to be called
a priestess.   I'm one of the highest ranking officials in the cult,"
Laura said softly.
	She continued on.  "When I was younger, I was happy and free.  I had the
perfect life, the perfect family.  Then something happened to change all
of that.  I joined the cult soon after.  I wanted to make my pain turn
into a positive.  I wanted to turn the cult around.  I wanted to show
them that what they were doing was wrong, even if Rage had suffered.  I
had suffered, too, but I didn't want to destroy the world.	
	Jessie gasped as Laura's voice raised several octaves.  "Jessie, Laura
isn't my real name.  You probably don't even know who I am, but as soon
as I remove my veil, you must keep your lips sealed.  Do we have a deal?"
	Jessie could only nod.
	She slowly removed the hood of her black cloak.  Then she started to
unwind the layers of her veil.  Jessie gasped.  Her mind started to race,
not knowing which way to turn next.  The face was covered with scars and
disfigurement, but Jessie could still recognize it.
	Her mind shot to the past -

<<<<< "Come on, Jess!  Let's move!"
	"Wait a minute! I just want to see what's inside this thing - this crazy
book of his!  <GASP> Jonny?  This must be his wife and daughter!  That's
all that's in this book!  It's nothing - but a picture of his
family!">>>>>

	His family.  His family.
	Jessie felt her throat closing in on her.  She could hardly whisper her
name.



	" . . .Abby?!?!" 	




The end of part 7.

Comments are welcome!
Dana <><
Questgrl2@juno.com


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