FOR LOVE ALONE Part 43 Of GODZILLA AND QUEST NOTE: I screwed up and left HTML on when I wrote this. My computer is set up to transmit in plain text, but still=97 if this comes to you encoded, excuse me. U.S.A.F. Chief of Staff General Michael Ryan plays himself. Christ Hospital Cincinnati, Ohio 21 April, 1998 0700 Local Time Estella was a bit surprised by who appeared for breakfast that morning in the hospital cafeteria. She had not expected to see Race, Benton and the others so soon. "My, that was quick." "You'd better believe it," Race replied. "We might be away longer next time though. It depends on how the new weapons work out. ...How's Jessie?" Estella sighed. "There has been no change. Coincidentally, her psychologist will be here at 7:30 this morning. We met yesterday, as well." Race checked his watch. "Okay," he looked up and said. "How's big Mike?" "He is doing much better." "And his parents?" "Friday at 11:00 a.m." Estella was referring to the funeral. "Damn," Race softly replied. He was all but guaranteed to miss it. He then turned to Amy. "Are we still missing Anaya?" "Not at all. Forensics confirms that she was killed when the VTOL was destroyed." The kids were also at breakfast, but only Hadji showed any outwards reaction at the news of Anaya's demise. "Is that sorrow?" Amy asked him. "Yes. Dr. Zin and his daughters should have been a benefit to science." "Truly," Benton replied. "Amy, now that we're back, I'm going to have Rob fly home in the Learjet and return with Dragonfly. You may need the legs. Jeremy and Paul will rotate the watch at CVG." "That leaves only Mrs. Evans, Joe and Kelly on the Key, Benton," Race protested. "You, yourself, evacuated it just last month. KENNEDY and WASHINGTON are still heading north." "You sound like you've had an update." "I have. Pelkoffer's group should be breaking for breakfast underneath the Dawn Patrol. They're pushing their targets up into the Gulf of Panama, and they estimate that they'll be engaged by 2:00 p.m. our time. NIMITZ and VINSON report that their targets past up Christmas Ridge towards Johnston Island, but that they turned northwards. That's alarming Hawaii, and they're in fact the U.S. top priority. After that comes India." "Unless the new weapons don't work," Race added. "That's correct. The armed forces will be putting the pince on the northbound Southern Cells by conventional means in that event. "INDEPENDENCE is still on station in the Persian Gulf, and EISENHOWER and KITTY HAWK are still engaged with the East African Cell. The good news is that the navy has put together enough airplanes for ENTERPRISE to take to sea, and it will relieve ROOSEVELT so that it can head for East Africa. EISENHOWER will wait another two days, then break for the Indian Ocean. The air force is also going to operate B-52s out of Diego Garcia. Again, only if the new weapons work." "How bad is it in India?" Race again asked. "Worse than Sao Paulo by about twice. They are reporting a presence of at least twelve major creatures. As for the imps, they can't even begin to guess." "Who's with them on that?" "Dr. Nico Tutopolus." "Isn't he the one from New York, Dad?" "The same. ...Race, he's asking for everything we can spare. He's the sole scientist who has seen the breeding den of one of these creatures." "You figure the Indian Cell has had long enough to lay eggs?" "It's all but certain that they have." "And just one major animal can produce over three hundred offspring in one sitting?" "According to Nico, yes." "We'd better get with the army... see what can be done to load Dugway's venom in smaller shells." Benton sat back and sighed. "It doesn't want to become easier for us, does it?" "Amy?" Race asked. "The Doc and I will tend to it. You and Estella are about to run late at seeing Professor Goyle." "Yeah. ...Shall we go?" "I think we had better," Estella replied. They then left. "Well, I suppose I had better call the President. He'll need to have the Secretary of State start working with India on the placement of our tactical aircraft." "Yes, sir. And I'll see that General Ryan is alerted to the matter," Amy replied. "Before you go, I want answers to a couple of Questions." "Yes, sir?" "First things first: Have you seen Captain Altier?" Amy's iron resolve softened a bit. "I have. She's expected to make a full physical recovery." Dr. Quest read his backup pilot's face. "What is it?" he finally asked. "Doc, this is gonna hurt: It turns out that she and Booms were man and wife." Benton sat bolt upright. "My God!" he quietly exclaimed. "Did their commander at Hurlburt Field not know?" "He knew." The Doctor sat back in his seat and covered his face with his hand. Amy let him sit with it. What was she going to say to a man like Benton Quest? "I'll have to see her as soon as possible," he finally said. "Why don't you wait until after the weapons trials? That way maybe you have some good news to take to her." Benton thought about it. She was right, he concluded. "Everything positive for her, Amy." "Yes, sir." "All right. Am I to understand that you used the pulse generators on the VTOL?" "That's correct. We were flying in full stealth configuration, about two miles behind. We waited until she lit off her high band radar jammers, then we gave her a full single emitter shot. I expect it smelled just like hell to her before the AMRAAMS brought her down. ...Sorry, kids," Amy added. "It was pain that she earned, Amy." All eyes turned in shock, because it was Dani who said it. "I think we'd better hear why you think that way, Princess," Trace said. "She enjoyed watching the birthing of the werewolves. And she said that she would laugh while she watched it happen to Jessie." "You=97 Dani, do you understand what you're saying?" Benton asked. "Yes, Dr. Quest. Anaya may have only been trying to frighten me." "Nevertheless, you would wish such pain on her?" "No. God forgive me, I do not." "Good. The damage is not too severe, then. Tell me: How did you manage to displace your hair band?" "I was working near the lady and the little girl. They were watching the weather on television, hoping that it wouldn't be too severe as to keep them from driving to Louisville the next morning. It was not, though it did rain somewhat heavily. I hid your device in the little girl's umbrella. I believe it was what you might say 'a reach.'" "It was. It was also the correct thing to do. Jessie is the proof of it." Dani simply nodded in gratitude for his understanding. "Tell me about the knife." "I've been trying to get her to explain that, myself," Cameron grinned. "I want to know, too," Jonny added with a grin of his own. Dani stammered. "I don't know about that!" But Benton knew her best. "You used slight of hand, didn't you?" he smiled. "Doctor, please." "Ah, modesty. You may go ahead and tell us, Dani." "Anaya sent for me to come and take lunch to Jonny and the others. I arrived at the kitchen somewhat later than she wished, so she threw me into a table on which were several utensils. The knife ended up almost halfway up my sleeve, and well=97" "Oh, I see. She made you angry enough to take what you believe was another risk." "Yes, Dr. Quest." "Dani, what is it? Are you alarmed to discover that you have a temper?" "Yes, Doctor." "Well, we'll have to talk about that. Temper can lead to undesirable results if it isn't kept under control. But I believe that you handled yourself well." "Why am I not enjoying your understanding?" "It's because you are 'tempered' by good conscience, dear." That lit the room up in laughter. "It still doesn't explain how good she is with her hands, Dad," Jonny said. Dani just sat quietly and wouldn't say. Benton, however, did. "She practices various arts which help her maintain the dexterity of her hands. Doesn't she always beat you at cards?" "Imp!" Jonny laughed. Dani just went red to the tops of her ears. Benton had to add to it. "Jessie said something about all this on our way to Seattle." "Tell us, Dad." "She said that if it ever became necessary, Dani could make Mata Hari look like an overt amateur." "She said WHAT?" "Don't worry. I'm sure she wasn't referring to THAT side of Mata Hari," Benton smiled. "Oh, wonderful!" Amy actually had tears in her eyes. It was all much too rich not to enjoy to the fullest. "Well, we'll go over it all soon," Benton concluded. "You don't appear to me to be too damaged by your ordeal." "I hope not," Dani somberly replied. Being compared to Mata Hari after discovering one had a bad temper seemed a bit much in the way of one day's self realization. "Dr. Quest returned to his questioning of Amy. "One last thing: your fuel situation that night." "The VTOL was fast. We had to run too long in thrust augmentation." "The fuel controls shut down properly?" "Right before they lost their prime, yes sir." "Very good!" "Watts is one tough airplane, Doc." "It will need to be. It's next destination is the other side of the Earth, AND I'm in a hurry!" "Let's make our calls, okay?" "Yes. We've a lot to do." And with that, they began to tend to it. Race and Estella met privately with Professor Goyle, who referenced Estella's write-up on Jessie. "Your daughter has been through a lot in her life, Commander. The cumulative effect may hinder her recovery." "What leads you to expect that?" "Estella wrote that Jessie was noticeably changed by her ordeal in Iraq." "Possibly. She was more daring before that happened." "I see. ...I will need your interpretation of her life. I understand that you are needed in the field in the matter of=97 well, the continuation of what happened to Jessie. Will you be able to send me what you write?" "It'll be no problem at all. I just wish that I could stay." "But go you must?" "She'd expect me to carry on, yes." "Then that is what you must do. Before you both go, I must remind you that we are working against two strong negative factors: Jessie's self pride and the cumulative effect of her past. But I have seen worse than what she has been through in many abused children. That she is deeply loved by you both is a strong counter to what she otherwise feels." "I don't understand," Race admitted. "Pain, Commander. She feels defeated, make no mistake about that. She fought the things which dishonored her, and she lost... possibly for the first time in her life. In turn, she has lost her self respect. That can lead all the way up to suicide, and there is only one weapon that will save her: she needs to be valued by others, since at this time she may not value herself." "I think I see what you mean. Are you sure I should leave her right now?" "Yes. You must do what you know she expects." "Does she really hear the voices around her?" "She does, and she needs to hear what she expects. If that's that her father is away working against the sort of power that she knows all too well, then it must be the way of it. If you stay, she might feel that you doubt her. That in turn will depress her and further impede her recovery." "Damn." Race quietly swore. "Commander, go to her. Tell her how much you love her, and why, and that you have to leave her for a little while, and why. I understand that she was looking forward to her flight tests." "That's correct." "Remind her that she will ace them." Race threw his head back and laughed. "That's my girl, all right!" "You see: It works on you, and it will work on her. Speak only of positive things in her presence." "Thanks, Professor!" Race grinned, reaching for the door. "And Commander..." "Yeah?" "Stay alive. I'm sure that she expects that." "Professor, we're gonna save the day." "And the sooner, the better. Off with you, now." Estella left Jessie's room a bit later, and Race gently excused Dani. He thus had his daughter all to himself. "Hey, kiddo. I have to let you know that the Doc and I are most likely gonna have to go to Calcutta. Zin's creatures are out of control in India, and they need all the help they can get. We've got a great new weapon that we think will stop the monsters, and Jordi's with the LINCOLN/CONSTELLATION battle group off of Panama. They are gonna test the new weapon on eleven major targets that have been moving north along the west side of South America. It should happen in just a few hours. I have that much time to spend with you before I have to go. "Your mom and I=97 Well, we're actually looking through the same set of eyes again. I don't know if that means we'll get together again, but there's more hope for it than there has been in years. Hear me on this, now: Jonny is full grown, and we just put Zin behind bars. That does away with the Doc's last major enemy. We also found Jonny's mom, and she's alive, Jessie! Rachel Quest is alive and riding horses like a queen! She doesn't remember very much about herself, but there's so much about her that's unmistakable. She remembered why she has a son, which is something that the Doc told next to no one. I put all this together, and I'm thinking maybe I'll have lots of free time again soon. I believe I'd like to spend it getting to know your mom again. "Oh, yeah. We sprung Cameron on Dani, and vice versa. You ought to see those two together. They look like a little lord and lady. I wish that she could sing for you, but her voice is still really gargly. Zin had his guards drown her in the caves. Dani was actually dead. Jonny pulled her out of the water and revived her, but she got a lung infection. Her chest and throat are still full of yuk. "The Doc just ordered Paul to come up and support Jeremy with Dragonfly here at Cincinnati. That means that only Joe and Kelly are left back at home. Paul was leading the overhaul on the Skyhawk, and I expect that Joe will take over for him. You know he's gonna give you a good airplane for your qualification flights. That's what... two months away? We are gonna get you on your feet, and you are gonna become a real pilot. You're gonna fly yourself and Dani to Miami for movies and all. How about that? "Your instructor pilot has twins. I was thinkin' I might have to fly with you up until your tests, but I told her that, and she gave me a look like I must be joking. I get the feeling that she'd fly with you all the way to her labor day if that's what it takes to get you licensed. She's such a piece of work! She flew down to Colombia to pick up your mom the day that we came for you in Zin's caves. It was a real long day for her, but you know what? She brought your mom here to the hospital, and then she flew again! She helped stop Anaya, and then she ran Watts out of gas not ten feet from the tanker's refueling boom! She actually plugged and tanked with a dead stick, and she was nearly dead tired to boot! "Rob got shot down in Colombia. He was meeting your mom, and on the way to the car someone tried to kill her. Rob saw the mark appear on her head, and he drove his weight through her. Hadji then showed up in a second car, and we think Rob got hit by the second shot when it came through the back window. He's okay, though. He just got clipped pretty good. "Then there's Jonny. The last couple of months have been pretty hard on him, but he was just champion down in Zin's caves. He managed to break free of the guards and lead Cam, Cath and Cindy almost all the way outside before the tunnel floors gave out underneath him. He fell and fell, and finally he was captured and returned to Zin. The old man had him thrown into the pit with you, and the both of you nearly fed to his werewolves, except=97 Well, the werewolves turned out to be me. Zin then blew up all of the exits, but Jordi came along with an army squad and captured both Melana and her dad. We couldn't get out after that, and we were trapped in the caves with about a hundred mandrakes and fifty werewolves. We found a defensible position, and dug in to hold it. We later found a sink hole that seemed to lead straight down to a subterranean lake. We lowered Jonny down on a rope so that he could check and see if it was an escape route, but that was when the guards attacked. Gallagher and I, we were dead because we were holding Jonny. He knew it, and so of all things brave, he cut the rope! He fell into the lake and was swept away by a current. He almost went over a waterfall, but he managed to somehow find dry ground. He then free climbed down the wall beside the fall, and eventually escaped through a watercourse. I heard that it shocked the Doc to no end when Jonny showed up ringing wet and full of news about the rest of us. "I could go on all day. I think you'd better get some rest, though. Just remember I love you, okay? Every time I sit and watch you, I see the sole evidence that I've really been a good man. All the medals and meetings with presidents, all the men who's lives I've saved, count 'em. They still don't add up to seeing my little girl sound off loud and clear that, yes, "That's MY dad!" "I might not deserve that devotion. But I'm gonna try to." Race then leaned forward and kissed Jessie on the forehead. He was just leaning back when she squeezed his hand. "Jessie? Honey, can you hear me? Jessie, squeeze my hand if you can hear me!" She squeezed his hand! "Ponchita! Jessie, that's my champion!" Just then, Dani came in. "What's happened?" "She's responding! Get the doctor, then call her mom!" Dani bolted, and Jessie's doctor soon arrived. "She's reactive?" But he could see that she was. He then had a nurse call up Professor Goyle, who arrived almost right after Estella and Amy, who arrived after Trace, who arrived after Cheryl, Catherine, Cindy and Cameron, who arrived after Jonny and Hadji, who arrived after Danielle. The rest of the morning was spent sharing tears, as Jessie came far enough out from the dark to speak and say that she loved her dad. End Part 43 Jagle ******************************************************************** * The Jonny Quest mailinglist jq@edc.ml.org * ******************************************************************** * To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to: majordomo@edc.ml.org * * with the message: unsubscribe jq subject is ignored * ********************************************************************