--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Scullyspice@juno.com
To: neptune_ks@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 14:13:25 -0600
Subject: Re: A New Life
Message-ID: <19990128.141403.-239295.0.Scullyspice@juno.com>

Category: A, ALT
Rating: PG-13, for violence and language
Disclaimer: All characters except Elena belong to HB. Please don't sue.
Summary: A tragic event changes Jessie's life with the Quests.

			A New Life
		         By: Sara Metz

			Chapter 1

	Jessie Velasquez threw her clothes across the room, scoring a perfect
three-pointer in her hamper. Moving around to different dig sites all her
life had made a neat freak. Her room was small, but perfectly neat. The
few decorations in her room consisted of various native artifacts. She
often wondered if she would be different if she had lived with her dad,
Race Bannon, instead. If only she had accepted her father's offer to come
live with him when he got his new job with Dr. Benton Quest.
	Jessie's mom, Estella Velasquez, had made her refuse his offer, claiming
she would be in too much danger. Instead Jessie traveled all over South
America on archeological digs. Why did she have to travel with her
perfectionistic mother instead of having a normal childhood?
	Jessie walked out of the small cabin she was using while she was at the
Xtuxpul dig site in Mexico. She carried a letter her father had sent her,
begging her repeatedly to come visit him for once. She was determined to
say yes, but she had to convince her mother first.
	"Mom, where are you? Jose, donde esta mi madre?" Jessie asked one of the
indigenous workers.
	"La senora esta en la plaza de las ruinas."
	"Gracias." Jessie literally flew over the rough ground up the hill to
the ruins. Entering the main plaza, Jessie saw a tall red headed woman
who could pass for her twin. "Mom, can I talk to you, please?" 
	Emerald eyes met each other, than glanced away as Estella wiped her
forehead with a bandanna. "Que pasa, Jessie?"
	"Dad sent me another letter asking me to come visit him in Palm Key. Can
I go this time? We've been at Xtuxpal two whole months, and I could
certainly use a break from the monotony. You know, sleep, dig, eat, dig,
sleep, dig, eat, dig."
	"Sweetie, I just don't know. You know the Rebeldos are getting very
unstable around here. What if they hijacked your bus? Or even your plane?
Madre de Dios!!" Estella's worry lines came out in full force.
	"Mom, I really don't think you need to worry about that. Will you at
least think about it? Please? With ice cream and sprinkles and carvings
on top?"
	"I'll at least do that. Speaking of carvings, can you translate that
glyph over there? I want to know if there are any special carvings we
should be aware of."
	"Sure, Mom." Jessie pulled on her kneepads and squinted at the rock
through the rays of the setting sun. Flicking on her handlight to clear
away the shadows, Jessie knelt and concentrated on translating the
ancient Mayan glyphs. She was so involved in her translating that it took
a high pitched whistle to break her concentration. Looking up, Jessie
realized it was now several hours past sunset.
	She wondered why no one had informed her that it was time to pack up for
the day, but figured her hidden location kept anyone from noticing her.
Hearing another high pitched whistle, Jessie saw a small projectile bury
itself into the wall above her. Sputtering in the fine silt that know
fell down upon her, she realized that there was definitely something
wrong with this picture. 
	Hearing shouts of "Rebeldos para siempre!!", Jessie knew that the rebels
her mother had worried about earlier had now attacked the camp. She
realized, with a sinking feeling in her heart, that some of the workers
had to be in on it. Jessie wondered how many of the men she had smiled or
waved at earlier that day knew that she would most likely be dead before
the next dawn.
	Worrying gets you no where, Jessie scolded herself mentally. What
defenses do I have? What weapons? Suddenly Jessie remembered the gun in
her cabin. Though strictly a last ditch measure, the Glock 9mm was loaded
and ready to go. Stretching her legs slightly, Jessie leaned through a
nearly invisible gap in the wall behind her and fell into a small canal.
	Looking around her warily, she was reassured to know no one had heard
her. Jessie remembered this canal, mentally reviewing the dig maps.
Covered in places, and virtually undetectable, the canal would lead her
to the stream that flowed just outside her cabin. Granted, getting into
her cabin would be the hard part, but that was a whole 'nother story.
Reaching around her, Jessie found a piece of hard rock which could serve
as her weapon until she retrieved her gun.
	As Jessie swam down the canal, the sounds of fighting reached her ears.
She refused to let it distract her from her goal. Soon she was alongside
her cabin. Her only obstacle was a pair of guards roaming around the
cabins. Using her champion softball skills, Jessie chucked the stone as
far as she could, grinning when she heard it go 'thunk' against a tree
trunk far away.
	The guards scurryed off to find the intruder, while Jessie scurryed into
her cabin. Grabbing the gun from it's position taped to the bottom of her
bed, Jessie checked the clip and took off the safety. Outside, the guards
had not returned, so she took her victories when she got them and hurryed
into the jungle.
	Suddenly a shrill scream rang out. Jessie would recognize that scream
anywhere. "MOM!!!!!" she shouted, neglecting any thought for safety or
concealment. She forced all her energy into running through the sharp
leaves and upward poking roots. Jessie suddenly realized where she was
headed. The playing field, where bloody battle had been fought in the
past, and from the view of the motley bands of Rebeldos and Policia,
would be again.
	Staring at the Rebeldos, Jessie noticed several of the workers she had
trusted with her life. Choking back tears of betrayal, Jessie stared at
the leader - and his hostage. Estella looked brave despite the gun
pointed at her head.
	"Ponen las armas en la tierra!!!" The policia shouted. The rebel leader
only laughed and cocked his gun.
	Somewhere, deep inside her subconsious, Jessie knew what was going to
happen. The gunshot echoed in her ears, though only she heard it. The
rest of the people on the field only heard her anguished screams.
			End Chapter One

Well? Comments, flames, bricks? Send them to Scullyspice@juno.com.
Spanish Glossary:
Donde esta mi madre? - Where's my mom?
La senora esta en la plaza de las ruinas. - The lady is in the plaza of
the ruins.
Gracias - Thank you
Que pasa? - What's up?
Madre de Dios! - Mother of God!
Rebeldos para siempre! - Rebeldos forever!
Ponen las armas en la tierra! - Put your weapons on the ground!