From: scullyspice@juno.com Howdy from Texas! Well, I believe I said a few months ago that I was working on a project called Special Ops (short for Special Operatives). School kind of got in the way, but I finally finished the character files and the first part. So, I thought I'd send out the character files so that you can get to know the characters. One serious note: these characters are in no way A rip-off of anyone else's characters, i.e. Alexis's JQ 2000 or Kara's JQ World Explorers. 'Kay? Good. Glad that's all settled. Here goes... I-1 Confidential Files Quest Special Operatives Team For Your Eyes Only... File A-X54BJ Full Name: Jessica Anne Bannon Nicknames: Jess, Jessie, Age: 16 Birthday: June 12, 1982 Height: 5'6" Hair Color: Red Eye Color: Green Parents: Roger "Race" Bannon and Estella Velasquez (divorced) Father's Occupation: Operative, I-1 Operations (Inactive) Mother's Occupation: Professor of Archeology, University of Columbia Siblings: none Hometown: Rockport, Maine Current School Grade: 11th, Home-schooled Specialties: Computers, Travel, and Karate Hobbies: Reading, Travel E-mail: Ace@questworld.com File A-X54HA Full Name: Alexander David Harris Nicknames: Alex, Xander Age: 18 Birthday: January 12, 1981 Height: 5'10" Hair Color: Red Eye Color: Brown Parents: Peter and Moira Harris Father's Occupation: Nuclear Researcher Mother's Occupation: Nuclear Researcher Siblings: None Hometown: Los Alamos, New Mexico Current School Grade: 12th, Los Alamos High Specialties: Scientific Research, Nuclear research Hobbies: History, scientific experiments E-mail: AHarris@LosAlamos.gov File A-X54MD Full Name: Kaitlyn Felicity Montrose Nicknames: Kat, Kait Age: 17 Birthday: April 24, 1982 Height: 5'6" Hair Color: Blonde Eye Color: Green Parents: Albert and Dianna Montrose Father's Occupation: Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation Mother's Occupation: Foreign Correspondent, New York Times Siblings: none Hometown: Washington, D.C. Current School Grade: 11th, Washington International School Specialties: Hacking, Weapons Expert, Expert Linguist, Martial Arts Hobbies: Horseback Riding, Painting E-mail: Kat1@Alpine.com File A-X54PG Full Name: Gavin Patterson Nicknames: Gav, Rogue Age: 17 Birthday: August 31, 1981 Height: 5'11" Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Blue Parents: Greg and Alison Patterson Father's Occupation: CEO and Founder, PatCom Internet Mother's Occupation: Vice President, PatCom Internet Siblings: Marie and Christine Patterson (12, 8) Hometown: Silicon Valley, California Current School Grade: 12th, Sea Cove High School Specialties: Mechanical genius, the Internet Hobbies: Writing, Surfing, Star Wars E-mail: Rogue8@surfer.com File A-X54QJ Full Name: Jonathan Benton Quest Nicknames: Jonny, Jon Age: 16 Birthday: April 20, 1983 Height: 6'0" Hair Color: Blond Eye Color: Blue Parents: Benton Quest and Rachel Wildey-Quest (deceased) Father's Occupation: CEO of Quest Enterprises Mother's Occupation: N/A Siblings: none Hometown: Rockport, Maine Current Grade Level: 11th, Home-schooled Specialties: Computers, Questworld, and Action Hobbies: Computer games, hover boarding, travel E-mail: Jonny@Questworld.com File A-X54RJ Full Name: Josefina Marma Ruiz Nicknames: Jo, Josefinita to her parents Age: 16 Birthday: June 1, 1982 Height: 5'4" Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Brown Parents: Josi and Elena Ruiz Father's Occupation: Ambassador, Mexican Embassy Mother's Occupation: none Siblings: Frederico Ruiz (9) Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico Currently living in Washington, D.C. Current Grade Level: 11th, Washington International School Specialties: Linguist, Diplomatic Niceties Hobbies: Writing poetry, singing E-mail: Jruiz@Membassy.gov File A-X54SH Full Name: Hadji Singh Nickname: Hadj Age: 18 Birthday: October 5, 1981 Height: 6'1" Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Hazel Parents: Sultan of Bangalore (deceased), and Neela, current Sultaness Father's Occupation: N/A Mother's Occupation: Sultaness Siblings: none Hometown: Rockport Maine or Bangalore, India Current Grade Level: 12th, Home-schooled Specialties: Computers, Diplomatic Situations, Metaphysical Research Hobbies: meditation, Confucian and Buddhist studies E-mail: HSingh@questworld.com File A-X54WJ Full Name: Julie Jing-Mai Wong Nicknames: Jules, Mei-mei Age: 16 Birthday: October 13, 1982 Height: 5'3" Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Black Parents: Tyan-yu (Tim) and An-mei Wong Father's Occupation: City Councilman, San Francisco Mother's Occupation: Owner, Wong's Grocery Emporium Siblings: Luke and Mark Wong (21, 19) Hometown: San Francisco, California Current Grade: 11th, San Francisco High Specialties: Circuitry, Surveillance Hobbies: Publishing independent comic books. Drawing E-mail: J-Girl@gurlsrulz.com From: scullyspice@juno.com Special Operatives Category: H, Alt, F, Archivers: Suze's, otherwise please tell me where you put it Disclaimer: JQ and crew is owned by HB, but the Special Ops team belongs to me!!! =) Special Ops: Case #1 "Operation Coral Snake" Part 1: Meetings and Greetings I-1 Command Center Underneath Rural Virginia Conference Room 4 April 27, 1999 1230 Local Time "Dr. Quest, Agent Bannon, it's very nice to have you here today." Commander Bennent said, inclining his head. "I trust we all understand why we are here today?" Dr. Benton Quest sat up straighter. "I'm afraid not, Commander. Perhaps you could explain your objectives to me? The file you sent wasn't exactly clear." Bennent stiffened slightly, then relaxed. "To explain it in the most simple terms, Doctor, we here at I-1 have been monitoring your sons, and Mr. Bannon's daughter, since the day we opened Case 0-37. All this was in hope that we could someday utilize their special talents to help us here at I-1." " 'Utilize'?" Race said angrily. "I didn't raise my daughter to be a government flunky!" His face turned slightly red as he realized what he had just said. "Well, I still don't like it." "I understand that, Bannon. But I-1 desperately needs a group of younger people to help us. They can get into places where older agents can't." "It sounds like a pitch for a remake of 'The Mod Squad', Commander Bennent." An attractive brunette replied, walking through the door. "And seeing how poorly that movie did, I'd like a better explanation." "Dr. Quest, Mr. Bannon, this is Dr. Kristin Gallup. She's our team psychologist." "Pleased to meet the both of you." Kristin said, slipping into her seat. "I apologize for being late. I was waiting for a fax." "Of course. Did you bring the files?" Bennent asked. "Yes." She replied, placing a large stack of file folders on the table. "I have here 5 different candidates, out of 500 applicants, for five positions, assuming you allow your three to join. I've psycho-analyzed all of them, removing those who have demonstrable social disorders and problems with group activities, as it were." "So, Dr. Quest, will you allow your team to join?" "I suppose so." "Good." Kristin said. "I'd like you to look through these files tonight for me. For a balanced team, we've chosen three more girls and two more boys. All their basic specialties, hobbies, physical information and psychological information are in there. My picks are highlighted in green. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll be glad to review them for you." Commander Bennent stood. "I would like an answer from you by Friday, if possible. Thank you for coming today, gentlemen. Dr. Gallup, if I could speak to you afterwards?" "Of course, Commander. Gentlemen." She replied. "We'll be leaving now, I suppose. Commander, Doctor." Dr. Quest and Race left. Commander Bennent turned to Kristin. "I believe that the Quest Team will accept our offer. At least the younger set." "I suppose." Kristin replied. "I've taken the liberty of selecting the other five members." Bennent frowned slightly. "Who did you pick?" "Uh just a second. Here we are. Kaitlyn Montrose, Josefina Ruiz, and Julie Wong for the girls. And Gavin Patterson and Alexander Harris for the boys." "Good choice. I think that that should be a good group. Send out the messages as soon as you receive confirmation from Dr. Quest." "Can do." Kristin threw a mock salute, and left. Bennent sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He then picked up the phone and called his superiors. "Sir? We are go for Operation Coral Snake." He listened to the murmuring over the phone. "Yes. The team should be assembled by next Monday. Bright and early. Of course, sir. I'll call later." Bennent replaced the receiver. Sighing, he quietly pondered what he had just done. The Willard Intercontinental Washington, D.C. May 3, 1999 0700 local time "Jonny! Wake up!" Jessie Bannon smacked her blond friend on the shoulder. "Hadj, has he always been such a heavy sleeper?" "In all the years I have known him, my friend," Hadji Singh winced. "Yes." Jonny finally stirred. "Wazzup? I was sleeping!!" Jonny whined. Now it was Jessie's turn to wince. "And did he-" Jessie was cut off by Hadji. "Yes." "Figures. Well, Jonny, I do have to say you are the only person I have ever met who has been able to both get dressed and eat breakfast while still technically asleep." "I wasn't asleep. I was justresting my eyes." "My friend, I believe that -" "No proverbs, please, Hadj." "All right my friends. I believe it is time to go." "Do you have directions?" "Yes. We really should go get a cab." Hadji replied to Jessie's question. "I'm not ready yet!" Jonny whined yet again. "Is he always like this in the morning!" Jessie asked "You've lived with us for six years!" "Now you know why I don't get up until ten!" Kat Montrose's House Washington, D.C. 0710 Local Time Kaitlyn Montrose attempted to juggle her laptop, purse and coffee mug while opening the door to her HumVee. "OWWWWW!" Kat yelled as she spilled her frappucino. "Stupid Starbucks lids!" She stuck the cup into her cupholder, and threw her bag in the passenger seat. The laptop was placed in a special tray and jacked into the car. Kat had just backed out of her driveway when her cell phone rang. "Car? Drive to the address in the computer address book." A beep answered her as she grabbed her cell phone out of her bag. "Kat." "Sweetie?" "Hi, Mom. Where are you?" Kat said, taking both hands from the wheel so that she could sip her coffee. The car kept driving straight. "I'm in Azerbijan, but I should be in Vienna by the end of the week. The Times is keeping me busy as heck this month. Are you going to be okay?" Kat grinned. "I'll be just fine, Mom." "Oh, by the way, why aren't you in school?" "School related activity. I have a meeting to be at 8, and I don't know how long I'm going to be, though." Kat turned the car onto the freeway. "Well, got to go, Sweets." "Love you too. Bye." Kat hung up the phone. "Kat, would you like me to keep driving?" "No, that's all right, Car. I can handle it from here on out." Kat grinned to herself as she slid her Garbage CD into the CD player. Her father was an Assistant Director of the FBI, which was how he got her this car. What he didn't know was that somehow the car had been modified so that it could drive itself. Not that she was going to tell anyone. Once out of the city, Kat turned onto a dirt road and headed to the address written on her note. Baltimore/Washington International Airport 0720 Local Time Gavin Patterson looked again at the card he had received in the mail a week before, along with a plane ticket from Seattle. After a three hour flight, he was more than ready to learn what this was all about. "Mr. Patterson?" A petite Asian girl walked over to Gavin. "Yes? That's me." "Good. I'm Julie Wong. I received a letter telling me to meet you here." They shook hands. Julie adjusted the straps of her backpack. "My letter just said to stay here and wait for a car." "Interesting. So do you have any idea why we're being sent out here?" "Nope." A red-headed boy came over to them. "Mr. Patterson and Ms. Wong?" "Yes?" They said in unison. "Let me guess." Gavin said. "You got a letter saying to meet here with two people." "Exactly right. But now what do we do?" "Gentlemen, Ms. Wong. If you would care to step this way, I can take you to a location where this can all be explained." A young man in a military uniform stood alongside a black limo. "Well, we'd be riding in style. Shall we?" Julie asked. The trio entered the limo and was whisked away. Outside I-1 Command Center 0750 Local Time Commander Bennent watched from a window as the members of the Special Ops Team arrived. First was Kaitlyn Montrose, driving a camouflage HumVee and blasting techno-rock out of the windows. She was closely followed by a limo with Mexican flags bearing Josefina Ruiz, the Mexican Ambassador's daughter. The minivan bearing the Quest Team arrived next. The trio hopped out and started joking around, apparently about Jonny's driving skills - or lack there of. Finally, the military limo came to a smooth stop in front of the building. The three other members stepped out, carrying their various pieces of luggage. Inside, the teens were escorted to a conference room inside of the building. Once he assumed that they had had enough time to get there, he moved into the room. "Good morning." The teens stopped talking and moved towards the chairs. "I am Commander Bennent, and I am your government liaison. You have all been brought here for a special purpose, and because of that, I feel I must apologize for the amount of secrecy involved. First, I want us to go around the table and introduce ourselves." Jonny was first, wearing his trademark black T-shirt and blue jeans. "I'm Jonny Quest." "Jessie Bannon." Said the red-head wearing a green tank top and blue jeans. Hadji was wearing black jeans, a purple shirt and a turban. "I am Hadji Singh." A petite Mexican girl wearing a nicely tailored red dress gave her name as "Josefina Ruiz." "Kaitlyn 'Kat' Montrose." The blond was wearing camo green board shorts and a cutoff camo shirt reading, 'I can fly an F-15; Can you?' "Gavin Patterson, most recently of Silicon Valley." The brown headed boy grinned, smoothing down his surfing tee-shirt. Xander replied next, his sloppy chinos and polo shirt revealing a nature not unlike his TV namesake. "Xander Harris. And no, I wasn't named for Xander off 'Buffy', it was all an odd coincidence." Finally, the petite Chinese girl spoke up, her black pants and matching striped sweater shoring a natural neatness. "Julie Wong." Bennent smiled. "Thank you. Now, I would like to talk about living and travel while you are working on this project." Kat raised her hand. Without waiting on approval, she began talking. "So what is this secret project? And why should we care? Don't you hire grown-ups to do this?" "As much as I would like to tell you about this project, I can't at the moment. The head honchos want me to get you all settled in before we send you off into the wild blue yonder." "Get settled in?" Julie asked politely. "Yes. For the time being, we have arranged living quarters for you, along with transportation. Ms. Montrose, Mr. Quest, I assume you would like to keep your vehicles with you?" Both teens nodded. "Well then, I'll hand out room assignments and personal laptops- Yes, Ms. Montrose?" "I already have a laptop. Do I need another?" "Yes, though you may still use your own. These laptops are specially designed to network together using brand-new technology. They will be used for communication on missions, sending in secured reports, etc. Now onto the room assignments. "First, for the ladies. You will be sharing a two bedroom, two bathroom suite. Ms. Montrose will be rooming with Ms. Bannon, which leaves Ms. Ruiz with Ms. Wong. For the gentlemen, same exact set-up, Mr. Quest with Mr. Singh, leaving Mr. Patterson and Mr. Harris together. If there are no further questions, we can take you to your rooms immediately." There were no questions, and the teens quickly picked up their various bags. They followed Bennent down some stairs and outside, where two limos were waiting to pick them up. "What about my car?" Kat asked. "We can have it moved over to your building, if you wish." "That'll have to do, I suppose." She replied, climbing into the limo with the other girls. Once inside, the girls began to talk, trying to get aquatinted, and in some cases re-aquatinted. "So you and Josefina know each other?" Jessie asked Kat. "Sure do. We go to the same school, and are in a couple of the same classes. Including English with Mrs. Huth." Both girls made simultaneous gagging sounds. Josefina then spoke up. "Please call me Jo. I'm proud of my Mexican heritage, but Josefina always makes me think of confessions at my church." Julie laughed. "Sure, as long as you promise not to call me Mei-mei." "That's Chinese for 'little sister', right?" Kat asked "Correct. Do you know Chinese?" "A little. My mother is a foreign correspondent for the New York Times, so I've been a lot of places." "Cool." The girls chatted until they reached their destination - The Willard Intercontinental Hotel, the ritziest hotel in Washington, D.C. The Willard Intercontinental Hotel Washington, D.C. 0900 Local Time The teens were escorted into the sumptuous lobby, and into the elevator. They exited on the Concierge level, where the suites were located. The girls were led to one door, the guys to another. The girls opened the door into a large living room, replete with baby grand piano, overflowing flower vases and a luscious fruit basket. "Well, chicas, we have certainly hit the big time!" Kat said. End Part One