Disclaimer: Characters are property of Hanna-Barbera and Ten Thirteen Productions.

Boy, am I glad people wanted to see more. This stuff is fun! Archive away.
 

THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST

Synopsis: Investigation into a murder brings mystery and some familiar faces.

"QUARTET", chapter 2

by Eric R. Umali

Rockport High School Rockport, Maine 9:04 PM

"I'm Agent Mulder, and this is Agent Scully. We're with the FBI."

The agents placed their ID's back in their pockets. "So explain to us what you know about this murder," said the woman.

"Could we do this somewhere else?" asked Jonny. "We're, uh, not really supposed to be here," he said, smirking.

Mulder returned the same slight smile. "Neither are we."

They walked to the teachers' lounge. Jessie and Jonny sat on one side of the table, Mulder and Scully on the other.

{The author feels it necessary to state at this point just how freakin' cool that just was to write! Ahem. Back to the action.}

"All right," said Mulder, placing a micro cassette recorder on the table, "for starters, who are you two?"

Jonny spoke first. "My name is Jonny Quest, and this is Jessie Bannon."

Scully nodded at them both. "Jessie. Jonny. Now, what is it you'd like to tell us?"

Jessie sat, mostly silent, while Jonny told the agents of their adventure in New Orleans, speaking only when Jonny got a little too colorful with his descriptions. Her first thoughts were, naturally of just how much trouble they were in right now. Caught sneaking out of the house, breaking into the school, armed no less, and now being questioned by federal agents! She watched the calm, efficient manner in which Agent Scully jotted down her notes, eyes never leaving them, and noted the directness of her speech. Very professional, she thought. She looked then at Agent Mulder.

Mulder fidgeted slightly as he, too, listened to Jonny, obviously making his own notes mentally. He was a very handsome man, she decided, and there was something about the way he had given that lopsided smirk before that was... Anyway, she definitely felt these two were going to listen to them.

"... and once Elise was dead, everything seemed just fine. That's it, though I bet you don't believe me, Agent Mulder."

"Oh, no, Jonny," he shook his head, "I _want_ to believe you." He turned to Jessie. "Is there anything Jonny might have missed, or not seen that you could tell us?"

Jessie began her own version of the events, and Jonny looked over the two agents carefully. Mulder was looking intently at Jessie as she spoke, and Scully looked at both the young people. Jonny could feel the nervous energy radiating from Mulder, and knew he was a man more suited for doing rather than discussing. But Jonny, and apparently, Mulder both knew the consequences of having little information.

Jonny had met many federal agents in his travels, but he couldn't remember any that looked like Agent Scully. She was quite attractive, and was obviously very intelligent and observant. Her few comments on the narratives were surprisingly so. Jonny trusted them both. Especially her. But, he thought, maybe he just had a thing for redheads.

"So as far as you know, this Elise died?"

"It certainly seemed to that way, yes."

Scully consulted her notebook. "It's certainly some story, kids." She caught both Jessie and Jonny bristle some at that last word. "Sorry," she said quickly. "Is there any forensic evidence of those bodies we can compare to this one?"

Jessie scratched her head. "I'm pretty sure we have some data on file back home."

"Can you take us to your compound?" Mulder clearly saw the apprehension in the young people's faces at the prospect of being brought home past midnight by a pair of FBI agents. So did Scully. They looked at each other and smiled knowingly. "Don't worry," she added, "we'll explain all this to your fathers."

Jessie and Jonny relaxed visibly. Then Jonny spoke up. "So what are two FBI agents doing investigating a murder way out here in Rockport, Maine?"

Scully let Mulder handle that one. "It's sort of our job to investigate the more... unusual crimes that happen in the U.S. Incidents of the paranormal or unexplained, that kind of thing." He was ready for the skeptical comments that regularly followed that type of statement. The two teenagers sat calmly.

"So," said Jessie, "in other words, you're assigned to the X-Files." She'd said it with a *so, the sky is blue* kind of tone.

Scully's eyes went wide. "How do you know about that?"

Jonny shrugged. "My dad's been consulted on a few of them."

Mulder sat back. "Quest... you're Dr. Benton Quest's son?"

"Uh-huh."

"I've read most of his publishings," said Scully, with great admiration.

Jessie smiled. "Quite an accomplishment. Dr. Quest writes like it was going out of style."

"You two ready to go?" asked Mulder, switching off his recorder and putting it away.

They nodded, and the four of them left the school. The agents followed Jonny and Jessie back to the compound. As they entered the main gate, Scully broke the silence with her usual question.

"So, do you believe them?"

"Absolutely. Dr. Quest's scientific papers don't detail the way he often comes across that exotic data. According to the files, he and his family have been involved in more unusual, paranormal and unexplained situations than we have."

"Quite an accomplishment."

**********

A figure watched the quartet drive away. It reached into the jacket pocket of an expensive suit and removed a tiny cellular phone. It spoke quickly and quietly, then hung up.

It let a cigarette fall to the floor, and stomped it out, as a small team of black-suited technicians entered the hallways. The figure stepped out the door.

TO BE CONTINUED.

As always, comments, questions, criticisms or any other "k" sound words you want to send are welcome. Disclaimer: Characters are property of Hanna-Barbera and Ten Thirteen Productions.