Disclaimer: JQ characters, etc. property of Hanna-Barbera, and X-Files characters are property of Ten Thirteen Productions. But _I_ was the one who thought of bringing them together.

Finally! Actual action! Archiving permission granted.
 

THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST

Synopsis: The action gets going, and intentions are revealed. As is another surprise...

"QUARTET", chapter 7

by Eric R. Umali

Quest Compound, 5:02 PM

The pounding was relentless, and it was accompanied by a bloodcurdling wail. Race and Benton were crouched near the front door, which was now braced by a heavy sofa. The two men worked frantically on a large hand crank located in a small recess in the floor. It rotated only grudgingly, but each turn brought the heavy metal security shutter for the front entrance closer to closing. Benton gave a silent thanks that the window shutters had shut before the mansion's backup generator had gone the way of the main.

Through the foot-wide gap remaining, they could see the heavy oak door beginning to buckle and split. Directly opposite the door, behind another piece of protective furniture, crouched Agent Scully, pistol trained on the door. Beside her, in a mirroring pose was Jessie, with her father's gun. Should the creature breach the defenses, they were ready. Lying near the younger woman was the antique spear.

Three inches left to close. The door splintered, and a small sliver of the night sky showed through. Scully fired as Race gave one last heave, closing the gap. Right on cue, Benton brought his foot down on the crank, jamming it into place.

Jessie brought her gun down, but did not relax her grip. "Do you think you got it?"

The pounding resumed, and the strain on the steel shutters could be heard immediately. "Guess not," answered Scully.

**********

Approaching Rockport, Maine 5:09 PM

Jonny was at the controls, and Agent Mulder was on the phone.

"...I understand, sir... no resources available? Sir, I think... sir? Sir?"

He was ready to toss the cell phone out of the helicopter. "It went dead."

"Something's jamming all communications in and around Rockport," said Jonny, who'd had the same luck with his comlink.

"I'm not sure it would've helped. Assistant Director Skinner probably wouldn't have lent me any support; especially if I told him they needed silver bullets."

"It's not just bullets..."

"I know, Jonny, I know."

"Sorry, I'm just-worried."

"So am I, Jonny. So am I."

Jonny pointed excitedly out the window. "There! The compound!" The lighthouse, on its outcropping of rock was finally visible. "The lighthouse is out. There's no power."

"Would the creature have done that?"

"I don't think so. This thing wasn't afraid of light. Taking out the power systems would leave the mansion mostly defenseless, though, but it would require some serious manpower to do."

"Someone wants that thing to get inside."

"Who? One of our enemies? The creature seemed pretty independent. Maybe one of them is just taking advantage of the attack."

"Maybe it's not one of your enemies. Maybe it's one of mine."

"Is that what your informant told you?"

"It's what was hinted at. I think someone wants this creature to get into an enclosed environment like your mansion."

"What for?"

"A seductive and irresistible form hiding a bloodthirsty, remorseless killer that leaves evidence no one can believe. What better assasin could there be?"

"So who is it? Mercenaries? Terrorists?"

Mulder was silent.

**********

The man with the cigarette, sitting in his comfortable sedan, was informed of the helicopter's approach at 5:03 PM. "That would be the intrepid Agent Mulder and the young Quest," he said, in a plain, but ominously whispering voice. "They'll be of little trouble."

He took a long drag, then turned to the black suited man outside the car. "Inform me when the creature has penetrated the mansion. We'll reactivate the power then. That should shut the trap nicely."

"What about the occupants, sir?"

"What occupants? The Quest family is out on one of its excursions right now. I do hope they come back safely."

The man in black nodded.

**********

5:12 PM

"It sounds like a helicopter," said Jessie, as she bent over a tangled mess of exposed circuitry, helping Benton try desperately to hotwire the security system into some sort of action.

"Whoever it is, it's gotta be help," remarked Race, pistol trained on the rapidly buckling shutter.

5:14 PM

The helicopter lighted on the small helipad near the main house. Mulder was on the tarmac before the wheels touched, and sprinted for the mansion. *This must be what it's like to be Dad,* mused Jonny, *putting everything in place while the reckless one goes charging off into the action.*

Quickly, he brought the helicopter down and shut its systems off. Before the blades stopped spinning, he was hot on Mulder's tail.

5:15 PM

The shutter gave. It exploded into the room, missing Race and Scully by inches. Their attention diverted, the creature flew into the room. They stood there, amazed.

It had grown some since New Orleans, Jessie noted, and it had dropped all pretence to humanity. It hovered a second, it's rubbery, membranous wings flapping slowly. The face was fixed in a gruesome expression of rage. Scully brought up her gun, but the creature dove for her, slamming into her. She slid across the floor, dazed.

The creature then turned to Jessie, who cast the spear at it. It flew with strength and speed, but was just off the mark. The creature twisted in the air, then dove now for her. It landed to her side, and despite her best efforts, scooped her up. Race launched himself at the thing.

One bat-like wing whipped out, catching him off balance, and he went sprawling. The creature sped out the door, carrying the frantically resisting Jessie. The light came on suddenly, and a new security shutter slammed closed. Race pounded on it, shouting for his daughter.

**********

The man in the sedan watched the creature fly through the door and escape the shutter on a color handheld monitor. He swore quietly. A younger technician trotted up to the car, carrying another monitor.

"Sir, I think you should see this."

"More good news?" he asked sarcastically.

"You be the judge, sir." He handed the cigarette-smoking man the monitor. It displayed a computer generated rough outline of the grounds, and several colorful thermal images. The tech began pointing things out. "Here is the target sir, and the Bannon girl, on the grounds. These are Mulder and the Quest boy. And here, in the mansion are Dr. Quest, Bannon, and Scully. That accounts for all known contacts."

"Then what is this last signature? The one on the roof?"

"Unknown, sir, but we're getting the same readings as the target."

The man's eyes widened. "Assessment?"

"We believe it is a second entitiy, sir. Possibly a mate."

"Excellent. How fortuitous."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Hmm... should I really have done that? Oh, well, it's done. I'm trying hard to keep this interesting. Long stories aren't as easy as I thought. Ah, I'm having fun, anyway.