Chapter Text
Jonny’s nerve endings were positively singing.
His heart was pounding, and it felt like someone had hooked him up to a battery — he could feel an electric prickling from the back of his neck all the way down to his fingertips.
The last few months, as he’d agonized over moving back to Maine and what it would mean for him, all he’d thought about were the apologies. Long talks with his dad that would leave him tearful and comatose in his bedroom. Facing Jessie. Probably a lot of groveling. Things he very much did not want to do.
But he’d forgotten about this kind of possibility. Benton Quest may have been getting older, but he was still healthy, sharp as a tack, and eternally curious. If there was something new to learn or monumental to discover, you could bet your ass a Quest-owned aircraft would be delivering Race and his father straight to the epicenter. Benton had needed Jonny’s help in the Ukranian woods a few months prior, and the buzz he’d scored off that trip had long-since fizzled out.
Besides, Nova Scotia was so close to home — full of the promise of breathtaking scenery and all the lobster he could eat — but he’d never actually made it there. He, Hadji, and Jessie had tried to visit back in the ‘90s, but had gotten sidetracked by—
Oh.
They’d gotten sidetracked alright. Sidetracked by a mysterious island inhabited by the ghosts of two angry lovers, hell-bent on revenge. That was the first time Jonny’s lips had found Jessie’s — when they were possessed by two dead people forgiving each other after a century of vengeful haunting.
Not exactly the beginning of a romantic comedy.
He couldn’t deny that it had changed the tone of their friendship from then on out. Before that trip, he’d always felt something there, hovering between them, but, come on, he was 14, and she was 15. Their fathers were busy adventurers who took them halfway across the world a few times a month — romance hadn’t been the highest thing on Jonny’s radar.
The next time he had kissed her, however, was a completely different story. The thought of it only managed to increase the voltage coursing through his body.
He wasn’t proud of it, but even Jessie’s scathing response on the loveseat had him hyped. It was the first time she’d shown him anything other than aloof tolerance in years.
That’s the wrong kind of thing to get excited about, Quest.
Jonny had been working on this — he took some slow, deep breaths in through his nose, releasing them quietly out of his mouth. He allowed himself a glance at Jessie; she was rubbing her temples, and her shoulders were sagging. He’d learned over the past few years to look around himself when he got this way. Nine times out of ten, he’d found that the things he got excited about were causing someone else a lot of stress.
After a few more breaths, his heart rate dropped a few beats per minute, and he was able to focus. His dad had been talking, and he’d clearly missed some of it — damnit.
“How long has she had possession of this property? Did she purchase it?” Hadji’s questions carved through the static in his head like an exacto knife, and Jonny tried to zero in, desperately hoping he wouldn’t have to ask Dr. Quest to repeat himself. Hadji had set his plate of food down and was leaning eagerly into the conversation. If his brother was this interested in something, he knew it was going to be good.
His dad sighed heavily. “She can’t purchase it — it’s a historical site that’s been kept in the original owner’s family for years. Angelica was able to secure the property for her research for a year, and that year is up at the end of the month. I suspect that’s why she’s asking for my help again — she’s getting desperate.”
Hadji’s coffee-colored eyes were sparkling with curiosity. Jonny’s chest tightened; he really had missed his brother, and he’d allowed so many excuses to come between them over the past three years. Sure, they checked in with each other every week on the phone, but he should have come home more, and for longer.
When Dr. Quest had adopted Hadji, Jonny had been 10 years old. He’d had no idea how much his life would change for the better, simply by having Hadji in it. He was calm, empathetic, and smart as hell, sure, but there was a mischievous streak in him, and damnit , they had fun together . They were inseparable until a few years ago, when Jonny set off abroad. Around the same time, Hadji had met Jenna — one of the most skilled scientists at Quest Labs — and set off on an adventure of his own.
Hadji took a thoughtful sip of lemonade. “What has changed your mind, Dr. Quest? I remember you being quite angry with her, the last time the two of you spoke.”
“I still disagree with her efforts, but I’ve become concerned, Hadji. It’s one thing to explore the paranormal — obviously I can’t take issue with that. But manipulating active spirits in order to fulfill personal wishes is a different topic entirely. It’s a disturbing ethical gray area on multiple levels, and it’s dangerous.”
Lawrence leaned over Benton to refill his glass. “And let me tell you, she did not sound good.”
“No,” Dr. Quest agreed. “She sounded ragged, tearful, and, quite frankly, slightly maniacal.”
Jessie gave her forehead one last squeeze and sat up straight, running her hands through her long, fiery hair. Jonny watched it settle on her shoulders and fall down her long, muscular back. He swallowed. It had probably grown out a foot in the last three years.
“I vaguely remember being too busy to pay much attention to this. Angelica Olssen, worked with some paranormal investigators on equipment modification, right?”
“That’s right, Jessie. She’s been obsessed with a fairly old haunting theory, banking on Einstein’s assertion that energy can never be fully destroyed. It’s a common attempt at explanation among mainstream ghost hunters, and I was surprised to see that she had taken such an acute interest in it.” Dr. Quest sat back on the plush sofa with a tired sigh. “Ever since her husband, Sam, died, she’s worked on nothing else. This is what makes me most uncomfortable.”
Realization dawned on Jonny. “Wait, Angie? Sam? Sam Olssen died?”
Benton’s eyes widened in surprise, then clouded over quickly. “He did. A lab accident. I’m so sorry, son, I thought I’d told you.”
“Damn.” Jonny leaned back again, put a hand on his chest to try to dull the new ache. “Damn, that’s a huge bummer.” Dr. Quest’s college roommate had been somewhat of a staple in Jonny’s life, bringing him and Hadji souvenirs from his travels whenever he stopped by the compound. He exhaled loudly, and added it to the list of things he’d missed while he was gone.
His dad continued to look more uncomfortable and tired, and, Jonny thought with a hint of distress, older. Exercise and a healthy diet can’t stop time.
“I’m confused, I suppose,” Benton added. “The last time I’d heard from Angelica, her work had stalled. She claimed she had managed to detect a new type of energy — she called the phenomenon ‘Elysium Waves’ — lurking beneath the electromagnetic field the paranormal investigators found with their usual gadgets. It was her goal to pull that energy through to our side.”
Unease creeped into Jonny’s stomach; he could sense where this was headed. “Wait, pull it through ? To our side?” He and his dad locked eyes. “She’s trying to bring Sam back.”
“Yes. And we all know how I feel about those kinds of efforts.”
Silence settled over the room. But only briefly. “Actually, my love, we don’t all know that.” Lawrence placed his hand gently over Dr. Quest’s, giving him a meaningful look before turning back to everyone. “Tina, Duke? This is probably confusing.” He stood up and started collecting empty plates from the coffee table. “There was a period of time when Benton was rather obsessed with using time travel in order to see his wife, Rachel, again. She passed away in the early ‘90s.”
A hot surge of emotion rushed through Jonny’s veins. He’d flown home sheepishly, full of embarrassment about his relationship — or lack thereof — with Lawrence, and had been fully prepared to approach him with humility and remorse. But he hadn’t planned on hearing his mother’s name fly so casually out of his stepfather’s mouth. He crossed his arms over his chest.
“That’s a pretty flippant way to put it, if you ask me.”
A new silence. The acid in his voice had jarred everyone, himself most of all. He immediately regretted it. His dad’s lips were pressed in a thin line. Jessie’s back had gone rigid, and when she turned to Jonny, the look in her eyes was pure fire. That was unexpected. He had also expected Lawrence to react differently; to either be offended or angry, but that wasn’t the case.
“Jonny.” Lawrence placed the used plates on a tray and stood up straight, meeting his stepson’s angry blue glare. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I forget that you’re not quite used to our dynamic here.”
Jonny flinched. Ouch.
“I’ll try to be mindful of that. This can’t be easy for you, moving back into your old home when so many other things have changed. But I think it’s important for you to understand that I’m someone who talks about things that are uncomfortable, so that they don’t continue to be so dramatically uncomfortable for the rest of our lives.” He finished loading the tray and picked it up. “Baggage only stays baggage if you don’t unpack it.”
Lawrence took the tray of dishes into the kitchen. The room stayed quiet until the sounds of plates clinking in the sink told them all that he wasn’t coming back into the den anytime soon. Jonny was pretty sure he heard Jessie mutter something about him being an “idiot,” but he was too embarrassed to engage her.
Hadji cleared his throat. “So, Ms. Olssen has requested your help? In what capacity does she think you can help her, and — a better question yet — in what capacity are you willing to assist?”
“She wants us to bring one of the portable Questworld systems to Port Morien, where she’s set up camp in this old mansion. She claims to be able to channel this new energy through a host and into the system where it can be better-analyzed. I’m willing to travel there, to ensure that she is safe, healthy, and not of danger to others, but I’m certainly not willing to give her access to Questworld.”
Duke lazily crossed his leg over his knee, absentmindedly twirling a lock of Tina’s hair in his fingers. “I’ve gotta say I’m with you there, Doc. Sounds like that’s just asking for trouble.”
“Indeed, Duke.”
The mention of his father’s virtual reality system was exciting enough to dilute Jonny’s shame to something a little closer to raw embarrassment. After all of this excessively real life, the thought of plugging his brain and body into Dr. Quest’s supercomputer sounded like the perfect vacation. The system had undergone mind-boggling upgrades since he, Jessie, and Hadji had run amok in it in the ‘90s, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on a headset. Before he ran away from the world, though, he had to talk to Jessie, and he was ready to get it over with, before he chickened out. He slapped his hands on his thighs.
“So, what’s our plan? Who all’s coming along for the ride?”
Hadji, visibly giddy, grinned and hopped to his feet. “ I most certainly am, my friend!” He crossed the room and swept Jonny up in his third bear hug of the day. “I realize I have said this many times today, but I am so pleased to have you home.”
Jonny laughed. What a rollercoaster. “Yeah, Hadj.” He hugged him back. “Yeah, me, too.” The two men turned to their father, who couldn’t help but beam at them, despite all the drama.
“That is entirely up to anyone here. While I must admit that the idea of having the team back together on an adventure is very appealing, we would do well to remember that it could be quite dangerous.” He shot a familiar look of warning at Jonny, who smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “I certainly wouldn’t want anyone to feel pressured.”
Everyone in the room did their best to not look at Jessie, who looked like she was ready to take a hundred-year nap. Luckily, Tina was there to cut the awkwardness short.
“You know I love you all very much, but there is absolutely no way I am going on this trip with you. I’m up for a fair amount of excitement, but I’ve got to draw the line at ghosts.” She dislodged Duke’s fingers from her hair and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sure you’ll manage without me.” She got up from the couch, smoothed down her green, knee-length skirt, and winked at him before heading into the kitchen to help Lawrence.
Duke stared after her open-mouthed; it might have been the first time Jonny had seen him truly rattled. His pilot turned back to the group.
“I — I mean, you brave, competent people all know how to pilot your own aircraft, right?” He fiddled with the sunglasses still hanging from his open collar. “You just keep me around so Jonny can nap on the ride home, anyway.”
Jonny shrugged. “What can I say? I need my beauty sleep.”
Duke opened his mouth for more banter, but was interrupted by a quiet throat clearing from the loveseat.
“Um, can I make a request?”
Everyone in the room turned to Jessie. She was still sitting, but she didn’t look angry or frustrated anymore — she looked nervous. Race leaned over and squeezed her shoulder.
“What’s up, Ponchita?”
She swallowed. “Can we take the Questor? Instead of the Dragonfly? It’s, ah, it’s been a few years since I’ve hurtled through the sky, trapped in a giant tuna can.” Jessie tried for a smile, but mostly looked nauseous. “Floating on top of the water in a giant Catamaran with multiple lifeboat options sounds a little more my style right now.”
Race’s eyes widened. “Jessie, I didn’t realize —”
“It’s fine, Dad. I really want to go. I just… can’t convince myself to get on a jet right now. Haven’t been able to for a while.” She met his eyes. “I know I should have said something a long time ago, but, shit. It’s embarrassing, you know? It was easier to say I was too — too busy.”
The quiet simmering of guilt in Jonny’s gut reached a full-on boil. How many times had he rolled his eyes at Jessie from thousands of miles away, scoffing at how she’d turned into some kind of corporate shell? A domestic cop-out?
Before his brain could catch up, the words were tumbling out of his mouth.
“Absolutely, Jess, that’s an awesome idea. For sure. ” He fumbled with the lemonade pitcher, trying to refill his glass before realizing it was empty. His mouth tasted like metal. “It’s been so long since I’ve been on the Questor, and I could definitely go for some choppy Atlantic waves — I’ve had my feet on solid, frozen ground for way too long.”
She sent him a look that could maybe have resembled gratitude. At the very least, it wasn’t a brain-melting glare, so he decided to call it a win.
Dr. Quest’s face broke into a grin. “I shouldn’t be so happy; I’ve been quietly worried about Angelica for a long time, and I miss my friend dearly, but this is something I wasn’t sure I’d see again. At least not while I’m… spry enough to tag along.”
Jonny Quest had a threshold, and he knew himself well enough to know that he needed a breather. “I’ve got to stop you right there, Dad. You’re going to live forever, end of discussion.” He reached both arms behind his back and clasped his hands in a big, much-needed stretch. “I’ve been sitting too long, talking about serious stuff, and I need to feel the wind in my face.” He risked reaching a hand out to Jessie, hoping she’d take it. “What do you say we dig around in the garage and dust off the hoverboards?”