Jessie proceeded to lock and protect the lighthouse. They had found out soon enough that Hadji was not at the lighthouse and she didn't even want to think about what happened to him. She had placed Jonny inside a hollow panel that Dr. Quest had installed after the umpteenth time that outsiders attacked the Compound. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she typed in the commands.

"Questworld lockdown procedure," she said.

Lockdown affirmative, IRIS responded. Password protect.

"Password: Jessica Bannon-alpha-one-three-five-nine-rosy-seven."

Lockdown complete.

They could hear the blastproof doors coming down outside them. Jessie crawled into the panel with Jonny with the phone in her hands. She dialed her father's cell phone number.

"Bannon."

"It's Jessie, Dad."

"Ponchita! Don't let Jonny take any more morphine or anything from Eiko. It's what's killing him."

Next to her, Jonny sighed. His face contorted as he felt a pain in his leg, as if it was being torn off. He grunted and gritted his teeth against the agony. Jessie wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her until his head was on her shoulder.

"I got it, Dad. I think she got to Hadji."

Race rubbed his eyes. "Sit tight, Jess. We're coming. Just be careful."

"We will. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too. Tell Jonny I'm rootin' for him."

"I will."

"Hang on. Dr. Quest want to talk to Jonny."

She handed the phone to Jonny and he took it with weak fingers. He smiled as he heard his father's voice. They talked for a few more minutes before Race signaled for the doctor to hang up.

"I love you, too, Dad," he said before hanging up. He coughed. "If I didn't get away from anything I have gotten away from, I'm pretty sure this is how I would be feeling."

Jessie played with a button on his pajamas. "I can only imagine, Jonny."

He turned his head so he could look at her.

"You promise you'll name your first son after me?"

She smiled down at him.

"You can name him yourself."

"One cannot talk when one is dead."

"Don't say that. You'll be fine," Jessie said, her voice shaking.

He shook his head. "Pop isn't here yet, and with the way I'm feeling I doubt it'll be for much longer."

"No," she argued. "You'll be fine. You're going to get married and have little Jonny Quests driving you crazy."

"Will they have red-hair?" he asked, starting to fade away.

Jessie's heart skipped a beat. "If your wife is a red-head, maybe."

He looked at her again. "How about granting a dying man one last wish?"

"Jonny, I…"

Suddenly, the panel covering was thrown off and they were face to face with the barrel of a rifle. Jessie crawled out, but Jonny remained. She blocked him with her body. She had told him she was going to be his bodyguard and she meant it.

"That was very sweet," Eiko said with a smile.

"How did you get in?" Jessie demanded.

"I was always in. I knew where you two were going."

Jessie felt the cold steel of Jonny's revolver on the small of her back. She had tucked it into the back of her jeans.

"Give it up, Eiko. As we speak, my Dad and Dr. Quest are on their way over here."

"Japan is twenty hours away," Eiko sneered. "By the time they get here you'll all be dead. I already got one; just two more to go."

"You bitch!" Jessie yelled.

"He had to be taken care of," the other woman said nonchalantly. "He knew it too."

Jonny came out of the hollow like a shot and made to lunge at Eiko, but was taken by a coughing fit. Eiko laughed. Jessie whipped out her gun and pointed it at Eiko's chest.

"I wish you'd stop laughing. It's really getting on my nerves."

Eiko pointed her rifle towards Jonny and now Jessie could see that it carried tranquilizer darts, not shells. She moved in front of Jonny.

"I have six darts that are full of the last boosters Jonny will be needing so he can go on his little trip. I don't think I'll be needing all of them. There are only two of you and I have no problem with shooting you as well, Jessie."

Jessie's trigger finger twitched. "I have no time for this. You'll never get away."

Eiko cocked her head to one side. "I'm afraid I will, my dear. Do you remember a few years back, a young senator was killed by unknown substances." She chucked a thumb at herself. "That was me. I cannot even begin to tell you of all the things I have done."

Jessie's hand wavered slightly. "You're sick," she spat.

"I'm just using my talents for the greater good."

"Whose good?"

"Mine." Her finger began squeezing the trigger.

Jessie saw the dart as if it was going in slow motion. She turned around to cover Jonny with her body. She felt it sink into her back and she fell into his arms. Another one embedded itself in her leg.

"Jessie!" he cried.

Eiko was all business now. She took he time walking to where Jonny stood and pointed the rifle at his heart.

Jonny slumped to the ground.

Hadji, he called out with all the concentration he could muster. I know you're out there. I need your help. Where are you?

Hadji felt the touch of Jonny's mind. He stopped moving and sat cross-legged. He focused all his energy on his friend's aura.

Hadji knew what he had to do. He took several deep breaths and delved deep inside himself until he found what he was looking for.

Jonny stared down the barrel of the gun. Suddenly, he felt a strange power come over him. He felt strength return.

Thanks, Hadj.

He gently put Jessie down and stood tall before Eiko.

"C'mon, let's get this over with," he said.

His foot lashed out and kicked the gun out of her hands. It fell a few feet away from Jessie. With a yell, Eiko attacked him with all she got. Jonny countered every move cleanly, as if he already knew what she was going to do. His fist flew through the air and he smashed in hard into face. Her nose spurted blood, but she didn't back down.

Behind him, Jessie stirred. She could make out Jonny and Eiko fuzzily. All she knew what she had to help him. She crawled to where the tranquilizer rifle had fallen near her. She squinted at the moving figures. She couldn't pull the trigger. They were moving too fast and her vision was too fuzzy.

Jonny saw Jessie get the rifle from the corner of his eye. He danced around Eiko. Now she stood where he had been. A look of surprise came over her face as Jessie shot her remaining darts into her back. She fell and Jonny moved out of her way. He rushed to Jessie's side.

"Oh, Jess. Please be okay," he whispered.

She smiled.

"What happened there? That was some Superman routine."

"Hadji had a hand in it."

"He's alive?"

Jonny nodded. He felt his heart sink. With Eiko out of the way, Jessie still had a chance with Hadji. He steeled himself. If he loved her, he'd let her have what she wanted and she wanted Hadji. He hugged her.

"I'm happy for you, Jess."

"It was a pretty good shot," she replied, misunderstanding.

"No. Eiko's out of the way now and Hadj is still alive. It's your bag of chips."

Jessie let out an exasperated breath and would have hit him if she wasn't so weak. Jonny sat down next to her, the strength he had left in a burst.

"Shut up, Jonny. How many times do I have to tell you I don't have feelings for Hadji."

Jonny eyed her. And for once, she saw he believed her. It was his last thought before he mercifully passed out.