Race, Benton, and Hadji entered the room with their arms full of flowers and balloons. Jessie and Jonny exchanged amused glances. They had been camped out in the infirmary Benton had set up in the mansions, machines monitoring their vital statistics. The dart that Jessie had taken had been loaded with morphine, more than an average human should be getting in two days, even more so at one time. If Jonny had gotten it, he would have died instantly. She had come close to death, but was saved in time. But she was still weak and ended up having to recuperate alongside Jonny.

"We've been home for almost two days, Pop," Jonny said, looking more like his old self.

"You don’t have to keep on bringing us these," Jessie added, gesturing to the room filled with balloons and flowers and stuffed animals.

Race sat down on Jessie' bed. "But you're still considered in the "Get Well Soon" catagory, so you need this stuff," he explained.

Jessie laughed. She took the stuffed whale from her father.

"You're twenty years too late with this, Dad."

Race ruffled her hair. "Better late than never, Ponchita."

Benton took a seat by Jonny's bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like a million bucks."

"That's good. The doctor says that the poison will be flushed out of your system in two weeks' time."

"That's too long," Jonny whined.

"You need the rest, Son. You're still very weak."

"I need more rest about as much as I need a dose of E-411," Jonny argued.

Amid all the banter, Hadji stayed back. Jonny looked around Race and smiled at his old friend.

"Feeling anti-social, Hadj?"

"No. I just wanted to savor the moment. I will be returning to Bangalor early tomorrow. I have put off my duties for long enough. However, I will be back to testify in Dr. Bernard's trial."

"Good for you, Hadji," Jessie said.

Jonny glanced at her. She was the last person in the room he would have thought to be happy about Hadji's departure.

"We'll miss you," Dr. Quest said.

Hadji smiled at them. "And I you, Dr. Quest. Now, I believe I must get some packing done."

He left the room, his head so low that his chin was almost touching his chest.

"I'll never forgive Eiko for hurting him like that. She really had him wrapped around her little finger," Jonny said.

"And because she tried to kill us, right?" Jessie prompted.

"That too."

"She's dead, Kids. Let it be," Dr. Quest said.

The two men stood.

"We better leave you to rest," Benton continued. "You have to be as bouncy as a kangaroo on a pogo stick on the day of the trial."

Race chuckled. "Nice going, Doc."

"Thanks. I've been wanting to try that one for a while."

"Do you think they'll find where Jill and her sister went to?" Jessie asked when their father's were gone. "It seems like they just fell off the face of the planet."

"I don't know. I hope so. I want justice," Jonny said. "For you, Jess. And for our dads. They made our lives hell for a time back there."

"We'll get our justice. It's a cosmic rule."

"I hope so."

Jessie finished her testimony and returned to her seat. Benton patted her shoulder.

"That was perfect, Jessie."

"I want this guy behind bars for a long, long time."

Jessie took her seat at Jonny's side and whispered, "Something's wrong. Bernard's has been grinning like a Cheshire cat since we got here. I don’t like it."

Jonny looked around the courtroom. Nothing seemed to be amiss. He shrugged and went back to watching the trial. Hadji was being sworn in, and was about to sit when the courtroom doors burst open and Jill came in, a high powered rifle in her hands.

Jessie threw herself over Jonny. They landed in a heap on the ground, Jessie's long red hair coming undone from the bun she had put it in and fanning over them both. They had been sitting in the front row and from the back of the filled courtroom, Jill had not seen them.

"I know Jonny Quest is here," Jill said, her voice echoing in the shocked silence. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll show his face now."

"He's not here, Jill. He's not scheduled to testify today," Dr. Quest told her.

At the same time, Jessie was yanked up by her now loose hair. Jonny looked up and Joan smiled down at him. She'd been sitting behind them, dressed as an old woman. He swallowed and thanked whatever god was in the heavens that she hadn't killed him yet.

 "Stand up, Blondie," Joan said to Jonny. "Or else your girlfriend's face will be as red as her hair."

She pressed her revolver into Jessie's temple. For her part, Jessie didn't even flinch. Her jaw was clenched in anger and her eyes sparked green fire as she looked at Jonny.

"Well, isn't she a clever girl," she hissed.

"Jess," Race said warningly.

Jessie looked at her father and pressed her lips together. She turned her eyes back to Jonny. He glared at Joan and stood.

"Alright, you got me. But don't you think this was a really stupid move. You're surrounded by police. Not to mention about twenty witnesses," he spat.

"Look here, Joan," Race stepped in. "You're not going to get out of here, so why don't you make things easier for yourself and give me the gun."

"Don't listen to him, Joan," Jill yelled as she made her way towards them. "He's trying to manipulate you."

Race smiled what Jessie called his 'hook, line, and sinker' smile.

"I remember you from the plane, you know," he said smoothly, "And I thought that you were a smart girl. A nice, smart girl. I know that you're not a bad person. So, if you give me the gun, I'll make sure that you'll be taken care of."

Joan's hand wavered. Race took the chance and grabbed the gun with lightning quickness. One moment it was in her hands, and the next it was in his. He wrapped an arm around her neck and pressed the gun into her neck.

"Drop the rifle, Jill," he said in slow even tones. "Get behind me, Jonny."

Jonny didn't move. Race glanced sharply at him from the corner of his eye.

"This isn't the time for heroics, son," he muttered.

"Do it, Jonny," Benton begged.

Jonny looked at his father. Benton seemed to have aged years in the past month. His eyes begged with his son and Jonny didn't have it in his heart to make his father hurt any more than he already did. He stepped behind Race even though it hurt him to put his friend in danger.

"I'll just shoot through all of you to get to him," Jill informed them coldly.

"Jill!" Joan shrieked. "NO!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to finish the job."

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as Jill's finger squeezed the trigger and a cloud of smoke erupted from the rifle's barrel. Jonny grabbed Race and threw them both to the ground, but Joan was left standing. Her body convulsed violently as she was hit. A bright red stain formed on her shirtfront. She cried openly.

"Jill…"

"I'm sorry."

Another shot echoed in the courtroom. Race had the revolver in his hand and it was aimed at Jill. She crumpled to the ground, shot cleanly between the eyes. It was dead silent. Behind him, Jonny was staring at the dead bodies of the twins.

So much death.

"Dad!"

Jessie's cry seemed to bring everyone back to life. The voices that had been a murmur crescendoed to a roar. Paramedics, police officers, and reporters started to storm in. Race ushered the Quests, Hadji, and Jessie into the judge's quarters.

"Are you okay, Jonny," Dr. Quest asked, enveloping his son in a tight embrace.

"I'm fine, Pop."

"And some people think that being a sultan is difficult," Hadji chuckled.

Jessie hugged her father. "You're still a good shot, Dad."

"I know."

They all laughed, except Hadji. His eyes were riveted at the doorway.

"What the matter, Hadj? You look as if you've seen a ghost," Jonny said.

"I wouldn't say a ghost."

Jonny blew out an exasperated breath. "When is this going to end?!?"

James Bernard pointed the bailiff's gun at them. In the confusion, he must have attacked the poor man.

"What do you want?" Race demanded, his patience at the end of its line.

"What my unfortunate colleagues tried to do for me," Bernard replied. "Kill Jonny Quest."

"It's over, James," Benton reasoned. "Let it be."

"As a matter of fact, things have turned out much better than I had originally planned. And besides, I'm not one to give up quickly."

"Sir, you have misplaced your resolve," Hadji remarked.

"I don't think so, young man. I'd like Jonny Quest and that lovely redheaded young lady to go out into the hall with me, please. If anyone tries anything, I will be forced to shoot someone."

Race and Benton looked helplessly at each other. It seemed to be a no win situation.

"You three are going to stay here and not leave. Jill wired the doors and if you open it, everyone within a mile will be blown sky-high."

"You just thought of everything, didn't you?" Race spat.

"You can call if a bluff if you like. However, I wouldn't recommend it."

He shut the door behind him and turned to Jonny and Jessie. Jessie glanced upwards and the saw the wires snaking around the doorway. The wires ended at a large black box.

"He's not lying, Dad," she called, fear in her voice. "Don't open the door."

"A wise move, Jessica," Bernard purred. "Now, I have a plane waiting on the roof. It's time for us to take our trip."