Disclaimer: Don't own the Quest Team or anything in relation. No money,
no credit.
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Categories: E, HR

A KINGDOM AS GREAT (1/2)

November 21
    Dear Diary,
       Today went as usual.  I wrote on my stories for about an hour, then
got
in a fight with Jonny about it.  I feel sorry for poor Hadji, being
caught in the middle of the crossfire.  It makes me sad thinking back to
where the three of us would race to the cave after school every day.
Those are probably the happiest memories I have with my friends.
Lately I have realized something that I haven't felt before.  I find
myself knowing things that I was never taught.  Ideas and feelings are
leaving me more confused than I have ever been.  Then when Jonny puts
pressure on me and bugs me, my temper gets the best of me and I say and
do things that I regret.  Since the new year is coming up in a little
over a month, I'm going to try and get things better between me and
Jonny before we kill each other.  Besides, I like him.  I think.

       Jessie clicked on the save icon on the corner of her computer screen.
She then went into her fifth story's section to finish the middle of the
plot, but when she went to reach for her notebook to copy from, it
wasn't in her desk.  She ran to the hallway and knocked on Hadji's door.
       "Hadji, have you seen my notebook?"
       "What?"  She could barely make out his voice through the thick door.
       "Can I come in?!"
       "Yes."  She came in and leaned in the doorway.
       "Have you seen my notebook?"  He looked from the papers on his desk
to
her and shrugged.
       "Are you talking about that white one with all your stories?"
       "Yes, that one inch three ring binder."
       "The last time I saw it was when you were writing in the van."
That's
when she remembered that she sat it under her seat when she got stuck on
a part.
       "Thanks."  She closed the door and headed downstairs.  As she opened
the front door she saw through the dark, the icy rain that fell all
around.   She reached to her side at the coat hanger and grabbed her
jacket, tossing it over her head.  Better hurry before I freeze.  She
ran to the van that was unusually parked to the side of the mansion and
slid the side door open.  The interior lit up as she searched around the
seats.
       Behind the surrounding trees were the dark eyes that  had watched her
for many years.  "Soon my love."  He said under his breath as Jessie ran
back to the front door.  "Soon everything that I've been dreaming about
for so long will be mine, and nothing will stand in our way.  With my
immortality and your powers, the kingdom will become great once more."
He fell back into the shadows that he had spent so many centuries in
alone, but he had plans to change that.
 
 
 
 
 

                                         A Month Later

       It was early one morning when Race's voice came from downstairs.
"Hurry up guys.  Doc and I want to make sure ya'll don't skip school
before we leave."  Hadji was the first one down, quickly followed by
Jonny.
       "When are you and Dad planning on returning?"
       "We're only going to be gone for two days Jonny.  Don't throw any
wild
parties when we're gone."
       "Oh yes."  Jonny started with a smile.  "I try to save my special
parties for you Race."
       Race shook his head and rolled his eyes.  "And I was trying to be
serious for a change."  He stopped and looked around.  "Where's Jess?"
       "I'm here."  She sleepily walked down the stairs, her sunglasses
shielded her blood shot eyes.
       "Jessie, it's the most beautiful December morning with snow
everywhere
and you're dressed like someone just died."  Race commented as he looked
at her black jeans and black shirt.
       "I just felt like wearing something different today."  She paused
like
she heard something.  "Did the phone ring?"  Everyone listened carefully
for a moment.
       "You must be hearing things Jess."  Jonny teased.
       "But I could have sworn I heard it and it was for Hadji."
                       *Ring*
           Race walked over to the phone and picked it up.  "Quest
Compound...Hold on."  Race held it to Hadji.  "It's for you."  He handed
the phone to Hadji and walked upstairs to finish his packing.  Hadji
turned to Jessie with a worried look.
       "Don't worry, it's good news from Pasha."  Jonny watched Jessie
carefully as Hadji talked on the phone and soon hung up.
       "Well?"  Jonny asked Hadji as he walked up to his friends.
       "Pasha wants me to come for a visit tomorrow to see my mother for the
holidays."  Jonny turned to Jessie and so did Hadji.
       "How did you do that?"  She smiled at the look on her friend's faces.
       "It's a secret."  Only inside, was her worry showing.  Not knowing
how
you do or don't know things is the most terrifying thing that she could
think of.

       The dark figured from the wooded area of the Quest Compound, entered
into his cave and walked into the shadows.  As he got to the back wall a
red light beamed down from the dark corner and circled his ageless body.
"My Lord and Father, I have come to assure you of the success of my
mission of decades."
       A deep voice called from the light and echoed around him.  "Binx, you
do have the chosen one within your grasp?"
       "Yes my Lord.  She is still unaware of her powers and will be of no
trouble to retrieve."
       "Good.  There is no time to lose, for the new century is to start
soon."
       "I will have her here by tomorrow."
       "Today!"  The voice's sudden outburst made Binx flinch, and he
lowered
his gaze to the ground.
       "I will have her in by this afternoon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       "I am so glad that it's the last day of school before Christmas
break."
Jonny was cheerfully talking from the front passenger seat next to Hadji
as Jessie sat in the back.
       "I'm just sorry I won't be around for Christmas."
       "Oh it's okay Hadji."  Jessie started.  "I doubt we'll end up doing
anything half as interesting as you will.  I mean after the large dinner
you will have with your mother and Pasha, you meet a girl that you might
end up marrying can be pretty cool."
       Hadji glanced at Jonny who turned to Jessie.  "Hey Jess, why are you
acting so weird lately."
       "I don't think I'm acting weird Jonny.  What do you think Hadji?"  He
didn't answer and she glared at both of them.  "This is stupid.  Why are
you two all of a sudden against me?"  She took off her sunglasses and
stuffed them in her back pocket.
       "Jessie, it's not that we're against you, it's just that we worry
about
you.  Then when you say and do things that are peculiar, we can't help
but wonder what is wrong."  Hadji said as he pulled the car into the
school parking lot.
       "It's only because we love you Jess and we don't want anything bad to
happen."
       "I can't believe you two. I'm not a small child.  I'm seventeen and
fully capable of taking care of myself.  I don't need my two best
friends to try and feel sorry for me."
       "Jessie, we're not feeling sorry for you.  It's just ever since you
started this writing stuff you..."  Jonny stopped as Hadji parked the
car next to the school auditorium.
       "Don't you dare start that again Jonathan Quest!  The only reason I
write is to escape my life that contains you nagging me constantly."
She opened the door and the snow's cold breeze flew around them in the
car.  "Just leave me alone.  Both of you!"  She stepped out and slammed
the door shut behind her.  The two teen boys were left behind stunned
and speechless.
       "I think I hit a nerve Hadji."
       "I think you did more than that my friend.  I think you found the
source of her strange behavior."
       "The writing?"
       "No, you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Binx walked around the school feeling the deep snow under his feet.
As
he made his stroll around the buildings, many students looked over at
him.  His brown hair and brown eyes stood out next to his pale skin and
light pink lips.  He had figured a regular pair of  blue jeans and a
green sweater would be best to wear to the school because he didn't want
to stand out.  He didn't count on his powers to be so affective on the
young teenagers.
       He followed a crowd of students that were walking into a large
building
to the side.  It was a gym and he found a seat off to the side of the
front row.  He searched through the crowd of passing students until he
saw her.  Jessie walked in by herself and seemed like she had been
crying.  He wanted so much to hold her next to him and tell her
everything about their people and how special she was.  As she walked
by, he held his hand out to her, and she glanced down at him.
       "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but notice that you are a little
upset."  He held her eyes and she found herself  feeling something
intimately familiar about him.  "Would you like to have a seat?"  She
was stunned by his forwardness.
       "Sure.  My name is Jessie."  She held out her hand out to shake, but
he
lifted it and kissed her soft skin.
       "My name is Binx and I have a feeling that we're going to get to know
each other a lot better."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       "What are you talking about?  How am I the source of her problems?"
Jonny seemed annoyed by Hadji's comment.
       "I'm sorry Jonny, but you and Jessie do nothing anymore but fight.  I
think I know why too."  He leaned forward to his friend.  "You love
her."
       "What?"  Jonny was shocked by what Hadji said.  "We can't even spend
two minutes together without fighting."
       "Yes, but it's only because you or her will try to care too much.
Like
this morning when you said you were worried about her you ended up in a
fight, but it was only because you were concerned about her."
       "So what am I suppose to do about it?  I seriously doubt she wants
anything to do with me at this point."  Jonny sighed and leaned back in
his seat.  "I don't seem to know anything anymore."
       Hadji shook his head.  "It has nothing to do with knowing anything,
it's about feeling something.  If you don't tell her you're only going
to be eaten away inside until you finally drive her away.  You could
lose her because of your own fear."
       "I'm not afraid of anything."
       "Then what are you waiting for?"
       Jonny opened his mouth, but he couldn't find the right words.  "I
don't
know."  He sat up and looked out the window.  "I'll talk to her."
       "When?"
       After a moment of silence he turned to Hadji.  "Now."
       He opened the door and stepped out into the snow and ice.  Hadji sat
back and smiled, proud of the good deed he was doing.  He pretty much
had the same talk with Jessie two weeks ago, but she was too afraid that
Jonny was only going to laugh at her.
       "He probably thinks of me as a sister anyway."  Jessie had said.
       "That's not true.  He has never referred to you as being nothing but
a
close friend."  Jessie had asked for his opinion and he was sure Jonny
liked her as much as she did him.
       "I'll believe that when I hear it."
       Hadji looked down at his watch and gasped.  "I'm suppose to be in the
gym for the morning announcements."  He locked the car and followed the
crowd of students into the gym.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Jonny searched around the large gym trying to find Jessie.  He
couldn't
believe what he was about to do.  He never imagined himself confessing
his love for her.  The thought of how happy he would be to see her made
him happier than he ever felt possible.  The crowd of kids around made
it almost impossible to know where he was going.  He was practically
pushed into a seat in the middle of the benches.
       "Hey Jonny."  He turned to a familiar voice from the side.  Patty
smiled back at him.  Her blonde hair circled around her brown eyes.
       "Hello Patty."  He looked around the gym trying to see where Jessie
had
disappeared to.
       She sat down next to him, crossing her long legs in her short skirt.
"You look real good this morning."
       He looked down at his cloths.  He had decided to wear something
different so he wore a thick blue sweater and Calvin Cline jeans because
he thought it would impress Jessie.  Suddenly he was feeling it was
working; only on the wrong person.  "Thanks Patty.  That's a nice
skirt."
       She rubbed her thigh and smiled.  "Oh it's just an old thing that I
had
laying around."   She scooted closer and leaned next to him.  "I was
wondering if you have been seeing anyone?"
       "No.  Why do you ask?"  He was beginning to fear he knew where this
conversation was leading to.
       "No reason.  I am just surprised a girl hasn't got her hooks into you
yet."  She tried to sound shocked.   Jonny tried not to show that he was
rolling his eyes.  Patty's popularity was only due to her looks and
flirting.
       "Look Patty, you're a really nice girl, but.."
       "Oh Jonny that's so sweet.  I like you too."  He looked at her and
she
put her arm around his waist.  "What did you want to say?"
       "Listen, can I get back to you later?  I've got to go talk with
Jessie
about something."  He was desperate to get away.
       "Sure.  I'll see you during first class then."  He could tell by her
tone of voice that he wasn't getting away that easy.
       As he made his way past the crowd he finally spotted Jessie.  She sat
in the front row next to a boy he had never seen before.  He watched
them talk and Jessie's smile as she listened carefully to every word the
stranger had to say.  A hand touched Jonny's shoulder and he jerked
around to see who it was.
       "What's wrong Jonny?"
       He sighed with relief  and shook his head.  "Nothing Mr.Miller."  The
high school principal smiled at him.
       "How is your father?  I haven't seen him since the school had him put
in a whole system of cameras and computers."
       "Great, dad had fun working with you and the assistant principal."
       "That was a lot of fun.  Thanks to your father our school is the most
high-tech in the state."  He looked around at the many students.  "Well
why don't you have a seat and we'll get this over with as soon as
possible."  Jonny did as told and found a seat as far away from Patty as
he could get.  After the announcements, everyone made their way to the
classrooms.  Jonny lost sight of Jessie and Hadji, so he decided it
would be best to wait right after school to talk to her.

       "Binx, what class do you have first?"  Jessie walked next to him in
the
snow up to the class building.
       He smiled brightly.  "What do you have first?"
       "Pre Cal."
       "What a coincidence, that's the same class I have.  Do you think that
maybe you can show me around some time?  Since we have classes together
and all."
       "I would love to show you the school."
       "How about now?"  She looked down at her watch.
       "Well, I don't know."
       "Please Jessica."  He held her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.
"I would be most grateful."
       He seemed to have a power over her that she couldn't help but give
into. "Sure, why not."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       The tardy bell rung and Jonny sat down in his usual seat, but this
time
Patty took the seat next to him.  *I hate this class.*  He thought.
*Why do I need Chemistry?*  "Hello again Jonny.  Did you ever find
Jessie?"
       "No."  The teacher walked in and scanned the class.
       "Everyone is here and there is only twelve of you, so we'll get in
groups of two.  Pick someone next to you to work with."  Patty almost
jumped out of her seat when she heard what their teacher said.
       "Jonny, would you like to work with me?"  He looked around and found
that everyone already had a partner.
       "Sure, why not."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Jessie walked with Binx in the hallway, still holding his hand.  "And
this is our trophy case right here."  She pointed to a large oak box on
the wall.
       "Do you have any here?"  She blushed.
       "No I don't get any worth keeping around here."  They continued
walking
down the hall until they entered a dark room.
       "What is this room used for?"
       "It's the health class.  They don't use it very often though."  They
took seats next to each other, never bothering to turn on the light.
The sun's rays came in through the window causing a soft glow to spread
throughout the room.
       Binx leaned forward and laid a hand on Jessie's knee.  "I have
something very important to tell you."  He knew he had to have her to
his father before long, so he thought he would go ahead and get to the
point.
       "What is it?"
       "Do you seem to know things but don't know why?"
       "Yes.  How did you know?"
       "You have a gift that is very special, and I'm here to help you so
you
can help me.  You are part of a growing breed of beings."  Jessie had to
force her smile as she began to think if he was totally sane or not.
       "So I'm part of some kind of supernatural species of people?"
       "Yes and I'm the prince of these people."  She stood up and glanced
at
the door hoping she could leave soon.  He was beginning to make her
uncomfortable.
       "I think we better get to class.  Mrs. Cuddle will be worried."
Before
she could make it to the door Binx suddenly appeared in front of her.
She screamed, but he threw his hand over her mouth.
       "Shhh."  He held her tightly against him and whispered in her ear.
Her
eyes were wide with fright.  *Oh God, what is he going to do to me?*
Her mind was running wildly.  "If you will listen to me, I know that you
will be happy to find out everything you can about our kind."  He slowly
lifted his hand from her mouth, but wouldn't release her, afraid she
might try to run.
       "What does this have to do with me?"
       "We are immortal, but we have bad rumors spread about us that make
the
humans fear our kind.  We have been labeled vampires, night stalkers, or
blood suckers.  They are only half true.  We do live forever, but just
the sight of blood makes me sick to my stomach.  Through  years though,
people have killed us and made our full blood breed slowly thin out.
Only once every hundred years one of us are born.  If two full bloods
are to breed then they make only a half blood.  Then only chosen ones
are born to be a full.  Jessie."  He pulled her away from him to look
her in the eye.  "You are a chosen full blood.  You and I are the last
of only a few hundred.  As the prince, I am responsible of keeping our
kingdom going.  You are to be my bride and our children will breed with
the royal family in Asia."
       "You're crazy.  Vampires?  Binx have you lost your mind?  This is the
21st century.  You can't go around talking about all of this and think
that I'm going to believe any of it.  I don't know where you're from,
but around in Maine, we don't believe in fairy tales like this."
       "Actually it's almost the 22nd century.  That's why it is vital that
we
waist no time.  The humans will soon die out within the next century or
two, and then we will have the planet to ourselves."  He pulled her back
up to him, feeling her heart beating quickly against him. "I know this
is a lot for you to take in at once, but I just want you to know that I
love you and that nothing bad will ever happen as long as I'm here."
       *He's crazy.*  Binx could hear her worried thoughts and knew that he
was going to run out of time.  He used his powers to manipulate her
mind.  Soon Jessie found herself  falling in love with him against her
will.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Jonny sat in his lab apron next to Patty and sighed.  They were
having
to add vinegar to baking soda and write down exactly what was occurring
in scientific terms.  Patty moved her seat closer for the third time in
the past twenty minutes.  Jonny poured some more vinegar on a small
amount of baking soda.
       "I think we have about everything written on the reaction of the
two."
He looked over at Patty and realized she hadn't stopped staring at him
since they started the assignment.  "What do you think Patty?"
       "Whatever you say Jonny.  Did you know that your eyes sparkle when
you
work hard?"  He turned back to the tubes in front of him trying to
change the subject.
       "No I didn't.  Now, do we have to add the vinegar to salt or sugar?
I
can't remember."
       "Why are you so worried about the stupid experiment?  You have a
perfect score in all of your classes.  So what's one B?"
       "I don't want you to get a bad grade."
       "I don't want a good grade.  I want to be with you."  She sat her
hand
on his knee and he jumped with surprise.
       "Well you're here with me now.  What else do you want?"  He realized
his voice was shaking.
       "No, I want you."  Her hand moved from his knee and up his thigh.  He
put his hand over hers and turned to her.
       "I don't think you know what you want.  I'm not very good with
girls."
She took back her hand and smiled.  He nervously took off his coat and
sat it on his lap.
       "I know how you feel about me.  Ever since you first came to this
school and your blue eyes caught mine, I knew we were meant to be."  She
sat her hand back down but landed much farther up his thigh.  His hand
flew up in desperation, and his voice cracked as he called out to the
teacher.
       "Mrs. Lilly, can I use the restroom?!"  The room fell silent by his
sudden outburst.
       "Do you really have to go?"  Patty's hand reached its goal and
Jonny's
voice went high in pitch.
       "Yes!"  The teacher pointed to the counter.
       "There's the pass."  He shot up and Patty pulled her hand away
quickly
before anyone noticed.  He closed the door behind him and leaned back on
it.  *Now, that was scary.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Jessie laughed loudly as she and Binx walked down the empty hallways.
She never felt more alive in her entire life.  "Now,"  Binx tried to
catch his breath from laughing so hard.  "Try to move something with
your mind."
       "I can do that?"
       "Sure."  He pointed next to a locker at an old pen on the floor.
"Make
it come to you."
       "How?  I can't even make Bandit come to me."  They both started
laughing and Binx cleared his throat.
       "Come on, let's be serious."  He held back his laughter and
continued.
"Just close your eyes and concentrate."  She closed her eyes and took a
deep breath, but Binx laughed as he thought of something to say.  "Feel
the force Luke."  Jessie was almost in tears, and she teasingly slapped
his shoulder.
       "Will you leave me alone so I can do this?"
       "I'm sorry Honey."  She smiled as she closed her eyes again and gave
it
another try.  The pen slowly lifted off the ground and flew over,
landing in her hand.  She turned around to him and smiled.
       "How was that?"
       "That was great.  You will become more powerful than me if I don't
watch it."  They leaned forward to kiss again but a voice made them turn
around.
       "Okay kids, what are you two doing out of class?"  Mr. Miller walked
up
to them glaring.
       "Oh, I was just showing the new student around."
       "We don't have any new students enrolled."  Binx walked up to Mr.
Miller and looked him straight in the eyes.
       "Of course there is.  Remember I'm Binx and you personally know me.
I'm a great kid that gets good grades."  Mr. Miller's eyes went blank
and he nodded.
       "Great kid."  He turned around and headed for the office smiling.
Jessie turned to Binx and laughed.
       "Wow.  Can you teach me that one?"
       "Piece of cake.  Wouldn't you rather do something more fun?"
       "What did you have in mind?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Jonny looked from the second floor window into the front parking lot.
The snow clouds were  hanging thickly over the sun and everything looked
suddenly darker.  The cars and roads were covered with white, and Jonny
began to think about Jessie.  He would tell her everything right after
school ended.  He started to remember her laugh, and how she seemed to
know what he was thinking.  She always knew how to act and what to say
when he was upset.  No one understood him like she did.  They would
somehow end up holding hands during a movie or stilling a sweet kiss
every once  in a while.  He couldn't imagine a long plane ride without
hearing her complain about Bandit chewing up something of hers.
       *I don't want to, but I guess I better get to class before Patty
comes
up with some excuse to come and look for me.  Then we'd be alone.*  He
shuddered at the thought of her touching him.  He turned to head back to
class when the fire alarm went off.  All the doors on both sides opened
and students and teachers came out by the dozens.  During all of the
confusion Jonny got pushed around down the hall and tripped into a
janitor's closet.  He stood up in the dark and turned the knob, but it
was jammed.
       "Hello!  Somebody open the door!"  He knocked furiously but everyone
was too worried about getting out, than they were of the closet.  He
sighed after a moment and sat back.  *They should return in a minute.
It's probably just a test.*  He tried to reassure himself, but the
thought of having a fire test in the middle of a snow storm suddenly
didn't sound as good as he wanted it to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       Patty searched through the crowd and fought around until she made her
way into the empty halls.  After looking around for a minute she
followed her friends outside, passing by the closet that Jonny sat in
quietly.  As she made it outside, everyone was talking and hugging
themselves in the cold snow.  Hadji ran up to Patty knowing that she had
her first class with Jonny.
       "Patty, where's Jonny?"
       She made a disappointing sigh and shrugged.  "Wish I knew."
       "How about Jessie?  Have you seen her?"
       "No, but I heard she was hanging around some new guy."
       "Who was he?"
       "I don't know.  I didn't  see him."  She swung her long pink jacket
around herself as she talked.  "But I still think Jonny's the cutest of
them all."  Hadji shook his head and decided that it was worthless to
talk to Patty about anything serious.
       He ran over to Mr. Miller who was directing people to stand in lines.
"Mr. Miller!"  He turned around and squinted to avoid getting snow in
his eyes.
       "Where's Jonny at Hadji?"  Mr.  Miller spoke loudly over the crowd's
noise.
       "That's what I was hoping you could tell me."
       "I wish I could, but there are a lot of other students that I have to
make sure are safe."
       "Well have you at least seen Jessie?"
       "Yes, she was walking around the halls with that nice boy Binx."
Hadji
turned around and looked around at all the faces around him, but found
nothing that interested him.  *I work with the office all the time, but
I don't recall there ever being a Binx that had enrolled lately.*
Suddenly he got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       "Jessie, everyone has left the building."  Binx's voice was filled
with
laughter.  "Do you want to do the finishing touches?"
       "This is going to be a little difficult."  He picked up one of her
hands and laid it against the wall under his.
       "Let's do it together."  They closed their eyes, and a red light
circled their hands, then spread along the walls of the school building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       "Okay everyone!"  Mr. Miller called over a megaphone.  "If you will
please, quietly enter the building.  Please try..."
       "Look!"  A voice called from the crowd and everyone turned to the
building.  It was glowing brightly in red.  The shape of the bricks
seemed to wave around and disperse until it was no longer visible.  The
only thing left to their sight, was the brown dirt under the area the
building was.
       There was a wave of cheering that came over everyone in the parking
lot.  Only the sad cries were muffled.  Hadji looked in horror through
tears at the empty building lot.  Jessie, Jonny.  Where are you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
next part coming up.........
__________________________________________