Besieged in Bangalore Before you go any further I want to apologize for the very cheesy introduction to this story—it was written for a fanfic contest and the Beanie Babies part was a requirement. Sorry it's lame but it was the best I could do. Enjoy the rest of the story! IRIS Hadji yawned and stood up, stretching. Dr. Quest had asked him to run a diagnostic test on the computer system before their departure for Bangalore in the morning. The test had taken longer than Hadji expected, and it was now after midnight. Hadji shut down the system and walked quietly to the kitchen to get a glass of water, being careful not to make too much noise. He tiptoed down the hall toward his room, but stopped when he saw light streaming from under Jessie's door. He was surprised that she was still up, since everyone else had gone to bed early. Hadji, overcome with curiosity, snuck into Jessie's room. Upon stepping into the room, he was pelted with Beanie Babies. "Hadji?" Jessie stared at him in surprise from where she sat on the floor surrounded by a pile of tangled clothing. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Jessie," said Hadji as he bent to pick up the little projectiles. "That's okay." She grinned at him as he replaced the Beanie Babies on her bed. "I'm sorry I beaned you. When I heard you open the door I thought you were Jonny." "I take it he has done something to upset you," said Hadji. He pointed to the mound of knotted clothes on the floor. "Would that be the reason you are angry with him?" "Yeah. Jonny was mad because I beat him in the new VR game, so he thought it would be funny to tie all my clothes together just before I needed to pack for a trip." "That is bad, even for Jonny," said Hadji, sitting on the floor beside her and picking up a rope of blue jeans. Jessie smiled at him. "Thanks, Hadji. You know, sometimes I just don't understand how Jonny can be so immature. You were never like that at his age." The next morning the Quest team departed for Bangalore in the Dragonfly. During the flight Hadji told his friends of his country's many problems, and of the reforms he was trying to make as Sultan. "The last time I was in Bangalore I was shocked by the disparity in our society. The rich are very rich, and the poor are extremely poor. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground." Hadji sighed and rubbed his temples. "I do not feel right living in a luxurious palace when people are starving in the streets. So I decided to hold an auction of some of the palace adornments. Some are family heirlooms that cannot be sold, but many were gifts that would sell to art collectors or museums. All of the proceeds will go to create funds for housing and education." "That's a great idea, Hadji!" exclaimed Jessie. The young sultan sighed. "Unfortunately, planning the auction is going to keep me very busy. I'm afraid I won't be a very good host during your visit." "Maybe we can help you," Jessie suggested. "Yeah, it might be fun," agreed Jonny. "Thank you, my friends, but I do not think you will find my diplomatic duties amusing," replied Hadji ruefully. "I want you to have an enjoyable vacation in Bangalore. You should do the things that interest you and not worry about my duties." "What interests us is being with you, Hadji," said Jessie earnestly. "We hardly get to see you anymore." "I know, but---" "No more buts," Jessie cut him off. "We're going to help you, and that's final." An exhausting week later, Hadji stood with his friends in the ballroom of the hotel where he had decided to hold the auction. The rows of chairs were already starting to fill with eager participants, wealthy art collectors and museum representatives. Hadji adjusted his turban and glanced again at the stage where the auctioneer was shuffling his papers. Beside him, Jonny shifted uncomfortably in his formal attire. Jessie nudged him discreetly with her elbow. "Stop fidgeting, Jonny." "Sorry," he mumbled. "This tie is choking me." "At least you're not wearing heels," she shot back with a grimace. Hadji smiled as he looked at Jessie. She was wearing a simple fitted dress of deep green that brought out the luster of her large eyes. Her bright hair was pulled back into a graceful twist, and an elegant jade necklace hung at her throat. He thought she looked beautiful. Hadji's smile vanished when he noticed the time. "Oh, my friends, this is not good," he said. "It is almost time to begin, and the men who are supposed to bring out the art have not yet arrived." "Relax, Hadj, it's still early," said Jonny. "You're just a little nervous." "You are right, Jonny," replied Hadji with a sigh. "I just want everything to go smoothly. This auction could make a big difference for so many of my people." Jessie squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Spoken like a true sultan." She smiled up at him, thinking about all the qualities she admired so much in him as a friend, and how they made Hadji a concerned and just ruler of his country. "Don't worry, Hadji. I think your people are in excellent hands." "Thank you," said Hadji, sincerely moved by her words. He felt a surge of pride at her admiration, more valuable to him than any other praise he had received. Minutes passed, and still there was no sign of the moving crew. Hadji became worried in earnest, and Jessie and Jonny were forced to admit that something was wrong. "This is very bad," said Hadji in agitation. "I fear there has been a terrible misunderstanding." His jaw set in determination. "I must bring out the items myself." "Wait a minute, Hadji, you can't do that," protested Jonny. "You're supposed to be on stage moderating." "Besides, you can't be carting large artifacts in your ceremonial clothing," added Jessie. She thought he looked very handsome and distinguished in his formal sultan's robe. "But we could do it, right Jonny?" He grinned at her and repeated one of his favorite phrases. "Slammin'!" "Oh, no," protested Hadji. "You two have already helped me enough. This was my idea, and I should be the one to do this." "You should know better than to argue with us," said Jessie, her eyes sparkling. "But you'll ruin your dress…" Hadji said, echoing her previous argument. "This old rag?" Jessie flashed him an unladylike wink. "I'll just go tell my dad where we're going to be." She headed off toward the rows of seats where Race and Dr. Quest were sitting with the other attendees, as Dr. Quest wished to purchase some of the items himself. Jonny turned to Hadji. "Go on, sultan, let's get this show on the road." Hadji sighed in resignation. "Again, thank you, my friend," he said, and went to take his place on stage. The auction had been going smoothly for over an hour when Hadji noticed Jessie struggling to carry a large statue up the stairs to the stage. He quickly stood and went to help her, but he had only taken a few steps when a deafening explosion shook the stage. Hadji heard Jessie scream his name as the force of the blast caught him from behind, hurling him violently to the ground. Pain shot through his body before he was engulfed in blackness. "What the --!" Race and Dr. Quest shot out of their seats as Hadji's heavy ornamental chair erupted in a blinding flash of splinters. They shielded their faces with their arms as a wave of heat from the blast slammed into them and pieces of shrapnel rained down into the audience. Commotion broke out as people began screaming and trying to get away. On stage, the auctioneer remained crouched beside the podium, arms over his head. Hadji lay unmoving a few feet from where his chair had exploded. Jessie was at his side in an instant, with Jonny not far behind. "Race, get Hadji out of here!" shouted Dr. Quest above the uproar. "I'll handle the crowd." But Race was already sprinting towards the stage, leaping over the chairs in his way. Tears stung Jessie's eyes and she choked in the smoky air as she knelt by Hadji's side. She turned him gently onto his back and quickly checked for a pulse. Her heart rose in her throat as she finally felt a faint heartbeat, and she could only nod in relief to Jonny's questioning glance. Then Race was beside them, and Jessie found her voice again. "Dad!" she cried urgently, "We've got to get him to the hospital!" She helped her father lift Hadji into his arms. "Let's kick it!" shouted Race, and they ran for the door. Race drove like a madman, violating even more traffic laws than usual as they sped to the hospital. Jonny sat next to him gritting his teeth, while Jessie sat in the backseat of the van, cradling Hadji in her arms. Shallow wounds covered his body, and his turban was soaked with blood. Jessie carefully unwrapped the turban, biting her lip when she saw his dark hair matted with blood. Quickly she pressed the cloth against the gash in Hadji's head, trying to stop the bleeding. Her other hand wrapped around his wrist, checking for a pulse. It seemed as if she could feel Hadji's life slowly ebbing away. Jessie closed her eyes, fighting back a sob. "Hang in there, Ponchita," said Race grimly. "We're almost there." Hadji woke slowly without opening his eyes. The air had a familiar sterile smell and he could hear the monotonous beeps and whirs of typical medical equipment. He did not need to see the white ceiling tiles to know where he was. He lay still for a moment, remembering the explosion that had put him there, wondering how long he had been unconscious. He was not in any pain at the moment, but he felt a slight pressure on his ribcage. Hadji opened his eyes to see a blur of red a few inches away from his face. Jessie! She had fallen asleep in her chair with her head on his chest, one hand holding his right hand to her heart and the other stretched across the bed to rest in Jonny's hand. Jonny was asleep in his chair also, his head drooping on his chest, his right hand wrapped around Hadji's left. Hadji's eyes filled with sudden tears as he realized how lucky he was, not only to be alive, but also to have such good friends. He looked down at Jessie again and saw the fine lines of fear and pain in her face, smoothed only slightly by sleep. He wondered how long she and Jonny had stayed with him, knowing that they had been exhausted even before the accident. Hadji looked up as the door to his hospital room opened. A young woman entered, and Hadji noticed for the first time the man in the bed beside his. The woman crossed the room and pulled the privacy curtain, never seeing Hadji. He glimpsed her face as she passed by and could tell she had been crying. After a moment he heard low voices from behind the curtain. "I'm glad you're here, Sarah. It's much easier to go knowing that there are people who loved me." "Oh, Keith! Why did this have to happen? I know I haven't always been the nicest sister, but I do love you—we all do—it's just not fair!" the young woman began to cry again. "Don't cry, Sarah. I know it isn't fair, but these things happen. I'm trying very hard not to be angry, too. But I realized that I shouldn't complain. I've had a good life. I was lucky to love and be loved by a lot of people. My only regret is that I didn't spend more time with the ones I was close to. I see now that I let my work get in the way too much." "But Keith, your work helped a lot of people. How can you regret that?" Sarah asked. "I don't. I'm just saying that no matter how important whatever you're doing seems, your family is more important. I would have liked to have fallen in love, gotten married, had children, but I never thought I had the time. If there were one thing I could change, I would make the time. Because in the end it doesn't really matter how much money you make or whether or not you won the Nobel Prize. Those things mean nothing if you can't share them with people you love. I'm very lucky to have you and Mom and Dad. Some people don't have anyone, and what's worse, some people don't even realize what they have until it's too late." At this, Hadji heard Sarah sob. "Don't be sad, Sarah. I don't want you to waste your life. Learn from my mistakes. Don't ever let anything come between you and having someone to love. Promise me that, and I'll feel as if I have done some good." "I promise, Keith." With that, Sarah broke down completely, and Hadji listened to Keith quiet her down. A few minutes later, Sarah left the room. Hadji thought about what his roommate had said as he looked at his two friends, and he realized that he was guilty of the same crime. He tried to remember the last time he had visited Jonny and Jessie just for fun, but he could not. Ever since he had become sultan, he had allowed the duties of ruling a country to slowly squeeze out everything else. And he had to admit that even before that, when he was working for Dr. Quest, he had always put his responsibilities first. How much fun had he missed by working on projects instead of taking breaks to play with his friends? Looking back, Hadji deeply regretted being so serious all the time. He glanced back at Jonny, whose clean-shaven face looked almost childlike in sleep, and was reminded how young they all were. Jonny, the youngest of the three, was only 16, and already he had experienced more than most adults. Hadji knew that all the things they had been through had made them older and wiser than most kids their age, but even at 18 he was not a mature adult ready to take on all the responsibilities of governing a country. He realized that he had been trying too hard to be too old too fast. He needed time to be a normal teenager, to be ignorant and irresponsible like everyone else. Hadji thought it ironic that he, always quick to offer advice and wisdom, had been so blind to something so obvious. He vowed to heed his dying roommate's advice, lest he waste additional time. Jessie stirred and murmured something in her sleep, tightening her grip on Hadji's hand. For the first time, Hadji noticed a side of her that few ever saw. For all her strength, intelligence, and composure, Jessie was vulnerable. She could handle danger, pain, and even death without fear, but she could not face the possibility of losing someone she was close to. Hadji recalled all the times he had seen her in a fight: no matter what, she never gave up. And if the lives of her family and friends were at stake, she would risk anything to save them, usually at tremendous peril to her own life. Hadji often thought that she was reckless on these occasions, but now he realized there was something else. More than anything, Jessie was scared of being alone, and she would go to any length to prevent that from happening. Seeing her there, covered in dirt and cuts from the explosion, Hadji was seized with the impulse to hold her tight, protect her, promise her that she would never be alone. He hated to be the cause of her worries, to be the reason she sat in a cold hospital room when she should be resting in her own bed. Frowning, Hadji sighed, and Jessie raised her head groggily. He squeezed her hand gently, and she sat up with an exclamation of surprise. "Hadji, you're awake!" Her large green eyes filled with tears of relief, and she took his hand in both of hers. "How do you feel? You gave us a real scare, you know." She glanced at Jonny, who shook himself awake. "I feel much better now, thank you, Jessie," Hadji smiled at her. "Gee, Hadj, you were out for a long time. Guess I fell asleep." Jonny grinned sheepishly. "It's good to have you back among the living, so to speak." "How long have you both been sitting here? You should have gone home and gotten some rest," said Hadji, indicating their haggard appearance. "We couldn't leave you here without knowing if you were gonna be OK or not. What kind of friends do you think we are?" asked Jessie in mock-horror. "The very best," Hadji replied seriously. The Quest team stood among the wreckage of the auction ballroom, with the exception of Hadji, who remained in the hospital under Neela's watchful eye. Hadji's mother had sent some of the palace attendants to help clean up the mess and redistribute the artwork, as Dr. Quest had succeeded in calming the bidders after the explosion and convincing them not to withdraw their purchases. Now he was helping to make sure that everyone would get what they paid for. Race whistled through his teeth as he examined the site of the explosion. "Fur on a catfish! There were enough plastic explosives in that chair to blow Hadji from here to next Tuesday." "This is too strange for school," said Jonny, frowning. "Why would anyone want to kill Hadji? Look at all the good he's doing, all the people he's helping." "I think it would be smarter to look at the people he's not helping," said Jessie, scowling. "Think about it. If you were a greedy member of Bangalore's elite upper class, how would you like to see some of your country's wealth going to help other people instead of lining your own pockets?" "You've got a point there, Ponchita," said Race. "And it's a buck to a bent dime that whoever's behind this is not gonna give up after this, unless we stop him." "I think I have an idea," said Jessie slowly. "I bet whoever tried to kill Hadji was also trying to sabotage the auction. That's why the moving crew never showed up. Either they were paid off, or they were in on it too." "Well then," said Jonny, "what are we waiting for?" ****************************************************** Murud Valsad cursed in anger and pounded against the table, his fist smashing the photograph of the auction in the newspaper. Once again the sultan and his friends had prevented him from getting his rightful due. Valsad stood and began feverishly pacing his plush quarters. Suddenly he stopped, his gaze coming to rest on the newspaper lying on the table. He picked it up and looked more closely at the photograph. The young Sultan of Bangalore stood near the stage, wearing elegant ceremonial robes. Next to him were a tall, slender young woman and a light-haired young man. The sultan was looking down at the attractive girl, who was smiling brightly into his face. As he looked closer Valsad saw that they were holding hands. Valsad's lips slowly curled into a cold smile. He crossed the room and pulled a cord hidden behind the luxurious drapes on the wall. Immediately a servant appeared as if from nowhere and stood before him respectfully. "Get me Hassan," said Valsad. "Tell him I have another job for him." ******************************************************* Jessie stifled a yawn as she lit the lamp in her room at the palace. It had been a rough week, for even though Hadji had been released from the hospital they had found little information to help them apprehend his would-be assassins. Jessie turned and was surprised to see a folded piece of paper lying on her bed. Puzzled, she picked up the note and opened it. Dear Jessie, it read, I must speak to you. There is something very important I must tell you. Please meet me in the garden in an hour. It was signed, Hadji. Jessie felt her heart beat faster as she read the letter. What could Hadji have to tell her that was so important? The air in the garden was cool and soft, and smelled faintly of exotic flowers. Jessie sat on an ornately carved bench, staring up at the stars. Her heart fluttered nervously when she heard footsteps, and a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Jessie stood and took a step towards him. "Hadji?" "I'm afraid not," a rough voice answered. Jessie's eyes widened, then narrowed. Her body tensed, ready to spring. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said coolly, and without warning made a graceful leap into the air, one leg flying up to kick the figure in the head. There was a muttered oath from the bushes as the man before her collapsed, and suddenly Jessie felt strong arms grab her from behind. "Oh, no, you don't!" she cried, flipping her attacker over her head. But as she straightened to face a third figure something struck the back of her head, and Jessie's world went black. Hadji sat bolt upright in bed, shaking with the horror of his nightmare. Something was terribly wrong. Hadji jumped out of bed and grabbed a robe. As he hurried out the door of his room two palace guards fell silently into step behind him. Unable to shake a strange feeling of urgency, Hadji broke into a run. A moment later he flung open the door to Jessie's room and burst inside. Fear clutched his heart when he saw that her bed had not been slept in, and as he spotted the false note lying open on the table he felt a stab of panic. Without hesitation Hadji turned and sprinted for the garden. "Jessie!" Hadji called desperately as he reached the garden, now bathed in moonlight. But there was no answer, and the garden was silent except for the breeze rustling the bushes and the sound of his own heart thundering in his ears. Hadji sank to his knees, gasping for breath. In the bright moonlight he could see Jessie's footprints in the moist dirt, and those of several other people. With growing dread he followed the prints until they disappeared at the edge of the garden. Hadji's hand shook as he picked up the note that lay on the path. Greetings, Your Highness, it read in a bold, severe hand. If you ever want to see the girl again, your foolish reforms must end, and you will pay. Race sat up, instantly awake, as his room flooded with light. Hadji stood at the edge of the bed, wild-eyed and shaking, his fists clenched at his sides. Dr. Quest and Jonny stood behind him, their faces drawn and pale. "What in the Sam hill is going on?" demanded Race Hadji answered through clenched teeth, his voice low and hard. "They took Jessie." Race was on his feet in a second. "Just point me at 'em," he growled. Two minutes later the Quest team was on the move. The palace guards had already been dispatched to search for Jessie and her captors and had determined that they were heading west over land. "Can't this thing go any faster?" Race complained from behind the wheel, his foot keeping the pedal flat against the floor. "This is gonna take longer than it takes a two-legged dog to go fetch." "Go to the airport, Race," Hadji directed through a clenched jaw. "You and Dr. Quest can take a helicopter while Jonny and I try to follow their trail in the van. It's our only chance." As Dr. Quest got out of the van Race turned to Hadji. "No heroics, boys. No matter what, Jessie wouldn't want the two of you getting hurt." With that, he leaped out and ran for the waiting helicopter, and Hadji sped towards the highway. "Where do you think they're taking her, Hadj?" Jonny's voice broke the heavy silence. "The last reports said that their car had been seen heading west on this highway, but I do not know. I can only hope that we will catch them before—" Hadji's voice died, and he tightened his grip on the wheel, his face a mask of determination. Hours later, they reached the port city of Mangalore. Jonny's face fell as he looked around the busy streets. "They could be anywhere, Hadji!" "We can not give up now, Jonny," Hadji admonished. "Jessie is counting on us. I got her into this, and I'm going to find her, no matter what." "Then where do we start? I'm getting anxious just sitting here." "There are three options," said Hadji. "They could hide on land, escape by air, or flee by sea. They must know that my men are everywhere between here and Bangalore, and the airport has reported no unscheduled flights, so--" "--that leaves the sea," finished Jonny, watching the shoreline grow nearer. "Right. Whoever is behind this probably owns many ships, and they could easily hide Jessie on board one of them and remain at sea for several days." Hadji pulled into the docking area and jumped out of the car, peering across the water. Jonny grabbed his binoculars and scanned the waves. "Bingo! We got you now, you creeps!" "They are heading for the Laccadive Islands," said Hadji, lowering the glasses. "We must stop them." Jonny pointed to a nearby speedboat. "I think we've found our pursuit vehicle." "Hang on, Jessie," Hadji murmured. "I am on my way." Jessie lay on the hard deck of a motor powered sailboat, glaring up at her captors in the early morning light. She twisted her head, trying to loosen her gag. Suddenly she heard the roar of an approaching speedboat. There was commotion on the deck as the men discovered they were being followed, and Jessie was momentarily forgotten. Now's my chance, she thought. Jessie closed her eyes and concentrated as Hadji had taught her, straining backwards awkwardly until she could reach her feet with her bound hands. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she pulled at the knots in the thick rope around her ankles. At last she was free, just as one of the men spotted her and came running towards her. Jessie rolled to her feet and immediately lashed out at him, catching him under the chin with the heel of her boot. She spun past him as he crumpled to the ground, then fell against the guardrail as the boat lurched wildly to one side. Jessie turned to see the speedboat in hot pursuit with Hadji at the helm and Jonny preparing to latch on to the enemy boat with a grappling hook. Three of her captors rushed to the back of the boat, and the fourth came towards her menacingly while his co-conspirator picked himself up groggily. Jessie leaped towards him, catching him off guard, and rammed into him with all her strength. As he tumbled to the ground, she ran for the open cabin door, shoving the other guard out of her way. She reached the cabin and slammed the door behind her. Leaning against it, she struggled to untie her wrists, at the same time fumbling with the lock. She had almost succeeded in freeing herself when the cabin door burst open, sending her flying into the opposite wall. Stunned, Jessie slid to the floor. The guard she had kicked grabbed her by the shoulders, hauled her up, and yanked off her gag. She shook her head to dispel the dizziness and looked up. "This is for my jaw, you little tramp," growled her captor, slamming his fist into her face. Jessie crumpled to the floor, her head pounding, unable to see through eyes glazed with pain. "Hadji!" Jessie screamed as the guard lifted her and threw her against the wall again. This time she fell to the ground and lay still. "Closer, Hadji!" Jonny shouted over the roar of the engine. They had almost reached the kidnappers' ship and Jonny was ready to throw the grappling hook. Hadji counted three men at the back of the boat, but he knew there were more inside. He wished he could see where they had taken Jessie, and if she were all right. Suddenly he saw two more men emerge from the cabin, one of them dragging Jessie's limp body. "Jonny, take the helm!" Hadji shouted frantically, abandoning the wheel. "Hadji, wait!" cried Jonny, but Hadji was already leaping toward the other boat. Hadji's hand caught the rail of the ship, and he swung himself over the side. "Jessie!" He was just in time to see the guard kick her savagely in the side, knocking her body into the water at the other end of the boat. Hadji felt something within him snap, and suddenly a red haze blurred his vision. With a cry he rushed at the three men blocking his path. The first went down without a sound as Hadji's fist caught him squarely between the eyes. Without hesitation Hadji lashed out at the second, swinging his leg in a swift arc. His foot slammed into the guard's ribcage, and Hadji heard the satisfying crunch of breaking bones as the man collapsed onto the deck. Hadji spun as the third man rushed him, hardly noticing the pain as a fist caught the side of his jaw. Jonny scrambled onto the deck to find Hadji grappling with a burly guard, the bodies of two others lying crumpled on the deck. "Jonny, stop the boat!" Hadji yelled, throwing his attacker violently to the deck. Then he sprang to the helm where the last two men stood at the wheel, hurling himself at the one who had thrown Jessie overboard. Jonny was right behind Hadji, and he lunged at the last man, forcing him to abandon the wheel. They circled each other for a moment before the man charged at Jonny, who jumped out of the way. The man crashed headfirst into the cabin wall as Jonny grabbed the wheel with one hand and cut the power with the other. Click here for the rest of the story!