Untitled-Part 2

        Bryce read Jessie's message with growing concern, by the time he was
done with it, he was mortified.
        How could she have let it get this bad?  No, It wasn't her fault.  
She probably didn't see farther then her parent's love.  She loves
them so 
much.  I wonder if Surd tried a body switch again.  I wouldn't put it
past 
Surd, from what I've heard he could and would do it again.  Is it
possible 
he's broken out of Jessie's cage?  Could he be holding them hostage in
return
for his cyber-freedom?  Oh, I wish I knew, I hope Jessie's OK.
        He immediately sent a reply.


To: Jess@Quest2000.com

From: Bryce@Quest2000.com

Jessie, its Bryce.  I hope you're OK.  We're working on it.  Just hang
in 
there.  Don't worry, we've got in under control.  Just keep talking.

-Bryce


If Bryce new the rest of the team, they'd be squabbling again soon
over the 
best way to get Jessie out of there.  He suddenly felt an overwhelming
sense
of protectiveness.
I'll just have to wait for Travis or Mishelle to take over.  There's
not much
I can do from here.
He remembered the way no one had ever considered him a leader, always
someone
 to follow orders.  He remembered the countless times he'd had to say, 
"Travis, I can tell them my own name."  It was his turn to act.  He
sat down 
at the computer and began typing away.


To: TaiLee@Quest2000.com, Travis@Quest2000.com,
Claudette@Quest2000.com, 
Mishelle@Quest2000.com, Hadji@Quest2000.com, JonnyQ@Quest2000.com

From: Bryce@Quest2000.com

Listen up.  We've got a big problem.  Jessie's parents are being
influenced 
by someone or something.  But that's not the first thing we have to
deal 
with.  You probably got a message from her, but we must get her out of
there.  I have a plan:

Claudette:
You and I will go to Springdale.  They've probably tightened security a 
little bit since Jessie was out.  She'll probably have to leave school 
mid-day and we'll be there with the Questor.

Travis and Tai Lee:
You two will be needed to keep track of  Race and Estella till we can 
regroup.  Don't let them out of your sight.

Hadji and Tai Lee:
You MUST convince Dr. Quest of what is going on.  I don't care if you
have to
 tie him to a post and torture him.  He's got to believe you. 

Jonny and Mishelle:
Your job is to find Surd, Rage, Zin, and any other psychos out to get
us.  
Jonny, this comment is directed towards you, discretion IS the better
part of
valor.  Please, killing yourself won't help Jessie.  To both of you:
Killing
each other won't help either.

Write me again the second you get this message and tell me if you
accept your
part to play.

-Bryce


        Bryce looked back over the message and wondered if it was really him 
writing it.  He had done it in almost a mental stupor, his mind
functioning 
coldly and efficiently devoid of all emotion.  He had read a book
about this
once, by Lloyd Alexander.  It was called The Kestrel, the main
character, 
Theo, had become a bloodthirsty Colonel in order to save his
sweetheart, the 
Queen of the land under attack.  It had stated, "Theo had become just
crazy 
enough to believe he was completely sane."  Bryce decided he was doing
just 
this, slipping into a role that wasn't really his for someone he loved.
        Oh my God, do I LOVE her?  Could I really be doing this for Jessie? 
No, no this was a role I was born to play.  But was it Jessie who
brought me
out of my shell?
        Bryce was still pondering this 5 minutes later while he received, to 
his shock, affirmations from the team.  Aside from a few protests from
Jonny 
and Mishelle: "Why do I have to be with HER," and vice versa; the rest
of the
 team was ready and willing.  He hadn't really thought they would
listen to 
him, he'd always been in the shadows, somewhat.
        Well, here goes nothing.  Kestrel, wherever you are, you've got 
company.
        Bryce began organizing immediately for there rondevous point, his 
mind closed to all but Jessie's rescue.





==
-Kristen