Disclaimer: of the following only the plot belongs solely to me.

The Adventure

Chapter 1:

The Immortal Stone

The dull sound of a pickaxe hitting dirt was the only sound that could be heard in the small archeological dig site. Only a handful of the archaeologists assembled for this particular dig were actually there, the rest had returned to shadier conditions beneath pitched tents in an effort to avoid a heat stroke. The air was warm and uncomfortable, a result of another drought going through the region. It made for intolerable working conditions, but most people put this concern off as something that came with the territory of being an archaeologist.

This particular site, located deep within the heart of Bangalore, had been an ongoing dig for three months now. The Sultan of the nation of Bangalore had asked for archaeologists to come and preserve what was supposed to be the area in which the old palace had been built several centuries before. The process was a slow going one as it turned out that the old palace was rather large in size and buried beneath hard, crusty dirt. It was the job of the archeologists to be as careful as possible when digging up the old palace so as not to break any priceless artifacts they may find. None of this changed the fact that it was the worst time of year to be attempting such a grand scale recovery effort of great historical importance.

As the sound of the pickaxe faded into a lulling background noise a sudden clang of metal upon metal perked the ears of the young archaeologists working in the proximity. The woman who had been using the pickaxe blinked in surprise as she peered down at the hole she had been working in. A small squeal of delight flew from her lips as she dropped the pickaxe and began digging with her bare hands. She scraped soft dirt away to slowly unveil a small metal chest, one that seemed very much out of place in a country like Bangalore.

"What is it?" questioned another archeologist, craning his neck to peer at the object as the woman pulled the small metal chest out of the ground. It was no bigger than a shoe box, and there was even a small lock on the front of it.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't look like this was made in Bangalore. It doesn't match up with any of the other artifacts we've discovered thus far. Look at it—this chest reminds me of something a little more European…I'd say around the eighteenth or nineteenth century."

"Then how the hell did it wind up here?"

The woman shrugged. "We better get Dr. Lin here to look at it."

With a nod the male archeologist took off to find the said professional. Ten minutes later he returned with an Asian woman hot on his heels, pure interest evident in her almond colored eyes. "I hear you've found something odd," murmured Dr. Lin as she approached the treasure finder.

"Take a look. It isn't from Bangalore."

Dr. Lin's eyebrows knit together as she knelt down beside the metal chest, her fingertips grazing the casing. It was cool to the touch, possibly because of its recent burial deep in the earth away from the rays of the blazing sun above. She made a fist and rapped her knuckle against the chest, nodding at the sound that echoed back. There was something inside the chest as the sound hadn't been high enough to make it hollow.

"Hand me that pickaxe, would you?" she queried the other woman, indicating the tool that had been deposited a while ago. The pickaxe was taken from the ground and handed to Dr. Lin who gripped the handle tightly in her hands. Archaeology was her life, and as a woman who had gotten her doctoral degree in this subject she knew what she was about to do went against all the books; but at the same time she had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that whatever had been hidden in this chest not so very long ago had meant to be hidden for all eternity.

The Asian woman brought the pickaxe down on the lock of the chest, breaking it open instantaneously. She handed the pickaxe to a nearby aide as she bent back down beside the metal contraption. With hesitant fingertips she slowly opened the lid of the chest to reveal a blood red ruby about the size of an acorn.

Dr. Lin squinted at the tiny artifact as the sun shone down on it. The feeling in her stomach was getting worse now, and even more so as she reached her hand down to pick up the ruby. Her eyes widened in surprise as the ruby burned the palm of her hand, causing her to drop it back into the metal chest. Almond eyes studied the fast growing welt on her palm before returning to the ruby.

"Somebody call for the Sultan. He needs to see this right away."

On the Other Side of the World:

Rockport, Maine

Rockport High School

"Jonny, we are so going to get busted for this," hissed Jessie Bannon darkly. Her green eyes narrowed at her blonde companion as he seemingly waved off her concern.

"Relax, Jess. We're Seniors now, remember? We're supposed to do this kind of thing—it's tradition," replied Jonny Quest with a grin.

"Since when have you ever followed tradition?"

Jonny glanced up in Jessie's direction, squinting as the sunlight hit him. "Uh…since today?" He shrugged before returning his attention to the tires of a very new convertible. At the moment the teen was busy taking the wheels off the convertible so as to complete the prank he had thought up during his history test after finishing it in record time. Sometimes it was nice to have a background rich with world travel and impromptu history lessons. "You shouldn't worry so much. We're not going to get caught. I have this one all planned out."

"Uh-huh, somehow that does little to comfort me. Do you know what my dad threatened to do to me if I got in trouble with the Principal again? He threatened to send me to a convent! A convent, Jonny! Do you know what they do to girls like me there?"

"Dress you up real cute?"

Jessie's face darkened some more. "Oh, you're a funny man, Jonathan Quest. Real funny."

Jonny rolled his eyes, glad that his back was turned so the red headed girl wouldn't see his reaction to her. Of late he and Jessie had gotten into quite a bit of trouble with their high school principal, earning the ire of Jessie's father Roger 'Race' Bannon. He had no doubts that Race would send Jessie to a convent if she put another toe out of line, but Jonny also knew that she couldn't resist having some fun. In all honesty Jonny suspected that Jessie was just upset he had thought up a new prank first.

Clearing his throat, Jonny said, "Look, I promise to keep you out of the convent, okay? I've got your back, Jessie, you have nothing to worry about." Another grin lit up his face as he pulled the last tire off the convertible. Mr. Harmon was going to flip when he found his car later that afternoon with no tires—and he was going to scream when he finally realized where his tires had been placed. After reaching the ripe age of forty the principal of Rockport High School, Mr. Wayne Harmon, had found love after his fourth failed marriage—in a car; and it was that car Jonny was going to mess around with to put Mr. Harmon back into therapy. This had nothing to do with the vendetta the man seemed to have against Jonny for being so bright for his age and showing the older man up every chance he got. Jonny had yet to realize that pointing out how uncultured Mr. Harmon was to his colleagues was not the right way to go about making friends with him.

"You better keep me out of that convent. I can't handle another phone call to my mom asking her to yell at dad for being unreasonable. I swear to Dios he lost his mind the day I turned sixteen," muttered Jessie with a shake of her head. Jonny nodded along in agreement, shoving two of the tires in her direction to roll behind him as he rolled the other two over to the flag pole.

"Just think, by the time you find yourself a real boyfriend he'll be completely insane and won't be able to show off his gun collection anymore."

Jessie scowled at the thought, thinking back on the last date she had gone on. It had been her first with that particular guy, and her last. Race had taken the poor teen on a twenty minute tour of his study which housed his infamous gun collection. The red head forced those thoughts out of her mind as she halted the two tires in her possession in front of the flag pole. Her mind was already formulating what exactly Jonny was up to, and even though she knew it would end with them in trouble, because with Jonny that was how it always ended, she was actually quite proud of him for coming up with this particular plan on his own.

"I do hope you've got a hover board lying around here somewhere, because there's no way in hell I'm tossing tires up at you once you get to the top of that pole."

"Ah Jess, you've got to have a little more faith in me than that. Of course I have a hover board on campus." Jonny shot Jessie a wink as he walked over to a large bush and leaned into the scraggly branches. When he was standing upright again, with leaves and twigs attached to the front of his shirt a rather worn looking hover board was in his arms. Jessie shook her head but knew better than to say anything. She wasn't the least bit surprised by this since Jonny liked to show off the gadgets that no one else seemed to own but him.

Jonny turned the hover board on, placing it in the air about a foot off the ground before stepping on board. He motioned for Jessie to hand him two of the tires so that he could bring them to the top of the flagpole. Jessie watched Jonny carefully as he maneuvered the tires up and over the pole, her eyes not following the tires as the slid to the ground noisily. She was more concerned about Jonny's safety so far off the ground. It was a habit of hers since she considered herself the only person in the world capable of protecting Jonny from himself, as well as the only person who could get him out of trouble.

She picked up the last two tires on the ground and handed them to Jonny as he returned to pick them up and bring them to the top of the flagpole where he promptly tossed them down the pole. This time around Jessie allowed her eyes to go along with the tires as they slid down, just as the front door of the high school opened up with a bang.

"Aha!" shouted Mr. Harmon startling both teens. Jessie's eyes widened as Jonny lost his balance in his surprise and had to grab hold of the pole as the hover board crashed to the ground. With a groan the blonde teen slid down the pole as Mr. Harmon made his way over to him and Jessie. The principal looked both angry and triumphant as he pointed an accusing finger at Jonny.

"I knew you weren't in the library, Mr. Quest! You don't even know where the library is—you're always going on about the extensive database you have access to at your home! Every time I check in on you you're up to no good. Why do you think that is, Mr. Quest?"

"Bad timing?" queried Jonny as he scratched the back of his head.

Jessie snickered, earning a glare from Mr. Harmon. "And you, Ms. Bannon! Why is it that every time Jonny gets in trouble you're right there beside him pretending to act innocent?"

"Now wait just a second there, Mr. Harmon," replied Jessie with a small frown. "I usually am innocent. It's Jonny who concocts all these half-baked ideas! If it were me you know your convertible would be long gone by now."

"Uh-huh. Come along you two, it's time I had a little chat with your fathers about your antics here in my school." Mr. Harmon motioned for Jonny and Jessie to follow him as he turned on his heels, dutifully ignoring the fact that his tires were lying around the base of the flagpole rather than on his car. There would be time to remedy that problem before the end of the day. His first order of business was to deal with the two teens that had quickly become the bane of his existence since he had first laid eyes on them four years ago. Naturally his order for the teens to follow him was heeded, though in a more vocal manner than Mr. Harmon would have liked.

"C'mon now, Mr. Harmon, can't you give us a break this time around? I swear I can get your tires back on your car before anyone sees where they are right now—just don't call my dad. He's busy this time of year working on publications for some journals. He won't appreciate being interrupted," pleaded Jonny with genuine fear written across his face. The last time Benton Quest had been interrupted in the midst of editing an article of his he had been less than pleased with Jonny, if the four month grounding had been any indication.

Jessie nodded along eagerly, piping in her own plea. "Have a heart, Mr. Harmon. My dad's threatening to send me to a convent this time—I can't go to a convent! I don't do well being locked up. Trust me, I was born to be outdoors, not indoors. A convent would kill me!"

"Then the two of you should have thought of that before you embarked on your latest escapade," returned Mr. Harmon coolly. He was relishing the sudden power he had over Jonny and Jessie. It was a rare occurrence to see them trying to squirm out of yet another grounding and detention.

Noticing that their words were falling on deaf ears Jonny and Jessie slowed their stride as they approached the front doors. Jonny tried to give Jessie an encouraging smile as if to say things were fine, but it was quite apparent the red head wasn't buying it.

Back on the Other Side of the Globe:

Bangalore

Old Palace Archaeological Dig Site

The Sultan of Bangalore strode across the dusty earth with hurried steps. He had been reading through some land reform proposals when he had gotten word that an odd discovery had been made at the Old Palace archaeological dig site. The rumors reaching his ears, and that of every other dignified member of his cabinet, mentioned a rather modern like chest with an untouchable gem hidden inside it.

Hadji Singh rubbed his forehead wearily, his eyes glancing upwards in the direction of the sun. it was times like these that he wasn't sure whether to consider his position as Sultan a gift or a curse. When he had agreed to return to Bangalore and accept his birthright Hadji had hoped he would be able to do some good for his people, but the last few years had taught him that running a country was not as easy as it should be. Bangalore was poor and in desperate need of a lift to their economy. Concerned that poverty would reach an all new high Hadji had agreed to open his country to archaeologists in order to find rare artifacts that could perhaps help bring in some more revenue and publicity.

However, this metal chest and gem did not feel like the answer to his prayers. Yes, the gem may bring in more tourism, but if no answers could be found for a modern chest in an ancient dig site then Hadji was afraid he would be facing more problems than solutions.

"Dr. Lin is this way, Rajah."

Nodding, Hadji followed the young aide over to where Dr. Lin had taken refuge from the heat. She was currently seated beneath a canvass tarp, the metal chest placed atop a worktable with a magnifying glass positioned over it. she stood the moment Hadji came into view.

"Rajah, I'm so glad you came," she murmured extending her hand to greet Hadji. The younger man nodded, taking Dr. Lin's hand at the same time as glancing through the magnifying glass to see the gem all the hubbub was being made about.

"Is this it?" he questioned curiously. "It's a fine ruby. Is it real?"

"As far as I can tell it's real, but I haven't been able to really scrutinize it. There's something odd about this ruby, Hadji. It burned me when I tried to pick it up. I've only ever heard one story about a gem that could burn people."

Looking at the ruby now Hadji could feel sweat beading up on his brow, and he knew the heat had nothing to do with it. "The Immortal Stone," he murmured almost reverently. "You think this is it?"

"Legends tell of a rare stone that could only be handled by a virgin of pure heart. It is believed that should it be held by this person, and should it touch a drop of their blood the red color of the ruby will fade away into the veins of the virgin as the blood of the virgin flows into the stone, making that person immortal. A person may fuse their blood with that of the person channeling immortality, but it would result in the immediate death of the virgin. The ultimate sacrifice; but—"

"Should anyone other than a virgin of pure heart touch the stone they will be rejected—a marking left on the palm of their hands to show they are unworthy of immortality," finished Hadji just as softly. He straightened up, his eyes going over to Dr. Lin. "If this is indeed the gem you think it is then I believe trouble has come knocking on my door, Grace."

Grace Lin nodded in understanding. "That's why I called you here directly, Hadji. I'm not certain this is the Immortal Stone, but if it is we've just uncovered the rarest treasure of them all. If it isn't…well…I don't know what to say."

"You are certain that this could be the legendary gem?" Hadji prodded gently, his eyes reflecting the concern he held within him. He had heard too many stories of the Immortal Stone, though through different variations depending on the culture. In his gut he already knew the answer. He had known it the moment he had heard of it in his study.

For a reply Grace extended her arm towards Hadji, palm facing up. There the Sultan could see the red markings of a burn fading away. It was all the answer he needed. Clearing his throat he asked, "I believe we will need an expert on Phenomenology to take a look at this for us."

"There's only one man that comes to mind," agreed Grace.

"I know."

"Should you call, or I?"

REVISED: July 5, 2007