Title: A Father's Quest, part 1
Disclaimer: *German accent* I own nutzing!
Archivers: Have at thee!!
Category: Um...Fam, I guess. Some HR to come, but I'm not telling who
        yet.

       The black-haired young woman took several deep, calming
breathes as she looked at the building in front of her. This was it.
Once she knocked on that door, there was no turning back. Stepping up
the porch, she raised her fist to knock when the door suddenly swung
open.
      "Hello," said a blonde teenager with sparkling blue
eyes. "Can I help you?" The woman just stood there in shock
for a moment before she found her voice.
      "How did-" she started, but the boy cut her off.
      "We have a very advanced security system," he
explained. "You're presence on the compound was actually
detected about 10 minutes ago, when you first drove through the
gates. So, like I said, can I help you?" Blinking a few times,
the young woman then cleared her throat as she attempted to gather
her scattered thoughts.
      "Ah, yes. I'm here to see Doctor Benton Demitri Quest. Is he
in?" she asked. For a moment, the boy just stared at her.
Finally, when he'd apparently deemed her either worthy or safe,
he leaned back and shouted,
      "Hey, Dad! The visitor's for you!" The woman breathed a
sigh of relief, then smiled shyly when the boy gave her a funny look.
After a few seconds, a distinguished looking man with brown hair,
eyes, and beard came up behind the blonde and placed a hand on his
shoulder. He smiled down at his son who smiled in return and took off
to do whatever he he'd been doing before he'd answered the
door, then the man turned his smile to the woman.
      "Can I help you, Miss...?" he asked, searching for the name
she had yet to offer. Blushing, she cleared her throat.
      "How rude of me. I completely forgot to introduce myself.
I'm Lindey, and I'm here on behalf of…someone from your
childhood," she said, uncertain of how to approach the subject.
Benton quirked an eyebrow at her, then stepped to the side of the
doorway.
      "Please, come in, Miss Lindey. We can continue this
conversation in the living room," he waved her through the
hallway and into the room where a man was sitting in a recliner and
reading a newspaper. "Have a seat anywhere you like," Benton
said and Lindey smiled her thanks before sitting in the middle of a
couch pushed against some curtained windows. Benton sat down in a
cushioned armchair across from the couch. The man sitting in the
recliner had folded up his paper upon hearing Benton speak and was
now sitting forward in his seat. "Miss Lindey-"
      "Please," she interrupted," call me Lindey." Benton
smiled.
      "Alright. Lindey, this is Race Bannon, my family's
bodyguard. The boy you met at the door was my son, Jonny," Benton
said by way of introductions. Race had dipped his head in greeting
when Benton introduced him. "Race, this is Lindey."
      "Pleasure to meet you, Ma'am," Race said in his slow
Texan drawl. "To what do we owe this visit?"
      "Lindey says she's here on behalf of someone from my
childhood," Benton answered for her. Smiling brightly, Benton
gave Lindey a look of curiosity before saying, "I must say, I am
quite intrigued as to who this mystery friend might be." Lindey
gulped, her mouth feeling suddenly dry. She looked at the floor and
took a few more calming breathes before meeting Benton's gaze.
      "I'm here," she said, "on behalf of Demitri Nicolai
Quest...your father." Jonny and two other teens, who had just
entered from the kitchen, watched in confusion as an anger they had
never seen before descended over Benton's face. His eyes were
cold as they bore into Lindey's.
      "Get out," Benton said in a deadly calm. Sitting up
straight, Lindey tried not to back down.
      "Please, here me out-" She was cut short when Benton slammed
a fist into the arm of his chair.
      "Get. Out," he said through gritted teeth. Her cheeks
burning red, Lindey stood up as straight as possible.
      "No, not until we talk this through," she said with a
resolve she only half felt. Benton stood up in turn, as did Race who
was worried about his friend but unsure of what to do.
      "Miss," began Benton, "as far as I'm concerned, this
conversation never happened. You will leave now and never bring that
name to this house again."
      "Dad," Jonny piped up, "what's wrong? Who're you
guys talking about?"
      "No one, Jonny. Just some heartless old man. And Miss Lindey
here was just leaving. Please show her to the door," Benton said
while glaring at Lindey. Stepping up to Benton, Lindey argued,
      "No, I am NOT leaving! Not until you listen to what I have to
say. And you will watch what you say about my father!" She had
shouted that last part; but as the house stood there shocked, she
felt the color drain from her face. She wasn't supposed to say
that yet. Lindey watched as several emotions crossed Benton's
face, not the least of which being shock and confusion. Finally his
face settled on shock coupled with some unnamable emotion. Sitting
down with a thud, Benton looked up at her, his eyes wide in his white
face, and said weakly,
      "For the last time, get out of my house." Looking around at
the people staring at her, she nodded slowly and walked to the door.
She opened the door and turned around one more time before she left.
      "But I'm coming back, Benton," she said down the
hallway. "We will talk about this." With that said, Lindey
Quest walked out of the compound and drove away.

tbc...

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I hope this is good for a start. Ya'll let me know what you think, ok?
Later!

~JQDreamweaver