Hadji watched as his friends stormed in opposite directions after their most recent fight. Jessie had gone up to her room, while Jonny had stomped outside. Inside he felt torn between them. Each needed him right then, taking a deep breath he scaled the stairs to Jessie's room.

Softly he knocked on her door, when she didn't answer he spoke reassuringly not raising his voice too much. "Jessie, it's me, Hadji. May I come in my friend?"

"Yah." Came the muffled reply. Carefully he opened the door, stepped inside and gently shut it behind him. Then he waited, standing in front of the door.

Jessie laid down on her bed with her head face down on her pillow. After a couple of moments she sat up, her red hair cascading over her shoulder. The anger in her eys was so harsh when she looked at him that he almost took a step backward. Catching his mistake he steeled himself against the outburst he was sure to come.

As though someone had ignited a match inside her she exploded. Angry words spilling forth from her mouth. "Don't you dare try to tell me Jonny was right this time, Hadji. He had no right to read my diary like he did. No one has enough reason to invade someone else's privacy without that person's express permission!"

Hadji started to open his mouth when the door to the room swung open, just missing him. Jumping back he watched as Jonny stared at him with a look of betrayal plastered on his face. His face turned red and he was so angry that he sputtered, "How could you Hadj? How could you choose her side over mine?"

"Because he knows that you were wrong!" Jessie shouted from her position on the bed.

The room fell silent as they glared at each other haughtily and Hadji began to wish that Dr. Quest and Race would return from their meeting early.

Clearing his throat Hadji tried to smooth over the situation. "I am taking no one's side, Jonny. I am merely just trying to help my friends…"

"Well maybe we aren't friends anymore, Hadji!" Jonny's hostile eyes swung to him and he felt as if he'd been hit by a truck. Still in a rage Jonny spun on his heel and marched away.

"That goes for me too! Someday Hadji you're gonna have to choose between me and him. Now get out of my room!"

Not wanting to fight, Hadji moved mechanically out of the room and as he turned to try once again to rectify the situation he found the door slammed in his face. He stepped back in shock. His body felt like lead and his mind was numb. Suddenly, very tired he went back down the stairs to the kitchen. Seeing the pile of dirty dishes in the sink he absently began washing them, needing something to keep his hands busy.

When finished he went into the den and sat woodenly on the sofa. He wasn't exactly sure how long he sat like that but he suddenly found himself starring into Dr. Quest's worried face. "Hadji?"

He blinked, "Dr. Quest, what are you doing home so early?"
Dr. Quest's eyebrow arched, "Hadji it's nearly 10:30 at night."
"Well I checked on Jonny and Ponchita and they're both sound asleep." Race said as he strolled up beside the doctor. When he took in Hadji's uncharacteristically pale face he sat down next to him on the sofa. "What's wrong?"

Feeling trapped Hadji stood and moved to the fire place before turning back to them." Nothing is wrong Race. Jonny and Jessie had a minor disagreement earlier tonight, they went to their individual rooms shortly after and I believe they stayed their until now."

"Well no offense Hadji but when we first came home you didn't even notice, so I doubt you would have noticed if they had bombed each other with Nuclear Weapons!" Race chuckled but quickly stopped when he saw Hadji bow his head in embarrassment. "Ah, kid I was just joking."

Had iled weakly. "I realize that, Race. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go to bed, it's been a long day."

"Sure, and in the morning we'll talk about whatever it is that's bothering you…"

"Nothing is bothering me!" Even as it came out Hadji knew it was much too quick and way too defensive.

Dr. Quest stood and put a calming hand on Hadji's shoulder. "Alright, son. We trust you to do what's best. Just remember that you can always talk to us if you need to."

Hadji nodded curtly, smiled shakily, and nearly ran from the den to his room. Safe in the confines of his room he laid on his bed, emotions churning inside at a pace that made him feel sick. For some strange reason the angry words his friends uttered kept echoing in his mind.

That might sleep didn't come easily to him. Tossing and turning he finally decided to give up and start the day early at 4:00. He stepped lightly as he made his way down the stairs not wanting to wake anyone. With the movements of a cat he opened the outside door and stepped out into the cool night air.

Not really having a set destination he began walking and soon found himself at the highway. At first he just stood stiffly in one place, then he shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs. He felt like he had just woken up from a coma. "What is wrong with me?" Even to his own ears he sounded dazed and bewildered.

Turning on his heel he started back but he hadn't gone ten feet before a wave of dizziness hit him and he had to grab onto a tree to keep his balance. The rough bark scraped his palm and beads of blood formed in the tiny cuts. Taking a deep breath he waited until his head cleared before he headed back to the Quest Compound.

-----------------------------

"How is the machine working, Julia?" Surd asked from the confines of his chair.

"Fine darling. Everything is going according to plan." She smiled at him lovingly from her place at the computer.

"Good. Then, after Hadji Singh has been altered through our brain wave modulator her will do the job of destroying the Quests and Bannon for me!" He laughed joyfully at the thought.

-------------------------

Hadji made it back to the house and was relieved to find it was only 5:00 in the morning. Quietly he went to his room and just made it to his bed before he went unconscious from exhaustion.

He felt someone shaking him violently but he couldn't seem to open his eyes. Putting all of his energy into one last effort he managed to force them apart. Blankly he stared up into Race's frowning face.

"Hadji? Are you awake?"

He tried to speak but his mouth was dry so he just nodded instead. Instinctively he glanced at the time on his alarm clock and blinked. It said it was 2:30 in the afternoon. Immediately he tried to sit up and regretted the action as pain flashed behind his eyes. A groan slipped from his lips and he fell heavily against his pillow.

Race's frown deepened. "When you didn't wake up this morning Dr.Quest said to let you sleep in. He left with Jonny and Jessie, something about school and asked if I'd stay with you. I came up to check on you and you were screaming and tossing and turning like a dog with it's tail caught on fire."

"Must have been a bad dream…" Hadji mumbled.

"You don't look so good, kid. Maybe I should take you to the doctor in town."

With a supreme effort Hadji sat up and smiled at Race, "There is no need, I am fine."

Race didn't seem convinced but he backed off. "You sure?"

"Yes Race, I am sure."

Reluctantly Race nodded and stood up. But he turned back to him before leaving. "If you aren't feeling well you should let Benton know as soon as he gets back."

Realizing, through his foggy thought process, that what Race was saying was logical Hadji nodded his head slowly without looking directly at Jessie's father. "I will. I promise."

Race grunted in satisfaction and left the room shutting the door behind him. Getting up Hadji took a shower and dressed in a pair of black jeans, a white T-shirt and his turban. When he started downstairs he was feeling much better. He was halfway down the stairs when the door flew open and Jonny and Jessie came in arguing.

Pain hit him as pictures flashed in his mind so fast he couldn't tell what they were but an unexplainable anger boiled up inside him. Loosing his balance he fell the rest of the way down the staircase. He started to get up but he felt a gentle, strong hand try to restrain his movement. Giving into the anger he struck out a fist and connected with a firm jaw, "Get off of me!" He didn't just say it, he screamed it. Feeling the weight of the other person back off he stood and prepared to fight but as soon as the anger had come it vanished and he was left weak from the emotional roller coaster he'd just experienced. He caught sight of Race's bleeding face, his adoptive father's astonishment and his friend's shock before his eyes rolled back into his head and he met the ground with a thud.

---------------------

Jonny moved quickly to his fallen friend's side, Jessie a step behind him. "Hadji? Hadji can you hear me?" He exchanged a quick look with Jessie across from him.

Both of them turned back to Hadji at the moan that came from him. Slowly his eyes fluttered open but to Jonny they appeared glazed over, "Hadji? Are you hurt?"

"Is he hurt? My god, I think the boy broke my jaw or he came pretty close to it!" Race grumbled as he rubbed his jaw but despite his complaint he moved next to Dr. Quest to get a better look at him.

Hadji blinked and sat up, shaking his head. "I am sorry Race. I am unsure of why I did that."

Race shrugged. "It's okay but maybe now would be a good time to tell Benton about how you've been feeling lately."

Just like a switch had been flicked on Hadji glared at him. "I'm fine and if you think that an @$$**** like you can…" His eyes widdened and he stopped, a split second of fear flashed across his face before his pleading gaze fell on Dr. Quest. "I am not myself am I? Yet I can not fathom what has gotten into me."

--------------------------

Dr. Ques ched his perplexed son with new founded alarm. In all the years that he had known Hadji he hadn't so much as seen him raise his voice at anyone, let alone punch someone. Especially someone he respected and admired like Race.

For the first time since Hadji had come to live with them he pulled his adoptive son into a hug, to which Hadji neither fought against nor returned. Then just like that, Hadji was crying uncontrollably, almost like someone was playing with his emotions.

A quick look at Jonny and Jessie told him exactly what he knew they were thinking. Hadji had always been an emotional anchor to the both of them, always staying neutral in their constant bickering and constantly keeping them out of trouble and providing a logical, if not intelligent, explanation for things. They, much like himself, were unused to and ill prepared for an emotional explosion, such as the one he was experiencing.

Dr. Quest held his seventeen-year-old tightly as he cried himself to sleep then as gently as if he were a baby he carried him to his room.

-----------------------

Surd laughed as he watched the scene from his hidden camera in the Quest compound. He had truly enjoyed it when the Singh boy had hit Bannon, his only true regret was that it had ended so soon. Given time Hadji would be under his complete control. Then Bannon and the Quest's would pay.

-----------------------

"Dad, is Hadj going to be all right?" Jonny asked as soon as Dr. Quest came out of Hadji's bedroom.

Dr. Quest regarded his son with a slight frown. "I don't know Jonny. At the moment I'm not even sure what's wrong with him."
"Well is there some way we could use Quest World to figure it out? I mean, remember when Hadji showed us the astral plain. If he could show us that maybe he could show us what's wrong." Jessie said

Jonny beamed at her, "That's a great idea Jessie. Let's get Hadji and…"

"Now hold on Jonny. First, Hadji gets some sleep and then you three, Race and I will work on the problem in Quest World together. Understood?"

"Yes, dad."

"Sure Dr. Quest."

"Good. Now if you two want to stay with Hadji while he rests, that will be fine as long as you don't disturb him."

"Sure, dad."

---------------------------

Hadji woke up about five hours later, at his bed side Jessie and Jonny had both pulled up chairs and made themselves comfortable, so comfortable they'd fallen asleep. At first he just lay watching them with a smile on his face but soon his smile turned sinister.

Glaring at Jonny's blond head he wondered what it would be like to wrap his hands around his neck and squeeze until there was no life left in him or until the bones in his neck snapped.

Hadji shook himself and slide back into the corner where the head of his bed met the wall. Grabbing his pillow he hugged his knees to his chest. His dark, volumous hair swirled around him creating a curtain between him and the outside world. Desperately he tried to figure out a way of finding exactly what was wrong with him. Meditation didn't seem to help and Dr. Quest didn't seem to understand what was happening, and then it hit him, Quest World.

In Quest World he might have some time to at least try and take a logical look at the entire problem. Only, it wasn't safe to go in alone, he should ask one of his friends but remembering his earlier dark thoughts he decided it wouldn't be safe for them to come.

His mind made up, Hadji snuck out of his room not bothering with his turban. He got to the room where they kept Quest World rather easily. His long, graceful fingers flew over the keys of the computer than grabbing the log in device he sat in the chair and clipped it to his ear. "Subject Hadji Singh, going hot!"

Suddenly he was in the neon grid of Quest World. "Iris. Could you show me what is effecting my mind?"

"Iris doesn't need to, Hadji. You see I'm the person who is altering your brain waves."

Hadji spun on his heel to some face to face with a dark computer image. Not able to keep destaste from tainting his voice Hadji spoke the man's dreaded name. "Surd."

------------------------

"Well, why on Earth would Hadji log into Quest World alone, he's always warning us about how dangerous it is." Jessie groaned as she watched the Quest World Screen with Jonny. Neither of their parents knew about this yet and she didn't want them to find out.

Quickly she slide into the chair at the computer and tried to log Hadji out but without success. "Surd has a lock on Hadji, I can't get him out."

"Then someone is just going to have to go in and get him out!" Before Jessie could protest he had put on his headpiece and taken his place in the chair next to Hadji. "Subject Jonny Quest, going hot!"

Grumbling to herself Jessie set about trying to over-ride Surd's command's.

------------------------

"Well, well Singh. Your fool friend has decided to play the Lone Ranger." Surd laughed but his laughter couldn't extinguish the hope that flammed around Hadji's heart.

"You aren't going to win Surd!" Jonny said through clenched teeth.

Surd laughed again. "Ah, but this time I don't have to fight you, Jonny Quest. I have Hadji to do it for me."

Jonny watched as his friend's dark eyes turned bright red and he moved between him and Surd like a bodyguard. Surd smiled sweatly at Jonny. "Attack!"

Like a bullet Hadji shot forward hitting Jonny in the chest with a flying tackle. The air in Jonny's lungs rushed out and he was left gasping for air. Hadji was about to send a fist into his face but Jonny managed to get his arm up to block it. Using his legs he was able to throw Hadji off him and get up. "Hadji, listen to me. This isn't you, you're not a fighter! Heck you don't even believe in violence!"

For a moment Jonny saw the red color in his eyes flicker back to brown but just as quickly it was gone. His friend's usually smooth, calm face was contorted in an angry sneer. "Hadji, you have to fight this! We' re brothers, Hadj. Dr. Quest is our father, Race is our friend and Jessie is our best friend. We've grown up together and not once have you ever purposely hit me. What would Neela, your mother, think? What would your people think?"

Hadji seemed to freeze in mid stride.

"No! Destroy him, Hadji. You are mine to command, you must obey me!" Surd screamed.

Hadji was fighting an internal battle but he still managed to look Surd in the eye, "Never!"

Enraged Surd started toward them, a double-headed axe appearing suddenly in his hand, just before reaching them though, he disappeared.

Hadji collapsed, his whole body convulsing violently. But before Jonny was able to get to his side, he was pulled out of Quest World.

-------------------------

Dr. Quest had arrived to find a dangerous situation in the main Quest World access terminal. Immediately he took over from Jessie, just managing to lock Surd out as he charged and then quickly bringing both of his sons out, hoping that it wasn't already to late.

Jonny came out of Quest World yelling. "Jessie what on Earth are you… Oh, uh, hi dad."

A groan came from the other chair and all else was forgotten as they gathered around Hadji's prone body. Slowly his eyes came open and Dr. Quest silently cheered as he looked at each of them with his normal intellectual, calm gaze. With a weak smile his adopted son turned to him, dark eyes meeting hazel. "I believe the Demo has been vanquished but I also believe that the vanquisher needs a much needed rest."