Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing©... Obviously someone else does... hee hee.
Dedication: To all who love Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell with a passion!!! That's me too... *grins*
Author's Note: *gigles* hee hee... I'm going to let you all suffer with the first half of this chapter... of course, you don't have to read the first few halves, I mean you can always cut down to the action scenes which are farther on in the chapter... but otherwise... enjoy!!
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~Silent Courage~
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~Chapter 1~
[A.C. 199]
It was all horrible. The thunder that shook the ground, the lightning that lit up the dark skies for miles and miles, the roar of the wind that gusted to 150 miles per hour, almost knocking everyone and anyone who dared to take a walk.
All around, people who had dared to take that walk were clutching their jackets to their bodies, trying to ward off the wind and the heavy downpour of never-ending rain. There was one girl the age of eighteen and carrying the wrongs of the entire world on her shoulders.
Her name was Relena Peacecraft. Queen of the World to be exact. Relena was out in the rain that cool summer night for one reason - to make sure that one of the senators of ESUN got an extremely important package. Inside the small metal box that was tucked away in the warm yet damp folds of her trenchcoat was important information containing something she herself didn't know about.
It really wasn't up to her to cart this package over to the senator, it was up to some other courier man, but he got held up back at the office of UPS. Relena couldn't help herself from letting out a long, loud stream of flithy curses as a car drove past her quickly, splashing through a large puddle of water, wetting Relena completely, from head to toe.
' This isn't happening to me. I'm at home now, sitting in front of the fireplace trying to warm my feet. I'm not here being splashed by cars as they decide to have a bath! ' Relena thought to herself bitterly as she shook her feet, even though they were already soaking wet, and continued to walk down the sideway, avoiding the glances from people who passed her.
Relena reached up and brushed aside some of her golden bangs that fell in front of her eyes, blocking her view. She blinked a few times and then looked up at a flashing sign that read , ' Barneby's Cafe '. She let out a sigh of relief and then pushed open the door to allow the sweet smell of cinnamon buns topped with icing and strong coffee drift into her nostrils, making her mouth water.
She didn't bother to peel the drenched trenchcoat from her body as she brushed past someone and made her way to the front counter where some burly looking men were sitting, having a beer each. Relena ignored them and then sat down, making sure that she handled the box with care.
The man named Barneby himself stepped up to the counter and eyed Relena before setting his eyes on the metal box that gleamed in the light of the fluorescent lights above the counter.
" What can I get you, ma'am? "
Relena looked up. The man had obviously surprised her, " Um... I'm just here to meet someone by the name of David... David Winkler.... "
Barneby's wrinkled face went pale and Relena knitted her brows together as she slowly stood up, suddenly getting a sickening feeling in the empty pit of her stomach.
" What's the matter? What's wrong? "
Barneby glanced at her before turning his attention upon David Winkler himself, standing directly behind Relena, his arm extended towards her elbow. Relena whirled around and uttered a loud gasp of surprise as she felt David's dark navy blue eyes stare into hers.
" Mr. W-winkler! " Relena exclaimed surprised as she slowly sank down onto the bar stool. " I wasn't going to expect you to m-meet me here.... in this weather too... "
David smiled lightly and then sat down on the barstool beside her, turning it slightly so they were face to face. Barneby swallowed thickly and then quickly backed away from them to disappear into the back of the cafe, in the kitchen. Relena licked her lips and then glanced around the room before setting her gaze on David.
" I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you I was going to be late. I'm sorry I was late, Ms. Peacecraft... " David apologized lightly.
Relena waved a hand in the air, " It's alright, Mr. Winkler. I got a little held back by the storm as well, so there's no need for apologies. Now.... I brought the package that you had ordered... "
David eyed the box and then looked at Relena, " Thank you, Ms. Peacecraft... "
Relena smiled lightly and shook her head, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his arm, " Please... don't call me that. Relena would be just fine... "
David nodded, " Alright.... Relena. May I have it now? "
Relena blinked. She didn't know exactly what he was talking about until she saw his glances at the box beside her elbow. She nodded and chuckled lightly, reaching for the box to hand it to David.
" I'm sorry... I'm just tired with all this work that I've been given. Plus there's that new Terra forming project that I'm working on... "
David nodded and accepted the box from her, his fingers brushing against hers, " It's alright. That's why you have us senators there to help you out with. With your brother dead and all... "
Relena bowed her head and sighed lightly, ' Obviously the ESUN doesn't know that he's still alive and helping me with this project... '
" Relena? Are you... alright? "
Relena blinked and looked up at him, " Um, yes... yes! I'm just fine.... well, since you have your package, I'd better be getting home now. Pagan is probably wondering where I am at this time of night... "
she murmured softly while rising from the stool, clutching the wet trenchcoat to her body as if it would ward off the stares she got from the men in the cafe.David rose as well, the metal box disappearing into his own trenchcoat, " It was a pleasure to get to have this little time with you, Relena. Perhaps we could do it again when you don't have to deliver a pckage to me? " he said lightly, extending a hand to her.
Relena flashed him a soft smile and took the hand, giving it a gentle shake before taking her hand back and turning her back to him as she made her way to the door.
" Perhaps... " she replied softly over her shoulder....
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" Heero! Why do we have to do this? Can't you get Wufei or even Quatre to do it?! Why do we get stuck out in the rain? " Duo Maxwell whined loudly over the claps of thunder that came to life overhead as he followed after his friend towards the Peacecraft mansion in the Sanc Kingdom.
Heero Yuy, ex Wing Zero pilot ignored his friend's pleas as he quickly came up to the side door of the mansion, the door that the servants used to come and go. He glanced over his shoulder, jerking his head to the side to push aside the unruley thicks strands of dark chocolate from his eyes.
Duo crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed his arms, trying to keep them warm from the cool water that fell from the sky above. He sighed heavily and then groaned as he rolled his eyes.
" Remind me to never listen to you when you're raving and ranting about Relena being careless. And another thing! Why don't you ever admit to... liking her? " Duo asked, leaning in towards his friend.
Heero snorted lightly and reached into his back pocket. Pulling out his 9mm pistol, he checked it and made sure that it was fully loaded incase of any 'incidents' that were going to occure. Duo frowned deeply, his deep cobalt blue eyes searching Heero's muscular back for an answer that obviously wasn't going to be given to him anytime soon.
Heero crinkled his nose and then tried to blink the rain that slid into his eyes from his hair. He let out a soft curse as he fell to the ground on a knee, Duo by his side immediately.
" Heero?! What's wrong? What'd you do now? Poke yourself in the eye with your gun... " Duo joked lightly, nudging Heero in the small of his back.
Heero stumbled forward, caught off-guard from Duo's nudge. He steadied himself and then whirled around on his knee to face Duo, the deathglare harsh as usual.
" What the hell is your problem, Duo? "
Duo blinked and crawled a spot back, " N-nothing, Heero! I was just worried that you poked yourself in the eye with your gun. That's all. Did you? "
Heero sighed heavily and then scratched his head as he slowly stood up to make his way over to the door, but a car door slamming shut caused him to crouch low to the ground in the bushes, Duo following his move quickly, crawling towards the bushes to push them aside.
The person who had emerged from the car was Relena Peacecraft herself, thanking the family's personal chaffeur; Sandra before turning to climb up the small flight of stairs in front of the mansion. Duo frowned lightly and glanced at Heero who wasn't watching Relena, but someone else.
" Hey, hey... who are you looking at? Relena just walked into the hou-- "
Heero lifted a hand, telling him to shut up immediately. Duo rolled his eyes and gumbled something about him not being in charge of him.
" Duo, just shut up. We're not alone... come on! " Heero hissed at him as he left the bushes to rush towards the servant's door...
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Relena smiled lightly at Pagan, their personal butler and best, most loyal friend in the whole world as he opened the door for her. He cocked an eyebrow and then chuckled before reaching to take her soaking wet trenchcoat from her as she slipped it off.
" Miss Relena... where have you been? And in this weather? "
Relena flashed him another smile and gently patted his shoulder, " Don't worry about me, Pagan... I was just held back at work a bit. Nothing too serious. What'd I miss while I was gone? " she asked as she brushed past him and made her way over to the front oak table to pick up the day's mail.
Pagan cleared his throat as he walked across the main large hall to dump the trenchcoat into the laundry chute before turning to face Relena, his hands clasped behind his back.
" Miss Noin called a few minutes before you arrived. She says that she and Milliardo are doing fine and that the Terra forming project is coming along nicely..."
Relena frowned as she read the title on the first letter, ' ESUN? What could they possibly want? '
Pagan leaned towards her a bit and frowned, " Is there something the matter, Miss Relena? "
Relena shook her head and slowly turned her back to him as she began to climb the stairs that would lead her to a long hallway where her bedroom was situated.
" Nothing's wrong, Pagan. Don't worry. Since I'm finally home, perhaps if you wanted, you could retire now? I'm sure you had a long day just waiting up for me... " she said over her shoulder, already tearing the top off the letter.
Pagan blinked and then slightly bowed before going the opposite way to his own quarters for the night. Relena tucked the torn top into her pocket and then pulled the letter itself out and brought it up to her face so she could read it.
Dear Miss Relena Peacecraft...
We are dearly sorry to hear about the Terra forming project being a disaster so far. Senator David Winkler sends his deepest regards as well. We hope that you delivered the package to him and for that we thank you if you did so. Onto more important issues of the present and perhaps the future.
New evidence on Heero Yuy's death was just brought into the laboratories down on the L1 Colony. They said they were going to take care of it and that it was to stay underwraps for now until farther notice. There has been a new threat to Earth, the ESUN and to the Colonies. The LXS000923 Colony in the far rim of the solar system has declared war upon on us all.
The message just came through this morning after you left the building from the meeting with the Baron of Transiacte in the far edge of the Sanc Kingdom. The message read that the soldiers of Colony LXS000923 were going to descend upon the five Colonies and then upon Earth in the next week or two....
Relena stopped reading the letter, then ran a hand over her face, groaning slightly. The letter suddenly dropped from her fingertips and landed on the ground by the door as she entered her bedroom and then closed the door behind her. She didn't bother to pick it up, just leaving it there as she began to make her way towards the bathroom, slowly peeling off her blouse and skirt.
" When am I ever going to have a day of rest? Without wars being declared upon us? " she muttered to herself as she quickly reached out in her white silk panties to turn the water on for a shower.
Relena grabbed a robe and wrapped it around her body as she quickly walked out of the bathroom to go pick up the letter laying on the ground by the door. As soon as she bent over to pick it up, it was then she finally realized that it was gone, just suddenly disappeared. Relena frowned deeply and then slowly stood up to lock the door and then make her way to the bathroom that was beginning to grow to the temperatures of a sauna.
The robe slowly slid from her arms and dropped to the floor as she bent down to slid her panties off, letting them fall to the ground on top of the robe. Relena quickly pulled open the shower door and stepped into the steaming hot water with a little gasp of surprise at how hot it had become....
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" You got him? " the deep voice in the walkie talkie hissed in his ear.
Miguel laDemour snorted slightly and then rolled his soft silver eyes in disgust, " Yeah! " he shot back, reaching out to tie the knot of the rope around the old man's wrists tighter.
" No need to get verbally abusive with me, Mig! I was just wondering if you were sticking to the schedule this time. Remember the last assasination? "
Miguel snorted again and then stood up, " No need to remind me, David! " he spat viciously. " I'm perfectly capable of this job... "
David Winkler snorted, " Just remember.... no messes... "
" Yeah... once I get into that damn room, I'm going to be turning off the radio.. "
David could't help but laugh, " yeah, yeah... I know your style... "
Miguel smirked and then shot the old butler laying propped against the wall, a deep gash on the side of his forehead bleeding profoundly, a menacing look before closing the door behind him as he slowly and silently made his way up the stairs towards the room where his next victim was about to made his...
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Relena slowly emerged half an hour after from her shower. She wrapped her robe around her trembling body as she opened the bathroom door and stepped into her bedroom. She glanced around the room and then frowned as she saw the windows on the balcony were wide open, the white transparent silk curtains bellowing wildly in the cool night's wind.
" It's going to rain... " she murmured softly to herself, smelling the rain in the air that flowed into the room as she walked over to the balcony and pushed the doors closed.
After locking them, she slowly turned around, her hair still dripping wet, her robe wrapped loosely around her body. Relena glanced about the room before walking over to her door to open it, for she had heard a sound outside in the hallway.
" Pagan's probably partying again... " she mused lightly, a small smile touching her lips.
Relena opened the door and then blinked as she saw the figure standing there, all dressed in black, the only thing visible were the soft silver eyes that stared at her intently along with the pink scar running from his eyebrow to his cheek, disappearing beneath the hockey mask that he wore on his face.
Relena gasped loudly and then went to slam the door shut and then lock it, but the man shot out a hand, blocking her from shutting it on him. After a few minutes of struggling, the man gave a grunt and pushed it open all the way, throwing Relena back a few feet. She blinked and then went to fix her robe that was beginning to come undone, but a rough hand grasped her wrist, lifting her up into the air effortlessly, and then throwing her onto her own bed, her robe then coming undone and one side laying open, her left creamy breast laying visible to all seeing eyes, including some of the little ebony curls at her womanhood.
The man was on her in an instant, pulling out a gun that looked exactly like Heero's, a 9mm pistol. He pinned her legs with his thighs and her arms by laying one arm across her chest painfully, pushing her down into the bed as he pressed the cold end of the barrel at her left temple, his silver eyes mocking and daring her to scream out for help.
Relena thrashed underneath him, trying to get her arms free or even her legs, but it was too late. The pressure on her chest was suddenly gone as the man reached into the small sack hanging at his waist to pull out thick, rough looking rope. Miguel could've done this with his eyes closed. He knew how and when to do this and now was the time before she got away.
His mission... assasinate the queen of the world.
Relena winced as she felt Miguel's nails dig into her arms as he tied the rough rope around her wrists, tying her arms up above her head to the two posts of her bed. She squirmed and then tried to kick at him with her feet, but he had them pinned to the bed. Miguel slowly slid off of her and stood there by the bedside watching her watch him, her eyes wide and frightened.
" Let me go! " she demanded.
Miguel snorted and then crossed his arms over his head, " And if I don't? What are you going to do then? " he asked, tilting his head to the side.
Relena sneered, " You have to let me go. "
" Sorry... no can do. You're up for assasination and I'm going to get the job done, and done right. "
Relena swallowed. Where was Heero? Where was the rest of the Gundam pilots? Whatever happened to the device that Quatre had given to her explaining that if she pressed the button that they would come running to her aid. Relena tried to sit up, but the rope around her wrists kept her planted to the bed.
" You're going to be sorry you ever tried to do this... "
Miguel cocked a light brow and then chuckled, " Uh huh.... save your rambling for someone who'd want to listen to it, Peacecraft. I have much better things to do then listen to you ramble..... "
Relena sighed heavily, " I'll scream... "
Miguel smirked and crawled onto the bed, laying himself overtop of her body that was half exposed. He looked at Relena and then chuckled again, reaching out to gently trace her cheekbone before slapping her hard in the face. Relena gritted her teeth against the pain that flared to life through the left side of her face. She wiggled her jaw a bit to see if it was alright after her head was thrown to the side from the impact.
" Try me... " Miguel whispered to her, lowering his mouth to her neck.
Relena inhaled deeply and then opened her mouth to let out a loud scream, but Miguel's hand shot up and he clamped it onto her mouth as he pressed his lips to her neck, his tongue darting out past his lips to taste her fresh skin. Relena cringed and then lifted her knee to kick him in the stomach, getting him hard.
Miguel only grunted against her neck before he took his lips back and then pressed them to hers, bringing his hand from her mouth down to her womanhood where he cupped her hard, thrusting his fingers into her core, hard and fast, not caring if he hurt her or not. Relena bucked her hips against his hand and then groaned into his mouth, wincing.
Miguel smirked and then pressed his lips harder to hers, causing her to cry out slightly. Warm tears slowly slid down her cheeks as she felt herself being violated. This wasn't suppose to happen. Why was it happening? Relena turned her head to the side but Miguel wasn't going to let her go, not just yet.
He held her head in place by thrusting his tongue into her mouth, past her defenses which were her clamped lips. Relena felt his tongue press up to hers. She couldn't take it anymore, she wouldn't! She bit down hard on his tongue, causing him to jerk his head back and then look at her, the crimson quickly trickling from the corner of his mouth, trailing down his chin and then falling off to land on Relena's sleek, toned stomach.
Miguel let out a bunch of flithy curses before his eyes went wild as he stared at Relena's horrified expression.
" You're a fiesty little bitch, aren't you? You like it rough obviously... " he spat at her, a bit of crimson stained saliva landing on her cheeks and forehead.
Relena swallowed, " Well... if you had just listened and let me go, then you wouldn't have been injured... " she retorted.
Miguel was about to pounce on her and teach her how to not talk back when he felt something hard being pressed to the back of his head, followed by a deep rich voice that was always able to make Relena's toe curl with content.
" Back away buddy and you won't get hurt... " Heero Yuy grounded through clenched teeth.
Relena closed her eyes in gratitude and then swallowed thickly. Duo eyed Miguel and then rushed over to the bedside, yanking out a large pocketknife from his back pocket as he leaned over Relena to cut her free of her bounds, blushing slightly from the exposure of her body. Relena flashed him a soft smile, feeling her cheeks warm up.
" Great timing you guys... "
Duo smiled, " Don't thank me, thank Heero... he was the one who spotted someone. I was busy doing something else... "
Relena glanced at Heero, then at Miguel's eyes that stared at her, " You really are sick, you know that? " she said standing up from the bed, wrapping her robe around her body.
Miguel's upper lip came up as he sneered in disgust, " You're the sick one, Peacecraft... " he retorted.
Heero snorted and then wacked Miguel on the back of the head with the butt of the gun, " Just shut up! "
Miguel crinkled his nose and then whirled around, ducking as Heero pulled the trigger a few times, letting the bullets fly towards Relena's chest. Duo quickly went into action, shoving Relena to the ground as the bullets whizzed past her ear and embedded themselves into the wall behind them. Miguel rolled to the left, whipping out his own 9mm pistol and aiming it at Heero's head before pulling the trigger and letting them fly.
" Heero! " Relena shouted, crouched down on the ground by her bed with Duo, hands clamped over her ears.
Heero jerked his head to the side, the bullets missing his ear by a centimeter, hearing them whiz past his own ear as he cocked the hammer back swiftly, aimed at Miguel and pulled the trigger hard, letting another few bullets fly. Miguel grunted as he was jerked back, hitting his head on the corner of Relena's nightstand as two bullets entered his left shoulder one on top of the other.
Duo whipped out his own small automatic pistol from his back pocket and aimed it at Miguel who was quickly picking himself up off the ground. Relena backed away from him and then crawled over the bed so she was on the other side and not in the line of fire.
" Alright, buddy! Just give it up and we might just spare your life... " Duo said to him calmly, cocking back the hammer of his gun.
Miguel smirked beneath the mask and then rolled his eyes, strands of copper broze falling out from underneath into his eyes. He sat up and then brought his knees to his chest as he hunched his back into a ball and then used the nightstand for leverage, pushing off swiftly, sending it toppling to the ground after him as he rolled towards Heero.
Duo jumped up into the air, doing a side flip as he reefed on the trigger a few times, a couple of bullets exploding through the air, the target, Miguel's back. Heero cursed and then shoved the butt of his gun into his mouth as he arched his back back and began to backflip his way to safety before suddenly front flipping over Miguel to land on the ground on a knee, yanking out his gun from his mouth and then shooting at Miguel.
Miguel quickly uncurled himself from his ball as he felt the wall crash into his neck. He pulled out two small hand guns from his thigh pockets and pointed one at Duo and the other at Heero, swiftly dodging bullets that were thrown his way from the ex-Gundam pilots.
Heero scowled as he pulled the trigger to be rewarded with an empty click. Relena glanced at him, keeping her eyes on Miguel, trying to figure out who he was and what he really wanted. As soon as she heard the click she bit her lip hard, trying to think. That was when it hit her, she had an extra gun hidden around here somewhere.
The nightstand! But it was toppled over, the drawer non-accessable. Relena frowned and then stuck a hand under her bed, her fingers bumping up immediately against the corner of a box. She yanked it out, making sure to keep track of what was going on as she quickly tried to open the lid and then toss it to the side frantically.
Before her was a deadly assult rifle, silencer, and laser included. Relena quickly reached down to begin putting the pieces together as the shots rang out in front of her and her bed. Heero slowly stood up and glanced over at Duo as he let his last bullet fly, aimed right for Miguel's neck.
Miguel rolled to the left and then stood up as Heero and Duo stood there glaring at him. They were all out of bullets, all but one. Heero threw his gun into the corner, sailing over Relena's head as it popped up from the other side of the bed, the assult rifle laying on her lap, her forefinger fingering the trigger hungrily as she eyed Miguel before standing up quickly, the gun aimed for the middle of his forehead, the light of the laser, blood red as it trained on his head.
Relena closed an eye, aimed and then pulled the trigger...
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Author's Note: Well??? Whatcha think of that action in the ending of chapter 1? *chuckles* I had just gotten home from seeing Tomb Raider and I was really captivated with all those fighting sequences that Angelina Jolie had to do and it really got me thinking. So... there you have it, a fic by Leia Avenrose that isn't all Romance and drama... somewhat Action/Adventure. Well... lemme know what you thought please and if you want to know if she actually is able to hit her target or... someone else... HAHAHAHA.. thanks!
