I wrote this on a whim. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I don't know about now though. I think I made it too long. It is chaptered and I promise I will finish this one. ///_^ I don't own Gundam Wing, but we all know that... Enjoy and don't forget to review! ^_^v
Peace. The word rang through her shattered mind and drove itself deep inside her. It was like a poison, slowly and surely working it's way deeper and deeper until it made her want to scream out in pain and torment. Everything she had worked so hard to create, so hard to keep going was now over and done with. Ever since she had been kidnapped she had worried about the peace and it was all for nothing. Relena looked around at her would be rescuers and smiled at their battered faces. They looked so peaceful when they slept, almost as if nothing was going on, as if they could lead normal lives for a change. Duo and Quatre had been thrown in, beaten and whipped, three days after her disappearance. The youths had been trying to rescue her when seven drunk officers, on their way back from the bar, had found them planting explosives and hacking into the computer system. Taken aback from the surprise visit the teens found themselves overpowered and caught. Duo whimpered on his sleep.
It was a shame really. These boys, children really, trained to be men and thrown into a thoughtless massacre and expected to fight and kill other humans. Humans with families and children, husbands and wives. Yes, it was in the name of peace and it was for the good of mankind, but to kill mindlessly and mercilessly for the sake of peace? The word held no meaning for Relena now. As long as mankind existed there would be war and no matter how large or bloody it was, it would not scare or shame people into not having battles anymore. Relena hung her head and wept, ashamed for everyone.
"Miss Relena?" Putting an arm around her quivering shoulders Quatre continued. "Please, Miss Relena, tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing Quatre, really. It's just..." She trailed off as she heard the guards tramping down the hall.
"You there!" One shouted. "Peacecraft! It's time for more questioning! Get up!"
"Wha...t?" Duo questioned groggily and then caught on. "Hey wait! Take me ya idiot! Leave her alone!" He leaned over to Relena. "Don't worry," he whispered. "And besides, Heero would kill me if I let anything happen to you. Umph!" He was pulled roughly to his feet by the end of his braid and dragged out of the cell, still flashing Relena and Quatre his trademark grin. That however, wasn't going to last much longer.
He was dragged down the hall by his hair shouting obsenities and finally strapped to a chair in a small white room with only a light bulb casting a pathetic light. A young female officer glared at him with icy Aquamarine eyes.
"You. 02? I believe that is what Commander Osano told me to call you. Unless...you have another preference?" The officer smiled coldly at Duo and leaned in close to his face.
"Duo." The braided youth snarled and spit into her face. "You, scum, can call me Duo."
"Very well then, Duo, if that is how you want to play this little game so it shall be. I am Lady Hasegawa." She then wiped the spit off her face and snapped her fingers. A huge man dressed in a black outfit materialized out of the shadows and punched Duo, hard, in the stomach. Duo was sure he'd head something crack but was determined not to cry out. A small stream of blood trickled from his mouth and his head swam but he still kept up his nonchalant facade.
"Was that the best you could manage buddy? I barely felt a thing!" The man leaned back for another punch but was stopped by a wave of Lady Hasegawa's hand.
"That was enough for now. We need to save a little spunk for the questioning. Now, tell me Duo, where are the rest of your Gundam pilot friends, hmm? Do tell me the answer. I'm, well, dying to know; or rather you are." She allowed herself a small chuckle of amusement at her pathetic joke.
"I'll never tell you where the others are! Rot in-" He was cut off as another enormous fist rammed into his stomach. He inhaled sharply but did not scream the wanted reaction for every torture. There was a chance Duo would die but he would not give them the satisfaction of crying out. Another fist connected with his ribcage.
"You know it goes up by one every time you refuse to answer." Leaning down she whispered in his ear. "Next it will be three, then four, then five. You can never hold out you pathetic, worthless good for absolutely nothing brat. You will die here, alone and helpless, meek and afraid, wallowing in your cowardice as you cry for help!" Lady Hasegawa finished by slapping his face. Unfortunately for her Duo would not allow his mind to be broken down, shattered to pieces like Relena's. Her will power broken down by days of torment, despair and agony. He looked defiantly upwards.
"You're...wrong." He whispered brokenly, doubled over in pain, making her lean down to hear.
"Wrong, what ever makes you say that?"
"I will not die filled with fear," His voice rose slowly. "Because I'll take you down with me!" He lunged forward, having easily escaped his bonds and tackled her, his weight throwing her to the ground. Wrapping his hands around her neck he squeezed and laughed. "Why hasn't your buddy saved you?" The young girl looked up in his face and grinned.
"Because," she choked out steadily. "I have a tazer." Falling away stunned he could not shield himself from the deadly blows, two of which broke his legs. "You had the guts to attack me, I'm impressed." She raised her hand to signal the end. "Drag him back to his cell and tell the blonde one it is his turn tomorrow."
"Yes M'Lady." The guard picked up the blood-soaked braid and dragged Duo away, leaving a crimson trail. Throughout the torture the braided youth had remained awake and now let himself fall into a dreamless sleep.
"It...hurts..." Quatre was doubled over in pain. Relena kept rubbing his back in a soothing motion praying that Duo was okay.
"Is it Duo?" The Arabian nodded slowly.
"He's coming closer...I think..." Looking at the door the pacifist was blinded by the sudden light as it swung open and a thin body was thrown in. At first she thought it was Duo but a muffled 'injustice' made her change her mind.
"Wufei?" She crawled closer. "Is that you?" His once pristine Chinese outfit was black and torn, the owner sporting a black eye and bloody arm.
"Of course it is woman! Who else would it be?" He sat up and gingerly touched his eye. "They jumped me on the way in."
"I...I thought you were Duo."
"That braided idiot?" Wufei scoffed. "Where is he? The Asian added in a softer tone as he noticed Quatre curled in on himself on the floor.
"Quatre seems to think that he is coming closer to here. I don't know though, I just-umph!" The door opened and Duo's bloody form was thrown on top of her.
"Maxwell?" Wufei picked up the body and relieved Relena of her shattered burden just as the big guy walked inside and kicked the Asian youth to the floor.
"Don't touch!" He picked a whimpering Quatre up off the floor by his hair and growled. "M'Lady told me that you are next." Tossing him aside the huge man turned and left. When Quatre had recovered enough to stand he crept over to sit next to Duo.
"He's dying." Wufei stated simply. "Even if we make it out of here alive, it's going to take extensive medical treatment before he'll even be able to walk again." The Chinese teen wiped his forehead. "He's got about three days, a week at most."
"Whatever happens," Quatre spoke up. "Whatever happens we can not let them get to Relena. It would have," he paused and swallowed. "Devastating effects. I'm next so that leaves you. Two days unless they decide to finish us. Plus, we have no way to get Duo out of here." He put his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do." The Arabian finished with despair. Duo shifted a little and then said four words that surprised them all.
"We are all expendable..."
"I must say, I am impressed. Not once did he cry out." Rubbing her neck she checked her list of captives. The Queen of the World along with three Gundam pilots. According to reports there were two left. "I think that we'll use the Chinese boy next. What do you think Muro?" The big guy was confused. Lady didn't usually ask his advice.
"I thought you said we would use the blonde. Why would you change?" Aquamarine eyes narrowed and a smile tugged at her red lips.
"Because," she said menacingly. "It adds...spice to life."
Slipping off his Chinese top Wufei draped it over his fellow captive. "Barton, Yuy and Howard consist of our rescue team. They'll get us out." Relena looked skeptical.
"What makes you so sure? What if it's like Duo said and we are all expendable?" Running a hand through his platinum hair Quatre sighed.
"Wufei, Duo and I are the expendable ones. You on the other hand are far from that; the Earth Sphere and Colonies need you." Adjusting his deep blue tank top Wufei chuckled slightly.
"What are you laughing at?" Relena demanded, outraged. "I see nothing funny!" Checking the clotting blood running down his arm the Asian answered.
"I'm next." Quatre looked startled.
"That's absurd! You heard that guy as clearly as I did! He said I was next."
"Don't you both see?" Wufei asked calmly. "This is how they think. They want to keep us guessing. If I thought you were going next, as they think I do, then I would be trying to work out an escape plan to get us all out." He began testing his skills to prepare himself. "This way, if they exterminate the one who plans then they have no threats to bother them. It is an odd plan; I am quite interested who came up with the strategy. What time do they usually come?"
"Very early." Relena said quietly. "Probably in a few hours from now." Lying down on the floor Wufei closed his eyes.
"I should get what sleep I can." Slowing his breathing expertly he slipped into darkness. Hugging his knees to his chest Quatre looked around him and spotted Relena rocking back and fourth on her heels. He crawled over to her.
"Did they hurt you?" He inquired gently, noticing the tears rolling down her face.
"No," she sniffed. "They just told me I was worthless and...and...that I would die here all alone because no one loved me enough to come and get me. She said-"
"She?" Quatre interrupted. A female practically killed Duo? No, the bruises were too big for that.
"Yes, there was also that man in black that brought Duo back." Quatre put his vest around her shoulders.
"You should get some rest. You look exhausted." He smiled down at her as she wiped her bright eyes and looked into Quatre's aquamarine depths.
"Her eyes," Quatre looked puzzled.
"Her eyes? What about them?"
"They look..." she was drifting into sleep now, her exhaustion getting the better of her self-control. "They look just like yours, only like Heero's. So cold...emotionless...like she's...trapped..." Breathing the last word she dropped her head in sleep, curled in Quatre's vest. The blonde youth looked straight ahead at the wall in confusion.
"My...eyes?"
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