Disclaimer: This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.
A little Christmas story set in my Ghost Detective universe. Hope you enjoy!
Alexander Claus
"A Christmas party for the kids at the Children Cancer Center? Oh, I think that's a wonderful idea." Treize Khushrenada nodded enthusiastically.
Milliardo, his sister and he were sitting over a cup of hot chocolate in their living room, with Cabal resting peacefully at his master's feet. The house was filled with the smell of freshly baked ginger cookies, while a partially decorated Christmas tree indicated what the two men had been doing when Relena came calling. Outside the window, a flurry of snowflakes danced in the wind. Christmas was still two weeks away but a sudden cold snap had turned the town into a winter wonderland straight out of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.
"I agree. You definitely can count us in for a donation."
"Thank you, I do appreciate that." Relena smiled softly. "But what I really need are volunteers."
"Volunteers?!" her brother echoed.
"Yes. You see, everybody seems to be very willing to open their pocketbook, but only a few can spare time to help with the party itself and the preparations," she explained.
"What would we be volunteering for?" Treize wanted to know.
"Like every year our own sheriff's office, and the one from Broomswick county are holding their annual toy drive... From what I hear it's a bit of a competition between the two departments to collect the most toys. The looser has to provide Santa Claus."
"And what does the winner get?" Milliardo grinned.
"Bragging rights until next year, I guess," his sister shrugged. "Anyway, part of those toys are going to hospitals, foster homes and school in both counties, but this year a good portion of them will be earmarked for the new Children's Cancer center. They will have to be wrapped and labeled before the party. We also need food and refreshments, help with putting up the decorations which are handmade by the children at the clinic themselves."
"Wow, and you are in charge of all this, Lena? That's a very brave undertaking."
The young woman sighed. "Truth be told, bravery had less to do with it than ignorance. I had no idea what I was getting myself into."
In the kitchen a timer started to beep, and moments later they could hear noises, indicating that Alexander was removing the last batch of cookies from the oven.
It had been a couple weeks now since Relena had learned about the existence of her brother's ghostly housemate, but she was still amazed how easily Milliardo and Treize seemed to managed to involve him in their daily lives.
"So..." She looked hopefully at her older brother and the professor. "I can count on your guys, can't I?"
"Absolutely," Treize assured her. "What day is the party planned for?"
"Next Thursday, at 3:30 in the afternoon. But of course I would need the volunteers much earlier."
"Next Thursday...That would be the 18th, wouldn't it?"
"Yes," Relena confirmed. "Is that a problem?"
"Well..." the professor exchanged a brief look with his lover.
"You see, we have tickets for opening night of 'The Nutcracker'." Milliardo explained. And after a quick glance toward the kitchen, from where they could still hear the clanging of dishes and baking sheets, he lowered his voice. "We are taking Alexander, for his Christmas present. It's supposed to be a surprise."
"Oh?!"
"But the ballet doesn't start until 7:00, so we should still be able to make it." Treize pointed out.
"Are you sure?" Relena asked. "I can't imagine those tickets were easy to come by."
"I'm sure," the professor nodded. "Even if we have to leave a little early, we can still be there to help with the preparations. And you know, I just thought of something... Several of our teachers at Marymount seem to love cooking and baking, they have been exchanging recipes and bringing in treats for weeks now. I'm sure some of them would be happy to help with the refreshments. I shall talk to them tomorrow and tell them to get in touch with you."
"Thanks, that would be lovely."
"And I think we could press Heero, Wufei, Duo, Trowa and Quatre into service as well." Milliardo suggested with a grin.
"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. And maybe Alexander would like to come along too. I'm sure he could be very helpful," his sister suggested.
"No doubt about that." Treize agreed. "But I am not so sure about putting Alexander in the same room as a few dozen excited and screaming children."
"Oh?! Ghosts don't like children?"
"I wouldn't know about that, but according to what he told the son of a servant when he was still alive, Alexander never seemed to be very fond of them: 'Children, especially little boys are noisy, they touch things they shouldn't and tend not to be very particular about telling the truth' I believe were the words he used.
Relena couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe he was one of those people who just liked to project a certain image."
"I'm not so sure about that," her brother remarked. "Lena, remember the time when I got that Darth Vader mask with the voice changer box for my birthday?"
"Remember?" the young woman huffed. "My ears are still ringing from it. Good thing you didn't have it for very long. Whatever happened to it anyway?"
"That's just it. Nobody seems to know. I brought it with me when we came to Grandma's house. But a few hours into the visit, while we were sitting down for cake, it disappeared. I suspected Grandma hid it somewhere even though she always denied it. But now I am not so sure anymore..." Milliardo admitted.
"Well, it was a noisy and annoying thing. The worse toy ever, if you ask me." His sister checked her watch and sighed. "I hate to run, but I have piano lessons this afternoon. Normally it wouldn't take me more than fifteen minutes by car to get to Woodbridge, but in this weather... I will talk to you soon. " As she rose to her feet Relena leaned over to kiss Milliardo good-bye, and then after a brief moment of hesitation also placed a quick peck onto the professor's cheek. "Thanks again."
"Drive carefully," her brother warned.
" I will." Already on her way out Relena waved back at the two men, calling out as she passed the kitchen door: "Good bye, Alexander!"
####
One Week Later!
"Head's up, coming through!" Wufei warned as he made his way through the room with a pile of boxes filled with wrapping paper and ribbons. An atmosphere of organized chaos hung over the hospital's cafeteria as preparations for the Christmas party were in full swing.
In spite of Relena's fear of not having enough volunteers, people and businesses had lined up to help out once word about the event spread. There was just something about bringing a little joy to sick children that made everybody want to participate.
A local party goods store had donated the decorations, wrapping paper and ribbons and the volunteer fire department went out to cut the largest and most beautiful Christmas tree that fit the room. A group of volunteers were setting up the tables for the dessert bar, while a few others put the finishing touches on the tree.
"When are the presents coming?" Quatre wanted to know as he helped his friends set down the boxes. After all the toys still needed to be wrapped and labeled according to the wish list made by the children.
"Duo and Milliardo are getting them as we speak," Treize told him.
For the past few hours the truck, one of three that had been filled by the sheriff's departments' toy drive, had been parked across the street in the back lot of a large electronics store, away from the children's prying eyes. Duo was going to bring it around to the ambulance bay for quick unloading.
"So, who won the toy drive anyway?" Heero wanted to know as he walked in with another pile of boxed wrapping paper.
"We did! I heard the Broomswick sheriff himself will be playing Santa Clause." Trowa was wearing a green and red elf's hat and pointed shoes with jingle bells, not exactly a fashion statement, but testimony to his sense of humor.
"Well if you ask me, the real winners are...," Treize Khushrenada swallowed the rest of the sentence and frowned. The moment his lover had walked into the cafeteria he knew that something had happened.
"Milliardo?! What's wrong?"
"The truck with the toys is gone. Stolen!"
"What?! Are you sure?" Treize was almost sure that he hadn't heard right.
"Stolen?" Quatre echoed as he and the other's gathered around Milliardo and the professor.
The tall blonde nodded. "Duo is talking to the people at "Micro Outlet". Maybe one of them saw or heard anything."
Wufei was scowling. "Who would steal toys from sick children?"
"At Christmas time, no less," Quatre added. "That's just disgusting."
"I have a feeling," Heero interjected. "That toys is not what the crooks were after. A unmarked, unguarded truck in the back lot of an electronics store... I can image they are expecting TVs and Blue Ray Players, not hula hoops and teddy bears."
"That makes sense." Treize admitted. "But we'd better talk to the sheriff or someone about this."
"Wait," Milliardo stopped him. "There is more."
"More?" His lover threw him a guarded look.
The young man nodded. "I left my backpack in the truck while we were setting things up."
"Did you have anything important in it. Your wallet...cell phone...credit cards?"
"Worse."
"Worse?!"
Another nod. "Octavian's diary was in there."
Treize's eyes went wide. Around him he could hear a few sharply drawn breaths from his friends. Alexander!
"Alright!" The professor announced firmly. "It is 1:28 now. I got here by 11:40 and Duo and Milliardo were right behind me with the truck. It took them at least ten minutes or so to park it, lock it up and leave the lot. If we assume the thieves watched them and took the load right after they left, that gives them a good hour and 30 minute head start."
"That's still a long time. They could be anywhere by now." Trowa pointed out.
But Quatre raised his finger. "Wait! I just remembered. Duo went back to the truck to get a gas receipt Relena needed for her books. That was no more than 15 minutes ago."
"Right!" Milliardo agreed. "He came to me for the keys."
"Excellent!" Treize gave a satisfied nod. "That means the truck wasn't stolen until at least 1 pm."
"Make it 1:18," Duo Maxwell announced as he joined the group, earning himself a few surprised looks from his friends.
"That's when, according to a Micro Outlet cashier who had just arrived, the truck came shooting out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.- His words, not mine.- Last thing he saw was the truck's taillights as it took a left on Fairview and headed toward the Interstate."
"Did you talk to Sheriff Bonaparte?" Treize wanted to know.
"No, not yet."
"I will take care of that," Wufei volunteered.
"Good. Tell him what happened and everything we know," the professor instructed. "Maybe they can set up a roadblock or something. The rest of you, with me. We will fan out and search the area. Possibly they are still nearby or they have dumped the truck somewhere when they realized what their loot was."
"Hmm...," Duo scratched his chin. "Maybe Quatre can get some kind of lock on Alexander?"
"Maxwell," Trowa reminded him. "Quatre is not a GPS."
"No, but you know, it might be worth a try. If I get close enough to him I should be able to sense him." The young man grabbed his friend and bodyguard by the shoulder. "Let's go. Time is wasting."
###
"How much do you think we can make from all that junk?" the tall skinny man wondered with a look back at the load.
His companion shrugged. "Hopefully a lot."
"I bet ya there might be a few of those new 3D TV's in there. Everyone wants them from what I hear. It's the big thing this Christmas. Benny will pay extra for those."
The driver grinned. "Yes Virginia, there most definitively is a Santa Claus." Both men burst out into laughter and slapped each other High Five.
"Okay, slow down, Hugh. The last thing we need is for the cops to stop us for speeding now," the skinny crook told his partner. The words had barely left his lips when the truck stopped so sudden that both crooks got thrown forward by the force.
"What the heck?!" Carter shouted. "What did you do that for? I told you to slow down, not to give us whiplash."
"I didn't even touch the breaks," his partner tried to defend himself as he started the truck again.
"Just shut up and drive," the skinny thief growled.
###
"Anything?" Trowa had dropped his hat and abandoned the stylish elf shoes for a pair of solid leather boots before climbing into the BMW. It hadn't snowed for the past few days, and the streets had been cleared for the most part.
In the passenger seat beside him Quatre shook his head. "Maybe they took a turn somewhere."
"Maybe," he agreed. "Or maybe they dumped the backpack, or maybe they are hiding the truck in some garage near the hospital..." As far as he was concerned there were way too many maybes and not enough definitives in this equation.
Suddenly the car jerked, not once but twice, as first the right front wheel, then the back wheel drove over something other than solid road. Trowa hit the brakes. Tires screeched as the BMW came to a stop.
"I think I just hit something!"
Quatre had already unbuckled his seatbelt and had slipped out of the door while he was still turning off the engine. The young man was crouching near the back of the car when Trowa climbed out.
"Please tell me I didn't run over a child or someone's dog... "
"You did run over a dog, I'm afraid," Quatre confirmed solemnly, before adding with a ghost of a smirk on his face. "But I wouldn't worry too much. It didn't feel a thing."
Trowa let out a sigh of relief when his friend held up a wet and dirty bundle that only remotely resembled the stuffed animal it had been before the accident.
"What the heck is that?"
"Well, if you ask me. I'd say it's a breadcrumb."
"Little big for a breadcrumb, isn't it?" the young man scratched his head.
Quatre shrugged. "I guess Alexander wanted to make sure we wouldn't overlook it." He slipped off his jacket, wrapping it around the toy before tossing the bundle in the BMW's backseat.
"Let's get going. I'm going to call Treize and let him know we are on the right track."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive!"
###
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Hugh gave his partner an annoyed look.
"It sounded like something was moving in the back.
"I didn't hear anything. Maybe a couple of boxes or something are sliding around."
"No, it sounded different." the lanky crook insisted, but before he could add anything else Hugh suddenly jerked the steering wheel to the left. The truck swerved, avoiding a street sign by mere inches.
"What the hell are you doing? I swear, I will kill you if you get us arrested just because you don't know how to drive."
"It's not my fault! Something is wrong with the truck, I tell you." Hugh claimed, when suddenly the windshield wipers came to life.
"What the hell?!" he tried to turn them off, hitting the switch several times without luck. Only when he slammed his fist onto the dashboard in a fit of anger did the wipers finally stop. But before the thief could even let out a sigh of relief the trucks backup warning sound started to ring out.
"Beep... Beep...Beep..." the signal blared even though the vehicle was moving forward. Luckily they had reached the interstate where traffic was thin at this time of the day.
"For god sake, turn that off!"
"I'm trying, okay?!Nothing works the way it is supposed to. The damn truck's got to be possessed or something."
"Yeah right," Carter snorted. "Pull over. Now! I'm driving."
"Fine!" His partner growled as he slammed his foot onto the brake. "Be my guest."
The vehicle came to a stop at the side of the road and both men jumped out at about the same time. They were rounding the cab when a noise from the truck stopped them in their tracks.
"There, did you hear it this time? You still going to tell me it's probably just the load sliding around?" The skinny thief scoffed.
Hugh didn't answer. Instead his hand disappeared under his jacket and went for the handgun tucked into the back of his belt.
"Are you out of your mind? Put that thing away!" Carter hissed at him.
"Oh shut up." Hugh growled as he headed for the back of the truck.
TBC
Author's ramblings: The year is almost over and I have come to realize that I have fallen far far behind with my writing (what else is new). Both Museum and Piano were supposed to be close to finished by now so that I can start concentrating on Blood Ties in the new year, which was always supposed to climax between the dates of 5/6/13 and 6/5/13 (no pun intended).
I suppose I spent too much time over the summer on my Dragon King Lego project. No regrets there, however. I loved building it. In case you are interested check out my website for it. The link is on my profile page.
In any case, I will do my best to get those stories finished as soon as possible and start working on Blood Ties.