DISCLAIMER: I do not own Gundam Wing or Dark Angel.

A/N: Ahhhhh! Somebody actually read it and reviewed! *Falls to the ground in a dead faint* Thank you Ali, this is now dedicated to you. I could even add you in as an X-5. ^.~

~*~

Chapter Two

Duo yawned. "Are we there yet?"

Heero looked out the tiny window next to him. He felt the rumblings of the wheels emerging from their housings as the plane prepared to land. "Pretty much."

Soon the plane taxied to a stop and Relena's entourage filed off of the aircraft. Immediately the gundam pilots formed a protective phalanx around her as they moved through the airport. They only saw airport staff until they got to the main lobby. Everybody was herded into limousines and jeeps and they pulled away into traffic.

Heero and Trowa stayed in the back of Relena's limo with her. Trowa looked out of the window. "Oh my God, was this World War 3?"

Heero followed his gaze. The buildings were grungy and covered with graffiti while homeless people slept against the walls in the dim evening light. Police roamed the streets armed with semi-automatic rifles and wearing what would normally be considered riot gear.

About ten minutes later, the line of cars was stopped. Heero peered out the windows, trying to see past the lineup. "What's going on?" He asked the driver finally.

The man looked back at him like he was stupid. "We're heading into a different sector," he replied slowly and clearly. "We have to go through the checkpoint."

Soon enough they got to a high fence crowned with coils of barbed wire. The driver gave the sector police his papers and they looked at everyone in the car before letting them through.

"Welcome to Sector 4," the driver said with a sigh as they drove beyond the fence. "This is where the conference is being held, and where Ms. Peacecraft will be staying."

Heero and Trowa looked around. It resembled the last sector, except the buildings were taller and there were more police. "What's that tower over there?" Trowa pointed at a decrepit tower looming in the distance, graffiti visible even from here.

"That's the Space Needle." The occupants of the car were silent again until they reached the Hyatt where Relena was staying.

***

The gundam pilots could not believe the poverty that surrounded them. Everywhere they went, women with tiny babies and toothless old winos assaulted them for a handout. They passed lineups for food, water, and gasoline, all heavily guarded by the sector police.

Tiny Quatre shivered in his clean, pressed khakis and white shirt. "What an ironic place to hold a peace conference." He looked ill as he regarded the street. "Barbed wire is not an accessory."

The boys all stayed close to Relena as she moved between hotel and car. The big hotel where the conference was being held was surrounded by picketers waving signs saying things like, "The sector police are killing peace," "Romefeller rot in hell," and other choice phrases. More than once Wufei or Trowa would have to part the crowd so they could find the door.

Duo muttered to Heero, "I wish we could leave this hellhole now." Heero nodded silently.

*

On the morning of the second full day of meetings, the pilots were trying to push through the crowd to get Relena in the door and not having much success. Duo was having trouble with one man who was trying to wrestle his gun away from him. I don't want to hurt him, but I wonder what his mouth would look like if he were missing a few teeth…

Suddenly the crowd parted, running away with their signs in tow. Screams could be heard as the people scattered. Duo stood there for a moment in disbelief. What happ-- His thought was cut off by the loud, insistent revving of an engine. Finally he saw the motorcycle speeding towards them, its rider hoisting a flag that flapped loudly in his wake. The 02 pilot got a glimpse of red, white and black on the banner as it flashed by him.

The bike carried on for a few more feet, then pulled an abrupt U-turn and shot by again. Duo heard another yelp, more familiar this time, and quickly realized that Relena was no longer standing next to Heero, where she'd been latched onto his arm a moment ago. He looked up to see what he expected: there were now two forms on the rapidly retreating bike instead of one.

Relena's voice drifted towards him. "Heeeeeerooooooo…"

The pilots started shooting at the escaping kidnapper. Duo jumped into a nearby jeep with Heero and pursued the bike. They kept up for several blocks before they lost the rider in a narrow alley. Heero banged his head angrily on the dashboard in front of him. "Shit."

***

"In other news, the Japanese Vice Minister Relena Peacecraft was kidnapped today from in front of the hotel where the Romefeller Peace Conference is being held. Ms. Peacecraft's bodyguards pursued but lost the kidnapper, who was seen holding the insignia of the rogue transgenic militia and was believed to be a transgenic themselves. Here is a video clip taken at the scene."

The clip showed the bike taking off, with a clear shot of the rider's flag: a white dove flying on a white, red and black background. The bottom showed what looked like a UPC code on the black stripe. Relena was held captive between the rider and the handlebars.

Wufei stood up suddenly. "That rider has long hair! Was that a woman that made fools out of us?!"

Here we go, Duo thought wearily.

Smith turned off the TV and stood up, rubbing his temples and looking like he wanted nothing more than a drink and some sleep. "I cannot believe this is happening." He looked up at the five boys sitting in front of him and sighed heavily. "The transgenics are holding Ms. Peacecraft for ransom in their stronghold in Sector 5. The government, the Romefeller Foundation, and our lot are trying to lure them out and conduct the talks peacefully. So far it's not working."

Heero stood up, his eyes steely. "We'll go in and get her out."

Smith looked at him, and so did the other pilots. A smile crept across Smith's face, at least. "I was hoping one of you would suggest that before I had to. It will be dangerous; they have a huge cache of weapons and no shortage of soldiers."

Duo stared at Heero disbelievingly. He didn't want to risk his neck to save Relena, but the expression on his comrade's face clearly said he was going in. Duo sighed and rose from his seat. "We'll show those transgenic freaks not to piss off a gundam pilot." He hoped that he looked more determined than he felt.

Soon the other three joined him and they were ushered off for another prep meeting.

"Now, this is highly blacklist. If word gets out that we're doing this, the transgenics will probably kill her and then there may be a war." Smith looked solemn but more awake than he had been. "Their base is called Terminal City. It's an old toxic spill site, fenced off, and it's a felony to approach it. Sources say they gather in an abandoned parking garage, and that will be where they're holding her. We want an in-and-out job, very quiet, preferably no casualties. You will have no help, and if you fail this mission, you're on your own. We will deny all knowledge of your actions."

Smith unrolled a large paper in his hand. It was an old floorplan of the abandoned building in question. "You will have three days to finish this mission, and the rendezvous point is at midnight each of those nights at King Street and 51st Avenue, in Sector 4." He looked at them seriously, something flashing dangerously deep within his hazel eyes. "If you don't have Ms. Peacecraft by then, don't come."

And that was it. Every minute ticking by was another lost, so they set off right away, each with false credentials to get them past the sector checkpoints safely, and each armed to the teeth, just in case. A cool, refreshing breeze teased their faces as the five soldiers set off into the embrace of the night.

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A/N: Ehehe. Next chapter they meet the transgenics. And Relena. Don't worry, it will pick up and start to get interesting soon. ^^;