Author's Note: Ok guys! Here's chapter two! Sorry it took so long, and now things are starting to move along so the Gundam characters will be introduced shortly! As always, healthy feedback is appreciated! Happy reading!

Dragonwing

Two

"Tell me again how we got talked into going to this place for the weekend?" Rina asked, zipping her laptop up in its travel case. "I'm supposed to be finishing up that research work for my internship at the space center."

"You'll be able to work outside of the city," Nicole laughed and looked around to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that when we agreed to see this place it meant spending the night? Plus, I've got a whole inventory review due at the museum on Monday and you don't see me complaining." She grinned when Rina stuck her tongue out at her.

"Yeah, yeah." The brunette forced her duffle bag shut and hauled it over her shoulder, then she grabbed her laptop. "Alright, let's get it over with."

Nicole shook her head and picked up her own bags, she hoped this weekend away would give them all a chance to relax, whether they brought work with them or not.

They arrived at Angel's parent's house a short time later. Angel's mother, a plump and sometimes overly cheery woman, answered the door.

"Hey, Miriam!" Nicole managed to squeak out as the woman grabbed her into a crushing hug.

"It's so exciting, the three of you going to see Angel's new place!" Miriam gushed, "Angel has been looking forward to this for ages!"

"She just told us about this a few days ago." Rina whispered to Nicole as they went into the house.

"True," Nicole whispered back and bent to pick up Samson, Miriam's little white dog. "But Miriam likes to think that any little event can be turned into a big one just by being really excited about it."

"Ah, ok." Rina shook her head but didn't say anymore.

Angle came bounding down the stairs, dragging a rather large overnight bag behind her. "I hope I've got everything," The petite blonde was saying.

"It looks like you've packed half of your wardrobe for a three day trip." Nicole laughed and let Samson go.

"You can never be too prepared!" Angel wheezed and dropped the bag, it landed with a resounding thud. "Mom, are the directions to the apartment still on the kitchen table?"

"Oh, yes, here they are." Miriam grabbed an envelope off of the table and handed it to Nicole, "I know you'll be more responsible with this, Nicole." She ignored Angel's 'humph' and turned to Rina, "I love my Angel dearly, but she's not the most organized person in the world."

"Mom!" Angel's squeaked, but then decided to let it go. "Ok, you guys, let's go!"

Fifteen minutes later, they were still in Angel's driveway. Rina's car had picked the precise moment that they were ready to leave to die. They tried everything they could think of, Nicole even tried using jumper cables attached to Miriam's car, but nothing worked.

"Well this is just great!" Angel fumed, "How are we going to get there now?"

"I'm more worried about my car than where we're going!" Rina wailed, "I've had this car since high school! It's lasted me this long, what could be wrong with it?"

"Well the fact that you've had it since high school might have something to do with it." Nicole mused, earning herself a death glare from Rina. "Anyway, I guess our only options are either to take a taxi or the subway."

"The subway!" Angel gulped, "No way! We take a taxi."

"We can't afford to take a taxi that far!" Rina snapped. "Either we take the subway or you just give up on seeing the apartment."

Angel wrestled with her obvious dislike of public transportation and the need to get out of her parents' house. However, all it took was Miriam suggesting that she drive them out there and "make a regular gals' weekend out of it", to make up Angel's mind. She relented on taking the subway, and Miriam said she'd have someone come out and look at Rina's car while they were gone.

So, a half an hour later, they found themselves waiting on the subway platform, which was strangely deserted for a Friday afternoon. Their only companion on the platform was a rather shady looking character impatiently pacing back and forth along the side of the tracks. He was dressed all in black and the hood of his heavy coat was pulled so far over his head that only his mouth and chin were visible. Angel shifted uneasily and scooted closer to Nicole whenever he would pace near them. Rina kept her nose buried in the astronomy book she was reading, choosing to ignore the hooded pacer.

Nicole sighed when the subway train finally pulled in, a few people exited as they lugged their bags into the car and sat down. The strange man went to the opposite end of the car and sat against the wall. He kept drumming his fingers on the chair railings and reaching into his pockets from time to time. Almost as if he needed assurance that whatever was in his pockets was still securely there. The car pulled out and the girls settled themselves for a long ride. Rina and Angel would doze every once in a while, but Nicole stayed fully awake, mostly to keep an eye of the fidgety stranger. Other than the occasional burst of movement from the hooded one, or some attempt at conversation by Rina and Angel, there wasn't much activity on the car. But for every stop that the girls did not get off, it seemed he became more and more agitated with their presence. All three women noticed this and were very grateful when their stop finally came. Grabbing their bags, they crossed quickly out of the car, and if Nicole wasn't hallucinating, it seemed the stranger almost heaved a sigh of relief to see them go.

"Ok, ladies," Nicole sighed, "Let's get moving"

"Wait!" Angel suddenly cried, "I left my purse underneath my seat!" She took off back into the subway car as the doors started to close.

"Angel, stop!" Nicole and Rina, not wanting to get separated in an unfamiliar area, ran back in after her.

Angel grabbed her purse just as the doors closed and the car took off again roughly.

"Oh great!" Rina growled, "Now we have to ride to the next stop and figure out how to get back."

Suddenly they heard a cry from the front of the car, "NO!" The hooded man stood bracing himself against the car seat, "You aren't supposed to be on here!"

"Take it easy," Nicole said slowly, "We'll get off at the next stop and leave you alone."

"No, you don't understand!" He took a shaky step towards them when the car lurched violently, throwing them all to the floor, "It's too late now." His voice filled their ears, "The process has already begun. You will not be able to get back now…." The voice faded and was replaced by a great roaring sound, accompanied by the girls' screams. They all instinctively reached out for each others' hands and grasped tightly before everything was plunged into darkness.