IV. Investigation (aka Stalking)
22. Meretricious
The target was conversing with Mr. Winner by the club's pool. Besides Heero, Dorothy made a disgusted sound. He wondered why he had allowed her to tag along. It was all for the money, he told himself and adjusted his binoculars.
'Look at her ridiculously flashy swimsuit! Do you see the way she's leaning towards him? Tell me she's innocent now.'
He saw beautiful legs, a perfectly formed backside, a narrow waist and long dark blonde hair. 'Hn.' He said.
'Meretricious.' His client advocated.
'Yes…' he drawled. 'Meretricious...' he had been paid in advance, so it was best to agree.
23. Bravado
'I'll go there and I'll show her.' Dorothy marched away purposefully. She was taller and thinner than Relena, he noticed. Maybe if he killed her instead… Then he could alter his payment policies and request that Miss Peacecraft compensate him for his services.
'Stupid.' He reprimanded himself. What was his problem? He had already been paid – double – and it was an easy target. Maybe it was so easy his brain was trying to complicate things. Yes, that was definitely it.
'Yo!' Heero looked up to find Duo at his side. A bowl in one arm and his own binoculars. 'Popcorn?'
24. Bolster
'I know she's hot, but you can do it, you know.' Heero quirked an eyebrow, but Duo continued anyways. 'Good thing she's wearing sunglasses. You really shouldn't look into her eyes… They're so…'
'Would you stop telling me how to do my job?'
'Jeez, man! No need to get angry. I was just trying to help.'
'I'll let you know if I need your…help.'
'No, you won't. Let's be honest. You totally look like the perfectionist kind of guy who's got a stick up —.'
The sound of a gun being cocked had never been so loud.
'Are you done?'
25. Bombast
'Ah, Miss Relena, it's good to see that you've recovered from your failure.' Dorothy commented.
'You've got her wired?' Duo asked beside him. 'Hand me one of those earphones!'
Heero covered his ears.
'Did you know, Quatre, that she scored 89 at the same test I scored 92?' she continued.
'I think 89 is pretty good.' The Winner heir replied politely.
'Of course…' Dorothy conceded. 'But surely a grade above 90 is a much better proof of one's complete dedication to one's knowledge and education.'
'Come on, Heero.' Duo was still protesting.
'We're not on a first name basis, Maxwell.'
26. Doggerel
'Ya' know why your business's going so bad?'
Heero closed his eyes and prayed for patience. What had happened to the fearful attitude and the Kevlar?
'I knew you didn't.' Duo resumed. 'It's all about marketing. Advertisement, you know?'
'Do you realise that what I do is considered a crime in the eyes of the law?' he could not resist pointing out.
'You need some sort of motto… Or maybe a jingle. Definitely a jingle!'
Heero turned back to his target, repressing a sigh.
'We kill anyone you want. Anyone. Anyone.'
'That's Mary Had a Little Lamb.'
'No, it's not.'
27. Foretoken
What he had gathered from the conversation so far was that Relena was a very – very – patient person to put up with Dorothy. Not to mention polite, gentle, understanding, discreet… He was trying quite hard not to use the word 'good'. Not because it was such a ridiculously generic word, but because killing a good person just wouldn't feel right.
He did admit she had a lovely voice though, if only to himself, but to admit she was a good person after one day of investigations would not bode well for his mission. No, it wouldn't bode well at all.
28. Assuage
'It must be hard…doing what you do.' Duo commented as Heero put his equipment away. He would get the rest with Dorothy later. For now, he would return home and make plans.
'It's not hard.' He answered without thinking. 'You aim, you shoot, you vanish.'
'But surely you can't block your feelings completely… I mean… These are lives you're taking.'
'You're a hacker, surely you've blackmailed people. Those were lives you ruined.' He retorted rather acidly.
'Well…' Duo scratched his chin. 'I'll forgive you if you forgive me.' He joked, grinning.
'I'm hardly fit for that.' Heero turned and left.