Ch. 4 So Many Questions, No Time to Ask

Deprivation tank. It was the only thing to compare it to. No sounds. No lights. Nothing. Total blackness in what could only be described as a cell. He wasn't even sure what the walls where made of; cold but not any type of metal or rock he had come across. Smooth textured, but there was no sound or identifiable smell to it either. There was no concept of time, no way to tell if days, weeks or months had passed. Meals were so sporadic they couldn't provide even the concept of what time of day it might be.

How much time had really passed? Had it been long enough for everyone to forget, were they even looking for him? Most likely, Heero had gone back to work, the perfect soldier, unphazed by anything, or anyone. The others would begin to wonder and look into his whereabouts, he hoped. Why hadn't they come for him then? Why hadn't they found him? Had Heero forgotten him so easily that he didn't notice his absence? Was it possible no time had passed at all and he was slowly but surely losing his mind?

(O)(O)(O)(O)

Heero went to the kitchen and washed the blood off his arms before returning to the couch. One of the safest houses he had ever known had been infiltrated and Janice was gone. Everything pointed to her, however, Preventers is thorough when they hire someone. They look into everything and have more connections that the American CIA, FBI and every other acronym agencies combined! So why were they setting her up? Or did she have a history like him and the other pilots? She'd managed to hack his system before, which says something about her abilities, yet they knew virtually nothing about her; even WuFei knew almost nothing about her. He would need to research into her background, but to do that, he would need to go back to his apartments, which at the moment was the safest place to go.

It had been less than 10 minutes when he heard the first sirens pull into the drive and less than 5 for the entire upstairs to be filled with the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. WuFei took charge providing his statement to one agent, while directing others to the mess upstairs.

Heero waited patiently for WuFei to finish with the Preventer agents as they conducted their investigation and collected evidence. Heero already knew what their analysis would reveal; security cut from the inside, 99% of the blood from the assassins and 1% possibly Janice's, but he wasn't entirely sure on that, but he would like to know how they got into the house. It wasn't through the doors or windows, those had their own backup systems specifically for incidents like this where the infiltrators took out the main power source. There were untouchable power sources to keep security running even when power to the rest of the house was out. Heero had collaborated with WuFei to set up the system. Duo had the abilities to hack the system but you'd have to plug in directly to the unit; it wasn't accessible remotely, and Duo was off planet with Trowa. Again, things pointed to Janice, but Preventers wouldn't have hired her, would they? Hell, they'd hired him! But it was stupid to become focused on just one person, especially if there were multiple people or they were concentration on the wrong person. It was best to keep your options open.

WuFei plodded back into the living room and collapsed into the open char, telling Heero just how weary he really was. He watched the usually proper Chinese pilot slouch in the chair, elbow on the arm rest with the same hand covering his eyes.

"They'll have something for us by morning. My house has been compromise, we can't stay here." WuFei stated bluntly, removing his hand from his eyes. They were cloudy with some emotion Heero couldn't place.

"I need to go to my apartment anyway." Heero replied, keeping it short and to the point as he stood.

"We can leave now; Preventers will be here a while then the cleanup crew." He signed before standing, "I'll get my equipment."

Heero watched WuFei walk defeated up the stairs and around the corner. It stood a good chance that WuFei was experiencing his first betrayal. During the war you naturally assumed everyone would betray you. With the war over you grow soft and eventually assume the worst in people less and less. It had happened to all of them, but that first unexpected betrayal was always the worst and it would transform to guilt if Janice was innocent and WuFei had considered her a suspect. Heero knew this conflict all too well. It did to the fact that WuFei cared for Janice, but how much was yet to be seen. You weren't this hurt if you weren't close to the person.

WuFei trudged down the steps one last time with a small bag consisting most likely of electronics and possibly a spare set of clothes. Heero made sure nothing on his face betrayed his thoughts, and followed WuFei out to the car. Silence filled the drive time from WuFei's residence to his apartment, but neither of them minded it, nor did they try to fill it. There wasn't much to discuss until they had some more intelligence and that was what Heero was going to get them.

It didn't take them long to move locations, WuFei parked in the only spot available then pulled his things from the car while Heero exited the passenger side. Heero greeted the evening security guard, Bert, as they made their way upstairs. On the landing outside the apartment, Heero know something was wrong. Turning the door handle slowly, he found it unlocked and let it go.

"Call Preventers, tell them to bring the Specials." Heero stated backing away a few feet.

WuFei complied and reported that the Specials would be there in 10. The Specials were a combination of S.W.A.T and Bomb Squad all rolled into one unit. Heero and WuFei could easily dispatch wherever was inside, but it would be messy and most likely cost lives. Believe it or not, he actually liked his neighbors. If anyone came out they'd take him, but they wouldn't go in and get innocent people killed.

The ten minutes it took the Specials to get there passed by at an agonizingly slow rate. When they did arrive, Heero and WuFei left, having decided to go to the Preventers office; the Specials would handle the situation here. On the way out, Heero meant to tell Bret to forward his mail but couldn't find him. He'd most likely been forced away from the scene since he, WuFei and his neighbors were even now being escorted away from the building, quietly. Luckily most of the residents worked for Preventers in some form or fashion and knew the value of silence. For the second time that night, they climbed into the car, destined for yet another location.

"This has been well planned." WuFei commented as they drove.

"They definitely know what they are doing. Someone desperately wants us out of the way and Quatre left unfound, but why, and who?" Heero replied thoughtfully.

"Better yet; what role does Janice play in all this? Is she involved or in the wrong place at the wrong time?" WuFei responded bitterly.

(O)(O)(O)

I know, a bit of a short chapter, but I have some good ideas on this story now so hopefully (with all the excess time I have at work) I will be able to post another chapters very soon! Hope you enjoy!