The action's going to be picking up from here on out.
We Were Promised JetPacks
World on Fire
"It's good to see you again, Rashid." Quatre said warmly, stepping into the town car.
"Likewise, Master Quatre. You have been greatly missed by us all," he responded in his usual deep baritone from his position in the front seat.
Quatre looked down guilty. "I'm sorry to have placed the burden of overseeing the construction on your shoulders…I just need to—"
"Master Quatre, please! You dishonor our services with your words. For you, we would and have done much more."
Quatre let out a small smile.
"Thank you, Rashid."
"Of course, Master Quatre. Now please, fasten your seatbelt so we may arrive at the shuttle on time."
The car fell silent.
Quatre stared out at the passing scenery, distractedly. He felt guilty for abandoning his duties. He was most needed at the construction site. No matter how Rashid and the others tried to hide the frequent efforts to sabotage the project from him, he knew they had not stopped simply when he decided to go on 'vacation'. He had knowingly skirted his responsibilities at the site in order to take care of more….personal business. However, what was worse in his eyes was the fact that he was still not able to return. Not yet. Not until he had fixed what he had done here.
It made it all the more worse that he could feel Rashid's eyes boring into him from the rear-view mirror. The worry on his face was evident.
Quatre attempted for his sake to shake off his daze and look as if he was actively watching the daily actives of the colonists walking the streets.
Simple, normal citizens with simple, normal problems.
A couple holding hands.
A mother laughing as her daughter pointed eagerly to something in a window.
An old man sweeping outside his store.
A young man—
"Stop!"
Rashid slammed on the brakes at his outburst.
"Master Quatre, what is the matter?" he wasn't even able to finish his exclamation before Quatre had darted out the car and raced down the sidewalk. Before Rashid could even utter another cry, Quatre disappeared around a corner.
Rashid had no choice but to wait.
Fifteen minutes later Quatre jogged back to the car, a defeated look on his face.
"Master Quatre, what came over you?"
"I'm sorry to have worried you like that Rashid," he said softly. "I was just so sure I had spotted…well that I had spotted Heero."
"Heero? Heero Yuy?" Rashid was shocked.
"Yes, I'm sure of it. But he disappeared before I was able to reach him," Quatre admitted looking crestfallen.
Rashid gathered his thoughts and became determined to wipe that expression off Quatre's face.
"Master Quatre, Heero is the sort of man who," Rashid paused and seemed to consider his words carefully, "is simply not found unless he wishes to be."
Quatre nodded, but it did nothing to settle the doubt and puzzlement growing inside him. He knew he had not been mistaken. It was Heero he had seen in his usual jean jacket. But what was he doing here? And now? As far as Quatre knew, Heero was still shadowing Relena, acting as her personal bodyguard. And Quatre was certain Relena was still on Earth, performing her Peacecraft duties. So why was Heero in space?
"I'm sorry to rush you Master Quatre, but we must hurry to reach the shuttle. We are already late."
"Oh, of course. I apologize, Rashid."
Rashid shook his head disapprovingly as he held the door open for the young man.
"There is nothing to apologize for, Master Quatre."
Auda's frantically waving arms greeted him as he exited the car.
"Master Quatre! Master Quatre!"
Quatre smiled at the small group of Maganacs.
"It's good to see you again, my friends," he said warmly.
Auda adjusted his glasses and planted his hands on his hips.
"We were getting worried, Master Quatre. We were about to send out a search team," he said with a wink.
"This is very out of character for you Master Quatre—being so late. We would bet our first-born sons on your timeliness."
They all let out a hearty laugh.
"I apologize for making you all wait, but I'm ready to leave immediately. Forgive me, please."
"Jeez, you don't have to apologize for giving us time to sit on our butts, Master Quatre. The honor is all ours—"
A bright flash, followed by an ear-shattering explosion hit them. A wave of blistering heat threw them off their feet.
In a mere second the shuttle and the surrounding area had become an inferno.
"Master Quatre! Master Quatre!"
Quatre painstakingly rolled his body over. Smoke clouded his vision.
"I'm here, Rashid!"
He lifted himself up, feeling waves of pain roll over his body. He went to grip his torso only to have pain shoot up his left arm. The arm was twisted at an unnatural angle and was already beginning to turn a dark purple.
"Is everyone alright?" Quatre cried, stumbling to his feet, his own injuries pushed to the back of his mind.
Rashid emerged from the gloom supporting an injured Auda. Three other figures followed behind them, in varying states of injury, but all in one piece.
Quatre let out a relieved sigh. Everyone was accounted for. It's the most he could ask for.
"Master Quatre! Your arm!"
Rashid passed Auda off to another Magnac before hurrying over to Quatre's side.
"It looks worse than it feels—I swear."
The four behind let out a laugh.
"Oh, brave Master Quatre."
Quatre gave a sad smile. Only the Magnacs could laugh at a time like this.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Quatre closed his eyes for a moment.
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
The room was packed, and Quatre felt claustrophobia begin to set in from his vantage point in its center. His arm ached and his whole body felt battered and bruised. All he would have liked to do is move; however, every one of the ten occupants of the room would have his head if he even attempted such.
It was less than three hours after the explosion. Most of the Magnaccs came out relatively unscathed, save a few broken bones. Quatre himself had dislocated both his shoulder and elbow and suffered a minor concussion.
However, the situation was too dire to allow time for rest just yet.
Duo spoke first.
"Well aren't you having an exciting month, Quatre?," he said mockingly. "First project sabotages and now assassination attempts. Oh the life of a teenage billionaire."
The room fell silent.
The Magnacs and Quatre had regrouped at Quatre's apartment after being released from the hospital. There they encountered Trowa and Duo, who had both felt the explosion rock the colony and heard the news as it literally overtook every channel and radio station. Something of this magnitude had not happened to the colony since the end of the war. They were all just simply lucky enough that the explosion didn't pierce the hanger, opening them up to the vacuum of space.
"We need the media to release a statement that this was a purely equipment malfunction," Quatre voiced.
"Master Quatre," Auda cried, "this was anything but an equipment malfunction. That bomb was set to kill you and everyone in that shuttle once it cleared the colony."
"I know," Quatre relplied patiently, "but we can't let the public realize that."
"Yes, the last thing we need is to attract unneeded attention to these acts. The only question is how we are to proceed for here," Rashid added.
Everyone took a moment to think over the actions, but surprisingly it was Duo that spoke up first.
"Well it's obvious that these people are getting ballsy-er. Maybe if the shuttle had exploded in space like they planned it could have been chalked up to 'mechanical malfunction', but with all the debris in the hanger, even the rookie colony police force can figure out that it was a bomb. They practically sent out a sign flashing sign saying: 'We're after the Winner Corporation'."
"Or maybe the target is simply Quatre," Trowa put forth, without expression.
Everyone took a moment to let the words sink in.
"Who could possibly want to hurt Quatre?" Duo questioned skeptically. "The guy's a saint."
"We have all collected enemies over the years," Trowa pointed out. He then turned his gaze on Quatre expectantly.
Quatre looked apologetic. "I don't know."
Quatre didn't pretend that he hadn't made enemies during his gundam days; however, he would never have guessed that those grudges would have lasted throughout the peace, even going so far as wanting him dead. Regardless, targeting him was fine, but putting his friends in danger was unacceptable.
"We still need the message to go out to media, so we need to contact Sally."
Duo pushed off from the wall. "I'll handle that, Q-man."
Rashid stepped forward suddenly. "Regardless, the first priority is Master Quatre's safety."
"Security can be doubled—"
"I do not believe that will be enough," Rashid countered. "I propose for you to disappear for a time. At least until more information can be gathered on these acts and those responsible."
"Sounds like a good plan, but how exactly are we going to accomplish that?" Duo asked. "The kid has one of the most public faces in the world. He'll draw attention wherever he'll go."
"Maybe he won't have to go anywhere."
All eyes turned to Trowa.
"A decoy," he said simply. " Quatre stays put, but a decoy is seen leaving the colony."
Duo smirked. "I like it—very sneaky."
"No, for the plan to work all of the Magnacs will need to be seen leaving as well, leaving Quatre defenseless here," Rashid declared.
"Hey!" Duo protested. "What the hell are we?" He motioned to himself and Trowa. "It may have been two years since the end of the war, but I can promise you that Trowa and I still have enough game to take on these cowards."
Rashid opened to his mouth to argue, but caught himself as Quatre interjected.
"I know you mean well Rashid, but I believe that that will be the best option. This is the only way I will be able to focus on uncovering exactly what is going on."
Rashid still looked doubtful, but was forced to relent under Quatre's final decision.
"However," Quatre began, "I will have to ask that we delay my supposed departure for at least another two days. I have a meeting tomorrow morning."
Duo made a noise of irritation. "What is up with you and this meeting?"
Quatre looked down ashamedly. "It's something I have to take care of," he paused to stress the next word, "personally."
"Fine," Duo said letting out an exasperated sigh. "Keep your secrets Q-man."
The guilt on Quatre's face was too much for the ex-pilot to take—now he felt guilty. That was the kind of effect Quatre had on people. "Just stop looking like you killed a puppy, okay?"
Quatre cracked a small smile. "Thanks, Duo."