Adieu, Mon Ami
by Mercutio
"The Zero System?" Nimue said.
"Yes," Professor I said, with a hint of pride. "The daughter of my genius and the mother of what will soon be known as modern warfare. The Zero System runs on anger- both her anger and the anger of the recipient. The anger makes the pilot much more effective in battle... and gives him the sub-telepathic powers that we discussed when you first came to Fate."
"Wha... what?" Nimue said, in shock. "You mean you two loony bastards used ME to test it? This is the place that I came to blindfolded?"
"Yes, you are correct," Professor I said.
Nimue collapsed on the floor. Never since Professor I had first read her mind had she ever felt so violated. "And what about her? What about that woman you used? Did you lie to her and tell her that there was nothing dangerous happening? Do all of your test subjects end up like that? Will Dorothy and Olivia and I all end up like that?"
"Oh, goodness no. That woman wanted to have it done to her. She was the only person who has been able to completely safely undergo the telepathic process without side effects."
"So you hacked her to bits and removed her face."
"Don't interrupt. You remember what I told you about the only person to completely survive the process?"
"That's Chief Scientist A? You mutated your own boss and hooked her up to a bunch of telepathy machines and then hooked ME up to her? How could you?"
"How could I what? I've broken no promises. Neither you nor Heero have come to any harm." Professor I said.
"But..."
"No 'buts'. Now come upstairs and forget all about seeing that thing," Professor I said in a soothing tone.
Run, Nimue.>
Nimue slapped Professor I in the face. "How DARE you plant ideas into my mind like that!" she screamed.
To her surprise, he slapped her back, so hard that she fell to the floor. "I did no such thing! And keep your hands to yourself! You're lucky I'm even allowing you to stay at Fate. Your eyes have been tainted and you can no longer work as a test subject. But if we release you to the outside world, you will certainly spread the word about the Zero System. You have no idea how extremely fortunate you are to still be allowed to LIVE." Nimue looked up to see a gun pointed to her face. "I should kill you right now and get it over with. You betrayed all trust Fate had in you. You are worthless."
Even with a gun in her face, Nimue could not back down. "But if you didn't just tell me to run, who did?"
"I'm sure you imagined it," he said, as if he didn't even care. Nimue was shocked by the sudden change of personality in him.
Run, Nimue.>
Take his gun.>
And run.>
That voice again!
I can't,> Nimue thought in reply I can't take his gun... and I can't leave Heero...>
Heero will be safe here. He shall come to no harm, and receive one of the futures that Fate offers. It will be much better than the life he will live as a prostitute's bastard.>
Nimue felt a crushing blow to her soul.
Forgive me, I intended no offense by my foolish remark.>
"Who are you?" Nimue said aloud, regardless of Professor I's presence. He just looked at her strangely, not moving the gun.
Who do you think?>
Are you the Zero System?>
I'm going to get the gun for you. Take it and run.> And is if following the voice's orders, Professor I's gun flew out of his hands and into Nimue's open hands. She instantly pointed it towards him.
"What... how the hell did you do that?" he exclaimed. Nimue knew that she hadn't done anything, but rather it had been whatever was talking to her. However, she decided not to let on.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "All I know is that I need to get out of her. Now let me go or I will shoot."
"You could never shoot me," he said.
Nimue realized that he was right. "No... I can't... but I have no qualms against shooting your precious Zero System." She pointed her gun to the woman. "If you do not let me go, I'll destroy it. I know that you don't want all that time and money to go to waste."
Professor I looked defeated. "Fine... you can leave. But you must not tell anyone about what you have seen. If you do, we will kill Heero without a second thought."
"Fine," Nimue said. She paused for a moment to slip Janus' teardrop necklace off. "Give this to Heero." Professor I took it and nodded.
And taking the gun with her, Nimue left without another word.
~ ~ ~
So she has left?>
"Yes. And about time, too."
I see. I knew it would work."
"Knew what would work?"
That if I gave her a reason to leave, she would. Then we would have Heero all for ourselves.>
"You brought her here on purpose? Did you realize how risky it is?"
It is worth having Heero. I can already see how that child will change the world in so many ways... and if he's going to do all that, I want him on our side.>
Begin testing him. Take the Dorothy girl out of the program and return her to Durmail. If he asks, tell him she wasn't compatible with the tests.>
"But removing her from the program so abruptly could-"
I don't care! She can take all the brain damage she bloody well wants, and it still won't matter. I want Heero. NOW, Professor I!>
"...Yes. I apologize for my impudence."
~ ~ ~
Nimue was running.
Running from Fate. She was worried to tears about Heero, but despite it all she ran like the wind. She wanted out of Oaschaal. She wanted out of Kushrenada. Maybe she even wanted off the planet. All she knew was that she wanted away. She knew well that no one was chasing her, but she wanted to run anyway. It was all she could think to do.
"Oof," a voice said. Nimue realized that she had run into someone. She looked up into his face, and saw that it was Janus. She didn't bother to apologize, she was too full of sorrow and dread to do anything but throw herself onto him and sob onto his shoulder.
"Are you all right?" he said. Nimue was not sure, so she just sort of shook her head neutrally.
"I've been thinking about you," he said.
"What?" Nimue said, shocked. It wasn't every guy who still thought about her at least nine months after they declared their hatred for each other.
"I said I've been thinking about you. I've been trying to find you, but I couldn't. I wanted to apologize for my words and actions."
"I've been... away," she said. She then looked up at him, and through her tears she noticed that he was not well either. "You look sad too," she said.
"My wife was killed in the bombing of Razara. It's been very hard for me to cope with."
"Considering the fact that you slept with me in downtown Oaschaal, I find that a little hard to believe, your Excellency."
He didn't respond for a moment. Then, he suddenly said, "You got rid of the necklace."
"I gave it to our son."
"Our... son?" he said, startled. "Where is he?"
"He's gone now..."