"I'm tired… I just want to sleep…"
Dorothy pulled her knees close as she sat in the sand outside, watching
the stars through one of the colonies many windows. "What are you, Mr.
Barton, if not a prospective lover?" She whispered to the dark night, her
eyes bright as she sought an answer from the cold, heartless orbs floating
before her. "Who am I if not the lost and confused war-monger sadist?"
"You can't sleep, Dorothy! Wake up! You can't sleep!"
She titled her head, her fingers drawing pictures in the sand. "Are all
questions meant to have answers? Is every emotion supposed to be explained
and understood? Should people manipulate one another to survive? To conquer
the weak is the objective of the strong… But are the strong killing themselves
in the process? Have I killed a part of my soul with the things I've done?"
"Damaged goods, Master Cauthon, isn't that what you said?"
"I don't question his love for me… Nor why he loves me…" She looked at
her pale hands, "Men have loved me before him. His reason is just… Original…
He loves my kindness, my intelligence, my emotions… He loves the person
I am. I used to wonder how he could think I was kind, how he could know
such a thing…" Dorothy smiled as if sharing a private joke, "He is… sensitive
to other people's emotions… I suppose that's how one could explain it."
"I disappear tonight, Dorothy… Forgive me, but…"
"No words, Collie. Just go."
"I do love him." Her smile widened, "I love him so much it hurts… I love
him with an intensity I never thought someone like me could feel. The events
that brought him back to me or I back to him… I would gladly take that
bullet knowing what I know now…"
"Touch me…"
"There are things I haven't felt since I was twelve… He brought them to
light. It hurts to feel… To suddenly feel shame for the things I've done…
Not all of them, though… I told him… I will never be a fairytale princess.
I have always felt more comfortable in the role of the wicked witch." She
glanced toward her loyal listener and smirked.
"I have never spent more than six days among the colonies before… I saw
it happened. Not many realize that." She leaned back, pressing against
a trunk that held costumes. "Grandfather died the same way… Mister Treize…
It seems fire takes them from me… Even him. Fire…" Her listener nudged
her hand and she glanced down. "He escaped it, though. He escaped the flames."
"Kill me…"
"My mother… died so long ago that I don't truly miss her as I do my father.
She was a kind woman, I hear though. She had the voice of an angel my father
would say. All I can remember is that voice and her hands." Dorothy's eyes
focused on her own pale hands again. "He used to say my hands were her
hands…"
"Hate me…"
"I celebrated Christmas last year while holding his hand."
"Dorothy, we were trained for this. Do not panic."
"Collie, I'm not panicking… You are."
She slowly stood, ignoring the lion's soft growl, as she lowered her face
toward its. Bars glittered in the night as she smiled, "You remind me of
him…"
"Death… is inescapable."
*
"Dorothy…" Collie's soft voice hissed through the dark as she stared at
the blood soaking the blonde's hands. She wore silk pajamas, completely
unstained, but her hands… The blood was dry and caked and Collie noticed
some decorated Dorothy's face as well.
Slowly a smile appeared on the young girl's face, "The puppets die, Collie.
I will cut their strings."
"Dorothy, what?"
A growl issued from her throat and Collie felt the blood rush from her
face as she found herself pressed against the wall by one elegant pale
hand and Dorothy's face inches from hers. "I will cut their strings, one
by one. If any escape I will hunt them down… Slowly… Allowing their own
paranoia to destroy their minds and I will watch. I will watch and I will
smile." Her smile returned, "Don't you want to help me, Collie?"
"What did they do to you?" The other girl managed to gasp as Dorothy's
hand crushed into her windpipe… Then suddenly she could breathe again and
she watched as Dorothy turned away, her body trembling. "Dorothy…"
"Hands… All over and I…" Collie's eyes widened as the girl's wild ramblings
reached her ears.
"What did they do to you?!"
"All over…" Dorothy shook her head, long hair flying, as she suddenly spun
around, ignoring the look of realization painted across the smaller girl's
face.
"No…"
Dorothy's eyes narrowed and a cruel smirk danced across her young lips,
"Oh, yes…" Laughter bubbled upward and Dorothy chuckled madly as she announced
to Collie. "I will kill them. I will kill them all."
*
Duo watched as Witt Guinn and Kristin Bishop's bodies were removed from
the house. The place seemed to be crawling with Preventers and local law
enforcers. He shook his head as the body bags were zipped and faced Wufei.
"This is just a guess here, but that job on her face that was the acid,
wasn't it?"
Wufei nodded, "Guinn also suffered from it, but his was a prolonged exposure.
He thought he was just sick, but he had actually been contaminated by the
acid's vapors."
"They went to a lot of trouble to shut up one man…"
"Wanted it to seem natural. He caught a deadly disease and died quietly
in his house with no one the wiser."
Duo frowned and with three long strides reached Kristin's bag and unzipped
it, staring at her face. The acid wasn't particularly lethal; it had left
only red burns yet she would've been blind for the rest of her life had
she survived. His violet eyes focused on the wound neatly placed in her
forehead and his frown deepened. "I've seen this."
The snap of a twig announced Wufei's presence and the other man nodded.
"Same bullet…"
"Used in the Catalonia case… I feel as if they're making fun of us." Duo
growled and jerked the zipper up, hiding Kristin's face from the world.
He angrily stomped a few feet away from the commotion and cursed. "Time's
like these I wish I smoked…" Wufei held a pack toward Duo and the American
raised an eyebrow, "Since when did you start?"
"I didn't. It was found inside."
"So Guinn smokes… Big deal." Duo watched Wufei's face, "Unless there's
something I'm missing here." He waited as Wufei upturned the pack and shook
a single cigarette free and handed it to him. Duo twirled it around in
his fingers, staring at the slender white cylinder. "Let me guess… Our
little scientist here didn't have a love interest, now did he?" He didn't
need to see Wufei's slight shake to understand what the tiny cigarette
in his hand meant. "Well… This is interesting." A cold smile appeared on
his lips as he raised it to his face, staring at the faint outline of red
lips that had held the cigarette so tenderly…
*
"I'm sorry, but Duchess Catalonia is on vacation. However, we can direct
your call to Lady Darlian's office if you wish." The bored secretary stared
at her purple nails, wishing she'd gone with passion pink, and merely glanced
at Quatre's image.
The Arabian blinked in confusion, "Miss Relena? Why would you direct a
call to Romefeller to her?"
The secretary's lips thinned as she answered briskly, "Lady Darlian is
handling the Foundation's affairs until Duchess Catalonia is back. Do you
wish for me to direct your call to her?"
"No thank you. Sorry for bothering." Quatre disconnected and leaned back
in his, actually Duo's, chair and stared at the ceiling. Relena was leading
Romefeller? That was preposterous! Dorothy would have to be desperate to
leave the Foundation in Relena's hands… Why leave it in anyone's hands?
He could remember her telling him that for her vacation hinted at power.
Dorothy wouldn't leave someone behind unless she wasn't sure when she'd
return… or if she'd return… And that meant she wasn't on vacation.
Which meant his heart had been trying to tell him something. It was hard
to explain how he could sometimes feel other people's pain and emotions…
How he could know things without truly knowing how he knew… That was how
he'd felt when he'd spoken to his sister about that woman… The one with
the eyes that stabbed… Was he deluding himself? He didn't really know,
but after all these years he could never remember feeling this positive
about something and having it end up false.
So, Trowa was with her… In some ways, he was glad about that. At least
he knew someone he trusted was watching her, protecting her… But Trowa
hadn't revealed it… Which meant he wasn't supposed to know. Trowa was part
of Duo's team…
All leading to the conclusion that Duo's team had been formed to protect
Dorothy Catalonia by placing her under the care of one of their best while
changing her appearance.
Her appearance had to be changed from what he'd heard from Holly. But that
didn't matter to him. He loved her for who she was not what she looked
like.
But what should he do now? He wanted to see her, but she might be in danger…
Didn't that mean he should be there even more? He wanted to protect her,
to help her… Quatre finally nodded slightly to himself as he connected
his vid phone. "I'd like one ticket to L3…"
And outside someone chuckled softly as they listened to the Arabian. "Go
save your Ice Duchess and lead me right to her…"
*
Hilde smiled as she watched the Preventer and Minister. The two had moved
from the living room and into the dining room, covering the long table
with books and paper. Right now, Heero and Relena were inches apart as
they read the same paragraph and Hilde clucked her tongue. They really
were hopeless; that close and all they were doing was working. She sighed
as she entered the room, dropping two steaming cups of black coffee on
the table.
"Hilde!" Relena admonished, picking up the coffee to free the papers under
it. She frowned briefly at the shorter woman before pointing something
out to Heero. "How are they storing it, Heero? They've had it for days
now, but the acid is dangerous if not stored correctly."
His lips thinned into a thoughtful frown; "They're not storing it."
"Huh?" Then Relena's eyes widened, "They're using it, even now! Where?
Who, though?"
Hilde coughed, dragging their attention toward her. "What are you two talking
about?" She pulled a chair around and sat beside Relena, staring at the
mess with obvious confusion.
"A theft in Preventer HQ. Someone stole a dangerous acid and it might be
connected to Duo's case." Relena answered, ignoring Heero's warning glare.
Hilde stiffened, "A-A-an acid?" Her lower lip trembled as one hand reached
up to slowly remove the ribbon from her hair so she could twist it in her
shaking hands.
"Perchloric acid… Hilde, what's wrong? I'm sure Duo's safe." Relena cursed
herself for forgetting Hilde's fragile condition and the mood swings that
had already been appearing. She stood and put an arm around the woman,
"It's okay, Hilde. Everything's okay. No one was hurt during the theft."
Hilde looked up, her eyes wide, "When? When was it stolen?"
"Some time during the last two weeks." Heero answered his sharp gaze on
Duo's wife. Hilde moaned, pressing a hand to her face, as she stumbled
to her feet. Hilde pushed Relena away and ran from the room, the sound
of her footsteps could be heard as she pounded upstairs and to the bedroom
she shared with her husband.
*
Blood. Oh, the wondrous force of life among those living, breathing humans.
Dorothy tilted her head as she watched it flow from the figure lying before
her. It flowed like an endless river of red… The figure's once hazel eyes
were wide in terror and disbelief and she smiled as she surveyed her handiwork.
The fourteen-year-old spun around, her white blonde hair swinging behind
her elegantly. She slowly removed her bloodstained white gloves with a
disgusted snort and tossed them aside.
The school hadn't changed in six months… Not that she had suspected it
to. She had graduated, leaving this academy and Master Cauthon four months
after she'd turned thirteen. They'd been glad to see her leave even with
the knowledge that she'd never work for them. For she had started something
that wouldn't end till every one of them was dead and the new generation
took over. They were weak now and no longer needed.
That night when she'd returned to Collie covered in that man's blood… That
night the planning had started and the deaths had begun. Slowly at first…
Collie and she were professionals and borne with the patience of saints
when it suited them. One by one the teachers of the cursed place had begun
to appear dead not entirely whole. Her mouth quirked upward at the thought
as her feet carried her down the hall.
Only the fittest survive and they were no longer fit enough to live. Not
since that night. Her eyes narrowed, as she seemed to glide, ignoring the
looks sent her way by children being trained as she had been trained. She
smirked at them; they were the new generation… She would guide them to
their rightful place among humanity by ridding the last of their weak trainers.
Her white fencing uniform was covered in blood, yet strangely none touched
her pale skin. The maniacal gleam in her eyes caused several onlookers
to shy away, each being reminded of their own visage of Death.
She had followed her promise to the word. A few had left the supposed school,
fearing their deaths… And she'd followed them, watching as paranoia ate
away at those that had once struck terror in the hearts of men and women
everywhere. She was their terror.
Her and Collie. Loyal Collie… No matter what missions separated them, Collie
had always helped her by also hunting those that she could find and killing
them… They were partners, in a sense… As they were now.
One pale hand closed around the doorknob and jerked it open, blue-gray
eyes searching for her last prey… His eyes turned and met hers and he smiled…
Then fell backwards, one hand clutching his chest where blood blossomed
so horrifically beautiful... Dorothy raised her eyes to the figure that
held the bloody foil and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I had to… You see, he was my puppet, too…" Collie answered as she lowered
the foil and watched Dorothy with hooded gray eyes.
"I see."
Silence reigned then Collie dropped the foil and took a step forward, toward
the young Lady. "I disappear tonight, Dorothy… Forgive me, but…"
Dorothy held a hand before her, her eyes turning toward Cauthon's still
form. "No words, Collie. Just go."
Collie fled from the room.
*
Trowa found Dorothy curled up on his sister's couch, her eyes on the ceiling.
In the kitchen, Catherine happily hummed to herself as she washed the dishes.
He watched as the Duchess's face was strangely peaceful and serene, no
arrogant smirk twisted her pale beauty… She suddenly looked very small
and fragile, though the image was quickly destroyed when she turned those
blue-gray eyes toward him and raised an eyebrow.
"How is it that you know me so well, Trowa?" She asked softly as he entered
the room, stopping to place one hand on the couch and stare down at her.
"You and Quatre tore my ideals apart that day and it seems Fate finds it
amusing to place us three in situations together."
"I know only what you let me see."
Dorothy nodded slightly and looked away, "I doubt even I know myself completely."
"I doubt anyone knows their self as well as they believe." He sat beside
her and Dorothy smirked at him as she leaned backwards.
"You are a wise man, Mr. Trowa. Whatever comes, I will be who I am because
I am. Today is tomorrow's yesterday. Tomorrow is yesterday's today. Yesterday
is today's tomorrow. Can you understand that? People tell you to forget
the past because you have the future to look toward, but the past is always
with you. Tomorrow I will be who I am today, but also who I am tomorrow.
The past lives inside you, affecting your outlook and your actions for
the next day. I cannot forget my past because it is my past that makes
me who I am and makes my future what it is."
His silence was warm and she closed her eyes. "I like talking to you, Trowa,
and it is less expensive than hiring a psychiatrist. I think I enjoy talking
to you because I know that you carry your own traumatic past." Her lips
quirked upward sarcastically, "Traumatic past…" She opened her eyes and
met his coldly, though the coldness wasn't directed at him. "I killed my
first man when I was eleven. My hands were steady as I pulled the trigger
and inside I was cold. No sweaty palms or second thoughts. Ice… I was ice."
"Ice can melt."
Her smile widened, "Yes, ice can melt. Have I melted, Trowa?"
Trowa's own lips twisted into a small smile, "No. You merely chip away
at the corners, sculpting the ice into the image you wish."
"What a pretty thought. Are you ice inside, Trowa?" She tilted her head,
"No… You are not ice… You are more of a metal beast…" Dorothy leaned forward,
"Do you sleep at night?"
"Yes."
"I don't. I can no longer sleep." She tapped a finger against her head;
"My mind won't allow me to sleep." A gleam entered her cool gaze;
"An acquaintance once told me I went mad once. Once in my life. The strange
thing is that it's happened only once. I killed the men and women that
taught me. I killed the ones that were my mentors, my twisted family."
"Life leaves people with harsh decisions."
"Ah, but it was my decision to kill. Mine and Collie's," she cast a sly
glance toward him, "or Midii's. She helped me kill them, you see. We were
separate those years… Each being sought after by the highest bidder. She
worked for OZ while I sought to help Romefeller. In the end, we were placed
against each other. I assassinated those that would hire her while she
did the same to those that paid me. Loyalty to yourself, I told her. Puppets
no more… We tied the strings to those around us and watched them dance,
but what she didn't realize is that I tied strings around her, too. I watched
them all dance…" She squeezed her eyes shut, "Not even realizing that I
had strings tied to me. The loss of my father had managed to tie a fatal
string of obsession. I clung to the lines of blood with my last remaining
male relatives, fearing their loss and disappointment, and war… Oh, the
beauty of war. The warrior's life of emotions warring against the beliefs
pounded into their heads; the pride in a cause so lost that no one truly
understands it."
There was a pause as Trowa took in her speech and studied the words. He
absorbed their meaning and nodded slightly. Dorothy watched him carefully
through half-lidded eyes. "We are warriors, Trowa. What did we believe
in?" She looked away and toward the plain ceiling, "I fought believing
that I was following in my father's footsteps, that I was doing what my
grandfather and Mister Treize wished for me to do. What did you fight for?"
Trowa's face was stoic but his voice held an uncomprehending emotion. "I
fought for identity, for the people, for peace. I fought so another child
wouldn't have to be raised by mercenaries and only know death. I fought
for lost and found siblings, for the chance of friendship."
He didn't even stiffen as her head leaned against his shoulder and his
arm found its way around her form. She seemed to mold against his side
and her hand found his free one. His tan hand contrasted greatly with her
pale, manicured hand. "You were fighting for us. I'm glad someone was."
"Quatre fought for everyone."
Dorothy closed her eyes; "Quatre is a kind man… But he could never understand.
His childhood was not perfect, but it was nothing compared to… Quatre fought
for everyone, tried to save everyone, because he couldn't save his self
when it truly counted. He couldn't save his father and his mind couldn't
handle that. He cares too much."
There was silence then Dorothy's soft announcement. "And I love him. I
love how his eyes light up when he sees something beautiful. I love the
way his fingers run through his hair when he's done something foolish.
I love how he says my name and the way he looks when he plays his violin.
I love how he cares so much about every single person around him." Her
voice cracked and she sobbed without the tears, "Trowa, I love him so much
that I don't understand it. I'm tired of being confused, tired of not understanding
myself. This… This isn't me. A month ago I'd never have said these words.
I want to go home."
He held her hand as his right hand smoothed her hair, "Go to sleep."
"I can't sleep. I won't let me."
Trowa held her close as inside the kitchen Catherine backed away from the
doorway and into the counter, her eyes wide as she stared at the air before
her… Shocked.
*
Duo smiled grimly as he used tweezers to pick up the smashed cigarette
they lay on the interrogation table. He dropped it into a small bag and
tossed both to Wufei. "I want lab on this quick. If they match, then bring
Midii back up here. Something isn't right here." Wufei nodded and walked
out the door, leaving the American alone in the metal room.
He banged a fist against the table as soon as Wufei had shut the door.
What does it all mean? If it's a match then someone's framing Midii since
Card was watching her all day. The pen, Pagan's death, and the explosion
all relate to Midii Une. Michael's death and the theft of the acid are
related, I'm positive… Why frame Midii? Why kill Guinn and Kristin? The
same bullet… The message on Michael's wall…
"Why hasn't Trowa reported anything?" Duo mused as he played with the end
of his braid, a habit he'd picked up when he'd met Hilde. She'd found it
cute.
He really should call her…
The door opened and Sally entered. In one hand she held a clear bag that
contained the form of a very dead rat. "They're everywhere, Duo." She threw
it on the table; "The exterminators won't come."
Duo sighed; wasn't anything going to go right today? "Why not? It's their
job."
Sally frowned and shook her head angrily, "They say the rats are already
dead. Their job is to kill the creatures. According to them, there's no
need for them to come when the rats are dead." She growled, "Which means,
they think the Preventers are a waste of tax money and find it amusing
to be jackasses."
Laughter poured from Duo's mouth as he listened to the former doctor. "Such
language, Miss Po! I'm shocked!" Duo flashed a wide grin; "Well they don't
seem to be doing much damage. If someone sees a rat, tell them to throw
it out, but otherwise just ignore them. They're not bothering anyone. They're
just dead."
Sally raised an eyebrow then sighed. "What do you suppose," she wondered
aloud as she poked the still form inside the plain bag, "is killing them?"
"Wu-man's coffee?" Sally chuckled as the two left the room, leaving the
rat for some unwary Preventer to find.
"Mister Maxwell, your wife's on the line." A woman carrying a pile of folders
announced as she tried to make her way down the hall without running into
someone.
"Maxwell, the lab results." Wufei's voice dragged Duo's attention to his
left and he watched as the Chinese grew closer, one hand clutching the
cuffed wrists of one Midii Une.
Duo sighed, "Tell Hilde I'll have to call her back." He glanced toward
Sally, "See ya, Sal." Duo joined Wufei and the three entered the interrogation
room with a decisive click.
A second later the door was reopened and Sally watched with amusement as
Wufei threw the dead rat into a nearby trashcan with a disgusted look painted
across his face. He glared at her before closing the door behind him
*
"Oh, Hilde… Should I go after her?" Relena asked Heero, receiving no answer
in return. She sighed worriedly, biting her lower lip as she stared in
the direction Hilde had bolted. "We shouldn't have said anything… She's
so emotional right now and she's probably worrying herself." Relena sat
down with a heavy sigh, one hand reaching out for a sheet. Her hand knocked
into the cup of coffee Hilde had brought her so thoughtfully and the Minister
let out a small yell as the mug tipped over and black, hot liquid flowed
across the table and its precious contents.
Heero calmly picked up the mug and placed it aside as Relena frantically
made wild grabs for paper, moaning as some came away stained with the brownish
black liquid. "The ink is smearing! These were all of Duo's files. I've
ruined them." Her eyebrows drew together in anxiety as she surveyed the
mess. She grabbed a piece and shook it, coffee dripping onto the floor.
"All I can make out is rats! Oh, how could I be so clumsy?"
A warm hand on her shoulder calmed her down somewhat and she turned around
to face Heero, her lower lip trembling. "It just happened and I couldn't
do anything… All ruined now." She swallowed, trying hard to blink away
the tears that threatened to spill. Heero knew she was no longer talking
about the coffee even though she held out the paper to him.
He took it from her and placed it on the table then stared down at her.
Relena lost her battle with the tears and they streamed down her face.
"I couldn't do a thing…" Hesitantly, as if scared, he opened his arms as
Duo had done earlier and Relena fell into them. "If I had only called out
to him sooner, brought him inside with me! I couldn't do anything, though!
Not a single thing. I can tell a pretty speech, but when it really matters—."
She was cut off by Heero pushing her away and shaking her gently.
"You couldn't save him. He died, Relena. You didn't set that explosion.
You didn't bring him there to die. He was with you because he wanted to
be. They are not just pretty speeches. I believe in those speeches and
what they mean. So did he. Don't degrade what he believed in so you can
blame yourself. I know what it feels like to kill an innocent man and you
didn't kill him, Relena."
She stared up at him, shocked by his solemn words, then Relena softly whispered.
"But it hurts. I miss him."
"I know and you always will, but don't blame yourself." Heero frowned as
he sought for the words. He wasn't suited for this. Duo had been better,
but… "You will always have memories."
Relena leaned against him, her head on his chest, and the two stood that
way till she finally pushed away and wiped a hand across her face. "A bit
of a mess to clean up." She kneeled and picked up a sheet, staring at it
with a small frown. "Rats… Why would Duo have a note on rats?"
"These are all his files. Dead rats have been found in Headquarters." He
answered stiffly and Relena smiled slightly at him before raising an eyebrow.
"Dead? You mean, you've been finding rats dead in traps?"
"No."
"Just dead and lying around…" Relena frowned as she stared at the drenched
sheet with its smeared writing. "Rats…" She licked her lips, her face set
in deep concentration. Then suddenly her eyes widened and she jumped to
her feet, "Dear god be merciful!" She met Heero's eyes with her own, "You're
right… They're not storing it. They're using it right now." She snatched
a file off the table and shook coffee off it before opening it to reveal
the paper inside. "The effects of perchloric acid. It's the vapors that
are dangerous! Where best to use it than close by and in the place where
it'd be the most help? You effect those that are hunting you and don't
even have to move far with such a dangerous chemical."
Realization dawned and Heero grabbed Relena's arm. "Stay here. Watch Hilde,
she's hiding something." He checked his gun as he ran from the room, barely
hearing her yell.
"What could Hilde be hiding?! Heero! HEERO!"
And then he was outside and driving away.
*
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