by Zapenstap
Dorothy paused and smiled without showing her teeth as Relena was halted in the hallway by a swarm of press. She stopped a few paces behind the mob, posture perfect, her hands clasped behind her back. Noin and Sally remained at Relena's side, creating a small bubble around Relena to keep cameramen and reporters from getting too much in her face. Dorothy suppressed a laugh. It was almost comical, watching Relena hold out her hands, palms up, while she smiled and simpered for the public. Even so, Dorothy felt a pang of irritation. Perhaps it was the interruption. However much she felt she wanted to laugh at the former princess of the Cinq Kingdom, she found that she could not. It annoyed her that these people swarmed over this highly renowned political figure who played such a phenomenal part in bringing peace to the universe. Dorothy's lips twitched in a smirk. It was hardly important anyway, considering what was going to happen.
She didn't turn so much as her neck when David Strongarm moved to stand just beside her, arms crossed over his chest. Even here eyes remained as they had.
"I assume that nothing has changed about our agreement?" he said gruffly.
Dorothy smiled. "I am in complete cooperation," she said crisply. Oh yes, complete cooperation, but Strongarm didn't know Dorothy very well. She fingered the red streaks in her hair thoughtfully. It would be interesting to see everyone's reaction. Sometimes she didn't even know herself why she did the things she did. "You know," she added. "There's something else I should tell you."
*****
Quatre wove his way through the tightly packed crowds. The Maguanac had chosen to buy a few drinks to celebrate, leaving Quatre to watch the festivities from the front lines. Angela had followed him, though. Relena needed her to meet with the press and secure plans for the party after the cutting of the ribbon, so she wanted to be close to the stage.
"It will be a fantastic party," the freckled girl laughed, her bright eyes twinkling "everything appropriate to formally celebrate the end of war times."
"Yeah!" Quatre agreed. "I can't wait. I suppose there'll be dancing and food and festivities."
"Certainly," Angela said with a nod, "and more besides. I've even arranged for fireworks. The whole thing will start off with a bang!"
Quatre grinned. Angela was barely eighteen and yet a veteran of the war. They had talked over tea about their best and worst memories. Many of them were similar. Her feelings about the end of the war were mixed, but mostly positive. She said she only felt a little insecure about the whole thing and since the war had taken to carrying a gun around with her wherever she went, "a nervous habit" of the old days. Quatre completely understood. Heero did the same.
With Angela just behind him, Quatre moved to the front of the line. A few delegates were on the stage arranging things, but Relena had not yet come out. Quatre smiled and smoothed the lapels of his suit. Good, he hadn't missed anything.
"Hey, Quatre!"
Quatre turned to see Duo waving from the across the stage. Quatre grinned waved. At least one other pilot had managed to show up. "Are any of the others here?" he yelled back.
"I saw Wufei walk inside a minute ago with Zechs!" Duo shouted across the way. "He looked pretty serious!"
Big surprise, Quatre thought with a small smile.
*****
"It is a very exciting time for everyone," Relena said into the microphones held out to her by the reporters. "But really, I have little to do with any of it."
Protests reverberated back in her face.
"Do you think the peace will last, Miss Darilan?" a man's voice asked. The microphones were pressed a little closer to her face so that she had to pull her head back like some strange bird.
"I think as long as the people's hearts and minds want and work for peace, peace will remain," she replied. True enough. Without that, maintaining peace was like throwing a pucket of water on a forest fire.
Even as she talked she caught sight of Dorothy standing some distance from the crowd. David Strongman stood just beside her. Relena's mouth tightened, but in the next instant she was smiling again. She could not show weakness, not even concern.
Someone was pushing through the crowds toward her. She watched as indignant reporters muttered at the newcomer. It was Wufei. She opened her mouth for greetings and then stopped with a pang of uneasiness in seeing his expression. His face was like a thunderhead. Zechs stood just outside the crowd, garbed in civilian attire. He didn't look happy either.
"Excuse me," Relena said with a wave of her hand. Wufei's mouth twisted in a sort of contempt and she threaded her way to him through the crowd. Noin and Sally nodded after her and remained to answer questions.
Wufei grabbed her arm somewhat roughly and pulled her out into the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, Relena caught sight of Dorothy. Her eyebrows were raised in inquiry. She seemed amused. Nothing new.
"Pay attention," Wufei said. Zechs opened a door into a small office and Wufei herded her inside, followed by Zechs. Before she was whisked in, she saw Strongarm turn on one heel and leave at a quick trot. He looked like sheer murder. What had Dorothy said? Then the door closed, locking Relena inside with her brother and a gundam pilot she hardly knew.
"What is this all about, gentleman?" Relena said a touch angrily, wrenching her arm out of Wufei's grip. He let her go and crossed his arms.
"There are rumors of an assassination attempt on your life today," Zechs said gruffly.
Relena said nothing, merely shifting her gaze between them, weighing their moods.
"I can't claim that I like you much," Wufei said honestly, if with some disdain, "but you are important to these people."
"Important to these people," she repeated. He would warn her of an attack on her life because she was important to these people? Not too different than most everyone, she supposed. Heero... Did he see her that way? It was almost painful thinking of him, there were so many shadows around him now.
"You also have the right to life," Wufei amended. "Since Mariemaia, I don't dislike you so much as a I once did, but I still think you're a fool. "
She nodded. She supposed she deserved that. "Very well."
Zechs frowned, staring intensely at her face. "You knew about this. You must, or you would not be so cool."
Relena frowned. It seemed she could not keep it from her brother, despite how little they knew each other.
Wufei snorted, his expression flat. "I suppose you expected Heero to come to your rescue again." There was clearly a note of condescension in that remark.
Relena's eyes flashed. "All right. Enough," she snapped. "I do know about it. And I have my reasons for saying nothing, though I doubt you will understand."
"Don't tell me you have a deathwish now," Wufei muttered.
Zechs held out a hand, silencing him. "Tell us then, little sister. Your explanation better be worth something. God knows I've made enough foolish mistakes for our entire family. It's no time for you to start."
*****
Coran and Felicia surveyed their handiwork with some fair amount of satisfaction.
"It should go well," Coran murmured. "If we leave now, we'll be just in time."
"I'll be just in time," Felicia corrected, her eyes glittering. "I can't wait to see her expression."
Coran grinned. "Yes, but one last touch," he said, his eyes drifting to the creature slithering down Felicia's shoulder.
Felicia stroked the body of the snake wrapped around her neck and repositioned it. It was docile now, recently fed. A red viper, in perfect condition. She grinned. The snake flicked its tongue, tasting the air. He didn't understand why she was not the least bit frightened of the thing, but then, considering who and what she was, maybe it was not so surprising. "Yes, let's go," Felicia murmured. "It's almost four."
*****
Duo frowned up at the stage, wondering what was keeping Relena. This was hardly some big scale operation that needed a lot of consulting, and yet the Public Relations people assured the crowd she would be out as soon as she was through with her advisors.
He had seen Wufei enter the compound a minute ago, and then Zechs right on his heels. Had they discovered what Heero had, that someone would try to take Relena's life today? Perhaps they were telling her. That would make sense. Where was Heero anyway? Duo bounced up and down on his toes, trying to see over the heads of people a little taller than himself. It wouldn't be like Heero to stand in a crowd like this to stop an assassin; that was more of a Trowa technique. Duo scanned the buildings, looking at roof tops, windows and alleyways. He thought he caught sight of somebody down an alleyway near the stage by Quatre. A second glance told him it wasn't Heero. Nope. It was Trowa.
At that instant, Relena appeared in the doorway, a pair of scissors in her hands with which to cut the ribbon. Smiling to the crowds, she waved, the skirt of her short yellow dress blowing about her legs a few inches above the knees. Behind her came Wufei and Zechs, their eyes scanning the crowd like hawks in search of prey. Sally and Noin came next, followed by the press.
Suddenly, someone squeezed through, shouldering Zechs and Wufei to either side. All Duo saw was a wild mass of blonde hair. Could it be Dorothy? Time seemed to slow.
Duo opened his mouth, but everything seemed like slow motion.
Trowa dashed out of the street, running in Quatre's direction.
Wufei shouted some sort of warning.
Quatre turned toward Trowa, but the delighted smile on his face broke as gunfire rang through the air. He ducked, almost seeming to fall, and Duo lost sight of him.
Seconds only and Relena hit the floor of the stage before the peace memorial. She seemed to hit twice, her body bounced so hard. Pale brown hair with blonde highlights curtained her face. Her eyes were hidden.
Preventors in black and brown jackets circled Relena's fallen form, brandishing police weapons in one wave. Sally and Noin were there, as were Zechs and Wufei, circling her, hiding her body from the crowd.
Pandemonium.
"Nobody move!" a female voice called out, but the sound reverberated
around the plaza, making it difficult to tell from whence in came.
"I have a hostage!"
Cliffhanger!! Did Relena get shot? Did she die? Who's
the hostage? Where's Heero? What about the Gundam? For
goodness sake, who is Red Viper? Please tell me your guesses!!
The next part will be up tomorrow.