Authors note: Only a couple more chapters now…
"Heero NO!" I cried, my voice rising and cracking slightly. I looked around for signs of the person who had done this, wanting to pound the life out of them, kill them.
But my common sense kicked in, directing me to the front desk where I managed to make the little Italian librarian understand that I wanted an ambulance.
**********
"Mr Maxwell?"
"Huh? What?" I asked partly incoherently as I was shaken awake by a concerned nurse.
"Mr Maxwell, are you here about Mr Yuy?"
I yawned groggily, before suddenly snapping awake. I had been in the hospital waiting room for hours, waiting for news about Heero, I had obviously fallen asleep.
"Yep, I'm here about Heero."
"Well, he's going to be ok."
"He is?" I should have shown more emotion, but I just felt tired, drained from all the emotional outbursts I had had over the last couple of days.
The nurse smiled, and then it struck me she was English. "Yes he is." And with that she walked away.
"Hey wait! Can I go see him?"
She turned around, "Only briefly, he's very tired."
Slowly I walked down the corridor towards room 102 where Heero had been installed.
Pushing open the door my eyes met a weird sight.
I'm not quite sure what I had expected, maybe Heero lying unconscious with tubes stuck in him, not this.
Well he did have tubes in him, but other than that he looked completely normal, sitting there playing on the computer.
Leaning against the doorframe I stood and watched him for a while. He was so intent on the screen he didn't notice me until I walked over and plopped down next to him.
"DUO!" I have honestly never seen a guy look so happy to see anyone in my entire life.
"Yeah who else?" I joked.
His eyes flickered briefly over my body, checking to make sure I had no injuries. "I thought you'd been killed by the same guy who got me! They wouldn't tell me anything, I thought you were dead!" Relief washed over his face in large amounts.
"Nah the coward left before I could get my hands on him."
He turned his laptop towards me, suddenly business like. "Look, I hacked into public records and things and Treize is Tason Karami."
"So where's he hiding?"
"That's the problem, I don't know. You're going to have to get out there and find him. While I'm stuck in here." Suddenly he looked moody again.
Leaning over I gave him a hug. "Don't worry He-man, you'll be fine in a couple of days, and I won't get myself killed."
He grinned at me before shoving me away. "Good luck then, Duo."
************
Moodily I kicked a stone along the pavement. I had just been to the bank, but no one would tell me anything about Tason Karami. So I was still nowhere near finding him, or his hideout.
Kick, roll, kick, roll, kick… SPLASH! Huh?
Looking up I saw my little stone had rolled into one of the drainage systems, that lead deep under the city.
Under the city, no wait! UNDER THE BANK!!
"YES!" I screamed out loud, earning a couple of weird looks from passers by. But I didn't care; I finally knew where Treize was hiding, it was just a theory but maybe, just maybe, I could finally avenge my family…
************
It must have been about midnight, but I didn't care. Slipping into my normal black trousers and top I stuck a black woollen hat on my head and slipped down the stairs of my hotel.
I quickly made my way to the bank, and finding it shut (no surprise there) I looked around for a drainage system.
Presently I came across one, and, bending down lifted the round metal grid. At once an almighty stench rose up. Choking back my nausea I looked down into the gloom.
"Ok Duo, you have to do this, for your family, for Heero…" closing my eyes I mentally conjured up an image of him. This was enough to strengthen my resolve. "Here goes nothing…" And with that I quickly climbed down the ladder.
I had thought the smell was awful up in the open air, down here it was worse.
Swearing quietly I peered through the gloom before taking a flashlight from my belt and turning it on.
I sloshed as quietly as possible through the murky water, holding my breath and breathing through my mouth.
As I turned a corner I nearly crashed into someone.
"What the hell…hey what are you doing down here?"
"Um…sightseeing?"
Instead of taking my word for it, the thug looked at me doubtfully before pulling out a radio.
"We have an intruder, bringing him down to base three over."
Oh great he hadn't taken my word for it after all.
"Come on you, get moving, now!" and so saying this the thug gave me a shove that sent me reeling into the sludge on the passage floor. Oh gross…
As I climbed to my feet he grabbed my arm and began dragging me down the long sewer way. Shoving a gun into my back, he grinned sinisterly, "And don't try anything stupid."
****************
"You stay here." Smirked one of the new thugs, tying me to a chair in a white room. "And don't go running away."
I rolled my eyes before spitting on the floor at his feet. "Now that ain't nice is it? You better be nicer when Mr Treize get's here."
Over my dead body.
And then I was left alone to contemplate my fate. Shifting uncomfortably on the hard wooden chair I felt something dig into my side.
"OW!!" I began to curse blackly, then realised what it was. "Wufei's spray can!" I whispered to myself.
Before I could contemplate any further however, the door clanged open and Treize walked in, only to stop short. "Why Hellene! What are you doing here?"
Hellene? Has the guy gone nuts? Oh wait…he thinks I'm a
woman. STILL! OH COME ON I'M WEARING MENS CLOTHING!!!!
I looked at him, a murderer, an evil monster in human clothing. When his hand reached up to stroke my cheek I did the only thing I could think of to do.
I bit his hand.
"Aaargh!" he slapped my face, but still, I felt strangely gratified. I had caused pain to him.
"Who are you really? Answer me or you'll be sorry!"
I glared at him, letting all the hate show in my eyes. "I'm Duo Maxwell, and believe me, you're not going to get out of this alive buddy."
"MAXWELL!! Aren't you the brat that escaped me once before?"
I smirked at him, not replying. I could see I was making him angrier but I didn't care. "Drop dead Treize Kushrenada!"
He smiled then, "I don't believe it will be me that's dropping dead Mr Maxwell."
Gulp.
With that final threat, he stalked out of the room, indicating with his hand to a thug. "Kill him."
A thug untied me, and shoved me against a wall. "Any last requests boy?"
"Yeah, could I kill that fly on the ceiling?"
He looked up, confused, and before he could react I punched him, knocking him out cold. Quickly my hand delved into my pocket, coming out with the fly spray. I unscrewed the top and pulled out the gun. 5 bullets…greeeat.
Rushing out of the door, I headed down a passageway. Stopping short as an awesome sight met my eyes.
A huge lab had been constructed, and in this lab were thousands of scientists, each hard at work on a project of some sort.
Slipping into a white lab coat I walked up to one of the computers and logged in. Quickly I scanned the system for vital information until I came to a file called "Operation Meteor." Hellooo this sounds interesting.
Reading through I discovered why Treize wanted Quatre's chip so badly.
It was so he could control the world leaders, my guess had been correct.
Right, time to blow this baby and go home, I'm sick of
this mission.
Quickly I set the bomb in the spray canister and legged it.
"Stop that man, he's not meant to be here!"
Keep running keep running!
Barrelling past the guards I ran as hard as possible towards the exit. From behind me came a loud explosion that rocked the building. Flames began licking my heels, I ran faster, nearly choking on the smoke.
Suddenly I ran smack into someone, it was Treize. He didn't recognise me as I pulled my lab coat over my face slightly. But as I ran by, I unfolded the handkerchief and shoved it in his pocket.
From behind me I heard a scream as the virus activated.
Keep running keep running!
Reaching the ladder to the outside world I scrambled up and came to be outside the library.
I managed to get up to my room in the hotel, before collapsing on my bed, absolutely exhausted.
Mission accomplished.
Authors note: ok, one more chapter and an epilogue and then that's all folks. L Well; if you want me to write a sequel or something let me know at d_d_duley@hotmail.com bye for now.