The Last One Left
Part II
Midii was lost after Trowa left her. She rode out into the colony alone. She could hear the bombs and gunshots released behind her. She looked back only once and didn't dare have a second. She stopped at an alley between two apartments, catching her breath and shaking with fear.
I hope he makes it out. But… Gundams…where did they come from? In the colonies? I thought they were on earth. The war…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash just on the street. She felt the tremble of a mobile suit walking.
Oh, God, she said in her head. They might find me.
The heat sensor of the mobile suit indicated that there's heat everywhere. Bodies from the apartments… and one in an alley. The pilot took a satellite close in at the source of the heat. The picture showed and he knew it was a girl. A blond girl. The pilot maneuvered his mobile suit to the entrance of the alley and saw her beside a motorcycle.
Midii's face looked defiant and determined. But someone looking deeper into her eyes would've seen fear. The camera of the mobile suit focused on the girl.
I know her, the pilot thought. She's a wanted inside Oz. His first instinct was to capture her and the mobile suit was going to, but he stopped.
Midii was scared to death. She slowly started to crumble from the inside. But he stopped, and she couldn't understand.
The pilot thought better of it. A girl like her must be feeling alone and lost in this world, with her family murdered by Oz. She deserves a break. Maybe just this once, because of him, and he knows she'll be forever grateful for it. He knows how she feels.
"I'm not going to capture or kill you," he said over the com.
She didn't believe him for one moment. There has to be a price to be paid. "In exchange of what?" she asked angrily.
"Get out of here," the pilot replied. "And promise me you won't die this young."
What? Her face asked. "You can't be serious!"
"I am," the pilot said. "Now go before someone else finds you. Get inside the apartment or you'll die."
"If they promise a swift death, then I'd rather die!"
"Don't be foolish!" the pilot said, moving his mobile to lean the camera towards her. "Hide. You remind me too much of my sister," he said.
Midii's face instantly softened. Here is an angel sent to let her live! Unexpectedly, the door to the cockpit opened and a man jumped down. Midii recognized the face, or rather, mask, instantly.
"Lightning baron!" she exclaimed in fear. Then hatred and anger took over. "You're going to kill me anyway! You liar!"
"Listen to me," Zechs said calmly. "I want you to leave, escape, and not show your face until tomorrow."
"They'll find me anyway! They always find me!" she cried in desperation. "I'll die sooner or later. I'd rather die now." She looked down to hide her tears.
Zechs Merquise took a few steps toward her. "If you were a spy, surely you can outwit them. Those OZ soldiers are good for nothing. They are not in this colony for you."
Midii looked up in surprise. That must mean they're not after her anymore!
"They are here for the Gundams," he added. "Don't show yourself and you'll be safe. I promise you that."
Midii heard from where that the Lightning Baron's words were as good as gold, and she believed him It's in a soldier's code of honor.
Zechs turned back to get inside his Gundam, the newly built Tallgeese III, and Midii turned to pick the apartment building's side door. But before she went any further, she turned back again and said, "Thank you, Lightning Baron," with the most honest possible face she can conjure.
The Lightning Baron stopped in his tracks. "Just don't die this young." He got on the lift to his Gundam and left.
The five Gundam pilots made their escape separately. Heero left for Earth; Quatre took refuge at a resource satellite; Wufei was safe in hiding; Trowa hid again in the circus; and Duo never left the colony. He hid Deathscythe Hell again in a warehouse and decided to find Hilde.
He ended up in an apartment building newly built. He went inside, looked a the list of tenants and found Schbeiker. He called her up.
"Yeah?"
"Hey, Hilde!"
"Duo?"
"Mind if I stop by?"
"Not at all! I'll press 9 and you'll hear the buzzer. Come in, all right?"
"Okay." Duo waited and heard the buzzer. He opened the door, went in and rode the elevator. At Hilde's floor, he got off. He was walking down the hallway when he saw a figure. She was slumped against the wall, looking tired and desperate.
"Midii?" he called out, taking a wild guess.
Midii was surprised at the call of her name and looked up to see Duo walking towards her. "Duo Maxwell?"
"That's me," he answered, grinning. "I thought you were caught or trapped or… dead."
"No," she shook her head. "I got away."
"You look very tired," Duo said, hauling her up. He put her arms on his shoulder and his arms around her waist to support her. "I'll bring you to a friend of mine. I'm sure she can help."
"No," Midii objected, trying to break away. "I don't want to bother anybody. I just need to catch my breath."
"No," Duo insisted. "You're going to rest again. After your escape from outside you'll need lots of it. Who knows? You might run into Trowa."
At the mention of Trowa's name, Midii looked up at Duo, who was grinning mischievously.
"How is he?" she asked, hiding her real emotions.
"I suppose he made it out. He's probably at the circus again," he answered. "He'll show up sooner or later." He stopped at a door and knocked. It opened instantly, as if someone was waiting.
At the site of Duo's face, Hilde's lit up.
"Duo!" she exclaimed. "Long time, no see. How have you been?" She opened the door wide to let the two in. She didn't mind the presence of the other girl. She assumed she's a friend of Duo's.
"I've been okay. Oz was on my back for a while, but I lost them now," Duo answered. He caught Hilde looking at Midii curiously. "Oh. Hilde, this is Midii," he introduced. Midii smiled a tired one.
"I'm really sorry to be here, but Duo insisted," Midii apologized. "I'll be out in a short while."
Hilde took some compassion in, seeing how tired Midii looked. "No, it's okay if you stay here." Then she added, "As long as you're a friend of Duo's."
Midii only nodded. "Thanks."
Duo set Midii down on the sofa, which she appreciated a lot. Running away has left her tired and weary of everything. And she knows she can't stay here for long, unless what the Lightning Baron said was true. They weren't really after her, but the Gundam pilots. And if she's going to be staying with a Gundam pilot…
She didn't want to continue the thought. She might as well get sleep for tonight—if Duo was staying also—and get on with her life. She just hopes it's a lot longer than a week or a day.
"Do you mind if we stay here for the night?" Duo asked Hilde, as if knowing Midii's trail of thought. "We could use the comfort. Then we'll be out."
Hilde just laughed. "You could stay here as long as you want," she answered. "Wait here and I'll go out for some food."
"I'll come with you," Duo offered. It was not fair to bother Hilde that much.
"No, that's all right," refused Hilde. "You and Midii might as well stay here. Especially you, since Oz is still out."
"But what if you get caught in the mess?" Duo asked, concern creeping into his eyes to show.
"No way, Duo," the other said indignantly. "I think I'm a lot better than that!"
"If you say so," Duo said reluctantly. "Be quick, though."
"Yeah, yeah," Hilde answered, walking towards the door. "It's just around the corner." Then she left.
Duo settled himself down across Midii. He looked at the other girl, who was deep in thought, looking down at her hands.
"What're you thinking about?" he asked her.
Midii looked up in surprise. Should she tell him? He was a perfect stranger, and she has no idea if she can trust him.
As if he was reading her mind, he answered to her unspoken question, "We got the same enemy therefore we're allies."
"I'm thinking of where to go next," Midii finally answered. "I can't stay here for long. One of those soldiers are bound to have seen me."
"Those were complete mobile dolls," Duo explained. "I don't know think any of them will recognize you." He paused. "Why would they recognize you anyway?"
Midii's guard came up, mentally kicking herself for revealing too much. Being a double agent between the Alliance and Oz gave her tight space to move in, and she felt as if Duo was moving in on another side leaving her only one way to escape.
"I'd rather not talk about it," she answered.
Duo just nodded. Probing into people's private lives isn't what he was meant to do so he decided to leave it alone.
Hilde came back fifteen minutes later. They had dinner and Duo and Hilde talked about miscellaneous things Midii didn't care to listen to. She sat in the sofa, thinking and thinking. At one point, Duo looked at her and made a joke about her being so serious, but she only smiled and went back to it.
Didn't he mention the circus and Trowa staying there? Midii's face lit up. I could visit him! I could talk to him. Talking to him would do me good. Yes… and then what?
She decided to worry about it later.
"Duo?" she whispered in the living room where he and she were sleeping in.
"Uh-huh?" came the reply.
"You mentioned that Nan—Trowa's at the circus, right?"
"Yeah."
"Is it in this colony?"
"I think so. Why? You wanna visit him?"
"Is it possible?"
"Sure, we'll go tomorrow."
"Thanks."
"No problem. G'night."
"Good night." She bit her lip and went to sleep.