Well, minna.
I did promise that when my Christmas hols started, I'd begin writing a lot
more of my fics, and today I fulfill a small part of that promise. ^_^
Yes, Chapter 8 of Kindred Spirits is done... despite the fact that I got
really limited response to the teaser I sent out a while ago... :P
This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer, according to the outline I
prepared for it prior to starting. However, as I progressed, I realised that
the fic was getting waayy too long. Every KS fic to date has been of
approximately equal length... about 5000 - 7000 words each. I realised that
if I were to write this chapter from start to end as I'd planned, it
would've hit in excess of 12000-14000 words, and I can't have that, now can
I?
So, instead this is what happened - I split the chapter into two parts and
I'll be starting on pt. II almost immediately. ^_^ That leaves me with part
I at a nice bouncy 6300 words.
So... enjoy Chapter 8 part I. ^_^ And remember, feed the fic writer. ^_^
DECISIONS part I - Chapter 8 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga
Written by Sandrock(sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
GW belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not
an OVA series.
Content Guideline - violence, mild suggestive material
April 19th, After Century Year 195, 4:46am.
The wide comforting folds of the armchair surrounded him as he stared out of
the expansive windows that overlooked a panoramic vista of nature - a lush
parkland of trees and bushes accentuated with a sprawling lake. The sounds
of nightbirds filled the air, and the occasional cricket added its own
melody to the orchestra of the night.
Behind him, flames crackled cheerily in an old-fashioned fireplace; their
chaotic dance throwing flickers of light across the darkened oak-panelled
room. A large four-poster bed sat a short distance away, bedcovers in
disarray.
The man sighed, and placed his glass of sherry down on the large rosewood
table. He got up slowly, his careful movements speaking of age and frailty.
He hated the Dreams. They came more frequently these days - ever since his
retirement two months ago. He knew the official reasons the authorities gave
for the Dreams, but he could not help but wonder.
It was odd, really. The Dreams always left him on edge - there was utter
darkness, a blackness that spoke of an utter and complete void. It left him
feeling as though he were not meant to be, that he was not meant to be here.
While he still worked, the Dreams had been different. Then, they had been
innocent - a subtle feeling every so often that he had chosen the wrong path
in life - that his true calling lay elsewhere. But, he was a professional,
dedicated to his work - he knew what was expected of him and what rested on
his success.
At least the Dreams had also showed him the boy. At least... that much
convinced him that something he was doing was right.
The communications console on the redwood table sprang to life with an
insistent beeping, breaking the man's train of thought. He turned slowly,
recognising the face on the screen almost instantaneously.
He spoke, his voice raspy yet deep, "It's been a while, J."
J nodded, the light from the console flickering, "Not that long. Are you
well?"
A raspy laugh emerged from his throat, "I am as well as I was when we last
met, J. Bored to tears from lack of activity to keep me occupied, but
otherwise well. And you? How are you? Still fighting the good fight, I
take it?"
The other man smiled, "Doubtlessly."
Picking up the glass, the elderly man took a sip, "Shall we get down to the
crux of the matter, J? There can only be one reason why you'd call me in the
middle of the night."
"I see you are as observant as always, Charles."
The elderly man allowed himself a small smile, "You know me too well. So,
what have our two little wonders done now?"
J paused, as though considering, "It's Solo, Charles. I've just been told
he's gone berserk. He destroyed Sister and part of the compound. He has
killed no less than five people during his escape and I fear that may just
be the tip of the iceberg. I cannot afford a crisis such as this at such a
crucial juncture..."
The scientist paused again, "... but I am at a loss as to what I should do.
I cannot afford to lose Solo, but I cannot risk the questions that will be
raised should he murder others and should he be found. Duo is injured, and
without Sister, I don't know if he would be able retrieve his twin. We've
located Solo, and I've sent Zechs to attempt to negotiate with him with a
security force of twenty to back him up... but frankly speaking, we both
know that Solo is more than capable of neutralising a force thirty times
that size should he turn on them... I could use-"
The elderly man interrupted J's discourse, "He went to see the girl, didn't
he?"
J blinked for a second, then nodded silently.
The man shook his head slowly, "I told you that was a bad decision, J."
"We had no choice, Charles. I couldn't have let both maintain the status
quo; sooner or later, something would've become suspect."
Charles smiled wryly, "And look what just happened."
J frowned, "You're not helping, Charles."
Charles laughed again, "Patience, old friend, has never been your strong
point. Of course I will help. I will be there in the morning, J. In the
meantime..."
He paused, "... you have to neutralise Solo. I left you the means to do so.
Use them."
J shook his head, "I can't afford to lose him, Charles. He's too valuable. I
have to find another way to bring him back."
Reaching out to open one of the drawers on his table, Professor Charles
Maxwell drew out a small, sealed, gray box. Toying with it, he proffered it
in the direction of the screen, "Trust me, James. I have the solution to all
your problems."
J stared at the gray box for a long moment, recognition registering in his
eyes, "...thank you, Charles."
Charles Maxwell smiled, "No, James. Thank you. I did say that I was bored to
tears... you always did have good timing."
"I shall be there in the morning. In the meantime, you should do what must
be done. Until then, James."
The screen shut off.
*****
The food lay untouched.
Motionless on the bed, Heero Yuy was a jumble of emotion and feelings.
*I'm a killer...*
*Her lips were so soft...*
*Killer...*
*Soft...*
The dead guard, motionless and cold.
The startled look on her face as she broke the kiss.
Frustrated, the Japanese youth swung a fist out wildly, connecting with an
adjacent wall. A deep crack formed where his fist impacted, and he turned
away, disgusted.
The door chime rang again. Jerking up into a standing position, his eyes
widened. His heart was pounding. Did she come back? Who was it?
Hastily, he crossed the distance to open the door.
And found himself staring at the injured form of Duo Maxwell.
He frowned. Why wasn't Duo being repaired by Sister? The kid had clearly
taken quite a beating in the confrontation with Wufei, even if he was trying
to hide it.
The braided youth's demeanour was grim.
"Something's happened, Heero. The professors need us."
The Japanese youth looked away, "Duo... I... I don't think I can..."
Duo stopped him before he could finish the sentence, "Heero... I need you. I
can't do this alone, not right now. Not in this condition. Don't say
anything, Heero.... just come. Please."
The braided youth stared wordlessly at the other boy, his large amethyst
eyes meeting Heero's deep prussian blue. Perhaps it was something in that
gaze, but for a moment, Heero Yuy found himself seeing a vulnerable and
uncertain youth, and not an efficient killing machine.
Duo smiled slightly, grabbing the other boy's arm and leading him away.
*****
"You can't be serious, J."
The one known as J turned slowly, allowing his gaze to meet his fellow
professors. He sighed.
"It is his advice, and I am compelled to follow it, as should you."
G's eyes narrowed, "I fail to see why, J."
Scratching thoughtfully at his cheek, J started pacing, "He is their
creator, G. I value his advice when it comes to the two of them. If he says
he has a plan, I believe I can trust him. We have worked with him time and
again, and he has never failed to deliver. He is trustworthy."
"But he does not know the complete truth of the matter in this case, does
he?"
J paused, turning to look at O, who was seated at the table a short distance
away from where he paced, "He knows more than you give him credit for, O."
H interjected, seated as he was next to O, "Is Ms. Schbecker aware of this
latest development? What does she say? Will our actions... should we take
Charles Maxwell's advice... have any adverse effects?"
J shook his head, "No, Ms. Schbecker... Mrs. Maxwell, rather, is not aware.
I've sent a member of the staff to rouse her, and she should be joining us
shortly."
The professors turned in unison as the door opened with a soft hissing
sound. J allowed himself a small smile as he walked over to the large table
and sat down, joining his fellows.
"Duo. Heero. Be seated, please."
*****
Heero stared silently at the five scientists seated primly in a row in front
of him and Duo. He shook his head, wondering why he'd let Duo drag him into
this in the first place. Everytime he met with the scientists, something
else would go wrong...
Everytime he met with the scientists... something -had- gone wrong.
He continued to stare for a moment before asking, "Is this about Wufei?"
J folded his hands on the tabletop, "No, Heero... it is not. More pressing
problems have arisen, and Wufei, though a major threat now that his true
personality has been restored, is not likely to act with any immediacy. We
have some time with regards to that problem."
He continued, "As you may already be aware... something has happened to
Solo."
Heero blinked.
Duo simply nodded, his face a stolid mask. Heero frowned. That certainly
wasn't normal for the braided youth.
The professor was continuing, "Solo... has apparently... escaped. In the
process, he has destroyed Sister, and killed some of our staff. Though we
have managed to track down his location, he refuses to acknowledge our
attempts at communication and does not appear to be acting in any normal
rational manner."
G interrupted, "Solo had been sent to retrieve Quatre Winner, and was badly
injured by the immense newtype powers that have manifested within the boy
when Quatre reacted strongly to Solo's presence."
Heero frowned, remembering his last meeting with the professors and the
elder Hilde Schbecker where Zechs had barged in with a report on how agents
sent to retrieve this Quatre had come back with their minds in tatters.
The professor was still speaking, "... we suspect that Solo was more damaged
by that assault than we originally surmised, quite likely some severe
internal damage that Sister had not got round to fixing before he went
berserk." He looked at J.
A creased frown marred J's forehead, "Once we discovered where Solo went, we
immediately sent Zechs and a security force to talk to him, to try and bring
him back. But, to be perfectly frank, even in his damaged condition, enough
repairs were effected by Sister on Solo that he is still powerful enough to
decimate that force should he turn violent."
Heero interrupted with a snort, "So you want us to go back Zechs up, is that
it?" He shook his head in disbelief. Duo was still silent.
J eyed Heero, "We require you to go join Zechs and to assess the
situation. Our top concern is to prevent Solo from causing too much damage,
and to prevent him from inadvertently revealing his true nature. However, we
believe that, based on his actions, Solo is no longer behaving rationally,
and may not be able to be reasoned with. That is why Zechs is there, and why
we are sending you there."
"If Solo cannot be dealt with peacibly, Zech's force has no chance of
stopping him. That is where you two come in."
The professor paused, "However... it is not feasible to force his return
here. Duo is not as badly injured as Solo, and the two of you would be able
to incapacitate him, but we have no facilities here that would be able to
hold him for long against his will... I trust you remember your own run-in
with the restraining field, Heero. Solo and Duo have also been immunised
against the effects of sedatives and other poisons..."
"Essentially, Solo cannot be confined."
The Japanese youth frowned again, his eyes narrowing as he began to suspect
the direction this conversation was taking. He glanced over at Duo. The
braided youth was still silent, sitting quietly in the chair, looking down.
*Does... does he know?*
A slight 'thunk' caught Heero's attention, and his gaze came up in time to
see J placing a small black device on the tabletop.
"Therefore... we feel we have no choice but to take the following course of
action."
He waved the device in the air, "This is Solo's remote termination trigger.
It has an effective range of ten meters. It is a fail-safe, a system devised
by Solo's and Duo's creator, that will automatically shut down all of Solo's
cybernetic augmentations."
Still frowning, Heero leaned forward, "What'll happen to Solo then?"
J met his gaze, "The cybernetic augmentations are an integral part of both
Solo and Duo... they cannot survive without them."
Heero's eyes widened, "You want us to go kill his brother?" He jabbed a
finger in Duo's direction.
J looked away, "There is no other choice, Heero."
"I won't do it."
G spoke up gently, "You have to, Heero. There is no one else."
The Japanese youth stood up, looking at G. His voice was strangely calm,
"Ever since I met the five of you, nothing.... nothing has made sense. I've
lost everything.. my identity... my past... my family. My world was turned
upside down, and what did I get in return? Abilities I never asked for.
Abilities I don't want. On the first mission your people sent me on, I
killed a man. I've never killed before. I never thought I would have to
kill."
He turned to J, "And now... now you tell me that you want me to go kill
Solo? Duo's twin?"
Heero turned around, already walking towards the doorway, "I'm sorry. I
won't do it."
He turned back to face the professors, his voice suddenly hard, "Go find
another pawn to play your little games. I'm done."
Turning to Duo, his voice turned soft once again, "C'mon, Duo. Let's get out
of here."
The braided youth didn't respond.
For the umpteenth time that day, Heero frowned, "Duo?"
Duo Maxwell turned to look at the Japanese youth, his eyes blank, his face
emotionless. Heero paused, oddly unsettled at seeing the normally exuberant
youth behaving this way. It took him a moment to realise that Duo was
speaking.
"I have to do it, Heero. There's no other choice."
The boy's words mirrored the scientists'. Heero eyed the boy suspiciously.
Were the professors controlling him somehow? His eyes widened, as he
remembered something Zechs had told him once. *Duo and Solo aren't
violent... but they are programmed to be completely committed to duty, and
to perform to the best of their ability. And when duty requires them to
kill... they kill.* (ed - KS chapter 3!)
*When duty requires them to kill... they kill.*
Heero's gaze fell on the professors. He glared, his disgust undisguised,
"Bastards."
J shook his head, "We do what we must, Heero. The fate of the world is far
more important than any one person, and when sacrifices are needed, we must
make them. Do not try to fight it, Heero. You are as much part of this as we
all are. You need to work with us, or all will be lost."
He looked back at the boy glaring at him, "When that happens, no one will
benefit."
The Japanese youth let his gaze linger for another second, before turning
around and leaving the room without another word.
J sighed, "The boy is learning. At least he didn't shout and yell like he
did with Hilde and the other times. He will come around."
G peered at the doorway, "Speaking of Ms. Schbecker, where is she?"
J shrugged, "On her way, I suspect. In the meantime..." He picked up the
trigger and handed it to Duo, along with a storage chip with Solo's location
information.
"Understood, sir", came the bland reply.
*****
Held tightly in Blake's arms, Hilde Schebecker felt a twinge of unease. It
didn't feel right. Normally, she would've jumped at the chance, but
something seemed wrong about him today.
Grasping her as though he would never let go, she felt his lips gently
caressing her neck. He was whispering.
"I was the first, Hilde. It should've been me."
The unease grew stronger. Something was definitely wrong. She turned to face
him, and tried to speak.
"Blake..."
"Shh."
His eyes were narrowed, his expression dark. The braided youth turned his
head, facing the empty hole in the wall where the main door used to be.
Hilde frowned, noticing for the first time the remains of her front door
lying on the ground.
She didn't have much time to ponder, though. He was moving, releasing her
from his tight embrace as he stood to face whatever it was he had heard
coming up the staircase.
Worry creased her face, "Blake... what's going on?"
The one she knew as Blake shook his head, his long chestnut-brown braid
waving, "Stay back, Hilde."
The sound of footsteps were becoming faintly audible, and Hilde began to
wonder if that had been the noise her fiance was so worked up about. But how
had he heard...?
She stifled a gasp as five men burst into the apartment, carrying large
assault rifles and decked out in what appeared to be riot gear. From the
sounds in the hallway, there were many more behind them...
... but one man stood out in that large crowd.
He was tall and dashingly handsome, with mesmerising ice-blue eyes and long
white-blond tresses. Unlike the... riot troops surrounding him, the man was
decked out in a pure-white ensemble, the only patch of color a small badge
on the left side of his ivory jacket. He spared Hilde a quick glance before
turning his full attention on Blake.
Hilde forced herself not to stare at the heavily-armed men who had just
stormed into her apartment, turning to look at Blake. For his part, her
fiance was standing silently, facing the group confronting him. He didn't
seem even the least bit afraid of them. *Blake... what have you got yourself
into?*
Hilde gathered up her nerves. Planting her hands on her hips, she spoke, not
letting her voice crack, "I don't know who you are, but I think I deserve to
know why you think you can come barging in here like you own the place. Let
me warn you that I've already notified the authorities and they should be
here at any moment."
The man with the white-blond hair turned to face her, and Hilde found
herself stepping back involuntarily.
The man, however, appeared to be smiling, "Ms. Schbecker, I apologise for
the intrusion, but we have to do what we must." He nodded at one of the men
standing behind him.
The guard acknowledged, walking across the room and coming to a halt next to
Hilde. The man in white was speaking again.
"I apologise again, Ms. Schbecker, but our business with... Mr. Richardson
here is of a personal nature. We would appreciate it if we were allowed some
privacy."
Listening to the white-blond man speak, Hilde didn't notice the sedative
applicator patch the guard had taken out. She was out like a light, falling
unconscious into the guard's waiting arms.
Zechs Merquise nodded, "Good. Take her into the bedroom. That way maybe
she'll wake up thinking this was all just a bad-"
He was interrupted.
"Don't touch her."
Zechs turned to face 'Blake', "Take it easy, Solo. We're not going to harm
her. We're here to talk to you." The guard picked up Hilde, adjusting her
sleeping form to make her easier to carry. He began to walk in the
direction of the bedroom.
Turning his attention back to Solo, Zechs started to speak again, "Now,
Solo..."
The braided youth's eyes had a strange gleam in them, "I said don't touch
her!"
Without warning, he charged.
*****
Heero Yuy ran through the seemingly-endless passageways of the
organisation's underground installation. He ran without care and without
purpose, not knowing how far or how fast he ran, not knowing where he was
going.
*Damn them...*
He swerved violently, managing to avoid crashing into two patrolling guards.
The startled shouts from the two guards didn't slow him down. He heard them
breaking into a run, giving chase for a while before they gave up, either
recognising who he was or realising they couldn't catch up. From the fact
that no alarm sounded... probably the former.
*Damn them all...*
The labyrinthe corridors seemed to go on forever, but this suited Heero. He
had to put as much distance between him and the scientists.
*We do what we must, Heero*
*Damn...*
*The fate of the world is far more important than any one person*
He continued to run.
*when sacrifices are needed, we must make them.*
*You need to work with us, or all will be lost.*
*No... I don't want to... I won't!*
The Japanese youth stopped suddenly as a familiar corridor came into view.
Walking towards the end, he found himself looking at the remains of the
bright-red entryway that led to Sister's room.
Stepping into the room, Heero stared.
The previously meticulously-clean room had been trashed. The professors
certainly hadn't been kidding when they said Solo'd gone berserk.
"Quite a sight, isn't it?"
Heero Yuy turned around violently, facing the entryway.
A blond youth stood at the door, his seemingly lanky frame wrapped in a
large gray blanket. He had a small smile.
The Japanese youth studied the newcomer, "Who are you?"
The blond youth closed his eyes, "I feel for him... for Solo, you know. I
could feel the pain within him when we met. Not at first, of course, not
when I was still denying myself, but later. I knew his hurt... maybe even
better than he did, since he was forced to ignore it."
The youth paused for a moment, as though to compose himself, "It was eating
at him so, even though he tried to mask it. He couldn't hide it from me,
though. I could feel it, like a knife piercing into his side, slowly letting
him bleed to death."
Heero put two-and-two together, "You're Quatre Winner."
Quatre nodded silently, then continued, "I couldn't let him go on like
that... I had to set him free."
Heero frowned, remembering the professors speculating as to the reason for
Solo's damage, "You did that on purpose? You made him go berserk?"
Quatre sighed, "In a way... I guess you could say I'm responsible... but
then again, I'm not... not really. It's a long story."
The Japanese youth looked away for a moment, "I think I know a little of
it."
The blond youth continued, "But no, I... or the other me, in fact, didn't
'make' him go berserk. I simply helped him remove the command that binded
him to the scientists' commands. All his actions are entirely his own."
Quatre Winner turned to look at the remains of Sister, "In retrospect...
perhaps it was a hasty decision. But the scientists are to blame. They
thought they could bottle up the emotions of that boy and pretend that his
feelings didn't exist. It was an explosion waiting to happen."
Heero realised his hands were clenched into fists, "They're going to kill
him, Quatre."
Quatre looked down, "I know. Even though I don't choose to do so... I can
tell."
He turned, fixing his gaze squarely on Heero, "But don't you think he would
prefer death over endless torment and the dream of what can never be?"
The Japanese teen was silent. He turned away, but he could still hear the
other boy talking.
"I felt Solo's pain... and I had to do something about it. They don't treat
him as an individual; they see him as a valuable weapon they can't afford to
lose. I applaud their goals, but I do find myself concerned with their
actions. They used Solo... just as they plan to use me..."
He paused, "... and you, Heero Yuy."
Heero blinked, caught by surprise.
"I can feel your pain too, Heero. I know what bothers you."
Quatre closed the distance between the two of them, taking Heero's hands
into his, "Tomorrow, I intend to fly back to Singapore, Heero. There are
matters I need to attend to before I can focus my attention on the problems
we face here."
He paused again, "I want you to come with me, Heero. From there, I can
arrange to have you sent back to Japan."
"I want to help you find your past, just as I wanted to help Solo."
Heero was struggling with the suddenness of it all, "You're abandoning the
scientists... and you want me to come with you?"
A small chuckle escaped from Quatre, "No, Heero. I told you I applaud their
goals. Their intentions are pure; I can see that. For that reason alone, I
intend to aid them to the best of my ability... and I think you should too.
They're right, you know." He gazed knowingly at Heero, and the Japanese boy
found himself looking away.
Quatre was still speaking, "You and I, we chose out of our own free will to
help the professors. Solo didn't... and that's why I chose to release him
from his pain. You... I choose to help because I know that you won't be able
to... fight as you should... not until you come to terms with your past."
"Come with me, Heero."
*****
Relena Darlian worked the controls to the laundry disposal unit furiously.
Muttering several annoyed epithets under her breath, she reminded
herself -NEVER- to listen to Lucrezia Noin ever, ever again.
She blushed, remembering the way she had behaved with that Heero kid.
*How can I ever face him again?*
Clutching at the bloodied jumpsuit she had taken from his room, she paused,
her hand over the disposal chute.
*But... it was kinda fun. And he is... kinda... cute. And strong. Definitely
strong.*
She found herself briefly toying with the idea of what it must feel like to
be held in his arms.
*NO~! What on earth am I thinking?*
Startled at her thoughts, she blinked furiously, dumping the clothes into
the chute and hurriedly ran out into the corridor.
And promptly bumped into someone.
She stared, recognition coming almost immediately.
The man smiled, speaking in his deep, raspy voice, "Relena, a pleasure to
see you again."
She found her voice.
"Professor Maxwell..."
The professor smiled, "In the flesh, young lady. How have you been?"
Relena couldn't help but smile, "I've been better, Professor... we've all
been better. What are you doing back here?"
Charles Maxwell returned the smile, "A favour for the five old men you work
for, dear girl. Which is a good thing I bumped into you... I don't have a
clue where anything is and there don't appear to be any directories around
this blasted place... I need to find Sister, Relena. I understand she's been
destroyed, but I'll need some components from her if I'm to complete this
favour..."
Relena nodded, "I'll bring you straight there, then."
*****
With Charles Maxwell in tow, Relena Darlian rounded the corner that would
lead to the corridor outside Sister's room. Laughing and chatting with the
old man of their previous experiences within the installation, she didn't
notice the duo walking towards them until they nearly bumped into each
other.
Irritably, she turned around, about to snap at the other to pay attention to
where they were going.
And found herself staring at Heero.
For his part, he seemed as surprised as her, as though he hadn't realised
she'd been walking past as well.
In perfect unison, the two recoiled away from each other. Both were blushing
furiously.
Charles Maxwell stared with a raised eyebrow. Quatre Winner had a knowing
smile plastered on his face.
"We should be going." Heero's light tenor and Relena's soft alto sounded
across the hallway simultaneously.
Both youths blinked. There was a silence.
Charles Maxwell broke that silence, "Indeed, we should. Lead on, Relena."
Quatre nodded, "Let's go, Heero."
*****
"Well now, this certainly seems quite bad, indeed."
Charles Maxwell allowed himself a little smile as he studied the wreckage
that used to be Sister.
Fiddling with the remnants of the control panel, he muttered, "I don't see
how they expected me to be able to work under such conditions. I left them a
perfectly useful device and this is what happens to it. No, no, this won't
do. It won't do at all, I say."
Motioning to Relena, he beckoned her closer, "Come help me with this, dear
girl. I need you to hold down this control lever, and when I tell you, I
need you to flip that switch over there."
Relena nodded, taking the lever and stretched her other hand out towards the
switch, readying herself.
The elderly professor took up position next to her, his hands fixing on what
appeared to be a damaged access panel. He nodded at the girl, "Now, Relena."
She flipped the switch.
A creaking sound emanated from the machine, accompanied by a slight
whirring. Relena could make out the access panel attempting to open, and the
professor aiding it. With a squeal of displeasure, the panel slowly slid
open.
Charles Maxwell straightened, his hand to his back, "Oh my... this is hard
work, indeed."
Turning back to the machine, he reached in, prodding around at Sister's
internal components before fishing out several parts that Relena didn't
recognise.
A smile slowly spread across Maxwell's face as he ran a portable scanner
over the salvaged parts, "There now... they're still in good working order!"
Turning to Relena, his smile became broader, "You've been a wonderful help,
dear. Now, I need one last favour from you. Do inform the professors that
I've been here, and tell them that I've taken several components from
Sister. Inform them that due to the state of the equipment, I will not
be able to work on my project here. Tell them I shall be doing so at my
residence, and that I will call when all is ready. Did you get all of that?"
Relena nodded.
*****
"Ma'am? Ma'am? Are you in there?"
Pressing the buzzer outside the doorway leading into Hilde
Schbecker-Maxwell's rooms, the young staff member sighed.
"Ma'am... the professors have ordered me to escort you to the conference
room."
The woman frowned, "Ma'am?"
No response.
"Ma'am... I'm coming in."
Activating the keypad controlling the lock, she keyed in the emergency
activation code. The door slid open automatically, accompanied by a soft
siren. No doubt it's twin was blasting away at security central by now.
Hilde Schbecker lay motionless on the bed. Hurrying to her side, the woman
bent down, reaching under the bed for the emergency medical kit.
Grabbing the medical scanner, she hurriedly waved it over Hilde's still
form. She blinked, and looked back inside the medical kit as though
confirming something.
Activating her wristcom, she patched herself into the conference room's
intercom.
"Sir, this is Rosalind."
The professor who answered sounded annoyed, "Yes, yes, what is it? Where is
Ms. Schbecker?"
"There's a slight problem, sir. I can't rouse Ms Schbecker. She appears to
have been sedated. The only thing is, all the relaxants and sleeping aids in
her room medical kit are untouched."
The professor was silent for a moment.
"I see... very well then. Leave Ms Schbecker alone. That will be all."
"Yes, sir."
*****
Turning the corner, Duo Maxwell allowed himself to feel a small measure of
relief. Even with his heightened senses, all he could hear coming from
Hilde's apartment was the sound of Zechs talking.
Hilde's apartment. He shook his head. When he'd discovered that had been
Solo's destination...
He frowned. The sounds were changing.
Something was happening.
He could hear Solo yelling now.
Dashing forward, he crossed the remaining distance in a flash, grabbing
hold of the edge of Hilde's doorway to brace himself as he came to an abrupt
halt.
And saw what he hoped never to see.
Solo, cradling an unconscious Hilde in his arms, his hands wrapped tightly
around her.
Hands that were red... and dripping.
There was blood everywhere. On Solo. On Hilde. On the floor, the carpet, the
walls.
Duo Maxwell froze. Had he harmed Hilde?
He forced himself to calm down, assessing the situation. Solo. Hilde. Zechs.
Nineteen guards with their weapons trained on Solo.
The remains of one body on the floor, barely recognisable.
The braided youth blinked, turning from Zechs to Solo. What on earth was
going on?
On his part, Solo Maxwell didn't appear to have noticed Duo's appearance,
his attention and gaze squarely focused on Zechs Merquise. He was speaking.
"I told you... don't touch her."
Duo didn't give Zechs a chance to answer. He had to take charge of the
situation before it got worse.
Stepping up from behind Zechs, he spoke, his voice quiet and emotionless,
"Hey, bro."
Solo turned to face him. The youth was silent for a moment, motionless as he
cradled Hilde in his arms. When he spoke, his voice was a match for Duo's,
"Don't 'hey bro' me."
Gently putting Hilde down on the nearby couch, he turned back to face his
twin. He had a small dark smile on his face, "So... you finally came... came
to collect your little prize, huh?"
Duo started towards the other youth, "Solo, I..."
Solo Maxwell stretched one hand out in front of him, pointing a finger at
the other braided youth, "Don't come one step closer, Duo. I don't have
anything to say to you. I know why you're here."
Duo shook his head softly, whispering, "Do you.. really?"
Solo laughed, "I'm not stupid. I know the professors aren't stupid too.
They know this pathetic force that Zechs brought with him doesn't stand a
chance against me. You're here to take me back."
His eyes narrowed, "Or kill me, right?"
Duo's eyes were wide. He seemed to be quivering. Again, he tried to speak,
"Solo..."
"I said, shut up!"
Siding up next to Duo, Zechs looked straight at the boy, "Listen, Solo.
There isn't a need to do this. Come back with us now. We can work this out
somehow."
Solo shook his head again, laughing, "I don't have to listen to you, Zechs.
Maybe you can tell -him- to dance around on your puppet strings, but I'm
done with all that. We can work it out, huh? You so sure about that? If we
could've worked it out, why wasn't I allowed to see her? Huh? You ever
asked -them- that? 'Number one, return to post and standby.' Yeah, right. I
believe ya." He was staring fiercely at Zechs now, his eyes ablaze with
fury.
"Solo."
His head whipped around as his twin spoke.
Duo Maxwell had one hand concealed inside his jacket. Slowly, he drew it out
into the open, revealing the device he held firmly in his grasp.
Zechs blinked.
Solo stared at the device for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he realised
what it was. His lips curled up in disgust.
"So... I was right. You are here to kill me."
Duo closed his eyes, "No..."
Solo Maxwell took a step closer, "Well... what're ya waiting for? You're the
good boy, right? Always listening to orders? Forever the faithful lapdog...
the willing lackey! Go ahead! Do it!"
Another step. "Kill me."
Duo Maxwell found himself taking a step back, "No..."
From the sidelines, Zechs watched the situation warily, "Duo..."
The braided youth whipped his head around, "I can't, Zechs... I can't do-"
Solo Maxwell lunged. The two youths slammed into the ground. The device flew
out of Duo's hand, hitting the wall with a huge crack.
Fending off Solo's blows, Duo struggled, trying to get his twin off him
without hurting him, "Solo, don't! I don't wanna fight you!"
Solo snorted, "Quit with the act, will ya? I know you've wanted this.
Hell, -I've- wanted this for a long time." He thrust an elbow into Duo's
side.
Standing, Solo dragged his twin up with him, lifting him off the ground and
throwing him clear across the room. Duo landed noisily, crashing into the
wall dividing Hilde's sitting room from her kitchen.
In a daze, Duo blinked, trying to clear his vision.
Solo began slowly walking towards his fallen brother, "You had her, Duo.
They gave her to you. It should've been me. It should've been me..."
The boy stopped in his tracks. His eyes bulged out.
Duo started to get up, "Solo...?"
Solo was trying to move now, one foot raised as though poised to take a
step.
He fell down, his whole body wracked with convulsions.
"Solo!"
Rushing over to Solo's fallen form, Duo Maxwell found himself cradling his
twin, "Solo..."
Tears were forming, but he hastily wiped them away. Looking around the room,
his eyes came to rest on Zechs.
Zechs, with his hand on the termination device, the main button depressed
and a large red light blinking. He was looking away.
"Duo..."
The youth turned back, looking down at the brother he held in his arms.
Solo's eyes had taken on a glazed look, "Duo..."
Duo Maxwell blinked back tears, "... yeah, bro?"
His hand came up to grip Duo's arm, "Duo..."
"... I hate you. I hate you... so much."
His eyes closed.
*****
EPILOGUE
The components landed on the large redwood table with a light thunk. Walking
over to the fireplace, the elderly man threw in another log, feeding the
fire that burned within.
He sighed, his gaze returning to the devices on the table. Crossing back,
his hand came to rest on the sealed grey box.
Charles Maxwell smiled.
"To work, then."
*****
TO BE CONTINUED
"Irane yo! Abunai ryu!" - Hanabishi Recca
Sandrock
Keeper of the Wing Chronicles
Guardian of the Heart of the Universe
Wanna glomp Chichiri? Van? Duo? Recca?
Proud Member of Glomp Fest 2000 NO DA!
I did promise that when my Christmas hols started, I'd begin writing a lot
more of my fics, and today I fulfill a small part of that promise. ^_^
Yes, Chapter 8 of Kindred Spirits is done... despite the fact that I got
really limited response to the teaser I sent out a while ago... :P
This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer, according to the outline I
prepared for it prior to starting. However, as I progressed, I realised that
the fic was getting waayy too long. Every KS fic to date has been of
approximately equal length... about 5000 - 7000 words each. I realised that
if I were to write this chapter from start to end as I'd planned, it
would've hit in excess of 12000-14000 words, and I can't have that, now can
I?
So, instead this is what happened - I split the chapter into two parts and
I'll be starting on pt. II almost immediately. ^_^ That leaves me with part
I at a nice bouncy 6300 words.
So... enjoy Chapter 8 part I. ^_^ And remember, feed the fic writer. ^_^
DECISIONS part I - Chapter 8 of the KINDRED SPIRITS saga
Written by Sandrock(sandrock@gundamwing.mailbox.as)
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
GW belongs to someone else. That's why KINDRED SPIRITS is a fanfic and not
an OVA series.
Content Guideline - violence, mild suggestive material
April 19th, After Century Year 195, 4:46am.
The wide comforting folds of the armchair surrounded him as he stared out of
the expansive windows that overlooked a panoramic vista of nature - a lush
parkland of trees and bushes accentuated with a sprawling lake. The sounds
of nightbirds filled the air, and the occasional cricket added its own
melody to the orchestra of the night.
Behind him, flames crackled cheerily in an old-fashioned fireplace; their
chaotic dance throwing flickers of light across the darkened oak-panelled
room. A large four-poster bed sat a short distance away, bedcovers in
disarray.
The man sighed, and placed his glass of sherry down on the large rosewood
table. He got up slowly, his careful movements speaking of age and frailty.
He hated the Dreams. They came more frequently these days - ever since his
retirement two months ago. He knew the official reasons the authorities gave
for the Dreams, but he could not help but wonder.
It was odd, really. The Dreams always left him on edge - there was utter
darkness, a blackness that spoke of an utter and complete void. It left him
feeling as though he were not meant to be, that he was not meant to be here.
While he still worked, the Dreams had been different. Then, they had been
innocent - a subtle feeling every so often that he had chosen the wrong path
in life - that his true calling lay elsewhere. But, he was a professional,
dedicated to his work - he knew what was expected of him and what rested on
his success.
At least the Dreams had also showed him the boy. At least... that much
convinced him that something he was doing was right.
The communications console on the redwood table sprang to life with an
insistent beeping, breaking the man's train of thought. He turned slowly,
recognising the face on the screen almost instantaneously.
He spoke, his voice raspy yet deep, "It's been a while, J."
J nodded, the light from the console flickering, "Not that long. Are you
well?"
A raspy laugh emerged from his throat, "I am as well as I was when we last
met, J. Bored to tears from lack of activity to keep me occupied, but
otherwise well. And you? How are you? Still fighting the good fight, I
take it?"
The other man smiled, "Doubtlessly."
Picking up the glass, the elderly man took a sip, "Shall we get down to the
crux of the matter, J? There can only be one reason why you'd call me in the
middle of the night."
"I see you are as observant as always, Charles."
The elderly man allowed himself a small smile, "You know me too well. So,
what have our two little wonders done now?"
J paused, as though considering, "It's Solo, Charles. I've just been told
he's gone berserk. He destroyed Sister and part of the compound. He has
killed no less than five people during his escape and I fear that may just
be the tip of the iceberg. I cannot afford a crisis such as this at such a
crucial juncture..."
The scientist paused again, "... but I am at a loss as to what I should do.
I cannot afford to lose Solo, but I cannot risk the questions that will be
raised should he murder others and should he be found. Duo is injured, and
without Sister, I don't know if he would be able retrieve his twin. We've
located Solo, and I've sent Zechs to attempt to negotiate with him with a
security force of twenty to back him up... but frankly speaking, we both
know that Solo is more than capable of neutralising a force thirty times
that size should he turn on them... I could use-"
The elderly man interrupted J's discourse, "He went to see the girl, didn't
he?"
J blinked for a second, then nodded silently.
The man shook his head slowly, "I told you that was a bad decision, J."
"We had no choice, Charles. I couldn't have let both maintain the status
quo; sooner or later, something would've become suspect."
Charles smiled wryly, "And look what just happened."
J frowned, "You're not helping, Charles."
Charles laughed again, "Patience, old friend, has never been your strong
point. Of course I will help. I will be there in the morning, J. In the
meantime..."
He paused, "... you have to neutralise Solo. I left you the means to do so.
Use them."
J shook his head, "I can't afford to lose him, Charles. He's too valuable. I
have to find another way to bring him back."
Reaching out to open one of the drawers on his table, Professor Charles
Maxwell drew out a small, sealed, gray box. Toying with it, he proffered it
in the direction of the screen, "Trust me, James. I have the solution to all
your problems."
J stared at the gray box for a long moment, recognition registering in his
eyes, "...thank you, Charles."
Charles Maxwell smiled, "No, James. Thank you. I did say that I was bored to
tears... you always did have good timing."
"I shall be there in the morning. In the meantime, you should do what must
be done. Until then, James."
The screen shut off.
*****
The food lay untouched.
Motionless on the bed, Heero Yuy was a jumble of emotion and feelings.
*I'm a killer...*
*Her lips were so soft...*
*Killer...*
*Soft...*
The dead guard, motionless and cold.
The startled look on her face as she broke the kiss.
Frustrated, the Japanese youth swung a fist out wildly, connecting with an
adjacent wall. A deep crack formed where his fist impacted, and he turned
away, disgusted.
The door chime rang again. Jerking up into a standing position, his eyes
widened. His heart was pounding. Did she come back? Who was it?
Hastily, he crossed the distance to open the door.
And found himself staring at the injured form of Duo Maxwell.
He frowned. Why wasn't Duo being repaired by Sister? The kid had clearly
taken quite a beating in the confrontation with Wufei, even if he was trying
to hide it.
The braided youth's demeanour was grim.
"Something's happened, Heero. The professors need us."
The Japanese youth looked away, "Duo... I... I don't think I can..."
Duo stopped him before he could finish the sentence, "Heero... I need you. I
can't do this alone, not right now. Not in this condition. Don't say
anything, Heero.... just come. Please."
The braided youth stared wordlessly at the other boy, his large amethyst
eyes meeting Heero's deep prussian blue. Perhaps it was something in that
gaze, but for a moment, Heero Yuy found himself seeing a vulnerable and
uncertain youth, and not an efficient killing machine.
Duo smiled slightly, grabbing the other boy's arm and leading him away.
*****
"You can't be serious, J."
The one known as J turned slowly, allowing his gaze to meet his fellow
professors. He sighed.
"It is his advice, and I am compelled to follow it, as should you."
G's eyes narrowed, "I fail to see why, J."
Scratching thoughtfully at his cheek, J started pacing, "He is their
creator, G. I value his advice when it comes to the two of them. If he says
he has a plan, I believe I can trust him. We have worked with him time and
again, and he has never failed to deliver. He is trustworthy."
"But he does not know the complete truth of the matter in this case, does
he?"
J paused, turning to look at O, who was seated at the table a short distance
away from where he paced, "He knows more than you give him credit for, O."
H interjected, seated as he was next to O, "Is Ms. Schbecker aware of this
latest development? What does she say? Will our actions... should we take
Charles Maxwell's advice... have any adverse effects?"
J shook his head, "No, Ms. Schbecker... Mrs. Maxwell, rather, is not aware.
I've sent a member of the staff to rouse her, and she should be joining us
shortly."
The professors turned in unison as the door opened with a soft hissing
sound. J allowed himself a small smile as he walked over to the large table
and sat down, joining his fellows.
"Duo. Heero. Be seated, please."
*****
Heero stared silently at the five scientists seated primly in a row in front
of him and Duo. He shook his head, wondering why he'd let Duo drag him into
this in the first place. Everytime he met with the scientists, something
else would go wrong...
Everytime he met with the scientists... something -had- gone wrong.
He continued to stare for a moment before asking, "Is this about Wufei?"
J folded his hands on the tabletop, "No, Heero... it is not. More pressing
problems have arisen, and Wufei, though a major threat now that his true
personality has been restored, is not likely to act with any immediacy. We
have some time with regards to that problem."
He continued, "As you may already be aware... something has happened to
Solo."
Heero blinked.
Duo simply nodded, his face a stolid mask. Heero frowned. That certainly
wasn't normal for the braided youth.
The professor was continuing, "Solo... has apparently... escaped. In the
process, he has destroyed Sister, and killed some of our staff. Though we
have managed to track down his location, he refuses to acknowledge our
attempts at communication and does not appear to be acting in any normal
rational manner."
G interrupted, "Solo had been sent to retrieve Quatre Winner, and was badly
injured by the immense newtype powers that have manifested within the boy
when Quatre reacted strongly to Solo's presence."
Heero frowned, remembering his last meeting with the professors and the
elder Hilde Schbecker where Zechs had barged in with a report on how agents
sent to retrieve this Quatre had come back with their minds in tatters.
The professor was still speaking, "... we suspect that Solo was more damaged
by that assault than we originally surmised, quite likely some severe
internal damage that Sister had not got round to fixing before he went
berserk." He looked at J.
A creased frown marred J's forehead, "Once we discovered where Solo went, we
immediately sent Zechs and a security force to talk to him, to try and bring
him back. But, to be perfectly frank, even in his damaged condition, enough
repairs were effected by Sister on Solo that he is still powerful enough to
decimate that force should he turn violent."
Heero interrupted with a snort, "So you want us to go back Zechs up, is that
it?" He shook his head in disbelief. Duo was still silent.
J eyed Heero, "We require you to go join Zechs and to assess the
situation. Our top concern is to prevent Solo from causing too much damage,
and to prevent him from inadvertently revealing his true nature. However, we
believe that, based on his actions, Solo is no longer behaving rationally,
and may not be able to be reasoned with. That is why Zechs is there, and why
we are sending you there."
"If Solo cannot be dealt with peacibly, Zech's force has no chance of
stopping him. That is where you two come in."
The professor paused, "However... it is not feasible to force his return
here. Duo is not as badly injured as Solo, and the two of you would be able
to incapacitate him, but we have no facilities here that would be able to
hold him for long against his will... I trust you remember your own run-in
with the restraining field, Heero. Solo and Duo have also been immunised
against the effects of sedatives and other poisons..."
"Essentially, Solo cannot be confined."
The Japanese youth frowned again, his eyes narrowing as he began to suspect
the direction this conversation was taking. He glanced over at Duo. The
braided youth was still silent, sitting quietly in the chair, looking down.
*Does... does he know?*
A slight 'thunk' caught Heero's attention, and his gaze came up in time to
see J placing a small black device on the tabletop.
"Therefore... we feel we have no choice but to take the following course of
action."
He waved the device in the air, "This is Solo's remote termination trigger.
It has an effective range of ten meters. It is a fail-safe, a system devised
by Solo's and Duo's creator, that will automatically shut down all of Solo's
cybernetic augmentations."
Still frowning, Heero leaned forward, "What'll happen to Solo then?"
J met his gaze, "The cybernetic augmentations are an integral part of both
Solo and Duo... they cannot survive without them."
Heero's eyes widened, "You want us to go kill his brother?" He jabbed a
finger in Duo's direction.
J looked away, "There is no other choice, Heero."
"I won't do it."
G spoke up gently, "You have to, Heero. There is no one else."
The Japanese youth stood up, looking at G. His voice was strangely calm,
"Ever since I met the five of you, nothing.... nothing has made sense. I've
lost everything.. my identity... my past... my family. My world was turned
upside down, and what did I get in return? Abilities I never asked for.
Abilities I don't want. On the first mission your people sent me on, I
killed a man. I've never killed before. I never thought I would have to
kill."
He turned to J, "And now... now you tell me that you want me to go kill
Solo? Duo's twin?"
Heero turned around, already walking towards the doorway, "I'm sorry. I
won't do it."
He turned back to face the professors, his voice suddenly hard, "Go find
another pawn to play your little games. I'm done."
Turning to Duo, his voice turned soft once again, "C'mon, Duo. Let's get out
of here."
The braided youth didn't respond.
For the umpteenth time that day, Heero frowned, "Duo?"
Duo Maxwell turned to look at the Japanese youth, his eyes blank, his face
emotionless. Heero paused, oddly unsettled at seeing the normally exuberant
youth behaving this way. It took him a moment to realise that Duo was
speaking.
"I have to do it, Heero. There's no other choice."
The boy's words mirrored the scientists'. Heero eyed the boy suspiciously.
Were the professors controlling him somehow? His eyes widened, as he
remembered something Zechs had told him once. *Duo and Solo aren't
violent... but they are programmed to be completely committed to duty, and
to perform to the best of their ability. And when duty requires them to
kill... they kill.* (ed - KS chapter 3!)
*When duty requires them to kill... they kill.*
Heero's gaze fell on the professors. He glared, his disgust undisguised,
"Bastards."
J shook his head, "We do what we must, Heero. The fate of the world is far
more important than any one person, and when sacrifices are needed, we must
make them. Do not try to fight it, Heero. You are as much part of this as we
all are. You need to work with us, or all will be lost."
He looked back at the boy glaring at him, "When that happens, no one will
benefit."
The Japanese youth let his gaze linger for another second, before turning
around and leaving the room without another word.
J sighed, "The boy is learning. At least he didn't shout and yell like he
did with Hilde and the other times. He will come around."
G peered at the doorway, "Speaking of Ms. Schbecker, where is she?"
J shrugged, "On her way, I suspect. In the meantime..." He picked up the
trigger and handed it to Duo, along with a storage chip with Solo's location
information.
"Understood, sir", came the bland reply.
*****
Held tightly in Blake's arms, Hilde Schebecker felt a twinge of unease. It
didn't feel right. Normally, she would've jumped at the chance, but
something seemed wrong about him today.
Grasping her as though he would never let go, she felt his lips gently
caressing her neck. He was whispering.
"I was the first, Hilde. It should've been me."
The unease grew stronger. Something was definitely wrong. She turned to face
him, and tried to speak.
"Blake..."
"Shh."
His eyes were narrowed, his expression dark. The braided youth turned his
head, facing the empty hole in the wall where the main door used to be.
Hilde frowned, noticing for the first time the remains of her front door
lying on the ground.
She didn't have much time to ponder, though. He was moving, releasing her
from his tight embrace as he stood to face whatever it was he had heard
coming up the staircase.
Worry creased her face, "Blake... what's going on?"
The one she knew as Blake shook his head, his long chestnut-brown braid
waving, "Stay back, Hilde."
The sound of footsteps were becoming faintly audible, and Hilde began to
wonder if that had been the noise her fiance was so worked up about. But how
had he heard...?
She stifled a gasp as five men burst into the apartment, carrying large
assault rifles and decked out in what appeared to be riot gear. From the
sounds in the hallway, there were many more behind them...
... but one man stood out in that large crowd.
He was tall and dashingly handsome, with mesmerising ice-blue eyes and long
white-blond tresses. Unlike the... riot troops surrounding him, the man was
decked out in a pure-white ensemble, the only patch of color a small badge
on the left side of his ivory jacket. He spared Hilde a quick glance before
turning his full attention on Blake.
Hilde forced herself not to stare at the heavily-armed men who had just
stormed into her apartment, turning to look at Blake. For his part, her
fiance was standing silently, facing the group confronting him. He didn't
seem even the least bit afraid of them. *Blake... what have you got yourself
into?*
Hilde gathered up her nerves. Planting her hands on her hips, she spoke, not
letting her voice crack, "I don't know who you are, but I think I deserve to
know why you think you can come barging in here like you own the place. Let
me warn you that I've already notified the authorities and they should be
here at any moment."
The man with the white-blond hair turned to face her, and Hilde found
herself stepping back involuntarily.
The man, however, appeared to be smiling, "Ms. Schbecker, I apologise for
the intrusion, but we have to do what we must." He nodded at one of the men
standing behind him.
The guard acknowledged, walking across the room and coming to a halt next to
Hilde. The man in white was speaking again.
"I apologise again, Ms. Schbecker, but our business with... Mr. Richardson
here is of a personal nature. We would appreciate it if we were allowed some
privacy."
Listening to the white-blond man speak, Hilde didn't notice the sedative
applicator patch the guard had taken out. She was out like a light, falling
unconscious into the guard's waiting arms.
Zechs Merquise nodded, "Good. Take her into the bedroom. That way maybe
she'll wake up thinking this was all just a bad-"
He was interrupted.
"Don't touch her."
Zechs turned to face 'Blake', "Take it easy, Solo. We're not going to harm
her. We're here to talk to you." The guard picked up Hilde, adjusting her
sleeping form to make her easier to carry. He began to walk in the
direction of the bedroom.
Turning his attention back to Solo, Zechs started to speak again, "Now,
Solo..."
The braided youth's eyes had a strange gleam in them, "I said don't touch
her!"
Without warning, he charged.
*****
Heero Yuy ran through the seemingly-endless passageways of the
organisation's underground installation. He ran without care and without
purpose, not knowing how far or how fast he ran, not knowing where he was
going.
*Damn them...*
He swerved violently, managing to avoid crashing into two patrolling guards.
The startled shouts from the two guards didn't slow him down. He heard them
breaking into a run, giving chase for a while before they gave up, either
recognising who he was or realising they couldn't catch up. From the fact
that no alarm sounded... probably the former.
*Damn them all...*
The labyrinthe corridors seemed to go on forever, but this suited Heero. He
had to put as much distance between him and the scientists.
*We do what we must, Heero*
*Damn...*
*The fate of the world is far more important than any one person*
He continued to run.
*when sacrifices are needed, we must make them.*
*You need to work with us, or all will be lost.*
*No... I don't want to... I won't!*
The Japanese youth stopped suddenly as a familiar corridor came into view.
Walking towards the end, he found himself looking at the remains of the
bright-red entryway that led to Sister's room.
Stepping into the room, Heero stared.
The previously meticulously-clean room had been trashed. The professors
certainly hadn't been kidding when they said Solo'd gone berserk.
"Quite a sight, isn't it?"
Heero Yuy turned around violently, facing the entryway.
A blond youth stood at the door, his seemingly lanky frame wrapped in a
large gray blanket. He had a small smile.
The Japanese youth studied the newcomer, "Who are you?"
The blond youth closed his eyes, "I feel for him... for Solo, you know. I
could feel the pain within him when we met. Not at first, of course, not
when I was still denying myself, but later. I knew his hurt... maybe even
better than he did, since he was forced to ignore it."
The youth paused for a moment, as though to compose himself, "It was eating
at him so, even though he tried to mask it. He couldn't hide it from me,
though. I could feel it, like a knife piercing into his side, slowly letting
him bleed to death."
Heero put two-and-two together, "You're Quatre Winner."
Quatre nodded silently, then continued, "I couldn't let him go on like
that... I had to set him free."
Heero frowned, remembering the professors speculating as to the reason for
Solo's damage, "You did that on purpose? You made him go berserk?"
Quatre sighed, "In a way... I guess you could say I'm responsible... but
then again, I'm not... not really. It's a long story."
The Japanese youth looked away for a moment, "I think I know a little of
it."
The blond youth continued, "But no, I... or the other me, in fact, didn't
'make' him go berserk. I simply helped him remove the command that binded
him to the scientists' commands. All his actions are entirely his own."
Quatre Winner turned to look at the remains of Sister, "In retrospect...
perhaps it was a hasty decision. But the scientists are to blame. They
thought they could bottle up the emotions of that boy and pretend that his
feelings didn't exist. It was an explosion waiting to happen."
Heero realised his hands were clenched into fists, "They're going to kill
him, Quatre."
Quatre looked down, "I know. Even though I don't choose to do so... I can
tell."
He turned, fixing his gaze squarely on Heero, "But don't you think he would
prefer death over endless torment and the dream of what can never be?"
The Japanese teen was silent. He turned away, but he could still hear the
other boy talking.
"I felt Solo's pain... and I had to do something about it. They don't treat
him as an individual; they see him as a valuable weapon they can't afford to
lose. I applaud their goals, but I do find myself concerned with their
actions. They used Solo... just as they plan to use me..."
He paused, "... and you, Heero Yuy."
Heero blinked, caught by surprise.
"I can feel your pain too, Heero. I know what bothers you."
Quatre closed the distance between the two of them, taking Heero's hands
into his, "Tomorrow, I intend to fly back to Singapore, Heero. There are
matters I need to attend to before I can focus my attention on the problems
we face here."
He paused again, "I want you to come with me, Heero. From there, I can
arrange to have you sent back to Japan."
"I want to help you find your past, just as I wanted to help Solo."
Heero was struggling with the suddenness of it all, "You're abandoning the
scientists... and you want me to come with you?"
A small chuckle escaped from Quatre, "No, Heero. I told you I applaud their
goals. Their intentions are pure; I can see that. For that reason alone, I
intend to aid them to the best of my ability... and I think you should too.
They're right, you know." He gazed knowingly at Heero, and the Japanese boy
found himself looking away.
Quatre was still speaking, "You and I, we chose out of our own free will to
help the professors. Solo didn't... and that's why I chose to release him
from his pain. You... I choose to help because I know that you won't be able
to... fight as you should... not until you come to terms with your past."
"Come with me, Heero."
*****
Relena Darlian worked the controls to the laundry disposal unit furiously.
Muttering several annoyed epithets under her breath, she reminded
herself -NEVER- to listen to Lucrezia Noin ever, ever again.
She blushed, remembering the way she had behaved with that Heero kid.
*How can I ever face him again?*
Clutching at the bloodied jumpsuit she had taken from his room, she paused,
her hand over the disposal chute.
*But... it was kinda fun. And he is... kinda... cute. And strong. Definitely
strong.*
She found herself briefly toying with the idea of what it must feel like to
be held in his arms.
*NO~! What on earth am I thinking?*
Startled at her thoughts, she blinked furiously, dumping the clothes into
the chute and hurriedly ran out into the corridor.
And promptly bumped into someone.
She stared, recognition coming almost immediately.
The man smiled, speaking in his deep, raspy voice, "Relena, a pleasure to
see you again."
She found her voice.
"Professor Maxwell..."
The professor smiled, "In the flesh, young lady. How have you been?"
Relena couldn't help but smile, "I've been better, Professor... we've all
been better. What are you doing back here?"
Charles Maxwell returned the smile, "A favour for the five old men you work
for, dear girl. Which is a good thing I bumped into you... I don't have a
clue where anything is and there don't appear to be any directories around
this blasted place... I need to find Sister, Relena. I understand she's been
destroyed, but I'll need some components from her if I'm to complete this
favour..."
Relena nodded, "I'll bring you straight there, then."
*****
With Charles Maxwell in tow, Relena Darlian rounded the corner that would
lead to the corridor outside Sister's room. Laughing and chatting with the
old man of their previous experiences within the installation, she didn't
notice the duo walking towards them until they nearly bumped into each
other.
Irritably, she turned around, about to snap at the other to pay attention to
where they were going.
And found herself staring at Heero.
For his part, he seemed as surprised as her, as though he hadn't realised
she'd been walking past as well.
In perfect unison, the two recoiled away from each other. Both were blushing
furiously.
Charles Maxwell stared with a raised eyebrow. Quatre Winner had a knowing
smile plastered on his face.
"We should be going." Heero's light tenor and Relena's soft alto sounded
across the hallway simultaneously.
Both youths blinked. There was a silence.
Charles Maxwell broke that silence, "Indeed, we should. Lead on, Relena."
Quatre nodded, "Let's go, Heero."
*****
"Well now, this certainly seems quite bad, indeed."
Charles Maxwell allowed himself a little smile as he studied the wreckage
that used to be Sister.
Fiddling with the remnants of the control panel, he muttered, "I don't see
how they expected me to be able to work under such conditions. I left them a
perfectly useful device and this is what happens to it. No, no, this won't
do. It won't do at all, I say."
Motioning to Relena, he beckoned her closer, "Come help me with this, dear
girl. I need you to hold down this control lever, and when I tell you, I
need you to flip that switch over there."
Relena nodded, taking the lever and stretched her other hand out towards the
switch, readying herself.
The elderly professor took up position next to her, his hands fixing on what
appeared to be a damaged access panel. He nodded at the girl, "Now, Relena."
She flipped the switch.
A creaking sound emanated from the machine, accompanied by a slight
whirring. Relena could make out the access panel attempting to open, and the
professor aiding it. With a squeal of displeasure, the panel slowly slid
open.
Charles Maxwell straightened, his hand to his back, "Oh my... this is hard
work, indeed."
Turning back to the machine, he reached in, prodding around at Sister's
internal components before fishing out several parts that Relena didn't
recognise.
A smile slowly spread across Maxwell's face as he ran a portable scanner
over the salvaged parts, "There now... they're still in good working order!"
Turning to Relena, his smile became broader, "You've been a wonderful help,
dear. Now, I need one last favour from you. Do inform the professors that
I've been here, and tell them that I've taken several components from
Sister. Inform them that due to the state of the equipment, I will not
be able to work on my project here. Tell them I shall be doing so at my
residence, and that I will call when all is ready. Did you get all of that?"
Relena nodded.
*****
"Ma'am? Ma'am? Are you in there?"
Pressing the buzzer outside the doorway leading into Hilde
Schbecker-Maxwell's rooms, the young staff member sighed.
"Ma'am... the professors have ordered me to escort you to the conference
room."
The woman frowned, "Ma'am?"
No response.
"Ma'am... I'm coming in."
Activating the keypad controlling the lock, she keyed in the emergency
activation code. The door slid open automatically, accompanied by a soft
siren. No doubt it's twin was blasting away at security central by now.
Hilde Schbecker lay motionless on the bed. Hurrying to her side, the woman
bent down, reaching under the bed for the emergency medical kit.
Grabbing the medical scanner, she hurriedly waved it over Hilde's still
form. She blinked, and looked back inside the medical kit as though
confirming something.
Activating her wristcom, she patched herself into the conference room's
intercom.
"Sir, this is Rosalind."
The professor who answered sounded annoyed, "Yes, yes, what is it? Where is
Ms. Schbecker?"
"There's a slight problem, sir. I can't rouse Ms Schbecker. She appears to
have been sedated. The only thing is, all the relaxants and sleeping aids in
her room medical kit are untouched."
The professor was silent for a moment.
"I see... very well then. Leave Ms Schbecker alone. That will be all."
"Yes, sir."
*****
Turning the corner, Duo Maxwell allowed himself to feel a small measure of
relief. Even with his heightened senses, all he could hear coming from
Hilde's apartment was the sound of Zechs talking.
Hilde's apartment. He shook his head. When he'd discovered that had been
Solo's destination...
He frowned. The sounds were changing.
Something was happening.
He could hear Solo yelling now.
Dashing forward, he crossed the remaining distance in a flash, grabbing
hold of the edge of Hilde's doorway to brace himself as he came to an abrupt
halt.
And saw what he hoped never to see.
Solo, cradling an unconscious Hilde in his arms, his hands wrapped tightly
around her.
Hands that were red... and dripping.
There was blood everywhere. On Solo. On Hilde. On the floor, the carpet, the
walls.
Duo Maxwell froze. Had he harmed Hilde?
He forced himself to calm down, assessing the situation. Solo. Hilde. Zechs.
Nineteen guards with their weapons trained on Solo.
The remains of one body on the floor, barely recognisable.
The braided youth blinked, turning from Zechs to Solo. What on earth was
going on?
On his part, Solo Maxwell didn't appear to have noticed Duo's appearance,
his attention and gaze squarely focused on Zechs Merquise. He was speaking.
"I told you... don't touch her."
Duo didn't give Zechs a chance to answer. He had to take charge of the
situation before it got worse.
Stepping up from behind Zechs, he spoke, his voice quiet and emotionless,
"Hey, bro."
Solo turned to face him. The youth was silent for a moment, motionless as he
cradled Hilde in his arms. When he spoke, his voice was a match for Duo's,
"Don't 'hey bro' me."
Gently putting Hilde down on the nearby couch, he turned back to face his
twin. He had a small dark smile on his face, "So... you finally came... came
to collect your little prize, huh?"
Duo started towards the other youth, "Solo, I..."
Solo Maxwell stretched one hand out in front of him, pointing a finger at
the other braided youth, "Don't come one step closer, Duo. I don't have
anything to say to you. I know why you're here."
Duo shook his head softly, whispering, "Do you.. really?"
Solo laughed, "I'm not stupid. I know the professors aren't stupid too.
They know this pathetic force that Zechs brought with him doesn't stand a
chance against me. You're here to take me back."
His eyes narrowed, "Or kill me, right?"
Duo's eyes were wide. He seemed to be quivering. Again, he tried to speak,
"Solo..."
"I said, shut up!"
Siding up next to Duo, Zechs looked straight at the boy, "Listen, Solo.
There isn't a need to do this. Come back with us now. We can work this out
somehow."
Solo shook his head again, laughing, "I don't have to listen to you, Zechs.
Maybe you can tell -him- to dance around on your puppet strings, but I'm
done with all that. We can work it out, huh? You so sure about that? If we
could've worked it out, why wasn't I allowed to see her? Huh? You ever
asked -them- that? 'Number one, return to post and standby.' Yeah, right. I
believe ya." He was staring fiercely at Zechs now, his eyes ablaze with
fury.
"Solo."
His head whipped around as his twin spoke.
Duo Maxwell had one hand concealed inside his jacket. Slowly, he drew it out
into the open, revealing the device he held firmly in his grasp.
Zechs blinked.
Solo stared at the device for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he realised
what it was. His lips curled up in disgust.
"So... I was right. You are here to kill me."
Duo closed his eyes, "No..."
Solo Maxwell took a step closer, "Well... what're ya waiting for? You're the
good boy, right? Always listening to orders? Forever the faithful lapdog...
the willing lackey! Go ahead! Do it!"
Another step. "Kill me."
Duo Maxwell found himself taking a step back, "No..."
From the sidelines, Zechs watched the situation warily, "Duo..."
The braided youth whipped his head around, "I can't, Zechs... I can't do-"
Solo Maxwell lunged. The two youths slammed into the ground. The device flew
out of Duo's hand, hitting the wall with a huge crack.
Fending off Solo's blows, Duo struggled, trying to get his twin off him
without hurting him, "Solo, don't! I don't wanna fight you!"
Solo snorted, "Quit with the act, will ya? I know you've wanted this.
Hell, -I've- wanted this for a long time." He thrust an elbow into Duo's
side.
Standing, Solo dragged his twin up with him, lifting him off the ground and
throwing him clear across the room. Duo landed noisily, crashing into the
wall dividing Hilde's sitting room from her kitchen.
In a daze, Duo blinked, trying to clear his vision.
Solo began slowly walking towards his fallen brother, "You had her, Duo.
They gave her to you. It should've been me. It should've been me..."
The boy stopped in his tracks. His eyes bulged out.
Duo started to get up, "Solo...?"
Solo was trying to move now, one foot raised as though poised to take a
step.
He fell down, his whole body wracked with convulsions.
"Solo!"
Rushing over to Solo's fallen form, Duo Maxwell found himself cradling his
twin, "Solo..."
Tears were forming, but he hastily wiped them away. Looking around the room,
his eyes came to rest on Zechs.
Zechs, with his hand on the termination device, the main button depressed
and a large red light blinking. He was looking away.
"Duo..."
The youth turned back, looking down at the brother he held in his arms.
Solo's eyes had taken on a glazed look, "Duo..."
Duo Maxwell blinked back tears, "... yeah, bro?"
His hand came up to grip Duo's arm, "Duo..."
"... I hate you. I hate you... so much."
His eyes closed.
*****
EPILOGUE
The components landed on the large redwood table with a light thunk. Walking
over to the fireplace, the elderly man threw in another log, feeding the
fire that burned within.
He sighed, his gaze returning to the devices on the table. Crossing back,
his hand came to rest on the sealed grey box.
Charles Maxwell smiled.
"To work, then."
*****
TO BE CONTINUED
"Irane yo! Abunai ryu!" - Hanabishi Recca
Sandrock
Keeper of the Wing Chronicles
Guardian of the Heart of the Universe
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