The Greatest Loss
Part V: The Secret of the Truth
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam wing. The story was written for enjoyment purposes
* * *
Relena awoke and opened her eyes. After her eyes adjusted to the light, she looked around to see where she was. Her mind took in the surroundings; a small coffee table, a couch-opposite of the one she was lying on, two black leather chairs, and another chair next to a desk that stood by the wall that held a laptop, lamp, and a messy pile of semi-stacked papers. The rest she couldn't see though, she was lying on her side on a couch, and the rest was behind her. She sat up and realized she wasn't tied up or had any restraints on at all. She was in a hotel room. Behind her, she finally saw the rest of the room: a bed, bathroom, TV/VCR and DVD player, and the door that led to the hallway. There was no one else in the room, for now anyways. Realizing she had to get out of there, she leapt off the couch and bounded to the door. As she reached it the doorknob started turning.
"No, Milliardo. I'm sorry, but I couldn't find Relena. I looked in Heero's office and washroom. I looked in my office and washroom. I looked in the surrounding offices and I even looked in both the women's and men's bathrooms," Duo said, trying to calm the Tallgeese pilot down; it wasn't working. Milliardo's face was turning a deeper shade of red as his anger grew. He wanted to know where the hell his sister was, and he wanted to know now.
"Zechs, don't worry, we'll find her. I'm sure of it," Noin said comfortingly. "Relena is a strong girl, she'll hold out until we find her."
"I know that if Heero were here and Relena was missing that the moment he knew he would have been out the door and already have a lead on finding her," Duo muttered to himself. "As soon as he found out Mariemaya took her he was out the door and running down the hall," Duo said this part louder, without realizing it, and everyone heard him. The second part made everyone try to think of what Duo was thinking, though he and WuFei were the only ones that heard the first part.
WuFei though about what Duo muttered to himself for a moment and then his eyes went wide as an idea came to his head. "I think Duo may be right," he started. "I mean, when Mariemaya first took Relena, he was the first one to find out anything and when he did it was right after he found out she was gone. Maybe if he knew what happened now, he would come out- if he is still alive -and try to help us save Relena, or just do it himself."
"So, you're saying that if Heero knew, he would come and help us?" Quatre inquired. "He would only ask for help if he really needed it and I mean really. Heero isn't quite the type of guy that goes around asking for help. And besides, we don't even know if he is dead or not! What if he is and we leave it up to him to save Miss Relena? It'd be just like we were abandoning her."
"Quatre," Zechs said quietly, "calm down. We know that Heero is very strong willed and hardheaded. That doesn't mean that he wouldn't come to us. If he realizes that the threat is too large, he will come to us. He isn't a dumbass; he knows what he can handle. And he knows that if he finds Relena and he doesn't tell me that I will kill him anyways. If he is alive, and he knows, he will come. He had better anyways."
She watched the doorknob slowly turn and she stood, frozen with her hand stretched out for it. As the door creaked open just a sliver, she regained her composure and darted, quietly as she could, back over and lay down on the couch the same way she was when she woke up. She heard as the door opened and closed, and quiet footsteps making their way to the couch. Oh no, oh no, oh please no. She thought to herself. The person walked next the arm of the couch, opposite of her head, and with her eyes opened just enough to make out shadows she raised her leg and kicked at the man. "Woah, shit!" was the cry she heard and as her ankle got caught in the man's grip, she opened her eyes and half way sat up and tried to pull her foot back. She tried not to look at the man; she just wanted to get away.
"Let me go!" she yelled at him. "Please! I just want to go home with my brother, and Noin, and my friends. Let GO!" she jerked her leg with all her might and she felt his grip loosen so she fell to the floor and crawled to the side of the couch farthest from him. She sat there trying to figure out how to get to the door when she heard and felt the man flop down on the couch and put his chin right above her on the armrest. She could feel his gaze on her and she realized she was screwed, "Damn," she muttered.
"Excuse me princess? What was that?" His voice made Relena's eyes go wide in shock. She whirled around up onto her feet and looked down at the man on the couch. He looked up at her with amusement in his eyes, but he didn't let it show on his face.
"You," she tried. "You're," she winced at her loss of words and at the sharp feelings that burst into her heart. "You're," she tried again but ended up just tilting her head to the side a little and stared at him in disbelief.
He stood up and walked over to her. When he was about two feet away he finished her sentence for her. "Supposed to be dead?"
A very agitated Zechs Marquise lead a small fleet of other Gundam pilots down the hall to Heero's office. "If there are any clues anywhere, they have to be in here," he said as he opened the door to the office. "Let's get looking." Everyone started their own search that they had in mind; Noin and Zechs search one of the file cabinets, Trowa and WuFei another, and Quatre and Hilde searched through the details of the room like the bookshelf and the bathroom. Duo remembered Relena looking in Heero's desk so he started there. He looked through and found everything Relena did; the old folders, files, and papers from his old cases; the gun and extra clips, the overturned picture and a file under that. He picked it up and looked at it, figuring it would be harmless. His eyes went wide at what he saw.
"Zechs," he tried to say to platinum haired man, but his voice caught in his throat as he choked on his gum. "Zechs!" he yelled and everyone heard this time. He jumped up from the chair and whirled around the desk and practically smashed into the man who had met him in the middle of their distance apart. "Who's this?" he asked as he handed the picture and file over.
Zechs immediately recognized the person in the picture. "David Gibson." He slammed the file and the picture down on the desk. Zechs' face grew red with anger. Everyone was gathered around the desk and they were all curious about Duo's yell and Zechs' red face. When asked if Zechs thought Gibson had done it, he responded, "That can't be. It couldn't have been Gibson. He's dead. He died in an explosion three years ago."
"Ya know Relena, just because I'm supposed to be dead doesn't mean that am dead. Miracles do happen," he told her smiling. She took a step back. "Hey, don't be scared. I'm really here now. Come here," he held his arms out for a hug. She took another step back. "Hey, Relena, that hurts. You know that I would never, ever cause any harm to you. I love you."
"No." It came as a whisper out of her mouth, but he still heard it. His eyes narrowed and his smile vanished. "Miracles don't happen for me."
"Miracles happen for everyone, even you. I am, after all, here aren't I?" he said smiling and boasting about him being alive and well.
She took a step back again; she was nearing the wall and realized she was going to be screwed in two more steps. Debating what she should do now was tough. She could make a mad dash for the door, she could try to hit him but that would go against her reasons of being a pacifist, or she could stay right where she was and pray that some how she would be saved. Today, fortunately, was her lucky day. The door flew open and a soldier stood in the doorway. "Sir, I've been told to retrieve you and bring you to the commander's quarters," he stated.
Although Relena had never been so scared in her life, she was relieved to see the soldier who had no doubt just saved her from a whole mess of trouble. "All right, thank you. But I have one request, please, watch Miss Relena until I come back? Make sure she doesn't do anything...stupid. If she does you have my permission to shoot her, but just a wound you hear me? Don't kill her." And with that, the man left the room to see his commander.
Relena, still scared, decided to go and sit on the couch she woke up on and debate the options that she is now left with. How can I get out of here she thought. She looked over to the door to see that the soldier had shut it and was now sitting in the chair near the desk that she noticed earlier. Strange guy, but I don't think I could get past him to the door she thought as she looked over to the window. Hmm. The window, I wonder how far the fall would be? She got off the couch and went to the window. "You should stay out of site Miss Relena, there are a lot of people on this base that don't like you that much and most of them have guns and very accurate aims," the soldier warned her.
She turned her head from the window to him. She looked him up and down and asked, "Are you one of those people?" He stood and shook his head no. "Oh really?" she asked; turning her whole body towards him. "Then what kind of person are you?"
He stood took a few big steps toward her and slowed when he had covered well over half the distance between them. "I'm the kind of person that would do it face to face than as an assassin would." She let out a small gasp but quickly turned towards the window again. "But I wouldn't kill someone as important to peace as you are, Relena. I'm one of the very few people on this base that would rather save you." He was now right next to Relena, literally face to face; they could hear each other breathing. Relena felt a little bit of déjà vu and it sent a chill up her spine. The soldier noticed her shiver and smirked, "Don't be afraid of me Relena. Like I said, I want to help you. The commander didn't want to see Gibson, he's on vacation." She turned to the soldier. "The commander's quarters are practically on the other side of the base, he won't be back for a while."
"Who are you?" she asked quietly.
"My name is Chris, I'm a friend to one of your friends. I wasn't supposed to mention their name but I can tell you don't believe me. He's gonna kill me for sure now," he started but Relena interrupted.
"He who? Duo? Trowa?" she asked curiously. 'Do they already know where I am before I do?' she wondered.
"Uh, no. Heero Yuy."
"Um, Zechs?" Quatre asked softly. "Who is David Gibson?"
"I'll tell you who that bastard is. We met at an ESUN meeting a few years back. He was just an acquaintance, but when I saw him flirting with Relena after a meeting some time later and he wouldn't leave her alone when she had asked, I intervened and he left her alone. But, he tried to kidnap Relena four years ago and we stopped him. He died three years ago. He was trying to steal some mobile suits from the Victoria Base." Noin nodded her head as she remembered the incident.
"You think he took Relena?" Trowa asked.
"He tried before, he might have tried again, but this time he just might have succeeded. And if not, at least this is a lead," Zechs said to all of them who in return nodded. "But, how did Heero know about David and Relena?" No one knew the answer so they all kept quiet. They had to find out where this guy was and then they would probably be able to find Relena. But, like Zechs said, the question on everyone's mind was: how did Heero know?
Angel Yuy