Chapter Two

I don't know how much time passes by; time doesn't really matter to me right now. For all I know I could have been sitting in that chair thinking for hours, or just a few minutes.

A knock on the door jolts me out of my dream like state. "Quatre are you in there?" Sally's muffled voice asks.

"Yes, let me get the door." I stand from the swivel chair and unlock the door.

"Hey, how are you doing?" My friend asks.

"Okay I guess." I sit back down in the warm chair. Sally takes a seat in one of the chairs across the table.

"We've discussed your proposal." She starts. "Due to the circumstances ,and your military history, we are willing to grant you your request."

"You are going to allow Wu Fei to assist me?"

"He's on his way here as we speak."

"Thank you."

"Don't even think about it." She stands, "Now you need to get your rest. Wu Fei won't arrive until tomorrow morning. It's already three am. I'll show you to the room we have set up for you."

"Again I thank you."

She smiles, "I owe Noin one, think of this as me repaying a favor."

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The tight ropes cut deep into Noin's wrists. Her hands are sticky and stiff from the blood as it dries from the once open cuts. She sits quietly in the chair; she gave up physically fighting hours ago. All that did was cut her more deeply, and tire her more quickly.

The door opens from the gray walls. Noin looks up at the dark man who has just entered the room. Her brows are slanted; she glares angrily at the man.

"I see we haven't given up yet." He says as he walks over to her. "It's a shame you have to fight so hard, it would be so much easier for you if you would just… give up." His hand strokes her cheek. She pulls her face away and returns to glaring.

"You mustn't have that additute Miss. Lucratzia it's very unbecoming."

"Say what you want. It doesn't change anything." She says between clenched teach.

"Is that so?" He says in a slimy, positively evil tone, "What if I were to tell you that your dear Quatre is walking right into a trap?"

"What?"

"Oh yes, you see he really doesn't have much choice. If he pays the ransom we go to war, if he doesn't." He turns and faces her, "I'm sure he will try some crazy plan to get you. And when he does, we will be waiting for him."

"What are you going to do to him!?" Noin yells without thinking.

"Un-un-uh," He waves his finger in the air as if scolding her, He gets right up in her face. Softly he kisses her cheek. "We mustn't ruin the surprise. You will see for your self what we will do."

He pulls back so that he can still see her expression. She spits on his face. Amused, the man wipes it off, "You better get to sleep, I can assure you that tomorrow will be exciting."

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Noin must of saved Sally's life for all the strings she has pulled to rescue her. She arranged everything from weapons to transportation. Perhaps it all seems like so much because I am use to unorganized guerrilla warfare. Wu Fei doesn't seem to be surprised at all the supplies we are getting. He's busy typing away on his laptop, trying to hack into the organizations main frame and find out all that he can.

Sally directs me to sit down next to where Wu Fei is. I get a quick glance at the screen; he's good, he has already gotten a hold of the blueprints of the base. He prints them out and hands them to Sally.

Sally goes over them for a few minutes with Une. Une walks over to us with the blueprints and starts to brief us on the plan. I glance at Wu Fei, who has returned to his laptop, wondering if he is even listening.

"Wu Fei and Quatre, you will enter from separate ends of their headquarters. The facilities are very well protected as well as deep underground. The facilities stretch for fifteen city blocks. There are three entrances to the base that we can find. They are concealed in the basements of three office buildings under Osaka Japan.

"You will infiltrate the buildings and get through the encoded entrances. Noin is most likely being held in the containment ward. The containment ward is in the center of the underground base. Good luck getting through to the center.

"To help insure your success we are giving you each a bag filled with remote detonated bombs. Place them around the base as a distraction.

"We haven't been able to find out much about the servalence system they have, all we know is that it's complexed. I wish I could give you two more help, but this is all I can do. I know you can do it though.

"Get all that?" 

Wu Fei looks up from is computer, "Get in, get the girl, get out. Got it." He closes his laptop, "Lets go."

I wonder why Une gave us such a thorough run through as we walk to our shuttle. I bet it was because she thinks of me as a civilian. Wu Fei noticed how in-depth it was as well.

"I thought she would never shut up." He looks over at me, "She's acting like we have never done anything like this before."

"Yeah." I agree quietly.

Me puts his hand on my shoulder, reassuringly, "Don't worry Quatre, we'll get her back."

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Under one of the largest cities on Earth is definitely a different place for a base. It's beyond me how they ever managed to build a base this large. The only guess I have is that they have connections with the top officials in the city.

That all doesn't really matter right now, what does is how I'm going to get my way through the police station to the basement. What an ironic place to put one of the entrances, it's truly ingenious.

I do the only thing I can do to get in: over take a cop. It's not very difficult. The hardest part is waiting for a police officer with a uniform that will fit me. After three go by with measurements nowhere close to mine I hit payday.           

The kid is fresh out of the academy, most likely looking for some glory as well, just the type to trick into a trap. "Officer, officer!" I holler as I run up to the cop.

Just as I thought he would he turns to me, "What seems to be the problem?"

"A kid fell through an open crate elevator in the ally. We can't seem to get him out."

"Alright, show me to him." The officer says.

Bingo. I lead him to the ally between the station and the building next to it. He's beginning to get suspicious, "I don't see any prob-"

I swing around quickly and hit him hard in the back of the neck. The officer crumbles to the ground. "Sorry about that." I tell his unconscious body as I swap clothes.

I enter the bustling police station invisible to everyone there. I head for the elevator and swipe the officer's security card. The elevator opens, I push the basement button.

Now I need to find anything that can be an entrance to the base. I take a quick look around in the dimly lit storage area. There are only a few things that can serve as one. The most likely is an old chalkboard in the far corner.

I set down the duffel bag full of explosives and guns and try to push the chalkboard away from the wall. It won't budge. This has to be it. I feel the back of the board for a switch or anything that can move it. My hand comes to a small button. I push it in. The center of the chalkboard opens up to reveal a small box about the size of a thermostat. There is no doubt in my mind that it's an identification-based lock.

This is no problem. I crack it open, popping off the cover of the devise. A few seconds and mixed wires later a slab of concrete moves away from the others on the floor.

I pick up the hand-held radio they gave me, "I'm in." I say quietly into it.

"Right, I'm almost there as well."

"Continue with radio silence unless absolutely necessary."

"Roger."

I return the radio to my pocket and pick up the duffel bag. I enter the concealed stair well. The spiral stairs wind down and down deep below the surface. The base is far below any subway or sewer lines.

 They really had their work cut out for them getting this worked out. Their influence is tremendous, and like wise very frightening.

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The underground base is well lit by ceiling lamps. The whole thing is painted a dull gray, typical for a base. It's also huge. Fifteen city blocks doesn't seem so big when it's congested with buildings, cars, and people. Down here though, it's three miles of sprawling halls and rooms.

I can't take much time to admire the base. Cameras are everywhere. I quickly slip into a dark corner and a blind spot to cameras. It's not long before a soldier, yes a soldier, walks by.

I purposely drop a quarter. The sound of the quarter hitting the cold concrete floor echoes though the hall. He comes over to investigate the sound. I quickly take him out and change clothes for the second time in five minutes.

I come out of the corner no longer a police officer, but a soldier with a golden eagle ensign on the sleeve. The duffel bag is one explosive lighter.

I make my way though the base easily. To the others I am just a soldier on patrol. I keep walking inwards towards the center of the base.

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Wu Fei is doing the same. He stealthy moves though the halls clad as a soldier. His bag is also substantially lighter. Explosives line both ways to the center of the base. They are all placed strategically in blind corners.

He knows that they need to hurry though. It's only a matter of time before they discover the explosives. And after that it will be a mad dash to get out of there alive.

He is coming up on to the containment ward. A heavy, locked steal door and a guard block it. Good thing there is a guard watching. That makes it so much easier too get the keys to the door.

One quick hit over the head and the guard is unconscious. Wu Fei drags him out of the way and retrieves the keys.

Three keys later he is inside the area. And face to face with a dozen armed soldiers.

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I'm coming up on the containment ward. I'm almost there! In a few short moments I will be back with Noin. I unlock the door and close it silently behind me. I turn around, facing the room with rows of cells on either side of a corridor.

My joyous expression turns dark. Instead of seeing an empty corridor I am met by several armed soldiers. Directly behind them is Noin and Wu Fei tired in chairs.

"Drop the bag and put your hands in the air." One of them orders.

I have no choice but to agree. If I were to open fire on the guards I would most likely hit Noin and Wu Fei as well. I cautiously drop the bag and raise my hands. Three guards are quickly to me, making sure I don't try something.

As they drag me to the empty chair next to Wu Fei I notice that there are four guards lying in pools of blood on the floor. Wu Fei put up quite a fight. We exchange glances. He's been beat pretty bad. Blood trickles down his face from a cut in his forehead and another on his lip. He understands why I didn't put up a fight. I'm grateful of this.

A man comes into the corridor. The soldiers salute him. He walks into the light. He has dark skin, he's most likely Latino. His dark brown hair is slicked back. I can't seem to look away from his eye. They are a curious color, a deep piercing blue. He is also tall. It may just be because I'm sitting down. No, he's a good three inches taller then the soldiers.

"Mr. Winner, we've been expecting you."

I hate how polite he's pretending to be. This man holds so much power, he holds so many lives in his hands. A man as evil as he is doesn't deserve this edict.

"What's the big idea?" I demand, "Just who do you think you are?"

"Such harshness. If you really must know who I am my name is Javier Villa Signor. As for the big idea, I'm getting to that."

"You want my money don't you, to finance your war. Why not just borrow some more from your friends in high places?"

"You have it all wrong. It's not about the money it's about who holds the money."

I gasp. Everything is falling into place. Starting to make sence. "I understand now. You did this all to get to me."

"You have very good deduction skills. You have two options. You and your fellow Gundam pilot can fight as front line soldiers for us, or we can simply kill you all and call it a day."

"Can you trust us to fight for you? We might retaliate." Wu Fei says.

"Oh I think you two will be very good little soldiers." He snaps his fingers, a soldier puts the barrel of his gun at the back of Noin's head.

Noin looks at me. I know what she is telling me. She is telling me to play along and escape. She is telling me to forget about her.

"No…" I whisper.

"What was that?" Javier asks.

"I won't give up on you Noin! I would rather die by your side then live knowing I let you die."

"And does your partner fell the same way?" He asks, looking at Wu Fei.

"No one should have to go through what I had to." He says looking to the floor, he makes eye contact with Javier, "I'm with Quatre."

I lower my head, I understand what he means. One day he told me about his wife Marian. He told me how she died protecting their colony. He told me how he couldn't stand back and let her die, so he took the weaponless Shenlong to go and save her. It was already too late for her.

I felt terrible after he told me all this. I felt as if I forced it out of him. He told me not to worry myself about it. He had put it behind him, destroying his Gundam that he lovingly called Nataku, after his wife's nickname, the goddess of justice, was his way of putting his pain to rest.

"Thank you Wu Fei." I mumble gratefully.

"I don't believe this! You will be martyred for her? Don't you yearn for the excitement of battle? Can't you just taste the adrenaline, the intoxicating fulfillment you feel as you fight?" Javier says.

"I would rather die knowing that I did the right thing then live in regret over a few exhilarating battles."

"I thought I was giving you an offer you couldn't possibly resist. It pains me to do this," He snaps his fingers. Six automatic weapons are pointed at our heads, "but if that is what you wish."

I look over at Noin. We stare into each other's eyes, together until the end. The sound of a firing gun fills the room.