Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
"It's bad if your enemy is quick, but it's worse if he's patient." --Marilyn Monroe
Chapter 9
4 months later . . .
Heero stared out of the window of the glass elevator as he made his way up to Colonel Une's office at Preventers HQ. His mind was a jumbled mess of questions that no one could seem to answer. Things had been quiet since Relena had 'returned from the dead.' The kind of quiet that one expects to be followed by a tremendous explosion. 'But when and where will the explosion take place?' Heero had a pretty good idea when it would happen.
Finally the elevator stopped and the doors silently opened. Two heavy oak doors stood before him, acting as sentries over the operations taking place inside. Heero walked over to the doors and drawing a breath, pushed them open. As he entered into the main conference center, six frustrated faces greeted him. Taking his seat next to Duo, Heero turned his attention from his previous thoughts and to task at hand.
Une stood as she addressed them. "In the past couple of months, we've been able to locate and eliminate the threat of 3 different anti-peace factions. However, not a single one of them was connected to 'die passende Rache.' For the next couple of days, we will be on the defensive, not offensive."
Sally got up from her chair and passed four of the pilots different colored folder. As they opened the folders, Une continued. "Inside you will find your assignments for the upcoming peace summit. If they were going to try anything, this would be the time. Trowa, you and Wufei will be scouting the perimeter of the President's Mansion. While Duo and Heero will head up security on the inside."
"Hey, is Quatre getting special privileges or something? How come he didn't get a folder?" Duo asked.
"Stupid American Baka." Wufei muttered under his breath.
Duo turned toward Wufei. "I heard that. Would you like to take this outside?"
"ENOUGH!" Une snapped. "I know that tensions are running pretty high right now, but I really don't need you agents having petty arguments" She looked at Duo. "To answer your question, Duo, Quatre will be attending the summit as a representative of L4. He'll be our inside contact. This will be Relena's first official public appearance. You all have to be on guard for anything. The plane leaves in three hours so be ready." With a nod, she dismissed them. Pushing away from the table all five pilots exited the room.
"Heero, can I talk to you for a moment?" Une called as he began to walk away. Heero turned to Duo, who nodded with acknowledgement and closed the doors behind him as he left.
Heero waited impatiently for Une to tell him why she wanted him to stay.
"Have you been able to find out any other information from Relena?"
"No. She hasn't mentioned it since returning to the ESUN."
"Do you think she's still not telling us everything?"
"She's still hiding something. What that is, I don't know. But I intend to find out."
As Heero left the conference room, he found Duo lounging against the wall. As Heero continued toward the elevator, Duo fell into step beside him.
"So buddy, looks like we're going to be partners again." Duo grinned.
Heero looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Only because I picked the short straw." He said to Duo as he continued to stride down the hall.
Duo stopped and placed his hands on his hips. Calling to Heero as he walked away, he said, "If that's what you consider an attempt at humor, the you're in desperate need of help." Sighing, he jogged to catch up to Heero.
****************
Hilde greeted Heero with a genuine smile as he approached her. "Heero, I was wondering who would be taking over my post." She took a sip of her coffee and continued. "Nothing to report, unless you count her venting by throwing paper balls around her office. I think she's got a serious case of writer's block. I can't imagine trying to write X number of speeches in Y amount of time." With a quick shrug of her shoulders, she added, "I guess that's why I'm a soldier and not a politician."
She handed him her earpiece and walkie-talkie. "We'll see you at the airport." Turning, she ran down the hallway toward Duo, who was waiting by the door.
He entered the room as he had done times before. Silently. She sat straight up in her chair; her eyes squinted as she focused on the computer screen, her fingers typing quickly on the keyboard. The last time he had seen her like this was the day he left her two years ago. But unlike the last time he was in her office, he wasn't going anywhere.
Relena paused under his watchful gaze and tilted her head in his direction. She smiled as she greeted him. "Heero."
"Relena."
"I take it that it is time to catch our flight." When he nodded his reply, she added, "Let me finish up this email real quick, then we can be on our way."
Heero watched as she returned her attention toward the computer. Since she had been renamed Vice Foreign Minister, she had thrown herself into her work. Late hours, numerous debates and conferences, she seemed to be addicted to her work. Heero frowned as he thought about how lively she had been that day they found her at the cabins and how she had lost that freedom. 'If she continued at this pace, she may work herself into an early grave.' The thought made him inwardly cringe.
Then he did something that he had never done before: he walked up to her desk and stood beside her.
He watched as the message 'Your message has been sent.' appeared on the screen. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she turned to face him.
"Even though I'm Vice Foreign Minister, doesn't mean that I forget my friends. I just sent a quick note to Alex, letting her know about the news of my life."
"You're sending her 'Recipes'?"
Relena flashed him a tentative smile. "Well I was on the run for a while. Did you think that I starved the entire time? I'll have you know, Mr. Yuy, that I can make a mean spaghetti sauce."
Turning off her computer, she pushed away from the computer, grabbed her things and placed them in her carry on. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she looked at him. "I know that you're worried about me. But I want you to know that I can take care of myself."
"We'll see."
"I guess we will." Spinning on her heel, she left him in the office pondering her final comment.
****************
For the most part the plane ride was uneventful. Except for the time that its crazy pilot thought a nosedive was necessary. Once Wufei regained the controls from Duo, the plane landed safely.
During the trip, Relena had focused her attention out the window, while Heero had focused her attention. He sat there, wondering when she had become so distant. Normally, she would be talking their ears off, but this time, she looked lost in thought. 'What are you still hiding from me, Relena?'
He continued to watch her now as she disembarked the plane.
At the bottom of the flight steps, she greeted the elderly man with a whole-hearted smile.
"Mr. President. I see you are doing well this morning."
"Relena, my dear. I'm so happy to see you have arrived safely. Shall we?" The President asked, offering his arm to escort her to the limo.
Once seated in the limo, the President continued to fill Relena in on the events of the upcoming summit. "Well, my dear, because of you, this will be the best turn out at a summit to date. All the top political officials from both Earth and the Colonies will be in attendance. I hope you don't mind, but I've added some things to your itinerary." Reaching beside him, he pulled out the folder and handed it to Relena.
She scanned the contents quickly and then gave him a reassuring smile. "There should be no problem with the additional speeches that you added. But what is this about a gala?"
"I thought it would be appropriate for the summit, but also to celebrate your return. Is that a problem?"
"No problem. Though I don't know if I exactly have the correct attire for a formal party."
As the limo came to a stop outside the mansion, the President smiled. "We'll make sure that we give you time to shop for a dress."
The sudden gasp that came from Relena threw Heero on alert. Upholstering his gun, he whipped around toward the window to find a pair of small brown eyes trying to look in the tinted window.
"Grandfather, are you in there?" Came a muffled child's voice from the other side of the door.
Opening the door, the President emerged from the car, scooping the young girl into his arms. "Hello, Hope. I would like you to meet someone very important." Grabbing hold of Relena's hand, he helped her from the car. "Hope, this is Ms. Relena Peacecraft-Darlian." The young child bowed her head in respect and replied, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Darlian."
"The pleasure is all mine, Hope."
As the trio made their way toward the main entrance to the mansion, Heero stood next to the car and mentally went over a security checklist in his head. 'This place is too open. Security is going to be a big problem over the next three days.' The sound of an approaching car brought him from his thoughts. He watched as Duo, Hilde, Trowa and Wufei climbed out of the vehicle and made their way toward him.
"Aw man. Guarding this pile of rocks isn't going to be a cake walk." Duo stated as he looked over the house, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.
****************
She reread the email to make sure that she could tell him the good news. Grabbing the paper off of the printer, she hurried down the hall to his study. Knocking on the door, she waited for permission to enter. When the muffled reply came through the heavy wooden doors, she pulled them open and rushed inside. The door slammed behind her.
"Damnit Alex! How many times have I told you not to let the door slam shut?"
"I'm sorry, but we just received confirmation. Phase two has been completed and Phase Three was started this morning."
An evil smile danced across his lips has he read the paper that Alex had just handed him. While most people would have cowered, Alex just answered him back with a sly smile of her own. Alex was not like most people because she wasn't human.
He stood up from behind his desk, glass of brandy in his right hand and walked toward her. With his other hand, grabbed her chin and tilted her face up to his.
"It's time, my dear. Time to exact revenge. Die passende Rache: A fitting revenge, don't you think so, my dear Alex?'
A/N: Okay, I know this chapter was shorter than the past three, but I am fighting the beginning symptoms of Writer's Block. I hope this chapter came out better than I think.
"It's bad if your enemy is quick, but it's worse if he's patient." --Marilyn Monroe
Chapter 9
4 months later . . .
Heero stared out of the window of the glass elevator as he made his way up to Colonel Une's office at Preventers HQ. His mind was a jumbled mess of questions that no one could seem to answer. Things had been quiet since Relena had 'returned from the dead.' The kind of quiet that one expects to be followed by a tremendous explosion. 'But when and where will the explosion take place?' Heero had a pretty good idea when it would happen.
Finally the elevator stopped and the doors silently opened. Two heavy oak doors stood before him, acting as sentries over the operations taking place inside. Heero walked over to the doors and drawing a breath, pushed them open. As he entered into the main conference center, six frustrated faces greeted him. Taking his seat next to Duo, Heero turned his attention from his previous thoughts and to task at hand.
Une stood as she addressed them. "In the past couple of months, we've been able to locate and eliminate the threat of 3 different anti-peace factions. However, not a single one of them was connected to 'die passende Rache.' For the next couple of days, we will be on the defensive, not offensive."
Sally got up from her chair and passed four of the pilots different colored folder. As they opened the folders, Une continued. "Inside you will find your assignments for the upcoming peace summit. If they were going to try anything, this would be the time. Trowa, you and Wufei will be scouting the perimeter of the President's Mansion. While Duo and Heero will head up security on the inside."
"Hey, is Quatre getting special privileges or something? How come he didn't get a folder?" Duo asked.
"Stupid American Baka." Wufei muttered under his breath.
Duo turned toward Wufei. "I heard that. Would you like to take this outside?"
"ENOUGH!" Une snapped. "I know that tensions are running pretty high right now, but I really don't need you agents having petty arguments" She looked at Duo. "To answer your question, Duo, Quatre will be attending the summit as a representative of L4. He'll be our inside contact. This will be Relena's first official public appearance. You all have to be on guard for anything. The plane leaves in three hours so be ready." With a nod, she dismissed them. Pushing away from the table all five pilots exited the room.
"Heero, can I talk to you for a moment?" Une called as he began to walk away. Heero turned to Duo, who nodded with acknowledgement and closed the doors behind him as he left.
Heero waited impatiently for Une to tell him why she wanted him to stay.
"Have you been able to find out any other information from Relena?"
"No. She hasn't mentioned it since returning to the ESUN."
"Do you think she's still not telling us everything?"
"She's still hiding something. What that is, I don't know. But I intend to find out."
As Heero left the conference room, he found Duo lounging against the wall. As Heero continued toward the elevator, Duo fell into step beside him.
"So buddy, looks like we're going to be partners again." Duo grinned.
Heero looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Only because I picked the short straw." He said to Duo as he continued to stride down the hall.
Duo stopped and placed his hands on his hips. Calling to Heero as he walked away, he said, "If that's what you consider an attempt at humor, the you're in desperate need of help." Sighing, he jogged to catch up to Heero.
****************
Hilde greeted Heero with a genuine smile as he approached her. "Heero, I was wondering who would be taking over my post." She took a sip of her coffee and continued. "Nothing to report, unless you count her venting by throwing paper balls around her office. I think she's got a serious case of writer's block. I can't imagine trying to write X number of speeches in Y amount of time." With a quick shrug of her shoulders, she added, "I guess that's why I'm a soldier and not a politician."
She handed him her earpiece and walkie-talkie. "We'll see you at the airport." Turning, she ran down the hallway toward Duo, who was waiting by the door.
He entered the room as he had done times before. Silently. She sat straight up in her chair; her eyes squinted as she focused on the computer screen, her fingers typing quickly on the keyboard. The last time he had seen her like this was the day he left her two years ago. But unlike the last time he was in her office, he wasn't going anywhere.
Relena paused under his watchful gaze and tilted her head in his direction. She smiled as she greeted him. "Heero."
"Relena."
"I take it that it is time to catch our flight." When he nodded his reply, she added, "Let me finish up this email real quick, then we can be on our way."
Heero watched as she returned her attention toward the computer. Since she had been renamed Vice Foreign Minister, she had thrown herself into her work. Late hours, numerous debates and conferences, she seemed to be addicted to her work. Heero frowned as he thought about how lively she had been that day they found her at the cabins and how she had lost that freedom. 'If she continued at this pace, she may work herself into an early grave.' The thought made him inwardly cringe.
Then he did something that he had never done before: he walked up to her desk and stood beside her.
He watched as the message 'Your message has been sent.' appeared on the screen. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she turned to face him.
"Even though I'm Vice Foreign Minister, doesn't mean that I forget my friends. I just sent a quick note to Alex, letting her know about the news of my life."
"You're sending her 'Recipes'?"
Relena flashed him a tentative smile. "Well I was on the run for a while. Did you think that I starved the entire time? I'll have you know, Mr. Yuy, that I can make a mean spaghetti sauce."
Turning off her computer, she pushed away from the computer, grabbed her things and placed them in her carry on. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she looked at him. "I know that you're worried about me. But I want you to know that I can take care of myself."
"We'll see."
"I guess we will." Spinning on her heel, she left him in the office pondering her final comment.
****************
For the most part the plane ride was uneventful. Except for the time that its crazy pilot thought a nosedive was necessary. Once Wufei regained the controls from Duo, the plane landed safely.
During the trip, Relena had focused her attention out the window, while Heero had focused her attention. He sat there, wondering when she had become so distant. Normally, she would be talking their ears off, but this time, she looked lost in thought. 'What are you still hiding from me, Relena?'
He continued to watch her now as she disembarked the plane.
At the bottom of the flight steps, she greeted the elderly man with a whole-hearted smile.
"Mr. President. I see you are doing well this morning."
"Relena, my dear. I'm so happy to see you have arrived safely. Shall we?" The President asked, offering his arm to escort her to the limo.
Once seated in the limo, the President continued to fill Relena in on the events of the upcoming summit. "Well, my dear, because of you, this will be the best turn out at a summit to date. All the top political officials from both Earth and the Colonies will be in attendance. I hope you don't mind, but I've added some things to your itinerary." Reaching beside him, he pulled out the folder and handed it to Relena.
She scanned the contents quickly and then gave him a reassuring smile. "There should be no problem with the additional speeches that you added. But what is this about a gala?"
"I thought it would be appropriate for the summit, but also to celebrate your return. Is that a problem?"
"No problem. Though I don't know if I exactly have the correct attire for a formal party."
As the limo came to a stop outside the mansion, the President smiled. "We'll make sure that we give you time to shop for a dress."
The sudden gasp that came from Relena threw Heero on alert. Upholstering his gun, he whipped around toward the window to find a pair of small brown eyes trying to look in the tinted window.
"Grandfather, are you in there?" Came a muffled child's voice from the other side of the door.
Opening the door, the President emerged from the car, scooping the young girl into his arms. "Hello, Hope. I would like you to meet someone very important." Grabbing hold of Relena's hand, he helped her from the car. "Hope, this is Ms. Relena Peacecraft-Darlian." The young child bowed her head in respect and replied, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Darlian."
"The pleasure is all mine, Hope."
As the trio made their way toward the main entrance to the mansion, Heero stood next to the car and mentally went over a security checklist in his head. 'This place is too open. Security is going to be a big problem over the next three days.' The sound of an approaching car brought him from his thoughts. He watched as Duo, Hilde, Trowa and Wufei climbed out of the vehicle and made their way toward him.
"Aw man. Guarding this pile of rocks isn't going to be a cake walk." Duo stated as he looked over the house, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.
****************
She reread the email to make sure that she could tell him the good news. Grabbing the paper off of the printer, she hurried down the hall to his study. Knocking on the door, she waited for permission to enter. When the muffled reply came through the heavy wooden doors, she pulled them open and rushed inside. The door slammed behind her.
"Damnit Alex! How many times have I told you not to let the door slam shut?"
"I'm sorry, but we just received confirmation. Phase two has been completed and Phase Three was started this morning."
An evil smile danced across his lips has he read the paper that Alex had just handed him. While most people would have cowered, Alex just answered him back with a sly smile of her own. Alex was not like most people because she wasn't human.
He stood up from behind his desk, glass of brandy in his right hand and walked toward her. With his other hand, grabbed her chin and tilted her face up to his.
"It's time, my dear. Time to exact revenge. Die passende Rache: A fitting revenge, don't you think so, my dear Alex?'
A/N: Okay, I know this chapter was shorter than the past three, but I am fighting the beginning symptoms of Writer's Block. I hope this chapter came out better than I think.
