A Normal Life
By: Jade Starlight

Chapter Nineteen: The Final Victor

A.N: I am so sorry my devoted readers! I am trying really hard to work on this as
much as possible and keep it interesting, really I am! This chapter was originally
going to be the second to last chapter and also the showdown between ICS and the
G-boys and girls, but now I'm planning on two more chapters. I figured that I
could at least be nice and give you all something to read. Besides, I think this
would've been too long anyway. So, here it is, and I hope you still like it! Don't
forget to review please!!! On with the story...




Nine of the twelve Gundam pilots were seated in what has become their meeting
place in the base, along with Millardo Peacecraft and Lucrezia Noin. They were going
over the steps in the, hopefully, goof proof plan.
"So, we are expecting them to have a trap for us, right?" Alondra asked. She was
sitting on a chair, her arms folded casually as she leaned back.
"Yes, no doubt about that. Keep your guard up, and don't head in to anything that
seems suspicious to you, got it?" Everyone nodded in reply to Quatre's statement. The
blonde boy nodded solemnly in return and continued pacing.
"All right everyone, here's how we'll be set up. Heero is going to lead a battle to
break through the front line, using the ZERO system. Accompanying him will be Wufei,
Isis, and Alondra. Then Shiri, Amara, Duo, and I will come out of our hiding and take
over what's left and backup as they proceed forward. Jeremiah, Trowa, Jade, and Relena
will then fly through the path we've made and proceed to take out the base itself. Is
everyone clear?"
"That won't work Quatre," a voice interrupted. Everyone looked to the entrance
to see Trowa and Heero standing there.
"Where's my sister, Yuy?" Millardo demanded. Heero looked at him, sadness
present in his eyes. He walked up to the former Epyon pilot and lowered his head.
"Zechs, I'm sorry. Relena didn't make it out," he told him.
"W-what do you mean?" Jade asked. Fresh tears came to her eyes as she looked
at the brown haired boy, eagerly waiting for his answer.
"Yeah Heero, what is it? She's not dead, right?" Wufei asked. Heero shook his
head and turned to everyone.
"No, she isn't dead, yet. We were caught on the plane we had escaped on. There
was only on parachute, so she made me wear it, and she was going to hold on while we
jumped. Just before we did, one of the officers threatened to shoot us, more specifically
her, if I didn't let her go. Then, before I knew what was going on, she pushed me out of
the plane. I couldn't do anything to help her." He looked at the floor again, closing his
eyes. Everyone was surprised because even though he's been doing it, they still weren't
used to seeing him express his emotions. A tear slid down his cheek, but only Millardo
and Noin noticed because they were right next to him.
"Do you think she's dead?" Jeremiah asked. "My father sounds like his main
mission was to kill her."
"No, she's not. He'll be using her for bait to lure you, and us."
"So what do we do?" Duo asked.
"Trowa will take my spot and attack the front lines. Then Jeremiah, Jade, and I
will find Relena and rescue her. In the process we will set up little explosives all over the
base, and when everyone is gone, I'll push the detonation switch."
"Sounds good, Yuy," Wufei said.
"We're leaving in thirty minutes, no less, no more, got it?" Everyone nodded to
Heero and got up. "Go and make any last minute preparations." They all piled out,
Heero, Millardo, and Noin last. Millardo put a hand on Heero's shoulder, stopping him.
"Yuy, I know you didn't want, nor would you have left Relena. I know how my
sister is, and I know that she made the decision to save you, because she loves you,"
Millardo said. Heero nodded and waited for the two to leave, before he devised the
rescue team's plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena laid on the small cot in her "room." She was dragged into the woods and
locked into a small cell with no windows or light, save for one small, dimming flashlight.
In a few hours the batteries would run out, so she left it off and tried to get some sleep.
Of course she couldn't because she was worried for her friends.
'They better do the smart thing and destroy the base. I don't care about my life,
but I do care about theirs,' she thought. She smiled because she knew that they would try
to rescue her, and she also knew that Heero would be coming for her as well. Again she
closed her eyes, and invited sleep to come. This time, she didn't open her eyes in
frustration. She began to dream of many things...


'Relena was running down a corridor. She turned and ran into a room, and felt
disappointment when she didn't find who she was looking for. Then the scene switched to
a hanger, and again she was running. She saw Jade and Jeremiah ahead of her, running
to the door. She turned around and saw Heero running a ways behind, trying to catch
up. There was the sound of an explosion, and then the ground shook, causing her to fall.
When all was quiet, she looked up and saw Heero about two yards away, also climbing to
his feet. He smiled at her and began to run again. Then there was a crumbling sound
from above. Relena looked up to see a beam from the ceiling collapse and fall right for
Heero. Within seconds he had disappeared under the rubble...'


"NOOO!!!!" Relena sat up and felt the sweat and tears poring down her face. She
was shaking violently as she thought over the dream. A dreadful sunken feeling came to
her stomach, and somehow she knew something terrible was going to happen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An officer approached the Commander, saluting him.
"At ease," he said said.
"Sir, would you like me to begin Operation Catch?"
"Yes. Bring in the soldiers and make sure they are well hidden around this little
shack. I have no doubts in my mind that Mr. Kinsley's son and Relena's little boyfriend
will come to get her. When they do, do not hesitate to capture all of them." The soldier
saluted and turned to leave, but The Commander stopped him.
"Robinson, if you cannot take Relena and that pilot, or whomever else may be
with them, you have Kinsley's order to kill them. Do not hurt his son though, because if
you do, he said he will see to it personally that you pay with your life." The Commander
watched the soldier, making sure that he knew Kinsley was serious about his threat. The
officer saluted and left, fear apparent in his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+
At about three in the mourning Sank time, Wing Zero and the other Gundams
arrived just inside the border. Heero opened his com link to everyone.
"Listen right now. Proceed with caution and keep your eyes peeled for anything
out of place. Carry out your parts in this mission, and do not, I repeat, do not fail." His
voice was steady and commanding.
"All right Heero, agreed," Trowa answered. But Heero wasn't done yet.
"Don't take off so soon. I have one more request."
"What is it?" Quatre asked. Heero sighed before answering.
"You must promise me that no matter what happens to me, you get Relena and
yourselves out of here as soon as she's back with you. Don't wait for me, or worry about
me at all, got it?" This time his voice was harsh and commanding, scaring everyone.
"Heero, you know that Re-"
"Yes I do, but her life and all of yours is very dear to me. Grant me this request,
please!"
"Okay Heero, you've got it," Duo told him, this time uninterrupted.
"Good, move out!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena tossed and turned in her bed, unable to fall asleep again. Instead, she got
up and sat on the cold floor of her prison, crossing her legs. She sat up straight and
closed her eyes, practicing a meditation technique she always did when she was
extremely stressed out. And right now, she was well beyond that point.
Relaxing her form, she breathed in and out slowly, focusing on each breath to
clear her mind. A few minutes later she was in her "happy place," or the place she
envisioned in her mind. Whenever she was doing this, she would imagine she was on a
beach, under the beautiful full moon. She would stand at the water's edge in her dream-
like state and feel the cool water lap up against her feet. A small breeze would blow, and
she would breath in the salty sea air. Then she would sit at the edge of water and look
out at the beautiful calm waves as they slowly rolled in.
"Hello Relena," a voice said. She jumped onto her feet and turned to see Heero
standing there. He was dressed in blue jeans, his green tank top, and his jean jacket.
"Heero? Why are you here? I never see anyone when I'm here." She looked
very puzzled. True, she felt very close to Heero, and to her he was her strength and also
getaway from the world, but never once did she ever imagine anyone else here, including
him. He stepped forward and caressed her cheek, smiling.
"Relena, listen to me. The others and I are on our way to get you out. I need to
know where you are on base so I can get you. Can you tell me where?" Relena nodded.
"I'm in this little shack in the woods, on the west side I think. It's about 50 yards
in, but Heero, it's a trap! You can't come and get me!" She was begging him as he
shook his head.
"I will come, don't worry. And this trap they have? It won't work. See you
soon." Relena wanted to cry out. She stepped forward and then he was gone, and she
was staring at the wall in the dark room. A tear slid down her cheek as she remembered
her vision.
'Heero, I know that was just a dream, but you were so real! Don't come for me, or
you and everyone else will die!' She continued to beg and pray silently, tears falling more
and more with each plea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heero saw the base on radar and landed his Gundam in the forest surrounding it.
Jade and Jeremiah followed. The three teens gathered on the ground. Jade had a black
bag, stuffed with goodies.
"Heero, are you sure you know where she is?" Jade asked. He nodded and began
to walk to the west.
"Don't worry, Jade, Mr. Perfect Soldier knows exactly where she is, I'm sure,"
Jeremiah said. He and Jade were walking side by side, following Heero into the darkness
of the night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Randall reporting, sir!"
"Excellent. Take your two friends there and go on this path. Look for any sign of
intruders." The young officer and his two men saluted and left, taking the path they were
commanded to use.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey Randall, do you really think we'll find a Gundam pilot out here?" one of
them asked. The one called Randall shrugged as he pushed some branches out of his
way.
"The boss said that they were coming, so I would say yeah."
"But aren't they just kids?"
"Yeah, sixteen I think. Don't underestimate them just because they look puny.
I've heard all about them, and judging from the stories, these kids are anything but
weak." Randall barged through some tall bushes and stopped in his tracks.
"Hi there," a girl said. She smiled and waved. Randall pulled out his gun and
held it to her face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jade saw the gun and put her hands up playfully in surrender. She flashed him
another smile as he approached her slowly.
"Who are you?"
"Who, me?" she asked innocently. He was about three feet away and clearly
checking her out.
"Yeah you. What are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm lost. My friends and me were camping, and it was my turn to get some
firewood. I started to gather it, but I guess I wandered too far because I don't know
where they are." 'Please buy this!' She thought desperately. The man raised and eyebrow
and continued to hold the gun right in her face.
"Nice try, girly, but I know for a fact that this territory is private property, and no
one ever camps here. Now, raise your hands in the air and turn around slowly."
"Hey Randall, what are we gonna do with her?"
"We'll take her to Mr. Kinsley. I'm sure he knows who she is." As he
approached Jade, he heard a couple of thumps and spun around. Heero and Jeremiah
were standing there, guns pointed at Randall. He forgot all about Jade when he saw these
two and his officers slumped on the ground.
"Hey, what the-" he fell to the ground on his stomach as everything went black.
"Nice one Jade," Jeremiah commented. He and Heero tucked their guns in their
belts and immediately went to work. They took the officer's clothes and put them on. In
the meantime, Jade tied each of the three's hands and feet together and taped their mouths
shut. Then she pulled some cuffs from the belt and handed them to Jeremiah, who took
them and smiled.
"Why Jade, I never knew you were such a naughty girl!" he said sarcastically,
smiling like a Cheshire cat. She glared and turned around, letting him slap the cuffs on
her.
"Why Jeremiah, I never knew how sick you could be!" she replied sarcastically.
Before anyone else could speak, Heero grabbed Jade's arm and pulled her along. Her
brown hair swayed freely back and forth with each step.
"Heero, take it easy, will ya?"
"Sorry," he loosened his grip on her arm as Jeremiah grabbed the other. They
made their way back to the tent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What's this?" the commander asked. He saw two young soldiers approaching,
and a handcuffed girl was with them.
"Sir, we found her wandering around on our way here. We believe she was
supposed to get Relena Peacecraft out."
"Really? Bring her to Miss Peacecraft's cell until further orders. Understood?"
"Yes sir!" The two saluted him and walked passed the group of soldiers and into
the woods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relena was standing against the wall, completely bored and worried out of her
mind. The sound of a door opening caused her to jump and move to the barred wall. She
saw three figures, one smaller than the other two. Gripping the bar, she squinted and
looked closer, but it was so dark she couldn't see much. All she could make out were the
tall figures leaving the smaller one. Then she heard a loud thump, and a shuffling noise.
As it got louder, she backed away from the bars slowly, waiting for someone to shoot her.
"Relena?" a voice whispered. She knew who it was.
"Jade? I'm here," she whispered back excitedly. She felt a hand on hers and let it
guide her out. Then, a flashlight was shining on them. Relena looked and saw Jeremiah
smiling. He was dressed in an ICS uniform.
"Relena, you two have to put him in here. Make it look like he's sleeping, okay?"
"Sure. Let's move him against the wall." They took the jail guard and laid him
on the bed, covering him up. Then Jade opened a black bag and pulled out a blonde wig.
Relena started giggling.
"Oh you two are horrible!" she whispered. Jeremiah gave her one of his silly
grins, a lot like Duo's, and winked.
"Well, we have to have a decoy so we can get out. Besides, it wasn't our idea, it
was Heero's."
"Where's Heero at?" she asked suddenly.
"Right here." The brown haired pilot walked through the door. Relena ran to him
and practically attacked him. He stumbled back once and caught his balance, letting her
hug him.
"I'm so glad you're okay! You have no idea how worried I've been!"
"Well, worry no more Relena. Now let's go." Whatever happiness they all had
disappeared as they left. Their faces were stoic and determined.
"Heero, I need to do something," Jeremiah said.
"What?"
"I must see my father. You can all go, but I have to see him. Please," he added
silently. Heero gazed at him and nodded.
"No Jeremiah, I'm not letting you go alone!" Jade whispered angrily. He sighed
and looked into her light brown eyes. He knew she would come no matter what he said.
"Fine, let's go."
"Wait a second now," Relena said. "We aren't leaving with out you two. We're
going with."
"Relena-"
"No Heero, we're going. Besides, I need to have a little discussion with our dear
Mr. Kinsley. I need to convince him to stop this madness!" Heero glared at her,
obviously not happy with her decision. But, like Jeremiah, he knew she wasn't going to
listen to him, so he nodded again.
"Fine. I have something I have to do anyway." He pushed ahead of the small
group and led the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heavyarms whipped out its new laser gun and went to work, shooting any enemy
suits in its path. There were five that were attacking him at one time, but Trowa didn't
even break a sweat.
"I'll say this is pathetic," Alondra commented.
She busted up her thrusters and flew between three suits, spinning in a full circle and
shooting each one with her Vulcan cannons.
"Yeah I know," Trowa said, "but something's not right."
"What do you mean, Barton?" Wufei asked. He demolished a suit using his triton
and moved to another, easily slicing it in two.
"I mean that their defense isn't very good."
"And?"
"And, although there's a lot of suits, they really aren't fighting back too much."
"And that means-"
"That means these are mobile dolls and the manned suits are in hiding," Isis
finished.
"Exactly. Isis, send a message to everyone and let him or her know what we
discovered. If they can get it in enough time, we'll all have the upper hand."
"Roger that Trowa."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quatre shot at approaching suits, immediately destroying them.
"Quatre, come in," Amara's voice said.
"What's wrong?"
"I just got mail from Isis. She says that we're fighting dolls and the manned suits
are somewhere else."
"What?" The blonde Arabian was completely baffled by this news.
"That's what she said. What should we do?"
"Tell Duo and Shiri to group up with us and we'll see if there's a place to hide.
We can sit and wait until the real fighting begins."
"So their objective with this was to tire us out so they could win?"
"Yeah, but we won't let that happen."