Chapter 4
Rei carelessly walked back to her apartment, taking in all of the warm sun rays. Walking into her apartment, she was careful not to step on the broken stair and went to her door. On the other side, she heard she answering machine so she hurried with the lock. Inside, she ran to her phone and just as she picked up, the other side hung up. "Darn! Missed them." She rewound the tape of her machine and pressed play. The first message didn't have anything on it but the second one did.
Hey Rei! You there? It's me, Duo! Come on, if you're there, pick up! Fine be that way! I don't know why you're avoiding me but that shouldn't give you a reason to not pick up. I mean, I could have something really important to tell you like we have a mission or meeting or something so maybe you should pick up. Geez, do you really hate me that much that you won't even pick up the phone to find out what I have to say. It could be important and I know from past experience not to leave important messages on answering machines. Oh and by the way, since when do you have an answering machine? I didn't even know that your phone was fixed, I mean, you could have told me. I would have called more often. Anyways, if you're really not home, then could you call me when you get back? You can reach me at 55… -BEEP-
Rei just stood there, looking at her answering machine with a shocked yet annoyed look on her face. "God, doesn't he ever shut up?" She rewound her tape and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Just as she was about to drink, the phone rang again. She hesitated on answering, fearing it would be Duo and that he would just talk and talk and talk and that he just wouldn't stop.
Two rings, three rings…
She finally decides to put her glass down and picks up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Rei?"
"Yes."
"It's Trowa."
"Hi! What's up?"
"…"
"Hello? You still there?"
"Yes."
"Oh, for a second I thought you hung up."
"No"
"Ummm, ok. So why are you calling. I sorta doubt it's for conversation."
"Could you come to headquarters please?"
"Ok, no prob."
"Ok, bye."
"Bye"
Rei hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen to finish her glass of water. "Doesn't talk much does he?" She asked no one.
************
She slowly walked back to the old rundown building she had been in earlier and opened the secret door. She entered the code for the elevator and when she got off, a man was waiting for her.
"Rei Anderson, please follow me." The man said.
"Ok."
They walked for several minutes until they reached two large doors. The man inserted a code in the pad beside the doors which caused them to open reveling the building of the Gundams. The room was huge and in the middle were all the other pilots and colonel Une.
"Ah Rei. We were waiting for you." Said the colonel.
"Sorry if I made you guys wait."
"It's ok. I was just explaining to the guys that the crew actually managed to complete the dual system."
"The dual system?" Asked Rei.
"Remember earlier when I mentioned that we were working on a system that would allow two people to pilot the suit at once, well it finished earlier then expected and now were ready to test it out."
"So who do we pilot with?" Asked Quatre.
"That has been predetermined by using your strength and weaknesses."
"I refuse to pilot with that onna!" Yelled Wufei.
"Don't worry, you've been paired up with Heero. Quatre and Trowa, you two are together. And that leaves Rei and Duo, you two are working together."
"Great, just great." Solemnly answered Rei.
"Now, now. The pairs aren't permanent. These are only tests. You might turn out better with another pilot, who knows. You might not even be able to pilot with someone." Replied Une.
"But then what's the point in making a system that takes two people to pilot?" Asked Quatre.
"That is quite simple" Answered a technician. "The point is that we believe that while one is busy moving the gundam, the other will be able to concentrate better on the guns and other weapons. Therefore, less to worry about during a battle."
"I think that it would be easier alone." Threw Wufei.
"That's because you haven't tried it out yet. Just wait and try before you go and judge. Who knows, you might actually like it."
"I doubt that." Grumbled Wufei under his breath.
"What if one of the pilots was knocked out during a battle? Wouldn't that end up being game over for the pilots?" Asked Rei.
"Not exactly. If one of the pilots were to become incapacitated, then you just have to input a code which will transfer all of their commands to yours and you would be able to pilot the suit on your own.
"Well, I guess that that makes sense." Replied Rei.
One of the technicians came up to the small group of pilots.
"We're ready for the first test Colonel."
"Perfect! Now, do we have a volunteer?"
"We volunteer!" Yelled out Duo.
"We are?" Asked Rei.
"Yes we are!" Answered Duo as he took her arm and dragged her towards the waiting technician.
"I suppose that we are."
The two followed the technician as they approached the elevator to get into their gundam. He led them to the hatch where both of them entered. Duo got into the drivers seat and Rei took command of the guns. The hatched closed and the two pilots got ready for the test.
"This looks just like the solo pilot controls but without the guns." Said Duo.
"Then you shouldn't have too much trouble." Replied Rei.
A voice came over the transmitter.
"Une here, you two ready?"
"As ready as we're gonna be." Replied Duo as he flashed Rei a smile.
"Good, now the controls are very similar to those of the ordinary suits so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding which control does what. Ok, start up the gundam."
"Ummm, and what button would do that?" Asked Duo.
"I think it's the one with Start written on it." Answered Rei.
"Oh! Silly me." Said Duo as he pushed the button.
The was a slight humming sound and all sorts of lights started flashing in the cockpit.
"Good, now I want you to start moving and take it easy." Said a technician over the com.
"Ok, here we go."
Duo slowly started moving the controls when, all of a sudden, a red light began to flashing with an annoying beeping sound. Sparks started flying all over the place.
"Duo! What did you do?" Screamed Rei.
"I didn't do anything!"
Outside of the suit, everyone was waiting patiently to see the new suit in action but started to wonder as nothing happened.
"Shouldn't something be happening?" Asked Quatre.
"Something isn't right. They shouldn't have that much trouble controlling…" The technician's panel started beeping and a red light began flashing.
"Oh shit!" He activated the intercom "Turn it off, the computer just discovered a bug."
Inside the gundam.
"Damn it! It wont open!" Said Rei as she tried opening the hatch.
"Try opening it manually!"
"Hold on...AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Just as she was taking the safety belts off, the controls on her left side blew up sending flames and smoke everywhere.
"REI!"
Outside
"Get out of there!!! Damn the com isn't working! Get a team up there now!" Yelled the technician.
Inside
"Rei, you ok?" Asked Duo with a little too much fear in his voice then he had hoped for.
"Cough, cough! Yea, cough, just a little, cough, burnt. We gotta take that, cough, fire out before it blows something else up!"
"I can't find the fire extinguisher! Don't tell me that they didn…"
Before he could finish, there was another explosion inside the cockpit, blowing off a piece of the gundam.
"AHHH!!!! I think my hair is on fire!!!" Screamed Duo.
Suddenly, everything started tilting towards the front.
Outside
"Holy mother of pearl! Get out of the way! She's coming down!" Yelled another worker.
The gundam fell forward, crashing to the ground.
Inside
"Cough, cough, Duo! Duo! You ok?" Asked Rei as she was half hanging from her harness. "Duo! Answer me!" She reached over with her good arm, her left arm being completely burnt, to Duo to see if he was ok. "Damn, he's out cold. Probably smacked himself."
She took off what was left of her harness, falling onto the screens. With a bit of trouble, she managed to find the latch for the opening. "Damn, it's st…" Another explosion rocked the gundam, rendering Rei unconscious.
Outside
"Get that door open now before something else explodes!" Yelled Colonel Une.
Men were working furiously, trying to get the door open, fearing the worst for the two pilots that were inside.
To be continued…