Only Time

By: Zarabeth McGregor

Chapter: 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. Evil President Munez is my character, so you can't steal him…at least not without my permission.

                  Omigod! I read through the reviews and I realized something: people actually care about Relena's well being! My word, I've never seen such concern for her, outside of a pro Relena website. Wow…

Once again, I must do this, because I don't think I do it enough, but thank you to all the people who have been reading and reviewing this fic. Especially to those who review, because with you guys, I won't be inspired to continue this fic. *Sigh* I guess I should show my appreciation by dishing out some more cliffhangers, huh?

Q or C and A:

D-chan's Ice Queen: Hi honey! Discontinue? Me? Nuh-uh, not this time. See, I'm kinda running a bet with my cuz, so you know how them vibes go, huh?

Myst Lady ML-chan: Well, I have a pretty solid story on the Sailor Moon/Gundam wing front, but the person I want to pair her up with in DBZ seems more tempting, so, I don't rightfully know yet…

Arella Hallo: You do know I'm going to check on the validity of that claim, right?

Kate: But of course not! Of course she's gonna whip some @$$!

SweetAngels3: *cackles*

Ladymiaka11: Yes, I do, don't I? Rectangle you say…

Autumn Ice: No they aren't…*sniff*

Lady-Solarity: But…it's so hard to do! I try to fight temptation, but…

Minimerc: Were are they, indeed? *Gasp* you care! Happy Belated Halloween…*cackles*

Lady Light: I have: Integrated Science, Information Technology, History and Social Studies homework to do and I'm here typing fics…well, it's more fun than boring myself with stuffy, old, out of date books. *shrugs*

Oldestof3: *innocently* I did?

Mercury Ice Storm: Aw…*tsking sound* I stress you out, huh? Have you posted the next chapter yet?

Jessica: Questions indeed…

Kaiya: *sniff* Apology accepted. I'm looking out for them emails. And, I still can't find my book…*narrows eyes*

Melika: Trowa and Quatre…hmm.

RoseGirl2000: Ah, the way I love things…complicated…

Crystal Dragon: Me, do bad things? *innocent voice* Nuh-uh!

Callisto Star: Randomly killing characters…*grins* tempting…

Meio-chan: Stressful, no? Well, while I'm not really writing from personal experience, I had a problem like this towards the end of May and throughout June. See, guys only want what's best for them, so they think they're entitled to make life stressful for us…*grumbles*

Silver-Star: Li likes Heero? Cool…*sighs* It is a shame…oh well, guess I have to settle for Vin Diesel…*sighs again*

ChibiTenshi: Oh Gosh, now I'm making people cry…I'm so evil!

Wicked Lady: Mr. Wavy-hair-football guy…interesting description…Well, I'm glad you like the Relena in this fic. Who said I was going to do Heero/Ami for sure?

Megami*Silence: Uh, why are you wishing such evil on poor Relena…well, not exactly poor, but you get the point. Although now you say it, it would've been interesting…maybe we can do bloopers… LOL! Long Beard and a turban…what are we getting at? *laughs again* You love cheese, huh? Well, at least one person appreciates my evilness!

Kid: Well, you're later than usual…*winks*

~*~

Okay, we realize that one of my only friends may be in mortal peril. What do we do?

We get up and investigate.

I rose quickly, my bare feet touching the cold, hardwood floor. I didn't feel it though; my body was too numb. My mind reflected to those guards that were stationed outside our rooms, and I wondered if they were still there.

Halfway across the room, I stopped abruptly. I don't know why I did, but my feet wouldn't move anymore.

Voices, I heard them outside my door, speaking rapidly in a rough, coarse language that I couldn't place. Then I heard something like muffled screams. A woman's muffled screams. That was enough to get my adrenaline pumping. I ran to the door and reached to turn the knob.

I was flung back a few feet as the door was kicked off of its hinges. Before me stood three men, holding assault rifles. Assault rifles which were pointed toward me. Once again, goose pimples raised along the surface of my skin. Those uniforms looked so very familiar.

Those were the same guards I was asking President Munez about tonight.

Now, it's expected that I would be scared witless at the sight of several very burly, mean looking men, pointing deadly weapons in my direction. It's expected. I expected it.

Instead, I felt another sudden burst of adrenalin. Spying a bamboo rod at my arm's reach, I grabbed it and twirled it like a baton between my fingers as I had seen Setsuna do so many times. I could see their eyes following its movements above my head, and in front of me. As I did so, I formulated a rough 'battle plan'. I figured that it would be more than likely that the two at the front would attack first since they seemed to be ready and rearing to go. After that, I did a quick scan of the said two. Even without my mini-computer, I was still somewhat able to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. And my scan said they would be no problem. When I had this all planned out, I brought it down to my side sharply and put myself into fighter stance.

"Bring it on," I whispered softly. As expected, the first two soldiers came running immediately. I noticed they had dropped their rifles and I vaguely wondered why. Wouldn't it have been easier if they had just shot me and got it over with?

But anyway, they came running towards me, unarmed, no doubt thinking that I was an easy walk over. I decided to change that opinion.

The soldiers took up positions on either side of me, as if they expected to grab me by the arms and drag me out. Twirling the pole again, I put a good amount of force into the strike a gave him across the head. Then I repeated the maneuver with the other soldier. They both were rendered unconscious. I frowned. Okay, I didn't expect them to be that easy to beat.

Oh well.

I turned my attention to the last guard. As I expected, he looked older, tougher and more experienced than the other two. He had the potential to give me difficulties.

I did a quick scan of him as well, which revealed that he was very well trained, unlike the others with hardly any weaknesses or faults. Except…

I threw down my pole and repositioned myself into a fighter's stance. I could see him smile slightly at my gesture and he copied me. We stood like that for a few tense moments, staring at each other, waiting for the other to move. I could feel the blood surging within me, tense in anticipation. However, I kept it under control. I knew the consequences of letting your emotions control your fighting. I could see the guard struggling to do the same, but he was quite unable to. I could see him fidgeting slightly. I was perfectly still.

He moved off first, frustration and anticipation driving him. I saw he was putting most of his weight and force into his left shoulder, which meant he threatened to tunnel me with it. But I stayed perfectly still.

At the last possible second, I shifted slightly to my left, letting him pass. He stopped almost immediately. He turned back to me a swung his fist at me. I leaned backward, ducking it completely. He used his other fist, which I avoided using the same method. The guard tried to sweep me, but I back flipped out of his way, landing in a crouching position some feet away.

I could see his frustration mounting. With a scream, he charged clumsily at me, hoping to force me onto the wall behind me. Once again, I waited until the last moment to get out of the way by flipping once again, this time executing a half twist over his head. Being petite had its advantages.

He turned to me, quite flustered. And tired. Tired after a few exercises. He was panting and huffing like he just ran up a hill. That was his weakness. He got worn out too easily. I used this opportunity to work off some of my excess energy.

We charged at each other at the exact same time. He prepared to land a punch, which I blocked and gave him one of my own. I then kneed him in the gut and swept him.

However, as tired as he was, he avoided my sweep by jumping back. He surprised me yet again by connecting a punch to my face. Oh, the exquisite pain. It felt like my whole jaw was out of alignment. I staggered backward slowly, tasting something coppery, but maintained my balance. Triumph gleamed in his eyes. Getting cocky, aren't we?

He tried to take advantage of my dazed state by attempting an uppercut. I barely dodged it by leaning to the side slightly. I grabbed his arm as it grazed my jaw and twisted it. He groaned slightly and tried to struggle. However, I managed to get behind his back, taking his arm with me and twisted it even further. He squirmed, but I held firm.

"Okay, first question, who the hell are you?" I asked my teeth clenched in pain and determination. I twisted his arm even more in case he planned on not answering.

"Guard," he hissed through his pain. I rolled my eyes and twisted it even more.

"I can see that. Why did you attack me?" I restated.

"Doing…my duty…" he gasped out.

"Duty, huh?" I laughed sardonically. "Duty for whom? And stop squirming," I commanded and twisted his arm further to stop him.

"Ah…" he gasped in pain. All of a sudden, I felt something whiz past my ear with a slight buzz like that of an insect. The next second, I felt the guard go limp in my arms. I felt something wet and sticky splatter my face from out of seemingly nowhere. I knew what it was. I shock and fear, I dropped him and spun to face the door.

The guard had his weapon trained on me. I felt my blood, which had been heated up to that point, chill tremendously.

"I only ask of you," he began softly, in a rich Hispanic accent. "To come with me without any struggle or hesitation." I smiled softly.

"And what if I don't?" I asked in a pseudo-coy voice. Where I got this type of moxie from, I'm yet to figure out. I felt my face go ashen as I heard the safety of the gun clicked off. I was momentarily grateful for the dark.

"Then I will be forced to resort to more drastic measures," he answered coldly. Once again, I found myself in a standoff, trying his patience. However, he seemed to be very patient, because he stood there, perfect as a statue, not moving or fidgeting. This could take a while.

But what about Relena? I had almost forgotten about her. Where did they take her, what did they do to her? Was she even alive. As I looked at this soldier, I knew he would have the answers I needed.

I raised my hands slowly, showing my surrender.

"Alright, I'll go with you," I said simply. He lowered his gun wordlessly and came up to me. He handcuffed me and led me out of the room. I didn't struggle or protest.

We walked out of that particular wing, down into the hall and the vestibule and out into the chilly night. I became acutely aware of the fact that I was barefooted as the driveway's sharp stones scratched and dug at my feet. We walked on to a little alcove where there was a hut at the center, dimly lit from the inside. He turned at the knob and we walked in.

There, in the room were at least ten, fifteen of the same guards, each with their rifles in full view. The light source came from a single candle on a table at on end of the room. In the middle of the room were two chairs. One was empty and on the other was Relena.

Relena was on the chair, obviously bound by her hands, which were behind the chair. She wore a look so mutinous and venomous, I was sure that if looks could kill, everyone in this room would be dead. She was bedraggled, her hair tousled in every which way. There was a thin trail of blood running down the corner of her mouth.

I was placed on the vacant chair, which was facing her, my arms behind me. She looked at me and sighed heavily, then I saw her squirm a bit, obviously trying to undo the bounds that held her.

"Ah, you're finally here, Ms Mizuno," that familiarly slick voice announced from behind me. "It took you long enough." President Munez came into the candle light. He wore a look so smug and so self-pleased, I wished that I could get up and slap it off. That was impossible because my feet were bound to the legs of the chair.

"President Munez, what the hell are you playing at?" Relena growled. She started another set of squirming. He just smiled at her.

"My dear, I'm not playing; I'm quite serious." He chuckled and paced the space between Relena and me. "I have realized that one must do things himself if he wants them done his way." I so did not like where this man was going with this. "You see, I want my people to prosper, to live like how you two are living on Earth. And the hotel would be the best way to go about this." Now, my heart just plummeted. I could actually see what he was doing.

"What do you mean?" Relena asked more cautiously than angrily. From the sudden change in her facial expression, I could tell she understood too. President Munez had the most gleeful look on his face.

"Well, I have placed a call to the Alliance. I have told them that I have their Vice-Foreign Minister here, held hostage," I heard a ragged gasp escape my throat. "If they don't sign the agreement to grant us the rights to construct the hotel…" he trailed off with a sinister chuckle. He walked over to the table with the candle and snuffed it with his fingers, plunging the room into darkness. "The end." Relena lowered her head with such utter hopelessness, my heart grieved at the sight of her. President Munez sauntered over to her, lifting her chin with his fingers gently.

"Now, Ms Relena," he said softly, almost in a caring way. "You didn't think you could single handedly change the opinions of stubborn old men just by traipsing around here." I regretted making that suggestion to her earlier that evening. He dropped her chin roughly and laughed in a triumphant manner. I looked back to Relena, who still had her head lowered.

"Keep an eye on the girls, men. Make sure nothing happens to them; we don't want them to be debilitated in any way when the Alliance agrees to our proposal," he said superiorly, before waltzing back out. I looked over to Relena, who still had her head down.

"Relena?" I leaned forward and whispered to her. "Relena, we're going to be alright. The Alliance will pull through for us." That was when she raised her head. Her eyes, usually a vibrant blue, were now dead and lifeless. It was like her inner fire went out. Her soul had been crushed. She looked at me with those eyes and whispered back these chilling words:

"We're going to die here."

Alright, sorry for the crappy 'action scene', but it's been a while since I've watched a decent action film. Ja!