Chapter 7
I stood behind the mass of suits and dolls who were supposed to protect the station. They were dead, or would be, very, very soon. Zechs was near me. I lay relaxed in my seat with my eyes closed. The intercom was hooked up to two groups, my four regular companions and a small group of soon to be dead people. I didn't know why Oz sent them out here to die, maybe to give them time to evacuate? Yeah, that was probably it. They'd get Mathew and Julia and anyone else they deemed important enough to safety as we got ourselves killed.
I saw a red light blink through my eyelids. They were here. A series of beeps went off to show locations, and red lights quickly went out as they were destroyed. I didn't have to look. I didn't really want to. My breathing remained even, my hands resting gently on my controls.
"Conway are you there? They gundams are almost here."
"I know."
My eyes snapped open and I shot upwards. Zechs followed me, I knew he would. I took in my side's damage. I grimaced at the though, Oz was my side. They would win or I would die fighting for them. SandStorm looked up at me. I knew which one would come first. Tarmine always took out individual challenges.
"Her gundam's much like the Sandrock, watch out the twin blades. She doesn't use them often but she's deadly with them," I warned.
Zechs came to my side. "Gotcha. And I can do anything as long as she's alive? Even if Oz captures her?"
"Especially if Oz captures her."
"What are you two talking about?" Max called.
"Tarmine," Zechs and I said as one. Then she was here.
My mind erupted into fighting mode. I let instinct take over, sending my mind back to before I turned thirteen, when I fought with Zero. I could tell his style hadn't changed, he'd just gotten a hell of a lot better. Tarmine came at us with a gun in hand.
She shot at me activating my shield to come up in front of me. Half of the projectors went over to Zechs to protect him. I let her shoot all she wanted, it didn't hurt me, and I quickly returned fire, while Zechs aimed with his beam rifle.
Suddenly Poe was behind Zechs, attacking him. "Look out!" I cried, he was already moving. They went off in their own fight and I went to a more physical fight with Tarmine. I was up close and she drew a metal sword. I put the gun I had been holding away and drew my swords. I heard the metallic ring as they escaped their sheaths. Tarmine wasn't good with swords, I took advantage of her lack in skills. The fact that my gundam was smaller helped me slip around behind her and cut a few important things of from her suit. Suddenly she stopped. I knew for a fact her controls wouldn't work. I'd cut off the only thing that would stop her without blowing it up.
"She's taken care of," I said softly to Zechs.
Poe stopped fighting and looked at me, just long enough for Zechs to hit him with a serious blow. He ignored it. "Alex?" Poe asked.
I bit my tongue, then pulled out some files. Hacking into our system was easy, they didn't expect the good guys to hide things. When I made sure no one could hear except Zero and the other g-pilots I answered. "Yeah it's me, and I have to put up a fight. Get out of here before we have to figure something out with you. Tarmine can't fight, just get her out of here."
"So you want us to just leave Julia in there!" Zero yelled.
I resisted the urge to yell at him. They had been dating for two years. "I'll take care of Julia, trust me on this, put up a fight but get out of here. I don't want to have to fight you."
"Would you fight us?"
I thought hard for a moment. "Till the end," was my answer.
"Damn it!" Zero said, taking charge. "Let's do what she says."
Poe grabbed Tarmine and took her out of the fight. I wasn't sure to where but they had to have a ship somewhere near by. Zero was already pulling away, no one followed. For the first time I stopped and looked at casualties. The results were nauseating, they'd done a lot of damage, but there had been nothing I could do to stop it.
I was the last one back to the base. I had stayed a while to pray. To pray for everyone dead and everyone that has to deal with there deaths. I'd always wondered what was worse, being dead or mourning for the lost.
The moment I stepped out of Gemini Mathew was waiting.
"Why'd you run off the bridge?" he snapped at me.
My face was cold and my eyes held daggers, I didn't want to talk to him. I was tired, emotionally as well as physically. I would probably end up having to sit through a lecture. The least I could do was humor him. I did break the rules after all. "You don't win fights by watching them.
"Nor when you let the enemy into your base." It was his turn to be cold.
I didn't hide the surprise and bewilderment that came to my face, but I did hide the fact that I noticed several near by soldiers come closer. "What are you talking about? Are you saying I'm a spy?" I didn't panic, and I didn't let on I was worried. I showed anger, annoyance, but that was it.
"Are you aware that Alex Yuy isn't at the hanger, her hanger. It's where she lives. She's been gone quite awhile. We think it has something to do with a spy system. There's belief she joined and quit Oz already, but someone else might still be here." Mathew explained.
"Me?" I looked dumfounded. "Me? A spy?" I sounded like an idiot. But hey, if it works it beats jail.
Mathew just stared at me. "What did you say when the com went dead? We can't get it from any system. The Gemini shut us out. We can't get anything."
I stared at him blankly. "I didn't know if we could win. Zero would come and help them. They had other suits or dolls or whatever the hell that were helping them. I did the only thing I could to keep us safe. I shut down SandStorm. There are three certain things you can cut off each of the gundams that will disable it, shut it down. They can't communicate or control. I could have killed Tarmine but the other two wouldn't have let me get close to their gundams. I told them to get the fuck away or I'd kill her. I used blackmail and shut of the com so you wouldn't interfere."
"Why couldn't V and Max hear you?" Mathew asked.
"I set it up so only gundams could hear it."
"How did you learn so much about the gundams?"
Okay, time to switch to the obscene screwed up, yet still true, truth. "I've always been interested in the gundams. I learned everything I could about them. That's how I know the pilots, and their suits, and how to shut them down. I used to hack into programs of theirs that could teach me more. I've always been a good hacker."
"So that's your excuse? You can hack? So can we," Mathew was trying hard not to yell, mainly because we'd gotten an unwanted audience.
"How about a different approach. I'll tell you what I know.
"Alex Yuy is a reckless girl. She's currently sixteen years old. If she were going to spy on Oz she'd do it herself. She likes taking risky missions, she gets thrills from the danger. She very smart and would be able to hide herself. If she were found out she'd leave, immediately, until she can get back into Oz with out making a mistake. She wouldn't take someone with her, she'd find that too difficult. If you were looking for two people I suggest you check Julia, but she's already captured.
"Julia is a happy-go lucky idiot. Poe's very quiet, but deadly. I hear he's nice to his side, buy he's a lot like his father to ours. Zero is an idiot. He has little common sense and most his plans are bad ones. I think him and Julia are going steady but I could be wrong. Tarmine was Zero's best friend. If I'm correct they went a step too far and have a kid hidden somewhere. Tarmine doesn't think things through, she acts purely on instinct and not a bit with reason.
"I could list stats for their gundams if you'd really like to test my knowledge. But I can tell you basically nothing about spying for Alex, I've never even seen her, little less talked to her." Okay, a bit of a lie at the end. But I did put out some of my friends worse traits, though I don't think of Julia that way, Zero and Tarmine maybe, but not Julia.
Mathew was glaring at me, and I was returning the look with equal vigor. "Do you think this helps? We already know this."
"I don't think it helps, but I was letting you know what I knew. Without being a spy."
"So why don't you listen to instructions?"
Now for the explaining doing stupid things part: "I listen, and if I think they're stupid I ignore them. If I'm mad I tend to walk out of a room without answering. If you call me back during a fight I think I can win I won't budge. I do what I think is right, not always what I'm told."
"Around here people do what they're told."
"Oops." Did I sound sarcastic? I hope so.
Mathew just shook his head. "I'm tired of talking to you." He motioned to a guard nearby. Without a backwards glance he strutted off the docking bay. My eyes followed him until he was out of sight, but I wasn't fooled. Where ever they took me there'd be cameras. Someone would be watching me.
I followed the guard off the deck and towards the prison sector. For some reason I wasn't surprised that they'd be keeping me in a cell. There was a surprise when I got there, though.
V was waiting outside the room I was supposed to be going in. He'd been sitting with his eyes closed, relaxed against the wall with his head leaned back against it, but looked up when he heard us coming. I couldn't read anything on his face. It wasn't even blank, just a smooth neutral.
He nodded to the guard. "Hey Jim. I can take him off your hands. My dad wants me to ask a few questions."
Jim, the guard, nodded. Without another word the guard left. It would be the perfect time for me to try to leave. But they probably had some one waiting in case I took this all too perfect opportunity. Instead I stood and starred at V. A pilot like Conway wouldn't run. He'd figure out what he had to convince people he was him. Of course I wasn't really Conway, but they didn't know that. Or maybe they did.
"Hello," I said.
V didn't do anything. Just starred. I started to fidget. He might be able to stand completely still, but unless it was something important I fidgeted. That's what a normal person would do, I think.
V nodded his head to the room behind him. "Let's go inside. There's cameras so they can record your answers."
"Okay." Worked for me. I wouldn't lie, or I'd try not to. But I did wonder why V was questioning me. Was it because we'd become friends? Or maybe his dad just trusted him. Or maybe he just wanted to talk.
There was a table with three chairs, along with a door that branched off to a smaller room. Probably where I'd be staying. Oh yippee. This would be where I talked to people. V was sitting on the side of the table with two chairs. Naturally I took the other.
"I do believe this is the first time I was interviewed in a cell," I murmured, almost under my breath. V heard, though. He must have 'cause he smiled just slightly. The first bit of emotion I'd seen sense I got off the gundam.
"So…" V said. "Where should we start? How about with the easy stuff." He paused. "What's your name?"
I blinked. Funny question, or maybe not. "Conway."
V shook his head. "Don't lie, your full name."
I blinked again. "Oh, well, then I should say Thomas Conway, right?"
He glared at me. "Just say 'my name is Thomas Conway."
"My name is Thomas Conway." I tried not to grin and surprisingly it worked. He could somehow tell if I was lying, and evasive answers bugged him. This would be worse. I wasn't answering. I was obeying. And as long as I thought that way he wouldn't be able to prove I was lying.
He was actually growling now. Bully for me.
"Can you mean it when you said it?" his voice was incredibly calm for someone I was trying to annoy.
"I do."
He stared at me for a long, long time.
"Give me your hand."
"What?"
He sighed. "Just do it."
I shrugged my shoulders uneasily, but reached out my hand. I didn't hold hands with anyone, not even when I'm dressed like a girl. This wasn't making me happy. He took my hand.
My arm was suddenly warm as a tingling feeling worked its way upwards as small shocks sent themselves through me. I tried to pull my hand away, but not very hard and V didn't let go.
"Do you work for Alex Yuy?" the question was blunt and direct.
I said, "No," right before I yelped. The moment I answered blue flame, or at least that's what it looked like, shot up my arm. All the weird felling that had come with V's touch increased and I yanked my arm back. "What the hell was that?"
"Sorry about that," V said.
My eyes were wide as I cradled my arm over my chest. It didn't really hurt, but was more like a numbing ache that stayed right outside the edges of my senses so I could hardly feel it.
I repeated myself, " What the hell was that?"
V sighed again. "That was a little psychic ability I have. Sorry," he explained.
Wasn't good enough for me. "'Little psychic ability' my ass. That hurt! And what was it for?"
"I said sorry," he almost shouted. I didn't really take sorry as a good answer, and was about to tell him that when he kept talking. "It kinda allows me a brief moment to see what the person, or people, I'm touching feel, almost what they're thinking. It's the ultimate lie detector because you can't defend yourself. I see more than just whether or not you've lied. I see what you're not telling me."
Shit. I didn't do anything to give me away. My chest didn't tighten, I didn't hold my breath, and just to prove I wasn't speechless I said something. "So it's a little like reading minds?"
"A little."
Interesting. A nifty ability if nothing else. "And what did you get from me?" I tried to make myself sound carefree yet mildly amused, and most of all curious. Curious was easy, it was in my nature.
"You?" he said, "hmm… well. You were weird. There was nothing. I knew you were telling the truth. You aren't talking to the other gundam pilots. If anything it seems like you're pushing them away, but that's all I could sense. Nothing else, no stray thoughts."
"Is that normal?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Normal? Try impossible. People think, it was like you didn't. Either you don't think or you have a very nice natural shield from psychics, which by itself is weird. Usually only psychics can shield that well."
I blinked. Only psychics? What on Earth did that mean? Change that- what in space did that mean? I wasn't on Earth. So I had good blocks, that didn't answer the question on how he was a psychic to begin with. And what exactly he did. The good news was he didn't learn much.
"I think," I stated, "I think a lot."
V smiled to me. "Trust me, I know. That's why it's confusing. Everyone thinks, even unconsciously. You don't always consciously think when doing things, like talking to my dad for example. You say what comes to mind and that comes from unconscious thoughts, which is what I normally, how would I put it, hear. Though I don't really hear anything."
"But how do you get inside someone's head to get things in the first place?" V stilled. He became slack, as if he was a puppet just sitting there, doing nothing. I tilted my head a bit to look at him better. His eyes seemed glazed.
Then I felt it.
Something touched my mind, like a cool blue light, so pale it was almost a gray. It created something almost like a boundary, separating the physical world from the mental. Power ran over my thoughts, not quite touching but I could feel the presence. I tried to pull away, but it wasn't physical. I stood up suddenly, but the power stayed where it was. Then I pulled, but not with my body. I caught whatever the blue light was off guard and it yanked itself back.
It was gone, I was me again. There was no longer a boundary, it was just the real world. V looked amazed, surprised, curious and terrified.
"What the hell did you do?" He whispered with a hoarse voice.
My eyes widened. "Me! I didn't do anything. What was that? It was… it was… I don't know what it was." I was still standing, but my hands were clenched in a fist as I counted slowly to ten, then to twenty, to stop from yelling at him.
"I… You shouldn't have felt that," he said.
I glared. "Then why did I?"
"My guess is that no one has probed your mind before. Your mind reacted as you were, trying to get away. It created something similar to a void, a place where it'd be safe. The problem is you didn't control it. Your void turned into more of a black hole, and was pulling in more than you." V was edgy, not sounding at all sure of himself as he explained.
I started to shake. I wasn't psychic. I didn't even believe in psychics. They were as crazy as those Lunarian stories that were going around. And how do you create a void? I guess I'd figure out later, along with everything else.
"Calm down, that's the first step," V said soothingly. "I'm not much of a teacher with all of this, but I know the basics. Everyone's got at least a bit of physic ability. Most don't have enough to even touch it. Others, like me, or possibly you, have a lot. Enough to influence the world around you. Telekinetic people can move things with their mind, telepathic can talk or communicate in some way with out actually saying anything. They transfer thoughts or ideas, like me."
"If you had to guess, what would I be?" I asked. Did I really want to know? I don't think so. But if he's going to explain… I should hear everything. Especially this.
He thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, probably at least partially telepathic. You reacted like one. Anyone can have walls but only telepathic work with transferring thoughts. You were most defiantly doing that. But you could be other things too."
I nodded. One question down, a billion to go. "What were you doing to me?"
"Probing your mind." A simple and complete answer, if only I knew exactly what it meant. He sensed my confusion. "Kind of like I was touching your mind, to test power or emotions."
"Oh, that sounds easy," I murmured.
"It is," V assured me, "you just have to know what you're doing."
"Assuming I'm telepathic, how do you control things? How do you figure out what you're doing?" I asked.
"You either get someone to help you or wait for things to happen. Things usually don't happen with psychic powers until there's need for it," He said. "Like when I probed your mind, it felt threatened, so it reacted. The problem with that is that when you use one ability then if there are others they might start acting up. If you have no control, well, you have no control. Things can get out of hand. That is, of course, if you have other abilities." We were both quiet. It took a moment for every think to become clear. He looked like someone who could be psychic. His blue eyes held electricity that screamed different, but not a bad different.
"So how do you know if you're psychic?"
His eyes scanned the room as he thought; they ended at the camera behind me. I didn't glance back, but he seemed to be looking for something. "I have a friend," he said after a long moment, "who might be able to check. My dad will be down later with some people to help him with other questions."
I didn't watch V leave, and I didn't test to see if the door was locked. I had heard the soft click as he put the lock in place. I could probably pick it, but the cameras would show I was breaking out. I had a gun with me, but I don't think they expected it because they didn't check. I always brought a gun when I thought there'd be trouble, and being called down to the bridge earlier today had guaranteed trouble. But I wasn't going to use that, either.
I didn't move for what I think was around twenty minutes, which was when Mathew came in. I immediately changed my expression from bored to slightly annoyed and a little interested. Mathew nodded a hello, and the two men with him did the same. I gazed over all of them coldly, while at the same time kept a cheerful look on my face. It wouldn't be good to let on exactly how ticked off I was, so I would listen and answer questions. There wouldn't be a psychic with these guys, he'd already asked questions, but I'd still try not to lie. It never helps you out.
"Hello Thomas," Mathew said. His voice was a bland drone. This was going to be oh so fun. My nose twitched and I couldn't help it. I didn't like being called Thomas. Tom I'd deal with, Conway I'd prefer, I'd even go with Tommy over Thomas but that was really pushing it.
"Hello Mr. Barton." My voice held a trace of sarcasm, and I was tempted to use more.
"Are you aware of what charges you are on?" asked one of Mathew's flunkies. He had lawyer written all over him. Stupid slimly little snake. I really wanted to ask how far he took the 'anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law' saying, but I didn't want him to tell the courts I was trying to cause trouble, didn't want him to tell the court much of anything. Hell, I didn't want this to go to a court to begin with.
I gave him my best 'why the hell are you asking me stupid questions?' look. "If I'm correct you assume that because I did what I thought was right in a battle, which we won by the way, I work for Alex Yuy or one of the other gundam pilots."
Was that annoyance on the lawyer's face? I certainly hope not, I wasn't even being annoying yet. "The point isn't that we won, it's that you're very good, you could have killed or captured one of them, and instead you let all three get away." Gees, can't he look at the glass half full?
"Is Tarmine's life worth Zechs? Or how about V?" I asked as I turned to look at Mathew. "I could have killed her, but Zechs was losing, if I'd helped out we'd do good, but we haven't fought together before, one of us would screw up, Zechs was already losing, Poe would have gone for him. He'd be dead. The extra time would've also given Zero the time he needed, and the anger, to take out most of the other pilots, and do damage to the base. With Tarmine I had a bargaining chip. Without her I had nothing. Would you rather I get everyone killed or let them go?" I was ticked off now. They didn't have a clue what the point was. I wasn't just saving a friend's life, I was saving theirs.
"Even if that was true you didn't follow any orders." I don't know which was colder, his voice or his glare. I was just pleasing everyone today.
Of course I could have an equally cold expression, and mine held a bit more menace. "I try to do what's right."
"Right would be following orders," Mathew growled.
"Right would be disobeying stupid orders that should never have been given," I said softly, very, very softly.
Mathew burst out of his chair, standing suddenly. "Are you saying I'm stupid?" he almost shouted it.
"Careful, Mathew. The lawyer is watching. I'd never say such a thing in front of a lawyer. Perhaps someday we could have a private conversation where we can both yell as loud as we want. Then I'd say exactly what I'm thinking. And whether or not the orders were stupid wasn't the problem. They weren't going to work so I did something different," I said smoothly. Now I was getting nasty looks from the lawyer.
I glanced at the other guy, who was staring silently. He was like a silent giant, being at least 6'2" and built like a muscle builder, which he might be. I was betting he could bench press a lot. Why he was here I didn't have a clue. He was angry, that I could tell, but it was a cold anger. Something people could almost feel, and much more controlled. It was the kind of anger you'd fear. Anyone could get angry and shout and yell but he didn't do that.
I wondered again why he might be here.
"This is Olaf," Mathew said, noting my gaze. "He's our questioning expert."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really," I murmured. "Well then, hello Mr. Olaf, nice to meet such an important member of Oz." He didn't appreciate my joke, and the look he gave me made me shut up. Let's not tick off the big strong man.
"Did you search him?" Olaf asked. Smart guy, he had been the first one to think of it.
I didn't wait for anyone to answer. Standing up I started taking out weapons. I placed my gun on the table first, making sure the safety was on. Then my wrist knife, then the one on my leg, then a smaller blade that hade a special strap to keep it on my back so I just had to reach under my shirt and grab the hilt. Sitting back down I took off my long sleeved shirt so I could take off the wrist sheath. Unless there was a knife for it I didn't want it there.
"Why do you have all of those?" Olaf asked, more curious than pressing.
I glanced at him as I put the sheath on the table and lifted my leg to roll up the pants. Unstraping that sheath I answered, "Well, what if for some reason I got caught? Maybe they wouldn't catch something or I'd be able to fight back. I never go into a fight unarmed if I can help it."
He nodded agreement. Looking at Mathew he asked, "What all do you want to know?"
Mathew looked at me. "My son tells us he didn't lie. He's sure of it. But Thomas didn't tell the truth, that I know. I want to know everything he knows about this. If you find something suspicious press until you're absolutely sure he doesn't know anything else."
Mathew smiled at me before he left. A very cruel, and dare I say evil, smile. My face was blank I didn't know what was going on, but I had an idea. I wondered if I might have enough time to pick up the gun and blow a hole in Mathew's cocky face. He left before I could convince myself to do anything.
I turned back to Olaf.
Hey, I hope you're enjoying the story ^.^
This chapter gets a bit interesting, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to use it because Alex is being psychic (Am I spelling that right? *shrugs*) I just want everyone to know that everything I put in about that is completely made up. I have very little knowledge about real psychics, and just wanted to make sure that was understood.
Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I love hearing from everyone, and to the two people who've reviewed, I like the stories that I've read that you've written. Thanks Again!
~Rave
I stood behind the mass of suits and dolls who were supposed to protect the station. They were dead, or would be, very, very soon. Zechs was near me. I lay relaxed in my seat with my eyes closed. The intercom was hooked up to two groups, my four regular companions and a small group of soon to be dead people. I didn't know why Oz sent them out here to die, maybe to give them time to evacuate? Yeah, that was probably it. They'd get Mathew and Julia and anyone else they deemed important enough to safety as we got ourselves killed.
I saw a red light blink through my eyelids. They were here. A series of beeps went off to show locations, and red lights quickly went out as they were destroyed. I didn't have to look. I didn't really want to. My breathing remained even, my hands resting gently on my controls.
"Conway are you there? They gundams are almost here."
"I know."
My eyes snapped open and I shot upwards. Zechs followed me, I knew he would. I took in my side's damage. I grimaced at the though, Oz was my side. They would win or I would die fighting for them. SandStorm looked up at me. I knew which one would come first. Tarmine always took out individual challenges.
"Her gundam's much like the Sandrock, watch out the twin blades. She doesn't use them often but she's deadly with them," I warned.
Zechs came to my side. "Gotcha. And I can do anything as long as she's alive? Even if Oz captures her?"
"Especially if Oz captures her."
"What are you two talking about?" Max called.
"Tarmine," Zechs and I said as one. Then she was here.
My mind erupted into fighting mode. I let instinct take over, sending my mind back to before I turned thirteen, when I fought with Zero. I could tell his style hadn't changed, he'd just gotten a hell of a lot better. Tarmine came at us with a gun in hand.
She shot at me activating my shield to come up in front of me. Half of the projectors went over to Zechs to protect him. I let her shoot all she wanted, it didn't hurt me, and I quickly returned fire, while Zechs aimed with his beam rifle.
Suddenly Poe was behind Zechs, attacking him. "Look out!" I cried, he was already moving. They went off in their own fight and I went to a more physical fight with Tarmine. I was up close and she drew a metal sword. I put the gun I had been holding away and drew my swords. I heard the metallic ring as they escaped their sheaths. Tarmine wasn't good with swords, I took advantage of her lack in skills. The fact that my gundam was smaller helped me slip around behind her and cut a few important things of from her suit. Suddenly she stopped. I knew for a fact her controls wouldn't work. I'd cut off the only thing that would stop her without blowing it up.
"She's taken care of," I said softly to Zechs.
Poe stopped fighting and looked at me, just long enough for Zechs to hit him with a serious blow. He ignored it. "Alex?" Poe asked.
I bit my tongue, then pulled out some files. Hacking into our system was easy, they didn't expect the good guys to hide things. When I made sure no one could hear except Zero and the other g-pilots I answered. "Yeah it's me, and I have to put up a fight. Get out of here before we have to figure something out with you. Tarmine can't fight, just get her out of here."
"So you want us to just leave Julia in there!" Zero yelled.
I resisted the urge to yell at him. They had been dating for two years. "I'll take care of Julia, trust me on this, put up a fight but get out of here. I don't want to have to fight you."
"Would you fight us?"
I thought hard for a moment. "Till the end," was my answer.
"Damn it!" Zero said, taking charge. "Let's do what she says."
Poe grabbed Tarmine and took her out of the fight. I wasn't sure to where but they had to have a ship somewhere near by. Zero was already pulling away, no one followed. For the first time I stopped and looked at casualties. The results were nauseating, they'd done a lot of damage, but there had been nothing I could do to stop it.
I was the last one back to the base. I had stayed a while to pray. To pray for everyone dead and everyone that has to deal with there deaths. I'd always wondered what was worse, being dead or mourning for the lost.
The moment I stepped out of Gemini Mathew was waiting.
"Why'd you run off the bridge?" he snapped at me.
My face was cold and my eyes held daggers, I didn't want to talk to him. I was tired, emotionally as well as physically. I would probably end up having to sit through a lecture. The least I could do was humor him. I did break the rules after all. "You don't win fights by watching them.
"Nor when you let the enemy into your base." It was his turn to be cold.
I didn't hide the surprise and bewilderment that came to my face, but I did hide the fact that I noticed several near by soldiers come closer. "What are you talking about? Are you saying I'm a spy?" I didn't panic, and I didn't let on I was worried. I showed anger, annoyance, but that was it.
"Are you aware that Alex Yuy isn't at the hanger, her hanger. It's where she lives. She's been gone quite awhile. We think it has something to do with a spy system. There's belief she joined and quit Oz already, but someone else might still be here." Mathew explained.
"Me?" I looked dumfounded. "Me? A spy?" I sounded like an idiot. But hey, if it works it beats jail.
Mathew just stared at me. "What did you say when the com went dead? We can't get it from any system. The Gemini shut us out. We can't get anything."
I stared at him blankly. "I didn't know if we could win. Zero would come and help them. They had other suits or dolls or whatever the hell that were helping them. I did the only thing I could to keep us safe. I shut down SandStorm. There are three certain things you can cut off each of the gundams that will disable it, shut it down. They can't communicate or control. I could have killed Tarmine but the other two wouldn't have let me get close to their gundams. I told them to get the fuck away or I'd kill her. I used blackmail and shut of the com so you wouldn't interfere."
"Why couldn't V and Max hear you?" Mathew asked.
"I set it up so only gundams could hear it."
"How did you learn so much about the gundams?"
Okay, time to switch to the obscene screwed up, yet still true, truth. "I've always been interested in the gundams. I learned everything I could about them. That's how I know the pilots, and their suits, and how to shut them down. I used to hack into programs of theirs that could teach me more. I've always been a good hacker."
"So that's your excuse? You can hack? So can we," Mathew was trying hard not to yell, mainly because we'd gotten an unwanted audience.
"How about a different approach. I'll tell you what I know.
"Alex Yuy is a reckless girl. She's currently sixteen years old. If she were going to spy on Oz she'd do it herself. She likes taking risky missions, she gets thrills from the danger. She very smart and would be able to hide herself. If she were found out she'd leave, immediately, until she can get back into Oz with out making a mistake. She wouldn't take someone with her, she'd find that too difficult. If you were looking for two people I suggest you check Julia, but she's already captured.
"Julia is a happy-go lucky idiot. Poe's very quiet, but deadly. I hear he's nice to his side, buy he's a lot like his father to ours. Zero is an idiot. He has little common sense and most his plans are bad ones. I think him and Julia are going steady but I could be wrong. Tarmine was Zero's best friend. If I'm correct they went a step too far and have a kid hidden somewhere. Tarmine doesn't think things through, she acts purely on instinct and not a bit with reason.
"I could list stats for their gundams if you'd really like to test my knowledge. But I can tell you basically nothing about spying for Alex, I've never even seen her, little less talked to her." Okay, a bit of a lie at the end. But I did put out some of my friends worse traits, though I don't think of Julia that way, Zero and Tarmine maybe, but not Julia.
Mathew was glaring at me, and I was returning the look with equal vigor. "Do you think this helps? We already know this."
"I don't think it helps, but I was letting you know what I knew. Without being a spy."
"So why don't you listen to instructions?"
Now for the explaining doing stupid things part: "I listen, and if I think they're stupid I ignore them. If I'm mad I tend to walk out of a room without answering. If you call me back during a fight I think I can win I won't budge. I do what I think is right, not always what I'm told."
"Around here people do what they're told."
"Oops." Did I sound sarcastic? I hope so.
Mathew just shook his head. "I'm tired of talking to you." He motioned to a guard nearby. Without a backwards glance he strutted off the docking bay. My eyes followed him until he was out of sight, but I wasn't fooled. Where ever they took me there'd be cameras. Someone would be watching me.
I followed the guard off the deck and towards the prison sector. For some reason I wasn't surprised that they'd be keeping me in a cell. There was a surprise when I got there, though.
V was waiting outside the room I was supposed to be going in. He'd been sitting with his eyes closed, relaxed against the wall with his head leaned back against it, but looked up when he heard us coming. I couldn't read anything on his face. It wasn't even blank, just a smooth neutral.
He nodded to the guard. "Hey Jim. I can take him off your hands. My dad wants me to ask a few questions."
Jim, the guard, nodded. Without another word the guard left. It would be the perfect time for me to try to leave. But they probably had some one waiting in case I took this all too perfect opportunity. Instead I stood and starred at V. A pilot like Conway wouldn't run. He'd figure out what he had to convince people he was him. Of course I wasn't really Conway, but they didn't know that. Or maybe they did.
"Hello," I said.
V didn't do anything. Just starred. I started to fidget. He might be able to stand completely still, but unless it was something important I fidgeted. That's what a normal person would do, I think.
V nodded his head to the room behind him. "Let's go inside. There's cameras so they can record your answers."
"Okay." Worked for me. I wouldn't lie, or I'd try not to. But I did wonder why V was questioning me. Was it because we'd become friends? Or maybe his dad just trusted him. Or maybe he just wanted to talk.
There was a table with three chairs, along with a door that branched off to a smaller room. Probably where I'd be staying. Oh yippee. This would be where I talked to people. V was sitting on the side of the table with two chairs. Naturally I took the other.
"I do believe this is the first time I was interviewed in a cell," I murmured, almost under my breath. V heard, though. He must have 'cause he smiled just slightly. The first bit of emotion I'd seen sense I got off the gundam.
"So…" V said. "Where should we start? How about with the easy stuff." He paused. "What's your name?"
I blinked. Funny question, or maybe not. "Conway."
V shook his head. "Don't lie, your full name."
I blinked again. "Oh, well, then I should say Thomas Conway, right?"
He glared at me. "Just say 'my name is Thomas Conway."
"My name is Thomas Conway." I tried not to grin and surprisingly it worked. He could somehow tell if I was lying, and evasive answers bugged him. This would be worse. I wasn't answering. I was obeying. And as long as I thought that way he wouldn't be able to prove I was lying.
He was actually growling now. Bully for me.
"Can you mean it when you said it?" his voice was incredibly calm for someone I was trying to annoy.
"I do."
He stared at me for a long, long time.
"Give me your hand."
"What?"
He sighed. "Just do it."
I shrugged my shoulders uneasily, but reached out my hand. I didn't hold hands with anyone, not even when I'm dressed like a girl. This wasn't making me happy. He took my hand.
My arm was suddenly warm as a tingling feeling worked its way upwards as small shocks sent themselves through me. I tried to pull my hand away, but not very hard and V didn't let go.
"Do you work for Alex Yuy?" the question was blunt and direct.
I said, "No," right before I yelped. The moment I answered blue flame, or at least that's what it looked like, shot up my arm. All the weird felling that had come with V's touch increased and I yanked my arm back. "What the hell was that?"
"Sorry about that," V said.
My eyes were wide as I cradled my arm over my chest. It didn't really hurt, but was more like a numbing ache that stayed right outside the edges of my senses so I could hardly feel it.
I repeated myself, " What the hell was that?"
V sighed again. "That was a little psychic ability I have. Sorry," he explained.
Wasn't good enough for me. "'Little psychic ability' my ass. That hurt! And what was it for?"
"I said sorry," he almost shouted. I didn't really take sorry as a good answer, and was about to tell him that when he kept talking. "It kinda allows me a brief moment to see what the person, or people, I'm touching feel, almost what they're thinking. It's the ultimate lie detector because you can't defend yourself. I see more than just whether or not you've lied. I see what you're not telling me."
Shit. I didn't do anything to give me away. My chest didn't tighten, I didn't hold my breath, and just to prove I wasn't speechless I said something. "So it's a little like reading minds?"
"A little."
Interesting. A nifty ability if nothing else. "And what did you get from me?" I tried to make myself sound carefree yet mildly amused, and most of all curious. Curious was easy, it was in my nature.
"You?" he said, "hmm… well. You were weird. There was nothing. I knew you were telling the truth. You aren't talking to the other gundam pilots. If anything it seems like you're pushing them away, but that's all I could sense. Nothing else, no stray thoughts."
"Is that normal?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Normal? Try impossible. People think, it was like you didn't. Either you don't think or you have a very nice natural shield from psychics, which by itself is weird. Usually only psychics can shield that well."
I blinked. Only psychics? What on Earth did that mean? Change that- what in space did that mean? I wasn't on Earth. So I had good blocks, that didn't answer the question on how he was a psychic to begin with. And what exactly he did. The good news was he didn't learn much.
"I think," I stated, "I think a lot."
V smiled to me. "Trust me, I know. That's why it's confusing. Everyone thinks, even unconsciously. You don't always consciously think when doing things, like talking to my dad for example. You say what comes to mind and that comes from unconscious thoughts, which is what I normally, how would I put it, hear. Though I don't really hear anything."
"But how do you get inside someone's head to get things in the first place?" V stilled. He became slack, as if he was a puppet just sitting there, doing nothing. I tilted my head a bit to look at him better. His eyes seemed glazed.
Then I felt it.
Something touched my mind, like a cool blue light, so pale it was almost a gray. It created something almost like a boundary, separating the physical world from the mental. Power ran over my thoughts, not quite touching but I could feel the presence. I tried to pull away, but it wasn't physical. I stood up suddenly, but the power stayed where it was. Then I pulled, but not with my body. I caught whatever the blue light was off guard and it yanked itself back.
It was gone, I was me again. There was no longer a boundary, it was just the real world. V looked amazed, surprised, curious and terrified.
"What the hell did you do?" He whispered with a hoarse voice.
My eyes widened. "Me! I didn't do anything. What was that? It was… it was… I don't know what it was." I was still standing, but my hands were clenched in a fist as I counted slowly to ten, then to twenty, to stop from yelling at him.
"I… You shouldn't have felt that," he said.
I glared. "Then why did I?"
"My guess is that no one has probed your mind before. Your mind reacted as you were, trying to get away. It created something similar to a void, a place where it'd be safe. The problem is you didn't control it. Your void turned into more of a black hole, and was pulling in more than you." V was edgy, not sounding at all sure of himself as he explained.
I started to shake. I wasn't psychic. I didn't even believe in psychics. They were as crazy as those Lunarian stories that were going around. And how do you create a void? I guess I'd figure out later, along with everything else.
"Calm down, that's the first step," V said soothingly. "I'm not much of a teacher with all of this, but I know the basics. Everyone's got at least a bit of physic ability. Most don't have enough to even touch it. Others, like me, or possibly you, have a lot. Enough to influence the world around you. Telekinetic people can move things with their mind, telepathic can talk or communicate in some way with out actually saying anything. They transfer thoughts or ideas, like me."
"If you had to guess, what would I be?" I asked. Did I really want to know? I don't think so. But if he's going to explain… I should hear everything. Especially this.
He thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, probably at least partially telepathic. You reacted like one. Anyone can have walls but only telepathic work with transferring thoughts. You were most defiantly doing that. But you could be other things too."
I nodded. One question down, a billion to go. "What were you doing to me?"
"Probing your mind." A simple and complete answer, if only I knew exactly what it meant. He sensed my confusion. "Kind of like I was touching your mind, to test power or emotions."
"Oh, that sounds easy," I murmured.
"It is," V assured me, "you just have to know what you're doing."
"Assuming I'm telepathic, how do you control things? How do you figure out what you're doing?" I asked.
"You either get someone to help you or wait for things to happen. Things usually don't happen with psychic powers until there's need for it," He said. "Like when I probed your mind, it felt threatened, so it reacted. The problem with that is that when you use one ability then if there are others they might start acting up. If you have no control, well, you have no control. Things can get out of hand. That is, of course, if you have other abilities." We were both quiet. It took a moment for every think to become clear. He looked like someone who could be psychic. His blue eyes held electricity that screamed different, but not a bad different.
"So how do you know if you're psychic?"
His eyes scanned the room as he thought; they ended at the camera behind me. I didn't glance back, but he seemed to be looking for something. "I have a friend," he said after a long moment, "who might be able to check. My dad will be down later with some people to help him with other questions."
I didn't watch V leave, and I didn't test to see if the door was locked. I had heard the soft click as he put the lock in place. I could probably pick it, but the cameras would show I was breaking out. I had a gun with me, but I don't think they expected it because they didn't check. I always brought a gun when I thought there'd be trouble, and being called down to the bridge earlier today had guaranteed trouble. But I wasn't going to use that, either.
I didn't move for what I think was around twenty minutes, which was when Mathew came in. I immediately changed my expression from bored to slightly annoyed and a little interested. Mathew nodded a hello, and the two men with him did the same. I gazed over all of them coldly, while at the same time kept a cheerful look on my face. It wouldn't be good to let on exactly how ticked off I was, so I would listen and answer questions. There wouldn't be a psychic with these guys, he'd already asked questions, but I'd still try not to lie. It never helps you out.
"Hello Thomas," Mathew said. His voice was a bland drone. This was going to be oh so fun. My nose twitched and I couldn't help it. I didn't like being called Thomas. Tom I'd deal with, Conway I'd prefer, I'd even go with Tommy over Thomas but that was really pushing it.
"Hello Mr. Barton." My voice held a trace of sarcasm, and I was tempted to use more.
"Are you aware of what charges you are on?" asked one of Mathew's flunkies. He had lawyer written all over him. Stupid slimly little snake. I really wanted to ask how far he took the 'anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law' saying, but I didn't want him to tell the courts I was trying to cause trouble, didn't want him to tell the court much of anything. Hell, I didn't want this to go to a court to begin with.
I gave him my best 'why the hell are you asking me stupid questions?' look. "If I'm correct you assume that because I did what I thought was right in a battle, which we won by the way, I work for Alex Yuy or one of the other gundam pilots."
Was that annoyance on the lawyer's face? I certainly hope not, I wasn't even being annoying yet. "The point isn't that we won, it's that you're very good, you could have killed or captured one of them, and instead you let all three get away." Gees, can't he look at the glass half full?
"Is Tarmine's life worth Zechs? Or how about V?" I asked as I turned to look at Mathew. "I could have killed her, but Zechs was losing, if I'd helped out we'd do good, but we haven't fought together before, one of us would screw up, Zechs was already losing, Poe would have gone for him. He'd be dead. The extra time would've also given Zero the time he needed, and the anger, to take out most of the other pilots, and do damage to the base. With Tarmine I had a bargaining chip. Without her I had nothing. Would you rather I get everyone killed or let them go?" I was ticked off now. They didn't have a clue what the point was. I wasn't just saving a friend's life, I was saving theirs.
"Even if that was true you didn't follow any orders." I don't know which was colder, his voice or his glare. I was just pleasing everyone today.
Of course I could have an equally cold expression, and mine held a bit more menace. "I try to do what's right."
"Right would be following orders," Mathew growled.
"Right would be disobeying stupid orders that should never have been given," I said softly, very, very softly.
Mathew burst out of his chair, standing suddenly. "Are you saying I'm stupid?" he almost shouted it.
"Careful, Mathew. The lawyer is watching. I'd never say such a thing in front of a lawyer. Perhaps someday we could have a private conversation where we can both yell as loud as we want. Then I'd say exactly what I'm thinking. And whether or not the orders were stupid wasn't the problem. They weren't going to work so I did something different," I said smoothly. Now I was getting nasty looks from the lawyer.
I glanced at the other guy, who was staring silently. He was like a silent giant, being at least 6'2" and built like a muscle builder, which he might be. I was betting he could bench press a lot. Why he was here I didn't have a clue. He was angry, that I could tell, but it was a cold anger. Something people could almost feel, and much more controlled. It was the kind of anger you'd fear. Anyone could get angry and shout and yell but he didn't do that.
I wondered again why he might be here.
"This is Olaf," Mathew said, noting my gaze. "He's our questioning expert."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really," I murmured. "Well then, hello Mr. Olaf, nice to meet such an important member of Oz." He didn't appreciate my joke, and the look he gave me made me shut up. Let's not tick off the big strong man.
"Did you search him?" Olaf asked. Smart guy, he had been the first one to think of it.
I didn't wait for anyone to answer. Standing up I started taking out weapons. I placed my gun on the table first, making sure the safety was on. Then my wrist knife, then the one on my leg, then a smaller blade that hade a special strap to keep it on my back so I just had to reach under my shirt and grab the hilt. Sitting back down I took off my long sleeved shirt so I could take off the wrist sheath. Unless there was a knife for it I didn't want it there.
"Why do you have all of those?" Olaf asked, more curious than pressing.
I glanced at him as I put the sheath on the table and lifted my leg to roll up the pants. Unstraping that sheath I answered, "Well, what if for some reason I got caught? Maybe they wouldn't catch something or I'd be able to fight back. I never go into a fight unarmed if I can help it."
He nodded agreement. Looking at Mathew he asked, "What all do you want to know?"
Mathew looked at me. "My son tells us he didn't lie. He's sure of it. But Thomas didn't tell the truth, that I know. I want to know everything he knows about this. If you find something suspicious press until you're absolutely sure he doesn't know anything else."
Mathew smiled at me before he left. A very cruel, and dare I say evil, smile. My face was blank I didn't know what was going on, but I had an idea. I wondered if I might have enough time to pick up the gun and blow a hole in Mathew's cocky face. He left before I could convince myself to do anything.
I turned back to Olaf.
Hey, I hope you're enjoying the story ^.^
This chapter gets a bit interesting, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to use it because Alex is being psychic (Am I spelling that right? *shrugs*) I just want everyone to know that everything I put in about that is completely made up. I have very little knowledge about real psychics, and just wanted to make sure that was understood.
Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I love hearing from everyone, and to the two people who've reviewed, I like the stories that I've read that you've written. Thanks Again!
~Rave