Alex looked in the mirror and shook back her long red hair. Her slim
figure was clothed in a pair of black pants, a tight dark blue tank top,
and a white over shirt, with a pair of knee high black boots.
Alex walked over and opened her door. She met Chang Wufei a few steps from it.
"Good morning, Alex. Lady Une wishes to speak to you. Will you come or run away again and make me chase you?" Wufei laughed as Alex turned to a deep red color.
"I will not run anymore.besides, I have no need to anymore.I have my gundam. I can defeat you and Duo!" Alex laughed at Wufei's shocked face. He regained his composure and turned to lead the way.
"By the way, there was a man at my door last night.he said his name was.uh.umm.I think it was Trowa Barton and he wanted to talk to me about how Heero died. He said he knew that I'd been there when he had been killed." Alex had a puzzled look on her face.
"Well.were you?" Wufei asked, a little annoyed at hearing about anything that had to do with Trowa.
"Well.to be honest."
"That would be wise Alex." A look of disgust played across her face.
"The truth is that.I'm Relena and Millardo's cousin and I was there because I was sent with Heero to investigate Relena's disappearance because I was her cousin." Wufei stopped dead in his tracks.
"You're their cousin? How?" Alex pushed past him and continued down the hall.
"Alex! Wait.! Does lady Une know?!" Wufei tried to catch up with her but she broke out into a run and by the time he got around the corner, she was gone.
"Damn!" Wufei stomped off to find his way back to Lady Une's office.
Alex ran from Wufei. She realized her breathing was off, corrected it and grabbed hold of the bottom of an escape ladder. She scrambled up the ladder to the roof. The base lay before her eyes and she looked for a place to go void of people. She saw the perfect place on a high hill not far away. It was at the edge of the base and she might be able to escape from here if she went there and hid for a while. Alex walked across the flat roof and looked out at the others. All flat and square and black. She stepped up to the ledge and leapt. The air rushed past her and she couldn't fall to the abandoned streets below. Her training wouldn't allow it. She landed on the next roof and ran and jumped. Her long hair whipped in the wind as it brushed past her cheek. She landed again and again. At each landing she saw a piece of her past. Alex landed on the last roof and a vivid memory came to her eyes.
"She must be like him.no emotions.nothing. Just a fighting machine. She's our back up. In case his training from before takes over and his emotions do return. She's our secret weapon. Secret weapon...."
The image of two men talking faded from Alex's eyes and she looked down at the roof under her collapsed legs. Sweat poured from her body but her breath came in and out, calm and steady. She ignored the stabbing pains in her legs as another memory came into her mind.
"Alex.?"
"Yes, Millardo?"
"What have they done to you? You aren't you anymore? What kind of training could do this?"
"What do you mean Millardo? Please state your question more clearly."
"Alex.! What did they do to you? Why are you like a machine? What happened? Why aren't you happy or sad or even angry? How could you have no emotions?"
"I.I don't.understand.who are.where.!?"
A scream echoed in Alex's ears as the memory faded. She could barely remember the training she had gone though. But she had hurt Millardo when she had return. He had said that she was a lifeless drone. A killing machine that's just waiting for orders. She remembered that conversation best from those horrible memories of her past because it had broken her from the grasps of her training. So many times.so many times, though, she had to pretend she was still under their control. So many innocent people she had had to kill. To many. There could be no peace for her. Never.
Alex stood and leapt from the roof. She landed gracefully on the ground. She looked back up the two-story building and wondered again what they had done to her that she be able to do this and not break her legs. She walked forward and on up the hill toward her one haven.
Duo walked into the small church on the base premises. It was at the very edge of the base and all the soldiers came to pray on Sunday nights. Duo walked between two white pillars and down the plush red carpet to the edge of where the deep mahogany and ash pew benches started.
Duo was surprised to see a young woman kneeling at the alter. The girl stood and walked to a confession box. Duo walked closer to try and hear what she said but when he got close enough the murmuring stopped and the priest left the box. After the priest was well away, Duo stepped up to the door opposite the one the girl had gone into. He laid his hand upon the handle and opened the door softly. He walked into the priests' side of the box. He closed the door carefully but the young woman still heard the soft click as the door closed into place. Her soft crying silenced.
"Who's there?" Her voice had a ruff accent to it and it sounded familiar.
"A friend." He replied softly. "Though I don't know you, I am the friend of any woman or man who believes in the church." There was an intake of breath from the girl.
"Duo?" He was stunned.
"Yes! How do you know me?" There came a sigh from behind the screen that separated them.
"It's me.A-Alex."
"Alex? We've been looking for you for hours."
"I.I know.but.I just couldn't stand another day of being questioned!" Duo heard Alex break out into tears.
"I.I saw."
"Don't worry. You don't have to tell anyone anything if u don't want to."
"No!" Alex's voice wavered but it gathered strength as she spoke. "It must be told. I.I was there. Just as Trowa suspected. When Heero went to look for Relena." Duos' mouth dropped open and he felt around for the door handle as he sat, stunned. He finally found the cold, hard knob, turned it and fell out of the box. He stumbled forward a few steps and turned to face the door that hid Alex from his eyes. He walked up and reached an unsteady hand out to the doorknob. His fingers lightly caressed the metal but he couldn't bring himself to open the door. He still heard Alexs' sobs coming from inside the confession box. He let his hand drop to his side. He started to turn away from Alex and the confession box but right as he did the door that had sealed Alex inside of that box, opened. He saw no hand, it just opened. He turned to face the open box and a soft voice drifted out to him.
"We.we entered threw the North gate. The pristine white walls still stood but they had black spots and holes.like bruises on pale skin. The gate.was torn down and nothing remained of it but pieces here and there. The walkways that had spanned over the gates to connect the walls to each other.were gone. There was no trace of them, they were completely demolished. We learned later that all the gates were like that. As we walked down the paved roads toward the castle, the stench of blood grew. Thousands of people had lived in this place and yet we had no seen a trace of them, not yet. When we finally caught sight of them.it was horrible. They were all dead. Every single one lay in the streets, slaughtered. In the midst of the houses and shops and bodies, there were piles of corpses that were burning. They had armor and many guns piled around the heaps of burning flesh. They were the soldiers that had attacked this place. The smoke burned our eyes and ripped our throats to shreds as we gagged on the stench. It was my guess that they had started burning the bodies to confuse and to choke the city and what little forces it had. But still.It made me wonder what kind of army would purposely gather their fallen comrades and burn them. It reminded me of cannibalism. The reason an army would act like this was unknown to me but.it was an unspeakable treachery and something that was just unheard of. I could just imagine Relenas' look when she saw these piles of dead. Her look of horror. It must have been something she never expected and surprised her beyond belief.
"Many of the common folk who loved Relena and her ways had lived there. They now lay dead in the streets, their red blood marring the pure white paved roads. They lay scattered, their bodies mangled and broken. When we finally reached Relenas' home at the center of this place. The stench had almost blinded us and we could barely breathe. Her home was probably the worst part of the city. It was.horrible. Her palace at the center of the city was evidently the main target. Bodies were strewn all over the grounds. The people who hadn't died in the streets had gathered here to try to protect their princess.their princess." Alex's voice broke. Sobs came from the darkness that concealed her. Duo moved toward her but she began to talk again. Forcing herself to finish what she started.
"No.We pushed open one of the side doors into the main foyer. What we found was.awfully. The worst we had seen yet. All of the women.All of the women and.and the children of the house had been put in this one room. The women were.raped! And the children.they lay on the ground dead! Their bodies were mangled and broken. Some of their limbs were even missing! Their bodies had been torn apart, destroyed." Alex's voice was full of hysteria. Duo stepped toward the confession box but Alex ran out and hugged him around the waist, burring her head in his chest. She sobbed but continued with her story.
"We hurried up the stairs.we ran to her rooms! I ran to an adjacent room where my eldest brother was staying with her and Heero went to find Relena.Relena. I found the room empty and surprisingly undisturbed. That troubled me but I heard a gunshot and a horrible scream come from the direction Heero went. I ran out of the room and down the hallway he had gone. The carpet had been white once and it was red with blood now. I ran through a large doorway and into Relena's study. When I came into the room, Heero lay on the floor with blood coming from his side, and.and.Zechs Marquise standing over the dead body of his sister, Relena. Zechs looked at me and a look of horror crossed his face and he screamed. He backed away from me, and toward the gaping hole in the East Wall. His eyes.they were filled with fear and terror. I ran to.to Heero's side and I tore off a piece of my shirt and wrapped it around his wound. It wasn't as serious a wound but.it was so cold because the East Wall of the room had been destroyed. When I had finished.I looked over at Zechs. He was wearing his mask again. I spoke to him 'Why?'! I wanted to know why! He had killed his sister and hurt Heero! He knew I was his cousin, he knew! I knelt beside Heero and screamed questions at him but he just stood there in horror. I stood and ran to strike him.but.he grabbed my wrist and stopped my hand from hitting him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and held me. The fear was gone from his eyes but.his look was something else." Alex calmed down a little bit.
"You have to understand. We were betrothed to each other before the Cinq Kingdom was destroyed. It was kept secret and when the kingdom was destroyed the secret supposedly died with it. I wasn't even born yet but the next girl was to be betrothed to him. We met years later and.I guess we liked each other. But.while he was holding me.he talked about the past. He said that he loved wars and could not live without them. I told him he was insane and he got angry with me, but he didn't hurt me. He.kissed me.I was shocked.and then.he threw me to the floor and jumped out of the hole in the East Wall." Duo hugged Alex as she leaned against his chest.
"And how did you and Heero get out and is Heero really dead?" Alex sighed and continued her story.
"I slung one of Heero's arms over my shoulders and dragged him down to the main floor. I left him in the sick room and ran too the communication room. When I got in there.it was fine.nothing had been touched. I contacted Lady Une and she shipped out a plane with medical staff.and supplies. I went back to Heero and used what was left undamaged. It wasn't a lot.I fixed him up as best as I could.but he still had a bad fever. I didn't know what else to do.so we just waited. I got tired and I dragged Heero to the back of the Infirmary. I pulled him up onto a sick bed and tucked him in.I tore another piece from my shirt and used it to place on his forehead. I soaked it with cool, clean water and placed it on his forehead. I tried.Lady Une got there about an hour after I sent the transmition. Heero hadn't gotten any better, in fact, he had gotten worse. I didn't know what else to do but then I heard my name being called. I ran out of the Infirmary. Lady Une stood there before me.after that.I didn't see Heero until last night. He's doing fine and they expect him to have a full recovery." Duo looked down at the top of Alex's head. Duo held her to him.
"Alex." She looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling. "May I see him?"
She looked away and for a few minutes they remained silent and still.
"You know.don't."
"No, it's alright. You can see him." Alex said into Duo's chest.
"Alright.when?"
"Let me go and I will show you." Alex looked at Duo again and his heart melted. She looked so lost but innocent.
"Follow me."
Copyright
Alex walked over and opened her door. She met Chang Wufei a few steps from it.
"Good morning, Alex. Lady Une wishes to speak to you. Will you come or run away again and make me chase you?" Wufei laughed as Alex turned to a deep red color.
"I will not run anymore.besides, I have no need to anymore.I have my gundam. I can defeat you and Duo!" Alex laughed at Wufei's shocked face. He regained his composure and turned to lead the way.
"By the way, there was a man at my door last night.he said his name was.uh.umm.I think it was Trowa Barton and he wanted to talk to me about how Heero died. He said he knew that I'd been there when he had been killed." Alex had a puzzled look on her face.
"Well.were you?" Wufei asked, a little annoyed at hearing about anything that had to do with Trowa.
"Well.to be honest."
"That would be wise Alex." A look of disgust played across her face.
"The truth is that.I'm Relena and Millardo's cousin and I was there because I was sent with Heero to investigate Relena's disappearance because I was her cousin." Wufei stopped dead in his tracks.
"You're their cousin? How?" Alex pushed past him and continued down the hall.
"Alex! Wait.! Does lady Une know?!" Wufei tried to catch up with her but she broke out into a run and by the time he got around the corner, she was gone.
"Damn!" Wufei stomped off to find his way back to Lady Une's office.
Alex ran from Wufei. She realized her breathing was off, corrected it and grabbed hold of the bottom of an escape ladder. She scrambled up the ladder to the roof. The base lay before her eyes and she looked for a place to go void of people. She saw the perfect place on a high hill not far away. It was at the edge of the base and she might be able to escape from here if she went there and hid for a while. Alex walked across the flat roof and looked out at the others. All flat and square and black. She stepped up to the ledge and leapt. The air rushed past her and she couldn't fall to the abandoned streets below. Her training wouldn't allow it. She landed on the next roof and ran and jumped. Her long hair whipped in the wind as it brushed past her cheek. She landed again and again. At each landing she saw a piece of her past. Alex landed on the last roof and a vivid memory came to her eyes.
"She must be like him.no emotions.nothing. Just a fighting machine. She's our back up. In case his training from before takes over and his emotions do return. She's our secret weapon. Secret weapon...."
The image of two men talking faded from Alex's eyes and she looked down at the roof under her collapsed legs. Sweat poured from her body but her breath came in and out, calm and steady. She ignored the stabbing pains in her legs as another memory came into her mind.
"Alex.?"
"Yes, Millardo?"
"What have they done to you? You aren't you anymore? What kind of training could do this?"
"What do you mean Millardo? Please state your question more clearly."
"Alex.! What did they do to you? Why are you like a machine? What happened? Why aren't you happy or sad or even angry? How could you have no emotions?"
"I.I don't.understand.who are.where.!?"
A scream echoed in Alex's ears as the memory faded. She could barely remember the training she had gone though. But she had hurt Millardo when she had return. He had said that she was a lifeless drone. A killing machine that's just waiting for orders. She remembered that conversation best from those horrible memories of her past because it had broken her from the grasps of her training. So many times.so many times, though, she had to pretend she was still under their control. So many innocent people she had had to kill. To many. There could be no peace for her. Never.
Alex stood and leapt from the roof. She landed gracefully on the ground. She looked back up the two-story building and wondered again what they had done to her that she be able to do this and not break her legs. She walked forward and on up the hill toward her one haven.
Duo walked into the small church on the base premises. It was at the very edge of the base and all the soldiers came to pray on Sunday nights. Duo walked between two white pillars and down the plush red carpet to the edge of where the deep mahogany and ash pew benches started.
Duo was surprised to see a young woman kneeling at the alter. The girl stood and walked to a confession box. Duo walked closer to try and hear what she said but when he got close enough the murmuring stopped and the priest left the box. After the priest was well away, Duo stepped up to the door opposite the one the girl had gone into. He laid his hand upon the handle and opened the door softly. He walked into the priests' side of the box. He closed the door carefully but the young woman still heard the soft click as the door closed into place. Her soft crying silenced.
"Who's there?" Her voice had a ruff accent to it and it sounded familiar.
"A friend." He replied softly. "Though I don't know you, I am the friend of any woman or man who believes in the church." There was an intake of breath from the girl.
"Duo?" He was stunned.
"Yes! How do you know me?" There came a sigh from behind the screen that separated them.
"It's me.A-Alex."
"Alex? We've been looking for you for hours."
"I.I know.but.I just couldn't stand another day of being questioned!" Duo heard Alex break out into tears.
"I.I saw."
"Don't worry. You don't have to tell anyone anything if u don't want to."
"No!" Alex's voice wavered but it gathered strength as she spoke. "It must be told. I.I was there. Just as Trowa suspected. When Heero went to look for Relena." Duos' mouth dropped open and he felt around for the door handle as he sat, stunned. He finally found the cold, hard knob, turned it and fell out of the box. He stumbled forward a few steps and turned to face the door that hid Alex from his eyes. He walked up and reached an unsteady hand out to the doorknob. His fingers lightly caressed the metal but he couldn't bring himself to open the door. He still heard Alexs' sobs coming from inside the confession box. He let his hand drop to his side. He started to turn away from Alex and the confession box but right as he did the door that had sealed Alex inside of that box, opened. He saw no hand, it just opened. He turned to face the open box and a soft voice drifted out to him.
"We.we entered threw the North gate. The pristine white walls still stood but they had black spots and holes.like bruises on pale skin. The gate.was torn down and nothing remained of it but pieces here and there. The walkways that had spanned over the gates to connect the walls to each other.were gone. There was no trace of them, they were completely demolished. We learned later that all the gates were like that. As we walked down the paved roads toward the castle, the stench of blood grew. Thousands of people had lived in this place and yet we had no seen a trace of them, not yet. When we finally caught sight of them.it was horrible. They were all dead. Every single one lay in the streets, slaughtered. In the midst of the houses and shops and bodies, there were piles of corpses that were burning. They had armor and many guns piled around the heaps of burning flesh. They were the soldiers that had attacked this place. The smoke burned our eyes and ripped our throats to shreds as we gagged on the stench. It was my guess that they had started burning the bodies to confuse and to choke the city and what little forces it had. But still.It made me wonder what kind of army would purposely gather their fallen comrades and burn them. It reminded me of cannibalism. The reason an army would act like this was unknown to me but.it was an unspeakable treachery and something that was just unheard of. I could just imagine Relenas' look when she saw these piles of dead. Her look of horror. It must have been something she never expected and surprised her beyond belief.
"Many of the common folk who loved Relena and her ways had lived there. They now lay dead in the streets, their red blood marring the pure white paved roads. They lay scattered, their bodies mangled and broken. When we finally reached Relenas' home at the center of this place. The stench had almost blinded us and we could barely breathe. Her home was probably the worst part of the city. It was.horrible. Her palace at the center of the city was evidently the main target. Bodies were strewn all over the grounds. The people who hadn't died in the streets had gathered here to try to protect their princess.their princess." Alex's voice broke. Sobs came from the darkness that concealed her. Duo moved toward her but she began to talk again. Forcing herself to finish what she started.
"No.We pushed open one of the side doors into the main foyer. What we found was.awfully. The worst we had seen yet. All of the women.All of the women and.and the children of the house had been put in this one room. The women were.raped! And the children.they lay on the ground dead! Their bodies were mangled and broken. Some of their limbs were even missing! Their bodies had been torn apart, destroyed." Alex's voice was full of hysteria. Duo stepped toward the confession box but Alex ran out and hugged him around the waist, burring her head in his chest. She sobbed but continued with her story.
"We hurried up the stairs.we ran to her rooms! I ran to an adjacent room where my eldest brother was staying with her and Heero went to find Relena.Relena. I found the room empty and surprisingly undisturbed. That troubled me but I heard a gunshot and a horrible scream come from the direction Heero went. I ran out of the room and down the hallway he had gone. The carpet had been white once and it was red with blood now. I ran through a large doorway and into Relena's study. When I came into the room, Heero lay on the floor with blood coming from his side, and.and.Zechs Marquise standing over the dead body of his sister, Relena. Zechs looked at me and a look of horror crossed his face and he screamed. He backed away from me, and toward the gaping hole in the East Wall. His eyes.they were filled with fear and terror. I ran to.to Heero's side and I tore off a piece of my shirt and wrapped it around his wound. It wasn't as serious a wound but.it was so cold because the East Wall of the room had been destroyed. When I had finished.I looked over at Zechs. He was wearing his mask again. I spoke to him 'Why?'! I wanted to know why! He had killed his sister and hurt Heero! He knew I was his cousin, he knew! I knelt beside Heero and screamed questions at him but he just stood there in horror. I stood and ran to strike him.but.he grabbed my wrist and stopped my hand from hitting him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and held me. The fear was gone from his eyes but.his look was something else." Alex calmed down a little bit.
"You have to understand. We were betrothed to each other before the Cinq Kingdom was destroyed. It was kept secret and when the kingdom was destroyed the secret supposedly died with it. I wasn't even born yet but the next girl was to be betrothed to him. We met years later and.I guess we liked each other. But.while he was holding me.he talked about the past. He said that he loved wars and could not live without them. I told him he was insane and he got angry with me, but he didn't hurt me. He.kissed me.I was shocked.and then.he threw me to the floor and jumped out of the hole in the East Wall." Duo hugged Alex as she leaned against his chest.
"And how did you and Heero get out and is Heero really dead?" Alex sighed and continued her story.
"I slung one of Heero's arms over my shoulders and dragged him down to the main floor. I left him in the sick room and ran too the communication room. When I got in there.it was fine.nothing had been touched. I contacted Lady Une and she shipped out a plane with medical staff.and supplies. I went back to Heero and used what was left undamaged. It wasn't a lot.I fixed him up as best as I could.but he still had a bad fever. I didn't know what else to do.so we just waited. I got tired and I dragged Heero to the back of the Infirmary. I pulled him up onto a sick bed and tucked him in.I tore another piece from my shirt and used it to place on his forehead. I soaked it with cool, clean water and placed it on his forehead. I tried.Lady Une got there about an hour after I sent the transmition. Heero hadn't gotten any better, in fact, he had gotten worse. I didn't know what else to do but then I heard my name being called. I ran out of the Infirmary. Lady Une stood there before me.after that.I didn't see Heero until last night. He's doing fine and they expect him to have a full recovery." Duo looked down at the top of Alex's head. Duo held her to him.
"Alex." She looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling. "May I see him?"
She looked away and for a few minutes they remained silent and still.
"You know.don't."
"No, it's alright. You can see him." Alex said into Duo's chest.
"Alright.when?"
"Let me go and I will show you." Alex looked at Duo again and his heart melted. She looked so lost but innocent.
"Follow me."
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