Chapter Five - the Street

"""My whole life has been a controversy. But the most self-contradictory event in my life has to be my capture by OZ and the subsequent time I spent there. Because while it was hell on Earth for me, especially with my 'extra' engineering, it was also the event that gave me my life back. But maybe I should just separate the two events and consider them one and one. For while they are one and the same, they are also somewhat apart when you consider the times when they took place.

It all began when my buddy Deathscythe gave up out in space because of his lack of adaptation to the conditions in space. Naturally OZ had figured out where I was right then too and had me caught. I'm seriously starting to think they have taken lessons from Relena when it comes to find untraceable Gundam pilots. Or Gundams for that matter.

Following the rules for capture in a way that would have made Heero proud, I tried to self-destruct but of course it didn't work. I'm seriously starting believe there's a malfunction in Deathscythe's machinery. Maybe G secretly always wanted the Barton idiots to win the power battle over Earth. Or maybe not considering the way he cursed when he received the orders for Operation Meteor.

It made me realize something though. The Gundams were useless for battle in space. And if I had self-detonated, no one would have known it. But now, when the other pilots learn of this, they will probable realize that something is wrong, as a Gundam can't be taken out by something simple as a few suits, no matter which suits they are. Especially not Deathscythe with its superior speed. And if Deathscythe were captured, then there is something seriously wrong. Lucky them. Unlucky me for having to be caught to alert the others.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I was captured and brought back to base. Well there, I went through the basics. Being dumped in isolation for a couple of days to soften me up and then being questioned. When that didn't change my attitude applicable, they began the work to make it official and execute me. That's when the situation changed.

They were doing the custom 'beat the prisoner' thing when they found the tattoo. It caught their attention and my coming death was postponed as I was dragged away to a science lab to be examined. I'm sorry to say (or maybe not) that I don't remember much about that time. All I know is what I found when I went into their main computer and deleted everything. Not much were written there though as they apparently had thought me interesting enough to neglect write their reports everyday. But what I found was important enough for me to really want it deleted. Irritatingly, it wasn't anything G hadn't already figured out.

Anyway, I was deposited in a cell after a few days when those sadistic bastards decided that they needed me for longer than they could keep me secrets. So they set up for my very official and very fake execution. Then, when everyone but a chosen few thought I was dead, they would continue picking me apart and studying me. I wonder if Heero knows he saved me from becoming a human lab rat? Hm, wouldn't surprise me.

It was the day before my to-be-faked execution Heero came for me. And let me tell you, at that time I felt crappy enough to actually want to die. Those doctors had practically done everything they could think up to figure out what that Shinigami barcode was all about short of shopping off my neck. Even if they practically had done that too. Apparently, the fact that it kept reappearing every time they skinned my neck fascinating. And when you're a prisoner, they don't consider the way that it hurt like hell and made me woozy. Or they wouldn't have twisted my arm so badly when I tried to inject myself with one of their drugs. But that could have been because it was lethal.

I was kept in complete darkness in that cell. Or what they thought of as complete dark. There were cracks in the wall by the door. Well, I had just managed to slouch against the wall, careful not to use my damaged limbs too much. Or touch my neck, which were actually bandaged. Even now, I'm impressed. OZ shows mercy! Or they just take care of their potential goldmines.

Then the door opened, a silhouette outlined in the doorway. A normal human would have been blinded, but poor little genetically engineered me just did my adapting trick and recognized Heero.

"I'm surprised, Heero," I said, gliding up the wall, knowing that someone would finally end my misery. "You really turn up in the most unexpected places. Fine... I'd much rather be killed by you than let my Gundam and myself be used by them. Go ahead and do it."

And believe me, I wanted him to. Too much was at stake here: the Gundams, my genetic secrets, and peace.

"You really intend to shoot, don't you?" I think I said this a little disbelieving. I had at least expected him to say something back before. Or to do it in a more quiet way. I knew for a fact that there were plenty of soldiers placed in the corridors around my cell.

"If that's what you really want," he said, blank faced but checking my status out with his (in his opinion) shielded eyes. In my opinion, the unsurety he was feeling showed through quite clearly. I don't think he expected to find me alive. He made a decision then, thinking that I was functional enough to live. I don't even think it touched hid mind that I might have wanted to die.

"You're right hand works, doesn't it?" was the next thing he said, throwing a weapon at me. He didn't wait for me to answer, but walked up to me in the cell. When he reached me, he did another once over and arched his eyebrow.

"I didn't think you'd still be alive, and if you were, I didn't think you'd be in such a good shape," he commented, slipping a strong arm around my waist to steady me. "I don't see why you are so unsteady. You have no injuries indicating that they could cause that effect."

I rolled my eyes, wincing as my headache made a particularly nasty jab.

"Drugs," I shortly growled. "The only reason I'm still alive is that they are experimenting on me."

Heero nodded, and then we started on our halting way out."""




January 8, AC 197

0108.197 Situation becoming dangerous. The suspects were heard discussing my status at 7pm by 'Grunt's Lake and Bread'. Extracting as soon as possible. Something is going on among the street kids; I'm not sure about what. I have seen them watching me, and they have been heard speaking with an unknown person on a pay phone mentioning my name. Can it be that someone is interested in the Gundam pilots or is it an innocent fascination with a local football hero?

There have been signs of activity among the other pilots as well lately. Even Relena has been acting out of character. The Preventers have also moved her to an undisclosed place. Wufei is stationed with her. He also seems to be the one everything originated from.

Quatre has been visited by Duo, and my tags on Zero indicate the system has been used. The logs have been wiped though. Both of them departed shortly after that. Quatre to safe house Beta V7 and Duo to locations unknown.

Trowa has departed to Beta V7 as well, moving out from colony CL7 X46856. This after visiting a gathering at the apartment belonging to a friend of Catherine. Security cameras the hallway shows him coming out from the above apartment. Conclusion is that someone contacted him. Identity unknown but suspected to be Duo.

A pattern can be sensed here, following Duo. Everything began when he appeared on Earth and has followed in his footsteps since then. If the pattern is followed, Duo will come here at this date. As I gave him my location only for emergencies, I will stay until midnight before moving out.

Destination: safe house Beta V7.

Estimated time of arrival: 10.32am 0109.197


/Heero Yuy /




I am sitting by the window on the fourth floor of the house I rented, watching the people on the streets below through the sheer, black curtains, which keep me from being seen by the street kids that have become so interested in my doings and me. For once, I'm happy that Duo so eloquently beat it into my brain during the war that furniture isn't only a waste of space but can be useful as well if you choose the right ones. This little trick lets me have some privacy while letting me be fully aware of my surroundings. It's not acceptable not to be.

A movement by the wall to the house on the opposite side of the street catches the attention of my automatic soldier's mind and I quickly registries that someone is lurking in the shadows there. Judging from the way the figure moves, it's the young boy the other kids call Temper. Apparently, he's my watchdog for the day. He's one of the good ones, one of the kids who actually have a talent for spying. If I had been anyone else, I wouldn't have noticed him. And even now I only caught him because I was looking for him. But I can't help but wonder why anyone cares enough to watch me in any case. The war is over; neither I nor anyone else should be forced into this watchfulness anymore.

I shift in my seat, glancing in the direction of the bed standing in a corner. It's stripped of all sheets and the pillows and covers are neatly folded and placed at the foot of the bed for the next tenant to use. That's what I like with renting pre-furnished houses, you never have to decorate by yourself, and when you only use two rooms out of twenty, it saves a lot of time.

When I throw a new glance out the window, the kid has disappeared. Nothing that really worries me, they seem to do that with regular intervals, but I still scan the surrounding area to see if I didn't miss him. I'm not surprised when I don't find him. Neither does the hand being placed on my shoulder surprise me.

"Hello, Heero. Been waiting for me?"

His voice is teasing with an underlying hint of seriousness. I let out that small smile that seems to have gained a life of its own since the end of the war when Duo is near and turn around. Dressed in jeans and a loose, black tee advertising safe sex he looks like your average teenager. If a very attractive one. Something he isn't of course. Normal that is. The attractive bit is all too true.

"Hn," I answer, rising to look into his ambient violet eyes. I'm taller than him by three inches now, I notice. He hasn't grown much since the last time I saw him. I could probably fit him rather nicely under my chin now if we hug actually. But then again, I'm not surprised. Now when we are off the hormone injections hemming our height, we will pick up in growth very quickly.

Duo sighs and gives me an exasperated look.

"Still not very talkative, huh," he comments. "Well, I guess you wouldn't really be Heero if you were. I've missed you, Mr. Perfect. It has been a while."

I shrug, fighting the feeling inside that says I've missed him as well, missed all of them. I'm a private person, I don't like to show my feelings, and I never have. And so, I will never give in to the urge to hug the life out of him if he doesn't make the first step. He knows me too well though, and shows it as he smirks and step closer, enveloping me in a warm hug, allowing me to do the same thing to him. I'm right about the hugging thing.

"Still too shy to show your feelings, Heero," he sighs, almost a little wistful as he rests his head on my shoulder. "Well, we'll have to work on that."

I smile into his hair and hug him a little tighter before letting him go. Letting myself rebel against my inhibitions slightly, I touch his cheek for a moment, indulging, before seizing to touch him completely. If I missed all my fellow pilots greatly, I missed him tremendously. He is the person most close to me after all, the only one I would even consider sharing the things I've shared with him. Duo is and has been the one closest to my heart since our time spent together in the short time after our abandonment of Operation Meteor.

A soft smile touches his lips at my touch, and when I look into his eyes, I can see his affection for me sparkling back. Then the moment is over, and I gestures for him to following me into the next room at this floor. A room I've spent much time securing.

"Something is going on," I say shortly, as soon as I have closed the door behind us.

Duo nods, confirming my suspicions. Drawing his braid over his shoulder in a nervous gesture I never managed to rid him off during the war, no matter how much we tried, he looks squarely at me, a solemn expression on his face.

"As you without doubts already know, Relena's situation is very precarious," he begins, his eyes never letting go of mine, our minds connecting on another level. "The people's utter belief and trust in her can be and already have been used in tries to gain power. Nine days ago, I received a vid call from Relena, asking for my help. She has realized what situation she has put herself in and wants to make sure that she isn't used for gaining power over the people. Due to some information she deemed classified, she asked me to create a force to protect the people from this."

I nod, pondering the notion of Relena finally growing up. It seems like she finally has given up her desperate and naïve teenage beliefs to see the reality. The fact that she actually are beginning to realize what position she put herself in during her power play and doing something about it promises that she will finally become the woman the world so badly need as its leading star. When Relena battled for the people's heart during the war, she didn't understand what she was doing. Now she do, and now she can become the leader she promised during the war.

"What kind of force?" I curtly ask, already planning ways to make sure things progress as they should. "What limits do we have?"

Duo shakes his head.

"No limits," he answers. "As long as it doesn't hurt the public. We can use any forces we need, but it's preferred if we keep a low profile. The Preventers force is under our command as well, even if we have to be careful on how we utilise it."

That's good. I wonder how Duo managed to get Relena to agree to all that, and how she convinced the other ministers. But of course, it would certainly help that Lady Une has been appointed the Defence Minister now. The council got a really bad scare during the past incident it seems. Besides, Duo can be rather persuiative, I should know.

"Anyway," Duo continues, "I hadn't been with Relena for more than two days when Wufei caught an encrypted file in one of the networks we guarded during the war. An Alpha Alpha Class One encrypted file. When Wufei cracked it, it contained information on an assassination attempt on Relena."

He doesn't need to say what it means. I understand all too well, maybe even better than he. Learning and memorizing information about criminal organizations was included in my training for J, and what Duo just told me doesn't fit the bill of any of them. Which means that the assassination attempt origins from a place not even J could reach.

"Is she secured?" I absently ask, pondering the sudden situation.

"Safe house Beta V7," Duo answers. "The others are with her already. I've been briefing all the others the latest week or so. We need to gather again."

Rising, I grab the bag containing the few personal items I have from its corner and look at Duo, who has followed my movements with some sort of detached interest.

"I suppose you have taken care of our transportation?" I lightly say, already knowing he has, giving him a once over as I do. Is it my imagination, or is his hand trembling slightly?

"Yes," he says and rises, letting go of his braid and flinging it over his shoulder. "I had Quatre send one of his private shuttles. We have to be at the safe house as soon as possible."

I don't mention Zero or the trembling to him. Because for some reason, I know that he won't say anything just yet. Instead I once again suppress the inhibitions I have and hug him again, we both need it desperately right now. Neither of us says anything, but Duo tiredly seems to sink into my embrace. The trembling is even more evident now.