*--*

I jumped as Kristen came running through the door. I think she attached herself to my body subconsciously.

"WuFei, tell me it isn't true. Tell me she's still alive!"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Kristen."

Tears filled her eyes. "We . . . we grew up together. I . . . I don't have anyone else, now. There's no one left."

I wanted to say, no, you still have us, you still have . . . me. I scoffed at my own idea. Right. "Stay with it, Kristen. We still have a mission to complete."

She glared at me then, her tears making her eyes glitter dangerously. "Shut up. Shut. Up. Shut up, shut up, shut up! Just . . . ." She started to cry, only to be interrupted by something. She cocked her head to the side. "What? Why me?"

I was going to ask her why she was talking to herself when I realized she still had her comm. unit on. "What's going on?" I asked instead.

"It's Heero . . . . He and Duo want us to . . . detain Deakim and Mariemaia."

*--*

I listened as Heero told me our instructions. "WuFei, you're supposed to take Deakim and I'll get Mariemaia." He nodded silently, going to check on Deakim's still body. In the meantime, Trowa shook himself from his reverie, and whispered, "Be careful," before going to check on Quatre.

Mariemaia stood, calmly waiting for me to approach her. I did so with caution, training my gun on her leg, where it wouldn't be fatal, just painful. Her big eyes made her look innocent, but I knew better. There was an aura about her that was . . . well, just not right.

She started talking as soon as I was within hearing range. "Just woman to woman, I want to ask you something," she said as she impassively allowed me to tie her hands together. "Why do you hate us so much?"

"Because," I walked around her to face her directly, "you're trying to destroy a a peace that many of us sacrificed much to earn." I started walking away, but then turned back. "Oh," I sneered, "and just woman to woman, you can kiss my ass."

She stood there, speechless. Probably at my choice of words. "Well, you can at least untie me. There is no need for that. You can trust me."

WuFei had walked up during the course of our conversation and snorted at this. "Why should *anyone* trust *you*?"

Mariemaia shrugged. "I keep my word. I won't harm you. Just please untie me."

*--*

I shook my head, watching Kristen do the same. "Not a chance," she grinned.

"Do it," Mariemaia snarled suddenly, and I felt rather than heard a bullet whiz by my ear, and then a dull thud. I whipped my head around to find Deakim, barely standing, but holding a gun. Did he just shoot Mariemaia? To keep her from talking, or what? What was going on? I turned back around. "Kristen, what-?"

Her eyes were wide, her mouth open, ready to speak. "Wu. . . WuFei, I . . . ."

"Kristen? What's wrong?" I saw her mouth worked, but no sound came out, before she slumped forward. I felt a warm wetness on my hand. "Kristen?"

*--*