Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon, nor am I profiting from this web page. But all other such characters and concepts do belong to me and I ask that you do not use them without permission.
Children of War
By,
LunaDragon
~*^*^*~
Slowly the car made its way around the block before parking near by, but not too near. Violet eyes stared at the building in wonder, as if they had seen it someplace before, and they had. Only once. But now, with their keeper's brain clogged with confusion, they only held mild recognition.
Coolly, Hotaru opened the car door and checked to make sure all her weapons were in place. A few grenades, two guns, and a smoke bomb, all hidden beneath a midnight blue cloak. She had left with only one weapon, but found various tools in the car, apparently the former pilots used this particular car often. Cautiously, her hand at her side, just clutching the gun, she made her way across the deserted, grassy plane.
With surprising stealth and ease that appeared almost foreign to her mind, she avoided all surveillance cameras and slipped through the guards swiftly and silently. 'I could get really good at this,' Hotaru thought with amusement.
Slowing her pace she stopped in front of a rather small sub basement and slipped inside, still avoiding the surveillance cameras and other devices that could alert where she was. "Lieutenant Kaori?" A male voice shouted.
"What is it Robinson? This better be worth my time. Mr. Tanaka is impatient now and I don't want to get in his way," Kaori said.
Hotaru sighed inwardly, she hadn't expected people to be here. 'Looks like I'm going to have to sit and wait for this . . .' Hotaru thought miserably. She was tired, dreams had been relieving her of well needed sleep. With her eyes closed, she tried to relax her tensed muscles.
Not even a minute later the two's conversation headed into Hotaru's interest. "The Heero Yuy?" Robinson asked.
"Who else could have infiltrated this base so easily? It was only a matter of time before the Preventers caught on to our plan. Yet they don't know what we're planning, so we have not to much to worry." Kaori said.
"Then there is something wrong, he wouldn't have been caught this easily!" Robinson countered. "Not only that but two of Tomoe's best recruits were ordered to assassinate the five pilots!"
Hotaru's ears picked up her father's name and she listened intently, her eyes wide.
There was a pause as Kaori tried to regain control over her anger. "I know that you idiot! Send your best men and do not let our enemy Yuy escape! It's bad enough dealing with that idiot worker of ours, Professor Tomoe, I do not want Mr. Tanaka hovering around me also!"
'How's my father involved in all of this?' Hotaru thought with wide eyes.
"Y-yes, Colonel Night." The man answered shakily.
She heard footsteps and the sound faded altogether, leaving Hotaru alone with her thoughts. Her father, one that she knew little about and even less since she got amnesia, was involved in a different organization other than the one he owned. The scientist's daughter couldn't help but wonder if the pilots knew this information, it could come in handy.
What she wanted to know, she voiced aloud, "Why does Heero have so many enemies? So he helped save everyone from the ultimate punishment called death twice, and this is how he's repaid?"
Before she got a chance to answer her question images, began forming in her mind and she grabbed her temples, aware that a massive migraine was on its way.
~*~Hotaru's Flashback~*~
"Who are you enemies?" The young girl asked. She was short, had chin-length black hair and emotion filled violet eyes. She stared at the young boy hoping to receive an answer of some sort, and she did, though not one she expected.
The young boy, as usual, regarded the question with importance. He had no idea why or how, but the girl in front of him always managed to revive the emotions that Dr. J wanted so badly to take away. He looked away, his Prussian blue eyes hidden for a moment behind his bangs only to appear again when his face turned back to the girl. "What do you mean by that?"
"Odin, you're always talking about 'the enemy.' Who exactly are they?" She explained, looking at him straight in the eyes.
"My enemies are all those who try and hurt me, and those who try to stand in the way of my missions. They're simply obstacles and must be eliminated." He answered simply, his small arms crossed over his chest.
The girl had almost seemed a bit upset at that answer. "Is that your own opinion or is that Dr. J talking?" He hadn't responded, acting like he hadn't heard. The girl tried again. "Are your missions so important they're worth giving up yourself?"
~*~End of Hotaru's Flashback~*~
"Heero . . ." She mumbled.
Hotaru suppressed the urge to sigh heavily as she looked at her hands, fingers intertwined together and wet with perspiration. Now she was really confused.
'Why do I . . . why do I feel so much like I know him from somewhere?' She thought. Hotaru rubbed her forehead, trying to sweep the images from her mind. 'What a stupid way to think,' she told herself, 'I probably do. Too bad I can't remember much of the past week.'
"Heero . . ." The name escaped her lips again.
This sort of feeling was entirely alien to her. It was a feeling she'd never felt before . . . She knew Heero from somewhere, but she didn't know where. She felt a strange connection between him, but she shoved the feelings from her mind.
She couldn't possibly know him before two days ago . . . could she?
~*^*^*~
"Crap." Duo muttered to no one in particular. He cast a quick glance to Akiko who stood with her arms crossed; frowning. "Please tell me you have an idea on how to get passed this . . . problem?"
Akiko almost growled but stopped short. "This was not here the last time I checked, which was no more than two days ago."
She sighed and looked ahead of her once more. They had gotten passed the guards, changed (without Duo watching Akiko, despite his constant begging), knocked out at least five guards and hid them in different janitor closets.
Now in front of them were various crisscrossed, diagonal and straight red lines. Infrared lasers, to be exact. A long line of them stretched for at least twelve yards. "I don't suppose you're an expert in gymnastics?" Duo then asked.
Akiko laughed. "I'm good in martial arts. Gymnastics is in Kaiya's department . . . I can't even do a simple handstand . . ."
Duo sighed, now they had no other way of getting the information. Unless . . .
"Do they have air ducks leading to the lab?"
"Yes, but I suggest we skip that route. It's most likely loaded with weaponry. Like I said before, the Prof's protected." Akiko answered. "Might be able to handle shutting them down though. Damn it, Hotaru was better at this than me."
Duo groaned at the thought of getting a wrong code and being captured. Most likely they'd be put in some kind of cell for a while, but the Deathscythe pilot had been through worse and similar situations, and he could handle that. What worried him was what they would do to Akiko. By descriptions and stories, this scientist sounded completely deranged. He cringed, most likely they'd kill her. But Duo was determined to prevent that; according to him, the 'babe' was his friend.
'Besides, I'm the Shinigami, I decide who dies and who doesn't.' He thought. "Alright Kiko, get cracking with the codes."
Akiko only nodded, this was going to take a while.
~*^*^*~ [now for an extra long part with Kaiya and Trowa, plus a slight romance seen; dedicated to Kaiya, the faithful reviewer.]
Surprisingly to both teenagers, the corporation building came into view. They had searched for more than an hour and tossed the directions away long before; concluding Hotaru had most likely tricked them with a fake address. They pulled the car to a stop no more than a block away from the illegal building, firmly determined not to get caught.
So far it looked as if though nothing had disturbed the supposedly abandoned building, but both Kaiya and Trowa knew otherwise. Looks had meant to be deceiving, especially when they were dealing with people like these. Turning off the engine Kaiya sat back and stared at the large building before her: some windows littered the four extremely high walls that covered at least four stories of the air. Some windows were lit dimly, showing various silhouettes inside. Though the two couldn't see them from where they were, they knew for sure that cameras delimited the walls and inside.
The two said nothing as the lights of the car died out and only the gentle glow of the rising sun to illuminate their view, which was barely enough for them to see more than a few yards and the giant shadow of the building. Sitting back, Kaiya crossed her arms in thought of how to get in and out with Heero.
They wouldn't have too much problem avoiding the surveillance cameras, and once on the inside if there weren't too many guards . . . 'Who am I kidding, I've been here before and it was more guarded than Professor Tomoe's place.' Kaiya thought gloomily. She grimaced slightly at what they were about to face. 'I don't think we're all that prepared, and worse yet, that Kaori bitch is in there.'
"Ready?" Trowa asked and Kaiya nodded absentmindedly. Trowa had no idea how powerfully protected this place was, and Kaiya cursed under her breath for not realizing that Mr. Tanaka was involved in this. It would've helped.
The two walked mutely from the car after they got out, keeping tense just in case of surprises. They all had been getting a lot of them lately. Inattentively, Kaiya fingered her gun that was strapped to her thigh, and another that was strapped under her black coat. Trowa walked slower behind Kaiya, keeping an extra lookout for guards or for hidden video cameras until they came to a stop in front of the back side of the building.
"We could check for a way to get in," Kaiya whispered so Trowa had to listen intently; her voice was that soft. She was hiding something, the Heavyarms pilot could tell it in her voice. She was scared, with all good reason, but too scared for his liking.
Trowa didn't persist, but nodded solemnly as a reply. With careful agility and stealth, he made his way around the walls, avoiding all the viewable surveillance equipment within his eye site. Unconsciously he made sure his guns and ammo were in place and, upon seeing that they were, he walked over to the nearby windows. Delicately he proceeded to run his hands around the window frame to look for a weak spot, or maybe a small gap between the frame and the window so he could pry it open. Unsuccessful of finding anything in the reachable windows on one side of the building he moved to a different side. At last he found a window he could pry open and motioned for Kaiya to follow.
"If we can get something, we could force open this window," He whispered.
Kaiya nodded and looked around with Trowa, still maneuvering out of video reach. The closest and toughest thing the two could find was a small branch-like stick. Without a word, already understanding each other, the two stuck the end of the branch into the gap and advanced to pry open the window.
Upon doing so, the two entered soundlessly and stealthily. Needless to say, both teens were left gaping at what site lay before them. Hacking into files on a computer stood Hotaru, not even noticing the two's arrival.
Before the violet-eyed girl knew it, she was pressed against the wall by a very pissed off looking Kaiya. "How'd you get here?" Trowa asked as he frowned.
Kaiya almost growled at the teenage girl but held back, reminding herself that Hotaru had amnesia, and she had enough problems. "Do tell, you've been full of surprises lately."
Hotaru blinked a few times and shook her head, shock written on her features. Slowly (and with a firm look from Trowa) Kaiya let the girl go and backed up, her arms crossed defiantly across her chest. "I wanted to help," Hotaru answered. "I'm not going to stand around and do nothing while one of the people I tried to protect has a chance of getting killed, especially by a man that my father works for."
Kaiya was left gaping, and astonishment flashed across Trowa's features just for an instant before he regained his composure. "Explain," He said simply yet menacingly.
Kaiya nodded, her eyes wide. She new who was hear and that Professor Tomoe knew as well, but she never knew that in reality, her boss, worked for Kaori and Tanaka.
"I heard two people talking when I got here." Hotaru began. "Some woman named Kaori and some man Robinson were having an argument when I arrived, and I was listening to their conversation. She called my father an idiot worker," Hotaru smiled slightly at that. "And they have over five hundred mobile suits, which could be a problem since they're, in spite of everything, building more."
Kaiya took a step back and leaned against the wall for support. Not only was Professor Tomoe bad enough, but now they had to deal with a more powerful force that had over five hundred suits and counting. She opened her mouth to say something, but shut it, nothing coming out. In different circumstances this would've been easier to digest, since she was on one of their sides in the first place. But now they had to go head to head with two extremely strong corporations, who had mobile dolls, an endless supply of weapons, robots, and who knew what else! And Kaiya and the rest had jack shit, herself, Akiko, Hotaru, and the former pilots not knowing what Ami and Rei had in store for them.
"Crap," She said simply, finding nothing else that could help. 'Wait until Akiko hears this, she isn't going to take it well.'
"So now we have another person wanting us dead," Trowa said softly. "We'll need some information."
"As much as I hate to say this," Kaiya shifted her gaze to Hotaru, "you go and try to find Heero. Break him out and let him take it from there, Trowa and myself will try to hack into some files."
Trowa nodded, as did Hotaru. "I'm partially new at this, but my memory is slowly returning." She said. "It wont be too hard, so I'll try my best."
She smiled slightly, stuffed a disk she had downloaded something onto inside her pocket, and ran out of the door. Kaiya sighed; she didn't have a good feeling about this. She turned to Trowa, when she saw two shadows slumped against a corner.
Trowa followed her gaze and his one visible eye found two unconscious forms. Better yet, two unconscious forms of guards. He cast a glance at Kaiya, who was smiling. 'Now we're getting somewhere.' Kaiya thought.
Five minutes later Trowa and Kaiya walked swiftly through the halls in uniforms, blending in with the security, their gazes low as to not attract attention. Many guards were surrounding various doors that prohibited entry and each were armed, one way or another.
"How can so many people want to fight again?" Kaiya asked with a pang of pity and sorrow.
Trowa said nothing for a while, his face expressionless as usual, but when Kaiya looked at him, grief flashed in his teal eye before he answered. "A lot of people have sacrificed their lives to obtain peace, including soldiers and innocents. Those very innocent people that survived turned their anguish into hatred in order to fuel their loss. They fail to acknowledge the fact that they're only causing more destruction and more pain for others including themselves. They know not when to cease."
"Blinded by their hatred they don't notice they're seeking unwanted revenge on all those that are happy." Kaiya mumbled. "What a way to live."
They walked and Kaiya began to grow more familiar with the halls and doors, recognizing even some of the faces from her last encounter with this place. Only now she knew that Professor Tomoe worked for them. She motioned for Trowa to turn at the next door and they did, unaware of the shadow following them.
Kaiya glanced at Trowa and whispered, "Come on, the information is stored --"
"What are you two doing here?" Robinson shouted from behind them. Trowa cursed under his breath as he and Kaiya turned around slowly, only to find a gun trained on them each. Robinson sneered. "Security personal of low class aren't allowed in here!"
Kaiya sighed and was a bit relieved to find out he had no idea Trowa was who he was. 'Robinson never was the greatest one to get details straightened out.' Kaiya thought. She looked at Trowa and then to the Lieutenant. "Robinson, it's Kaiya. I'm here by strict orders from Professor Tomoe. Akiko's been reassigned, this is . . ." Desperately, she tried to think of a name and said the first one that popped into her mind. "This is Mark."
Trowa almost frowned. 'Mark was the best she could come up with?'
"And why weren't we informed?" Robinson asked.
Kaiya growled, but she had nothing to say to that. She didn't expect him to press. 'So much for him with details. Just my luck.'
"Do you really think Kaori would inform you of everything?" Trowa asked. He had no idea who Kaori was, but from what he heard, she sounded like she was in high command and stuck up about it.
Robinson didn't seem to convinced, but nodded nonetheless. "Very well." He muttered. "I'll go inform Kaori of your arrival." He turned on his heal and briskly walked out of the door.
Only when they heard a slam of a door, did the two teenagers release a breath they hadn't known they were holding. "We better hurry, knowing that once Kaori finds out they'll send some soldiers after us." Trowa said softly.
"I don't think we have to worry too much about that," Kaiya mumbled. "Robinson . . . he always seemed different. He knows who you are, most likely, and he knew who Heero was. But Robinson . . . I don't think he's too happy here. He understands that what they're doing isn't right, and if I'm correct, he'll be willing to help."
"Where to now?"
"Second floor. They have a hallway filled with fifteen rooms dedicated to information. Akiko and I've been there once, but only for a while. It was when Professor Tomoe thought he could really trust us when we were secretly planning on leaving and putting a stop to him. I should have realized that Kaori and her damn boss were involved as well."
Trowa nodded. "Let's go then. Robinson may seem trustworthy, but if he isn't then we should at least get the information."
With one last glance to where the Lieutenant had left, Kaiya made her way down the hall and up the stairs with Trowa, avoiding every guard without as much as a second glance. They climbed up the stairs, avoiding the elevator because of it's camera and were on the second floor.
Walking with their heads down as to not let the cameras get good shots of their faces, Trowa and Kaiya walked through the halls and proceeded into turning down different corridors and finally coming to a halt in front of a door which read, 'Authorized Personal Only.'
Glancing around, the teens carefully pushed the door open and began making their way down the large hallways, which, upon Trowa's count, had exactly fifteen doors. And according to Kaiya, each had loads of important information.
"The one that holds all the information on this place should be . . ." Kaiya whispered as she and Trowa walked passed a few doors. She stopped in front of the sixth door to their left. "In here."
Before Trowa could respond, they could here Kaori's grumbling voice as she muttered curses loudly. "I swear I'm going to kill that fucking Robinson for not telling me sooner! The damn nerve of him, I had to find out from a shit worker of a guard!"
'The wrath of Kaori strikes again,' Kaiya thought with a groan. She looked around frantically before she was pulled into the room with Trowa. "Either way we'll get caught, lets just download the information." He said simply.
"You don't understand," Kaiya argued. Her eyes flickered from anger to worry. "If she takes us to Mr. Tanaka, we're better off dead!"
"Then what do you propose we do? There are no other options."
Kaiya balled up her fists. 'Think! What would Akiko do, she's always lively in a situation like this. I swear that girl is rubbing off on me.' Her mind raced and she could hear Kaori's loud footsteps coming near their door. 'Please forgive me Trowa.'
Without warning, Kaiya pushed Trowa against the wall and pressed herself to him, appearing to be in a scheduled place to make out. Caught by surprise, he was completely unguarded as to what Kaiya did and was going to do. Quickly, she placed his hands on her hips and wrapped her arms around Trowa's neck, reveling the ideal headiness of how perfectly their bodies fit. Kaiya's lips met Trowa's with a fierce urgency, a stinging need that shimmered since she met him. Things that both teenagers were unaware of until now.
Kaiya wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, unconsciously deepening the kiss as she found she was enjoying herself. And unknown to her, Trowa couldn't help but feel somewhat similar as their tongues intertwined together.
'This is just for a mission,' Kaiya kept trying to convince herself.
The door opened and to their horror, Kaori noticed them and stopped in front of the two teens with a loud growl. Almost hesitantly, Kaiya release her arms from around Trowa's neck and hoped that the stunt had fooled Kaori.
"What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be in your positions, this is a restricted area!" Kaori shouted.
Kaiya cringed and bowed her head, Trowa doing the same. Unknown to the stuck-up red head, the teens were hiding their faces from her as to not reveal who they were. Kaori may have been stuck up, but she was incredibly smart and never naive.
"It wont happen again," Trowa whispered, his tone unusually unlike his normal voice. Kaiya nodded, but refused to talk. If Kaori recognized her voice, their plan would be ruined.
"It better not!" She shouted, her hazel eyes blazing. "You don't want to pay dire consequences from Tanaka." Kaori crossed her arms across her chest and frowned harder. "Now, I suggest that you leave before I change my mind."
'Damn, plan a failed.' Kaiya thought. She was about to say something when the room began to blaze red and sirens shouted in the background. 'Hotaru,' Both Trowa and Kaiya thought at once.
Kaori looked up and cursed. "Damn it! It has to be that damn Yuy!"
Using her distraction to his advantage, and before Kaiya could stop him, Trowa sprinted forward and tackled Kaori to the ground, arms around her waist they fell with a thud. "Kaiya, leave! I'll get the information!" Trowa shouted, but before he could breathe another word, Kaori had a gun pointed to his throat, safety off.
Cursing, Trowa held up his hands in defeat. He couldn't even get his own weapon at this point. If he moved, she pulled the trigger. "So Kaiya is it?" Kaori mocked. "Dealing with a Gundam pilot are we? Well, you move or he does, I pull the trigger. And Kaiya, don't think I wont, one way or another we have to kill these pilots. It doesn't matter when, where, or how."
Kaiya didn't move. "What do you want?" She asked through gritted teeth.
Trowa frowned. "Kaiya leave, you can come back for the information later. I'm not afraid of death."
"Brave one aren't we, Barton?" Kaori asked. She tightened her grip on the trigger but Kaiya stopped her.
"No!" She shouted. "You said you'd have to kill him sooner or later, so make it later. He has information, he knows something."
'Damn it, making this crap up as I go along isn't doing me any good.' Kaiya thought frantically.
"Alright," Kaori agreed with a smirk. "It might be nice to see you all squirm . . . Kaiya, dispose of all your weapons. Each and every one of them." Kaiya complied, throwing every weapon she had on the floor.
Guards burst in the door with guns trained on Trowa and Kaiya. On Kaori's command, Trowa rose slowly and also disposed of all his weapons. "Take them to a cell, I'll deal with them later! The rest of you see what's going on!" The red head shouted.
As they were told, the guards dragged the teens off, hands cuffed behind their backs and guns focused on their heads and chests in case they tried anything.
~*^*^*~
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Akiko moved the hair pin a little and a low groan, sputter and hiss greeted her ears. "Ha, ha!" She laughed, getting up and viewing her work. The infrared lasers were now gone, and it had only taken her fifteen minutes. It would have taken her less, but the pestering Duo and being the Prof had incredible security, she was distracted. "All under control, so lets go."
She got up and placed the hair pin back in her pocket, turning to Duo. She frowned as she looked upon his regular grinning face replaced by a small frown. Voicing his thoughts, as if talking to himself, Duo said, "This was too easy. Something's up, Kiko, and I'm not liking it."
Akiko grinned. Duo had a lot of himself that he liked to hide, a more serious version of himself very few people got to see if any. "Expecting a challenge were you? Well just be glad it was this easy. As long as we make it in and out, alive and well, then I'll be happy. No way I plan on dying by this sick professor."
"I'll be sure to quote you on that," Duo said, his trademark grin back in place. "Now lets go before anyone realizes we're here, and comes to check it out."
Akiko nodded and they were out of the door they couldn't reach before. The hall before them was empty and the two teens couldn't hear any signs that people were near, so they felt it okay to move quickly. Running briskly through the halls, the two only slowed when the laboratory door came into view. Just in case, Akiko and Duo pulled out guns from their pockets. Each loading their guns and taking out the safety locks, Duo was the first to look through the door and into the lab. What he saw surprised him to say the least.
Giant computers littered everywhere, some on, others shut down. Smaller computers were propped against the walls, file cabinets and papers stacked along side them. Chemicals and other equipment were in a corner the size of a large room. "Woah, this is the whole lab? It's huge!" Duo said as he replaced his gun and stepped inside.
Akiko just shrugged and walked up to the main computer. She set a disk in and began typing furiously, trying to find her information. "This is only half of it." She answered absentmindedly.
Duo smirked, replying sarcastically, "Oh really? I should have guessed." Akiko didn't reply, but grinned. She downloaded one set of information and moved to another. Duo peered over her shoulder and placed his arms behind his head, clutching his beloved braid. "What are you trying to find, anyway?"
"I'm trying to find out some things about the Prof, and what my real past is."
"Real . . . past?"
"Yeah, the Prof had been feeding lies to me and Kaiya that the Gundams destroyed our home a year ago. But now, I'm not so sure. Guess my subconscious is finally trying to bring the truth out, and information on my part will help."
Duo grimaced, battles of the past briefly displayed in his mind. He said nothing as Akiko finished downloading the information. She placed it in her pocket and turned to face the braided teen once again. But to her surprise, once again, Duo seemed different. The smile was gone, as were his caring eyes. They were filled with dread, fear, confusion, all this and more as his expressionless face met hers.
"During the war," he said softly, "we did destroy a lot of homes and ruined peoples' lives. Possibly even yours, but if we did, not one day goes by when I don't forget what we did. And, if your life was ruined because of us, all I can say is I'm sorry."
Akiko nodded, but said nothing. What could she say? That she excepted his apology? She didn't. If in fact that the Gundams destroyed her home, she wouldn't take anyone's life, but she would never be able to forgive them. She didn't know who to believe anymore, but she was sticking with her instincts, which told her to get information.
Before either could say anything, sirens blared to life. With a glance at each other, the two teenagers ran through the lab doors, guns ready at hand. Guards ran this way and that, barely noticing the two teens dressed in uniforms. That is, until someone noticed Duo's braid . . . "There's pilot 02!"
Duo cursed, shooting at guards in front of them, but not fatally. He had no intention of killing anyone, and by the way Akiko was shooting, neither did she. "To the stairs!" She said as she shot someone behind them in the leg.
Racing through the door, Duo shoot other guards in front of him. More than twenty were already on their way down, and Duo had no time to worry about Akiko, much to his regret.
Just outside the door to the steps, Akiko shot guards as they came. But she shot one, two more showed up. 'If I was aiming to kill, I'd be finished. . .' She thought as she struck a third person in the leg and hid behind the wooden door, reloading her ammo. 'But I refuse to kill anymore people, whether they're on my side or not. The Prof is an exception, he'd be sentenced to the death penalty anyway.'
Shooting down another guard, Akiko took out a grenade and threw it at the broken air duct. It exploded, sending smoke everywhere. She smiled once before turning and running after Duo.
More shots were heard and a sudden pain rippled through her body. Instantly, she reached for her stomach. She had been shot twice.
It was seconds later when Duo heard the scream of his new partner. He turned instantly, hiding behind the turning wall that led down stairs. The guards in front had been wounded, their weapons lost. To his dread, saw Akiko laying on the floor only a few feet away. Blood around her.
Sounds of footsteps filled his ears as he tried to go to Akiko's side but gunshots stopped him short. Duo hid behind the wall again, taking blind aim through the smoke. He failed miserably, no one was shot, not even wounded. The smoke cleared and he saw someone hiding behind the door.
Duo aimed for the leg, but the man ducked behind the door. Crossfire continued between the two, all the while Duo's mind was on Akiko. 'Hang in there, Kiko! Babe, just hang in there.'
"Can't stand there for too long, 02!" The hard voice shouted. "We got four of your little friends!" The words stung like bullets, each word meeting their target. There was a pause and somebody coughed. Laughing, the voice came again, "Well, there is the traitor Akiko. We could give her some aid with her wounds, being Professor Tomoe takes a liking to her and her partner, but she's to close to you for us to do anything."
'Kiko . . .'
Duo's mind raced. He stared back and fired the gun again, but missed. He was down to his last bullet and a grenade. If he threw the grenade, he could hit Akiko, especially since three bullets had managed to cut his throwing arm. The cuts weren't fatal, but they were deep and bleeding.
'They can't have some of us already! Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, Heero . . . is that who they're talking about? Then what about Ami and Kaiya? Kiko . . . she needs help . . . she has to be okay. I said I'd protect her . . .' Duo thought.
"Alright, 02, make a decision, your friend isn't gonna last forever! What's it gonna be? Either you surrender or you both die?"
"Surrender only to be killed later?" Duo shouted.
"It'll save the traitor won't it?"
'Akiko . . .'
Duo threw his weapons on the floor and stood up, his arms over his head. "I surrender."
***End Chapter***
Author's Note: I'm sorry this came out like over a week late. Recently, my best friend was in an accident. Not a car wreck or anything like that. According to her mother, she was playing with her little sister when she fell down the stairs. Thank god she didn't die, but she's in a coma, and I've been skipping school to see her and staying at the hospital daily, which leaves no time for writing. I was halfway through writing this chapter when it happened and when I write, it comes out portraying how I'm feeling. So, the next chapters will come out pretty angst-y. I plan on finishing this in at least 30 chapters. Again I'm sorry for this taking so long, but I love the people close to me dearly and I will hold off on writing for a bit. I'll try to update every 2 days. Ja ne.
