*%Chapter Twenty-Six%*

Sally Po had looked everywhere for Hilde. " Have you seen Hilde?" she asked a colleague.

" The girl who is always with you? No, why?" he asked.

" I can't find her."

" Maybe she has gone out for some mission?"

" She would have told me. Thanks anyway."

 She did not even leave a message behind. This is just not like Hilde, to vanish somewhere and not tell me where she has gone. Sally did not look where she was walking and almost bumped into Lady Une.

The two women regarded each other for a moment, as if examining whether the other has any deadly disease. It was Lady Une who took the initiative to exchange a cordial greeting.

" Good morning, Sally."

" Good morning." Sally was taught to be polite and friendly since young.

" Do not be mistaken. I have no ulterior motive."

She looked guileless. Sally was wary. " Oh? Why aren't you with Treize plotting how to take over the world?"

" Sally, believe me, I am tired. I don't wish to fight anymore. I want to get out of here."

Indeed, Lady Une did look worn out. The fearsome aura that had once surrounded her was gone; she had suddenly return to someone Sally had known previously. " Une, have you recovered?" she lowered her voice.

She nodded. " I am no longer in Master's control. For some reason, I have broke free. I apologize for all the trouble I had caused to you and your friends. I apologize for all the innocent lives lost."

Sally believed her. Lady Une, no Miss Une is finally back. The sweet and demure principal she had once respected has returned. " It is not safe to talk here. Come to my room."

" No, it may be bugged. Are you looking for Hilde? Come to my room."

" How do you know I'm looking for Hilde?" Sally asked. Une poured her a cup of tea.

" I saw you asking the soldiers something and I guess it must be Hilde. The two of you are good friends." She undid the two buns on her hair and massaged the back of her neck. " Sorry but I must look terrible to you. I have not been sleeping well."

" I have not been resting well myself too. Can you find Hilde for me, Une? I'm really worried something might have happened to her, like what Master had did to Noin…"

" I'll find her for you. Sally, in return can you help me too?"

" Name it."

" I want Treize to leave OZ. Master has something up his sleeves and it is not something good. Master is rather different nowadays; it's as if he is not himself. He could be preparing for something – big. If you can get Treize to get out of here, I'll help you and your friends."

" I talk to Treize? But he always listens to you," Sally said.

Une shook her head. " I have talked till my throat is dry. Maybe he needs someone else's opinions. And he seems to be avoiding me too. I have not seen him for the past three days." She took a sip of her warm tea.

Sally thought for a while. " I can't promise you that I'll be able to talk him round. But I will certainly try my best. I believe Treize is not a stupid man. Like us, he is merely a pawn under that Master's palm. I am glad you have come round."

" Thank you, Sally. I know I can count on you. I have an idea where Hilde is but until I confirm my suspicions, I cannot tell you."

Sally raised her cup. " I trust you."

*************************************************************

It was night. Lady Une was walking around the headquarters, pretending as if nothing is out of ordinary. She was alone; she did not dare ask for company for fear that she might be exposed. A life is at stake. She reached the gate of OZ. There were soldiers on night duty.

They saluted upon seeing her. " I'm going out," she told them.

" Master says no one is to go out," one of them said.

" Master says I can go out. Didn't he tell you?"

" We did not receive any message."

" Is mine not enough?" she raised her voice. " If you interfere with my task, you would be severely punished. Open the gate!"

" Right away!"

They opened the gate for her and she walked out calmly. " Do not close it till I'm back."

She distanced herself away from their prying eyes and looked up at the sky. It seemed like an eternity since she had looked up into the sky with an innocent pair of eyes.

She glanced around the flat plain, looking for signs of life. Faraway, a wolf howled. What would a wolf be doing here? Even the animals have been driven mad by OZ. Poor things.

A dark figure lay on the grass. Is it her? Lady Une approached the motionless figure with extra caution. She got down on her knees and turned the body over.

Sally could not help worrying about HildeHhhhcdviureanbcdd

Hilde. She could not get to sleep. Feeling restless, she dressed and let herself out of the room for a stroll. Hopefully, Une had found Hilde already.

She had not gone far from her room when she met Treize. He was all by himself. She hurriedly ran up to him. Since she had promised Une, she would not go back on her word.

" Can I have a word with you?" she asked.

Treize was startled to see her. He tried to be as nonchalant as possible but Sally could see that he was disturbed. " What is it, soldier?" he said.

" I should introduce myself – my name is Sally Po. I am a friend of Lady Une."

" Oh?"

" Can we have a talk in private?"

He smiled warmly. " Sure, why not?" he replied readily. " I see no harm in that. How about my office?"

Sally followed Treize into his office. Without a word, he poured her a cup of tea and pushed back a chair for her to sit. She was astonished by his gentlemanly actions and could see why Une was heads over heels with him. He settled himself comfortably opposite her.

" Did Lady Une ask you to advise me to leave OZ?" he asked.

" How do you know?"

" I know Une. It is not that I do not want to leave; it is that I have nowhere to go. Where can a soldier like me go? I exist only in wars."

" Do you think I have not thought about this myself?" Sally said. " I am a soldier too. Before this war, I had nothing to do. Yes, I had a stable job that does not need me to risk my life. My life was peaceful. But when the war came, suddenly I was different. In fact, I feel energetic. I want to fight. I want to live. I have a meaning in life. So I thought to myself, what will happen to soldiers like us when the war end?

" This war will end sooner or later and I believe OZ will be destroyed. I have no plans for my future yet. I'm sure the Gundam boys have thought about this too. I believe they were brought here to fight against the evil forces. After everything had ended, will they disappear? But I know they will live forevermore in here." She touched her heart. " Treize, you only have to live. Live for your Lady Une. Don't make her upset anymore."

Treize looked at her, as if he was penetrating into her soul, dissecting every part of her from head to toe, mind to heart. " So after the war end, after we soldiers are discarded aside, what will you do?"

She shook her head and with a hopeful glint in her eyes, whispered, " I only know that no matter what I have to live. I don't like war, yet it had brought out the best and worst in me. It allowed me to show my true self. Someone might seem like a coward, running away in times of trouble, but they are just doing what they think is right. It is not wrong if you stay and fight a losing battle. But you have to think. If you die, if you die…think about who will cry for you."

Sally had no idea her advice would turn out to be a heart-to-heart chat for her. She blinked and laughed brusquely. " I'm supposed to be giving you advice on behalf of Une but look what I'm doing now."

Treize sighed. " What you have said is true. I guess I have been running away for too long."

" It doesn't mean that you can no longer fight and live when you leave here. Life is a struggle itself. Let me give you an example. Students fight to pass examinations. If they don't pass, they 'die'. Isn't that like fighting a battle too?"

Both laughed heartily.

" You are a great person, Sally. You'll do well in life. I like soldiers who can fight. I like soldiers who can stand up for what they believe in. I like people who are not afraid of fate. You are one such heroine."

" Me a heroine? You have not seen Une yet. Go to her. She needs you more than anyone. This spilt personality of hers…she created it for you. Tell me, is it the hair or the glasses that changes her? I can't figure it out."

" Both."

Sally nodded, deeply enlightened. " See you."

She got up and left Treize to himself.

" I can still fight…" he spoke to himself. " It is my fortune to be able to meet these heroes and heroines."

A note was taped to Sally's door. There was simply a L.U. on it but Sally knew what that L.U. means – Lady Une. She has found Hilde! Immediately, she sprinted to Lady Une's room.

Sally burst into the room, panting. Une was standing beside her bed and lying unconsciously on it was Hilde.

" Hilde! Hilde, are you okay?" Sally rushed to her companion's side.

Lady Une answered for her, " I'll tell you the truth – she's beyond help. Several of her organs are damaged and she suffers serious internal injuries. It's already a miracle she can survive till now."

" No! We have to save her!" Sally cried, face flushed and eyes moist. " There must be a way!"

" Sally…" Hilde's weak voice came to their ears. The girl could hardly open her eyes. Her face was cruelly contused; her limbs and body littered with ugly cuts.

" Hilde, don't worry. We'll find a way to save you," Sally assured her, fighting back tears. She cupped the fifteen years old girl's hand.

She shook her head, tears forming. " No use…I-I know I can't live…"

" Nonsense! You'll live to a ripe old age! You are still young…who did this to you?"

" Master…he discovered that I was…c-communicating with Duo. Be careful, Sally. I-don't think he knows about you…yet."

" I'll kill him! That beast…" Sally clutched her friend's hand tighter.

Hilde tried to smile but fail miserably. She has little strength left. " Sally…I really hope…hope to see Duo one last time…"

" Don't talk rot! You'll live, I know you will! Right, Une?" Sally turned to Lady Une.

Une swallowed once. " We'll need to get you out of here quick."

Hilde shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. " I know I can't live for long. Y-You know that too…" she was on the verge of breaking down. " Sally, I can't bear to leave you too but the God of Death is calling me, the one that lives down there…I just want to see the God of Death on earth one last time… Please?"

Sally's head bob up and down. " I'll take you to him! Rest assured, you will see him! Just hang on, Hilde."

Lady Une took charge. " We'll leave right away. There is no time for delay. Sally, you pack the necessary things. We'll leave in an hour's time. I'll need to bribe some of the guards to shut their mouths."

Hilde closed her eyes to rest as her friends helped her to prepare for this journey. Duo…I really can't bear to leave this world yet but I must…People die so easily…I can't help you anymore…I…

*************************************************************

Someone knocked on Quatre's door. The gentle boy looked up from the music sheets he was studying at. He went to the door and opened it. Dorothy's smiling face appeared before him. She invited herself in.

" Hi Quatre!" She sat on his chair. " How are you preparing for your journey?"

" Thanks for your concern. I'm almost ready, if the others would just let me leave. They have been keeping an eye on me so I have little chance of leaving," he told her.

" Make it clear that I am not in support of you leaving," she said. " That person who instructed you to leave here – she is Sylvia Noventa, isn't she? And she said she'll help you to leave, right?"

Quatre frowned. "No one is behind this. I decided on this myself."

" You are a terrible liar, Quatre Raberba Winner, because an honest boy like you just don't know how to lie." Dorothy narrowed her eyes, mouth set in a thin line. She stared at him austerely, as if a mother is about to lecture a naughty kid.

" Sylvia is not what she seems. Everyone is fooled by her. That witch has something up her sleeves, I know it. She is not as innocent as she seems. I have no wish to interfere in your life but this is for your own good. I hate to see a good guy getting conned. I like to goad a person to do some work but I don't like to cheat them. This Sylvia…she is more deadly than we think."

Quatre was as serious as her. " You have no proof, Dorothy. You cannot accuse a person just by your words alone. No one would believe you."

She sighed. Her earlier dark mood was gone as swiftly as the wind. " I know you won't believe me but just remember my words. If anything happens, you know who to blame – yourself."

She got up, blew a kiss to him and trotted out. Once again, poor Quatre was left confused and distressed. Why can't I just make up my mind about anything? He thought to himself as he slumped onto an armchair. Just what is wrong with me? I believe Sylvia, but what Dorothy had just said…I feel that I can't ignore it.

 " Can someone tell me what to do?"

Lunchtime came and Quatre went down for his meal. Everyone could see that he was distracted but none of them said anything. The blond boy took his seat between Rasid and Duo. Sylvia was nowhere to be seen.

Relena came in a minute after Quatre. " Sylvia told me she would not be back for lunch. She had gone out to do some sightseeing. We'll start without her."

Dorothy snorted. " Sightseeing? I don't think so."

" Why do you say that, Dorothy?" she asked.

" Nothing. It's just a hunch."

Duo picked up his fork. " Let's feast! You got to eat more today, Quatre. I helped with some of the dishes today."

Heero drank his soup. " He helped to eat some of the food, that's all."

" Do you always, always, always have to put me down, Heero?"

Pargon came in.

" Miss, there's someone at the door," he informed her. " Someone by the name of Sally Po and Hilde Schbeiker. Miss Schbeiker looks seriously injured."

" What?" Relena and Duo exclaimed in unison.

The whole group left the table and bolted out to meet their friends. Duo reached them first. Hilde was lying on the floor and Sally was trying to help her up.

" Hilde, please hang on!"

Duo shouted, " Hilde! What had happened to her? She wasn't like this when I talked to her two days ago!"

Sally waited till everyone had arrived before she broke her side of the news. " Hilde was missing when I went back to our room after my duty. I searched for her everywhere. It was Lady Une who found her. The person who injured her is none other than the great devil himself – the Master of OZ. And it was Une who helped us out of the headquarters. Duo, Hilde wanted to meet you."

Hilde opened her eyes. " Duo…"

" I'm here, I'm here," Duo said, holding her cold palm. Relena knelt down beside them.

" Pargon, get a doctor quick! And help her into a room!" she instructed.

" No…" Hilde whispered hoarsely and coughed twice. " No…doctor can cure me…The God of Death in hell wants me with him." She looked tearfully at Duo.

" Don't talk rot!" he tried to hush her. " You are going to be all right, Hilde. You can make it. I'll make that devil pay for what he had done to you!"

Tears flowed down her cheeks, staining his black sleeve. She was choking, trying to form meaningful words from beneath her painful mortal shell.

" Duo…before I go, I want you to…to know…that I…I have…I have always…always…" Blood appeared at the side of her mouth, and a red river ran down to her chin. "…Always…"

She died. She did not finish her sentence. Sally was crying. " …Always like you…" She turned her face away from the corpse of her partner and cried, shoulders shaking, biting her fingers.

" No…" Relena stared at her lost friend, who still had her eyes open. She fell back, but did not faint. Heero caught her just in time. Quatre took a step back. Though he did not remember her, he was certain he had once known her. He could not move at all. He did not know what to do next.

Duo hugged Hilde furiously, refusing to let go. He was crying, yelling insanely at the twist of fate. " Hilde! Hilde come back! I have always thought you are a fighter, why are you leaving now? We promised to celebrate together when we destroyed OZ! Hilde!!!"

Noin bent down and gripped his shoulders. " Duo…don't be like this…"

He shook her aside forcefully. " Hilde, please come back! Come back!"

Zechs tried to talk to Duo but Trowa stopped him. " I know how he feels right now," the silent boy said. " He won't be able to take in any words."

He looked at Wufei and Heero and gave them a nod. The two boys went away with Pargon to prepare for a funeral. The day is hot and Hilde's body would start rotting in no time. Though neither said anything, they were nonetheless disturbed by the violent death of their ex-schoolmate.

Trowa carefully pried Hilde away from Duo. With light fingers, he closed her eyes.

" Avenge her," he said simply.

Relena moved to Sally and tried to comfort her. Dorothy passed her handkerchief to them. Duo looked around at them, glazed, as if he was not seeing anything but Trowa's words rang in his mind.

Avenge her avenge her avenge her avenge her avenge her avenge her…

Duo is a strong person. He would not fall down because of a setback. He would stand up again and defeat his opponents and win every obstacle. He would do what should be done. He would avenge Hilde and let him keep her company in hell!

He looked down at her limp and soulless body. Again, he cried. For he had lost someone dear to him.

*************************************************************

Duo lay the pure, white lilies at the headstone of Hilde's grave. The funeral was a hasty one because of the injuries that Hilde had suffered, her corpse cannot be left out in the open for long. When a magic practitioner dies of unnatural causes, his or her body would rot faster than a normal human being.

Relena would come later because she still has some matters to attend to. Sylvia and Dorothy stayed behind with her.

" Can you please leave me alone for a while?" he said to them. " I'll be all right, I just want to share some quiet moments with Hilde."

Without a word, they left him alone. This is, after all, not the first death they had encountered with someone close to them. Once they were out of Duo's sight, Sally said, " I should be going."

" Thank you so much, Sally," Noin said.

" Don't mention it. Hilde was my friend. Une helped a lot too. She is on our side now. She has recovered. She is now trying to help Treize. I believe he would be our ally in no time. See you soon."

She waved and walked away. The four boys, Zechs and Noin watched her till her shadow vanished. Then, it was Quatre's turn to speak.

" I should be going too."

" Quatre, do you know what you are saying?" Zechs asked him.

" Yes." He avoided their piercing stares. " I don't know but I have this feeling that so many have died because I have not done my part. I feel that I have caused their deaths. I feel that I'm useless…"

" It's not your fault," Heero said.

"Please, could you just let me leave?"

" You are only running away."

" Maybe I am…I just don't know what to do right now. It feels like my fault."

He took off from them, running away as far as his legs can carry him. Noin called after him but he did not look back.

" The problem with him is that he takes every single thing to the heart," Wufei analyzed. " That's what happen to people who are too gentle. They always blame themselves."

" Are we just going to let him leave?" Noin asked.

Trowa pinched his chin with his right thumb and forefinger. " I have a plan. But I would need every single one of you to help me."

" Count me in," Duo's voice came from behind them. " Don't worry, I'm okay. I just can't stay alone for long. Let me do something if not I would go crazy." He stuffed his hands inside his pockets.

Zechs thumped his back. Everyone was glad to see him.

Trowa understood his meaning. " That's the way. This is my plan…"