Twist of Fate
Chapter 12
By: IQ

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Refer to past chapters for details.

*Hotaru's POV*

We arrived at 'the Island', as Isis knew we would, on time. The helicopter landed on the small lake, next to the dock, and standing there with more of her 'minions' was Isis. She looked like she always did-- elegant, charming, every-youthful. Not in all the years I had known her had her physical appearance ever changed.

Daea straightened up in her seat and stared long and hard at Isis. Something was up with those two. I made a mental note to find out later. Makoto looked up and smiled. Weakly, in my opinion. She was still feeling sorry for herself. With the help of the 'minions' we were able to be set onto the dock unscathed. Men are so dumb, always thinking we need their help.

Isis nodded in a satisfied manner, then said "hello, girls."

I nodded my response, as did Daea, but Makoto coolly said, "Hey."

"Follow me, please," Isis ordered and turned around, walking back to the mansion/underground base. We followed without another word, walking on bricked pathways through the wildlife. I was pretty sure that all of us had been here before, but still...It was stunning. The area was so green and beautiful and warm.

The island itself was a very small thing compared to others. Not enough to put ona map at least, or even name. I had always assumed that Isis had bought it legally. She didn't seem like the stealing type, not when it came to personal things at least.

Abruptly, Isis swung off the path, the 'minions' clearings the way through thick foliage. Then we were in a clearing, staring at what Mako and I referred to as 'Heaven's Home.' Inside joke.

Isis led us inside and through the maze of corridors and passageways, finally depositing us in somehting like an old English parlor. The 'minions' had left us when we arrived at the house, until finally it was just us girls. "Hey Isis, sorry we got caught. Our bad. We let down our guard too completely," Daea said while plopping down on one of the antique-looking couches. "Do not worry about it," Isis smiled secretively, "What was meant to happen will, regardless."

"Oh..." Daea muttered, looking somewhat confused. Isis was good at that, confusing people, I mean.

"Girls, I wanted to congratulate you on all your hard work. Thanks to you, I finally finished my collection," Isis smiled then, happily. Curious as I was, I stayed silent then, leaning against the wall. I knew Isis would tell us if she really wanted us to know.

"Oh, nevermind," I sis said, waving a hand vaguely in the air. "You remember that mission I sent you on a few months ago? The one where you broke into Winner Corps?"

"Of course," I said finally, "I'm very curious about what was on that disk." After all, the famous Gundam pilots were after us because of it. "I'll show you," Isis said and flipped a switch. The wall behind me slowly pulled away, leading into an elevator. I knew there was something funny about that wall.

"Please, all of you step into the elevator."

I did so first, Daea and Makoto following me. Isis stepped in then and the metal doors closed. Behind them, I could hear the stone grating as the wall moved back into place. The elevator moved down and opened up into a giant under...hanger, separated from the rest of the base. It appeared that there were two entrances, both of them were elevators. A bit creepy, but nothing out of a sci-fi novel.

Around the edges lined up were...Oh my God. I heard Daea gasp in astonishment and saw Makoto's jaw drop. My eyes simply widened, but I was not less shocked than they.

Gundams.

Five very large, very powerful, very beautiful, very illegal Gundams. Each one a different color, equipped with different weapons, each one simply astounding. I recognized them immediately as being based on the old Gundams, outwardly at least, with a few modifications.

Heavyarms, Sandrock, Deathscythe, Shenlong, and Wing.

"What...why?" Makoto stuttered out. Daea looked at Isis and nodded approvingly. I did too, even though I was a bit confused on why we were rebuilding the Gundams in a time of peace. "I have two new missions for you girls," Isis stated. We all turned and looked at her expectantly.

"Hotaru, you must break into the Winner residence and return this disk." She held out the very same disk I had risked my and my friends' lives to steal. I had questions, but resolved to keep quiet. "Also, you must record the Pilots' brainwaves using a device I will provide you." I nodded, knowing this would mean a lot of sneaking around. Grrreat.

"Daea and Makoto," she continued, "You must go into outerspace and steal a shipment of Lizophyrenate-Oxide. The entire thing. Details will be in the folder you'll receive on your way out. Amon, see them out," Isis finished.

One of the 'minions', who was now known as Amon, stepped up and told us to followhim. He took us up the other elevator, which let us out in the main corridor upstairs, and stood in front of three doors. "There are you rooms. You are to change quickly and assume your new identities. Proceed downstairs," he said indicating to the nearby staircase, "With your provided luggage. Mission perameters are located within the luggage. I will be awaiting you downstairs." Amon finished and walked off. He walked like he had a stick up his butt.

Each of the room had a small card in the hotel-like lock. An "H" for Hotaru, a "D" for Daea, and an "M" for Makoto. I entered my own room and observed it.

The room was hospitally clean, and there were two bags seated at the end of the bed. Both were brown leather, but one was designed to be a carry-on. Both were lined with athoranin, a material designed to block out Customs scanners. Only the best from Isis.

There was a pocket folder lying on the bed too. I picked it up and noticed the ID first. I was now to be known as "Kao-len Maa." I had long brown hair, which was going to be a wig, I noted wryly, and brown eyes. Very nondescript.

Information about 'me' was provided on one sheet of paper, including my new address. On the bed as well were a pair of cafe au lait dress slacks, a cream sleeveless turtleneck, and a dark brown wool peacoat. There were a pair of contacts also, and a pair of matching stiletto boots on the ground.

Quickly I stripped out of my dress while scanning the sheet of mission perameters, trying to see Isis' reasoning behind all this. By the time I got done, Daea and Makoto were already out there waiting.

"What are you guys supposed to be?" I asked, eyeing their costumes.

"I'm supposed to be a rich heiress. I'm going to the Sanq Kingdom to regain my long-lost fortune," Daea explained. Her white hair had been cut to a bob and dyed and deep burugndy color. Her eyes were still the same icy blue color as before, and she wore black leather pants and a deep violet peasant shirt. She looked more like a punk than a rich heiress, but I guessed it was part of the character.

"And you?" I asked, indicating Mako.

"I'm a professor of anthropology." She said darkly. She did look like a professor in her grey suit and pumps, except the blond wig was a little too...teenie-bopper-ish, but she'd gotten to keep her original eye color.

"So shall we?" Daea ventured. Makoto nodded with a silly grin, and linked her arm through Daea's. "We shall," she said. We walked downstairs together, and sure enough, there was Amon. "You are all ready, I presume."

"Yes, we are," I answered in an equally cold, emotionless voice. He nodded and led us outside, through the wilderness again and back to the helicopter where we boarded. There wre two men inside already, take for take-off. Amon quietly disappeared the way we had come.

Then we were flying over the vast blue-green ocean again, and landing in a small town, but still big enough to have an airport in Australia. From there my comrades and I parted ways, each going a different way to the same place.

Good luck to you all, I though as I walked away.


AN: That's it for that chapter. In the next part we'll go through the girls settling in to their new lives, and Hotaru's mission. Please review! ^______^ (::yawn:: I'm so sleepy now...)