Crash and Burn

Part 3

Author: Nyneve

First off, thank you everyone so much for the wonderful reviews! You all make me feel so loved and keep up my discipline as a writer so that I don't slack off! So THANK YOU EVERYONE! YOU GUYS ARE ALL THE BEST! Um, so much for serious intros to this story, I guess. Let's see, announcements…oh yes. For everyone who's been reviewing "The Search for Usagi", I would like you all to know that is on hold until I finish either this story or OSP. Also, I asked before, and I'm asking again. READ THE SOVEREIGN OF SELENITY'S STORIES! Please? It would mean so much to her. She doesn't have nice readers like I do *tear*. And one more thing. For V-day, look for a one-shot Trowa/Setsuna romance appearing somewhere. I hope to have "Rose" posted by the end of the week, but we'll see. Okay, I've blabbed way too much. Time for me to shut up, and let you read. Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

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I groaned as I came crashing (rather painfully) back to reality. Whatever it was that knocked me out did a fairly decent job of it. My head was killing me.

"Oh, so you're awake, Miss Aino. That's your name, right?" a kind voice asked. I looked up to see the kind-looking blond boy sitting next to me. I was lying across a bunch of hard plastic chairs all anchored together, like the kind you see in waiting rooms.

The boy smiled at me then put a cold washcloth to my forehead. "I told them it wasn't necessary to knock you out. I apologize for any pain you might have felt."

"It's okay. I'm fine," I murmured, still half out of it. Then I realized what I said, and where I was, and whom I was talking to. I sat up straight.

"Where the hell am I? What are you guys going to do with me?" I cried, panic flooding me like a river in a storm.

"Just calm down for a moment, Miss Aino. This is already difficult enough," the boy said. I was about to turn around and start yelling at him, when someone beat me to it.

"DAMN YOU MAXWELL! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!" I heard someone yell. I saw the door burst open and the braided boy from before darted over and hid under the seats. In close pursuit was the Chinese boy.

"Eep! Come on Wu-man, it was just a joke!" the braided boy cried. That was when I saw the Chinese boy pull out a katana and point it at him.

"I cannot allow your insults to go unpunished. Prepare to die," he said.

"Um, would it be safe for me to ask why you're trying to kill him?" I asked. The Chinese boy glared at me.

"Since it seems you can't just mind your own business, onna, no," he snapped. I glared at him.

"My name is Mina, genius. MI-NA! If you're going to call me anything, that's what you're going to call me," I pointed out.

"Oh, hey she's awake!" the braided boy said, for the first time acknowledging my consciousness. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry I knocked you out. I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been forced to. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I replied hotly. "But I would like to know where I am and why you have brought me here."

The three boys looked at me, then at each other, then back at me. Sighing, the braided boy climbed out from under the seat and sat down next to me. To my horror, he began to put his arm around me. I shoved it aside. However, he didn't seem to notice.

"Well, the Prof. wants to see you. What you saw…we can't take any chances that you'll tell anyone," he remarked.

"It was a year ago. If I wanted to tell anyone, don't you think I would've by now?" I asked, knowing that my life was in danger.

"But you've stumbled onto too much more now, Miss Aino. It's not that we're worried you'd tell, but if anyone ever found out that you did know, your life could be threatened," the blonde commented.

"But isn't it already?" I asked quietly. "I'm at your mercy. Girls disappear all the time. I only have so many friends who would look for me and no family that would care if I was gone. All it would take would be one quick…"

"Don't tempt us. Now that the Professor has us killing political figures, we try to make sure all civilians are as safe as possible. We're not going to kill you unless we have to," the Chinese boy snapped.

This took me aback. Was there a chance that these three killers had a heart inside of them?

"Hey, weren't there two more of you? Heero and that other boy?" I asked suddenly, realizing the absence of the others.

"Trowa. They're talking with the Professor. Duo, I think you'd better let her know that Miss Aino's awake," the blond asked.

"Yeah, guess so," said the braided boy, who I assumed was Duo. He stood up, then grinned at me. "Don't worry. She's a killer, but she agrees that civilians deserve to be saved."

As he walked out of the room, I sighed and leaned back in the seat. "I feel so much better now…"

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A few minutes later, I followed the blonde boy and the Chinese boy out into the hallway. I still wasn't sure where I was. It appeared to be some sort of office complex, but I couldn't be sure. We walked down the hall until we came to a door marked "LABORATORY 12993". A red light was over it, but it wasn't on.

"Never go in there when the light is on. Never," the blonde warned, then reached for the doorknob. Just as he was about to turn it, he glanced back at me. There was sadness in his eyes.

"You must be very careful of your words and actions, Miss Aino. Your life does hang in the balance. If the Professor doesn't find it safe to let you live…" he paused.

"I don't want to know. Really, I don't. I just want to get this over with and go back to school," I replied. He nodded, and we went inside.

To this very day, I have never seen so many computers in one place. Simulators, desktops, laptops, and huge monitors were all over the lab. The two boys led me to the back, where there was a small sitting area with a bench, two plastic chairs, and a desk.

Duo, Heero, and the silent one called Trowa were sitting on the bench. When he saw me, Duo waved jovially. Heero just kind of glared, and Trowa didn't do anything. But it was who was seated at the desk that intrigued me most.

It was a drop-dead gorgeous woman in a long white labcoat. She had ivy-green hair in a partial bun, and the rest fell to her knees. She had maroon eyes that were studying me carefully, as if I were some strange diagram on one of the computer screens.

"Mina Aino," she said. Her voice was soft, but still stern.

I nodded weakly. "That's me."

"Please, be seated," she instructed, then pointed to one of the plastic chairs. I moved it so that it was in front of her desk, then sat down. Just then, a strange and disconnected thought went through my brain. Is this what it feels like to get in trouble?

Trouble. Something told me I had only seen the tip of that iceberg.

"Would it be all right if I address you as Mina?" the woman asked solemnly. Again, I nodded weakly. It was as if I couldn't talk back to her.

"Mina, my name is Professor Trista Meioh. I am the head of this foundation," she began. "The five gentlemen you met are Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, and Chang Wufei. They are five of my associates."

Associates? Did she mean cold-hearted assassins?

"Now Mina, I understand that a year ago, you stumbled upon my associates working on one of my projects. Is that correct?" she asked.

Projects. Associates. Who was this woman trying to kid? Suddenly, whatever spell I had been under was broken.

"Project? No, I did not stumble upon one of your projects. I saw five killers end the lives of two wonderful people who were doing nothing but good in the world!" I cried.

I expected the Professor to slap me. Yell at me. Give me a dirty look at the least. But to my surprise, she nodded in agreement.

"That may have been so. I was not there myself, so I cannot know what you have seen. However," she paused, and locked eyes with me. However, I stared right back. I wouldn't, and couldn't, back down now.

She continued. "Whatever it is you saw, I cannot endanger my reputation or those of my associates. All of this. All of my work," she motioned to the numerous computers. "It would all be in vain, do you understand? These studies must be carried out at all costs."

"Have you thought of the costs of lives? How many more people did you kill before I caught you that first time? How many before I caught you tonight? How many more people must die?" I yelled. Then, I thought back to the war a few years ago between the colonies and earth. "Doesn't fighting take away enough lives? Does science have to claim more?"

"Idiot! Don't you realize this is for the good of mankind? A few lives today that could save a thousand tomorrow!" Wufei cried.

The professor shot him a warning look. "That's enough Wufei."

He glared at me, then stepped back. The Professor returned her attention to me.

"Very well then. As I see it, we have two choices. Number one, I would like to accept you as one of my associates," she raised an eyebrow at me, and an amused look crossed her face. "I've seen your records many times, Mina. You're a very gifted person. Excellent at both athletics and academics. You would be a valuable asset."

Okay. This was too much.

"Sure. I'll join you. Maybe then I'll destroy a few colonies, and drop a couple of hydrogen bombs on major cities on earth," I snapped.

The Professor sighed. "Very well then. Gentlemen?"

I heard five ominous gun clicks. As I slowly turned around, I saw each boy was pointing a gun at me.

"You have a long life yet to live, Mina. There's so many great things you could do. Do you really wish to throw it all away?" the Professor asked softly.

I thought about her words. Sure, they could kill me. The school would find my bloody carcass in a strategic location. Everyone would mourn the loss of an honor student and champion athlete. Then, they'd go on. No one would care. Except me.

Right then, there was something I feared more than death. I was afraid I'd be forgotten. That I'd leave this world without making my mark on it. I just couldn't do that.

I took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll join you."

I heard a cry of joy as Duo dropped his gun and hugged me. "Yay! We don't have to kill the pretty girl!"

I blushed then shoved him off of me. "Don't do that."

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Well then, Mina. You can stay here for the night. In the morning, I'll have the school change your dorm and…" I cut the Professor off.

"Change my dorm? Why?" I asked.

"I'm sorry Mina. But we can't take the chance that your roommate will find out about us. I'll have you room with Duo, since he doesn't have a roommate," she said, then glared at Duo. "And you are to monitor her only, do you understand? She's still allowed her privacy."

Great. I was going to be an assassin, I was moving away from my best friend, and I had to share a dorm with an annoying idiot who had a crush on me. How could life get any better?

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Yay! R+R everyone!