Author's Notes: First I would like to say I am terribly sorry about the long wait. I guess I'll entertain you all with my excuse of being a junior in high school and having to worry about all those blasted tests and college requirements, and etc. There, that's my excuse and once again, I do apologize for the long delay. Now onto my other comments.
For those of you who have read She Walks in Beauty, you may have a better idea of what I'm talking about. I want to make sure you all know that I am not some anti-Wufei person. The way I portray him as such an anti-onna hot headed jerk at times is because he is the perfect antagonist out of the G-boys. So when and if you read Wufei being a jerk in my stories, it is all imperative to the plot.
This story is indeed an Alternate Reality, which means there will not be senshi and youmas and princesses from different planets.
Dedications:
Usagi Asia Maxwell: Sorry, but this is definitely not centered on Usagi, but thanks for the R/R!!
Tenshi: No, I'm afraid Heero and Rei aren't related in anyway. That's all I am going to say for now. ^_^
vegetasangel-1804: Yes, this story is definitely about Rei. Thank you so much for all your support for both stories! Two reviews for 1 chapter! *Beams happily*
kagerou: Sorry, Phoenix isn't Hotaru, but I assure you Hotaru will play a critical part in the plot.
Arella Hallo: Thanks so much for the encouragement, and I'm glad you like this story! Hopefully this chapter will meet your standards.
Fallen Firefly: Wow, glad you thought so highly of it! Thanks so much! *Hugs*
Fia: I'm glad you liked the Wufei scene at the end. It seemed to me like it would be a typical Wufei thing to say, doesn't it?
Priscilla: This will definitely be Rei-centered, but I think I will have some of the senshi integrated into the plotline, like with Ami in this chapter. But don't worry, Rei still had the spotlight.
Michelle Ann/Myst Lady: Thanks so much for your encouragement and support for both stories! Who knows, the pairings are still up in the air at the moment.
Princess Ren: I'm glad you like this story as much as SWIB. Don't worry, I totally understand where you're coming from. I like to have Rei in the spotlight as well. ^_^
Sidekickwannabe: There are actually more and more Rei fics coming out now, which I'm glad to see. Thanks for the R/R!!
nike13: You'll definitely find out in this chapter. Thanks for the R/R!
DragonStar: I'm glad you like it so far. Hopefully this chapter will be just as great.
Icyfire: As long as there are people like you who will R/R, I will definitely keep writing.
Mars Child: Sorry for the delay! I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner.
IsleofSolitude: Thanks for the encouragement! Update your story soon!
crossover-to-my-world: I'm glad you like my story. I definitely plan on continuing it, but if I don't, I'll let you know.
thescientist: Thanks for the sweet review! *Beams happily*
Hikari no Miko: Thanks for the support! I hope you like this chapter, too.
firenze: Thanks so much for the encouragement!
Cris: Rei/Trowa for his fic? Who knows, that might happen if I can think of a way I'd like to hook them up. But if you're craving R/T action, I'll have plenty of that for you in SWIB. (Yes, I'm a shameless self-promoter.) ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own SM or GW, but the story is mine.
=YESTERDAYS: Chapter 1=
By: miyaka
"Heero Yuy, working for Sanctuary?" Rei asked contemptuously. "Those bastards. I can NOT believe he is working for them."
Duo eyed her skeptically, as if doubting she even knew the full capacity and network of Sanctuary. She caught the pilot's look and muttered scornfully,
"Don't look at me like that. I know exactly what I am talking about."
Wufei cleared his throat, obviously irritated. "That really is great, but I would really prefer to discuss this back at HQ!"
"Like hell I am going back to Sanctuary with you guys!" Rei shot him a scathing glare that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand straight up. She had a glare that could that could melt even the coldest façade.
"I don't care whether you like it or not. I did not fly half way around the globe to rescue your ungrateful butt only to have you 'not feel like coming!'" Wufei started forward, as if to grab her. Only she fired a shot at his feet, sending him jumping backwards. In a second Duo had whipped out his gun and trained it at her. Any faster and he would have been like Heero.
"What are you going to do, shoot me?" Rei asked with a smirk, knowing full well he could not and would not.
"No, but I will."
Rei cursed as she whirled around, trying to put off a shot before he did. She didn't need to see him to know who it was. He was the one who had led the team that had captured her back at Carson. Too little, too late. Both Duo and the assailant fired at the same time. Luckily for Rei, Duo's shot distracted the Alliance red head. The bullet, originally meant for Rei's heart, settled for her shoulder. She let out a small grunt as the bullet lodged itself in her shoulder, silently cursing her misfortune before taking cover behind some crates.
"And who the hell is he?" Duo asked, ducking behind the same crates. Wufei had split the other direction, also taking cover behind crates.
"You can't escape, Phoenix! As you know, Calhoun is going to be here any minute now. And you know what's going to happen when he does." The man shouted from across the warehouse.
"Kiss my ass, Sadowsky." Rei snarled, viciously, all the while pressing her hand down on her wound to slow the bleeding.
"Anyday, Phoenix. Anyday."
Before Duo could stop her, Rei took off to the left, keeping herself as low to the ground as possible. He was about to follow in suit when a burst of gunfire halted his progress.
"Damnit!" He cursed as he was forced to duck back behind the crates.
"Give it up, Phoenix!" Sadowsky shouted again; this time his voice came from a different area.
Rei shook her head as she heard the man's taunt. Cocky bastard. He was outnumbered three to one, and here he was, still shooting off his mouth. There was no way she was going to let Sadowsky escape, without evening the score, and as of right now, he was two up. He was her ticket out of here, and if she wanted to make sure she stayed in one piece, she would half to act fast. She ignored the throbbing in her shoulder and kept her gun up, ready to be trained at a split second's notice. She crept along the crates, her eyes scanning the vicinity for any sign of the Alliance agent.
"What is taking so long?!" Trowa demanded from the com link. "The cavalry is less than five minutes away!"
"Grab the girl," Heero growled. "At all costs."
"Easy for you to say." Duo grumbled irascibly as he ducked and weaved through the crates, looking for the red head and for Phoenix. They needed to leave ASAP, and if he found her before he did the other agent, he was going to drag her to the roof if need be.
"Where is that onna? I swear, she's going to get us all killed. I say we just leave her," Wufei muttered as he swept through the warehouse.
"As if. You know full well we have to follow orders. Let's find her and get out of here."
Rei spotted the red head and quickly moved into position. She swept behind him and slammed the butt of her gun across his head. She would have to settle for sparing him for the time being. The next time she ran into him would be the last time she would run into him. As much as she wanted to kill him, she wanted him to know full well what had hit him. She attempted to haul his body behind some crates, but after several tugs where the body only moved a few inches, she found the task near impossible to accomplish with one hand.
She decided to leave him as he was and presently began stripping him down to his undershirt and boxers. She grabbed his jump suit and pulled it up over her own clothes before grabbing his black bullet proof vest, cap, guns, and com link. With a wistful sigh, she tossed her beanie down onto the ground; it had been one of her favorite beanies. She would have carried it on her if she could, but there was no place to put it, and if it was ever discovered, she would have some explaining to do.
Rei hid herself from the two remaining men in the warehouse. She could hear Duo speaking through his com link. Apparently they had to leave, without her. Shucks. Calhoun and his men were nearly on top of them. She heard the Chinese pilot mutter some obscene comment about her as he joined with the braided haired man, and she made a mental note to kick his butt for it if she ever came across him again. She waited until she was positive the chopper was gone before she stepped out from behind the crate and checked the vicinity.
Outside, bodies littered the ground among a burning mass of metal, which Rei had assumed was the car he had crashed into the warehouse. Heero had done his job well. The sound of approaching vehicles snapped her out of her reverie, and she ducked back into the warehouse, sprinting for the back exit. Just as she sprinted out the door, she could hear the numerous sounds of car doors being slammed shut. She paused for a moment, allowing for the time needed for them to make their way into the warehouse. She circled around the warehouse to the front, where only a few men were stationed.
She pretended to be out of breath as she barked to the sentry closest to her. "I need your car, immediately! Calhoun's orders!"
He hesitated, as if unsure of what to do. Rei mustered her best glare before holding her hand out, demanding the keys from him. "Well, come on! You know what kind of mood he's in! I would hate to be on the receiving end of his temper!"
That did it. The young man handed over the keys without a second thought. Rei grabbed it and jumped into the SUV. Without even bothering to buckle her seat belt, she switched on the engine and slammed down on the gas pedal, leaving behind an utterly bewildered young man.
"And so we were forced to extract before we had the opportunity to retrieve our cargo." Quatre leaned back into his plush, leather seat as he finished his debriefing to the computer. The other pilots were in the room as well, but as usual, Quatre was the one to relate the mission to the computer. He was, afterall, the one with the photographic memory.
"So we have no confirmation that Phoenix is still alive." The female, robotic voice stated monotonously.
"No, we don't," Duo muttered impatiently, "but we do know that Phoenix is a she, and not a he. She was also shot in the shoulder, so we should have agents waiting at hospitals to pick her up when she admits herself."
Heero shook his head in disagreement. "No, she's too good for that. She would rather amputate her entire arm off before being treated at a hospital. She knows that's where both the Alliance and Sanctuary will go looking for her."
"So how is she going to remove the bullet from her shoulder? She's not just going to let that thing sit in her."
"No, she's not." Heero agreed, ignoring the probing looks his friends were giving him.
"Then what is she going to do?"
Exactly what I would do, Heero thought silently.
The apartment complex was located in the middle of the city. The young agent had no idea why anyone would choose to live smack dead in the center of the city, where traffic was always horrible during all hours of the day, and where no one had any privacy except in the confines of the building walls. Despite all these drawbacks, the apartment was lavishly decorated and aesthetically pleasing to the senses. As she waited for the occupant to return, she couldn't help but wonder how much apartments like these were going for nowadays.
She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard someone inserting a key into the lock and then the sound of the lock turning. She trained her gun directly at the door, waiting for the person to walk straight into the line of her gun barrel.
Ami pushed open the door and flicked on the lights before seeing the young woman with the gun pointed at her head. Her heart slammed into her throat as she dropped her keys, fear pounding through her veins. It took her a moment or two to fully recognize the woman.
"Jeez, Rei! You have to stop doing that. I'm way too young to have a heart attack." She reproved her friend before grabbing her keys from the floor and placing them on the table.
"Sorry, Ames." Rei lowered the gun before motioning to her shoulder. "I need your help getting this thing out of me." When Ami spotted the bloody wound, she immediately rushed to her friend's side.
"I thought I told you to be careful!" Rei winced as her friend gently inspected the wound. The blue haired genius noticed her friend's grimace and muttered, "Serves you right for getting shot. How many more times does this have to happen before I can convince you to take a desk job?"
"You know that's never going to happen," Rei answered as she looked away from her wound. She never did like watching other people dig bullets out of her, but then again, who did?
Ami stood up, motioning for Rei to follow her into the bathroom where all the blood could be cleaned up easily. "It's not as bad as it looks, but you would have made my life a lot easier if the bullet had gone through."
"I begged for it to lodge itself in my shoulder," Rei bit caustically as she sat down in the bathtub. Ami shot her a reprimanding look before heading into another room to get her instruments. This was the same routine they had performed so many times that either of the two girls could have played it out in their sleep. Of course, each time Rei came with a different injury, and as always, Ami patched her up as best she could. And this time would be no different. An hour later, Rei was fed, the bullet was out of her shoulder, and she was on her way to her own hideaway.
Ami had just finished purging her bathroom of blood when she heard the knock on her front door. The young woman sighed. Tonight was simply one of her busy nights. She had yet to eat dinner or even catch a breather. What was it about tonight that brought the entire world to her doorstep? She stepped up to the peephole, observing the man standing outside her door. She sighed again. Figures. Why shouldn't he drop by as well? She opened the door and greeted an impassive Heero Yuy and told him what he came to hear.
"You just missed her. Ten minutes ago."
He nodded his thanks and Ami closed the door. Ami knew Heero hadn't bothered to ask where Rei went because he knew she had no clue about Rei's whereabouts or anything else for that matter, and Ami knew exactly what Heero had wanted to know. Just like Rei's coming and going was routine, so were Heero's ten second visits. Unbeknownst to Rei, Heero had kept tabs on her. He never knew what mission she was involved in, but he knew about even injury she had ever accumulated. And Ami had never questioned the stoic man, knowing full well she would never get any answers even if she did ask. All she needed to know was that the two of them had a long history together, one that she did not care to entangle herself in.
"What did she look like?" Calhoun asked the young man for the nth time, enjoying the way the novice was cowering before him. He loved grilling people, and he was notorious for his interrogation techniques. Even those with the coldest hearts were reduced to whimpering puppies when Calhoun was through.
"P-Pretty, s-sir! V-Vio-Violet eyes, s-sir!" The young man choked out as sweat poured down his face. Calhoun stared at the soldier, his icy blue eyes piercing a quivering hazel. The Hound knew the interrogation was coming to an end. He had gotten everything out of the young man more than an hour ago. Now it was simply about satisfying his desire to see the brunette squirm in fear.
His fascination with the agent known as Phoenix had skyrocketed after her latest escape from the Alliance, and crippled nonetheless. He had never had the opportunity to see Phoenix, and he had always considered him to be his arch-nemesis, one he fantasized often about taking down him down to pummel his glorious career into an even high zenith. But alas, the Phoenix turned out to be a gorgeous wench. Perhaps another part of him could be satisfied with her capture. His lips curled into a vicious snarl. Yes, he was definitely looking forward to his next meeting with the beautiful minx, but for now, he would have to satisfy himself with ripping the brunette soldier into little pieces.
There was not a single car out on the street, except for her own. Rei's Audi TT shot down the desolate road, eager to return home. It was times like these that Rei hated driving a stick shift. The medication Ami had given her for the operation had worn off, and now her shoulder was constantly throbbing, especially after each time she moved her arm. She would definitely have to pay Sadowsky back one day. Humiliation was simply not enough for this kind of discomfort.
Rei settled herself in her favorite leather armchair with a glass of white wine in one hand. She took a long sip of her wine before placing it down on the wooden table, closing her eyes at the same time and letting the wine sooth her senses. She signed as the sounds of a piano concerto emanated from the speakers of her stereo, wrapping around her in with its mellifluous melody. Her senses had been all garbled, especially after realizing Heero Yuy had been part of the extraction team Sanctuary had sent for her. Just the mention of his name flooded her mind with suppressed memories, memories she had pushed to the inner most recesses of her mind. She took another sip of her wine as flashes of her past played across her mind.
"Heero Yuy, what on Earth are you doing to me?"
Early the next morning, nine individuals sat around a long oak conference table. In front of each of them was a computer flat-screen protruding from the table, and on that screen was the debriefing file of the latest mission. The nine of them had been discussing the spurning actions of the legendary Phoenix.
"Is this the kind of appreciation she shows us? We send in our best team, and this is what we get in return?" The man in the first seat rumbled angrily. His deep baritone voice reached all corners of the large room.
"We don't have time to wait around for her. She is either with us, or against us." Another man agreed with the first.
"It's not as simple as black and white, Mario. She could be a valuable asset to us, to the entire network, to our project!" The woman seated obliquely from him argued fervently. Her silky blonde hair had been pulled up into a tight bun, surrounding her in an air of sophistication and making her look older than she actually was.
"Yes, but how many times has she burned us? She is playing us for fools!"
"And how many times have we burned her?!"
"Where have you been?" Duo questioned as he confronted his friend, who had just entered the penthouse. The Shinigami had been waiting for Heero for quite some time now. Questions about Heero's connection to Phoenix had been racing through his mind all night. There was no doubt that there was something going on between the two, but he wasn't quite sure what it was.
"Out," Heero muttered, tossing his keys onto the countertop before striding into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, grabbed his carton of orange juice, and began gulping it down.
Duo's lips quirked as his curiosity began to take over. He wanted to know how Heero became acquainted to such a bombshell, especially one of extraordinary skill. He studied the Perfect Soldier, wondering if all his late nights out and occasional disappearances were somehow linked.
"How is it that the Phoenix knows who you are?" Duo asked, his keen lavender eyes gauging Heero's reaction.
Heero stuffed the carton back into the fridge before calmly answering, "She and I used to train together at the same place when we were little. That's all."
Duo arched an eyebrow but decided to let the subject slide for the moment. He decided a change in subject was in order. "We received another mission while you were out last night. Apparently Sanctuary has gotten word that the Alliance is on the move again. Recently five scientists disappeared from Geno Inc. Sanctuary believes the Alliance is responsible and is transporting them to a shuttle. Our job is to make sure they don't reach outer space."
"Just tell me when and where."
Early morning joggers were taking advantage of the high school track, and among them was a raven haired beauty. She had taken a couple of laps as her warm-up before heading onto the field, stopping next to a beautiful blonde. Rei spread her legs and bent down, placing her palms on the floor and stretching as far as she could.
"What do you have for me, Minako?"
The blonde was lying on the ground with one leg pulled back, her eyes closed to keep the sun out. "Five scientists have disappeared from Geno Inc. At first, the company tried to keep it hushed up, pretending that they were out with the flu."
"And you're obviously not buying this because?" Rei asked, leaning to the left and grabbing her ankle.
"Because the five missing are the top researchers at Geno Inc. They were all working on the same project, exactly what I don't know yet, but it was something big. We think the Alliance is behind it, or perhaps the scientists are working for the Alliance. The only definitive thing we have is that they are booked on a flight to Houston, Texas tomorrow afternoon. I've been told that their data is stored on a laptop that one of the scientists is carrying. Maybe if you can get a hold of that, it could be the break you need to find Hotaru."
Rei was silent for a moment and she switched to her right ankle. Minako was right; this could be the break she was looking for. "Thanks for the heads up."
"Don't mention it. And Rei? Be careful. Sanctuary is on this one, too."
"Welcome to United Flight 723. This is your Captain speaking." Quatre tuned out the rest of what the Captain was saying over the intercom, knowing it wasn't anything important and worth listening to. He buckled his seat belt before leaning back in his chair, waiting for take off. The scientists were several rows in front of him, already enjoying the first class benefits of fine wine. The blonde turned around, his eyes meeting calm, emerald ones. Satisfied, Quatre turned back around and waited.
Further down the plane, Duo watched the flight attendant as she took her seat. It really was a pity the attendant had a hunched back. He had caught a glimpse of the brunette's face, and it was quite a lovely face. Without her hunched back, Duo would have considered her to be a babe, but alas, it was too hard for him to overlook her condition. It really was a shame. The Shinigami sighed as he diverted his attention back to the mission.
It was about a third of the flight through when the Captain's voice came over the intercom again. This time, there was a slight sense of urgency in his voice. "This is your Captain speaking. I am afraid there has been a decreased in cabin pressure. I am releasing the oxygen masks. Please put them on for precautionary measures." Just as he finished speaking, the masks toppled down from the upper compartments, causing the passengers to glance at each other in alarm before grabbing the masks.
Inside the cockpit, Rei set the plane for a lower altitude and on auto-pilot before motioning for both pilots to put the masks on. When they protested, she cocked her gun for good measure, causing both pilots to comply instantly. 'Whoever came up with ceramic guns was a genius,' Rei thought with satisfaction as the pilots slumped against the dashboard. Wasting no time, she exited the cockpit and into the first class cabin where everyone was out cold. She grabbed the laptop, pulling it out from under the scientist whose head had been slumped against the computer. Now, to get off the plane.
"Hand it over, Rei."
Heero kept his gun trained on the flight attendant. He had to give her credit; she sure was the master of disguises. If she wasn't the only other conscious person on the plane, he would never have suspected her true identity. Even he, the Perfect Soldier, would have dismissed her as an unfortunate soul.
Rei slowly turned around to face him. 'God, he looks exactly the same.' She smirked as she sized him up, a cocky façade immediately washing over her. "You know I won't, Heero. This might be what I need to find Hotaru."
"You should be resting that shoulder."
"The shoulder is fine. You have to let go of the past, Heero." Rei answered stiffly, avoiding his eyes. She knew full well what mystifying power those Prussian orbs held.
"You have no where to go."
Rei simply shook her head before pulling open the door. Before Heero could stop her, she jumped out of the plane, just missing the engine. She grimaced as she attempted to discard her jacket, ignoring the pain throbbing in her shoulder as she struggled to get the sleeves off while holding onto the laptop. Apparently with her injured shoulder, it was one too many things for her to do. Biting her lip, Rei let the laptop drop and immediately continued to discard the jacket. As soon as she was free, she arched her body so that she was in a dive, heading straight downwards for the laptop. Moments later, Rei managed to grab the laptop, and after securing it to her person, released her parachute. Tears automatically welled in her eyes as she cried out in agony. The force of the parachute jerking her back was more than her injured shoulder could take, shooting forth waves of pain. She had to concentrate just to remain conscious. Whatever was on that laptop had better be worth it.
"What do you mean Sanctuary has the files and the scientists?!" The woman shrieked, causing everyone in the same room to wince and cower in fear. Her emerals eyes were blazing with fury as she glared at the attendants in the room. "How could you have let this happen?!"
"W-We—"
"Shut up you imbeciles! Get Squeak on the line now! I want a full report on my desk before the hour is over. And where the hell is Calhoun? I want him in my office right now! Immediately!"
"Y-Yes m-ma'am!"
Back at Sanctuary HQ, the five Gundam pilots were waiting for some word on the current situation. They were hoping the five scientists would give them the info they needed about what the Alliance was working on. While they were waiting, four of the five pilots still could not believe that Phoenix had outsmarted them yet again. It was beginning to sound like a broken record, one with the female agent always coming out on top. Duo, especially, was having a hard time accepting the fact that the flight attendant that had gained his sympathy at a moment's glance was actually Phoenix. The other three were upset about falling for the oxygen mask trick, and Heero was simply preoccupied by his own thoughts.
The door slid open and in walked their handler, a somber woman of thirty-three. Her evergreen hair swished behind her as she approached the young men. "The scientists refuse to cooperate without the laptop. All they are telling us right now is that they were experimenting on some form of gene alteration. Their data was stored in two places: the laptop and the central computer back at Geno Inc. Sanctuary is planning on sending out a message over the net, alerting Phoenix that it is imperative she bring the laptop in immediately.
"If she does not, she will be branded as a traitor and an enemy of Sanctuary. If this should happen, the network will invest all its resources and man power in tracking her down. Retrieving the data is now our priority. We want to know exactly what is on that computer, and I am telling you know, pray that she turns herself in."
The public library was immense; as soon as Rei walked in, she knew Ami would have loved it. The library was pretty empty, except with a few students here and there. Rei found herself a private study room in the back and settled down, immediately turning on the laptop. She was surprised that no password was required; apparently the scientist had not thought something of this magnitude would have occurred. She opened the Geno.doc file and began reading the word document, her eyes growing wider and wider with each word she read.
"We have good news, ma'am," Calhoun informed calmly, meeting his boss' piercing gaze without a single qualm. "Sanctuary does not have the files. Phoenix does."
"And that is good news?!" Everyone in the room except Calhoun cringed in fear.
Calhoun nodded before explaining, 'Yes, that is excellent news. Despite Phoenix's—extraordinary reputation, she is only one person. With the combined resources of both Sanctuary and the Alliance, we will manage to smoke her out and reacquire the disk."
The woman leaned back into the chair, as if contemplating what he had just said. "Well, since you put it that way, I suppose it is good news. I am putting you in charge of the operation. Don't make me regret it."
"The Hound never disappoints." He gave her a slight nod before heading towards the door.
"Oh, and Calhoun? Do something about the scientists. They know what the consequences are for betrayal."
"Yes, ma'am."
Ami had just finished making herself a cup of tea when the long expected knock on her door came. After confirming it was indeed Rei, she opened the door to let her old friend in.
"How's the shoulder?" Her large aquamarine eyes automatically shifted to her friend's shoulder.
Rei waved it off, her eyes making a perfunctory sweep of Ami's living room. "It'll heal. Right now, I have more important things to worry about."
"I heard on the news. That freak accident on the plane. I thought you had something to do with it."
"Listen Ami," Rei murmured, cutting straight to the chase. Her thoughts were still jumbled with everything she had read hours before at the library. "The Alliance is working on gene alteration, targeting specific genes in the body. It lies dormant in the person until the Alliance decides to activate it. I'm not quite sure how it works."
Ami frowned, her genius mind trying to work wonders with the limited information she had. "The only thing I can think of is that it is some extreme form of mind control. If the alteration remains dormant until activation, I am assuming they can turn the person on and off like a switch."
"Sanctuary wants me to bring the intel in, or else they label me as the enemy."
"Then Rei, turn yourself in! Otherwise you're going to have both organizations after you!" Ami cried out in alarm, her concern for her friend etched across her friend. She always knew her friend's life was always hanging precariously by a thin thread, but this was pushing it too far. This was cutting that already impossibly thin thread in half. "Better Sanctuary than the Alliance, right?"
Rei shook her head. "No, not actually. Sanctuary is just as corrupted. Why do you think Minako resigned? Besides, you know how I hate ultimatums."
Ami bit her lip before raking a hand through her short hair. "This isn't about pride anymore, Rei. Sanctuary can help you."
"No, I don't trust Sanctuary. I never will. I have had time to think, Ami, and you know what? That whole operation smells funny. In fact, it reeks. Something wasn't right. The Alliance wouldn't let their five leading scientists walk into the plane like that without more precautions."
"What does it matter? What does matter is that your head is going to be on every agent's hit list! Is there anyway I can convince you otherwise??"
"No, I'm afraid not, Ami. I'm going to get Hotaru back with this stuff." She glanced at her watch before flashing her friend a rueful smile. "I'm afraid I've already stayed long enough."
"At least let me make sure your shoulder is alright." At Rei's consent, the two women headed to the bathroom. Minutes later, Rei was all patched up and out the door. As soon as Ami shut the door, Heero materialized out of the shadow, causing her heart to jump at the sudden sight of him.
"Jeez, you would think I'd be used to all this cloak and dagger by now." Ami mumbled to herself before shooting Heero an I-told-you-so-look.
He raked a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his normally impassive face. "At least you tried. I wasn't expecting her to change her mind anyway. She never does."
"No, she doesn't." Ami murmured softly, wondering how Rei managed to live such a complicated and dangerous life and managed to still look like a super model. She, herself, felt like she was getting gray hairs from worrying about what Rei could be doing at the same moment she was taking a bath or reading a book.
"Thanks, Ami. I owe you." Heero snapped her out of her reverie, motioning to the small gadget he was holding in his hand.
"Make sure she stays safe, and we'll call it even."
Darkness was the first and last thing she ever saw. She groaned as the pain in her head continued to throb. She had lost all sense of time, not knowing how long she had been here or what time of day it was. Her meals were slid in at irregular intervals through a hole in the door, which closed immediately after the food was pushed in. Sometimes she received three meals a day, if it actually was a day, and other times she received food once every God knows how long. The food was also drugged every once in a while, also at irregular intervals.
"H-Hello?" Her voice came out scratchy and unclear. Ever since she got here, she had not caught a single glimpse of anything living. She couldn't even hear voices of people talking, often making her wonder if there was anything beyond her barred door. "C-Can anyone hear me?"
She sat up on her cot, swinging her feet so that they were touching the cool, tile floor. Slowly, she made her way across the room, her hands outstretched to prevent herself from running into the wall when she came across it. She took small steps, placing one foot in front of the other as she walked across the room at a snail's pace. When her hands came in contact with the wall, she began patting the wall, searching for the light switch.
A minute later, she found the switch, and covering her eyes with one hand, flicked it on. She slowly allowed the light to peek in through the cracks between her fingers, letting her eyes slowly adjust to the sudden change. She had learned the first time how painful it could be to go from utter darkness to utter brilliance in the matter of a second.
She finally removed her hand from her eyes and slowly opened them, only to shriek in horror at what she saw. She was not the only one in the room. A woman was sitting next to her bed, right next to her cot where she had been sleeping for who knows how long. The woman had jet black hair, and pale, sickly features. But that was not what frightened the young girl. Her eyes, her eyes were of the darkest onyx she had ever seen. Staring into them was like staring into a black hole, a dark abyss that plummeted to no end. What also unnerved her was the fact that the woman had not answered her call. How long had she been sitting there, watching her? Her features twisted into a sardonic smile, one that did not meet her eyes.
"Hello, Hotaru. I trust you slept well?"
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And that's the end of Chapter 1! I certainly hope this was worth the wait, and if it wasn't, I apologize in advance. Comments, suggestions, ideas are always welcome. There are still many twists and turns in the plot, and hopefully you'll all like the upcoming chapters! Btw, if you want to be notified the next time I update (since I seem to take so long) drop me a line at inspirationdrifts@yahoo.com and I'll add you to my mailing list! Thanks so much for reading, and please review!