A Diamond So Dark...
Occurrences after Mercy's Sacrifice and the Sequel
Disclaimer: We do not own anything affiliated with Gundam Wing or its creations. Angela does own the plot and in helping, I revised and wrote the story. A joint creation. Any original characters along with Blacke Diamond sprung from either her or my own minds.
~+~ Chapter 5~+~ Mission: Almost Complete
Feeling the concrete, damp and icy cold beneath him, Heero listened to the stifled sobs of the six who were in the same area as he. The youth had stopped his struggle, now barely conscious and fighting for that small prize with every ounce of fleeting strength he had. Yet it was useless for the time, maybe it would all be useless. He'd broadcasted the message to all, even to OZ. Maybe Trowa would figure it out first, or so he'd hoped. If OZ did, then they'll be treated for their injuries and can deal with the other soldiers later. Or maybe the Alliance would, or someone else. They just couldn't stay there or they'd all die. Groaning softly and trying to shift his weight, the youth felt his dislocated shoulder pinch the muscles in his arm as he lay atop it, causing him to bite hard on the leather gag and his attempts to stifle his growl and cry of anguish were futile. Taking panting breaths, though they grew even more shallow and more forced, the youth slipped in between consciousness and unconsciousness, all a shadowed blur except for the tormenting pain and his stubborn fever. Blood, his blood, slowly ceased its flow as it crept and oozed over the floor, pooling slowly around him. Yet why, why was he still fighting for life when so many times before he'd *tried* to die, to relinquish himself of the tormenting and plaguing memories and pain? Why was he even trying to fight for each moment of existence? The others could very well take care of themselves and he could easily let himself die here and now. So then why was he still struggling to live? Then a thought struck him, because his missions were not yet completed, and the others still needed his help as he needed them. Just as Quatre had fought so long and grueling with his pneumonia just a few months back. Because he now had something to *live* for.
~ + ~
Takuchie looked over his men scurrying about, watching all being packed and readied to transport out of the base. Because of Heero's message--they found his name as well in the OZ files--they were going to quickly escape the base and move onto the next. It may be hidden underground, but that didn't mean that OZ or the Alliance still couldn't attack and ruin everything. Well, as long as they didn't let themselves be obvious about everything, they'd be fine. Their monitors and radars didn't show any incoming mobile fleets or anything else threatening, so things didn't look too bad. "Why are you slowing down? Hurry up and get everything loaded onto the trucks, get the prisoners taken care of as well. Leave the ones in the shadow hall for now, they're of no concern." With a calm voice, he spoke his commands which were just as powerful as if he'd barked them with a booming voice.
"Sir!! We have an incoming air craft! It's larger than a leo, virgo, or taurus! It's heading straight for us sir!" Looking over the screens, the officer tried to pull up exactly what they were looking at.
"What is it?" Growing louder and retaining his composure, the young man took control but looked at his men in concern.
"It's a Gundam! It's 05 Takuchie, sir!"
Smirking, Takuchie looked about. "Get everything ready and out! Officer, give me the other able men and all mobile suits! We'll meet him head on!"
~ - ~
Trowa knew the plan, skillfully and quietly making his way to the base. He'd enter it and get the others freed while Wufei kept the soldiers busy. They weren't for sure how many suits he'd be up against or who, but that was a chance they were taking. Gun poised by his side and ready, he quickly and silently made his way to the base area, where the "supposed" entrance was, slipping through the shadows and concealing his form within them. Trowa was fairly positive that they were expecting a battle, not anyone to infiltrate their base, but either way--he was cautious. Smirking, the youth found the entrance, covered on the side of a small hill, but not very well. Wow, they *were* stupid...
Wufei watched carefully within Nataku's cockpit, keeping a keen eye out for anything that could depict a battle. He wouldn't get too close to the base, his job was to lure them from the area and destroy the enemy. To rescue all fifty-five students and the teachers was left in the hands of his acrobatic comrade, a larger job to handle on his own but the youth had assured he could manage. Grinning when mobile suits started to appear, Wufei spoke gently. "Well Nataku, they've done a great injustice to us and the others. They wish to keep this war going so much longer than it ever should and wish to hurt the innocents. Let's teach them a lesson..." The Gundam seemed to wish just as much, its speed increasing and the controls falling fully into the young warrior's adept hands. And the youth took them, his grin falling and turning into seriousness. "Those who are weak should not fight! You are blinded by your own ambitions to see the difference between right and wrong!" Catching the small fleet rush him head on, Wufei flew straight into them, stopping abruptly and using his dragon claws to take out two mobile suits, throwing them back into the others to disable yet more. They were not only weak fighters, but very unskilled in battle and it would be their downfall.
Coughing and groaning softly, Duo felt the onslaught stop as he sat helpless, suspended in mid air. What was going on?! The vibrations in the air within the room along with the thundering blasts that reverberated within the small chamber spoke of a battle. With who though? OZ? The Alliance? Sally's rebel troops? His friends, Wufei and Trowa? WHO?! Oh, this was going to drive him crazy until he finally figured it out! Well, there was an upside, the shouts and sounds of retreating footsteps told him that he would be spared for now. Yet more questions plagued his mind. For how much longer? Would he be taken captive by someone else? Was he going to be freed? Was he just going to hang there and no one find him? That thought struck home, being there for any longer and the youthful American was certain he'd waste away painfully without anything to eat or drink for the rest of a tormenting life. 'No!! I don't wanna stay here and feel like an idiot and starve to death!! That isn't cool! Someone better find me or I swear.... this is *so* not cool!' The words he'd spoken in his mind seemed to echo within his ears. Yet still, he was also reminded of how truly hungry he was, by his guess, it'd been about three days now! THREE?! 'ARGH!!! THIS ISN'T FAIR!!!' Giving a soft whimper, Duo struggled to get out of his restraints but at moving his leg, a growl escaped his throat. 'Oh, someone is *seriously* going to pay!!'
Then his mind drifted to yet other subjects. What had they done to "punish" Quatre? And what about Heero? How was he fairing? He didn't even try to struggle or put up a fight when they took him from the room; he didn't even make a sound. THAT usually wasn't a good sign. 'Hang on guys, I know help is on the way and if it isn't, I won't let you down... Wufei, Trowa, that had better be you or I swear to that too that...' Giving a frustrated sigh, the youth let his chin fall to his chest and tried again to pull his hands from the handcuffs, feeling the metal edges dig sharply into his wrists.
Trowa kept amongst the shadows, going undetected along the base and into the main area where most of the soldiers seemed to have left to battle, the few remaining loading the prisoners onto the trucks. 'Now, they won't take the prisoners out during the battle...' the young man thought quickly, 'and if I release fire to go ahead and get them out of here, it would be useless for they'd be turned against us. I have to find the other three...' Taking his small battery pack that hung on his jean waist band, the youth turned it on and sunk further within the shadows. "Wufei..." His voice was soft with its usual poise and steel nerve as he contacted his battling friend, speaking softly into the small head set and intercom.
Smirking and listening to his comrade's voice, Wufei answered back. "In already? If you aren't anywhere to finding the others, I might just have to let them win some and get the upper hand, because children fight with more skill than this!" Pulling back as if they were driving him away and overpowering them, the Chinese warrior didn't become arrogant but let a teasing grin grace his lips.
"I'm working on it... if you see any of the trucks leaving the base though, be careful and just stop them. There are quite a few cargo trucks but a few of the covered trucks are holding the prisoners. I don't see Heero or Duo yet... some more of the prisoners are still held within other quarters." Stopping for a minute as two soldiers passed, he waited for them to do so and then passed out the door behind them. He dare not be seen, for fear of putting the others in trouble and he still didn't know for sure what he was truly up against. It was a blind mission, they were fighting on guesses, and they had to make due with it as best as they could or die in the process. "I'm not too worried about the others, they'll be fine. They're just more innocents that won't be bothered much or too much time wasted on them. Yet when during Heero's message, it appeared they had escape in process, but didn't succeed. Duo and Quatre would have been helping, so my main concern are those three."
"Understood, how much more time do you need?" Biting his lower lip and quickly pulling back out of the way of a beam rifle shot, he realized that the first few were to give the others time. The last ones were almost skilled organization soldiers it appeared. They might actually put up somewhat of a fight.
Sighing and thinking quickly, the youth listened hastily to the door before him and found no sounds of life within, ducked in to keep hidden. "I'm not sure... this is an extremely large base..." Stopping his voice and looking into the room with gun poised to kill, Trowa only listened to the door shut behind him and smiled.
Duo listened to someone enter the room along with him, lifting his head slightly to acknowledge that he knew someone else was there. Yet he didn't struggle before them nor panic, if anything, he sat in extreme hatred at the thought of what had actually happened to the others while the ideas had run through his mind. 'If anything happens to them, I'll kill you myself...'
Holstering his gun, Trowa walked with large strides over to the suspended boy, untying the leather gag within his mouth and letting it drop to the floor. He said nothing as to acknowledge who he was, nor did he make any motion to unbind Duo in full.
Feeling the gag drop from his mouth, he didn't hesitate to speak. "You guys seriously have a death wish... and if anything happens to that guy or my other friend, I'll kick all your a..."
"Duo, your mouth always go you in trouble." Interrupting the youth and untying the blindfold, Trowa crossed in front of the American pilot while he squinted against the bright light of the room.
"Trowa!" Letting a large smile cross his features, the first youth couldn't have been happier to see his other friends. "Man, took you long enough!" Yet as he claimed his impatience, Duo fell into a violent fit of coughs and grimaced at the pain in his chest and ribs. They were bound to be broken.
With a look of disapproval, the second teen didn't bother to speak as he lowered his friend, helping him gently to the floor as he untied Duo's ankles. Small streaks of blood weaved their paths down his arms, his right leg covered in blood from the lower waist on down, the bullet wound having almost completely ceased bleeding. "Where are Heero and Quatre?"
Wincing, he spoke as he leaned heavily against the wall. "Quatre was taken somewhere, Heero lied to get him out of anything serious but we don't know what happened. Heero, he was here with me but after the other soldiers...... owe! Stop that!" Glaring down at the boy who'd taken a large part of his own shirt and tied about the almost done, bleeding wound, Duo didn't bother in keeping his voice down.
"Be silent unless you want to stay here, I can easily bind you in place again Duo." Warning, the youth let his comrade rest for a few moments longer as he worked on taking the handcuffs off and wrapping his wrists and ankles.
"It hurts like hell, thanks for being so considerate in what I'm going through..." Sarcasm dripped heavily in each of his words, the boy began again. "... after the others were done beating the crap out of him and drawing blood, they took him somewhere. I don't know, something about a "shadow hall". Man, he did *not* look good. Heero didn't struggle or move or even say anything when they took him out of here, or the better word is dragged. He needs help man..." Wincing and flexing his wrists, the young American was finally freed. After a moment's hesitation, the pilot allowed himself help up as he leaned his weight on the second, not putting any on his leg.
"We will... I can either help you to escape now or if you have the strength, you can help me find the others."
"I'll help ya." Gritting his teeth, Duo stood on his own but not without pain that he masked as well as he could.
"Fine. Let's go." Opening the door and motioning for the second to come, he tossed the boy a gun and trotted silently within the shadows, the teenager behind him slightly noisy but that couldn't be helped.
'Hang on Heero, just for a little while longer. Both you and Quatre...' Deaf to his pain, Duo kept his eyes focused on Trowa and his mind on his mission to his friends.
~ - ~
Pulling back again, Wufei tried to strike but it seems the best were saved for last and there were quite a few that he'd had to let surround him to keep the focus off the base. "Trowa, where are you?"
Again, he spoke back with his calm and composed voice, scanning the mental picture he had of the base and trying to figure out where this so called "shadow hall" would be at. "I'm here, Duo's been recovered and the other two yet to be found. All prisoners that I can tell from the information I got from Duo and the looks of the room is that all were loaded onto the trucks but the six taken earlier. That and these three."
"Good, because now things are really starting to get fun." Quickly pulling back and out of the way of a beam rifle's shot, Wufei quickly destroyed three of the mobile suits, watching four others retreat. What were they up to? "Hurry and find them, these guys are trying something."
"Give me a little more time Wufei, I'm trying..." Ducking back into the shadows as he listened to the soldiers converse, he heard the footsteps of other men coming their way as well. 'Damn it... not the best timing.' Thinking silently to himself, he motioned for Duo to stay where he was and handed him his gun. Seeing the confusion in the other's eyes, he disregarded it and knew that something they weren't supposed to find or get to was behind that door. There was only two men, nothing he couldn't handle. Walking out into the light of the hall as Duo tried to pull him back, the young, quiet man kept his voice silent and his eyes cast to the floor. 'Just let them get close enough to take out without making any sound... we can't let them know we're here...'
Looking up at the coming boy, the eldest of the two soldiers stood in question, DeWitt. He was staying took keep look after the six prisoners as well as the Perfect Soldier while Kitabayashi had gone to fight with 05. 'He always gets all the fun...' "Halt. What is your business and who the hell are you?" Raising his gun, the soldier tried to catch the youth's eyes but they kept hidden within the shadows.
Without speaking, Trowa raised his hands to show that he was unarmed and not posing any threat, at the moment. His steps faltered when he felt the gun of one man raised to lock target upon his chest, the second and younger of the soldiers coming closer to him to restrain the youth. 'No! This isn't close enough!' Trying to take another step forward, Trowa was forced back one when the safety of the gun was released. 'Great... now I've really got to play along...' A moment was all he needed to figure out what he'd do, yet his tongue remained silent and unmoving, his voice seeming to have left his being. Trowa fell into their captivity for the moment, the second soldier bringing him to the first with a rough hand.
"Well well, looky who we've got here. No name, how nice to see you... are you all this stupid?" DeWitt let a menacing smile cross his features as his gun lowered, recognizing the boy in seconds.
"Since when did we switch loyalties?" Speaking softly, Trowa also recognized the man. They'd fought when he was younger, before he became the boy known as Trowa Barton and the Gundam Pilot of Heavyarms.
"Since you were too stupid to fight for the enemy." Sneering, DeWitt only watched the grown boy before him.
With a smirk of his own, Trowa quickly lowered his arms and jumped through them, reaching out and taking the lowered gun from his enemy, snapping the second soldier's neck and then kicking DeWitt's from him, locking his aim on his chest. "Who truly *is* the enemy? You choose to hurt my friends or myself, and you become my enemy and I will destroy them to protect those I care about." The fear in the man's eyes didn't bother him as he shot the man, having pressed the barrel against his chest hard to try and muffle the sound. It had to be done. "Duo, come on." A moment's hesitation was all the American needed while the circus performer searched for the keys to unlock the handcuffs, then the ones for the door. Taking up the gun again, he only turned towards the ominous, charcoal-gray, metal entrance. Sighing, he undid the lock and looked in. "Stay here and cover me."
Opening the door, Trowa was nearly collapsed to his knees. The youth was instantly light-headed and nauseas, his eyes burning as he forced himself not to retreat. "Oh God..." the strong and foul stench of vomit and urine hung thickly in the air of the shadowed room or hallway, he couldn't really tell. How could anyone ever survive staying in here? How could they stand it?! Squinting into the darkness and regaining his feet, Trowa covered his nose and mouth with the front of his shirt, holding his gun down by his side. Soft sobs and pathetic groans floated in the air, the dark hall, now that he could see, was lit only by the light from the doorway. Coughing and squinting harder into the darkness, the youth called out in a choked voice. "Heero? Quatre?" A life seemed to come to the cells, the other students and a few teachers looking out.
"Let us out!" cried an older boy.
"What do you want with us!?" screamed a younger girl.
Wiping the tears from his burning eyes, Trowa forced himself not to gag and become sick too. "Don't leave this hall, I'm trying to help you guys out of here..." Taking a look at the bar-faced cells, the youth trotted back to the lightened hall and took gasping breaths of the fresh air.
"Trowa?" Duo called in a loud whisper, standing to the side of the door because of the stench that began to fill the hall. "You okay?"
"Yeah..." Nodding and assuring, he quickly searched the dead soldier's body, finding his prize. The keys. "Don't let these guys leave this hallway." Trotting back into the hall, the reluctant youth freed the other prisoners as quickly as possible, disappointed when he didn't find Heero or Quatre. The last cell stood before him, and looking in, he found it to be Heero's cell. Gratefully, the youth opened the cell door. Trowa's nausea and anxiousness disappeared, a great sympathy filling him in turn. Quietly walking to the boy's side, the youth kneeled. "Heero?" With a gentleness in his voice, the teen placed his hand gingerly on his friend's arm, yet drew back hastily in surprise at the Japanese pilot's cry.
Heero felt the presence of another in his cell as pain surged through his body at the simplest touch or whispered breath. Who was it? Were they back to take him to yet *more* interrogation? If they did, he doubted he'd live through it this time. Still, something told him "No", a friendly and saddened feeling falling in the putrid air about him.
Reaching over, Trowa undid and took from the youth's mouth the leather gag, reaching for the blindfold but stopped when he pulled away. "Heero, it's all right now, you're safe."
They'd come? "T-Trowa?"
"I'm here." Again, he reached to help unbind Heero and again the second youth pulled back enough to make him curious.
"P-please..." Heero's voice was soft as he felt a small groan escape his lips. He wanted the cloth left in place.
"All right," he assured, giving a sympathetic smile. The shadows for his friend was where he hid his shame, keeping his pride. And Trowa understood, respecting his wishes. "Let's get you out of here..." Walking behind him and gently placing his left hand under the boy's legs, he eased the Japanese youth into his arms, despite his weakening groans and cries. After a moment of stillness, he lifted him into the air, surprised at the icy and clammy skin of his comrade. Trowa wasn't sure of his injuries, the shadows concealing them. And now it was their time, their turn for a great escape. Trotting out of the hall and into the light, he cradled Heero firmly and protectively, yet gently. Yet he stopped dead in his tracks as a sharp inhale was heard. Heero's lower waist was soaked in clotting blood, his abdomen cut open and exposing the muscles and destroyed tissue, the deep wound nearly crossing his stomach in full. Deep blue, purple, and black bruises covered his chest and face, open cuts long since ceased bleeding as well. Trails of the deep crimson liquid were left weaving down his arms, his hands covered in his life's essence. The teenager's breathing was shallow and pained, his form lean and fragile. ".... Heero.." Trowa's only response was a soft groan as the boy leaned further into him still for warmth and a release of his pain. Looking up, he caught the other six watching him, looking for answers and feeling sympathy towards his friend.
"Wh-what do we do?" an older boy questioned.
"Hang in there Heero..." Duo reassured, taking off his sweater and limping over towards the two, he placed it over the pale for of his friend.
"We get out of here..." Trowa replied, looking up at Duo and speaking through clenched teeth. "Duo, you've got to go ahead and cover these guys. I'll lead them out." Slowly, he pulled the sweater tighter over his friend's form as Heero unconsciously, or from what he could tell, leaned even further into him.
Holding his firearm and nodding, the American youth leaned once more against the wall. "Gotcha... hey, why'd you bring those guys along?!" For the first time, he seemed to notice two people who he'd rather not have seen. With a smirk, he motioned towards Dæmon and Zander. "Why couldn't you have just left them here? They're jerks!"
Curious as he made his way to the front of the group, Trowa watched the two who seemed ready to jump Duo. "What'd they do, actually get on your nerves?" Teasing the most he'd ever let himself, he took his position.
"No! Ask Heero. Well, maybe when he finally comes around, but ask him! They've been givin' Quatre nothing but hell..." Glaring as the two retreated, he spoke. "and if you *ever* touch Quatre again, I'll see to it personally that you both die, slowly and *very* painfully..." Seeing Trowa thoroughly perplexed at this, he spoke over his shoulder and took up his position in the rear. "I'll explain later..."
Nodding and looking down the hall solemnly, the once silent youth took the first step towards freedom. "Let's go."
~¤~
With a final blow, Wufei took out the last of the suits, the very last pilot giving him a hard time. It was as if he were fighting a slightly less skilled version of Trieze. "Trowa... what's your status?"
"The six taken found, Heero needs immediate medical attention and Duo's still here.." Ducking behind another corner and motioning for the others to hold up, he waited until the soldiers passed before leading them out again.
"Find Quat.." yet he was cut off. Gripping the controls and switching his intercom on to speak to the newcomer, the young warrior gritted his teeth and spoke to the second mobile suit. "Stop where you are, or you will force me to destroy you."
With a insidious smile, Kayura flexed her fingers on the controls of her mobile suit and turned to face 05. "I think not child..." Lifting her hand to brush back the lost strands of chocolate brown hair from her eyes, fitting it carelessly behind her ear as her spring green eyes kept focus on the teenager before her.
"Child? Surrender or lose this battle and your life, your choice." Wufei picked up his battling stance once more.
"I see Takuchie has become utterly useless... oh well. You won't touch me..." With a sphinx-like voice, she spoke in riddles.
"Oh, I won't? I am not afraid to fight and certainly not a woman." Retorting, he gripped the controls tighter.
"Because of this.." Holding out the suit's right hand, she gripped her victim slightly harder still and watched him try to arch from the pressure on his wounded back, but the gundainum grip was not to be broken.
"Quatre!" Wufei recognized his platinum blonde friend, the youth slightly pale, gagged, bound, and blindfolded within the suits hand.
The young aristocrat felt his body crushed further beneath the metal grip, his lungs begging for every last gasp of air he could take in as his ribs were collapsed further on his insides, his mind a whirlwind of blinding pain yet the distance voice of his Chinese comrade gave him hope. Gasping and panting, he fought against the oncoming darkness.
"You *will* let me depart from here or I'll kill your little friend first." Smirking, she easily backed the suit closer to a small lake area where she held out the hand of the mobile suit. "You know, he wouldn't be able to swim should I "accidentally" drop the little brat... not like he is. He'd never find his way to the surface and surely never to shore. But then again, I may be wrong, we could try and see..."
"Stop! You're weak and a coward! Let him go!" Yelling, Wufei tried to take the focus upon himself and from his friend.
'No, not again! What is wrong with you people!?' Thinking silently to himself, Quatre's mind screamed in protest. He didn't even get a say in things!
"Let me go." Speaking bluntly, Kayura smirked and threatened to drop the boy, almost letting him go in full before sickly teasing both boys and snatching him up again.
"You'll never win! Let him go shimatti! You are weak! Face me, or are you too afraid?" No! He had to stop her from hurting Quatre. At least any more, by the pained expression that you could see on the boy's face, it was too late to stop him from being hurt in full.
"Wufei, what's going on up there?" Having hidden the others away with Heero and Duo, a younger teacher from the school holding and trying to warm the more severely injured boy, Trowa tried to stop the cargo trucks. Focusing his aim on the driver and other soldiers near the truck with the hostages, he took them out and fired at the others that were still there. Most of the trucks had left but he was able to stop any of the students and teachers from being wounded or caught in the crossfire.
"Damn you, let him go!" Stopping his movements and ignoring Trowa's demanding question, he waited and pulled back to keep Quatre safe.
"When I'm ready, I will. He's a fun little play toy, I enjoy this one. I'll give him back when I'd done." Kayura pulled the mobile suit's hand back and smirked. "I've got better things to do with my time..."
Giving a stifled groan, Wufei let his hands drop from the controls. "I'm sorry Quatre. I will free you..." Letting her go, he watched her leave. He couldn't risk hurting his dear friend.
"Oh, I'll give him back.." Bringing up coordinates for the next base, or an area close to it, she sent it to his monitor and smirked. "Come alone or he dies." Taking off, she gripped the boy within her mobile suit's hand and flew off, making sure that if he dared to follow she'd kill him before engaging in battle with the pilot.
Slamming his fists on the console, Wufei quickly took the directions and saved them. This was his only chance of finding Quatre again. "They took Quatre... I couldn't stop them."
With a sigh of frustration, Trowa nodded and unbound the last of the prisoners within the back of the truck. The six had entered the back as well, Trowa getting praise for doing only what he had to, and Duo sitting with Heero in the heating truck cab. "We'll get him back, don't worry. Is everything out there secure? All prisoners are accounted for but Quatre and if we can't treat Heero's wounds, he could very well die of infection which is highly probably or fever. He's got a fever but he's also hypothermic at the time."
Hiding Nataku who seemed reluctant not to go after the fleeing enemy, the warrior jumped from the cockpit and sprinted towards the now visible opening to the base, seeing Trowa jumping from the back of a large, covered truck. "They're all destroyed." Turning off his mic and opening the cab to the truck, he noticed that blood stained the handle of the door. When his eyes feel on Heero and Duo, he was instantly angered again. Duo didn't look too bad but for a few bruises and his complexion was slightly wan, but Heero's skin was a ghastly pale from what he could seen from beneath the sweater. Bruises covered his body along with blood, a blindfold covering his eyes as he lay limply in Duo's arms, as if cowering from his pain. "Shimatti..." A sorrowful glance was all he spared Duo while Trowa entered behind the driver's side, nodding solemnly. "Go ahead and take them out. We can stop by the town and leave them there, the hostages, and then treat these two.."
"Fine. We should leave now or risk being seen by OZ." Putting the truck into gear, Trowa listened to the door shut and drove from the base, waiting until Wufei was in his gundam before taking off towards the town where the abducted students and teachers had come from.
~¤~
With a sigh, Trowa draped the damp cloth over Heero's forehead and slowly eased the quilts into place. He was freezing except for his fever which soared higher and higher with a fatale stubbornness. They'd left the base quickly and watched as it was demolished by the OZ troops, just a little too late to stop them or do any major damage.
Wufei and Trowa had returned the hostages to the town and left no identity of who they were, but the children and teachers surely must have known. The boys weren't in it for glory or fame, only to bring back their three comrades and finish their mission successfully. Ironically, Wufei was the youth tending to the irritating American, while Trowa who seemed more skilled in the healing field because of his background and of what Cathrine had taught him, was left to care for the battered, Japanese youth.
A moment's silence without movement passed before Trowa finally turned away, standing and stretching. He'd stitched the deep wound in Heero's lower abdomen, the muscle tissue and skin tissue severely damaged with slight infection but it appeared no internal damage was done to the organs besides bruising. The deep cuts within his wrists had been wrapped delicately but firmly along with his torso, the veins luckily intact and only bruised as well. The bullet wound within his shoulder had been a clean shot, the bullet both entering and exiting, thus all he had to do was stitch the skin closed and wrap it as well. The cuts along his cheeks and chest were nothing major, just cleaned and left to heal themselves. Also, there was slight damage to his eyes, the Prussian orbs bloodshot as some of the blood vessels had popped, leaving a crimson trail on the inside of his eyes. It was nothing too major and he was fine, but it would just be noticeable. All this, and of course, who could forget the numerous bruises that just blanketed his body when not mentioned above? The deepest area was near his ribs, at least three broken and the majority more close to it. Heero would need extreme bed rest and to be re-nourished and hydrated, two elements his body was desperately needing. "Uh..... the things you get yourself into..." he spoke aloud, turning to go but was caught by a sudden stirring behind him as the fragile form released a pitiful moan.
Floating back into consciousness, Heero felt a wondrous warmth and comfort about him, yet he himself was far from it. Every whispered breath hurt to take in or to release, it hurt to flinch, it hurt to think. He was oh so tired but couldn't sleep, thirsty and hungry but he couldn't satisfy any of his wanting for lack of strength.
With two long strides, the youth was at his side once more. "Stay still Heero, you're fine now. You're back at the safe house and are to be resting, you took quite a beating in capture."
The safe house? Capture? "Wh-what...." His voice was hoarse and cracked, his speech broken.
"Wufei and I got your message, then came to get the three of you and the other hostages. They've been returned safe and both you and Duo are safe. There's no need to get upset." In one graceful motion, he took back the cloth gently, submerging it into the water, wringing it loosely, and traced it over the youth's features again as his eyes remained closed. Heero seemed to move to the touch of the cold cloth automatically and by his expression, he was grateful for the gesture. "You couldn't have made the code harder? It was so easy, it was complicated." With a small laugh, something that was still rare in public and not shown a lot in private, Trowa continued his work.
"Wh-where's Quatre?" Forcing the words to speak, the youth tried to squint against the sunlight. It streamed into the room and over his face, welcome to his freezing body but hated by his features which burned with the fever's hot touch.
Well, if Trowa told him the truth, then he'd probably end up hurting himself and getting overprotective. Yet if the youth lied, he'd have to make sure that it *did* become truth before Heero was healed enough to journey out and see for himself. Thinking quickly, he decided to lie. "He's sleeping right now, he's just fine Heero. Quatre's slightly ill and extremely tired besides he, like the rest of you, could have been using a decent meal or two, but he's fine. All he needs right now is to sleep and rest."
Too tired to argue, he took the youth's word for it. Quatre was coming down with the cold and none of them had eaten in a few days. It was believable. Slowly sinking back into exhaustion, he was all too painfully thrown into a fit of coughs which wracked his lean body in torment. Each cough was one more he wished he could have stopped, but they continued.
A shake of the head was all Trowa responded to this action with, walking into the kitchen and getting a glass of water before returning to his comrade's bedside. Setting it down, he helped Heero to sit up as gently as he could, feeling the boy cower into him as he coughed slightly more, opening his pained eyes to look about. "Here, drink this... you need to rehydrate yourself anyway." Taking the glass, it was as if he were trying to feed a child.
Heero lifted his weary hands to take the glass, but only guided it as Trowa helped him, drinking of the liquid greedily before coughing softly again as some of the water spilt upon the bed. For now, he was not ashamed to take the offered help, there would be time for such a thing later. Yet he was still so tired, pain trying to derive him of his wish but exhaustion growing more. Coughing once more, he seemed to be getting Quatre's cold, he but leaned into the stronger youth and slowly felt himself slip into the welcome arms of sleep.
With hardly any movement, Trowa easily grabbed the towel from the dresser and took it up, drying the blanket and the wet bandages. They weren't too bad, just a little damp, so they wouldn't have to be changed again. In truth, he was actually amused at the boy's readiness to believe him and to take his offered aid, not something he would do normally nor consciously. "I truly wonder about you Heero, I don't think even you understand yourself..."
"I'd agree there." Leaning against the doorway, Wufei had caught part of what Trowa had done and said, smirking. He wasn't going to question the youth's actions nor his tenderness at this time. "Duo's finally asleep again after countless, tormenting minutes of complaining he was bored or "in pain" and dinner is almost ready. Should I bring either of you anything to eat?" The proud warrior spoke softly, his tone weary.
"Just the broth in a bowl and spoon, I'll eat later. I have to see if I can't get Heero to." Sighing, he was rather startled at first by the appearance of the second, Trowa replaced the quilts over Heero and held him still, he had to eat something.
"How? He's asleep and probably too tired to eat anyway.." Curious, the third youth questioned.
"When you're asleep, you don't really notice what you do. Such as swallowing at any time, it's an involuntary reaction of the body. To slowly feed him the broth, he'd swallow it without knowing or waking and have ingested greatly needed nutrients. It was the only way we could feed him after his self-detonation." That wasn't a time he'd forget. A month of caring for the same, unconscious boy, day in and day out with his sister, continually wondering if it wasn't just kinder to have ended his life or if he would ever wake from his coma-like state. Yet he did, one fateful day, he awoke.
"I see." Those two words were all he spoke, amusement playing in his coal black eyes as he went about his duties. Filling a bowl with the broth from the soup, with only small, soggy pieces of noodle or meat, he returned it to the weary youth who then proceeded in slowly feeding the latter. It was weird, watching The Perfect Soldier being fed as an infant would, sometimes the broth spilling from the corners of his lips as it was cleaned away, the towel resting on his chest as it rose and fell in shallow but true breaths. "Anything else?"
"No, I'm fine for now. Thank you Wufei..." Sighing, Trowa kept about his work, silently doing as he had so many times before. Now, he just prayed Quatre was all right as well and that they could find him, and in time.
~¤~
Authors' Notes:
Angela: And now, all we can say is a very nicely pitched *SCREAM*. Yep. That was gr8 writing, Star! Poor Heero! Poor Duo! *looks angelic* I wonder what could happen to Quatre now.? *laugh* Oh yes- this is WAY to much fun! I *love* being your muse Lady Stardancer! And I applaud your sticking with the story, reader! Here. *tosses you a well-deserved bag of Skittles* Just in case you haven't had any this hour. *chesire cat grin* Thanks! And don't forget to review! The more reviews, the faster it comes. ~_^
Star: *whimpers* Please don't hurt me Heero! *backs away from his glare but looks with interest and pops up out of the blue*
Heero: You'd better watch it.... *warns, "unhappy" with what has happened to him thus in the story*
Star: *giggles* Hey, I didn't know you could glare with any more loathing... something more for me to match.. *breaks into laughter and snickers as he storms away in "irritation" at my "weird" but constant state of being* Sumanu otouko-chan!
Heero: *calls over his shoulder in disgust* Don't "I'm sorry little brother" me!
Star: *giggles more* Sumanu mucho! *laughs* It's Span-ese! *snorts and giggles* Sorry, having a good day. Well, Heero and Duo are out of the danger zone...*starts drumming to the song from Top Gun, remembering it from band before coming out of it* sorry... but anyway, Quatre still needs some help here... Wufei's probably feeling bad enough. *listens and laughs at Heero's "He's not the only one that needs help! And I'm talking mentally in this case!" remark* Don't state the obvious, no fun then! *grins slyly* Well, Kayura gave the young Chinese warrior coordinates, but are they right? Is it a trap? Is she calling him out for a duel to win the youth's life and freedom or slavery? So many choices, so little answers. I love this! Please review and look for the next chapters. Lord knows what I'll do to poor ickle Quatre next...*demonic grin*
Quatre: *stares wide eyed* I don't want to DIE!!! What did *I* do to *you*?!?!
Star: *bursts into laughter, hanging onto Ang to try and steady self* Sorry! *coughs and wipes tears from eyes* Sorry Ang.. but this is sooo much fun!! That, and thanks lots for the extra help in motivating and inspiring me.. *'nother demonic grin* You did well young Jedi... *clamps hands over mouth* Wrong character! *snickers* Leave me alone! I know I need help! *skips away, but staggers a second or two after the attempt, collapsing in laughter*
Angela: *sweatdrop* ladies and gentlemen- I give you the Queen of Gundam Wing writing. *reader's eye twitches* Yeah. um, just review. Bye.
Disclaimer: We do not own anything affiliated with Gundam Wing or its creations. Angela does own the plot and in helping, I revised and wrote the story. A joint creation. Any original characters along with Blacke Diamond sprung from either her or my own minds.
~+~ Chapter 5~+~ Mission: Almost Complete
Feeling the concrete, damp and icy cold beneath him, Heero listened to the stifled sobs of the six who were in the same area as he. The youth had stopped his struggle, now barely conscious and fighting for that small prize with every ounce of fleeting strength he had. Yet it was useless for the time, maybe it would all be useless. He'd broadcasted the message to all, even to OZ. Maybe Trowa would figure it out first, or so he'd hoped. If OZ did, then they'll be treated for their injuries and can deal with the other soldiers later. Or maybe the Alliance would, or someone else. They just couldn't stay there or they'd all die. Groaning softly and trying to shift his weight, the youth felt his dislocated shoulder pinch the muscles in his arm as he lay atop it, causing him to bite hard on the leather gag and his attempts to stifle his growl and cry of anguish were futile. Taking panting breaths, though they grew even more shallow and more forced, the youth slipped in between consciousness and unconsciousness, all a shadowed blur except for the tormenting pain and his stubborn fever. Blood, his blood, slowly ceased its flow as it crept and oozed over the floor, pooling slowly around him. Yet why, why was he still fighting for life when so many times before he'd *tried* to die, to relinquish himself of the tormenting and plaguing memories and pain? Why was he even trying to fight for each moment of existence? The others could very well take care of themselves and he could easily let himself die here and now. So then why was he still struggling to live? Then a thought struck him, because his missions were not yet completed, and the others still needed his help as he needed them. Just as Quatre had fought so long and grueling with his pneumonia just a few months back. Because he now had something to *live* for.
~ + ~
Takuchie looked over his men scurrying about, watching all being packed and readied to transport out of the base. Because of Heero's message--they found his name as well in the OZ files--they were going to quickly escape the base and move onto the next. It may be hidden underground, but that didn't mean that OZ or the Alliance still couldn't attack and ruin everything. Well, as long as they didn't let themselves be obvious about everything, they'd be fine. Their monitors and radars didn't show any incoming mobile fleets or anything else threatening, so things didn't look too bad. "Why are you slowing down? Hurry up and get everything loaded onto the trucks, get the prisoners taken care of as well. Leave the ones in the shadow hall for now, they're of no concern." With a calm voice, he spoke his commands which were just as powerful as if he'd barked them with a booming voice.
"Sir!! We have an incoming air craft! It's larger than a leo, virgo, or taurus! It's heading straight for us sir!" Looking over the screens, the officer tried to pull up exactly what they were looking at.
"What is it?" Growing louder and retaining his composure, the young man took control but looked at his men in concern.
"It's a Gundam! It's 05 Takuchie, sir!"
Smirking, Takuchie looked about. "Get everything ready and out! Officer, give me the other able men and all mobile suits! We'll meet him head on!"
~ - ~
Trowa knew the plan, skillfully and quietly making his way to the base. He'd enter it and get the others freed while Wufei kept the soldiers busy. They weren't for sure how many suits he'd be up against or who, but that was a chance they were taking. Gun poised by his side and ready, he quickly and silently made his way to the base area, where the "supposed" entrance was, slipping through the shadows and concealing his form within them. Trowa was fairly positive that they were expecting a battle, not anyone to infiltrate their base, but either way--he was cautious. Smirking, the youth found the entrance, covered on the side of a small hill, but not very well. Wow, they *were* stupid...
Wufei watched carefully within Nataku's cockpit, keeping a keen eye out for anything that could depict a battle. He wouldn't get too close to the base, his job was to lure them from the area and destroy the enemy. To rescue all fifty-five students and the teachers was left in the hands of his acrobatic comrade, a larger job to handle on his own but the youth had assured he could manage. Grinning when mobile suits started to appear, Wufei spoke gently. "Well Nataku, they've done a great injustice to us and the others. They wish to keep this war going so much longer than it ever should and wish to hurt the innocents. Let's teach them a lesson..." The Gundam seemed to wish just as much, its speed increasing and the controls falling fully into the young warrior's adept hands. And the youth took them, his grin falling and turning into seriousness. "Those who are weak should not fight! You are blinded by your own ambitions to see the difference between right and wrong!" Catching the small fleet rush him head on, Wufei flew straight into them, stopping abruptly and using his dragon claws to take out two mobile suits, throwing them back into the others to disable yet more. They were not only weak fighters, but very unskilled in battle and it would be their downfall.
Coughing and groaning softly, Duo felt the onslaught stop as he sat helpless, suspended in mid air. What was going on?! The vibrations in the air within the room along with the thundering blasts that reverberated within the small chamber spoke of a battle. With who though? OZ? The Alliance? Sally's rebel troops? His friends, Wufei and Trowa? WHO?! Oh, this was going to drive him crazy until he finally figured it out! Well, there was an upside, the shouts and sounds of retreating footsteps told him that he would be spared for now. Yet more questions plagued his mind. For how much longer? Would he be taken captive by someone else? Was he going to be freed? Was he just going to hang there and no one find him? That thought struck home, being there for any longer and the youthful American was certain he'd waste away painfully without anything to eat or drink for the rest of a tormenting life. 'No!! I don't wanna stay here and feel like an idiot and starve to death!! That isn't cool! Someone better find me or I swear.... this is *so* not cool!' The words he'd spoken in his mind seemed to echo within his ears. Yet still, he was also reminded of how truly hungry he was, by his guess, it'd been about three days now! THREE?! 'ARGH!!! THIS ISN'T FAIR!!!' Giving a soft whimper, Duo struggled to get out of his restraints but at moving his leg, a growl escaped his throat. 'Oh, someone is *seriously* going to pay!!'
Then his mind drifted to yet other subjects. What had they done to "punish" Quatre? And what about Heero? How was he fairing? He didn't even try to struggle or put up a fight when they took him from the room; he didn't even make a sound. THAT usually wasn't a good sign. 'Hang on guys, I know help is on the way and if it isn't, I won't let you down... Wufei, Trowa, that had better be you or I swear to that too that...' Giving a frustrated sigh, the youth let his chin fall to his chest and tried again to pull his hands from the handcuffs, feeling the metal edges dig sharply into his wrists.
Trowa kept amongst the shadows, going undetected along the base and into the main area where most of the soldiers seemed to have left to battle, the few remaining loading the prisoners onto the trucks. 'Now, they won't take the prisoners out during the battle...' the young man thought quickly, 'and if I release fire to go ahead and get them out of here, it would be useless for they'd be turned against us. I have to find the other three...' Taking his small battery pack that hung on his jean waist band, the youth turned it on and sunk further within the shadows. "Wufei..." His voice was soft with its usual poise and steel nerve as he contacted his battling friend, speaking softly into the small head set and intercom.
Smirking and listening to his comrade's voice, Wufei answered back. "In already? If you aren't anywhere to finding the others, I might just have to let them win some and get the upper hand, because children fight with more skill than this!" Pulling back as if they were driving him away and overpowering them, the Chinese warrior didn't become arrogant but let a teasing grin grace his lips.
"I'm working on it... if you see any of the trucks leaving the base though, be careful and just stop them. There are quite a few cargo trucks but a few of the covered trucks are holding the prisoners. I don't see Heero or Duo yet... some more of the prisoners are still held within other quarters." Stopping for a minute as two soldiers passed, he waited for them to do so and then passed out the door behind them. He dare not be seen, for fear of putting the others in trouble and he still didn't know for sure what he was truly up against. It was a blind mission, they were fighting on guesses, and they had to make due with it as best as they could or die in the process. "I'm not too worried about the others, they'll be fine. They're just more innocents that won't be bothered much or too much time wasted on them. Yet when during Heero's message, it appeared they had escape in process, but didn't succeed. Duo and Quatre would have been helping, so my main concern are those three."
"Understood, how much more time do you need?" Biting his lower lip and quickly pulling back out of the way of a beam rifle shot, he realized that the first few were to give the others time. The last ones were almost skilled organization soldiers it appeared. They might actually put up somewhat of a fight.
Sighing and thinking quickly, the youth listened hastily to the door before him and found no sounds of life within, ducked in to keep hidden. "I'm not sure... this is an extremely large base..." Stopping his voice and looking into the room with gun poised to kill, Trowa only listened to the door shut behind him and smiled.
Duo listened to someone enter the room along with him, lifting his head slightly to acknowledge that he knew someone else was there. Yet he didn't struggle before them nor panic, if anything, he sat in extreme hatred at the thought of what had actually happened to the others while the ideas had run through his mind. 'If anything happens to them, I'll kill you myself...'
Holstering his gun, Trowa walked with large strides over to the suspended boy, untying the leather gag within his mouth and letting it drop to the floor. He said nothing as to acknowledge who he was, nor did he make any motion to unbind Duo in full.
Feeling the gag drop from his mouth, he didn't hesitate to speak. "You guys seriously have a death wish... and if anything happens to that guy or my other friend, I'll kick all your a..."
"Duo, your mouth always go you in trouble." Interrupting the youth and untying the blindfold, Trowa crossed in front of the American pilot while he squinted against the bright light of the room.
"Trowa!" Letting a large smile cross his features, the first youth couldn't have been happier to see his other friends. "Man, took you long enough!" Yet as he claimed his impatience, Duo fell into a violent fit of coughs and grimaced at the pain in his chest and ribs. They were bound to be broken.
With a look of disapproval, the second teen didn't bother to speak as he lowered his friend, helping him gently to the floor as he untied Duo's ankles. Small streaks of blood weaved their paths down his arms, his right leg covered in blood from the lower waist on down, the bullet wound having almost completely ceased bleeding. "Where are Heero and Quatre?"
Wincing, he spoke as he leaned heavily against the wall. "Quatre was taken somewhere, Heero lied to get him out of anything serious but we don't know what happened. Heero, he was here with me but after the other soldiers...... owe! Stop that!" Glaring down at the boy who'd taken a large part of his own shirt and tied about the almost done, bleeding wound, Duo didn't bother in keeping his voice down.
"Be silent unless you want to stay here, I can easily bind you in place again Duo." Warning, the youth let his comrade rest for a few moments longer as he worked on taking the handcuffs off and wrapping his wrists and ankles.
"It hurts like hell, thanks for being so considerate in what I'm going through..." Sarcasm dripped heavily in each of his words, the boy began again. "... after the others were done beating the crap out of him and drawing blood, they took him somewhere. I don't know, something about a "shadow hall". Man, he did *not* look good. Heero didn't struggle or move or even say anything when they took him out of here, or the better word is dragged. He needs help man..." Wincing and flexing his wrists, the young American was finally freed. After a moment's hesitation, the pilot allowed himself help up as he leaned his weight on the second, not putting any on his leg.
"We will... I can either help you to escape now or if you have the strength, you can help me find the others."
"I'll help ya." Gritting his teeth, Duo stood on his own but not without pain that he masked as well as he could.
"Fine. Let's go." Opening the door and motioning for the second to come, he tossed the boy a gun and trotted silently within the shadows, the teenager behind him slightly noisy but that couldn't be helped.
'Hang on Heero, just for a little while longer. Both you and Quatre...' Deaf to his pain, Duo kept his eyes focused on Trowa and his mind on his mission to his friends.
~ - ~
Pulling back again, Wufei tried to strike but it seems the best were saved for last and there were quite a few that he'd had to let surround him to keep the focus off the base. "Trowa, where are you?"
Again, he spoke back with his calm and composed voice, scanning the mental picture he had of the base and trying to figure out where this so called "shadow hall" would be at. "I'm here, Duo's been recovered and the other two yet to be found. All prisoners that I can tell from the information I got from Duo and the looks of the room is that all were loaded onto the trucks but the six taken earlier. That and these three."
"Good, because now things are really starting to get fun." Quickly pulling back and out of the way of a beam rifle's shot, Wufei quickly destroyed three of the mobile suits, watching four others retreat. What were they up to? "Hurry and find them, these guys are trying something."
"Give me a little more time Wufei, I'm trying..." Ducking back into the shadows as he listened to the soldiers converse, he heard the footsteps of other men coming their way as well. 'Damn it... not the best timing.' Thinking silently to himself, he motioned for Duo to stay where he was and handed him his gun. Seeing the confusion in the other's eyes, he disregarded it and knew that something they weren't supposed to find or get to was behind that door. There was only two men, nothing he couldn't handle. Walking out into the light of the hall as Duo tried to pull him back, the young, quiet man kept his voice silent and his eyes cast to the floor. 'Just let them get close enough to take out without making any sound... we can't let them know we're here...'
Looking up at the coming boy, the eldest of the two soldiers stood in question, DeWitt. He was staying took keep look after the six prisoners as well as the Perfect Soldier while Kitabayashi had gone to fight with 05. 'He always gets all the fun...' "Halt. What is your business and who the hell are you?" Raising his gun, the soldier tried to catch the youth's eyes but they kept hidden within the shadows.
Without speaking, Trowa raised his hands to show that he was unarmed and not posing any threat, at the moment. His steps faltered when he felt the gun of one man raised to lock target upon his chest, the second and younger of the soldiers coming closer to him to restrain the youth. 'No! This isn't close enough!' Trying to take another step forward, Trowa was forced back one when the safety of the gun was released. 'Great... now I've really got to play along...' A moment was all he needed to figure out what he'd do, yet his tongue remained silent and unmoving, his voice seeming to have left his being. Trowa fell into their captivity for the moment, the second soldier bringing him to the first with a rough hand.
"Well well, looky who we've got here. No name, how nice to see you... are you all this stupid?" DeWitt let a menacing smile cross his features as his gun lowered, recognizing the boy in seconds.
"Since when did we switch loyalties?" Speaking softly, Trowa also recognized the man. They'd fought when he was younger, before he became the boy known as Trowa Barton and the Gundam Pilot of Heavyarms.
"Since you were too stupid to fight for the enemy." Sneering, DeWitt only watched the grown boy before him.
With a smirk of his own, Trowa quickly lowered his arms and jumped through them, reaching out and taking the lowered gun from his enemy, snapping the second soldier's neck and then kicking DeWitt's from him, locking his aim on his chest. "Who truly *is* the enemy? You choose to hurt my friends or myself, and you become my enemy and I will destroy them to protect those I care about." The fear in the man's eyes didn't bother him as he shot the man, having pressed the barrel against his chest hard to try and muffle the sound. It had to be done. "Duo, come on." A moment's hesitation was all the American needed while the circus performer searched for the keys to unlock the handcuffs, then the ones for the door. Taking up the gun again, he only turned towards the ominous, charcoal-gray, metal entrance. Sighing, he undid the lock and looked in. "Stay here and cover me."
Opening the door, Trowa was nearly collapsed to his knees. The youth was instantly light-headed and nauseas, his eyes burning as he forced himself not to retreat. "Oh God..." the strong and foul stench of vomit and urine hung thickly in the air of the shadowed room or hallway, he couldn't really tell. How could anyone ever survive staying in here? How could they stand it?! Squinting into the darkness and regaining his feet, Trowa covered his nose and mouth with the front of his shirt, holding his gun down by his side. Soft sobs and pathetic groans floated in the air, the dark hall, now that he could see, was lit only by the light from the doorway. Coughing and squinting harder into the darkness, the youth called out in a choked voice. "Heero? Quatre?" A life seemed to come to the cells, the other students and a few teachers looking out.
"Let us out!" cried an older boy.
"What do you want with us!?" screamed a younger girl.
Wiping the tears from his burning eyes, Trowa forced himself not to gag and become sick too. "Don't leave this hall, I'm trying to help you guys out of here..." Taking a look at the bar-faced cells, the youth trotted back to the lightened hall and took gasping breaths of the fresh air.
"Trowa?" Duo called in a loud whisper, standing to the side of the door because of the stench that began to fill the hall. "You okay?"
"Yeah..." Nodding and assuring, he quickly searched the dead soldier's body, finding his prize. The keys. "Don't let these guys leave this hallway." Trotting back into the hall, the reluctant youth freed the other prisoners as quickly as possible, disappointed when he didn't find Heero or Quatre. The last cell stood before him, and looking in, he found it to be Heero's cell. Gratefully, the youth opened the cell door. Trowa's nausea and anxiousness disappeared, a great sympathy filling him in turn. Quietly walking to the boy's side, the youth kneeled. "Heero?" With a gentleness in his voice, the teen placed his hand gingerly on his friend's arm, yet drew back hastily in surprise at the Japanese pilot's cry.
Heero felt the presence of another in his cell as pain surged through his body at the simplest touch or whispered breath. Who was it? Were they back to take him to yet *more* interrogation? If they did, he doubted he'd live through it this time. Still, something told him "No", a friendly and saddened feeling falling in the putrid air about him.
Reaching over, Trowa undid and took from the youth's mouth the leather gag, reaching for the blindfold but stopped when he pulled away. "Heero, it's all right now, you're safe."
They'd come? "T-Trowa?"
"I'm here." Again, he reached to help unbind Heero and again the second youth pulled back enough to make him curious.
"P-please..." Heero's voice was soft as he felt a small groan escape his lips. He wanted the cloth left in place.
"All right," he assured, giving a sympathetic smile. The shadows for his friend was where he hid his shame, keeping his pride. And Trowa understood, respecting his wishes. "Let's get you out of here..." Walking behind him and gently placing his left hand under the boy's legs, he eased the Japanese youth into his arms, despite his weakening groans and cries. After a moment of stillness, he lifted him into the air, surprised at the icy and clammy skin of his comrade. Trowa wasn't sure of his injuries, the shadows concealing them. And now it was their time, their turn for a great escape. Trotting out of the hall and into the light, he cradled Heero firmly and protectively, yet gently. Yet he stopped dead in his tracks as a sharp inhale was heard. Heero's lower waist was soaked in clotting blood, his abdomen cut open and exposing the muscles and destroyed tissue, the deep wound nearly crossing his stomach in full. Deep blue, purple, and black bruises covered his chest and face, open cuts long since ceased bleeding as well. Trails of the deep crimson liquid were left weaving down his arms, his hands covered in his life's essence. The teenager's breathing was shallow and pained, his form lean and fragile. ".... Heero.." Trowa's only response was a soft groan as the boy leaned further into him still for warmth and a release of his pain. Looking up, he caught the other six watching him, looking for answers and feeling sympathy towards his friend.
"Wh-what do we do?" an older boy questioned.
"Hang in there Heero..." Duo reassured, taking off his sweater and limping over towards the two, he placed it over the pale for of his friend.
"We get out of here..." Trowa replied, looking up at Duo and speaking through clenched teeth. "Duo, you've got to go ahead and cover these guys. I'll lead them out." Slowly, he pulled the sweater tighter over his friend's form as Heero unconsciously, or from what he could tell, leaned even further into him.
Holding his firearm and nodding, the American youth leaned once more against the wall. "Gotcha... hey, why'd you bring those guys along?!" For the first time, he seemed to notice two people who he'd rather not have seen. With a smirk, he motioned towards Dæmon and Zander. "Why couldn't you have just left them here? They're jerks!"
Curious as he made his way to the front of the group, Trowa watched the two who seemed ready to jump Duo. "What'd they do, actually get on your nerves?" Teasing the most he'd ever let himself, he took his position.
"No! Ask Heero. Well, maybe when he finally comes around, but ask him! They've been givin' Quatre nothing but hell..." Glaring as the two retreated, he spoke. "and if you *ever* touch Quatre again, I'll see to it personally that you both die, slowly and *very* painfully..." Seeing Trowa thoroughly perplexed at this, he spoke over his shoulder and took up his position in the rear. "I'll explain later..."
Nodding and looking down the hall solemnly, the once silent youth took the first step towards freedom. "Let's go."
~¤~
With a final blow, Wufei took out the last of the suits, the very last pilot giving him a hard time. It was as if he were fighting a slightly less skilled version of Trieze. "Trowa... what's your status?"
"The six taken found, Heero needs immediate medical attention and Duo's still here.." Ducking behind another corner and motioning for the others to hold up, he waited until the soldiers passed before leading them out again.
"Find Quat.." yet he was cut off. Gripping the controls and switching his intercom on to speak to the newcomer, the young warrior gritted his teeth and spoke to the second mobile suit. "Stop where you are, or you will force me to destroy you."
With a insidious smile, Kayura flexed her fingers on the controls of her mobile suit and turned to face 05. "I think not child..." Lifting her hand to brush back the lost strands of chocolate brown hair from her eyes, fitting it carelessly behind her ear as her spring green eyes kept focus on the teenager before her.
"Child? Surrender or lose this battle and your life, your choice." Wufei picked up his battling stance once more.
"I see Takuchie has become utterly useless... oh well. You won't touch me..." With a sphinx-like voice, she spoke in riddles.
"Oh, I won't? I am not afraid to fight and certainly not a woman." Retorting, he gripped the controls tighter.
"Because of this.." Holding out the suit's right hand, she gripped her victim slightly harder still and watched him try to arch from the pressure on his wounded back, but the gundainum grip was not to be broken.
"Quatre!" Wufei recognized his platinum blonde friend, the youth slightly pale, gagged, bound, and blindfolded within the suits hand.
The young aristocrat felt his body crushed further beneath the metal grip, his lungs begging for every last gasp of air he could take in as his ribs were collapsed further on his insides, his mind a whirlwind of blinding pain yet the distance voice of his Chinese comrade gave him hope. Gasping and panting, he fought against the oncoming darkness.
"You *will* let me depart from here or I'll kill your little friend first." Smirking, she easily backed the suit closer to a small lake area where she held out the hand of the mobile suit. "You know, he wouldn't be able to swim should I "accidentally" drop the little brat... not like he is. He'd never find his way to the surface and surely never to shore. But then again, I may be wrong, we could try and see..."
"Stop! You're weak and a coward! Let him go!" Yelling, Wufei tried to take the focus upon himself and from his friend.
'No, not again! What is wrong with you people!?' Thinking silently to himself, Quatre's mind screamed in protest. He didn't even get a say in things!
"Let me go." Speaking bluntly, Kayura smirked and threatened to drop the boy, almost letting him go in full before sickly teasing both boys and snatching him up again.
"You'll never win! Let him go shimatti! You are weak! Face me, or are you too afraid?" No! He had to stop her from hurting Quatre. At least any more, by the pained expression that you could see on the boy's face, it was too late to stop him from being hurt in full.
"Wufei, what's going on up there?" Having hidden the others away with Heero and Duo, a younger teacher from the school holding and trying to warm the more severely injured boy, Trowa tried to stop the cargo trucks. Focusing his aim on the driver and other soldiers near the truck with the hostages, he took them out and fired at the others that were still there. Most of the trucks had left but he was able to stop any of the students and teachers from being wounded or caught in the crossfire.
"Damn you, let him go!" Stopping his movements and ignoring Trowa's demanding question, he waited and pulled back to keep Quatre safe.
"When I'm ready, I will. He's a fun little play toy, I enjoy this one. I'll give him back when I'd done." Kayura pulled the mobile suit's hand back and smirked. "I've got better things to do with my time..."
Giving a stifled groan, Wufei let his hands drop from the controls. "I'm sorry Quatre. I will free you..." Letting her go, he watched her leave. He couldn't risk hurting his dear friend.
"Oh, I'll give him back.." Bringing up coordinates for the next base, or an area close to it, she sent it to his monitor and smirked. "Come alone or he dies." Taking off, she gripped the boy within her mobile suit's hand and flew off, making sure that if he dared to follow she'd kill him before engaging in battle with the pilot.
Slamming his fists on the console, Wufei quickly took the directions and saved them. This was his only chance of finding Quatre again. "They took Quatre... I couldn't stop them."
With a sigh of frustration, Trowa nodded and unbound the last of the prisoners within the back of the truck. The six had entered the back as well, Trowa getting praise for doing only what he had to, and Duo sitting with Heero in the heating truck cab. "We'll get him back, don't worry. Is everything out there secure? All prisoners are accounted for but Quatre and if we can't treat Heero's wounds, he could very well die of infection which is highly probably or fever. He's got a fever but he's also hypothermic at the time."
Hiding Nataku who seemed reluctant not to go after the fleeing enemy, the warrior jumped from the cockpit and sprinted towards the now visible opening to the base, seeing Trowa jumping from the back of a large, covered truck. "They're all destroyed." Turning off his mic and opening the cab to the truck, he noticed that blood stained the handle of the door. When his eyes feel on Heero and Duo, he was instantly angered again. Duo didn't look too bad but for a few bruises and his complexion was slightly wan, but Heero's skin was a ghastly pale from what he could seen from beneath the sweater. Bruises covered his body along with blood, a blindfold covering his eyes as he lay limply in Duo's arms, as if cowering from his pain. "Shimatti..." A sorrowful glance was all he spared Duo while Trowa entered behind the driver's side, nodding solemnly. "Go ahead and take them out. We can stop by the town and leave them there, the hostages, and then treat these two.."
"Fine. We should leave now or risk being seen by OZ." Putting the truck into gear, Trowa listened to the door shut and drove from the base, waiting until Wufei was in his gundam before taking off towards the town where the abducted students and teachers had come from.
~¤~
With a sigh, Trowa draped the damp cloth over Heero's forehead and slowly eased the quilts into place. He was freezing except for his fever which soared higher and higher with a fatale stubbornness. They'd left the base quickly and watched as it was demolished by the OZ troops, just a little too late to stop them or do any major damage.
Wufei and Trowa had returned the hostages to the town and left no identity of who they were, but the children and teachers surely must have known. The boys weren't in it for glory or fame, only to bring back their three comrades and finish their mission successfully. Ironically, Wufei was the youth tending to the irritating American, while Trowa who seemed more skilled in the healing field because of his background and of what Cathrine had taught him, was left to care for the battered, Japanese youth.
A moment's silence without movement passed before Trowa finally turned away, standing and stretching. He'd stitched the deep wound in Heero's lower abdomen, the muscle tissue and skin tissue severely damaged with slight infection but it appeared no internal damage was done to the organs besides bruising. The deep cuts within his wrists had been wrapped delicately but firmly along with his torso, the veins luckily intact and only bruised as well. The bullet wound within his shoulder had been a clean shot, the bullet both entering and exiting, thus all he had to do was stitch the skin closed and wrap it as well. The cuts along his cheeks and chest were nothing major, just cleaned and left to heal themselves. Also, there was slight damage to his eyes, the Prussian orbs bloodshot as some of the blood vessels had popped, leaving a crimson trail on the inside of his eyes. It was nothing too major and he was fine, but it would just be noticeable. All this, and of course, who could forget the numerous bruises that just blanketed his body when not mentioned above? The deepest area was near his ribs, at least three broken and the majority more close to it. Heero would need extreme bed rest and to be re-nourished and hydrated, two elements his body was desperately needing. "Uh..... the things you get yourself into..." he spoke aloud, turning to go but was caught by a sudden stirring behind him as the fragile form released a pitiful moan.
Floating back into consciousness, Heero felt a wondrous warmth and comfort about him, yet he himself was far from it. Every whispered breath hurt to take in or to release, it hurt to flinch, it hurt to think. He was oh so tired but couldn't sleep, thirsty and hungry but he couldn't satisfy any of his wanting for lack of strength.
With two long strides, the youth was at his side once more. "Stay still Heero, you're fine now. You're back at the safe house and are to be resting, you took quite a beating in capture."
The safe house? Capture? "Wh-what...." His voice was hoarse and cracked, his speech broken.
"Wufei and I got your message, then came to get the three of you and the other hostages. They've been returned safe and both you and Duo are safe. There's no need to get upset." In one graceful motion, he took back the cloth gently, submerging it into the water, wringing it loosely, and traced it over the youth's features again as his eyes remained closed. Heero seemed to move to the touch of the cold cloth automatically and by his expression, he was grateful for the gesture. "You couldn't have made the code harder? It was so easy, it was complicated." With a small laugh, something that was still rare in public and not shown a lot in private, Trowa continued his work.
"Wh-where's Quatre?" Forcing the words to speak, the youth tried to squint against the sunlight. It streamed into the room and over his face, welcome to his freezing body but hated by his features which burned with the fever's hot touch.
Well, if Trowa told him the truth, then he'd probably end up hurting himself and getting overprotective. Yet if the youth lied, he'd have to make sure that it *did* become truth before Heero was healed enough to journey out and see for himself. Thinking quickly, he decided to lie. "He's sleeping right now, he's just fine Heero. Quatre's slightly ill and extremely tired besides he, like the rest of you, could have been using a decent meal or two, but he's fine. All he needs right now is to sleep and rest."
Too tired to argue, he took the youth's word for it. Quatre was coming down with the cold and none of them had eaten in a few days. It was believable. Slowly sinking back into exhaustion, he was all too painfully thrown into a fit of coughs which wracked his lean body in torment. Each cough was one more he wished he could have stopped, but they continued.
A shake of the head was all Trowa responded to this action with, walking into the kitchen and getting a glass of water before returning to his comrade's bedside. Setting it down, he helped Heero to sit up as gently as he could, feeling the boy cower into him as he coughed slightly more, opening his pained eyes to look about. "Here, drink this... you need to rehydrate yourself anyway." Taking the glass, it was as if he were trying to feed a child.
Heero lifted his weary hands to take the glass, but only guided it as Trowa helped him, drinking of the liquid greedily before coughing softly again as some of the water spilt upon the bed. For now, he was not ashamed to take the offered help, there would be time for such a thing later. Yet he was still so tired, pain trying to derive him of his wish but exhaustion growing more. Coughing once more, he seemed to be getting Quatre's cold, he but leaned into the stronger youth and slowly felt himself slip into the welcome arms of sleep.
With hardly any movement, Trowa easily grabbed the towel from the dresser and took it up, drying the blanket and the wet bandages. They weren't too bad, just a little damp, so they wouldn't have to be changed again. In truth, he was actually amused at the boy's readiness to believe him and to take his offered aid, not something he would do normally nor consciously. "I truly wonder about you Heero, I don't think even you understand yourself..."
"I'd agree there." Leaning against the doorway, Wufei had caught part of what Trowa had done and said, smirking. He wasn't going to question the youth's actions nor his tenderness at this time. "Duo's finally asleep again after countless, tormenting minutes of complaining he was bored or "in pain" and dinner is almost ready. Should I bring either of you anything to eat?" The proud warrior spoke softly, his tone weary.
"Just the broth in a bowl and spoon, I'll eat later. I have to see if I can't get Heero to." Sighing, he was rather startled at first by the appearance of the second, Trowa replaced the quilts over Heero and held him still, he had to eat something.
"How? He's asleep and probably too tired to eat anyway.." Curious, the third youth questioned.
"When you're asleep, you don't really notice what you do. Such as swallowing at any time, it's an involuntary reaction of the body. To slowly feed him the broth, he'd swallow it without knowing or waking and have ingested greatly needed nutrients. It was the only way we could feed him after his self-detonation." That wasn't a time he'd forget. A month of caring for the same, unconscious boy, day in and day out with his sister, continually wondering if it wasn't just kinder to have ended his life or if he would ever wake from his coma-like state. Yet he did, one fateful day, he awoke.
"I see." Those two words were all he spoke, amusement playing in his coal black eyes as he went about his duties. Filling a bowl with the broth from the soup, with only small, soggy pieces of noodle or meat, he returned it to the weary youth who then proceeded in slowly feeding the latter. It was weird, watching The Perfect Soldier being fed as an infant would, sometimes the broth spilling from the corners of his lips as it was cleaned away, the towel resting on his chest as it rose and fell in shallow but true breaths. "Anything else?"
"No, I'm fine for now. Thank you Wufei..." Sighing, Trowa kept about his work, silently doing as he had so many times before. Now, he just prayed Quatre was all right as well and that they could find him, and in time.
~¤~
Authors' Notes:
Angela: And now, all we can say is a very nicely pitched *SCREAM*. Yep. That was gr8 writing, Star! Poor Heero! Poor Duo! *looks angelic* I wonder what could happen to Quatre now.? *laugh* Oh yes- this is WAY to much fun! I *love* being your muse Lady Stardancer! And I applaud your sticking with the story, reader! Here. *tosses you a well-deserved bag of Skittles* Just in case you haven't had any this hour. *chesire cat grin* Thanks! And don't forget to review! The more reviews, the faster it comes. ~_^
Star: *whimpers* Please don't hurt me Heero! *backs away from his glare but looks with interest and pops up out of the blue*
Heero: You'd better watch it.... *warns, "unhappy" with what has happened to him thus in the story*
Star: *giggles* Hey, I didn't know you could glare with any more loathing... something more for me to match.. *breaks into laughter and snickers as he storms away in "irritation" at my "weird" but constant state of being* Sumanu otouko-chan!
Heero: *calls over his shoulder in disgust* Don't "I'm sorry little brother" me!
Star: *giggles more* Sumanu mucho! *laughs* It's Span-ese! *snorts and giggles* Sorry, having a good day. Well, Heero and Duo are out of the danger zone...*starts drumming to the song from Top Gun, remembering it from band before coming out of it* sorry... but anyway, Quatre still needs some help here... Wufei's probably feeling bad enough. *listens and laughs at Heero's "He's not the only one that needs help! And I'm talking mentally in this case!" remark* Don't state the obvious, no fun then! *grins slyly* Well, Kayura gave the young Chinese warrior coordinates, but are they right? Is it a trap? Is she calling him out for a duel to win the youth's life and freedom or slavery? So many choices, so little answers. I love this! Please review and look for the next chapters. Lord knows what I'll do to poor ickle Quatre next...*demonic grin*
Quatre: *stares wide eyed* I don't want to DIE!!! What did *I* do to *you*?!?!
Star: *bursts into laughter, hanging onto Ang to try and steady self* Sorry! *coughs and wipes tears from eyes* Sorry Ang.. but this is sooo much fun!! That, and thanks lots for the extra help in motivating and inspiring me.. *'nother demonic grin* You did well young Jedi... *clamps hands over mouth* Wrong character! *snickers* Leave me alone! I know I need help! *skips away, but staggers a second or two after the attempt, collapsing in laughter*
Angela: *sweatdrop* ladies and gentlemen- I give you the Queen of Gundam Wing writing. *reader's eye twitches* Yeah. um, just review. Bye.