By: Shadow Chaser
Author's Notes:
I see Julian Kaspari as a semi-Remy LeBeau (Gambit) type of figure. Except he's not Cajun and has a bare hint of a Creole accent. He's only in that context, a Gambit-esque person. He's also a mix of Vash the Stampede and Spike Spiegel. Keep that in mind. ^_^ Also, Sephy originally created the character of Julian, so please, thank her, not me. I think with this intro chapter of him, you'll like him. ^_^ I only try to fit into context what I think her character should act and be like. ALSO NOTE: I am changing Akane Yuy's name to Anihiko Yuy (Val's dead brother). It's for the reason because Akane reminds me too much of Ranma ½. Please email or put it in your reviews me if you think this change is good or bad. I will use Anihiko to denote Val's brother's name in this chapter. If I get enough responses to change back to Akane, then I will.
Chapter 8 – Taking Under His Wing
He watched her from afar, as always, watching her interact with others with the professional easy of a business woman in negotiations. She was very animated when talking about armament shipments or getting into money and such things, yet calm, poised and in control of everything. He had been watching her closely for a week since the accident at Sweepers Corporation and had to give Duo Maxwell credit, he sure did train his only daughter, only child now, to be a professional at negotiations.
He had been tailing and watching Reyna Maxwell for a week now, watching as she avoided the bars where the Nationals frequented and talked with shady dealers who had no idea that she was the daughter of the legendary Duo Maxwell. He admit that her disguise, by cutting her brown hair down to shoulder length and adopting a set of different clothing, was effective, but there was only so far one could take with such a simplistic disguise.
And now, he knew that the gig was up. The people whom Reyna had been dealing with were bad business; he knew that as he had seen the hanging around the bars talking with Nationals soldiers. Reyna was giving them information that they would be able to pass on as spies for money, and she seemed oblivious to it. As he let out a small cloud of smoke from the cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, he gave a small sigh. He was comfortable in his little booth across from where Reyna was in deep discussion with one of the two people she sat in the booth with. He didn't really want to move…but he knew that he had an obligation…
He watched as she stirred her drink, which thankfully wasn't alcoholic. At least she had the sense not to order anything alcoholic from this bar, especially since it was in the sleazy slums of Paris. Suddenly she looked straight at him and he blinked. Whoa…that was something new… Did she realize that he had been tailing her the whole time? Or was it a new game the two others at her table were playing…
Letting a slow smile creep across his face, he watched as she stared at him for a few more seconds before returning her gaze back to the two others at her booth. Moments later, the three of them got up, with the Tall One of the two dumping some change onto the table and all three of them walked out, still talking.
He frowned as he took the cig from his mouth and smashed it against the table. Now this was something new… He let loose a cloud of smoke before getting up with the ease of a lazy cat stretching and walked slowly out. For Julian Kaspari, he knew that whenever things didn't go the norm, then trouble was on the way. And with Reyna Maxwell involved, trouble and hell went hand in hand.
* * *
Reyna had been in a good conversation about negotiating some illegal stockpile of weapons for her own war against the Nationals and Daemon Hallsfield, moreover, against Severn Cawley and those that had destroyed her family. It was a week since that fateful night, that fateful birthday. Though technically, she was now 17, she sure as hell didn't feel like it. No, she felt like in her twenties or something like that and that's how she acted.
But when David one of the two people she had been talking with, told her that someone had been staring at her ever since they sat down and discussed about trading weapons, she had straightened and given the man a good look. Her eyes raked over his and noted that he was a bit scraggly looking. He wore a dull black duster and though he wore no hat, in the dim light of the bar she was in, she could see that he had shaggy brown hair and bright hazel eyes. They were staring at her with mild interest and she returned the stare before looking back at David and his partner.
"Let's get out of here. He might be a spy for the Nationals," she gestured for them to follow her and got up. They followed suit and she waited as David's partner dropped a few bills and coins onto the table to cover for their drinks before they headed out into the mild Parisian night.
Ever since she had ran from Tani's apartment she had found her Hellfire, safe and sound, and started her own war of attrition against the occupying military forces in Paris. But now she needed to refuel and restock the weapons on her Gundam and using a few underground accounts that her father had always kept and told her about, she been ferreting money all around to pay for mobile suit grade bullets and a few energy packs to help increase the capacity of her beam scythe. She also needed Gundanium material to repair her Gundam after a week's skirmish.
She would have escaped to space to find Howard and MO-VII, except from the scattering of news bits she got her hands on indicated that Howard had been taken into custody at the Lunar Colony prison and MO-VII was under the Nationals' control. She didn't really know where else to escape to – the Space Academy was under Nationals control, her father's home Colony L2 had barricaded themselves and all Sweepers activity was in the process of being shut down over there. L4 was under heavy military guard and martial law declared there. L3 was probably going to face the same thing. L1…who knew as they considered themselves the elite Colony, tending to side with whatever changing government there was in fear of retaliation. L5 was completely destroyed and there was no where to hide out over there.
That left only Earth and the secret passages of Paris. She would have gone to London, except she avoided the city as much as possible. It was silly, but she didn't want to face her past there. It was where she and Tarrant had grown up in their younger days – an extension of the Paris Sweeper Base. And so she kept to Paris. She decided that when she accumulated enough weaponry and resources, she would attack wherever they held her father, mother, and Commander Yuy and free them herself.
She hadn't dare try to contact anyone for the fear of her signals being picked up and traced back to where she was, but she still held out hope, especially for Val. From the tidbit news she got, she noticed that they hadn't captured any of the second generation Gundam pilots, which meant that Val was safe. Her anger against Val had died since she had run away from Tani's apartment, and she had come to realize that he was trying to save her, even though he didn't know that she feared the water.
Even now she wore the huge Ankh symbol Val gave her for her birthday, inside of her clothes (which consisted of black, black and more black), and though the huge thing sometimes irritated her, it was her symbol of her love towards Val. He had said that it was symbolic of life eternal, and her love for him was her life eternal. Her love for Tarrant was life eternal. Her love for her parents and for her friends was life eternal. It was the thing that kept her going, the reason why she had to fight against this new corrupt government.
"There's another pub down a few blocks. We can talk there. I'll have my men watch for that creep-"
"Wait a sec," Reyna stopped, and spun around, facing the two men, "you never told me that you had other men watching this place. Just what the hell are you trying to pull here?!" She had specifically stated to them that there was no other who would watch them…she didn't want possible spies of the Nationals creeping up on her.
"Miss Reyna, that creep could be a National. What the hell do you think-"
"I never told you my name. How do you know I'm Reyna?" Reyna started to back up warily, watching the two men dangerously. She reached behind her for her gun-
And froze as a large hand clamped down on hers. Another one snaked around her neck and grabbed her mouth and she struggled and tried to bite the hand, but it held her close and fast to a warm body. She could feel her heart racing as she watched as both David and his partner leer at her and the dim flash of knives appeared in their hand and her eyes widened with fear.
They were going to rape her…she knew it! They weren't here to discuss armament deals…they were Nationals! She was going to be captured and taken to Severn or Hallsfield…No! She struggled violently, trying to use every single tactic Master Wufei and Val had taught her for the past few months. She had to get away! But the harder she struggled, the more the grip on her became painful and she screamed, but her screams were muffled. Help me…someone help me! She pleaded with whatever gods existed on this planet.
"Hey Roger, hold her down! Do you think Mr. Severn would mind if she's a bit spoiled?" David leered at her and she shook her head violently, trying to loosen the grip that 'Roger' had on her.
"No, I don't think so at all," David's partner replied and as they approached closer, Reyna closed her eyes…she didn't want to see it…she didn't want to feel it…she didn't want to be here! Val…Val…she prayed silently, where are you?!
"If there's one thing I hate, it's seeing a girl get raped," a new voice suddenly spoke up and Reyna opened her eyes to see the man in the black duster standing a bit behind David and his partner.
"What?!" David spun around as did his partner, "who the hell are you?!"
"No one you need to know," the man in the black duster replied before even with the speed to rival Commander Yuy's draw technique, the echo of two bullets resounded in the alleyway. Moments later, Reyna watched, eyes wide, as David and his partner fell to the ground, dead.
She watched as the man then pointed his piece at 'Roger' who was holding her. "Release her," he demanded in a simple but cold voice. The tone reminded her of Commander Yuy in a very bad mood.
"No way. If you want her that badly, you'll have to face me," the pressure to Reyna's mouth was freed and Reyna shook her head a few times before she narrowed eyes.
"Wrong move buddy," she growled at Roger before she spun around and kicked the man in the groin. He dropped the knife he had been holding and crumpled to the ground, but Reyna wasn't finished as she jackknifed a kick to his neck. She heard the resounding crack of the man's neck being broken before she stepped back. Her breaths were heavy and she could feel adrenaline rushing through her. She knew that she had just killed a man but she didn't care. He was going to hurt her…
"Nice skills," the man in the black duster commented behind her and she spun around, her arms up in a defensive posture.
"Who the hell are you? Are you a National?" she was wary of her…rescuer…and didn't trust him.
"Hey, hey," he held his hands up a friendly gesture, the gun hanging limply from his fingers, but Reyna noted that even with the supposed limp stance, he seemed like the one to fire it at a moment's notice, "take it easy. I'm on your side…"
"Just what side is that?" she growled.
"Geez…you sure have lived up to your nickname, Spitfire," he replied, shaking his head as a rueful grin appeared and he holstered his gun.
"How do you know that?" she backed up slightly.
"Oui…rule one and lesson one, never pick up on the fact that the enemy might mention your name. I figure Wufei Chang or your knucklehead boyfriend Val would teach you that," he replied.
"Wufei who?" Reyna frowned.
"Good, you're learning quickly," the man grinned and Reyna began to feel that she could trust the man and lowered her arms.
"Lesson two: don't assume that when someone is talking to you like I am that they could be your ally," suddenly his gun was drawn out and Reyna blinked. The draw was so fast!
"Lesson three: Trust yourself, trust your instincts, trust those that you care for and most of all trust me," the man smiled again and holstered his gun. Now Reyna was flustered and began to get angry.
"Who the hell-"
"Lesson four: Don't get angry unless it's something that you need to get angry over with," the man sounded like he was patronizing her which infuriated Reyna. She started to stomp over to the man when he held up a hand to stop her.
"Okay Spitfire, I understand that you're probably pissed at me, but hear me out. I'm a friend of sorts. And no I'm not telling you from where. We all have our secrets and you keep yours while I keep mine. All I'm doing is offering you a proposal," the man bowed slightly and mockingly.
"And that is…?" Reyna stared moodily at him.
"A chance to kick some serious Nationals ass and maybe save your parents in the meantime," the man offered with an outstretched hand.
"Why should I trust you?"
"Good, good, you're a quick learner. Why should you trust me? Good question," the man was beginning to get on Reyna's nerves again. She was really irritated by his mocking voice, it sounded almost like Cavan's at times. "Well, Spitfire, I think you should trust me because, hey, I'm the only one that can get you the resources you need for Hellfire."
"And how would you do that?" she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms together, skeptical.
"Simple," the man spread his arms out theatrically, "I've been tailing you for this past week, since you ran out from your friend Tani Walker's apartment. You left her quite distraught, by the way, but she understands."
Reyna frowned and shrugged, "I don't know who the hell you're talking about."
"Yes you do. You had stashed Hellfire in an underground water base along the banks of the Seine, but you moved it quite recently to a storage facility that's half shelled out from the recent attacks," the man explained and Reyna couldn't let the blatant shock appear on her face.
He had been watching her…this closely for the past week? And she never noticed him or even picked him up on Hellfire's scanners? Wow…he had to be good, very good…
"There is a stash of weapons and materials you need to repair Hellfire in one of the bases. I can get it for you, only if you agree to work with me," he offered a hand and Reyna frowned at it. She didn't really trust him…but if managed to follow and detail her activities for this long, then she had nothing to lose by joining forces with him. After all, it didn't matter now if he reported her to Severn and his goons – at this rate she was going to have to destroy Hellfire and let herself be captured within a month as supplies were dwindling.
"All right…" she agreed reluctantly as she took the hand and shook it. She noted that his grip was firm, which said to her that he was a man to be trusted. Her father had so many negotiations and taught her the differences in handshakes to tell if the person was going to be truthful and honest or was just someone shady. "But touch me and you die," she warned.
"Do you even think I would touch you? No, I think your boyfriend and your dad would probably kill me," the man seemed appalled and Reyna could feel the creep of a smile appear on her lips. His antics were amusing, she had to admit and in ways, he reminded her of a mix of her father and Tarrant, but with the cold-blooded killer sense of Commander Yuy and Colonel Merquise. She also heard hints of what sounded to her like a Creole accent…which made her wonder if the man was from the Southern part of America.
"All right, now that that's settled," the man grinned at her, "let's go get some doughnuts!"
"What?!" Reyna was floored.
"Doughnuts, you know, round things with holes in the middle? They're pretty good. I don't take to Parisian pastry, but I like their doughnuts," the man replied and started off. Reyna sighed and followed, wondering who the hell she had picked up.
"Who are you by the way?" she asked as they walked.
"The name's Julian Kaspari, Reyna Maxwell," he replied.
* * *
Val Yuy rested against his makeshift bunk that he had been given on the L5 base. It was nighttime by their standards and though he was able to fall asleep on whim, he couldn't right now. There was too much on his mind.
He couldn't believe that Anima Ryoji, his childhood friend, was still alive – after what she had lived through in L1… The last time he had seen her was the day after Anihiko died in the Black Wing Incident. He had pushed her away as he had withdrawn into his shell, devastated at the death of his brother. He had thought she had died when her mother, a Preventer agent, moved back to the slums of L1…but here she was, alive, well, and a professional racer like Neo, racing in the same circuit she was at L4.
She was one of the few connections to his past, and one of the few connections to his brother. She understood him and his brother and though he had pushed her away at the end, he could recognize that she understood his loss…something Reyna didn't really hold onto he considered.
Though he loved Reyna and would die for her, it just wasn't the same when talking about Tarrant and Anihiko with her. There wasn't that past to back up on, the times of good fortune and fun. He knew that he shouldn't criticize, but…
Val brought his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. Anima was alive… She had told him that she escaped the martial law that was implemented on L4 and barely made it before Wufei had picked her up and brought her along with him to L5. She had heard the news about his family and was sorry for him.
Surprisingly she hadn't asked about Reyna, or she didn't know, and Val intended to keep it that way for now. He knew how sensitive she got… He sighed…even though he was striving for being like his father, the 'Perfect Soldier', he sometimes felt so frustrated.
His whole life was thrown upside down when Sweeper Headquarters was bombed… He was now a wanted fugitive, a Gundam pilot with the whole world against him. He didn't really know what to do except fight back. On sudden impulse, he reached over his desk where his gun, well, Reyna's gun as he had taken it from her before he pushed her into the Seine, was and took his wallet.
Flipping it open he stared at the four pictures he had in it. He wasn't really a materialist and these were the only pictures he kept with him. One was his family, an old picture as his brother was in it, smiling happily, carrying their baby sister in his arms. Even his father was smiling, holding Relena in his arms. Val let a small smile creep up onto his face. He never liked his mother, but respected her…
Turning to the next picture, it was taken during a break in their war against Locke, before Tarrant Maxwell died. He remembered a few months ago that Howard decided to get an impromptu photo of them together and even though they hadn't really split into the couples they were now, they all decided to pose together. Neo and Reyna were grinning like idiots in the picture with Tarrant making bunny-ears in the back of his sister's head. Adler was just smiling at the antics and Val frowned at himself. From that picture, he looked like the grim reaper and Cavan unfortunately was glaring at him. It wasn't the best picture…
Turning it over, he saw the most recent picture of them together. It was at the ball and this time it was with their families all squashed into the picture. Now the couples were defined and Val could definitely see that though his parents had danced during the celebration, their relationship was already strained.
The last picture was of him and Reyna at the celebration ball. Apparently Neo had gotten the idea of being paparazzi for the night and was snapping photos away, whenever she wasn't with Adler, and thereby took a photo of him and Reyna together. Well, he had gotten his revenge on her by snapping an impromptu photo of her and Adler kissing – which made her so embarrassed that he still grinned at the thought.
Flipping close his wallet, Val set it back on his desk, really a crate of supplies, and leaned against the cold metal wall of his quarters. They were now at war again…and he knew that if he wanted those photos and happy days to be repeated again, he would have to fight.
"With Falcon Zero as my ally, I will fight…" he whispered to himself as he closed his eyes to rest.
* * *
Author's Notes:
Like it? I like Julian a lot. The doughnut factor is from Vash (obviously). ^_^ I had to put some silly stuff in there otherwise it be too serious. But speaking of seriousness, this story does have some relevance to the world politics right now. Think of a relationship between President Bush, the War in Iraq, and what other countries think of us…yep, go stew that in your mind and apply it to Retaliation. Also, think of different stuff that's been happening in history and they all apply to Retaliation. ^_^ Oh yeah, next chapter: Heero's thoughts, Neo's training, and the beginnings of the war of attrition for both the G-pilots and Nationals. Enjoy!