Author's Note: So it will continue! I'm so ecstatic that you guys like this - thanks to every kind and constructive person that had graciously conceded to spend time reviewing my story. There's nothing more gratifying for an author, and I'll definitely try to incorporate as many of your suggestions as possible. A generic response: I promised a plot and plan to deliver on it (though the reminder was…thoughtful) As for the 'happy romantic conclusion'…we'll see. Mind you, hopefully that'll still be some time away. In the meantime, (please forgive that it's so short) here's what I have for you wonderful, wonderful people.
Iron Lung Serenadeby Glassic
Chpt. 2: No Surface All Feeling
Relena felt a soft, wavering hand settle on her shoulder. She flinched slightly, capturing her lower lip in fear and kindling rage. Relena couldn't bear support at this time – if she accepted it, she feared that she might cave in and disclose all the details. And then that would be the end of me, she thought bitterly, forcing her expression to straighten as she swiveled in her chair to face a sympathetic Noin. Relena's eyes quickly flicked upward as she sighed, attempting to keep the impending tears from trickling down her face and giving her away. Noin gave Relena a feeble smile and passed a stack of papers into her hands.
"Relena…reconsider your orders, will you? We're just one step away from capturing D'Abur. There's no chance for us after this…I just don't understand –"
"Noin," Relena held up a faltering hand and looked Noin in the eyes with some difficulty, "I know that…what I'm doing is for the best. This is the best option!" And as Relena shut her eyes she thought in desperation, This is the only option.
Only Relena knew the connections, knew the reason why Quatre was lying on the verge of death in some undisclosed location, knew why the mission had to be cancelled – for fear that more dire intentions would be eventually be carried out, as promised. Inwardly, though she would never verbally acknowledge it, she was somewhat relieved that she didn't have an option – relieved that, no matter what, Heero would not have to be subjected to the danger of another mission. She swallowed a twisting knot of fear and bile that had risen in her throat, and glanced around her office with nervous eyes. She sought the blinking lights or metallic disc that would indicate that the room was bugged or being monitored – further proof that her fate was sealed. Who could she tell, and how? Relena's musings were interrupted by Noin's distressed interjection:
"Relena, we can't get in contact with any of the three. We fear that…I fear that they may have gone to Dubai anyway, and –"
"But the message must have reached them in time! How could they disregard my order?! Don't they realize that there was a reason for this?! If he finds out – no, I, can't…" Relena gripped herself as she felt herself slipping from reality. Her eyelids fluttered as her hands streaked down her face in despair.
Noin leapt from her seat, and with an alarmed expression on her face shook the shoulders of the young foreign minister, who by then had already lapsed into a brief unconsciousness.
~
"Stay down," Heero coarsely whispered, seconds after kicking the heavy wooden door inwards. The lamps inside were quickly extinguished by nervous fingers, though Heero caught a sufficient glimpse of the conspirators. They were aggravated as they glanced over their shoulders, then startled as Heero's gun was suddenly suspended in the empty black air between them, and with that deciding click the room was silenced. Wufei's flashlight bounced erratically from one distressed face to the next, all the while seeking the red tunic and calm, calculating eyes of their leader, D'Abur. A low, leering voice suddenly rose from among the group: "You work for Master Quatre, yes?"
Heero gripped his gun with both hands and glanced sharply to his right, as a pistol bullet sped towards him through the darkness, whizzing past his cheek and wedging itself deep in the portico wall behind his head. Without hesitation, Heero raised his gun and immediately fired in the same direction of the shot. There was an indistinct cry and a clang of metal as one of the shadows slumped forward.
Without further delay, Wufei shone his beam on the side of Heero's face as he began to speak in slow, menacing tones:
"Surrender D'Abur," Heero continued with eyes narrowed, "What you did will not be forgiven. However, if you surrender D'Abur now, the rest of you shall be spared." A lump could be seen rising in Heero's throat at the memory, and his mouth was twisted into a bitter expression. His eyes flicked back up to the ring of criminals as he heard footsteps echoing down the hall.
Sally ran furiously down the small corridor, struggling to keep her scarf over her mouth and face. A stray curl escaped her burqa as she approached Wufei, pink and breathless. She could sense the tenseness in his muscles, and his cautionary stance at the doorway. His head suspiciously turned to face her, then softened with relief as he quickly plucked the lantern out of her startled hand. Wufei held it up, but the dusty air kept the faces of the conspirators dim and indefinite.
Heero glanced at the lantern, and, sensing the desperation of the situation, as well as the possibility of another gunshot, knocked it out of Wufei's hand with his elbow. The lantern pitched forward in an wide arc, shattering in the small clearing before Heero and spilling liquid fire. All the shadowy figures scurried backwards like frightened animals, save for one, whose ironic expression was exaggerated by the firelight. He was only a youth, perhaps in his twenties, but the deadly, calculating eyes and wise, smirking mouth conveyed a menacing presence that far surpassed his years.
Heero immediately sniped a shot at the calmly seated man, striking him a second too late – as D'Abur had already risen, and the bullet only wedged itself into his abdomen. D'Abur was thrown backward, but regained his composure quickly and wiped at his mouth, now bleeding from the impact, with a intimidating look on his face. Heero suspected that D'Abur was wearing a bulletproof vest, and struggled to reload his gun and attempt another shot. He paused midway when he noticed a familiar metallic shape glinting in D'Abur's left hand.
"Run," he commanded in a raspy voice, roughly shoving Wufei out of the doorway. As Heero himself swiftly backed out, a rain of bullets, presumably from a drone gun, peppered the wall that they had previously been standing before.
The three rushed out, following Heero's lithe footsteps as he navigated through the labyrinth of D'Abur's hideout. Sally covered her head with her arms as she ran, stooping low with Wufei at her side. As they ran in desperation, Wufei gripped her sleeve roughly, almost ripping the fabric. Though she couldn't read his expression, Sally could sense the rough anxiety he exuded.
"Did you –"
"Yes," Sally yelped in response, slightly lifting her long skirt momentarily to reveal the diskette that was wedged in her ankle strap. A slight explosion shook them both, and Wufei gripped Sally to quickly steady her as they continued to chase after Heero.
Avoiding the entrance, which Heero suspected was now alerted and surrounded by D'Abur's cronies, Heero leapt into a small, dark clearing, pressing his back against the cool stone. Sally and Wufei were soon pulled in as well, and all three held their breath as confused shouts and sharp directives were heard nearby.
~
Twenty minutes after she had been revived, twenty minutes after the future had been shattered, Relena sat stiffly upright, feeling cold and terribly helpless in her cramped office. Now she was surrounded by secretaries and Noin's subordinates, who had been instructed to extract whatever information they could when Relena felt prepared to disclose it.
When they all started to discuss things amongst themselves, Relena sank back into her chair, feeling drained. Her weary eyes caught sight of a curiously folded note on her desk, written on aged yellow paper. Her fingers secretly knocked the note off her desk, as she carefully held it in her lap and unfolded the curled edges. Perhaps it was one of the funny poems that Duo liked to send over, or an invitation from Hilde for lunch. Anything to distract me from this…
As Relena read, she pressed a shaking hand to her throat, which was now slick with sweat. In small, deliberate handwriting, the scrawled message read:
"R. Peacecraft:
Instructions have not been carried out. Three spies sent to Dubai must be recalled and executed immediately or Kirtan Plan shall go into effect as planned. Further instructions are to be given. You are to excuse yourself at 2300 hours to stand at the corner of Tremain St. and the 38th district parallel. There, a newspaper boy shall escort you…"
The note continued, although Relena's eyes were too blurred with tears to read further. The sense of dread in her chest expounded to something terrible, and her fist closed silently on the withered note.
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^_~ Well? What d'ya think? This all came out in one long, dramatic sweep, and now I'm suddenly struck with all this inspiration for the next chapter(s). I love action sequences, as I'm sure you can tell. Anyway, expect Relena to be taking some initiative, and for something dramatic and/or heartwarmingly sweet to happen. I haven't decided yet, actually. Satisfied? Unsatisfied? I don't care – drop a review!