Okay, its been a while, yes I admit that, I am sorry it has taken me so
long to do this chapter.. But, well.. Sorry!
I really hope that this chappie is up to scratch as I had some major problems getting it out..
I KNOW the last chappie had a mean cliffie.. Sorry for that. and well.. I'm not sure how much better this ones end is.. But it WILL answer a few questions.. At least I hope it will..
First things first.. Before I hit the fic again, I must issue the Review thank yous. Also, this chapter is dedicated to ALL my reviewers and readers who have had to wait for me to get in gear and work!!
Gotrek-Gurnisson - BEN!! I hopes you got over the shock you suffered at the gayness of it all!! And I hopes you like this chappie!
Duo Lover 2x1 - sorry! Hope this chappie makes up for the cliffie!
DK-Adeena - Next chappie is here!! I hope it was worth the wait!!
Duo-js - You thought it was the best chappie? I wasn't sure.. But I am glad you liked it! I hope this one lives up to expectations as well!
LadyDragonWolfKnight - Stranger dude. well to find out you will have to keep reading. I guess. Heh.. Me no giving nothing away!! I hope you like this chapter!
rikasakuraduo-heerosyliaspike - Heh.. I think that that is a compliment. heh.. I hope so.. well.. at east you seem to thin kits cool! ^^ Hope you like this chapter!
Ink2 - well, I guess the idea must have hit me from somewhere.. But I don't really watch horror.. but never mind.. I hope you like this chapter; your reviews are always appreciated!
Violette Mai - Who know? Me!!! That's who knows! But me no tell! And yes, Cliffies do bite but I can't help it!! I really hope that you like this chappie thank you SO much for reviewing! *Nods* I Really appreciate it!!
Banshee0 - Wow.. you really liked your prezzie ne? I'm glad! And well.. You aren't really mean to like Stranger hun.. he is kinda the evil villain!! *ggg* I was practically glomped to death during that Review! Well.. any way. chapter 10 is now here and I really hope you like it!
Mistress Of Anime - Well, I am really glad that you are enjoying the story and I always like reading your reviews! I really hope you likes this chappie!! And sorry it was so slow in coming!
kaori-chan - Me? Evil? Never. well.. Okay.. Maybe a little.. but I DID update.. At last..
Halogazer - Amber!! Whee!! Well.. I know you will kill me if I have hurt your liddle Q-Chan, but me giving nothing away!! I hope you enjoy this mate!!
ShinigamiAOD - Not allowed to kill Duo? Well, I say to you, you will have to wait and see what I have done! Mwa!!! Well, I hopes you'll like this chappie, your reviews are always greatly appreciated! Sorry it took so long!
Kuiya - Well.. as for not doing anything to bad to the G-boys.. You'll have to wait and see! ;-) I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you also enjoy this one. Sorry the update took so long!
Natea - Kerb stone hanger.. I like that.. Heh, well, I hope that this chappie lives up to the last one and has you just as wrapped up!! I am ALWAYS happy to read your reviews! And your own stories are fantastic! I am so sorry that this took so long, but these things happen and at least its here now! I hope you enjoy the chapter...
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Heero nodded. This was bad. Stranger had Trowa, Quatre and Duo. He had his gun, and well, Wu-Fei..judging by the number of shots marks around the room, had about three rounds left. This was not going to be easy.
Heero had just helped the still slightly dazed Wu-Fei to his feet when once again Strangers voice sounded over the announcement system.
"Well Heero, game over I believe, and as usual, I won."
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Chapter 10
"I've had ENOUGH!!!!" Heero yelled, slamming a foot very hard onto the skull of one of the hapless, and thankfully dead assailants. The skull collapsed with a sickening crunch and a vile squelch. Heero, pulling a repulsed face, retracted his foot and used the now mutilated mans clothing to clean his shoe.
"Calm." Wu-Fei said, moving to stand beside him. "Please explain to me what that message meant? I'm not wrong, I suppose, in assuming that that was the Stranger guy?"
"No." Heero shook his head "You are not wrong, that was Stranger, and that message means he has the others and intends to harm them, he has won Wu- Fei, he has won!"
Heero looked agitated, Wu-Fei looked mildly shocked. He had not seen Heero this worked up since he had made the error with the Oz Shuttle at the beginning of the Eve Wars; it was unnerving seeing it again..
Wu-Fei watched Heero for a moment longer and was almost disgusted when the Japanese man slumped to the floor and buried his head in his hands.
Wu-Fei knew that they needed to hurry and Heero was wasting time.
With a sigh he dragged Heero to his feet by the front of his tank top and punched him squarely on the cheek.
"CALM!!" He bellowed. Then sighed again, shaking his head slightly. "You need to be calm and think. Panicking is only serving to waste what little time we have left. If you start using your brain we will be able to save them."
Heero gave him a curios look and regained his feet. "How do you have such faith in me? I was too late once already."
Wu-Fei simply rolled his eyes. (Oh LORD..) he thought (When did Yuy develop an insecurity complex.)
"You're Heero Yuy. You wont let them get hurt. They believe in you, and so do I. They will be fine, we'll save them."
Heero turned an uncharacteristic smile on the Chinese Preventer.
"Thank you Chang." He said with a slight nod of his head, while rubbing slightly at the already purpling area on the side of his face. "Yes we shall help them, now, lets move, there is only one place they can be, the control room of the hospital, the only place the intercom can be accessed. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier"
Wu-Fei nodded, and from yet another concealed pouch under his clothing he took out a spare round of ammunition and threw it to Heero.
Heero blinked.
Wu-Fei shrugged. "You're more likely to need it than I am. And sorry. I didn't mean to hit you so hard."
Heero nodded, "No problem, I needed it. And thank you for having faith in me."
"It's fine, now lets go." Wu-Fei said. Nodding in the general direction of the elevator. "Ninmu Ryouki Yuy?" (Mission accepted Yuy?)He asked with a smirk on his lips.
"Ninmu Ryouki" (mission accepted) Heero replied with a smirk also, he hadn't known Wu-Fei knew Japanese. Still smirking he set of across the entrance hall towards the elevator.
Once they reached the top floor Heero and Wu-Fei began to thoroughly search every corridor, when nothing turned up they went down a floor and searched that one. They would have followed the signs.. But Heero had a feeling that they would be less than reliable..
They had gone over about eight floors when they finally found what they were looking for. A locked door marked with the words 'Systems control room' and behind the door Heero could quite clearly hear the buzz and hum of monitors and other such electrical appliances.
With a sharp kick from both Heero and Wu-Fei at exactly the same time, the poor door flew off its hinges, but was stopped from hitting the floor by a deft catch from Heero.
After setting the door softly on the floor, which seemed pointless after the noise they had made kicking it down, Heero and Wu-Fei stepped into the room and looked around.
To their left, sprawled in one corner, bound ankle and wrist was Trowa. There was a large bloody looking lump on his forehead, and a few small cuts and bruises on his face and arms.
Tied to a chair in the opposite corner was a crying Quatre, his wrists and ankles were bloody from where he had clearly struggled to get free, and had thus caused the roped to rub and dig in.
He was probably hoping to get to Trowa, Heero mused.
There was also a cut above his left eye that had left a trail of red trickling down his left cheek. He had evidently put up more of a fight than Wu-Fei had thought.
The gag in his mouth added to this suspicion.
Finally, tied in another chair, in the middle of the room was Duo, breathing heavily. It was evident that the wound on his chest had opened again, for the once white robe was soaked, and a displayed a growing red stain. His face was pale; Heero guessed from blood loss, he had, after all, lost an awfully large amount. His eyes were closed, it was impossible to tell whether he was unconscious, asleep, or just trying to shut out where he was.
A nudge from Wu-Fei brought Heeros attention to the other figures in the room. There were four of them, all standing around a large panel of monitors at the other end of the chamber.
Three of the people at the back of the room were wearing simple black uniforms and standing back against the walls, faces masked by balaclavas. The fourth was sitting down, starring intently at the screen in front of him. He had his back to the door.
From what Heero could tell he was tall, well, even sitting he came easily up to the top of Heero's chest, and Heero was no shrimp. He had dark brown hair, nearly the exact shade that Heeros was, but unlike Heeros it was long, greasy and meticulously neat.
What was he starring at?
A sneaking suspicion caused Heero to turn and look behind him. High up on the wall, clearly visible now her was looking for it he saw a CCTV camera, pointing directly at his and Wu-Feis backs.
The Bastards had the whole building rigged.. He silently snarled, then, with a tiny smirk he turned his face back to the four men, and, for the benefit of the man he could now name Stranger with no fear of being wrong, he pointed the gun back over his shoulder, his eyes still on the mans back and shot, the camera exploded in a fizzing of wires and filaments.
He did not need to see his target. A single pair of hands gave him a round of applause.
"An excellent shot Mr Yuy." The clapper said. Not turning round. "Just like the last time. Only this time it was without looking.. And not timed.."
Wu-Fei saw Heero tense and grit his teeth, the smirk dropping from his lips. Slowly he reached out and laid a hand on his friends shoulder, "Be calm Heero. Be calm." He murmured quietly.
In response he felt Heeros shoulders relax.
Stranger rose to his feet, turned and faced both Heero and Wu-Fei. Finally he stopped applauding.
He was, Heero noted, quite surprising, and quite unpleasant to look at. His skin was pale, very pale, like it hadn't seen the sun for at least twenty years, and it had a sallow, unwashed look to it. His eyes were blue.. And as it had been with his hair, were much the same shade as Heeros, and were as cold as ice. Far colder than Heeros had ever been.
The reason he was surprising to look at was, that if he had cut his hair and maybe spent sometime in the sun, he could be made to look like a much older version of Heero.. If a lot more withered.. And gnarled.
The look in them made the Perfect Soldiers eyes during the wars seem warm and loving. They burned with a deep hatred, most of which seemed to be directed at Heero himself. He had thin lips that at this moment, bore a smug smile.
A long black coat swept the floor behind him, real leather by the looks of it; it would have cost a fortune. As he rose, the coat had stirred up a cloud of dust that suggested that this room had been long out of use.
Under the coat, visible through he slightly open bottom section, he wore a pair of expensive looking black trousers, and a pair of even more expensive looking black shoes.
"Heero Yuy." He said. "We meet at last."
There was a manic glint in his eyes. Heero shuddered involuntarily. It was Stranger; there was no doubt about it. That was the voice that had haunted him, the voice that had commanded his very existence, and the voice that had nearly cost him his Duo.
Heero jumped slightly at a thud from just behind him. He turned and saw Wu- Fei had slumped to the floor. As he starred, a man dressed in black slunk back into the shadows and re-appeared with the other two back by the control panels.
Heero swallowed, they were good. He hadn't seen that at all and evidently Wu-Fei hadn't either. His gun was going to be relatively useless.
The insane look in Strangers eyes intensified.
Heero composed his face into what he sincerely hoped was a neutral look as he asked his first question. His first move in the horrific game.
"What did you do that for Stranger?" His voice was a level monotone.
Strangers face broke into a delighted grin.
"Stranger? Is THAT what you call me?" He burst out laughing, if you could call the psychotic shrieking cackle laughing. Heero maintained his level look.
"Ahhh," Stranger said, wiping a tear from his still cold eyes, his laughter had never reached them, "What a quaint and simple name..."
"It worked well for me." Said Heero flatly. "And it's exactly what you are. A Stranger to love, A Stranger to life, and a Stranger to humanity."
Stranger smiled again, but once more it never reached his eyes.
Heero remained passive. "You didn't answer my question. Why did you do that to Wu-Fei when you allowed him to escape before."
Stranger rolled his eyes. "Must you ask so many questions?" He muttered childishly, before regaining his composure.
"I did that because he was getting in my way. I let him escape before because it was not worth my while to send my people out after him. But times change. This situation is not his concern any longer and I do not want you're so called friends pestering me, or helping you.. You wont have ANY support for much longer, so you had better get used to it, starting... NOW!"
Stranger clapped his hands and went off into another insane peal of laughter, almost collapsing against the chair that he had grasped onto for support. Evidently he thought himself funny.
Heero just glared.
When Stranger had finally calmed down again, a good five minutes later, he began to talk once more.
"We've known each other along time now Heero, well, long by my standards. If you were anyone other than the Perfect Soldier you would be cowering in some institution by now, or stone cold dead, depending on whether your mind or your sense went first.
"We are so alike Heero, you and I, and, well, in fact, I should have been you. Your doctors, all of them together, J, H, O, G, and L, took me off the streets and trained me, they taught me to pilot a Gundam, the Gundam Comet. The first ever Gundam. Well, excluding Tallgeese.
"She was a master of engineering, more advanced even than the models you and your team were lucky enough to pilot."
Heero bit back a retort. Lucky? This scum-bag thought that they were lucky to have been chosen as the Gundam pilots? Lucky to have been forced through extensive training while they were still mere children? Lucky to have the blood of thousands of innocents on their hands and consciences? Lucky to have had no childhood at all? Lucky to have had no family? Lucky to have been forced into the role of the God of Death? Lucky to have no identity other than that of a dead man? Lucky to have been forced to abandon a family because their beliefs had been changed? And Lucky to be fighting for the honour of people long since dead? Lucky to be who they were..Heero didn't think so,
But as it was it didn't really matter what he though at that moment for Stranger was talking again.
"After I had been with the Doctors for some years, they began to recruit these others. Pilot 02 - Duo Maxwell, street scum from L2."
Heero seethed silently. He would have loved to yell at Stranger for calling Duo scum, point of fact he would have loved to shoot Stranger, but at this moment he knew that would serve no purpose, one move and he would be dead.
"Pilot 03 - Named Trowa Barton, no name from L3, Pilot 04 - Quatre Winner, millionaire heir of the Winner estate from L4, and Pilot 05 - Wu-Fei Chang, The last survivor of the Dragon Clan, warrior and scholar.
"As the numbers grew it became clear a team was being formed, I always thought, hoped even..." Stranger shot a longing look over to where Duo was still bound, but now glaring at him from the chair, "That I would be the fifth Gundam pilot. But no.
"Comet was destroyed and they built the Gundam 01, The Gundam Wing from its ruined parts. The Gundam 00 was replaced by the Gundam 01, became the Gundam 01. the pilot Ex Kyada, for that is my real name by the way, was replaced with a no name who came to be called Heero Yuy, after the famous pacifist. Ironic wouldn't you say.
"They gave me a large sum of money to keep quiet about all that I had seen and experienced, and they chipped me to make sure they always knew where I was, but I wanted more, I wanted the thrill of the kill Heero, the thrill of flight once again, and, to be a part of this team, I wanted to lead this team, dominate everything, maybe even..."
Ex cast another longing look at Duo, who retched.
"Have control of something more, MUCH more important." Duo retched again, it was clear he had already heard much of this.
Heero scowled, he did NOT like the way that Ex was looking at Duo, no one should ever look at another person in that way, there was no love in the look, only lust and the desire for submission. The bastard wanted to tame the fire that was Duo, and Heero didn't like it one bit, but Ex was speaking once more, and it would, he reasoned, be best to gain as much information from the psycho as he could. It may prove useful.
"But it was not to be, you replaced me, in more ways than one, and I wanted revenge. I invested the money that the Doctors had given me, and using the highly useful computer hacking skills I had learnt along the way I became very rich, I was able to purchase large company's by bankrupting them first, that was how I came by this hospital.
"I have used buildings like this in my activities before. This hospital you see is registered as running, and full, so no one bothers with it. No one comes to inspect it because I am always one step ahead. Sadly buildings I use, however, Must be destroyed, an explosive wired into the electrical systems and programmed to go off once all power has been cut is a good method. It erases all trace of me ever being near the place."
Heero smirked.
Ex had finally put a foot wrong..his patience had paid off, and as soon as the chance had been realised a plan was beginning to form in the Perfect Soldiers mind. It was a good thing that the mind of the insane failed to see the rationality of keeping its schemes silent.. Stranger was loving every second of this.. Bragging about his brilliance.. Little did he know it would be his undoing.. As soon as Heero had a chance..
"But that was all beside the point. I couldn't just go straight after you, I started calling in favours, and dealing severe punishments when they were not carried out well enough for my tastes, I was always able to remove any information the police and any other corporations such as the Preventers had on me, thanks to my training, and so I was never found out, I could even completely remove a person from existence after I had done away with them, so no information could ever be found. I became a very dangerous man."
Ex smiled his hollow smile, a look of bliss on his sallow face.
"So Heero, my empire was born, and soon I had enough hands, eyes and ears available, all voluntarily working for me as you did, to drag you yourself into my scheme."
Heero nodded. "How is it then Stranger.. Ex, that if all you say is true, the Doctors did not track you down and remove you. It would seem they had the means."
"I removed the chip.." Ex smirked and drew his coat off his shoulder where the tight-ish fabric of his shirt showed a large dent in his arm where the flesh had evidently been removed with a knife, or some other tool. "...And I fed it to some dog on one of the colonies, the doctors do not appear to be as smart as you all thought, they probably think me dead by now. I HOPED you see, to take my position back by force, but it appeared that that would never work, so I thought of another way."
Heero scowled "fair enough answer I suppose, but why not just kill me. If you had as many sources as you say you do that shouldn't have presented a problem. Why not just remove me while I was staying at one of the boarding schools?"
Ex shrugged slightly
"Of course I could have killed you, but where's the fun in that. Why not simply make your life a living hell for a while, along with the life of the one you seem to care so much about. And then, kill your friends. That would be a far more interesting way to get back at you, to bring you down off your high horse wouldn't you say Heero."
Duo was glaring daggers at Ex, hatred evident in his eyes. Heero was unsure what his own move was going to be, but no matter, Ex's turn was apparently not over yet.
"You see Heero, what I'm basically trying to say is it should have been Me on the team Heero not you. Trowa, Wu-Fei, Quatre and.." Ex cast Duo a more lust filled look this time, "...Duo should have been MY team mates, not yours. I was dropped, simply because you were nearer their age and had proved more susceptible to their alterations. You ruined my life, and I Hate you for it. So, now, I shall ruin yours."
Ex slipped a long-bladed knife out of his pocket and took hold of Duo's braid, his fingers caressing it gently for a minute as he wound it around his hand. He starred at the rope of hair longingly for a moment, a predatory smirk on his face, Heero guessed he was imagining it loose and flowing around the lithe body of the violet eyed ex-pilot, and, to be honest it was quite a sight..
With a malicious smirk he yanked Duo's head sharply back.
Duo winced but didn't make a sound.
Slowly, making Duo's eyes widen and fill with tears he pulled the hair harder.
Ex pulled Duos head even farther back and pressed the blade against the exposed throat.
He smirked.
"Say goodbye Heero. Say Goodbye to Duo Maxwell."
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And there this chapter I am afraid must end. *hides.. Just in case*
Well.. I hope you liked it! And I hope to see you all soon!
Review if you wish, I love to read them!
I really hope that this chappie is up to scratch as I had some major problems getting it out..
I KNOW the last chappie had a mean cliffie.. Sorry for that. and well.. I'm not sure how much better this ones end is.. But it WILL answer a few questions.. At least I hope it will..
First things first.. Before I hit the fic again, I must issue the Review thank yous. Also, this chapter is dedicated to ALL my reviewers and readers who have had to wait for me to get in gear and work!!
Gotrek-Gurnisson - BEN!! I hopes you got over the shock you suffered at the gayness of it all!! And I hopes you like this chappie!
Duo Lover 2x1 - sorry! Hope this chappie makes up for the cliffie!
DK-Adeena - Next chappie is here!! I hope it was worth the wait!!
Duo-js - You thought it was the best chappie? I wasn't sure.. But I am glad you liked it! I hope this one lives up to expectations as well!
LadyDragonWolfKnight - Stranger dude. well to find out you will have to keep reading. I guess. Heh.. Me no giving nothing away!! I hope you like this chapter!
rikasakuraduo-heerosyliaspike - Heh.. I think that that is a compliment. heh.. I hope so.. well.. at east you seem to thin kits cool! ^^ Hope you like this chapter!
Ink2 - well, I guess the idea must have hit me from somewhere.. But I don't really watch horror.. but never mind.. I hope you like this chapter; your reviews are always appreciated!
Violette Mai - Who know? Me!!! That's who knows! But me no tell! And yes, Cliffies do bite but I can't help it!! I really hope that you like this chappie thank you SO much for reviewing! *Nods* I Really appreciate it!!
Banshee0 - Wow.. you really liked your prezzie ne? I'm glad! And well.. You aren't really mean to like Stranger hun.. he is kinda the evil villain!! *ggg* I was practically glomped to death during that Review! Well.. any way. chapter 10 is now here and I really hope you like it!
Mistress Of Anime - Well, I am really glad that you are enjoying the story and I always like reading your reviews! I really hope you likes this chappie!! And sorry it was so slow in coming!
kaori-chan - Me? Evil? Never. well.. Okay.. Maybe a little.. but I DID update.. At last..
Halogazer - Amber!! Whee!! Well.. I know you will kill me if I have hurt your liddle Q-Chan, but me giving nothing away!! I hope you enjoy this mate!!
ShinigamiAOD - Not allowed to kill Duo? Well, I say to you, you will have to wait and see what I have done! Mwa!!! Well, I hopes you'll like this chappie, your reviews are always greatly appreciated! Sorry it took so long!
Kuiya - Well.. as for not doing anything to bad to the G-boys.. You'll have to wait and see! ;-) I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you also enjoy this one. Sorry the update took so long!
Natea - Kerb stone hanger.. I like that.. Heh, well, I hope that this chappie lives up to the last one and has you just as wrapped up!! I am ALWAYS happy to read your reviews! And your own stories are fantastic! I am so sorry that this took so long, but these things happen and at least its here now! I hope you enjoy the chapter...
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Heero nodded. This was bad. Stranger had Trowa, Quatre and Duo. He had his gun, and well, Wu-Fei..judging by the number of shots marks around the room, had about three rounds left. This was not going to be easy.
Heero had just helped the still slightly dazed Wu-Fei to his feet when once again Strangers voice sounded over the announcement system.
"Well Heero, game over I believe, and as usual, I won."
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Chapter 10
"I've had ENOUGH!!!!" Heero yelled, slamming a foot very hard onto the skull of one of the hapless, and thankfully dead assailants. The skull collapsed with a sickening crunch and a vile squelch. Heero, pulling a repulsed face, retracted his foot and used the now mutilated mans clothing to clean his shoe.
"Calm." Wu-Fei said, moving to stand beside him. "Please explain to me what that message meant? I'm not wrong, I suppose, in assuming that that was the Stranger guy?"
"No." Heero shook his head "You are not wrong, that was Stranger, and that message means he has the others and intends to harm them, he has won Wu- Fei, he has won!"
Heero looked agitated, Wu-Fei looked mildly shocked. He had not seen Heero this worked up since he had made the error with the Oz Shuttle at the beginning of the Eve Wars; it was unnerving seeing it again..
Wu-Fei watched Heero for a moment longer and was almost disgusted when the Japanese man slumped to the floor and buried his head in his hands.
Wu-Fei knew that they needed to hurry and Heero was wasting time.
With a sigh he dragged Heero to his feet by the front of his tank top and punched him squarely on the cheek.
"CALM!!" He bellowed. Then sighed again, shaking his head slightly. "You need to be calm and think. Panicking is only serving to waste what little time we have left. If you start using your brain we will be able to save them."
Heero gave him a curios look and regained his feet. "How do you have such faith in me? I was too late once already."
Wu-Fei simply rolled his eyes. (Oh LORD..) he thought (When did Yuy develop an insecurity complex.)
"You're Heero Yuy. You wont let them get hurt. They believe in you, and so do I. They will be fine, we'll save them."
Heero turned an uncharacteristic smile on the Chinese Preventer.
"Thank you Chang." He said with a slight nod of his head, while rubbing slightly at the already purpling area on the side of his face. "Yes we shall help them, now, lets move, there is only one place they can be, the control room of the hospital, the only place the intercom can be accessed. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier"
Wu-Fei nodded, and from yet another concealed pouch under his clothing he took out a spare round of ammunition and threw it to Heero.
Heero blinked.
Wu-Fei shrugged. "You're more likely to need it than I am. And sorry. I didn't mean to hit you so hard."
Heero nodded, "No problem, I needed it. And thank you for having faith in me."
"It's fine, now lets go." Wu-Fei said. Nodding in the general direction of the elevator. "Ninmu Ryouki Yuy?" (Mission accepted Yuy?)He asked with a smirk on his lips.
"Ninmu Ryouki" (mission accepted) Heero replied with a smirk also, he hadn't known Wu-Fei knew Japanese. Still smirking he set of across the entrance hall towards the elevator.
Once they reached the top floor Heero and Wu-Fei began to thoroughly search every corridor, when nothing turned up they went down a floor and searched that one. They would have followed the signs.. But Heero had a feeling that they would be less than reliable..
They had gone over about eight floors when they finally found what they were looking for. A locked door marked with the words 'Systems control room' and behind the door Heero could quite clearly hear the buzz and hum of monitors and other such electrical appliances.
With a sharp kick from both Heero and Wu-Fei at exactly the same time, the poor door flew off its hinges, but was stopped from hitting the floor by a deft catch from Heero.
After setting the door softly on the floor, which seemed pointless after the noise they had made kicking it down, Heero and Wu-Fei stepped into the room and looked around.
To their left, sprawled in one corner, bound ankle and wrist was Trowa. There was a large bloody looking lump on his forehead, and a few small cuts and bruises on his face and arms.
Tied to a chair in the opposite corner was a crying Quatre, his wrists and ankles were bloody from where he had clearly struggled to get free, and had thus caused the roped to rub and dig in.
He was probably hoping to get to Trowa, Heero mused.
There was also a cut above his left eye that had left a trail of red trickling down his left cheek. He had evidently put up more of a fight than Wu-Fei had thought.
The gag in his mouth added to this suspicion.
Finally, tied in another chair, in the middle of the room was Duo, breathing heavily. It was evident that the wound on his chest had opened again, for the once white robe was soaked, and a displayed a growing red stain. His face was pale; Heero guessed from blood loss, he had, after all, lost an awfully large amount. His eyes were closed, it was impossible to tell whether he was unconscious, asleep, or just trying to shut out where he was.
A nudge from Wu-Fei brought Heeros attention to the other figures in the room. There were four of them, all standing around a large panel of monitors at the other end of the chamber.
Three of the people at the back of the room were wearing simple black uniforms and standing back against the walls, faces masked by balaclavas. The fourth was sitting down, starring intently at the screen in front of him. He had his back to the door.
From what Heero could tell he was tall, well, even sitting he came easily up to the top of Heero's chest, and Heero was no shrimp. He had dark brown hair, nearly the exact shade that Heeros was, but unlike Heeros it was long, greasy and meticulously neat.
What was he starring at?
A sneaking suspicion caused Heero to turn and look behind him. High up on the wall, clearly visible now her was looking for it he saw a CCTV camera, pointing directly at his and Wu-Feis backs.
The Bastards had the whole building rigged.. He silently snarled, then, with a tiny smirk he turned his face back to the four men, and, for the benefit of the man he could now name Stranger with no fear of being wrong, he pointed the gun back over his shoulder, his eyes still on the mans back and shot, the camera exploded in a fizzing of wires and filaments.
He did not need to see his target. A single pair of hands gave him a round of applause.
"An excellent shot Mr Yuy." The clapper said. Not turning round. "Just like the last time. Only this time it was without looking.. And not timed.."
Wu-Fei saw Heero tense and grit his teeth, the smirk dropping from his lips. Slowly he reached out and laid a hand on his friends shoulder, "Be calm Heero. Be calm." He murmured quietly.
In response he felt Heeros shoulders relax.
Stranger rose to his feet, turned and faced both Heero and Wu-Fei. Finally he stopped applauding.
He was, Heero noted, quite surprising, and quite unpleasant to look at. His skin was pale, very pale, like it hadn't seen the sun for at least twenty years, and it had a sallow, unwashed look to it. His eyes were blue.. And as it had been with his hair, were much the same shade as Heeros, and were as cold as ice. Far colder than Heeros had ever been.
The reason he was surprising to look at was, that if he had cut his hair and maybe spent sometime in the sun, he could be made to look like a much older version of Heero.. If a lot more withered.. And gnarled.
The look in them made the Perfect Soldiers eyes during the wars seem warm and loving. They burned with a deep hatred, most of which seemed to be directed at Heero himself. He had thin lips that at this moment, bore a smug smile.
A long black coat swept the floor behind him, real leather by the looks of it; it would have cost a fortune. As he rose, the coat had stirred up a cloud of dust that suggested that this room had been long out of use.
Under the coat, visible through he slightly open bottom section, he wore a pair of expensive looking black trousers, and a pair of even more expensive looking black shoes.
"Heero Yuy." He said. "We meet at last."
There was a manic glint in his eyes. Heero shuddered involuntarily. It was Stranger; there was no doubt about it. That was the voice that had haunted him, the voice that had commanded his very existence, and the voice that had nearly cost him his Duo.
Heero jumped slightly at a thud from just behind him. He turned and saw Wu- Fei had slumped to the floor. As he starred, a man dressed in black slunk back into the shadows and re-appeared with the other two back by the control panels.
Heero swallowed, they were good. He hadn't seen that at all and evidently Wu-Fei hadn't either. His gun was going to be relatively useless.
The insane look in Strangers eyes intensified.
Heero composed his face into what he sincerely hoped was a neutral look as he asked his first question. His first move in the horrific game.
"What did you do that for Stranger?" His voice was a level monotone.
Strangers face broke into a delighted grin.
"Stranger? Is THAT what you call me?" He burst out laughing, if you could call the psychotic shrieking cackle laughing. Heero maintained his level look.
"Ahhh," Stranger said, wiping a tear from his still cold eyes, his laughter had never reached them, "What a quaint and simple name..."
"It worked well for me." Said Heero flatly. "And it's exactly what you are. A Stranger to love, A Stranger to life, and a Stranger to humanity."
Stranger smiled again, but once more it never reached his eyes.
Heero remained passive. "You didn't answer my question. Why did you do that to Wu-Fei when you allowed him to escape before."
Stranger rolled his eyes. "Must you ask so many questions?" He muttered childishly, before regaining his composure.
"I did that because he was getting in my way. I let him escape before because it was not worth my while to send my people out after him. But times change. This situation is not his concern any longer and I do not want you're so called friends pestering me, or helping you.. You wont have ANY support for much longer, so you had better get used to it, starting... NOW!"
Stranger clapped his hands and went off into another insane peal of laughter, almost collapsing against the chair that he had grasped onto for support. Evidently he thought himself funny.
Heero just glared.
When Stranger had finally calmed down again, a good five minutes later, he began to talk once more.
"We've known each other along time now Heero, well, long by my standards. If you were anyone other than the Perfect Soldier you would be cowering in some institution by now, or stone cold dead, depending on whether your mind or your sense went first.
"We are so alike Heero, you and I, and, well, in fact, I should have been you. Your doctors, all of them together, J, H, O, G, and L, took me off the streets and trained me, they taught me to pilot a Gundam, the Gundam Comet. The first ever Gundam. Well, excluding Tallgeese.
"She was a master of engineering, more advanced even than the models you and your team were lucky enough to pilot."
Heero bit back a retort. Lucky? This scum-bag thought that they were lucky to have been chosen as the Gundam pilots? Lucky to have been forced through extensive training while they were still mere children? Lucky to have the blood of thousands of innocents on their hands and consciences? Lucky to have had no childhood at all? Lucky to have had no family? Lucky to have been forced into the role of the God of Death? Lucky to have no identity other than that of a dead man? Lucky to have been forced to abandon a family because their beliefs had been changed? And Lucky to be fighting for the honour of people long since dead? Lucky to be who they were..Heero didn't think so,
But as it was it didn't really matter what he though at that moment for Stranger was talking again.
"After I had been with the Doctors for some years, they began to recruit these others. Pilot 02 - Duo Maxwell, street scum from L2."
Heero seethed silently. He would have loved to yell at Stranger for calling Duo scum, point of fact he would have loved to shoot Stranger, but at this moment he knew that would serve no purpose, one move and he would be dead.
"Pilot 03 - Named Trowa Barton, no name from L3, Pilot 04 - Quatre Winner, millionaire heir of the Winner estate from L4, and Pilot 05 - Wu-Fei Chang, The last survivor of the Dragon Clan, warrior and scholar.
"As the numbers grew it became clear a team was being formed, I always thought, hoped even..." Stranger shot a longing look over to where Duo was still bound, but now glaring at him from the chair, "That I would be the fifth Gundam pilot. But no.
"Comet was destroyed and they built the Gundam 01, The Gundam Wing from its ruined parts. The Gundam 00 was replaced by the Gundam 01, became the Gundam 01. the pilot Ex Kyada, for that is my real name by the way, was replaced with a no name who came to be called Heero Yuy, after the famous pacifist. Ironic wouldn't you say.
"They gave me a large sum of money to keep quiet about all that I had seen and experienced, and they chipped me to make sure they always knew where I was, but I wanted more, I wanted the thrill of the kill Heero, the thrill of flight once again, and, to be a part of this team, I wanted to lead this team, dominate everything, maybe even..."
Ex cast another longing look at Duo, who retched.
"Have control of something more, MUCH more important." Duo retched again, it was clear he had already heard much of this.
Heero scowled, he did NOT like the way that Ex was looking at Duo, no one should ever look at another person in that way, there was no love in the look, only lust and the desire for submission. The bastard wanted to tame the fire that was Duo, and Heero didn't like it one bit, but Ex was speaking once more, and it would, he reasoned, be best to gain as much information from the psycho as he could. It may prove useful.
"But it was not to be, you replaced me, in more ways than one, and I wanted revenge. I invested the money that the Doctors had given me, and using the highly useful computer hacking skills I had learnt along the way I became very rich, I was able to purchase large company's by bankrupting them first, that was how I came by this hospital.
"I have used buildings like this in my activities before. This hospital you see is registered as running, and full, so no one bothers with it. No one comes to inspect it because I am always one step ahead. Sadly buildings I use, however, Must be destroyed, an explosive wired into the electrical systems and programmed to go off once all power has been cut is a good method. It erases all trace of me ever being near the place."
Heero smirked.
Ex had finally put a foot wrong..his patience had paid off, and as soon as the chance had been realised a plan was beginning to form in the Perfect Soldiers mind. It was a good thing that the mind of the insane failed to see the rationality of keeping its schemes silent.. Stranger was loving every second of this.. Bragging about his brilliance.. Little did he know it would be his undoing.. As soon as Heero had a chance..
"But that was all beside the point. I couldn't just go straight after you, I started calling in favours, and dealing severe punishments when they were not carried out well enough for my tastes, I was always able to remove any information the police and any other corporations such as the Preventers had on me, thanks to my training, and so I was never found out, I could even completely remove a person from existence after I had done away with them, so no information could ever be found. I became a very dangerous man."
Ex smiled his hollow smile, a look of bliss on his sallow face.
"So Heero, my empire was born, and soon I had enough hands, eyes and ears available, all voluntarily working for me as you did, to drag you yourself into my scheme."
Heero nodded. "How is it then Stranger.. Ex, that if all you say is true, the Doctors did not track you down and remove you. It would seem they had the means."
"I removed the chip.." Ex smirked and drew his coat off his shoulder where the tight-ish fabric of his shirt showed a large dent in his arm where the flesh had evidently been removed with a knife, or some other tool. "...And I fed it to some dog on one of the colonies, the doctors do not appear to be as smart as you all thought, they probably think me dead by now. I HOPED you see, to take my position back by force, but it appeared that that would never work, so I thought of another way."
Heero scowled "fair enough answer I suppose, but why not just kill me. If you had as many sources as you say you do that shouldn't have presented a problem. Why not just remove me while I was staying at one of the boarding schools?"
Ex shrugged slightly
"Of course I could have killed you, but where's the fun in that. Why not simply make your life a living hell for a while, along with the life of the one you seem to care so much about. And then, kill your friends. That would be a far more interesting way to get back at you, to bring you down off your high horse wouldn't you say Heero."
Duo was glaring daggers at Ex, hatred evident in his eyes. Heero was unsure what his own move was going to be, but no matter, Ex's turn was apparently not over yet.
"You see Heero, what I'm basically trying to say is it should have been Me on the team Heero not you. Trowa, Wu-Fei, Quatre and.." Ex cast Duo a more lust filled look this time, "...Duo should have been MY team mates, not yours. I was dropped, simply because you were nearer their age and had proved more susceptible to their alterations. You ruined my life, and I Hate you for it. So, now, I shall ruin yours."
Ex slipped a long-bladed knife out of his pocket and took hold of Duo's braid, his fingers caressing it gently for a minute as he wound it around his hand. He starred at the rope of hair longingly for a moment, a predatory smirk on his face, Heero guessed he was imagining it loose and flowing around the lithe body of the violet eyed ex-pilot, and, to be honest it was quite a sight..
With a malicious smirk he yanked Duo's head sharply back.
Duo winced but didn't make a sound.
Slowly, making Duo's eyes widen and fill with tears he pulled the hair harder.
Ex pulled Duos head even farther back and pressed the blade against the exposed throat.
He smirked.
"Say goodbye Heero. Say Goodbye to Duo Maxwell."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And there this chapter I am afraid must end. *hides.. Just in case*
Well.. I hope you liked it! And I hope to see you all soon!
Review if you wish, I love to read them!