Chapter Twenty-eight: If You Take the Bull by the Horns, Be Prepared to Get Jabbed

"Why can't we find him?" Anna exclaimed in frustration. "This is ridiculous."

Cavel brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "I don't know. He was released at dawn, it's nine now."

Anna sighed and leaned against the side of a building. People hurried around them shouting and talking in various languages, though mostly German. OWN headquarters was situated in its castle in a wooded area forty minutes from the city. Victor had released Quatre at dawn into the city as he said he would. Anna and Cavel had been looking for him since.

"Quatre's a trained gundam pilot. He's as good as hiding as anyone of us, probably better. The problem is he's injured. That means he can't cover as much ground as fast." Anna mumbled, half talking to her companion, half-talking to herself.

"You said he'd head to the airport." Cavel suggested.

"I know. But then I thought of something else. He didn't know that Chase had escaped with Ryuujin. Quatre's one of the most loyal guys I know. If he thinks she's there, he'll go back for her."

"So we should check headquarters."

"No. He wouldn't go back right away. He knows he's being hunted. He'll wait until he thinks it's clear. So he's got to be hiding out somewhere in the city." Anna said.

"Well you know him better. Think. Where would he go?"

Anna thought for a minute. She snapped her fingers. "You took leave here when you were training, didn't you?"

Cavel nodded. "It's the only city close enough with the time we had."

"Do you know of any tea shops? Or an shops that sell coffee but carry tea as well?"

"Sure. There are about four of them. The least busy is about four blocks from here, the most busy is right around the corner."

"Let's check the most busy first." Anna said.

Cavel nodded and took off down the street at an easy canter. Anna followed behind at a slower pace, keeping her eyes open. There was a lot about this situation she and Cavel didn't like. The one thing that was bothering her the most was the fact that she didn't know if Victor had men watching her. If he did, they were going to have a hard time getting all of them out alive.

From across the street, Jack Avis watched them head around the corner. He too had been on the lookout for any other of Victor's men, but there were none so far. He didn't know what they were up to, however; he trusted Cavel. He followed them.

Cavel stopped in front of the store next to the coffee shop and waited for Anna to catch up with him. They then stood side by side and looked at each other.

"Go around the back. He may run for it if he's in there. I'll go in and take a look." Anna said.

"How will he know you're the one?" Cavel asked.

"Trust me. He'll know."

Cavel nodded and disappeared around the back of the building. Anna gave one last look around, frowned at a young man coming around the corner, and entered the shop.

Jack balked as the dark haired girl turned and frowned at him. Luckily he wasn't in uniform so she didn't recognize him. He stood by the bay window looking into the shop and waited for something to happen. It didn't take long.

Anna moved to the side of the door and scanned the crowd of people inside. The atmosphere was laid back and the lighting held an ambiance that made it hard to see all of the patrons. People moved around her as they made their way toward the check out. She was about to give up and meet Cavel outside when a flash of gold caught her eye. It was a head of golden hair moving slightly in the back of the seating area. People moved out of the way and Quatre came into full view. He was seated in the back nursing a cup of something or other.

Anna let a grin spread across her face. That was almost too easy, but thankfully her empathetic friend was mostly predictable. She stealthily moved towards him because she was aware her appearance would throw him off. Unfortunately he looked up and caught her eye. He mistook her grin for a leer and stood up quickly. She tried to dissuade him from running with a small shake of her head but the blonde man stumbled back a few steps and made a dash for the back exit.

"Shimatta." Anna muttered, taking off after him. "Cavel! Catch him!" she shouted.

The calamity threw the customers into confusion as people stood thinking they were under attack. Jack entered the store and attempted to shove his way to the back.

Anna had made it out and Cavel was running down the street after Quatre. She took note of the direction they turned and she hopped over two back fences and waited in an alley. As she expected, Quatre dashed by a moment later and she snagged his arm, dragging him into the alley.

Quatre let out a strangled yelp and swung back at his assailant. He narrowly missed hitting Anna in the nose. Cavel came panting around the corner and watched them with amusement. Anna was trying to restrain the man without hurting him, and Quatre was trying to fight for his life. At a moment of bad attention for Anna, he jabbed an elbow into her stomach.

"Itai! Quatre-kun, knock it off! It's me, for pity's sake. Quatre!"

"Let me go! You won't get away with this!" he snapped back.

"Cavel, now would be nice!" Anna wheezed. To avoid being sharply attacked again, Anna pulled Quatre's arms behind his back and pinned him against the wall. She cringed at his slight whimper.

Cavel simply shook his head and opened the laptop he was carrying. He hit the enter button, and Hoshimawari Mei was replaced with Anna Maxwell.

"I am so incredibly sorry, Quatre." She said softly. "Daijobu desu ka?" she asked, releasing him carefully.

He slowly turned around and stared at her. "Anna...Anna-chan?"

"Hai, Quatre-kun."

A sigh of relief escaped his body. "Doko?" he murmured.

"I've been here there and everywhere, my friend." She replied. She pulled him into a gentle hug. "It's good to see you all right."

"You too." He pulled away and smiled. He thought of something and frowned. "Anna, you have to get away from here. There's someone out to kill me. I think they're from Trowa."

"I know. I heard." Anna said.

"I thought you were the assassin when I saw you in the coffee shop. I don't know who's after me, anymore. Who's he?" he asked, indicating Cavel.

"Hmm? Oh, where did my manners go? Quatre, this is Sparky a.k.a. Cavel. Sparky, this is Quatre Raberba Winner."

Cavel shook Quatre's hand. "It's nice to meet you on friendly ground, Mr. Winner."

Quatre nodded and looked back at Anna. "He's on our side now?"

"Yes. Sparky here's done me proud." She grinned. "And I know who the assassin is."

Quatre looked surprised. "Dare?"

Anna's smile widened. "Viola."

The blonde man gaped at her. "You? But how?"

"The girl you saw me as before works for Victor quite conveniently as an assassin. He gave this job to me. And I plan to finish it. As long as we all come out alive."

"Good thinking. How are we going to do it?"

Cavel pointed at the taxi across the street. "We're going to liberate that cab. We're going to drive a little ways out of the city. Then when I hit this button on the laptop boom! The car goes up in smoke but we're safely in Chicago."

"You're going with me?"

"I want him too, Quatre. He can protect you. I -uh- checked my messages so to speak and it's safe back in Chicago. Trowa's cleared out so you can go back to my apartment and wait for me there. I'm going to go back to Victor, show him pictures of the explosion, collect my millions, and make Hoshimawari Mei disappear."

Quatre nodded. "Be careful, Anna-chan. Trowa's not who he used to be."

"I know. I saw what happened."

Quatre looked at his feet. "I didn't have a choice. I thought I could reach him," he said miserably.

Anna rubbed his un-injured arm. "You did what anyone would do. We need to get going."

Cavel and Quatre gave their agreement. Cavel changed Anna back into Hoshimawari Mei for what they hoped to be the last time. Cavel tucked the laptop under his arm, saluted her, and got in the cab. Quatre waited sixty seconds, hugged Anna quickly, before getting in the cab as well. She watched them drive away before pulling her video camera out of the bag she carried.

Anna stepped out onto the sidewalk and did a zoom close up of the cab driving off down the street. Jack appeared on the street behind her, out of breath. He'd lost them when they went in the alley. He watched with some confusion as she taped the car. A clear in traffic came after a light.

The car exploded into a million pieces, raining fire and bits of metal from the sky.

Jack gasped in shock. He'd failed his mission from his closest friend. Anna taped the scene a moment longer for effect. She hailed a cab of her own and headed in the direction of OWN headquarters. Jack stood on the sidewalk, dumbfounded. Quatre Winner was dead.

Trowa entered Victor's office cautiously. He wasn't especially eager to repeat the situation that had gone down the last time he was called in. The banged man shut the door behind him and fought down a sigh of relief. Victor was seated in his red leather chair, facing the window behind his desk.

"You wanted to see me, General?"

Victor swiveled around in his chair and smiled politely. "Yes. Do have a seat, Commander."

Trowa did so and waited for Victor to continue.

"You remember the man we hired to take the place of Duo Maxwell." Victor said.

"Of course."

"I no longer have a need for him."

"You've fired him."

Victor's smile turned tight. "Not exactly. I sent him to the Chicago of 2013. I want you to go there as well. Exterminate him."

"Are you sure, General?" Trowa asked quietly.

"Positive. If he tells them anything we are ruined. Kill him. And do it by tonight."

Trowa stood. "Yes, Sir."

Victor looked up as Trowa left. "I'm afraid I never understood friendship, Commander Barton. I never grasped the concept of loving someone more than your-self and the willingness to sacrifice. It always seemed foolish to me."

"You do not know how much you missed, General." Trowa replied.

Victor's smile returned. "Perhaps. But I know I missed the pain of loss. Good day, Commander Barton."

Trowa sighed as the door clicked shut behind him. This was going to be the end for him. Once he killed the Duo impersonator, none of them would ever accept him back. He was going to have to resign himself to the fact that his days as a gundam pilot were over.

Anna strode towards Victor's office. She was almost out of this hole she dug herself into. Just before she reached the door she spotted Trowa. An evil grin crossed her features. "Commander," she greeted in a low voice.

He turned as if startled. "Ms. Mei."

She walked up to him until she was practically under his nose. He didn't move away, and his facial expression didn't change. She gave a small laugh before reaching up and kissing him. He stood there, too shocked to move. She pulled away and the evil grin returned.

"A consolation gift. Good day, Mr. Barton." She said darkly. Anna choked down a laugh as she disappeared inside Victor's office.

Trowa looked after her and ran a finger over his lips. "Nani? Consolation?" he murmured. A cold rush ran down his spine. Jack. Jack had called that morning to tell him Hoshimawari Mei and Cavel had left. He'd sent Jack after them. They had killed Jack...

Trowa tore down the hall to the stairwell. He took them down to the ground floor two at a time and slammed through the door into the lobby. And he slammed right into Jack Avis. The force of the hit threw Trowa back into the doorway and Jack to the floor. They stared at each other for a moment, and the other people in the lobby stared at them as well.

"Jack?" Trowa asked with astonishment.

Jack rubbed the back of his head. "I think so."

Trowa reached a hand out and pulled the boy to his feet. "I thought you were dead, my friend."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "What gave you that idea?"

Trowa shook his head. "It's not important. Where's Cavel? I saw the girl."

"I lost him. They split up. Listen, Trowa, I need to talk to you. I think I found out where-"

A cadet rushed up to them and interrupted. "Commander! Lieutenant!"

"What is it?"

"One of the guns backfired during a training run. The boy who was at it is hurt pretty bad. We can't find the base doctor." The cadet panted.

"It's not Dan, is it?" Jack asked.

"No, Sir."

"Can you take care of this, Lieutenant? I have a mission. We can talk when I return."

Jack sucked in a breath. "Sure. I'll handle it. I'll be right there." The cadet nodded and dashed off. "Make it snappy, ne, Trowa? This is important."

Trowa nodded. "I'll be back tonight. Take care, Jack."

"You too, Trowa." Jack followed in the cadet's wake.

Now all Trowa had to do was get the back up laptop out of his room and he'd be off to kill a double.

Heero woke suddenly at the sound of the laptop beeping on the desk. He stood on shaking legs and walked to it, looking at the message.

Chase,

I'm back safely, but need your help. Come to Chicago.

QRW

The Japanese man snorted slightly. "I just got her back," he muttered. "I'm not sending her out again."

He grabbed a small bag that was lying by the bed and started for the door.

"Leaving?"

Heero turned sharply to see Ryuujin leaning against the wall opposite him. The blue haired man looked at him questioningly.

"Quatre needs help."

"And you're in a condition to help him?"

Heero turned. "I'm not sending Chase in there alone."

"So you'll go alone?"

"Yes."

Ryuujin sighed. "You really have no idea what it would do to Chase if you got yourself killed... again, do you?"

Heero stopped suddenly. His dark blue eyes darted back to where the blue haired man stood. The younger Japanese man sighed deeply. "I know what it would do to her."

"And apparently you told her that you would never hurt her like that again, ne?"

Heero glared. "Chase talks too much."

Ryuujin smirked. "You're just now figuring this out? C'mon."

The smaller man cocked an eyebrow.

"Well I'm not going to let you go out there alone, but that doesn't mean I'm going to make you tell Chase and let her go out there."

"So what? You're coming with me?"

"Yes."

"Chase is going to be angry."

Ryuujin smirked as he stepped out of the door. "Then let's get there and get back before she has too much time to brood over it."

*~*~*~*~*

Chase woke up groggily and sat up on the couch. She noticed Odin looking at her oddly. "Nani de suka?"

"They're gone."

"EH?!"

"Ryuujin and Heero have left for Chicago. About two hours ago. Heero just called to let me know."

"Doshite?"

"Heero said that he got an email from Quatre to go to Chicago and for us to just stay here. They'd be fine."

Chase growled something under her breath as she stood and grabbed her coat off the chair and her bag and computer off of the desk. She started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Odin demanded.

"After them, where else? I'm not going to loose them." She reached for the door handle, but Odin grabbed her small wrist.

"Let go, Odin."

"Heero said to stay here. I trust that boy's judgment. You should too."

Chase growled. "He's hurt. What if something happens? What if Ryuujin sneezes or something? They would have no way to turn him back to normal and I'd be miles away. I'm going after them." That said, Chase wrenched her wrist free and stormed out of the door.

"Sneezing?" Odin asked as he watched her leave. "What the heck?"