Chasing Impossibilities
Part Three: Running
Odin walked through the streets, aimless. He had avoided the police, but... now what? He was confused enough when the day had started. During the time he had spent avoiding the police he had come to the decision that some one had killed Cat and framed him, but he still wasn't sure why. His mind crept back to the phone call, to what Cat had said. So he had found out something. Odin was convinced Cat had truly known something when he called, despite his mad ramblings. And for some reason, some one thought Odin knew something too, or at least was getting close. And then, Odin's mind wondered back to J.

Odin stopped, realizing he had come to a bus stop, and made a decision. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew he had to find out. He would go to Cat's house and try to look for anything that would clear things up.

After a few wrong turns, Odin found himself in front of the house he recognized as Cat's. It was an elegant townhouse in the rich area of the city, and, fortunately for Odin, it was completely empty. Odin guessed that the police had already been around to look for clues, and wouldn't be around for a while.

He walked around to the back of the house, stepping towards the back door. It took him a few minutes to jam the door knob open before he could get into the place. It was a mess, and something told him that Cat didn't normally keep it in such a condition. Papers were littered all over the floor, and Odin didn't even know where in the disarray he should start working. He rooted through all the papers, all the desk drawers, all the bureau drawers, but it wasn't for several hours until he was able to locate anything of relevance. He finally stumbled onto a notebook, just a plain green, spiral notebook, in the nightstand next to Cat's bed. Only the first page had been written in, and Odin sat on the bed to read Cat's strange messages where they weren't smudged.

... J, G, O, H, S ... ...
... ... machine, erased ... ...
... lies ...
...
...
... call Heero ...
...
... ... X-00198.

Something flashed in Odin's head before it disappeared as quickly as it came, and he let the notebook fall to the bed. J was involved. So was X-00198. And he knew, somewhere, that the name Heero should be more than just familiar to him.

Odin stood up, tearing the page out of the notebook and stumbling out of the house in a rush. He still wasn't sure what to do, but he decided if he wanted to find out he had to get to the beach colony on L1. And before he did he would have to talk to Max, have to tell him what was going on.

The thought of Max bought the braided man to the forefront of his mind. Oh, god... Max must have heard about Cat by now. The police must have questioned him. He must think Odin a murderer now. The revelation only served to strengthen Odin's resolve; Max, now more than ever, needed to know the truth.

As he ran, Odin tried to remember his last conversation with Cat. He had said something that Odin, at the time, had thought to be the strangest remark. What had he said... the world was a lie. And there it was, repeated in the notebook, with the mention of J and some machine. Images flashed in Odin's mind, almost too quickly for him to process, and he had to stop running and lean on a nearby street sign. There was a scientist. There was a huge, mechanical figure, diving in space. There was Cat, walking beside him in some kind of palace. And then Odin realized what they were... they were memories. They flashed in vivid color, and all the recollections Odin had been acquiring during the course of the day, of Max and X-00198 and the club, they paled in comparison. Something else rolled into his head then, and he realized why the name Heero was so familiar. It was his.

Heero opened his eyes, refocusing on the world around him, and realized that he had stumbled onto a bench. A foghorn called, and he saw that he was looking out into the bay, bridge lights blinking above him. The cold granite and metal was behind him, and when he turned around he saw a bus stop. His mind sent him pale images of this place, telling him that this was where he had first met Max, but he didn't believe it any more. He had no doubt any more that Cat was right, as improbable as the notion seemed.

This world was a lie.

His relationship and life with Max was, no doubt, a lie.

And the secret behind those lies had to be on X-00198.

Heero got up and walked down about a block, stepping into a small cafeteria. A wall full of small cubicles was built on top of the counter, each one filled with some kind of food. Every so often a patron would come in, money was inserted into the chosen cubicle, the glass front would be lifted up, and the food would be consequently taken and replaced.

Heero headed over to the telephone, lifting up the phone book and picking up the receiver. His fingers dialed over the keyboard, waiting for some one to pick up. If he couldn't buy ticket from L2 to X-00198, he might as well try to buy one from L1 before he actually got there.

"Hello. L1 Spaceport." It was a generic voice, covered with so much with static that it was hard to discern even the sex of the speaker.

"I'd like to reserve a ticket to X-00198."

"I'm sorry, sir, there are no shuttles running to that colony."

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"Travel to X-00198 has been suspended indefinitely."

Heero hung up the phone, mind racing. He had to get to that colony. He wasn't sure how; thinking back, he wouldn't have been able to get off of L2 by just ordering a ticket anyway. No doubt the police were checking ids at the spaceports for him. He'd have to get to the port and think of another way.

But first, he decided, he would go to see Max. The other man had a right to know what was going on, after all. And even if everything they had known together was untrue, Max still believed in their love, and Heero couldn't leave him with that delusion.

* * *

Triton knocked on the door, not really expecting an answer. It was late, after all. He had come down to the Riverside complex after dropping Max off, hoping to question Dr. J, but was surprised when a man actually answered.

"Dr. J?" Triton flashed his badge, looking over the doctor. "I'd like to ask you a few questions."

J grinned, and Triton got the feeling that the other man had almost been expecting him. "Of course. Come in."

Triton stepped into the clinical space, looking down in distaste as his boots tracked dirt into the perfectly white room. "You live here?"

"Upstairs. But I don't think you're here to ask me about my lifestyle."

Trowa nodded. "I'm here to ask you about a client of yours, name of Odin Lowe."

"Of course. Odin. Is there something wrong with him?"

"You might be able you help us decide that. Did Mr. Lowe come and see you today?" Triton stepped further into the waiting room, taking everything in.

"Yes, he did."

"Do you remember the time, approximately?"

"He came in a little after noon. He left half an hour later."

"What did he come to see you about?"

"Stress. He was having stress problems, he was actually in a somewhat unstable condition."

"Unstable?" Triton latched onto the word, recognizing a possible motive, though something about J was setting warning bells off in his head.

"Memory lapses, things like that. It wouldn't surprise me if he came in to be treated for more than that."

"Oh?" Triton thought maybe J's information was coming a little too easily, a little too coincidentally, but he wasn't going to dismiss it.

"Yes, well, Odin's mental state was in a precarious situation."

"I see. Do you think he may be a threat to other people."

"Now, I wouldn't say that. Odin's a good man." J's black eyes swirled behind the glass. "Though, others in his state have come to pose threats to others. I suppose there's no telling."

Triton nodded. "One last question, doctor. Did he say anything that struck you as unusual, tell you where he was going next, or anything?"

"No. Nothing like that."

"Well, thank you. I'll let myself out."

The detective walked out of the clinic, its heavy metal door clanging behind him. He stopped once he got inside his car, slumping over the steering wheel while he assimilated the new information. After a little bit he took out a cell phone and dialed a number from a sheet of paper he had. A voice came on after only one ring, as if the callee had been waiting by the phone.

"Hello?" Max answered the phone in an urgent kind of tone.

"Hello, Max, this is Triton."

"Oh." The singer managed to seem disappointed and hopeful at the same time in just that one syllable.

"I just finished talking to J, and I wanted to warn you that Odin might be dangerous right now."

"What do you mean?"

Triton sighed, knowing that Max wasn't taking the threat seriously. "I mean that he's unstable, and might not be acting like himself."

Triton could almost see the other boy's expression right now, somewhere between incredulous and worried, but Max didn't say anything.

"Just be careful, Max."

Triton hung up the phone when the singer didn't answer, hoping the man wouldn't get hurt in any way. Although he wanted to believe Odin was innocent, at least for Max's sake, all the signs pointed to him.

J was something else, though. Triton didn't know whether to trust the strange man or not... he had gotten this strange feeling while talking to him. And J just seemed too forthcoming with just the right information. Just the right information to incriminate Odin, but not enough to make J seem suspicious. Triton wondered what role, if any, the doctor played in this case.

* * *

Max cradled the phone in his hand for a few moments before he realized Triton had hung up on him, then dropped it back into the telephone's base. He stood up, padding on the soft carpet downstairs. Sleep had been unforthcoming that night, what with everything that had happened that day.

The longhaired boy found himself in the kitchen, and shrugged. He really didn't know what else to do with his nerves, and making a midnight snack seemed as good an option as any, so he marched to the refrigerator to peer inside. He ended up with a baloney on rye sandwich and a glass of water, and headed upstairs with his food. A sharp noise sounded from outside, breaking the monotony of the night, sounding like footsteps and the rustling of leaves.

Max put his snack down and headed to the window, making it there just in time to catch a figure running out of the way. It was all too familiar to him, all slim muscles and unruly hair. Max blinked twice before moving to the kitchen phone, staring at the contraption. Triton had told him to call, told him Odin might be a threat... Max reluctantly picked up the phone. He knew Odin wouldn't hurt him, but it would be better for both of them if he made the call. It wasn't long before he was connected to the police, telling them that Odin Lowe was at his house.

Max walked back into the kitchen, not too surprised to see Odin seated there at the table. He leaned against the door frame, just looking at his till now missing lover. "Hey."

Heero shifted a little in his chair, looking at his 'husband'. Max was gorgeous, in an utterly masculine kind of way, even if he did wear a dress for the patrons of his club. And looking at him, Heero could see how he could have fallen in love with the boy, and could almost believe in the lie. "I didn't do it."

"Okay." Max walked towards the other man, pulling up a chair so he could sit directly in front of him. He pushed his water towards Heero, offering him a small smile. "Thirsty?"

"Do you believe me?"

"I have no reason not to." Max reached out for his husband, pulling them together, just taking comfort in the man's tangible presence. He forgot everything about what had been happening- about the murder, about Triton, about the police. "I was worried."

"I..." Heero blinked, something flashing in his mind. But it was gone before he had a chance to grasp it. He put a hand at the back of Max's head, burying his fingers in the soft hair there, just thinking about how nice it felt. He had almost forgotten the purpose of his visit, his newfound information fading to the back of his head. "I'm sorry."

Their moment of piece was soon interrupted, sirens sounding outside. Heero jumped up, pulling Max with him, as he turned a confused expression on the equally befuddled boy. Then Max realized what was going on, addressing Heero with a kind of urgency in his voice.

"I called the police."

"What?" Heero tried to yank away and run, but was stopped by Max's hands around his wrists.

"Stay, Odin, if you're innocent, stay."

"I can't." Heero turned back to the other boy, prying his fingers from around his arm while trying to make him understand. "I was in the motel where Cat died, I don't know how, but I woke up with the damn gun in my hand. But I swear, Max, I didn't do it. But they'll never believe me."

Heero turned and ran out then, noticing how Max's face had been set into a mask of shock before he left. Maybe the other man didn't believe him any more. Heero jumped out of the dining room window, the same one he had come in from, crouching down on the lawn before he broke into an all out run. He could hear the policemen talking on the other side of the house, even with the sirens blazing, as they made their way to the front door. Trying to check where the cops were, Heero didn't even notice when he ran into a trash can, stumbling down onto the ground.

"It's him!"

Heero didn't even turn at the voice. He pushed himself off the ground and started running, aware of the men who had now started chasing him. He could here some of them slamming their car doors, and could hear the sound of engines starting.

Shit.

There was no way he could outrun a police car. He swerved into an alley, the runners behind him only a few steps behind, a fence in front of him. He scaled it with a skill he didn't know he had, looking back to see that he had put some distance between them. He could hear them calling for him to stop, but he had only one goal now. He had to get to that colony.

He ran through alley ways and backyards, parking lots and open streets, not counting the things he had to climb or jump over, losing complete track of the time. He was panting, breathless, but he knew if he wanted a chance to figure things out he had to get away.

Heero stopped to catch his breath, realizing that he couldn't hear the footsteps behind him any more. He had lost them. He looked around, realizing that he was leaning against some alley. Street lights flickered just a few yards away, the street signs illuminated by the light. Magnolia and 1st. Just seven blocks from the spaceport. Heero sunk into the shadows as a cop car drove by, slowly, and he knew they were looking for him. He wondered how he was going to get there.

Heero looked out of the alley way, running across the street when he saw the coast was clear, hiding back into the shadows. His heart was racing so hard it was the loudest noise in his head. It was getting to the point where he could barely hear the sirens blasting in the air. He was taking it slow, now that he had lost his pedestrian pursuers. The important thing now was to be careful.

After winding his way up and down streets, Heero got to the space port. And he froze.

The spaceport was surrounded by police cars, each one not an inch away from the other, with at least twice the number officers patrolling them.

"Don't move."

Heero put his hands up, feeling the cool barrel of a gun pressed against his neck. A pair of handcuffs snapped against his wrists.

"Odin Lowe, you are under arrest for the murder of Cat Winner."

Heero was spun around then, and found himself staring at his jailer. An emerald green eye peered out at him from beneath long brown bangs.

"I didn't do it."

"That's for the courts to decide, Mr. Lowe."

Heero didn't say anything else as he was led to a waiting police car, the officer reading him his Miranda rights.

~tbc~