Kai avoided me for the rest of the morning. It was a little more than
upsetting. After all, I realise that I had heightened my standard of trust
in him, but it was all for good reason. I don't want him to be hurt more
than I allow him to. And that means not at all! When we were finally
allowed back into the hotel (only the poor breakfast table and an area of
carpet incurred damage), Tala and I met to discuss our options and our next
move. Kai and Max decided to keep out of our way; myself and Tala in his
and Max's room, Kai and Max in our room.
Considering that we have next to nothing to go on, we near enough have to wait for another note from Hunter. I don't want that. It's like we're relying on him. In order to receive a note, we either need to be challenged or in danger. The challenge, I can deal with. The danger, on the other hand...
"How did you know about the bomb under the breakfast table?"
Tala brought me out of my thoughts. I stared at him for a moment, wondering what he meant. Then I recalled everything. The note from the maitre d'!
"Someone tried to tell me there was a bomb there. The maitre d' delivered a note to me from someone who was waiting at reception!"
Tala frowned, the cogs in his head turning, processing this new information. "Hunter?"
"No. The handwriting wasn't his; unless he's deliberately using different handwriting... But why would he warn me about his own bomb?"
"Who knows... unless he isn't the only one after us, and someone else wants the chance to knock us off."
I rubbed a point on my forehead, trying to think. Two assassins after us!? "I hope not... but worst case scenario, I suppose... Why don't we go down to reception and ask around? Someone has to remember what our informant looks like."
Tala went to tell Kai and Max where we were going whilst I left to call the lift. I didn't really want to meet Kai's eyes at the moment. Somehow, the bomb going off made him more... thoughtful? That's not the word... pensive? Close enough. Anyway, it's like he wants to prove he can take care of himself, even if he wasn't a spy. And with the bomb going off near enough in my face, I think he's thinking that even I, with my training, would get caught out just as easily as he would. I must admit, that's true, but still... I'd rather be blown up to look like charred bread slice than see Kai be hurt. And Max. Neither of them should be hurt. Not after what they had to go through six months ago.
Tala met me by the lift, looking at me. "What?" I had to ask.
"What's up with you and Kai?"
Uh oh... "Wh...what do you mean?"
"Don't try to hide it, Oliver. I don't want to have to try to figure this out along with the mission."
I sighed. It would be unfair to him. But was I really ready to admit this? One step at a time, I suppose... "Kai and I... we didn't see eye to eye this morning."
"Oh?"
"Oui... I kind of... made it sound like I didn't trust him."
Tala waited for me to say more. I stared at the numbers on the panel above the lift doors blink from number to number towards us. "You see... I told him I didn't want him involved more than he already was. In a way, I effectively told him I didn't trust him to take care of himself. Even if he had some BIOVOLT training, it's not the complete kind he needs to survive this."
Tala nodded. "So you didn't tell him what Hunter told you?"
"What was that?"
"That Max and himself are in danger?"
"....No."
"Well, I think you should have..."
"Did you tell Max?"
"...."
"Hypocrite."
******
Oliver and Tala stepped off the lift and walked to the reception desk with a purpose. They waited for the poor reception lady, who was dealing with a sudden rush of people desperate to leave the hotel after the morning debacle. After a while, the harassed looking young French woman looked to them.
"Peux-je vous aider?"
Oliver decided to take this one. "Oui. Un jeune homme est entré ce matin, avec une note pour moi. Vous qui savez je'la conversation de m de?"
The young woman looked a little lost for a minute. "Peux-je prendre votre nom?"
"Oliver DuBois."
The penny dropped with the receptionist and somehow mustered the energy to smile. After all, this was one of their more exclusive house guests... "Ah, oui, oui. Monsieur Dubois. Ah.... Il y avait un jeune homme. Aux cheveux brun, tout à fait pâlir et regarder nerveux. Je crois qu'il était Britannique? Cela'le s tout je je rappèle'm craintif."
Oliver thought for a while before continuing. "Est-il parti un nom?"
"Ah... non. Je suis désolé, Monsiuer."
"Jamais l'esprit. Merci pour votre aide."
Tala and Oliver walked a little away for a moment, Oliver filling Tala in. "She doesn't remember him too well. But he was brown-haired, pale and British. Quite nervous, apparently."
"Great. We'll just go and harass every holiday-making Brit in Paris with brown hair and pale skin. I'm sure when we get interrogating, they'll have something to be nervous about."
Oliver allowed himself a wry smile. "Well, what should we try now?"
******
I sat in the hotel lobby that afternoon, looking for all the world like a kid trying to read the paper. In truth, I was; though the operative was try. I couldn't concentrate, my mind trying to piece the meagre clues together. The notes, one threatening, the other warning. The attacks. Hunter... I sighed heavily and folded the paper away. No way was I able to concentrate on the news with all this going on in my head.
Standing, I decided to take a walk. I had my mobile phone; Tala could reach me should he need help. And I had one bugnuk with me, in my inner jacket pocket, should the need arise... I hope I never need to use it at the moment. Outside, I picked a direction and started walking. Now, to try and get my head in gear. Hunter. Who was he? Obviously an agent of BIOVOLT, but what else? Possibly male, British. Could he have been trained from an early age, like myself and Tala? Not improbable. He is skilled, even if I was a little rusty myself. What would his speciality be? If we're going off code names, then Cypher is encryptions and decoding computer information. Shadow; infiltration, stalking and thievery. Hunter... If the pattern follows, then Hunter would obviously be as his code name dictates.
"Oliver? Oliver DuBois?"
I turned around, facing the young man before me. He looked so corny. Pervert's trenchcoat, a fez covering his face, sunglasses. But... brown hair and a British accent... "Are you..."
"Your informant, yeah..."
I stood directly facing him. He was pressed against the wall defensively, holding onto his coat lapel. Beside him a few feet away was an alley entrance. He sent a glance to that direction. Sorry, my friend, but no thanks... He seemed to get the idea and sighed. "I... I don't really know where to start..."
"How about your name?"
"... Erm..." I wish the guy would stop fidgeting! "Just call me Info."
Info? Man, this guy must be very nervous, very stupid or watched too many spy movies... Or I'm just too gullible. For all I know, this could be Hunter! "Er... okay... Info... Were you the one who sent me that warning?"
A nod. He glanced this way and that. "I'm not really comfortable speaking out here..."
"Well, I am. Keep talking. Why are you helping and warning me? And Tala?"
"I don't want you guys to get hurt... And I don't want you to hurt Hunter."
WHAT!? It took me a while to get my head around what he just said before speaking. "Don't hurt Hunter? Why? He's the one who's been trying to hurt me and everyone I care about."
"Please. If I promise to tell you what Hunter's next move is, promise me you won't hurt Hunter. Hunter's just... Hunter's just confused...Hunter doesn't know what to do except follow orders."
"Who is Hunter for that matter? For all I know, I should follow my instincts right here and now and take you down. YOU might be Hunter."
Info looked really scared, even if I couldn't see his face. "N...no! I'm not Hunter! I hate hurting people. All I want is for Hunter to stop and come home. Hunter... Hunter means a lot to me..."
Wow... So Hunter does have another life... Someone to care for them. But still... It doesn't change the fact they are trying to carry out BIOVOLT's dirty work and kill us...
Info sighed and seemed to drift off into his own world. "And I'm all Hunter has in the end... No one cares for Hunter more than I do..."
"You... love him?"
Info turned back to face me, almost like he'd forgotten I was there. He nodded vigorously, enough to make me hope that the damned fez would fall. "A whole lot, but not in the way you probably think. Hunter's family. My only family."
Oh... explains a bit... You know, I envy Hunter in a way. Here's his brother, scared stiff and warning me, informing me, all for his benefit out of care. And what did I have in comparison? A mother who threw me to this world and killed my father. True, I had Tala as a foster brother, but... I have lousy blood... At least 50% of it. I looked at Info. He seems like a good enough kid. I know I should be suspicious and not trust him one bit. I know I should take this opportunity to shove them against the wall with my fist in his face, but something about his story rang true. I can trust him... can I? "So, what do you have for me? What's Hunter's next move?"
Info fidgeted for a bit, as if in thought. Mon Dieu, this guy's either borderline nutcase or borderline pathetic. "Tonight."
Huh? "Tonight? Tonight what?"
"Hunter's going to make an appearance tonight. Not sure to do what. Please..." Info said, begging. "Don't hurt Hunter. Do what you have to to stop Hunter, but don't hurt..."
God, he looks like he's about to burst into tears! Before anything else could be said or done, Info turned and disappeared down the alley. "I'll call tomorrow! Don't hurt Hunter!"
I tried to follow, but I suddenly realised I WAS in the Parisian high street and there WAS a crowd of people flowing this way. So that hindered my progress somewhat. When I did manage to get into the alley, Info was gone. Not even a shadow... Maybe he should inherit my codename...
__________________________________________________________
Anime: Okay... Anya, what's the deal with Info!?
Anya: *shrugs* Don't blame me, I had to work on what stats I was given.
Anime: *sigh* Kami, he's a wimp! Oh well, at least he's carried out his job. Sorry for the poor chapter, folks! But I promise to get Heero working on the next one! And I took ages with this because a) Duo wanted a hand in it.
Duo: *pouts*
Anime: ¬_¬ and b) I needed to translate the French again.
Considering that we have next to nothing to go on, we near enough have to wait for another note from Hunter. I don't want that. It's like we're relying on him. In order to receive a note, we either need to be challenged or in danger. The challenge, I can deal with. The danger, on the other hand...
"How did you know about the bomb under the breakfast table?"
Tala brought me out of my thoughts. I stared at him for a moment, wondering what he meant. Then I recalled everything. The note from the maitre d'!
"Someone tried to tell me there was a bomb there. The maitre d' delivered a note to me from someone who was waiting at reception!"
Tala frowned, the cogs in his head turning, processing this new information. "Hunter?"
"No. The handwriting wasn't his; unless he's deliberately using different handwriting... But why would he warn me about his own bomb?"
"Who knows... unless he isn't the only one after us, and someone else wants the chance to knock us off."
I rubbed a point on my forehead, trying to think. Two assassins after us!? "I hope not... but worst case scenario, I suppose... Why don't we go down to reception and ask around? Someone has to remember what our informant looks like."
Tala went to tell Kai and Max where we were going whilst I left to call the lift. I didn't really want to meet Kai's eyes at the moment. Somehow, the bomb going off made him more... thoughtful? That's not the word... pensive? Close enough. Anyway, it's like he wants to prove he can take care of himself, even if he wasn't a spy. And with the bomb going off near enough in my face, I think he's thinking that even I, with my training, would get caught out just as easily as he would. I must admit, that's true, but still... I'd rather be blown up to look like charred bread slice than see Kai be hurt. And Max. Neither of them should be hurt. Not after what they had to go through six months ago.
Tala met me by the lift, looking at me. "What?" I had to ask.
"What's up with you and Kai?"
Uh oh... "Wh...what do you mean?"
"Don't try to hide it, Oliver. I don't want to have to try to figure this out along with the mission."
I sighed. It would be unfair to him. But was I really ready to admit this? One step at a time, I suppose... "Kai and I... we didn't see eye to eye this morning."
"Oh?"
"Oui... I kind of... made it sound like I didn't trust him."
Tala waited for me to say more. I stared at the numbers on the panel above the lift doors blink from number to number towards us. "You see... I told him I didn't want him involved more than he already was. In a way, I effectively told him I didn't trust him to take care of himself. Even if he had some BIOVOLT training, it's not the complete kind he needs to survive this."
Tala nodded. "So you didn't tell him what Hunter told you?"
"What was that?"
"That Max and himself are in danger?"
"....No."
"Well, I think you should have..."
"Did you tell Max?"
"...."
"Hypocrite."
******
Oliver and Tala stepped off the lift and walked to the reception desk with a purpose. They waited for the poor reception lady, who was dealing with a sudden rush of people desperate to leave the hotel after the morning debacle. After a while, the harassed looking young French woman looked to them.
"Peux-je vous aider?"
Oliver decided to take this one. "Oui. Un jeune homme est entré ce matin, avec une note pour moi. Vous qui savez je'la conversation de m de?"
The young woman looked a little lost for a minute. "Peux-je prendre votre nom?"
"Oliver DuBois."
The penny dropped with the receptionist and somehow mustered the energy to smile. After all, this was one of their more exclusive house guests... "Ah, oui, oui. Monsieur Dubois. Ah.... Il y avait un jeune homme. Aux cheveux brun, tout à fait pâlir et regarder nerveux. Je crois qu'il était Britannique? Cela'le s tout je je rappèle'm craintif."
Oliver thought for a while before continuing. "Est-il parti un nom?"
"Ah... non. Je suis désolé, Monsiuer."
"Jamais l'esprit. Merci pour votre aide."
Tala and Oliver walked a little away for a moment, Oliver filling Tala in. "She doesn't remember him too well. But he was brown-haired, pale and British. Quite nervous, apparently."
"Great. We'll just go and harass every holiday-making Brit in Paris with brown hair and pale skin. I'm sure when we get interrogating, they'll have something to be nervous about."
Oliver allowed himself a wry smile. "Well, what should we try now?"
******
I sat in the hotel lobby that afternoon, looking for all the world like a kid trying to read the paper. In truth, I was; though the operative was try. I couldn't concentrate, my mind trying to piece the meagre clues together. The notes, one threatening, the other warning. The attacks. Hunter... I sighed heavily and folded the paper away. No way was I able to concentrate on the news with all this going on in my head.
Standing, I decided to take a walk. I had my mobile phone; Tala could reach me should he need help. And I had one bugnuk with me, in my inner jacket pocket, should the need arise... I hope I never need to use it at the moment. Outside, I picked a direction and started walking. Now, to try and get my head in gear. Hunter. Who was he? Obviously an agent of BIOVOLT, but what else? Possibly male, British. Could he have been trained from an early age, like myself and Tala? Not improbable. He is skilled, even if I was a little rusty myself. What would his speciality be? If we're going off code names, then Cypher is encryptions and decoding computer information. Shadow; infiltration, stalking and thievery. Hunter... If the pattern follows, then Hunter would obviously be as his code name dictates.
"Oliver? Oliver DuBois?"
I turned around, facing the young man before me. He looked so corny. Pervert's trenchcoat, a fez covering his face, sunglasses. But... brown hair and a British accent... "Are you..."
"Your informant, yeah..."
I stood directly facing him. He was pressed against the wall defensively, holding onto his coat lapel. Beside him a few feet away was an alley entrance. He sent a glance to that direction. Sorry, my friend, but no thanks... He seemed to get the idea and sighed. "I... I don't really know where to start..."
"How about your name?"
"... Erm..." I wish the guy would stop fidgeting! "Just call me Info."
Info? Man, this guy must be very nervous, very stupid or watched too many spy movies... Or I'm just too gullible. For all I know, this could be Hunter! "Er... okay... Info... Were you the one who sent me that warning?"
A nod. He glanced this way and that. "I'm not really comfortable speaking out here..."
"Well, I am. Keep talking. Why are you helping and warning me? And Tala?"
"I don't want you guys to get hurt... And I don't want you to hurt Hunter."
WHAT!? It took me a while to get my head around what he just said before speaking. "Don't hurt Hunter? Why? He's the one who's been trying to hurt me and everyone I care about."
"Please. If I promise to tell you what Hunter's next move is, promise me you won't hurt Hunter. Hunter's just... Hunter's just confused...Hunter doesn't know what to do except follow orders."
"Who is Hunter for that matter? For all I know, I should follow my instincts right here and now and take you down. YOU might be Hunter."
Info looked really scared, even if I couldn't see his face. "N...no! I'm not Hunter! I hate hurting people. All I want is for Hunter to stop and come home. Hunter... Hunter means a lot to me..."
Wow... So Hunter does have another life... Someone to care for them. But still... It doesn't change the fact they are trying to carry out BIOVOLT's dirty work and kill us...
Info sighed and seemed to drift off into his own world. "And I'm all Hunter has in the end... No one cares for Hunter more than I do..."
"You... love him?"
Info turned back to face me, almost like he'd forgotten I was there. He nodded vigorously, enough to make me hope that the damned fez would fall. "A whole lot, but not in the way you probably think. Hunter's family. My only family."
Oh... explains a bit... You know, I envy Hunter in a way. Here's his brother, scared stiff and warning me, informing me, all for his benefit out of care. And what did I have in comparison? A mother who threw me to this world and killed my father. True, I had Tala as a foster brother, but... I have lousy blood... At least 50% of it. I looked at Info. He seems like a good enough kid. I know I should be suspicious and not trust him one bit. I know I should take this opportunity to shove them against the wall with my fist in his face, but something about his story rang true. I can trust him... can I? "So, what do you have for me? What's Hunter's next move?"
Info fidgeted for a bit, as if in thought. Mon Dieu, this guy's either borderline nutcase or borderline pathetic. "Tonight."
Huh? "Tonight? Tonight what?"
"Hunter's going to make an appearance tonight. Not sure to do what. Please..." Info said, begging. "Don't hurt Hunter. Do what you have to to stop Hunter, but don't hurt..."
God, he looks like he's about to burst into tears! Before anything else could be said or done, Info turned and disappeared down the alley. "I'll call tomorrow! Don't hurt Hunter!"
I tried to follow, but I suddenly realised I WAS in the Parisian high street and there WAS a crowd of people flowing this way. So that hindered my progress somewhat. When I did manage to get into the alley, Info was gone. Not even a shadow... Maybe he should inherit my codename...
__________________________________________________________
Anime: Okay... Anya, what's the deal with Info!?
Anya: *shrugs* Don't blame me, I had to work on what stats I was given.
Anime: *sigh* Kami, he's a wimp! Oh well, at least he's carried out his job. Sorry for the poor chapter, folks! But I promise to get Heero working on the next one! And I took ages with this because a) Duo wanted a hand in it.
Duo: *pouts*
Anime: ¬_¬ and b) I needed to translate the French again.