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Tapestry - Chapter 13
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Tea sloshed around in my cup as I waited for Wufei to come out of the bathroom. I found it hard enough to wait patiently for things to happen without doing some type of physical activity; usually I'd take a walk, organize supplies, clean my gun, do something. Today, though, I forced myself to sit in one of the chairs by his windows and drink tea, telling myself that he'd be coming out of the bathroom any time.
Yep. Any time, now. Any time ....
Suffice it to say that I waited what I thought was a reasonable amount of time, and then waited a little longer. I had to make allowances for my own impatient nature and the fact that perhaps he was simply thinking, trying to make sense out of that scene in the training room.
I had my own issues to think about - such as what I found when I went over to my room.
Surprisingly enough, when I walked into my room to call Mrs. Grimm, I realized that MY clothes - the ones I shucked off when I dove into the shower - were nowhere to be found. In fact, any kind of debris, like the dishes from my meal, were also gone.
Unnerving. Invisible hands swept my room clean, tidying it for ... me? I shuddered, realizing that someone was watching my movements so carefully that they knew when I was out of the room. Talk about feeling someone's gaze on you all the time ...
I had quickly called Mrs. Grimm, asked her to bring the tea to Wufei's room, and walked back there to wait for her. It didn't take long, all told. She appeared, happily bustling and as genial as ever, chatting away about God knows what. I simply smiled as I had the last time, nodded politely, and tried to get her out of the room as soon as practically possible. I couldn't believe someone enjoyed talking as much as she did. I mean, I was fairly good at making polite conversation, but honestly, compared to her I was positively reticent.
Now I sighed and sipped my tea, leaning on Wufei's table. Light glowed from the lamp next to Wufei's bed and a small table lamp by the window. The water was still running in the shower, I could hear it; but that was all I heard. There were no other sounds coming from the room at all.
I sighed, pushed myself up from my chair, walked over and knocked on the door. "Wufei - Wufei, are you all right? It's been a while, and I was wondering ..."
There was no answer, except the soft sound of running water.
"Wufei - Wufei?"
I wasn't going to wait any longer. I opened the bathroom door and walked in, blinking in the harsher light, and looked for Wufei.
He had to be in the shower, because he certainly wasn't anywhere else in the room.
"Wufei?" Hesitant, I walked to the tub, pulled the door open and peered around it, hoping I wouldn't find that he fainted.
A small gust of air flew back into my face. I felt goosebumps pop up on my arms as my face was engulfed by a fine, needle-like spray that was simply freezing. He was still there, and as far as I could see, was still conscious. However, what tugged at my heart was the way he was standing under the spray. His arms were wrapped around his body, his head was down and his eyes were closed as he stood there, hunched. He wasn't turning blue from the temperature, but I was sure that left alone any longer he would be.
Wufei's body language was so telling; but his passivity, I was sure, was due to delayed shock. I grabbed several towels and tossed them over my shoulder, then reached in and turned off the shower with a flick of my wrist.
"Here. Wufei," I said, my tone gentle, and pushed a large towel into his unresisting hands. "Wrap yourself up and watch your step coming out."
Blinking slowly, Wufei took the towel and did as I asked. He shook out the towel, tucked it around his waist, held it closed in one hand and stepped onto the marble floor, dripping and shivering. Wufei appeared to be completely unaware he was naked in front of me; which, actually, was good. He stood there, looking straight at me but not really registering who was in the bathroom with him as I toweled him dry.
Definitely some type of shock. I left him standing in the middle of the floor for a moment while I retrieved his clothes from the vanity. "Here, Wufei. Put these on."
He looked at me for a moment, then shifted his gaze down to the clothes in my arms. He dropped his towel on the floor, took the clothing from me and started to get dressed, slowly pulling a dark sleeveless tunic over his head.
"Nothing ... happened," he said, his voice soft and even.
I nodded wordlessly and handed him the rest of his clothes. "I'll wait for you in the other room, Wufei. Come out when you're ready. There's tea waiting for you."
He nodded, his gaze dark and troubled. "Hai."
I walked out of the bathroom. Several moments later, Wufei appeared in the doorway wearing an open white zippered sweatshirt, the dark tunic, a pair of white sweatpants and a bemused look. I took his elbow and guided him over to the table by the window. He didn't protest or pull away at all; and for me, that was a telling measure of how distracted he really was.
"Have a seat, Wufei." I steered him into a comfortable chair, poured tea for him in a large cup with a small dollop of sugar. "Let me know if you need more sugar." Retreating from his side of the table, I finally sank into my own chair, grateful for the opportunity to simply sit and watch him.
"Why are you here?" His face twisted a little, dark hair swinging slightly against his cheeks. An involuntary tremor rippled across his shoulders and down his back; I saw it. Almost as if it was a reaction to whatever he was thinking at the moment, which apparently was something he didn't find pleasant.
Sympathy for him and a dull anger at Treize throbbed through me; I tried to keep my emotions under control, though, only presenting him with a calm, rational mask. He hated anyone showing sympathy for him, I knew. He believed it was a sign of weakness on his part that he would inspire that reaction in anyone, and I was not going to make this any more unpleasant for him than I had to.
I took a sip of my own tea before speaking. "You were sparring," I said slowly, choosing my words with care, "using long knives. You used something like that this morning."
"Yes," he nodded, sipping on his own tea, "the ... the daggers. Yes, I remember."
"When I arrived, you and Treize had been sparring for a little while."
"Yes. I - I didn't ... time it," he replied, his gaze fixed on his tea.
"Ah." I stopped, trying to think how to word the next part. "I will tell you what I noticed, if you wish ... about the sparring, that is."
"Hai."
I took a deep breath. "Treize is taller and heavier than you - but when I arrived, he wasn't using either his height or his weight to his advantage. It - it appeared to me that he was trying to provoke you to react automatically, without thinking. Was that true? Did you feel that? Did you feel that you were simply reacting, and not truly attacking?"
"He was," Wufei confirmed. "He - he said he wanted to see me..." He stopped, frowning, searching for the right word. "...feral," he finished. "I think that's what he wanted to see."
I hid my shock well, I thought. Feral. Gods. "I think - I think you're right, Wufei. That's what happened. But after a while, he seemed to tire of the the game, and that's when he decided to use the weapons he had been holding back." The next scene played rapidly played through my head again, leaving me grateful I could conceal my expression with my teacup. "I had no idea he could move so quickly, Wufei. For a large man, he is very fast indeed." Ridiculously fast, in fact.
"I learned that the hard way," he acknowledged. "There is no way to see him coming. He telegraphs nothing." Wufei put his teacup down on the table and rubbed his arms again.
"I noticed that, too. There was no indication that he was about to explode on you. It just - happened. And when it did, it was overwhelming for you."
"Overwhelming?" he echoed, looking over at me. "I only saw his eyes."
Again, I hid my surprise and shock. "His eyes, Wufei? Is that where you look when you're fighting him? Into his eyes?" Gads, no wonder he was overwhelmed. Not only did Treize use his superior size and strength, but he also used one of the oldest fighting techniques to throw Wufei off.
Wufei frowned slightly, as if I had just asked him a simple question anyone should be able to answer. "Of course. Why not?"
"A teacher of mine always told me to look at my opponent's throat - that the neck and the shoulders telegraph what the body's going to do. The eyes of your opponent - well, some people have the ability to hide what they're doing extremely well." And with the hypnotic pull of Treize's gaze .... gah. No wonder.
He shrugged. "Yes, I know. I usually watch my opponent's shoulders and throat - anything BUT the face - but with him, it seems to make no difference. I was watching his eyes. He doesn't indicate anything. And his eyes are ..." He stumbled for a word, finally finding one: "...compelling."
"Yes. They are. Almost hypnotic, like a snake's. That would be enough for me NOT to look at them if I fought him."
"I have no fear." He frowned again. "Not even of HIM."
"No one said you did," I countered, taking another dip of tea. "But it is unwise to take uncalculated risks."
"How is that a risk? It is not. I will not be cowed!" Wufei was shaking, and didn't seem to know it, his eyes blazing passion.
"You will never win if your emotions are so easily stirred. You will only be able to master him when your own emotions are under control and you are thinking clearly."
"My emotions ARE under control!" he shouted. He leaned forward in his chair, very tight, looking slightly embarrassed as if caught. "When I fight, I am in control FULLY as much as I need to be. I don't know. He's ... stronger than I am. He - " Wufei broke off, his expression clearly showing he was remembering the end of the match, and just as clearly showing his bewilderment.
"Wufei," I said, trying to make my voice as soothing and cool as possible.
"Will you tell me what you came in here to say?"
I took a moment before responding. "It was Treize's way of letting you know that he won the match," I replied, careful again.
"Your point?" He touched his chest unconsciously, then clenched his fist.
A short silence fell between us as I considered how best to tell him what I suspected. I knew that, given time, Wufei would come to this conclusion by himself; but again, he wasn't himself right now. "Wufei. Tell me something. How did it feel when Treize ran his knife up your chest? I know it's a strange question," I added, "but ... trust me."
Wufei stared. It looked as though he really didn't want to respond.
"Okay," I sighed, "Let me tell you the way I think it probably felt, and you can tell me whether or not I'm on the right track."
Hunching his shoulders and leaning forward slightly, Wufei glared at me, almost daring me to continue. He drew his legs up into the chair and wrapped his arms around them.
I ignored his glare and continued.
"Okay. First - you were fighting all out, trying to win, when suddenly you were slammed against the wall. That's not unusual, really - it happens all the time. But this time, your opponent was right in your face. Literally."
Still glaring, Wufei gave a bare nod, showing he was listening.
"Treize had you pressed against the wall and you couldn't move - you had to pay attention to him, you had no choice. Then - after he looked at you, making sure he had your full attention - he took his knife and ran it all the way up, starting at your stomach and then up across your chest. Not to cut you, or even scare you - it was barely touching you. It was dangerous - you knew it - but it felt good. Weird, but good."
Now Wufei stared at me as if I had just said the most outrageous thing he'd ever heard. His entire body went stiff and still as he looked at me with dark eyes that threatened to become even larger. "No. "
I continued. "The places the knife passed over felt - tingly. And so did you. And then, the rest your body started feeling that way."
"No," he denied.
"He did the same thing around your neck, across your collarbone -"
Wufei's body stiffened even more and he gripped his knees tightly. A slight, almost imperceptible shiver ran across his shoulders as he scowled at me, silent and threatening.
" -but the last thing he did - when he spoke to you - made you feel ... breathless."
That was the last straw. My last word had barely escaped me when he pounced. He was fierce. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
I had to push him, though - he needed to think this episode through, and I needed him cognizant. "You lost the match, but that's not what he said to you. He leaned right into your face - you could probably feel his breath across your cheek - and said very clearly, 'I - won.' " I paused for a moment, letting that sink in, watching his reaction. "And then he dropped you to the floor like a large sack of sand, and left you there."
Wufei was still curled into his chair, unmoving, staring at me like a basilisk. Challenging me to continue.
Which, of course, is exactly what I did.
"Wufei."
He looked over at me; defiant, denying anything had happened at all - and extremely confused. On some level, though, his psyche knew something had happened. He might be loathe to admit the ttruth to me, but he wouldn't lie to himself.
"You're probably not going to like what I'm going to say ... but it's the truth, and needs to be said. The man's trying to seduce you, Wufei. And from the look on your face, I'd say he was making some headway."
It was an odd thing to see - Wufei's face lost all color, as if the blood simply washed away from his cheeks, and just as suddenly became flushed. "Wha - what?" he stammered.
"You must understand, Wufei. I've seen this before - and I've also been in your position before." I shrugged a little. "Not often, understand, but enough to recognize the warning signs. He's trying to seduce you. Ultimately, he wants to bed you."
Wufei looked, for one moment, as if he was going to throw up. The moment passed; he paled again, and seemed dazed. "You're crazy," he declared.
"I have no idea whether he's interested in any other type of relationship," I continued, looking into his eyes, knowing that he heard me, but he was having difficulty processing. "I'd guess not. You know, this kind of relationship - it's not ... well ... unusual. What IS unusual is that it's Treize who is pursuing you."
Apparently, something had penetrated his awareness. He snapped his arms away from his legs, his hands in tight fists, and stared at me with eyes that were huge and dark. "What are you saying? What are you talking about? That's utter nonsense - it makes no sense! Why the hell would he want something that ... USELESS!?" Outrage and horror stared back at me from his eyes.
"Well, it does make sense, after a fashion," I said patiently, keeping my voice low and even. "Think of all the different ways he's been - playing - with you over the past month or so."
He just kept staring at me, unblinking. I sighed. He had no context for that type of sexual play, I realized, especially when his one and only experience was with a pubescent, angry teen like himself.
Perhaps his relationship with his wife, though, could help after all. "Wufei - search back in your memories. Remember when you were with your wife? Before you actually had sex, you needed to be aroused. Think about how that felt - and see if any of those feelings are the same. They probably aren't as strong, but .. just think about it."
I sighed to myself and watched how my words affected him; and gods, now he was leaning forward, aggressive, looking as though he wanted to spring out of the chair and onto me. "That is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"
Ah - he made the connection. Unperterbed, I continued. "Your body reacts in certain ways to certain stimulus - and sex, believe it or not, is more emotional than anything else."
Wufei looked horrified. "Stop it - this is NOT the same! NONE of this has been the same!"
"He's trying to get you into an aroused state, Wufei ... to the point where you won't know what's happening around you. Why did you think he wanted to get that 'feral' response from you?" I looked at him. "He's very good at manipulation, you know."
I realized that he probably regarded sex as duty instead of pleasure, as he was ordered to consummate his marriage with his wife by his elders and he obeyed. His previous comments about that, too, were telling; some of it probably felt good, but he really hadn't been focused on it at the time.
"Sally." Wufei looked at me, obviously pushing his panic aside, trying to be reasonable. "Treize is not gay. He has a daughter. Do you understand?" He paused, watching me. "He's ... he doesn't WANT what you're saying!"
"Um .. he can, Wufei. It works just as well with males as it does with females. To some people, it doesn't matter what sex their partner is -"
"It matters to ME!" His voice cracked a little at the end.
"Of course it does." I tried to be soothing and calm. "But I'm trying to tell you what Treize is doing, and how you're responding -"
"I'm NOT responding!" he shouted, his cheeks flushed, looking as if I had slapped him.
Maybe I was - psychologically, at any rate. I continued, relentless; he had to understand, and there was no other way. "Emotionally, Wufei, you can't help it. Treize has this -" I groped for the word "- aura, for the lack of anything better - about him. It affects me, too. I think it affects everyone who comes into contact with him."
He blinked; it looked as if something made a connection in his mind. His cheeks slowly turned back to their normal color, and his breathing slowed a little. "Une," he said more quietly. "And Zechs. Une and Zechs have been around him for - for ages. They've both lost their minds, Zechs especially."
His mind had made a leap that mine was only now considering. "I - I suppose you're right," I replied, surprised. "I never thought about it that way, but ...knowing this ... you could be right." I looked at him, earnest. "Please, Wufei. I'm not a person to lie, and I certainly wouldn't lie to you."
"I know you're not lying. You're still wrong."
"I'm simply telling you what I've observed, and my observations are based on personal experience. And Wufei, this is important - once you know the weapon your enemy is using against you, you can defend yourself."
"That ISN'T what he's trying to do," he snapped. "Why the hell WOULD he?"
I chuckled. Really, it was too ironic. "Why, Wufei, why are we here?"
He stared at me, defiant, refusing to answer.
"We are here at his whim," I explained, shaking my head, "and can be eliminated at his whim, as well."
"And what does that have to do with this?"
"Well - I believe we are caught in some elaborate games of his."
"What, a game to fuck me? That's the only purpose for all this?" Wufei snorted. "I'm sorry, Sally, but I don't believe you." His body language was telling me something else, though, because he had started shaking again.
"I can't force you to believe me, of course." I shrugged and took a sip of my tea, watching him. He had leaned back into his chair; his eyes were closed, and his hands were in fists, his arms folded across his chest. "But I'd like to counsel you to look at his actions through different eyes - because there's something else that implicit in this 'game' of his that you need to know."
"Bastard," he spit, his voice cracking badly. "Bastard - he has no right to touch me anyway." He opened his eyes and looked at me again, angry and bewildered and lost, so lost. " - different eyes? What do you mean?"
"The ultimate goal is to get the victim - that's you - to participate willingly, so that the end result is consensual sex."
He blinked slowly and scowled. "Sure it is, Sally. Then he'd be after you, not me. I told you. He's NOT homosexual."
"Oh, no, Wufei, you don't understand." I laughed; the sound was harsh and brittle. "He's already made it quite plain. Treize told me this afternoon that I wasn't his 'type.'"
"Type?" he repeated, looking puzzled.
Wow. That comment showed me, as nothing else did, how naive he really was. "Ah ... yes. I'm not the type of person he prefers to have sex with. I mean, I don't know why - he didn't elaborate. I could be too old, too tall, too thin, not pretty enough - it could be anything."
Or simply the unfortunate case of being born female, the snide voice in my head chortled. Don't forget that one.
Now he was slowly looking insulted. "Type? It sounds like a choice of coffee." His expression clearly showed his disgust.
I nodded at him. "Yes. Now you're understanding the idea. It's rather like choosing something to play with from your toybox."
He curled his lip. "Ugh."
"Yes. Ugh. An ugly world we're in. I don't know what to do about this, though. We're in a precarious position, because we're his prisoners. I could tell you how to push him away - how to put him off - but I don't think it would work. Not with him."
He didn't respond, but his knuckles whitened and his eyes narrowed.
"And ... something else, Wufei. I spoke to Trowa today - and he said that it would be best for us to stay where we were." Feh - that was hard to say. I had believed we'd be long gone by this time. Instead, here we both were ... having a chat in Treize's house before bedtime. Ick, ick, ick.
"Of course I'm staying where I am," he replied, sounding automatic. "I promised." His glare was angry, challenging. "I will not go against my word."
"Yes .. yes, of course, Wufei." I felt defeated again. "I know you won't break your word."
He finally slid his legs off the chair and rubbed his eye with the heels of his hands, a weary, tired motion. "I don't know what the hell's going on. I hate that. But I'm going to figure it out." Wufei eyed me. "You're wrong, Sally. I know for a fact that you're wrong."
"I'm sorry, Wufei. I wish I could do something." I looked out the window into the darkness and felt a bitter, tight anger against our circumstances and life in general in my chest. "And while we're enjoying our time here, the world continues ... under the benevolent leadership of Treize Khushrenada and OZ ..."
"He did bring peace," Wufei said weakly.
"At what cost?" I asked, shaking my head. "And who pays the price?"
Wufei snorted softly. "All the people who shouldn't, probably." He seemed to think for a moment, weighing his words. "Everything he does has more than one purpose, Sally. Everything. If he's in a good mood, he'll even tell you some of the reasons. It's not what you think."
I turned from the window back to you. "All his actions may have more than one meaning, Wufei, but from what I've seen, he wants you. Completely, utterly, and totally - and I doubt very much he'd tell you that."
Wufei snorted. "Then he's mad. I'm not worth the effort."
He was still submerged in the idea he had failed his people. I ignored that, hoping that he would eventually tire of such self-deprecating thoughts, and said, "I believe he is a bit mad - and as you said, he seems to drive those close to him mad as well. Just look at Une."
Wufei nodded slowly. "You didn't ... Zechs. He - you didn't see him leave." His eyes were distant, seeing something that happened in the past. "He - just ... They said he was dead, at first - but ... I think someone helped him escape. The body they brought up wasn't his. Treize said so. He left a week or so after Treize brought me to the island. I remember - he watched us with a strange expression on his face. I don't know why, but I think something about my ... situation ... is what made him leave."
I considered that. "It makes sense. If he was close to Treize, seeing you there might have made him uncomfortable."
"No, he wasn't." Wufei shook his head emphatically. "I mean .. he was, but not like ..." He broke off and looked at me, silent for a moment. "I know who Zechs really is," he finally said, his gaze fixed on his knees.
"Really?" I asked, giving him a sharp look.
He nodded, his face pale. "Treize told me. He's Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's brother. He - Treize - practically raised him. Even though he's only a couple of years older. He took him in. Gave him a new name and face so he could hide. Raised him. Gave him everything. Taught him everything he knows and believes."
I stared at him, nonplused. "I don't believe that - "
"He has pictures. And he calls him "Milliardo" when they're alone. Or mostly alone," he said thoughtfully. "He did it when I was there, too. Milliardo would give me these looks. I don't even know what they were. They weren't pity, and they weren't disgust; I couldn't figure it out."
"Pictures? You've seen pictures of them together?" I asked, interested.
He blinked slowly. "I can show you." Wufei unfolded his legs and stood in one smooth motion. He wobbled a little, still dizzy; I was on my feet and around the table in an instant, holding his arm and steadying him.
"Where are we going?"
Wufei yanked his arm out of my hands, pulling so hard he knocked himself off balance again. Staggering a little, he gave me an apologetic look, blushing. "I - I'm sorry. Please don't touch me."
"It's all right, Wufei. I won't do that any more," I promised. Poor boy had had enough shocks for one day; he certainly didn't need me crowding his personal space, too.
He nodded, shaking a little, but recovering rather quickly, all told. "This way, please."
I followed him into the hallway, wondering where he was taking me. Probably to see a couple of framed photographs on the wall of a study.
It was odd, too - it was rather late at night, and the house was totally silent. Nothing was moving about - there wasn't even the sound of the wind whispering against the shutters. Treize, apparently, had gone to bed, a courtesy that I heartily appreciated. I didn't really want to meet him, walking down the corridor to God knows where with Wufei in such an emotional state.
And he still was, too. He looked fine, on the outside; but there was a telltale wobble to his step, and just a little perspiration beaded on his forehead. He looked fine - but as in everything else, looks were deceiving.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to Treize's office," he said over his shoulder. "I have the keys. He gave them to me ... showed me where everything is ...."
I nearly stopped walking at that piece of news. Jaw agape, I sped up and caught him just as he was unlocking a door on the left hand side of the hall. "You - what? You have the keys to Treize's personal office?" Visions of secret plans and hackable computers and all different types of information danced across my mind, all of them taunting me because I couldn't touch a single one of them.
I was with Wufei, you see. And as sure as I knew my own name, I knew he promised not to touch or give out classified information from any locations at all. I felt like someone who had been lost in the desert for days, craving water, suddenly thrown into an oasis pool and told, "Now, don't drink, and certainly don't get any in your mouth ..."
"He agreed to give me access as long as I was careful not to abuse it," he said, unlocking the door and turning on the light. "And I don't have keys to the really secure things, or access to his computer - but I can get into anything else."
The office was tastefully decorated, understated, just as everything else in the house, and elegantly appointed. The desk was a magnificent cherry wood, polished to a shine, clean and sharp. Wufei unerringly went to the middle left hand drawer and pulled out a sheaf of papers.
"Here," he said, thrusting the papers into my hands. "You can look at them here, but we can't take them back to the room."
"Oh," I said, feeling as though I was rather useless once again. There were hundreds of photos here - some recent, many that were taken within the last year or so, and others that appeared to be even older. The ones of Zechs, though, were unmistakable, no matter the age of the picture.
"I can see why he wanted to keep these hidden," I said as I looked at photos of Zechs and Treize. "They'd probably cause him some problems in the press. Not many, but some."
"Some for Relena, I'm sure, since he's been working for OZ for all these years." Wufei looked troubled. "That night - the night he left - he contacted me and told me he was leaving. Offered for me to come with him. I'd already promised, of course." He shrugged, just a slight motion of his shoulders.
"Oh .. Wufei," I said, staring at the photo in my hands. So close, again, to freedom ...
"I think Treize knew he was leaving, too. He - he knew Zechs had called me." Taking a deep breath, Wufei continued. "And then he gave Zechs a half hour. We were on the island - so - I don't know how he got off. They set the dogs loose." I could see the tremors go through him again. "They found a body, but ... Treize said it wasn't him. He told me the next day. He's been consistent with that."
My hands were trembling slightly as I gave the pictures back to Wufei. "Yes ... very consistent, in fact." I was feeling cold, frozen to my core and slightly sick to my stomach. "He ... he set his dogs loose on Zechs?"
Wufei nodded. "Une went overboard. Sent everybody out - bullets everywhere - but obviously, he got away."
Great. Oh, just great. "Une was on this island, too?"
"Hai. That was before he sent her to space to do more negotiations. That's where Zechs showed up, last I heard." He shrugged again, barely making the fabric of his shirt move. "Treize - tells me things. Obviously, not everything ..."
"Well, no. I'm sure he'd be selective -"
" - but he tells me a lot," Wufei finshed after a moment.
Numbly, I looked around the office. "Is there anything here, Wufei, that might be useful to ... oh ... Duo, or Trowa?"
"Probably," he replied, giving me an even look as he locked the drawer with the photos. "I don't care how evil he is - I'm not sinking to his level. I gave my word; the information remains classified."
I knew he was going to say that, but I had to try anyway. "Okay, Wufei," I sighed. "I respect your decision." There had to be another way to get this information -
He broke into my thoughts. "There are alarms. Don't be unwise."
I started and stared back at him. Apparently, mind reading was now one of his specialties.
"We should go," he said, motioning me toward the door.
"All right." I walked out of the room without complaint. But inside - inside I railed at the world and the universe and the unfairness of it all. Providence's hand provided me with BOTH the key and the knowledge of where each and every file was in the house; and at the same time, provided the perfect guardian of its secrets - Wufei. It was almost as it he held onto this concept of "honor" as his personal concept of morality.
I waited while Wufei locked the door behind him, then walked down the hallway. It seemed that Treize had stacked the game in his favor - which, really, was terribly annoying. I'm sure I would have done the same thing in his place, but this was ... well. "Annoying" wasn't really strong enough.
"You don't have to speak to me again, if you don't wish to."
I turned and gave Wufei a weird look. "What are you talking about, Wufei? Of course I'll speak to you. Why wouldn't I?"
"Ah. Heero and Zechs both made it clear that they would not. I won't hold it against you."
Head down, Wufei walked past me toward his bedroom.
"Hold on, Wufei. I'm not Heero or Zechs, and ... I need to talk to you. Very much. I'm alone here, Wufei - and I respect your decision."
He stopped and looked at me. "I'm not much of a conversationalist," he admitted. "And you may respect my decisions, but you don't understand them."
"No. Not really," I said. "But you have your reasons for them, and that's enough for me. I ... I welcome your friendship, Wufei. I've never been the game-playing type of person - I'm much too straightforward and direct for that." I gave him the ghost of a smile.
"I know," he said with a weak smile. "You should get out of here."
"I can't, Wufei. I have nowhere to go - and I have no way to get there."
"Trowa and Duo could help you," he insisted.
"No - Trowa said they could not get us out. Either one of us. So .. we're here. Together."
He shut his eyes again, as if he was in pain. "You shouldn't be here - you should be free, back with your men where you could do some good. I shouldn't have brought you here." Conflicted didn't really describe the look on Wufei's face. "But at least you're not in prison."
"Please - don't ever say that. You have spared me much misery and pain. And someday, I will get back, and I will fight again." I sighed. "Right now, though, my fight is a different one, and I must learn how to fight differently."
"I - I am sorry to be so much trouble." He looked at the floor, clearly angry and upset with himself.
"Please - Wufei - you are no trouble. Quite the contrary." I walked over to the door of my room and smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."
He probably wasn't going to be okay tomorrow. I knew that. But I also knew, and hoped, that a little information went a long way, so maybe - just maybe - it would help protect him, a little, from Treize.
I was dead tired. I walked over to my bed without turning on the light, collapsed on the bed and crawled under the sheets, blanket and bedspread, fully clothed. I didn't care. The last thing I remember doing was pulling the cover over my head as I drew my legs up to my chest, huddling under the blanket.
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Wednesday. It was Wednesday. I'd been awake for a day and a half, since Monday afternoon.
I was standing next to the table in my bedroom, showered and dressed. Someone had left another outfit for me to wear, along with some clean underwear. I looked at myself in the mirror across the room. My reflection showed a woman wearing a powder blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of white pants, both made out of lightweight, strong material, both very functional and attractive.
And they fit perfectly, of course.
I was itching to walk somewhere ... anywhere ... just as long as it was away from here. Sliding into my shoes, I snagged the coat I used yesterday from the wardrobe, shoved my arms into the sleeves and was out the door.
I didn't bother to take my key. What was the point, really?
No noise was coming from Wufei's door. I assumed he was either still sleeping, since it was early, or out somewhere. Looking both ways, I walked without a sound down the hallway, looking for the way out.
I found it, right where it was the previous day, next to the kitchen. Tripping down the steps, I stepped into the bracing air - yet another perfect fall day. It wasn't difficult to decide on a direction - I'd seen most things on the stable side of the mansion, so I decided to take the other path.
As I walked briskly along the path, I noticed several things that were different. First, there was a hunting range set up not too far away; but what was weird was that all the little cardboard bunnies and birds were completely unscathed; and that felt ..........gah. Weird, to say the least.
I continued on. There were several paths that wound into the path I was following, and it appeared as if they led into the woods.
An excellent place for them. I certainly wasn't going to find out where they led. Once was enough, thanks. I only needed that kind of reminder once.
It was beautiful outside, and the air did help to clear my head - but in very many ways, this mansion and its grounds were spooky and odd, something that was absolutely separated from the world. I had been used to moving forward, planning my team's next move, trying to work through the logistics of our next mission. This time, though, any decision had been taken away from me. I could make the decision where to walk, but really ...
Say what's on your mind, Sally Po, that strange insistent voice of mine murmured. Say it.
"It's ... it's just the illusion of freedom," I said to myself. "An illusion, nothing more. I'm tied to him, as surely as his horses."
My shoulders sagged. It would have been nice to pretend otherwise, but as I told Wufei ... I was too straightforward. I couldn't pretend, even to myself. Sighing, I turned and walked along the gravel path back to the house.
And .. ah, there was something that wasn't there when I left. A long, dark limousine sat in the circular driveway, at the bottom of the steps. Curiously, I walked over to the car and peered in. All the doors were unlocked; the driver was nowhere to be seen; and the keys were in the ignition.
What temptation - a car, right in front of me, ready for me to take to the nearest airport and abandon... Sighing again, I backed away from the car and walked up to the house. It would have been nice, but again - it was just a fantasy. I'd never get off the grounds with the car, and I knew it.
As if by magic, the front door opened before I had the chance to turn the knob; and who was standing in the doorway but Lady Une.
Glaring at me.
"Treize-sama has asked me to escort you to his bedroom," she announced in her I-don't-approve voice as she gave me a look of pure loathing. I had no idea why, but she certainly didn't like me. Probably had something to do with that last fight we had before my shuttle crashed.
"I see," I replied, my tone mild. "Thank you, Lady Une."
She motioned curtly for me to enter. I nodded and stepped into the house - and as calm and quiet as it was outside, it was the polar opposite inside. It was quite the center of activity.
Une calmly threaded her way through the chaos of the lower level, avoiding bustling young soldiers with their arms stacked full of files, and headed right up the stairs. I followed her, feeling a little more apprehensive.
We passed the second floor, and ended on the third floor. It was much quieter here; not as many people hustling around, and a completely different atmosphere. Downstairs was the area for the common folk; this had more of a rarified feel, with its plush carpets and perfect decor.
Une led me down the hallway to a corner bedroom. She rapped on the heavy wooden door, then waited expectantly.
I heard Treize's voice, muffled, from the other side. "Come."
Now nervous and curious, I followed Une into the room, praying that I looked calm. I felt as though I did, although my heart had started to beat a little faster and my palms were sweating.
Treize was sitting on his balcony, wearing a smoking jacket and what appeared to be silk sleeping pajamas. It was odd, though - there was something totally discordant about that entire scene, something that was completely out of character for him.
It's the clothes, my inner voice informed me. He never wears things like that. It's just for appearance.
"Lady Une," he acknowledged, not looking in her direction.
"I have brought her, my lord," she murmured, bowing. I stared at the poor woman; gods, she was completely subservient to this man - head down, speaking only when spoken to ... it was bizarre, considering I remembered what she was like as a competitor.
"Thank you, Lady. You are dismissed."
Une nodded sharply at him, her body stiff, whirled around and marched out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.
He didn't even look at her. I felt rather exposed as I stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Treize to acknowledge my presence.
I didn't have to wait long. He looked over at me as soon as Une left, a hooded, focused expression in his eyes. "We are leaving, as I'm sure you can tell."
"Yes, I can see that," I agreed.
"You may bring anything you like, within reason, from this house. There will be plenty of things for you to do at our next location, though - more than here, to be honest, so you should not be bored."
He turned his attention from me and watched something from his balcony. His gaze was fixed on whatever had grabbed his attention initially, and I moved to see what that was.
"Of course, I need not remind you that the rules I set forth here will be enforced at our other location, as well. It is a military complex, however, so there will be a few more. Allow me to apologize ahead of time."
"Oh .. I understand."
I still couldn't see what he was looking at - and he seemed to be waiting for me to look, as well - so I walked over to the balcony and looked down.
And I froze - inside. Outside I presented my best "how perfectly boring" expression as I watched Wufei train on his patio, completely oblivious to any other observers. He was doing some kind of complicated kata; he was doing it fast, and very hard. I watched in amazement as he flipped, kicked, and performed otherwise impossible feats of balance.
It dawned on me, right at that moment, why he was training so frantically. It was in response to our discussion last night.
"He seems agitated today. I wonder why that is," Treize said evenly, not taking his gaze from Wufei.
I was silent, watching Wufei. Treize's comment didn't feel like a question; and I couldn't say why, but I had the feeling that it wasn't a statement of fact, either. Instead, it felt as though he was irritated because he believed what he did last night put Wufei into this state. And that -
"It's ... difficult to tell with Wufei," I replied, taking a shallow breath.
"Mmmm." He looked disappointed. I could hardly believe it; it was as though this response was not what he was expecting to see.
"I certainly hope he is strong enough to make the journey." Treize turned to me, that slight air of disappointment still about him. "If you wish to pack, Ms. Po, please do so. I would like to leave within the hour." He turned from me and looked down toward Wufei again. Apparently, our interview was over.
A small glow of triumph spread through me - finally, something had worked! It wasn't something I wanted to telegraph to him, though, and I concentrated on keeping my face carefully neutral. "Thank you, Treize. I will do that. May I bring some books from the library? I have ... very little else to pack."
"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Prove to me that you will be staying long term, Ms. Po, and you will gather more accoutrements, I promise." He didn't look at me at all, nor was he watching Wufei. Now he was facing straight forward, looking at nothing, pensive.
Working things out.
"Thank you, Treize. Shall I tell Wufei to pack, as well?"
"He has been told. This is his response."
"Oh. I see."
I could feel what Treize was doing - it was almost tangible. I realized he was working out all the possible reasons for Wufei to be acting this way, sifting and discarding and testing theories. And if what I thought was his "first guess" was true - that Wufei had simply snapped, or broken down or something due to what he did last night - why, then, perhaps Wufei wasn't the prize he initially thought. Not much mettle there at all, if that was true ... and he might have to end the game sooner than he expected. Truly disappointing.
It was hard for me not to jump in the air and cheer. I had to restrain myself, though. I stood near Treize, waiting for him to release me so I could join Wufei.
"You may go pack, Ms. Po. And please -" He stopped and gave me a sidelong smile, as if recalling something he wanted to confide. " - DO someday let me call you Sally. It is much friendlier, ne?"
"Ah .. yes. Thank you, Treize." I turned away from him in relief and walked quickly to the door.
"Ms. Po."
Gods. I froze in place, my heart hammering, and slowly turned around, schooling my expression to nothing but bland, polite inquiry. "Yes...?"
"I would like to leave within the hour. Do tell him to shower when you see him, ne?"
He guessed, accurately, that I was going to see Wufei.
I swallowed. "Yes - yes, I will." I turned and walked to the door again, hoping he wouldn't stop me. Carrying my head high, I left, trying not to give the impression I was running; that would not do at all. Probably wouldn't do to let him see me smile, either.
Tapestry - Chapter 13
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Tea sloshed around in my cup as I waited for Wufei to come out of the bathroom. I found it hard enough to wait patiently for things to happen without doing some type of physical activity; usually I'd take a walk, organize supplies, clean my gun, do something. Today, though, I forced myself to sit in one of the chairs by his windows and drink tea, telling myself that he'd be coming out of the bathroom any time.
Yep. Any time, now. Any time ....
Suffice it to say that I waited what I thought was a reasonable amount of time, and then waited a little longer. I had to make allowances for my own impatient nature and the fact that perhaps he was simply thinking, trying to make sense out of that scene in the training room.
I had my own issues to think about - such as what I found when I went over to my room.
Surprisingly enough, when I walked into my room to call Mrs. Grimm, I realized that MY clothes - the ones I shucked off when I dove into the shower - were nowhere to be found. In fact, any kind of debris, like the dishes from my meal, were also gone.
Unnerving. Invisible hands swept my room clean, tidying it for ... me? I shuddered, realizing that someone was watching my movements so carefully that they knew when I was out of the room. Talk about feeling someone's gaze on you all the time ...
I had quickly called Mrs. Grimm, asked her to bring the tea to Wufei's room, and walked back there to wait for her. It didn't take long, all told. She appeared, happily bustling and as genial as ever, chatting away about God knows what. I simply smiled as I had the last time, nodded politely, and tried to get her out of the room as soon as practically possible. I couldn't believe someone enjoyed talking as much as she did. I mean, I was fairly good at making polite conversation, but honestly, compared to her I was positively reticent.
Now I sighed and sipped my tea, leaning on Wufei's table. Light glowed from the lamp next to Wufei's bed and a small table lamp by the window. The water was still running in the shower, I could hear it; but that was all I heard. There were no other sounds coming from the room at all.
I sighed, pushed myself up from my chair, walked over and knocked on the door. "Wufei - Wufei, are you all right? It's been a while, and I was wondering ..."
There was no answer, except the soft sound of running water.
"Wufei - Wufei?"
I wasn't going to wait any longer. I opened the bathroom door and walked in, blinking in the harsher light, and looked for Wufei.
He had to be in the shower, because he certainly wasn't anywhere else in the room.
"Wufei?" Hesitant, I walked to the tub, pulled the door open and peered around it, hoping I wouldn't find that he fainted.
A small gust of air flew back into my face. I felt goosebumps pop up on my arms as my face was engulfed by a fine, needle-like spray that was simply freezing. He was still there, and as far as I could see, was still conscious. However, what tugged at my heart was the way he was standing under the spray. His arms were wrapped around his body, his head was down and his eyes were closed as he stood there, hunched. He wasn't turning blue from the temperature, but I was sure that left alone any longer he would be.
Wufei's body language was so telling; but his passivity, I was sure, was due to delayed shock. I grabbed several towels and tossed them over my shoulder, then reached in and turned off the shower with a flick of my wrist.
"Here. Wufei," I said, my tone gentle, and pushed a large towel into his unresisting hands. "Wrap yourself up and watch your step coming out."
Blinking slowly, Wufei took the towel and did as I asked. He shook out the towel, tucked it around his waist, held it closed in one hand and stepped onto the marble floor, dripping and shivering. Wufei appeared to be completely unaware he was naked in front of me; which, actually, was good. He stood there, looking straight at me but not really registering who was in the bathroom with him as I toweled him dry.
Definitely some type of shock. I left him standing in the middle of the floor for a moment while I retrieved his clothes from the vanity. "Here, Wufei. Put these on."
He looked at me for a moment, then shifted his gaze down to the clothes in my arms. He dropped his towel on the floor, took the clothing from me and started to get dressed, slowly pulling a dark sleeveless tunic over his head.
"Nothing ... happened," he said, his voice soft and even.
I nodded wordlessly and handed him the rest of his clothes. "I'll wait for you in the other room, Wufei. Come out when you're ready. There's tea waiting for you."
He nodded, his gaze dark and troubled. "Hai."
I walked out of the bathroom. Several moments later, Wufei appeared in the doorway wearing an open white zippered sweatshirt, the dark tunic, a pair of white sweatpants and a bemused look. I took his elbow and guided him over to the table by the window. He didn't protest or pull away at all; and for me, that was a telling measure of how distracted he really was.
"Have a seat, Wufei." I steered him into a comfortable chair, poured tea for him in a large cup with a small dollop of sugar. "Let me know if you need more sugar." Retreating from his side of the table, I finally sank into my own chair, grateful for the opportunity to simply sit and watch him.
"Why are you here?" His face twisted a little, dark hair swinging slightly against his cheeks. An involuntary tremor rippled across his shoulders and down his back; I saw it. Almost as if it was a reaction to whatever he was thinking at the moment, which apparently was something he didn't find pleasant.
Sympathy for him and a dull anger at Treize throbbed through me; I tried to keep my emotions under control, though, only presenting him with a calm, rational mask. He hated anyone showing sympathy for him, I knew. He believed it was a sign of weakness on his part that he would inspire that reaction in anyone, and I was not going to make this any more unpleasant for him than I had to.
I took a sip of my own tea before speaking. "You were sparring," I said slowly, choosing my words with care, "using long knives. You used something like that this morning."
"Yes," he nodded, sipping on his own tea, "the ... the daggers. Yes, I remember."
"When I arrived, you and Treize had been sparring for a little while."
"Yes. I - I didn't ... time it," he replied, his gaze fixed on his tea.
"Ah." I stopped, trying to think how to word the next part. "I will tell you what I noticed, if you wish ... about the sparring, that is."
"Hai."
I took a deep breath. "Treize is taller and heavier than you - but when I arrived, he wasn't using either his height or his weight to his advantage. It - it appeared to me that he was trying to provoke you to react automatically, without thinking. Was that true? Did you feel that? Did you feel that you were simply reacting, and not truly attacking?"
"He was," Wufei confirmed. "He - he said he wanted to see me..." He stopped, frowning, searching for the right word. "...feral," he finished. "I think that's what he wanted to see."
I hid my shock well, I thought. Feral. Gods. "I think - I think you're right, Wufei. That's what happened. But after a while, he seemed to tire of the the game, and that's when he decided to use the weapons he had been holding back." The next scene played rapidly played through my head again, leaving me grateful I could conceal my expression with my teacup. "I had no idea he could move so quickly, Wufei. For a large man, he is very fast indeed." Ridiculously fast, in fact.
"I learned that the hard way," he acknowledged. "There is no way to see him coming. He telegraphs nothing." Wufei put his teacup down on the table and rubbed his arms again.
"I noticed that, too. There was no indication that he was about to explode on you. It just - happened. And when it did, it was overwhelming for you."
"Overwhelming?" he echoed, looking over at me. "I only saw his eyes."
Again, I hid my surprise and shock. "His eyes, Wufei? Is that where you look when you're fighting him? Into his eyes?" Gads, no wonder he was overwhelmed. Not only did Treize use his superior size and strength, but he also used one of the oldest fighting techniques to throw Wufei off.
Wufei frowned slightly, as if I had just asked him a simple question anyone should be able to answer. "Of course. Why not?"
"A teacher of mine always told me to look at my opponent's throat - that the neck and the shoulders telegraph what the body's going to do. The eyes of your opponent - well, some people have the ability to hide what they're doing extremely well." And with the hypnotic pull of Treize's gaze .... gah. No wonder.
He shrugged. "Yes, I know. I usually watch my opponent's shoulders and throat - anything BUT the face - but with him, it seems to make no difference. I was watching his eyes. He doesn't indicate anything. And his eyes are ..." He stumbled for a word, finally finding one: "...compelling."
"Yes. They are. Almost hypnotic, like a snake's. That would be enough for me NOT to look at them if I fought him."
"I have no fear." He frowned again. "Not even of HIM."
"No one said you did," I countered, taking another dip of tea. "But it is unwise to take uncalculated risks."
"How is that a risk? It is not. I will not be cowed!" Wufei was shaking, and didn't seem to know it, his eyes blazing passion.
"You will never win if your emotions are so easily stirred. You will only be able to master him when your own emotions are under control and you are thinking clearly."
"My emotions ARE under control!" he shouted. He leaned forward in his chair, very tight, looking slightly embarrassed as if caught. "When I fight, I am in control FULLY as much as I need to be. I don't know. He's ... stronger than I am. He - " Wufei broke off, his expression clearly showing he was remembering the end of the match, and just as clearly showing his bewilderment.
"Wufei," I said, trying to make my voice as soothing and cool as possible.
"Will you tell me what you came in here to say?"
I took a moment before responding. "It was Treize's way of letting you know that he won the match," I replied, careful again.
"Your point?" He touched his chest unconsciously, then clenched his fist.
A short silence fell between us as I considered how best to tell him what I suspected. I knew that, given time, Wufei would come to this conclusion by himself; but again, he wasn't himself right now. "Wufei. Tell me something. How did it feel when Treize ran his knife up your chest? I know it's a strange question," I added, "but ... trust me."
Wufei stared. It looked as though he really didn't want to respond.
"Okay," I sighed, "Let me tell you the way I think it probably felt, and you can tell me whether or not I'm on the right track."
Hunching his shoulders and leaning forward slightly, Wufei glared at me, almost daring me to continue. He drew his legs up into the chair and wrapped his arms around them.
I ignored his glare and continued.
"Okay. First - you were fighting all out, trying to win, when suddenly you were slammed against the wall. That's not unusual, really - it happens all the time. But this time, your opponent was right in your face. Literally."
Still glaring, Wufei gave a bare nod, showing he was listening.
"Treize had you pressed against the wall and you couldn't move - you had to pay attention to him, you had no choice. Then - after he looked at you, making sure he had your full attention - he took his knife and ran it all the way up, starting at your stomach and then up across your chest. Not to cut you, or even scare you - it was barely touching you. It was dangerous - you knew it - but it felt good. Weird, but good."
Now Wufei stared at me as if I had just said the most outrageous thing he'd ever heard. His entire body went stiff and still as he looked at me with dark eyes that threatened to become even larger. "No. "
I continued. "The places the knife passed over felt - tingly. And so did you. And then, the rest your body started feeling that way."
"No," he denied.
"He did the same thing around your neck, across your collarbone -"
Wufei's body stiffened even more and he gripped his knees tightly. A slight, almost imperceptible shiver ran across his shoulders as he scowled at me, silent and threatening.
" -but the last thing he did - when he spoke to you - made you feel ... breathless."
That was the last straw. My last word had barely escaped me when he pounced. He was fierce. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
I had to push him, though - he needed to think this episode through, and I needed him cognizant. "You lost the match, but that's not what he said to you. He leaned right into your face - you could probably feel his breath across your cheek - and said very clearly, 'I - won.' " I paused for a moment, letting that sink in, watching his reaction. "And then he dropped you to the floor like a large sack of sand, and left you there."
Wufei was still curled into his chair, unmoving, staring at me like a basilisk. Challenging me to continue.
Which, of course, is exactly what I did.
"Wufei."
He looked over at me; defiant, denying anything had happened at all - and extremely confused. On some level, though, his psyche knew something had happened. He might be loathe to admit the ttruth to me, but he wouldn't lie to himself.
"You're probably not going to like what I'm going to say ... but it's the truth, and needs to be said. The man's trying to seduce you, Wufei. And from the look on your face, I'd say he was making some headway."
It was an odd thing to see - Wufei's face lost all color, as if the blood simply washed away from his cheeks, and just as suddenly became flushed. "Wha - what?" he stammered.
"You must understand, Wufei. I've seen this before - and I've also been in your position before." I shrugged a little. "Not often, understand, but enough to recognize the warning signs. He's trying to seduce you. Ultimately, he wants to bed you."
Wufei looked, for one moment, as if he was going to throw up. The moment passed; he paled again, and seemed dazed. "You're crazy," he declared.
"I have no idea whether he's interested in any other type of relationship," I continued, looking into his eyes, knowing that he heard me, but he was having difficulty processing. "I'd guess not. You know, this kind of relationship - it's not ... well ... unusual. What IS unusual is that it's Treize who is pursuing you."
Apparently, something had penetrated his awareness. He snapped his arms away from his legs, his hands in tight fists, and stared at me with eyes that were huge and dark. "What are you saying? What are you talking about? That's utter nonsense - it makes no sense! Why the hell would he want something that ... USELESS!?" Outrage and horror stared back at me from his eyes.
"Well, it does make sense, after a fashion," I said patiently, keeping my voice low and even. "Think of all the different ways he's been - playing - with you over the past month or so."
He just kept staring at me, unblinking. I sighed. He had no context for that type of sexual play, I realized, especially when his one and only experience was with a pubescent, angry teen like himself.
Perhaps his relationship with his wife, though, could help after all. "Wufei - search back in your memories. Remember when you were with your wife? Before you actually had sex, you needed to be aroused. Think about how that felt - and see if any of those feelings are the same. They probably aren't as strong, but .. just think about it."
I sighed to myself and watched how my words affected him; and gods, now he was leaning forward, aggressive, looking as though he wanted to spring out of the chair and onto me. "That is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"
Ah - he made the connection. Unperterbed, I continued. "Your body reacts in certain ways to certain stimulus - and sex, believe it or not, is more emotional than anything else."
Wufei looked horrified. "Stop it - this is NOT the same! NONE of this has been the same!"
"He's trying to get you into an aroused state, Wufei ... to the point where you won't know what's happening around you. Why did you think he wanted to get that 'feral' response from you?" I looked at him. "He's very good at manipulation, you know."
I realized that he probably regarded sex as duty instead of pleasure, as he was ordered to consummate his marriage with his wife by his elders and he obeyed. His previous comments about that, too, were telling; some of it probably felt good, but he really hadn't been focused on it at the time.
"Sally." Wufei looked at me, obviously pushing his panic aside, trying to be reasonable. "Treize is not gay. He has a daughter. Do you understand?" He paused, watching me. "He's ... he doesn't WANT what you're saying!"
"Um .. he can, Wufei. It works just as well with males as it does with females. To some people, it doesn't matter what sex their partner is -"
"It matters to ME!" His voice cracked a little at the end.
"Of course it does." I tried to be soothing and calm. "But I'm trying to tell you what Treize is doing, and how you're responding -"
"I'm NOT responding!" he shouted, his cheeks flushed, looking as if I had slapped him.
Maybe I was - psychologically, at any rate. I continued, relentless; he had to understand, and there was no other way. "Emotionally, Wufei, you can't help it. Treize has this -" I groped for the word "- aura, for the lack of anything better - about him. It affects me, too. I think it affects everyone who comes into contact with him."
He blinked; it looked as if something made a connection in his mind. His cheeks slowly turned back to their normal color, and his breathing slowed a little. "Une," he said more quietly. "And Zechs. Une and Zechs have been around him for - for ages. They've both lost their minds, Zechs especially."
His mind had made a leap that mine was only now considering. "I - I suppose you're right," I replied, surprised. "I never thought about it that way, but ...knowing this ... you could be right." I looked at him, earnest. "Please, Wufei. I'm not a person to lie, and I certainly wouldn't lie to you."
"I know you're not lying. You're still wrong."
"I'm simply telling you what I've observed, and my observations are based on personal experience. And Wufei, this is important - once you know the weapon your enemy is using against you, you can defend yourself."
"That ISN'T what he's trying to do," he snapped. "Why the hell WOULD he?"
I chuckled. Really, it was too ironic. "Why, Wufei, why are we here?"
He stared at me, defiant, refusing to answer.
"We are here at his whim," I explained, shaking my head, "and can be eliminated at his whim, as well."
"And what does that have to do with this?"
"Well - I believe we are caught in some elaborate games of his."
"What, a game to fuck me? That's the only purpose for all this?" Wufei snorted. "I'm sorry, Sally, but I don't believe you." His body language was telling me something else, though, because he had started shaking again.
"I can't force you to believe me, of course." I shrugged and took a sip of my tea, watching him. He had leaned back into his chair; his eyes were closed, and his hands were in fists, his arms folded across his chest. "But I'd like to counsel you to look at his actions through different eyes - because there's something else that implicit in this 'game' of his that you need to know."
"Bastard," he spit, his voice cracking badly. "Bastard - he has no right to touch me anyway." He opened his eyes and looked at me again, angry and bewildered and lost, so lost. " - different eyes? What do you mean?"
"The ultimate goal is to get the victim - that's you - to participate willingly, so that the end result is consensual sex."
He blinked slowly and scowled. "Sure it is, Sally. Then he'd be after you, not me. I told you. He's NOT homosexual."
"Oh, no, Wufei, you don't understand." I laughed; the sound was harsh and brittle. "He's already made it quite plain. Treize told me this afternoon that I wasn't his 'type.'"
"Type?" he repeated, looking puzzled.
Wow. That comment showed me, as nothing else did, how naive he really was. "Ah ... yes. I'm not the type of person he prefers to have sex with. I mean, I don't know why - he didn't elaborate. I could be too old, too tall, too thin, not pretty enough - it could be anything."
Or simply the unfortunate case of being born female, the snide voice in my head chortled. Don't forget that one.
Now he was slowly looking insulted. "Type? It sounds like a choice of coffee." His expression clearly showed his disgust.
I nodded at him. "Yes. Now you're understanding the idea. It's rather like choosing something to play with from your toybox."
He curled his lip. "Ugh."
"Yes. Ugh. An ugly world we're in. I don't know what to do about this, though. We're in a precarious position, because we're his prisoners. I could tell you how to push him away - how to put him off - but I don't think it would work. Not with him."
He didn't respond, but his knuckles whitened and his eyes narrowed.
"And ... something else, Wufei. I spoke to Trowa today - and he said that it would be best for us to stay where we were." Feh - that was hard to say. I had believed we'd be long gone by this time. Instead, here we both were ... having a chat in Treize's house before bedtime. Ick, ick, ick.
"Of course I'm staying where I am," he replied, sounding automatic. "I promised." His glare was angry, challenging. "I will not go against my word."
"Yes .. yes, of course, Wufei." I felt defeated again. "I know you won't break your word."
He finally slid his legs off the chair and rubbed his eye with the heels of his hands, a weary, tired motion. "I don't know what the hell's going on. I hate that. But I'm going to figure it out." Wufei eyed me. "You're wrong, Sally. I know for a fact that you're wrong."
"I'm sorry, Wufei. I wish I could do something." I looked out the window into the darkness and felt a bitter, tight anger against our circumstances and life in general in my chest. "And while we're enjoying our time here, the world continues ... under the benevolent leadership of Treize Khushrenada and OZ ..."
"He did bring peace," Wufei said weakly.
"At what cost?" I asked, shaking my head. "And who pays the price?"
Wufei snorted softly. "All the people who shouldn't, probably." He seemed to think for a moment, weighing his words. "Everything he does has more than one purpose, Sally. Everything. If he's in a good mood, he'll even tell you some of the reasons. It's not what you think."
I turned from the window back to you. "All his actions may have more than one meaning, Wufei, but from what I've seen, he wants you. Completely, utterly, and totally - and I doubt very much he'd tell you that."
Wufei snorted. "Then he's mad. I'm not worth the effort."
He was still submerged in the idea he had failed his people. I ignored that, hoping that he would eventually tire of such self-deprecating thoughts, and said, "I believe he is a bit mad - and as you said, he seems to drive those close to him mad as well. Just look at Une."
Wufei nodded slowly. "You didn't ... Zechs. He - you didn't see him leave." His eyes were distant, seeing something that happened in the past. "He - just ... They said he was dead, at first - but ... I think someone helped him escape. The body they brought up wasn't his. Treize said so. He left a week or so after Treize brought me to the island. I remember - he watched us with a strange expression on his face. I don't know why, but I think something about my ... situation ... is what made him leave."
I considered that. "It makes sense. If he was close to Treize, seeing you there might have made him uncomfortable."
"No, he wasn't." Wufei shook his head emphatically. "I mean .. he was, but not like ..." He broke off and looked at me, silent for a moment. "I know who Zechs really is," he finally said, his gaze fixed on his knees.
"Really?" I asked, giving him a sharp look.
He nodded, his face pale. "Treize told me. He's Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's brother. He - Treize - practically raised him. Even though he's only a couple of years older. He took him in. Gave him a new name and face so he could hide. Raised him. Gave him everything. Taught him everything he knows and believes."
I stared at him, nonplused. "I don't believe that - "
"He has pictures. And he calls him "Milliardo" when they're alone. Or mostly alone," he said thoughtfully. "He did it when I was there, too. Milliardo would give me these looks. I don't even know what they were. They weren't pity, and they weren't disgust; I couldn't figure it out."
"Pictures? You've seen pictures of them together?" I asked, interested.
He blinked slowly. "I can show you." Wufei unfolded his legs and stood in one smooth motion. He wobbled a little, still dizzy; I was on my feet and around the table in an instant, holding his arm and steadying him.
"Where are we going?"
Wufei yanked his arm out of my hands, pulling so hard he knocked himself off balance again. Staggering a little, he gave me an apologetic look, blushing. "I - I'm sorry. Please don't touch me."
"It's all right, Wufei. I won't do that any more," I promised. Poor boy had had enough shocks for one day; he certainly didn't need me crowding his personal space, too.
He nodded, shaking a little, but recovering rather quickly, all told. "This way, please."
I followed him into the hallway, wondering where he was taking me. Probably to see a couple of framed photographs on the wall of a study.
It was odd, too - it was rather late at night, and the house was totally silent. Nothing was moving about - there wasn't even the sound of the wind whispering against the shutters. Treize, apparently, had gone to bed, a courtesy that I heartily appreciated. I didn't really want to meet him, walking down the corridor to God knows where with Wufei in such an emotional state.
And he still was, too. He looked fine, on the outside; but there was a telltale wobble to his step, and just a little perspiration beaded on his forehead. He looked fine - but as in everything else, looks were deceiving.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to Treize's office," he said over his shoulder. "I have the keys. He gave them to me ... showed me where everything is ...."
I nearly stopped walking at that piece of news. Jaw agape, I sped up and caught him just as he was unlocking a door on the left hand side of the hall. "You - what? You have the keys to Treize's personal office?" Visions of secret plans and hackable computers and all different types of information danced across my mind, all of them taunting me because I couldn't touch a single one of them.
I was with Wufei, you see. And as sure as I knew my own name, I knew he promised not to touch or give out classified information from any locations at all. I felt like someone who had been lost in the desert for days, craving water, suddenly thrown into an oasis pool and told, "Now, don't drink, and certainly don't get any in your mouth ..."
"He agreed to give me access as long as I was careful not to abuse it," he said, unlocking the door and turning on the light. "And I don't have keys to the really secure things, or access to his computer - but I can get into anything else."
The office was tastefully decorated, understated, just as everything else in the house, and elegantly appointed. The desk was a magnificent cherry wood, polished to a shine, clean and sharp. Wufei unerringly went to the middle left hand drawer and pulled out a sheaf of papers.
"Here," he said, thrusting the papers into my hands. "You can look at them here, but we can't take them back to the room."
"Oh," I said, feeling as though I was rather useless once again. There were hundreds of photos here - some recent, many that were taken within the last year or so, and others that appeared to be even older. The ones of Zechs, though, were unmistakable, no matter the age of the picture.
"I can see why he wanted to keep these hidden," I said as I looked at photos of Zechs and Treize. "They'd probably cause him some problems in the press. Not many, but some."
"Some for Relena, I'm sure, since he's been working for OZ for all these years." Wufei looked troubled. "That night - the night he left - he contacted me and told me he was leaving. Offered for me to come with him. I'd already promised, of course." He shrugged, just a slight motion of his shoulders.
"Oh .. Wufei," I said, staring at the photo in my hands. So close, again, to freedom ...
"I think Treize knew he was leaving, too. He - he knew Zechs had called me." Taking a deep breath, Wufei continued. "And then he gave Zechs a half hour. We were on the island - so - I don't know how he got off. They set the dogs loose." I could see the tremors go through him again. "They found a body, but ... Treize said it wasn't him. He told me the next day. He's been consistent with that."
My hands were trembling slightly as I gave the pictures back to Wufei. "Yes ... very consistent, in fact." I was feeling cold, frozen to my core and slightly sick to my stomach. "He ... he set his dogs loose on Zechs?"
Wufei nodded. "Une went overboard. Sent everybody out - bullets everywhere - but obviously, he got away."
Great. Oh, just great. "Une was on this island, too?"
"Hai. That was before he sent her to space to do more negotiations. That's where Zechs showed up, last I heard." He shrugged again, barely making the fabric of his shirt move. "Treize - tells me things. Obviously, not everything ..."
"Well, no. I'm sure he'd be selective -"
" - but he tells me a lot," Wufei finshed after a moment.
Numbly, I looked around the office. "Is there anything here, Wufei, that might be useful to ... oh ... Duo, or Trowa?"
"Probably," he replied, giving me an even look as he locked the drawer with the photos. "I don't care how evil he is - I'm not sinking to his level. I gave my word; the information remains classified."
I knew he was going to say that, but I had to try anyway. "Okay, Wufei," I sighed. "I respect your decision." There had to be another way to get this information -
He broke into my thoughts. "There are alarms. Don't be unwise."
I started and stared back at him. Apparently, mind reading was now one of his specialties.
"We should go," he said, motioning me toward the door.
"All right." I walked out of the room without complaint. But inside - inside I railed at the world and the universe and the unfairness of it all. Providence's hand provided me with BOTH the key and the knowledge of where each and every file was in the house; and at the same time, provided the perfect guardian of its secrets - Wufei. It was almost as it he held onto this concept of "honor" as his personal concept of morality.
I waited while Wufei locked the door behind him, then walked down the hallway. It seemed that Treize had stacked the game in his favor - which, really, was terribly annoying. I'm sure I would have done the same thing in his place, but this was ... well. "Annoying" wasn't really strong enough.
"You don't have to speak to me again, if you don't wish to."
I turned and gave Wufei a weird look. "What are you talking about, Wufei? Of course I'll speak to you. Why wouldn't I?"
"Ah. Heero and Zechs both made it clear that they would not. I won't hold it against you."
Head down, Wufei walked past me toward his bedroom.
"Hold on, Wufei. I'm not Heero or Zechs, and ... I need to talk to you. Very much. I'm alone here, Wufei - and I respect your decision."
He stopped and looked at me. "I'm not much of a conversationalist," he admitted. "And you may respect my decisions, but you don't understand them."
"No. Not really," I said. "But you have your reasons for them, and that's enough for me. I ... I welcome your friendship, Wufei. I've never been the game-playing type of person - I'm much too straightforward and direct for that." I gave him the ghost of a smile.
"I know," he said with a weak smile. "You should get out of here."
"I can't, Wufei. I have nowhere to go - and I have no way to get there."
"Trowa and Duo could help you," he insisted.
"No - Trowa said they could not get us out. Either one of us. So .. we're here. Together."
He shut his eyes again, as if he was in pain. "You shouldn't be here - you should be free, back with your men where you could do some good. I shouldn't have brought you here." Conflicted didn't really describe the look on Wufei's face. "But at least you're not in prison."
"Please - don't ever say that. You have spared me much misery and pain. And someday, I will get back, and I will fight again." I sighed. "Right now, though, my fight is a different one, and I must learn how to fight differently."
"I - I am sorry to be so much trouble." He looked at the floor, clearly angry and upset with himself.
"Please - Wufei - you are no trouble. Quite the contrary." I walked over to the door of my room and smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."
He probably wasn't going to be okay tomorrow. I knew that. But I also knew, and hoped, that a little information went a long way, so maybe - just maybe - it would help protect him, a little, from Treize.
I was dead tired. I walked over to my bed without turning on the light, collapsed on the bed and crawled under the sheets, blanket and bedspread, fully clothed. I didn't care. The last thing I remember doing was pulling the cover over my head as I drew my legs up to my chest, huddling under the blanket.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Wednesday. It was Wednesday. I'd been awake for a day and a half, since Monday afternoon.
I was standing next to the table in my bedroom, showered and dressed. Someone had left another outfit for me to wear, along with some clean underwear. I looked at myself in the mirror across the room. My reflection showed a woman wearing a powder blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of white pants, both made out of lightweight, strong material, both very functional and attractive.
And they fit perfectly, of course.
I was itching to walk somewhere ... anywhere ... just as long as it was away from here. Sliding into my shoes, I snagged the coat I used yesterday from the wardrobe, shoved my arms into the sleeves and was out the door.
I didn't bother to take my key. What was the point, really?
No noise was coming from Wufei's door. I assumed he was either still sleeping, since it was early, or out somewhere. Looking both ways, I walked without a sound down the hallway, looking for the way out.
I found it, right where it was the previous day, next to the kitchen. Tripping down the steps, I stepped into the bracing air - yet another perfect fall day. It wasn't difficult to decide on a direction - I'd seen most things on the stable side of the mansion, so I decided to take the other path.
As I walked briskly along the path, I noticed several things that were different. First, there was a hunting range set up not too far away; but what was weird was that all the little cardboard bunnies and birds were completely unscathed; and that felt ..........gah. Weird, to say the least.
I continued on. There were several paths that wound into the path I was following, and it appeared as if they led into the woods.
An excellent place for them. I certainly wasn't going to find out where they led. Once was enough, thanks. I only needed that kind of reminder once.
It was beautiful outside, and the air did help to clear my head - but in very many ways, this mansion and its grounds were spooky and odd, something that was absolutely separated from the world. I had been used to moving forward, planning my team's next move, trying to work through the logistics of our next mission. This time, though, any decision had been taken away from me. I could make the decision where to walk, but really ...
Say what's on your mind, Sally Po, that strange insistent voice of mine murmured. Say it.
"It's ... it's just the illusion of freedom," I said to myself. "An illusion, nothing more. I'm tied to him, as surely as his horses."
My shoulders sagged. It would have been nice to pretend otherwise, but as I told Wufei ... I was too straightforward. I couldn't pretend, even to myself. Sighing, I turned and walked along the gravel path back to the house.
And .. ah, there was something that wasn't there when I left. A long, dark limousine sat in the circular driveway, at the bottom of the steps. Curiously, I walked over to the car and peered in. All the doors were unlocked; the driver was nowhere to be seen; and the keys were in the ignition.
What temptation - a car, right in front of me, ready for me to take to the nearest airport and abandon... Sighing again, I backed away from the car and walked up to the house. It would have been nice, but again - it was just a fantasy. I'd never get off the grounds with the car, and I knew it.
As if by magic, the front door opened before I had the chance to turn the knob; and who was standing in the doorway but Lady Une.
Glaring at me.
"Treize-sama has asked me to escort you to his bedroom," she announced in her I-don't-approve voice as she gave me a look of pure loathing. I had no idea why, but she certainly didn't like me. Probably had something to do with that last fight we had before my shuttle crashed.
"I see," I replied, my tone mild. "Thank you, Lady Une."
She motioned curtly for me to enter. I nodded and stepped into the house - and as calm and quiet as it was outside, it was the polar opposite inside. It was quite the center of activity.
Une calmly threaded her way through the chaos of the lower level, avoiding bustling young soldiers with their arms stacked full of files, and headed right up the stairs. I followed her, feeling a little more apprehensive.
We passed the second floor, and ended on the third floor. It was much quieter here; not as many people hustling around, and a completely different atmosphere. Downstairs was the area for the common folk; this had more of a rarified feel, with its plush carpets and perfect decor.
Une led me down the hallway to a corner bedroom. She rapped on the heavy wooden door, then waited expectantly.
I heard Treize's voice, muffled, from the other side. "Come."
Now nervous and curious, I followed Une into the room, praying that I looked calm. I felt as though I did, although my heart had started to beat a little faster and my palms were sweating.
Treize was sitting on his balcony, wearing a smoking jacket and what appeared to be silk sleeping pajamas. It was odd, though - there was something totally discordant about that entire scene, something that was completely out of character for him.
It's the clothes, my inner voice informed me. He never wears things like that. It's just for appearance.
"Lady Une," he acknowledged, not looking in her direction.
"I have brought her, my lord," she murmured, bowing. I stared at the poor woman; gods, she was completely subservient to this man - head down, speaking only when spoken to ... it was bizarre, considering I remembered what she was like as a competitor.
"Thank you, Lady. You are dismissed."
Une nodded sharply at him, her body stiff, whirled around and marched out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.
He didn't even look at her. I felt rather exposed as I stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Treize to acknowledge my presence.
I didn't have to wait long. He looked over at me as soon as Une left, a hooded, focused expression in his eyes. "We are leaving, as I'm sure you can tell."
"Yes, I can see that," I agreed.
"You may bring anything you like, within reason, from this house. There will be plenty of things for you to do at our next location, though - more than here, to be honest, so you should not be bored."
He turned his attention from me and watched something from his balcony. His gaze was fixed on whatever had grabbed his attention initially, and I moved to see what that was.
"Of course, I need not remind you that the rules I set forth here will be enforced at our other location, as well. It is a military complex, however, so there will be a few more. Allow me to apologize ahead of time."
"Oh .. I understand."
I still couldn't see what he was looking at - and he seemed to be waiting for me to look, as well - so I walked over to the balcony and looked down.
And I froze - inside. Outside I presented my best "how perfectly boring" expression as I watched Wufei train on his patio, completely oblivious to any other observers. He was doing some kind of complicated kata; he was doing it fast, and very hard. I watched in amazement as he flipped, kicked, and performed otherwise impossible feats of balance.
It dawned on me, right at that moment, why he was training so frantically. It was in response to our discussion last night.
"He seems agitated today. I wonder why that is," Treize said evenly, not taking his gaze from Wufei.
I was silent, watching Wufei. Treize's comment didn't feel like a question; and I couldn't say why, but I had the feeling that it wasn't a statement of fact, either. Instead, it felt as though he was irritated because he believed what he did last night put Wufei into this state. And that -
"It's ... difficult to tell with Wufei," I replied, taking a shallow breath.
"Mmmm." He looked disappointed. I could hardly believe it; it was as though this response was not what he was expecting to see.
"I certainly hope he is strong enough to make the journey." Treize turned to me, that slight air of disappointment still about him. "If you wish to pack, Ms. Po, please do so. I would like to leave within the hour." He turned from me and looked down toward Wufei again. Apparently, our interview was over.
A small glow of triumph spread through me - finally, something had worked! It wasn't something I wanted to telegraph to him, though, and I concentrated on keeping my face carefully neutral. "Thank you, Treize. I will do that. May I bring some books from the library? I have ... very little else to pack."
"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Prove to me that you will be staying long term, Ms. Po, and you will gather more accoutrements, I promise." He didn't look at me at all, nor was he watching Wufei. Now he was facing straight forward, looking at nothing, pensive.
Working things out.
"Thank you, Treize. Shall I tell Wufei to pack, as well?"
"He has been told. This is his response."
"Oh. I see."
I could feel what Treize was doing - it was almost tangible. I realized he was working out all the possible reasons for Wufei to be acting this way, sifting and discarding and testing theories. And if what I thought was his "first guess" was true - that Wufei had simply snapped, or broken down or something due to what he did last night - why, then, perhaps Wufei wasn't the prize he initially thought. Not much mettle there at all, if that was true ... and he might have to end the game sooner than he expected. Truly disappointing.
It was hard for me not to jump in the air and cheer. I had to restrain myself, though. I stood near Treize, waiting for him to release me so I could join Wufei.
"You may go pack, Ms. Po. And please -" He stopped and gave me a sidelong smile, as if recalling something he wanted to confide. " - DO someday let me call you Sally. It is much friendlier, ne?"
"Ah .. yes. Thank you, Treize." I turned away from him in relief and walked quickly to the door.
"Ms. Po."
Gods. I froze in place, my heart hammering, and slowly turned around, schooling my expression to nothing but bland, polite inquiry. "Yes...?"
"I would like to leave within the hour. Do tell him to shower when you see him, ne?"
He guessed, accurately, that I was going to see Wufei.
I swallowed. "Yes - yes, I will." I turned and walked to the door again, hoping he wouldn't stop me. Carrying my head high, I left, trying not to give the impression I was running; that would not do at all. Probably wouldn't do to let him see me smile, either.