Give It Up

Trigger Challenge #7: old newspaper

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Warnings: Due to lameness and boringness, I suggest for everyone to run away screaming before getting dragged into this fic. grins Really, this was a result of me trying to force myself out of a rut. It's pretty bad...

. . .

"I don't like train rides," Duo muttered as he stood up unsteadily.

"Yeah, well," Wufei muttered in exasperation, "I know you don't like train rides. You've said it several million times. Now let's get out of here."

With the crowd pushing at their backs, they quickly made their way onto to station landing. Immediately, Wufei saw a problem.

Just his luck.

Even with the crowd shoving at him, Wufei counted at least a dozen undercover policemen or agents positioned "inconspicuously" around the station. There were also two security guards patrolling around the escalator, looking very serious and grim. With these many men guarding the station, Wufei was almost positive that he and Duo were the intended targets.

Wufei caught Duo's eyes momentarily and saw that he'd noticed too. With a slight nod and a tilt of the head, the two split up.

Wufei headed for the underground exit; if these guys knew what they looked like, and they seem like they do, then he can't go anywhere near the escalator. Most of the undercover agents were standing near the wall so that they could watch the people coming off the trains. If Wufei played this right, he could get out of here by hiding behind the crowd without anyone ever realizing.

He was completely recognizable, Wufei realized in dismay as he was pushed to the stairs. His face was bared to the world, with nothing to hide it behind. Two policemen were guarding the stairs on either side, and there was no way he could get out of here without going through them. Also, if he turned around now, they would definitely notice his sudden move. He had to risk it.

Wufei melded into the middle of the crowd, thanking his Asian roots. He bent his knees slightly as he climbed slowly up the stairs, so that he seemed even shorter. He was almost there...

"Hey, you!"

Wufei flinched inwardly.

"Stop!"

The impatient civilians were still pushing at him, around him, rushing to go somewhere. He had a shred of frustrated hope that maybe the policemen's attention wasn't directed at him.

A hand grabbed at his shoulder roughly. Too late. Twisting, Wufei jammed his elbow into the surprised man's stomach and vaulted over the railing. He pushed past the people heading down the stairs and sprinted towards the exit. One undercover to the left; dodge. Two pulling guns; ignore the screams. Three by the doors; come on, you can make it!

Wufei crashed into the doors. A second later, he crashed to the floor, gasping. There was a foot on his neck and a gun in his face. Surrender.

"Sir, you are under arrest."

. . .

Wufei didn't like interrogation rooms, mainly because they probably involved terrorists getting beaten up. However, he had hope that, in a normal police station like this, he wouldn't get his first taste of law enforcement's sort of persuasion.

The men guarding him inside the room were tense. Wufei couldn't blame them. If they knew that he was a Gundam pilot, then they would do well being cautious around him. His own face was tense and nervous. It was an act, but they didn't know that. What better than convincing them that they'd arrested a poor fifteen year old who'd done nothing wrong? If worse comes to worse, he could always have a nervous breakdown...

They were well into the "interview," but Wufei had not yielded anything. The expression on the face of the Captain interrogating him hadn't changed, but Wufei could tell that he was starting to believe him. Good.

"You say you are not involved at all with terrorist activities?" Captain Bryerson stated, giving him a firm look.

"No!" Wufei retorted. "You've asked me many times already, and I've told you - I am not a terrorist!"

The good Captain opened his mouth to say something else, but he was interrupted. The door to the room banged open, and a stout man clad in a military uniform entered with two soldiers shadowing him. Captain Bryerson abruptly stood up, looking furious.

"Lieutenant, this case is ours. You have no right barging in." The Captain was seething, Wufei could tell. Fun.

"I do when it involves international security," the newcomer sneered. "I apologize, but the suspect has been handed over to us from the highest authorities. It would be in your best interest if you do not argue with me."

"This child clearly has no involvement with Gundam pilots. There is no need to keep him here any longer." The Captain obviously felt some responsibility towards Wufei. "The law demands that we let him go."

"I will do my own assessment, but thank you, Captain." The Lieutenant gave him a gloating look, as if daring the Captain to defy him. "Now, please leave me alone with the suspect."

The Captain didn't say another word as he walked rigidly out the door. Wufei felt a sort of dread.

"Now, terrorist," the Lieutenant sneered as he turned towards Wufei, "what have you to say for yourself?"

"I didn't do anything," Wufei replied with conviction.

"Really? Then, how about I tell you a story."

The Lieutenant started pacing the room, his smug grin turned away.

"A few months ago, military barracks just outside the city was attacked by a Gundam. It came in the middle of the night, so nobody was prepared to retaliate. The barracks were infiltrated and bombs were planted. There were no survivors. But one."

Wufei clamped down on his panic.

"A little girl," the Lieutenant continued, looking at him, "miraculously survived the final explosions. She fell into a coma for a couple of months, but has finally awoken some weeks ago." He grinned. "She told the police a very strange story. She said that a Gundam pilot had saved her, that he'd taken her away from the barracks just when a bomb went off."

Wufei felt the blood drain out of his face. He remembered that little girl.

"She can also describe him vividly - a young Asian man with a ponytail-"

"There are millions of people like that!"

"- wearing traditional clothes and sword."

Wufei hoped that that sort of description was not enough according to the law. Then again, people like this pig made the law, so he couldn't be too sure.

The Lieutenant stopped again in front of Wufei.

"Late yesterday, we received news that Gundam pilots had escaped through the underground train system of a nearby county and was heading towards us. Do you know how fantastic it is when someone of that description arrived at the station and ran in fear from us?"

Something was slammed against the table - the man's meaty hand. Wufei jumped.

"Are you or are you not the pilot of Gundam 03?" the Lieutenant shouted.

Wufei winced at the spittle and bad breath, but had to suppress his laughter on the inside. Well, he could answer this one truthfully, at least.

"No, I am not." He gave the man a determined look.

The Lieutenant smiled smugly at him.

"I thought you'd say that. You think you're clever, but you're not. You have no ID on you. You refuse to give us your name, origin, or intentions in this city. Those will be the things that incriminate you. Why hide if you did nothing wrong?"

Wufei had to give the man that, but he'd already known that there was no identity that he could claim to get himself out of this. So, for now, he didn't know what to say.

"Boy," the Lieutenant sneered, "confess and you may touch our hearts. Maybe."

Wufei wanted to laugh in the man's face, but that would only give him trouble, so he refrained from that. So, he didn't say anything.

The Lieutenant gave him a malicious, smug grin.

"Fine. You will be held at our cells to await further punishment. There's no way you can get out of this now. Guards!"

Wufei's mental calculations sped up. They will put handcuffs on him now, which he mustn't allow. There were three men outside, three inside, and one coming in. The march to the cells in the basement will take five minutes, or ten minutes max. If they make it there, he will be irreversibly trapped. No help for it - he must escape now!

Wufei's muscles tensed as he prepared to vault over the table, when -

Trowa?

"Sir?" the Trowa look-alike said, saluting the Lieutenant. Wufei did a double-take. No. Way.

"Bring him to the cells," the man snapped, flicking his fingers dismissively and turning away. The soldier nodded crisply and started towards Wufei. The stunned Asian teen grinned in comprehension when Trowa gave him a small nod of acknowledgment.

"No, wait."

Wufei cursed inwardly.

"Put him in special cuffs, the stronger kind."

Suddenly, the lights died.

Shouts suddenly started up outside.

"Idiots!" the Lieutenant yelled with irritation. "It's just a normal power failure! The backup generator will start working soon, so shut up!"

The shouting did not abate.

"Sir," Trowa called out. "Do you want me to see what the problem is?"

"Yes, go," the Lieutenant said impatiently.

In the darkness, Trowa marched out the door, with Wufei tailing him closely. None of these interrogation rooms contained windows, so no light allowed the oblivious soldiers and policemen to see the two Gundam pilots get away.

"What's happening?" Wufei asked Trowa as they quickly sprinted down the flights of stairs.

"Duo's causing havoc with the building's lights and security system," Trowa explained with slight amusement. "He thought that maybe it would confuse them for some time, allowing us to get you out."

"How did you guys meet up so quickly?" Wufei asked, panting slightly.

"No time to talk," Trowa murmured as they arrived at the exit. "We'll be out in the open. Act neutral."

Getting their breaths back in control, they walked out of the building and strode quickly towards the parking lot. Everyone around them were too busy or concerned with the chaos inside to pay attention to them. It was embarrassingly easy.

"Seatbelts on," Heero muttered in lieu of a greeting as they slid into his stolen car. Starting the engine, he roared out of there like he never wanted to see the place again.

"Duo has his own escape route?" Wufei asked.

"Don't worry about him," Trowa replied.

Wufei nodded and leaned back. Closing his eyes, he sighed and rested as Heero hauled ass out of town.

. . .

Wufei snapped out of his reverie and blinked at the newspaper clipping in his hands. Grinning, he bent down to the brass basin on the floor and added the paper into the burning pile. These were his offerings to the dead - his memories, his life story, printed on these nondescript pieces of paper. His legacy.

The End

. . .