A Good Day to Die

Pairings: None

Warning: Rashid POV, language, probably OOC, post-war, OC suicide, OC death, blood, beating, ref to Quatre's dad's death and VERY slight ref to the Zero incident. Definite angst factor.

Note: Second try on Rashid. He's more fun to write than I first thought he'd be... any takers on a challenge? Anyone gotta a rec? ::grin::

--For the GW500 Challenge#33: "a distraction."

"I promise you sir, if you survive them, it will not be in mercy."

I grated the smaller man's bones into the cement wall, holding him up by his neck in a position so that I could twist it if the need came. I could feel the weight of my .44 in its holster and my free hand was already fisting the clean dagger with a raw hide grip. I gritted my teeth to avoid killing him right then and there.

"Name," I said, my eyes flashing. My voice is hardened steel and I inwardly wince, knowing that I hadn't spoken this tone in nearly a full year. It was strange to hear it spilling from own mouth.

But the man smirked at me defiantly and shrugged. He remained silent.

I growled and slammed him into the wall again, and he groaned but didn't say a word. Frustrated, I punched him, and he pulled back slightly, spitting the blood with swollen lips. My grip tightened. "Name," my voice a little harder. "Give me your name and I won't kill you."

The man--about 30 to 40 years of age--shrugged again, playing a bluff. But I don't bluff. He spoke before I could punch him again. "You wouldn't kill me, that little prick in there would never--"

I hit him and this time he did not get up. He laid there for a long moment, his eyes going a little unfocused as he rubbed his jaw and spit out more blood. Another groan escaped him before he could choke it back. "Don't assume anything," I said. "You have the crossed the line and I will kill you."

The man sneered. "Go ahead then. Bastard deserves whatever he got and it's a good day to die anyway."

I frowned.

Abdul found him with a silenced rifle in Quatre's closet. Quatre had sleeping and the man shot him in the arm. He'd missed the kill only because Adul distracted him when he opened the door to check on Quatre, who was beyond exhausted and a little ill from the latest conference in Sank with Relena and the other delegates of the Earth Sphere. I'm infuriated that he'd made it passed our security and Quatre was no better after seeing the man face to face. We were forced to drug him in order to get him calm again, and Sally Po declared that she'd be here in another 20 minutes to take care of it. Maxwell and Barton were already on the way. They weren't happy. If I kill him now...

I shake my head at the thought, and pull him to his feet, shoving him against the wall again. Quatre's injuries are minimal, but he could have been killed so easily tonight and I am not going to take that for a pass in mercy. I ground my elbow into his back and feel a strange satisfaction as he winces in pain. I want him to suffer. "Your name."

He wriggled, trying to break free. After deeming it useless, he stopped and sighed slowly. But he didn't answer. Instead he cursed me vulgarly.

And I hit him again. "Who are you working for?" He may have been an assassin.

But no. "No one."

I could hear the truth in it, but he wasn't telling me everything. I ground my elbow again, this time harder, as I pulled his head back and let the tip of my dagger prick at his Adam's apple. A drop of crimson pooled, as if to offer me the truths that he denied. "You have two choices as I see it. Die quickly or slowly. If I kill you now, I promise you a merciful death. If not... you will wish it soon enough. Best to speak."

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Why?"

I huffed a sore laugh, a mock of contemplation resting in my own bitterness. "Two very angry Gundam pilots will have their way with you, because I will not dare to hold them back when they arrive. I promise you sir, if you survive them, it will not be in mercy." I sighed wearily. "Give me your name and tell me why you did what you did and you will live. Refuse and you will die. Painfully, if it cannot be helped."

The tip graced his neck to enforce the thought. He swallowed hard and drew another sigh, this one shaken. "L-Larson. It's personal, and I'd die before I tell you why."

I frowned again. He isn't a soldier, a terrorist, or even an assassin. At least not anymore, that much is obvious. I have a feeling that it was luck and my own damned security that allowed him to get as far as he did. He is a civilian.

I don't kill civilians.

I withdrew the dagger and sheathed it, pressing my arm against his back to keep him at the wall. I grunted, beckoning him to speak. To my surprise, he did.

"He..." Larson swallowed again and tried to shake his head, but his position wouldn't allow it. He shook slightly. "Nevermind." I saw his eyes sparkle with defeat. He was breaking now. I hate doing this.

I waited in silence.

He shattered. "That fucking blonde killed my family. It's taken me almost two years to find him, but I did, I found him and now I want him dead. You can't stop me. You can kill me, you can slaughter me, but I'll find a way to get him. I'll haunt his soul and I'll hurt him, torture him, and he'll die..." He shivered and glared at me, and I noticed the oddest emerald light in them, a stunning intense fire that I hadn't experienced in so very long. "You ever have a daughter, big guy? A son? I had a wife, two beautiful kids, you know, that whole dream bullshit." He laughed and it grew almost hysterical. "Yes, I was there. I knew it was him when he did it, because I was there when his father died. I was in that conference room on L4, you know. I was one of the ones who ordered it shot down, I wanted it. I was there when that boy told us what he was going to do, I was there when that satellite exploded. I was there, big man. And you know what? I didn't even know."

Did he mean what I thought he meant? He must have read the confusion on my face because he snorted softly, his eyes distant now, lost in a horror replaying in his head. "...I was on Earth when he destroyed my life. I was sent to Germany for a mission and I remember, I kissed my wife and my two little kids goodbye, and I left. I left. My wife and I had a fight about it the night before, she hated my leaving and she demanded that I stay. I hit her. Didn't really mean to, and by god, she beat the piss out of me for it afterward. We had the biggest fight of our marriage that night. And when I left, she kissed me goodbye, but you know... it was a real kiss goodbye. I knew I wasn't going to be married when I got back. She had that look in her eyes. Funny the way that works out..." He made a strange sound, something crossed between a giggle and a choke. "I found out while on security detail. My lieutenant told me. I don't remember much after that, but I knew what happened when it happened, and I knew who did it without knowing. Sure, I didn't have the proof, but all I could think was that voice over the coms, and it was undeniable. I've never known that boy and his father to lie."

He looked at me, his eyes blank. "You know what they told me?" I shook my head and waited. His voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "He gave them two hours to evacuate. Said 3% of the population was still on board when he blew it. My wife and children just so happened to be that 3%. I think God hates me."

And he went limp completely, slipping out of my grasp and pooling to the floor. I withdrew my gun and pressed it against his forehead. I could not let that kind of pain stand any longer. My finger touched the trigger, but I didn't pull back. I just looked at him, silently asking penance.

He didn't do anything. He just sat there and stared at me, goading me on.

I pulled back. Quatre's scream was the only thing to stop the thunder. "Rashid!!"

I spun and found him standing against the bars of the cell, his hand clutching his right arm as he gritted his teeth and glared at me. A very worried looking Auda was hovering behind him, but kept his distance, sensing the danger to both Quatre and himself. I said not a word as he limped into the cell, Auda just behind as the blonde trained his eyes on the limp man at my feet. Larson glared right back, but remained tightlipped.

But then Quatre sighed and held out his good arm. "Give me your gun, Rashid."

Loyalty is all or nothing.

I did not think twice when I handed him my .44. But then he gave it to the man at my feet and Auda and I jumped before we could realize what was happening. Quatre shoved Auda back again, punched me out of the way. His glare was enough to keep our distance.

He crouched before Larson, catching the gaze. Larson was staring stupidly at the gun, as if it were a toy. But then he focused and gripped it, aiming for Quatre's skull. I moved again, this time of my own free will. But Quatre's voice froze me. "Stop, Rashid. Don't come any closer."

He did not remove his glare from the man holding the gun to his forehead.

Larson continued to lift the gun, turning it inward as he pointed it to himself. He put in his own mouth.

And I did not blink when he pulled the trigger.

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A/N: Ouchies, ne? Yeah... kinda morbid too... :P