Disclaimer: I own nothing at all except for my plot and original characters. Anyone crazy enough to take this plot will be visited by Sue-ling and will be very sorry they dared to try and copy something of mine. Thanks for all the reviews and enjoy.
Darkness Falls Once More
Most people who knew Julian would say that he was a very easy going and likeable guy. A bit clumsy and forgetful, but a really great and non violent type. Well he was feeling very violent at the moment as he paced in the elevator from one end of the narrow compartment to the other. His dark eyes flashing he couldn't stay still no matter how many times Sue-Ling had asked him to stop and she'd given up after the long plane ride to Preventers. The fact that he'd been mugged, or that people had tried to and threatened him with a gun wasn't why he was mad or at Preventers. Sue-Ling had rescued him after all and as far as he was concerned that was the end of it. He'd even dropped some money with the men that Sue-ling had kicked into dust in apology for the fact that they were all likely going to end up in body casts as a result if Sue-Ling's interference. What he was mad about was centered on a certain member of the organization known as Preventers. While Julian was plotting the possible death of Milliardo Peacecraft Sue-ling was planning the death of one of Julian's business acquaintance who also happened to be a friend of the Peacecraft family. The man had talked about his surprise that the young Peacecraft had apparently broken off with his long time girlfriend Lucreazia Noin, especially since they'd been living together for so long. There was no one in the McMaster family or friends that had not covered that fact from Julian who was rather old fashioned and now the shit had hit the fan to be blunt. Julian now knew that his beloved cousin had been living in sin with a man who was not her husband and as Paris had done nothing and he was the eldest male it was his duty to set things right. It didn't even really occur to him that picking a fight with Milliardo Peacecraft might not be a good idea; his mind was solely focused on the two choices he was going to give Peacecraft to pick from. Either he married Rome and made an honest woman of her or Julian was going to have to kick the other man's ass, simple as that in defense of the honor Peacecraft had dared to tarnish. Perhaps Paris had seen nothing wrong with it and maybe most wouldn't but Julian wasn't most and he demanded satisfaction.
"This is not smart nor a wise course of action no matter how you look at it." Sue-Ling mentioned once again for what seemed like the billionth time as the elevator signaled that they had only one more floor to go before reaching their destination. She would rather have walked and sat in hot coals then do this but where Julian went she went and even though he was about to make an utter fool of himself it was her duty to be there and to prevent any of the pilots from causing any harm to him.
"It's my duty, Sue-Ling. I'd do the same if anyone dared to impeach upon your honor or any other woman in my family. It's my duty and responsibility." Julian said firmly with a nod as the door opened. Stepping out Julian placed his hand in front of the door so that it wouldn't shut on her as she stepped out. In a casual black business suit Julian looked like he was on his way to a business meeting while Sue-Ling wore a Chinese styled shirt with a Mandarin collar in gold with loose black pants. Her hair in two braided buns, one on each side of her head she looked very pretty and dainty till you looked into her dark almond shaped eyes and knew that this was no fragile blossom.
"If anyone were ever so stupid as to do such a thing I would end their existence without requiring your help." Sue-Ling argued with a calm look on her face as she scanned the hallway they'd stepped into. There were more then a dozen soldiers loitering around in the first sweep of her eyes and she did not like the odds. If Julian and Peacecraft did not settle these matters reasonably there would be trouble, not to mention what Rome would do to them both.
"Well be that as it may if there was anything left of the guy I'd still see that his life ended with me telling him what a despicable and terrible person he was." Julian said with a nod as he walked over to the reception area, motioning with a slight turn of his hand to stay in the background. "Excuse me, ma'am." Julian said as he smiled charmingly at the elderly looking woman behind the desk, bowing slightly out of respect. Respecting his elders was as important as protecting the female members of him family in his opinion. "I'm looking for Milliardo Peacecraft; I understand that he's on this floor. If you wouldn't mind directing me?"
"I'm sorry, Sir but Mr. Peacecraft is currently in a business meeting-I'm sorry but are you related to Noin, the resemblance is striking?" The woman asked as she peered up at him curiously, she hadn't been aware that the girl had any family but the resemblance was so apparent it was impossible for him not to be.
"You could say so in a manner of speaking." Julian said with a nod and a smile at being recognized, pleased that there had been affection for his cousin in her voice. "Do you perhaps know when he'll be finished, it's a very important manner that I need to speak to him about."
"I would imagine that they should be done in about ten minutes as I believe Lady Une has a business dinner to attend." The secretary said, pleased to be helpful, especially for a relative of Noin's who was such a nice girl. "If you'll just take a seat over there you won't miss him."
"Thank you very much for your help." Julian said with another smile before nodding and heading over to the chairs she'd mentioned which were quite comfortable as he sat down with Sue-Ling taking the seat beside him, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she appeared to stare off into space when really she was simply absorbing everything at once and not showing it at all. "Sue-Ling, do you suppose I should call Rome now and tell her about what happened at the airport or wait until I can tell her in person? I'm sure it was just a regular mugging and they might get really worried if I tell them."
"The three individuals were not your average muggers, Julian." Sue-Ling said giving him an indulgent look. While they'd outside the airport waiting for the plane to arrive to take them to Preventers three men had attempted to mug Julian when she was helping a foreigner read a map. They'd pulled him into the alleyway nearby and had pulled a gun at him. She however had sensed something wrong and dispatched the three would be attackers and the quality of their clothing and their fighting ability made her question the idea that they were simply muggers. "I believe they went after you specifically."
"You think so? You think they were maybe gonna kidnap me and hold me for ransom?" Julian said looking thrilled at the idea. It was too cool; he'd almost been abducted and held against his will. Of course if they'd actually taken him it wouldn't have been cool but of course Sue-Ling hadn't let them take him so it was cool to have been nearly taken.
"I think that they meant to do you harm." Sue-Ling was saying just as the sound of people approaching reached their ears. Turning her head she saw the pilots, Milliardo, Relena and Lady Une coming in their direction, looking worn out and tired after a long day at the job.
"I'm going straight to bed and am not rising even if there's a hurricane or an earthquake. I'm getting seven hours of sleep tonight if it kills me." Duo said wit ha shake of his head, sending his braid swinging back and forth behind him. "I can't remember ever being this worn out."
"I know what you mean, I'm whipped." Quatre agreed as he walked beside Trowa, having a bit of trouble keeping his eyes open. He was really exhausted after a day of meetings and was looking forward to getting some sleep when his eyes locked on two figures rising to meet them. "Hey wait a minute..you're.."
"Julian McMaster." Julian said with a warm smile for Quatre, a man he had a great deal of respect for though they'd never met. The man ran a good business and had done a great deal to insure the peace the world and colonies was currently enjoying. Besides that he was Paris's friend which made him a great guy in Julian's mind since Paris was an excellent judge of character. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Quatre, I've heard a great deal about you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Quatre said as he held out his hand to shake Julian's, having a feeling that he was going to like Paris's cousin. "What brings you to Preventers? I hope Rome and Paris are well?"
"They were both fine the last time I talked with them thanks." Julian said with a smile then turned into a hard look as his eyes zeroed in on Milliardo like a hawk spotting his prey. Looking very much like Rome at that moment. "And I'm here to have a little chat with him concerning his intentions towards my cousin. It would appear that we need to come to some sort of understanding over a personal matter."
"Oh?" Milliardo said as he looked at the man in surprise. Now what was going on here? "Does Rome know you're here?" Somehow he really doubted it as she would never send Julian to do her work for her and he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what this man had to say. "Id be happy to speak to you regardless, if you'll come with me I'll show you to my office where we can discuss this."
"That's fine with me and I do hope that you are as good with a sword as Rome claims you are as you will be needing those skills if you don't intend to do the honorable thing and marry my cousin. Perhaps because you were unaware that she had male relatives you thought you could take advantage of her without repercussions but I assure you that is not the case. And despite what you might think I am very, very good with a sword." Julian said in his best imitation of Paris which wasn't as good but was pretty damn close in his opinion. "I would really hate to have to use something as crude and unfashionable as guns."
"Who on earth are you and what on earth is going on?" Lady Une demanded in the silence that followed Julian's announcement. The man bore a striking resemblance to Noin, could Noin be the cousin the boy was referring to and how did Quatre know the young man. What on earth was going on period. First Noin up and left without any real justification or explanation and now there was a young man here who looked too much like Noin to ignore possibly challenging Milliardo to a duel of some sort over the man's cousin who had to be Noin and yet had been referred to as Rome if she wasn't mistaken.
"You're challenging me to a duel, or will if I don't intend to ask her to marry me?" Milliardo said in a shocked voice as he stared at Julian, not entirely sure how he was suppose to react to this. "You do realize that there is the slight problem of the fact that I have no idea where she is even if I wanted to ask her. And for the record I am quite skilled with a sword."
"I know it's none of my business but I don't believe she would appreciate you killing each other over her." Trowa spoke up as he looked from them to the silent figure slightly behind Julian. She had remained silent through all this but her presence was more then felt as she watched them with her dark brown eyes.
"Regardless of that fact it's my duty as her protector to see to it that this is resolved with my cousin's honor unblemished, one way or another." Julian said with another hard look in Milliardo's direction.
"I think we should take this to Mr. Peacecraft office and discuss this rationally." Sue-Ling said as she laid a hand on Julian's shoulder though her eyes were on three soldiers who looked as though they would spring to their commander's defense if Julian were to make a move to harm Milliardo. She was a fighter through and through Trowa thought then turned his head as the sounds of a commotion reached his ears. Every ones heads turning they watched a gentlemen of around sixty coming towards them who resembled Julian too much to be a coincidence.
"Grandfather!" Julian said as his jaw dropped in amazement as his grandfather hurried over to him and grabbing him pulled him into a big bear hug. What was wrong, his grandfather was far from affectionate and wasn't speaking to him for that matter. Not to mention the fact that his grandfather actually looked thrilled to see him along with a rather panicky look that was really out of character. His grandfather was famous for his poker face and he never let anything show that he didn't want seen. He must be really shook up about something Julian thought to himself as he hugged his grandfather back.
"Julian, you're all right, I was so worried when I couldn't get you on your cell phone. I realized that odds were you'd replaced it by now but still I.. Thank God I thought out of the three they would have gotten you easily enough. Where are you're cousins, where are Paris and Rome?" The older man demanded as he pulled away from his grandson, holding his grandson's shoulders as he stared down at him with a slightly desperate look in his eyes. "We need to warn them, they're in danger. Where are they, Julian?"
"What do you mean they're in danger, what's wrong?" Duo demanded as he hurried forward at the news that his best friend was in possible danger, all thoughts of sleep vanishing like fog. If his buddy needed him he was there no questions ask. Of course Heero found trouble where ever he went and usually could handle it easily but it never hurt to have a friend covering your back just in case.
"Someone has hired people to kill members of my family, the men who attempted to finish me off let it slip that Julian, Rome and Paris were intended targets. We need to warn them immediately." Was the response as the head of the Mc Master family rubbed his hands over his face in a panic. "Do you know where they are?"
"I'll call them." Sue-Ling said as they all began to talk at once discussing the idea that their friend and in Julian and his grandfathers case their relatives. Everyone quieting down Sue-Ling dialed Paris's number and calmly waited for him to pick up. He was fine she told herself as she waited, inwardly praying that he would pick up. Relief flooded through her when she heard the click of the phone being picked up but the relief was short lived because it wasn't Paris on the other line and Lana had very bad news to relay. Listening carefully Sue-Ling felt her throat close up with dread as she listened to what had happened and what was being done. After telling Lana to keep them posted Sue-Ling pressed end and looked up at the eyes which were all staring at her with questioning looks. "Rome and Paris have been kidnapped, Lana just arrived at the house and it's confirmed. Two hour ago individuals broke onto the McMaster House grounds and brought with them a small child. They then drew Rome and Paris out of the house and on to the grounds with threats to the boy's well being. From the boy's story apparently Rome and Paris put themselves in easy harms way in order to get him away from danger and in the course of this were both shot with what is believed was a tranquillizer gun. The boy was recaptured and held until the drugs took effect. The boy was then knocked unconscious and discarded on the lawn. It is believed that the men took off with Rome and Paris, their bodies haven't been found on the grounds and a tranquillizer dart was found which we are taking to mean that they are meant to be kept alive for the time being. There are no leads as to who is responsible for it or why. Mr. McMaster, care to shed a light on that?"
"I have no idea...my grandchildren, isn't it enough I've lost my son and wife, am I to lose them as well." Was the response as the old man covered his face with his hands, looking older then his age suddenly as he weaved slightly where he stood. Each taking an arm Julian and Sue-Ling carefully drew him over to one of the chairs they'd been sitting in earlier.
"Don't worry, I know your grandson and he and Rome can take care of themselves no problem. For them this will be a walk in the park no problem." Duo said with a forced grin as he tried to fight against the fear that was welling up in his gut. "I'm sure that they're kicking ass as we speak