Author: Dae Yuy
Author's Notes: Dedicated to The Lazy Fairy my ninetieth reviewer! Also thanks so much to Skeren Dreamera, priscel and subzero13. Your reviews mean so very much to me and thanks to all the readers. I'm really glad you enjoy this story so much. I really needed the boost of confidence after my nose dive in the AtS fandom, which I'm not quitting btw, really I love you all you're great!
Chapter Thirteen: A Date with the Devil
Duo led Solo to the room Kikki was currently staying in while her father was missing. Duo knocked once on the door, and, upon hearing the 'come in,' did as requested.
"Hey Kiks, coming to help break Daddy outta jail?" Duo asked the girl.
Her eyes brightened. "You're on!" The girl smirked, the very picture reminiscent of Heero.
"Great! Grab your scythe, Sweetheart, 'cause we're on our way!" Duo grinned.
Heero's daughter stood, walking to the closet. From it, she pulled out a long metal rod; she pressed something and a green thermal blade sprung from the end.
"I saw yours and just had to have one. Let's go!" Kikki grinned in return, shutting off the blade and putting the scythe in a specially designed sheath. The three left the bedroom and moved to the family room, where the other pilots were gathered.
"Come one boys - we got ourselves a mission. Operation Rescue Heero From the Big Bad Vampy!" Duo told the slightly wide-eyed pilots. They got up quickly and followed the two vampires and Shinigami out the door.
Duo led his friends to Heero's fortress, where they stopped to ponder the brick wall momentarily before Kikki and Solo each grabbed a pilot's hand and jumped. The six landed smoothly together on the top.
Kikki knocked twice and the door swung open. Duo again took up the lead and led the pilots through the halls, seeming as if he owned the place. The few times someone tried to stop the 'pesky mortals,' they were met by Shinigami's frigid glare and quickly rethought their move.
Duo stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, tried the knob, and found it locked. He looked to Kikki, but she shook her head. Turning back to the offending wood, Duo's violet eyes flashed. He backed up and delivered a heavy kick, causing the splintered wood to hang precariously on it's hinges.
Upon entering the seemingly barren study, Duo hit a series of concealed switches on the wall, dark paneling sliding away to reveal many shiny silver weapons. Duo walked to the display and pulled off twin sickles, a double edged sword, a set of deadly looking daggers, a katana, and lastly, an ebony handled, silver bladed scythe. He handed the weapons out: sickles to Quatre, double edged sword to Solo, daggers to Trowa, katana to Wufei, and the scythe for himself.
"Okay, men; we might not be vampires like Kikki and Solo," Duo addressed his comrades, "but we are Gundam Pilots and in my opinion that's just as good. So, we're gonna go in that fortress today, kick some Demon Vamp ass, get the Prince out and go home. Got it?" They nodded.
Wufei, however, couldn't resist getting one last jab in before they left. "Duo, you've either been watching one too many war movies, football movies, or both." He remarked dryly.
"And you were right there beside me, Wuffie." Duo winked, before his Shinigami persona came back up and he led his friends and comrades in arms back out of the fortress.
Before continuing out the door that led to the outside world, they made one last stop. Duo entered the room saying, "Hawke-man, can I have the coordinates to Xochi's place?"
Hawke blinked, "Duo, you and the pilots are not going to rescue Heero. Leave that to the team."
Duo's gaze frosted over. "We are the team. You can come or stay, but either way, we're getting those coordinates. If you choose to come, it is you and you alone. Too many would cause disaster. Six is plenty as it is. We usually do this with just two. What's it gonna be?"
"Duo, I understand how you feel. And I understand that you've done rescue missions before. But back then, you were dealing with humans. These are blood-thirsty killers, Duo. Literally. Leave it to the professionals." Hawke said calmly.
Duo's gaze flashed, and, moving quicker than any of those watching could follow, had pinned Hawke up against the wall with one arm across his chest, a blade at Hawke's exposed throat.
"Do not make me repeat myself, Cameron. Give me the coordinates and come, or give me the coordinates and stay. But keep in mind, I am the one in charge right now." Duo growled.
Actual fear passed through Hawke's gaze, an emotion he did not think he possessed. He tried escape Duo's hold to no such luck. "Alexander, give Mr. Maxwell the coordinates, and start getting a back up party together, in case of an emergency. You're in charge here; I'm going with the pilots." Duo backed away and with a quick motion sheathed his blade.
"Thank you, Hawke. I'm glad we could see it my way." Duo smiled none-to-kindly, then turned to Xander and listened to the coordinates, filing them away in his memory, a map of the city already coming to the forefront of Duo's mind.
xx
"So let me get this straight, Maxwell," Wufei began. "We're to go in there, guns blazing, and hope none of us get killed?"
"Why am I not liking this plan…?" Quatre fretted, nibbling his lower lip cutely. Suddenly, the small blond gasped and stumbled.
"What is it, Quatre?" Trowa asked.
"Heero." Quatre said, then bit his lip hard as another jolt of pain seeped through his body. "Heero… He's hurting Heero."
"Who? Who's 'he'?" Wufei demanded.
"I don't know."
"Xochi." Duo growled, sliding a gun out of his hip holster. "Let's go. We'll get that Demon."
"Wait," Kikki said, putting a gentle hand on Duo's arm. "There's something you must know. Xochi is only half Demon; he's also part Cherub. The only way to kill him is to cut off his head, or…" The girl fished around in the pocket of her cargo pants, pulling out a small silver container. "These." Duo took the box and opened the lock with a combination he had not realized he had known. Inside were metallic caplets.
"Heero told me about these. They're silver caplets, correct?" Duo asked.
"Yes. They are dangerous, Duo. That is how most of the Cherub Vampire population die, you are left vulnerable, exposed." Kikki said.
"Don't worry, Kiks," Duo smiled reassuringly. "I'll watch my back. Or my front rather." Kikki sniffed slightly and rubbed her eyes.
"Hey, What's the matter?" Duo asked gently.
"Mama used to call me that. She's the only one that ever did. Papa hated it, but he never said anything." Kikki smiled shakily.
"I won't call you that anymore if –" Duo began.
"I want you to call me that. You're a lot like her, Duo. You have the same intensity she had, the same happy-go-lucky attitude. I know why Papa fell for you." Kikki said. "Now, lets go bust his butt outta there!"
"You're on, Kid." Duo winked, then turned serious. "All right. Solo, Hawke - you two take point. Kikki, you stay in the middle with me and Wu. Tro, Quat…you two bring up the rear. We go in with half a minute between us. Now, there isn't going to be any vamp guards until the lower levels. In the foyer there may be a few human rent-a-cops, but that's it. Go down to B3 if we get separated; that's our safe zone. I want no one running through this place alone. Understand?" Duo asked. He was met by collective nods. "Good. And remember: thirty seconds in between."
They moved to the door as a group, Hawke and Solo moving ahead while the others moved to the side. Upon Duo's signal, the ex-gang leader and the Chief Commander moved through the door. Duo, Kikki, and Wufei counted thirty steamboats, before following. Trowa and Quatre did the same.
End Thirteen
Well there ya go folks. I can't believe how bad this is. I wrote it so very long ago! Seriously. Well, review and tell me what you think.