Part 4
It was 8 PM when Wufei came into Quatre's hotel suite. Both young men had agreed to take a break and shower before going out. Quatre had abandoned his gray suit in a pile near his bed. He was now wearing light blue jeans, a black turtleneck, and was trying to choose one leather jacket among the numerous displayed in front of him. He looked up when he heard the door.
"Hey, Wufei ! Ready to go ?"
He frowned when he realized that Wufei was wearing one of his white Chinese outfits yet again.
"What ?", Wufei asked when he saw the frown.
"Wufei, do you actually own anything else than white traditional outfits ?"
"Well, yeah, it just so happens that's most of what I had in my closet when I left L5. And I like those clothes. What's wrong with them ?"
"Oh, nothing except that they positively scream 'I am Chang Wufei.' "
Wufei looked puzzled, which made Quatre laugh.
"Wufei, the whole point of sneaking out is to be incognito. If I just wanted to have dinner with you, I could go out by the front door and ask for a car. But I sneak out to take a break from all that and have fun like a normal teenager for once. And normal teenagers rarely go out with friends dressed in white traditional outfits. Not to mention that they're not exactly discreet when you try to escape a killer."
"I get your point", Wufei said with a smile. "Should I go change ?"
"Just pick some of my stuff, we have almost the same size."
Fifteen minutes later, a reluctant Wufei had been forced into tight black jeans, a red sweater and one of Quatre's leather jacket. The Chinese man was stunned to see his image in the mirror. He actually looked good. The only thing he adamantly refused was to let his hair loose.
"I can't fight well if I have my hair all over my eyes", he said. "Which reminds me we should not go unarmed."
Quatre nodded. He went to his nightstand and took out a .38 Ruger. Wufei noticed that it was not new. He scowled. The gun looked strangely out of place in Quatre's hand.
"Do you know how to use that thing ?", Wufei asked.
Quatre's only answer was to turn to his friend, point the gun at him and shoot. The bullet passed Wufei by so close that he felt the air it moved on its way before it ended in the wall behind him. Things had happened so quick that Wufei hadn't had time to move. If Quatre had shot just a few inches to the right, the room would have been painted with Wufei's brain.
"Yes, I do know how to use that thing", Quatre said, putting the gun in a shoulder holster Wufei had not even realized he was wearing.
"Quatre, I didn't mean …"
Quatre smiled gently.
"It's okay, Wufei, I know what you meant. I'm just a show-off some times, that's all."
Wufei turned to look at the round hole in the wall.
"You train often ?"
"Once a week, when I find enough time. Since I was seven or eight."
"I see."
Quatre shrugged.
"Just take it as my way to remind you that I am quite able to take care of myself, although I appreciate you being there. It's just I don't want you to worry too much about my security. My sisters do that very well, you're welcome not to join the club."
"Okay", Wufei said with a smile. "Just warn me when I begin to piss you off, so that I can make sure you don't have a gun within your reach. I kinda like my head the way it is."
They both laughed. Wufei turned back to consider the hole.
"What are you going to tell the hotel staff about this ?"
"I won't say anything. I can do whatever I want in the room, they don't care. I could even be planning a bomb attack and call for the room service to bring me more C-4, I'm sure they would fetch it and not ask any other question than 'are you quite sure that's what you want ?'. I'll just have someone remove the bullet and pay for the renovation of the wall, that's all."
"It's good to be rich", Wufei said under his breath.
"I heard that. And I seem to remember that your are not exactly ruined either !"
"No", Wufei admitted with a laugh. "How shall we proceed from now on ?"
"We first send one of them away under a false pretense. It's easier to deal with just one. Once the first is gone, I'll pretend I forgot something in my room and send the other to fetch it. Once the coast is clear, we can figure a way to get out that is not the front door."
Wufei's eyebrows raised, but he merely nodded. Quatre opened the door, and asked one of the bodyguards to go get him some vanilla and strawberry-flavored tea. Wufei winced when he heard that, imagining what it must taste like. He doubted that such a flavor even existed, but if it did, you could bet someone would find it for Quatre. Some people were just ready to do anything for Quatre when he asked with his most gentle smile and that oh-I'm-so-helpless-will-you-take-care-of-me look in his eyes. Quatre got back in.
"Ok, let's give him five minutes to get away from the corridor, and then off we go."
"Do you do that to all your bodyguards ?"
"Father stopped appointing permanent bodyguards to me when he realized they were getting nervous collapses from trying to follow me. They take turns watching me now. Except for Rashid, but right now, Rashid has my father to protect, so it takes him off my back a little. In fact, if Father really wanted someone to watch me, he should ask my sisters. That's where the training comes from. Ever tried to sneak out of a house in which 29 of your sisters want to be sure you're perfectly ok ?"
"No. I don't have any siblings."
"Well, that's how I began, you see. So now, you can see why two bodyguards are no match for me."
Quatre opened the door again and he and Wufei made their way out. Of course, the bodyguard noticed that they were way underdressed to go down to the hotel restaurant, but he didn't say anything. Mr Winner was perfectly free to dress as he wished. Quatre stopped abruptly and turned to the bodyguard, a distressed look on his face. Wufei fought back a laugh.
"Oh, I just remember I've forgotten that report that Father wanted to see absolutely. Could you please get it for me ? It's on the desk next to the great window, the blue file."
"Of course, Mr Winner", the man answered, and he sprinted back to the room.
As soon as he disappeared, Quatre caught Wufei by the arm and run to the end of the corridor.
"Fire ladders", he said.
Wufei held out a hand to the fire exit, but Quatre stopped him.
"No. If you open the door, the alarm will ring."
Quatre moved to the window next to the door and opened it. It was small, but Quatre was definitely thin enough to go through it, which he did with his usual agility. Wufei was in the process of following when the bodyguard came out of the room.
"Mr Winner, I can't find …"
The man stopped when he noticed the top half of the Chinese man sliding through the window. He began to run.
"Mr Winner ! Stop !"
Quatre dragged Wufei down the fire ladders, laughing madly in the process.
O.O.O.O.O
Heero was posted in front of the Sheraton hotel. He had night-vision binoculars, his favorite Glock in his shoulder holster, and a com device to guide Nichols. The man had gone into the hotel and settled at the bar. There was no way he could miss the target when he would come down to the restaurant.
Of course, Heero had not even thought that his target could try to sneak out of the hotel. That's why he gave a major start when he noticed very light blond hair on which moonlight was playing. Quatre Raberba Winner and Chang Wufei were coming out of a dark little street beside the hotel, laughing their hearts out and trying to regain their breath. It looked like they had just climbed down the fire ladders and left the bodyguards in the process. Good part : that made two less people to take care of. Bad part : Nichols was inside waiting for them to come down.
Heero activated his com device.
"Nichols, get out. Target is outside with Chang, aiming for unknown part of town. Follow them, but don't attack until it seems fit. And remember that I'm watching you."
O.O.O.O.O
Quatre finally pushed back his plate and put his chopsticks down.
"That was good. I love Japanese food."
Wufei did the same.
"Yes, not bad at all."
They had found this little restaurant almost hidden in a little popular street. The food had been absolutely delicious. Wufei was starting to understand what Quatre meant by 'taking a break from his life'. The blond young man was relaxed. No one was jumping on him to ask for a picture or an autograph. The waitress was calling him 'sweetie' and not 'Quatre-sama'. Yes, Wufei totally understood. Quatre suddenly yawned.
"Maybe we should not stay too long. I didn't have much sleep last night, and we are supposed to go to a reception tomorrow night."
"What kind of reception ?", Wufei asked, curious.
"I have absolutely no idea, except that I'm supposed to hand money to some charities and probably make a speech, and that a lot of my father's business partners will be there too. Kind of a good way to introduce me to everyone, I suppose. And the next day, we fly to L2. Which reminds me I haven't told my father I intend to stay on L2 a bit longer."
"You're not asking permission anymore ?", Wufei joked.
"I'm eighteen now. Not a child anymore."
"Really ?"
"You're teasing me."
"Maybe."
Wufei smiled, and so did Quatre, but the young man's expression grew a bit worried all of a sudden.
"Look, Wufei, if I wanted to go out, it's also because I have some things to tell you. You will be meeting Duo soon, and I … I want you to promise you are not going to freak out."
"Any particular reason I should ?"
"Wufei, there are people on L2 who freak out just when they hear the name 'Duo Maxwell'."
Wufei became serious.
"You don't have to worry about this, Quatre. Even if we don't get along, it doesn't matter. I'll still be your friend, and he'll still be your friend also."
"That's not what I'm worried about. In fact, I'm pretty sure that once you get used to each other, you could end up being good friends. It's just, …"
Quatre stopped and took a deep breath.
"We've not been knowing each other for that long, Wufei. I trust my heart, and I know you are a true friend. But there are a lot of things we don't know about each other. And I wouldn't want you to be freaked out when you find out things about me that will tell you I'm not quite who you thought I was."
Wufei remained silent. Of course, Quatre was not what people thought he was. Who was ? But Quatre seemed to take this very seriously. And Wufei had to admit he had a point. In fact, Wufei and Quatre mostly met during the training sessions. They had gone places together sometimes, but always in the day, when Quatre could find time in his overbooked schedule. They had had fun together. But then, Wufei remembered the strange little hints that told him Quatre was something more : the strange little smile, the fact that he knew how to fire a gun with enough precision to kill someone, that he could sneak out when he was supposed to be watched by the most sophisticated security system and staff, that his best friend was a street orphan from L2.
"Duo and I have something very strong between us", Quatre kept on. "I am well aware that from an outsider point of view, our relationship can seem strange. I also know that I don't give a damn what people think, and that Duo is an essential part of my life."
"How did you two meet each other anyway ?", Wufei asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"I can't tell you about Duo's past, Wufei. He will tell you if he wants to, it's not my story to share with anyone. But how we met I can tell. I was seven and I was with Iria on L2. I can't remember why, I suppose there was some meeting or reception, and all the family had to be there, and since I was living with Iria, I came with her. We were on our way to wherever it was we were going when the car was stopped. The street was blocked because of a fire. Iria asked a policeman what was happening, and he said that the Maxwell church and the orphanage had caught fire, and that nearly everyone was dead. And that's when I saw Duo and Hilde."
Quatre looked outside, his eyes a bit unfocused as if he was reliving the memory.
"They were standing side by side, hand in hand, and watching their house burning. They were orphans, and they were living in the orphanage. It was pure luck they weren't in when it burned. But I will remember them forever, standing there hand in hand with silent tears rolling down their cheeks. And no one was paying any attention to them. So I just tugged Iria's sleeve and I showed her what I was seeing. I don't really know what she did. I think she went to ask if anyone was taking care of the remaining children, and it appeared no one could. So we just took them with us."
Quatre smiled weakly.
"Duo and Hilde went to live with us on L4 for a few months. Iria did all she could to find some place for them to stay together, but it took some time. She managed to find a place where Hilde and Duo could be sheltered and go to school, but it was still on L2. They spent every school holiday with me until they both finally dropped school and found a job. They both work in a junkyard now, for a nice man named Howard. Hilde got married not long ago."
Wufei moved in his seat. That was one unusual story. Quatre had always said Duo had it rough, but he hadn't imagined it that rough. And it was apparently only part of the story.
"No one understands me like Duo does. We both swore to be friends forever, but we are more than that. I cannot really say he's like my brother, because even that is not true. It's something else, something different."
"I think I understand."
"Maybe", Quatre said with a smile. "Just, promise to tell me if you feel left out. When the two of us get together, we have a tendency to forget about the world around some times. You can hit us if you think that will do any good."
Wufei smiled evilly.
"I promise I will."
"What ? Tell me, or hit us ?"
"Both, probably. It's not that often that people ask me to hit them. I could take advantage of this."
Quatre laughed.
"Oh yes", he added suddenly, "don't feel offended if Duo flirts with you. He's a bisexual, and he's like that with everyone."
"Is it that bad ?", Wufei asked with curiosity.
"Wufei, Duo would flirt with a lamppost if there was something for him in it."
Wufei raised an eyebrow.
"Ok, maybe I'm going too far", Quatre admitted, "let's say that Duo would flirt with a lamppost just to see what effect it would have on you. If you don't play along, he'll just drop it. But if you begin to sweat and play embarrassed, that will only encourage him."
"I'll keep that in mind", Wufei said. "I am easily embarrassed, though."
"Really ?"
"In my culture, people don't flirt. My marriage was an arranged one, and it took a very long time for Meiran and I to get along with each other. In fact, I think it took us about six months to stand being in the same room without hitting each other."
"But I thought you told me she was killed last year", Quatre said, a little lost.
Wufei sighed.
"I was fourteen when I got married, Quatre. She was the same age."
"Oh."
"Yeah, Oh. That's exactly what I said when my grandfather told me I was supposed to be marrying Long Meiran in two weeks. Before I started to yell, of course."
Quatre suddenly looked desperate for something to say. When it didn't come, he blinked stupidly at Wufei. The Chinese man laughed at the sight.
"Don't worry Quatre, I don't mind talking about that. In fact, I kinda prefer to remember the time when we were fighting, it makes things easier. For the moment."
Wufei's face grew sad. Quatre squeezed his hand gently and asked for the bill. He gave a start when he felt the Chinese tense under his touch.
"What's wrong ?"
"The man over here", Wufei whispered. "He's been watching you all evening."
"So what ? Maybe he just thinks I'm hot. Or maybe it's just some tabloid reporter looking for more stories to print about Quatre Winner and the mysterious Chinese man."
"Or maybe it's someone sent to kill you."
"Wufei …", Quatre said rolling his eyes.
"Quatre, he's got a knife, maybe two. He's been watching our table for two hours. He got in just after us, and he hasn't moved. He just ordered a drink. He's sweating, and he's glancing at his watch every five minutes."
"I get your point", Quatre sighed. "Does it mean I am going to have to suffer your 'I told you so' looks for a week ?"
"Yeah. I have a matching speech, if you want to hear it some day. But the priority is to get you out and back to the hotel as safely as possible."
Quatre nodded. He reached for his gun and undid the security. Then the waitress came back with the bill and Quatre paid it, thanking her again for the wonderful evening and asking her to compliment the chef for the cooking. Then, both young men got up and started to make their way towards the door, pretending not to notice when the man slid out of his chair to follow them on the way out.
O.O.O.O.O
Heero watched the scene through his night-vision binoculars. He was pretty sure that the Chinese had noticed Nichols, although nothing in the young men's attitude showed it. Heero had been able to watch them all along, since they had chosen a table near the window. They had been happily chatting throughout dinner, apparently turning to more serious matters once they had finished eating. Heero could read lips, but he was having trouble understanding what the conversation was really about, since the young men kept switching languages. Apparently, Quatre Winner could speak Mandarin as well as his friend, and the conversation drifted strangely from English to Chinese, before Heero stopped trying to understand. The bits in English didn't mean anything without the bits in Chinese, which he didn't understand. He only talked some basic phrases, and not the kind that would find their way into a conversation between two rich and well-educated young men.
Heero saw the small gesture of comfort when Quatre squeezed Wufei's hand. He wondered if there was more than just friendship in this move. It was kinda hard to tell. From what he had seen, the blond Arabian was someone who liked contact. But then, Heero recalled the very few pieces of info he had gathered about Chang Wufei. The man was kinda well-known on his own colony. The last heir of the Long Clan. He had run a martial art school with his wife until the woman had been shot dead. Four months later, Chang had left L5 A020 for the L4 colony cluster and met Quatre Raberba Winner.
Heero frowned impatiently. He didn't know why these names, Chang Wufei and Long, reminded him of something. Related to some work he had been asked to do on that very colony during the gang war. It was something for Treize Kushrenada, retrieving a file or something, from a hospital. That was all he remembered, and he failed to get how this could be connected with the man sitting just there. The Long clan wasn't affiliated to any of the Chinese triads, and in fact, the towns they ruled were the only safe ones on the colony.
Heero focused again when he saw his target get up. Winner and Chang reached the door, still chatting and apparently unaware of being followed. Heero could only suppose that Chang was good at hiding how tense he was. What he failed to understand was how relaxed the other youth seemed to be. There was not a hint of fear in those huge green-blue eyes. Heero shook his head. What in space was he thinking, to have noticed the deep rich color of the young man's eyes ? Who cared if his eyes were blue or green, or even blue-green, as long as they were staring in the void and dead at the end of the mission ?
O.O.O.O.O
Wufei was a bit tense. The attack would come from behind, which he didn't like, but he just couldn't risk to confront the man inside of the restaurant. Quatre was playing along, making small talk and not showing he knew what was going on. They got out and began to walk down the pavement. Wufei made sure he heard the door creak open again just five seconds later, and he beckoned to Quatre to slow down. The blond young man got the hint and began to walk more slowly, still talking about the next day's reception.
Another thing that Wufei didn't like was that the man was apparently going to use a knife. Being shot wasn't heaven on earth either, but knife wounds had a tendency to be more incapacitating, and trying to make someone loosen his grip on a knife wasn't easy. There was a gently squeeze on his arm, and Wufei looked up. Quatre was smiling at him. 'Relax', the blond mouthed. 'It'll be fine.'
They kept on walking until they reach an area where the crowd was less dense. Another hundred meters, and there was no one around, except for the footsteps behind them.
Wufei felt the air tense around him as his mind got ready to strike. He spun round exactly at the same time the man jumped, taking a long knife out of his jacket. He wasted no time and sent a hard kick into the man's wrist. The knife fell on the floor with a loud clattering.
The man reached out for the second knife, but was stopped by a clicking noise. Quatre's gun was pointed directly at his head. Wufei swiftly disarmed the man and checked him for other weapons.
"He's clean now", he said to Quatre. "What do you want to do with him ? Should we call the cops ?"
"No", Quatre said. "I don't want everyone to go haywire about this. Besides, he does not look that dangerous. But I'd like to ask him a question."
Quatre got a little closer, the gun steady in his hand.
"I know you are not the one they hired to get after me", he said. "I want to know if he did."
"What ? Who ?", the man asked.
"You know who."
The man nodded.
"He did."
"Okay, then just answer this one. What's his name ? His real name ?"
"I can't tell you !', the man exclaimed, an abject terror audible in his voice. "He'll kill me if I do."
"Well, I am the one currently holding a gun to your head."
"No, you don't understand ! He's here ! He's watching me !"
Wufei tensed and looked around. He tensed some more when Quatre's eyes seemed to lose their focus and to become clouded. Quatre began to scan the night around them, still pointing the gun, but not as firmly as before.
"Quatre ?", Wufei asked.
The young man didn't answer. He lowered the gun and turned around apparently watching a precise spot in the dark. The attacker took his chance and ran. Wufei was torn between holding him back and trying to understand what was happening, but he thought it would not be wise to leave Quatre here if the killer really was around.
"Quatre ?", he asked a little louder.
Quatre just smiled, still fixing that spot in the dark. Then, his eyes gained focus again and he shook his head, as if trying to wake up.
"Whoa", he said, "I do seem to be meeting intense people lately. First you, then him …"
"You could feel him ? He was really here ? That bastard didn't lie ?"
"No, he didn't. He was here. He just left."
"You scared me", Wufei said seriously, wiping sweat off his brow.
Quatre sighed. He looked tired.
"I'm sorry, I … I was trying something new."
"What do you mean, you were trying something new ?"
"When I realized what I could do with this empathy thing, I read a lot about it. There are several things one can try to improve it. For example, I know how to locate someone by deducing where they are from what they are feeling. It only works at small range for the moment. I know I can also … communicate … if you want, with people I have a special bond with. I know it works, I've done it with Duo before."
"You don't have a special bond with that one, Quatre."
"I have one. He wants to kill me. That's about one of the strongest bond you could dream of between two people, apart from love, of course."
"What did you do ?"
"I asked him who he was. Or at least I tried. I'm not sure that worked."
Quatre frowned.
"He just left. I'm sure he felt my presence, and he left. He didn't answer."
"Duh. Empaths are not exactly common, Quatre. I'm not even sure this guy knows what empathy is. God, I didn't know what it was before I met you."
"Maybe you're right", Quatre said. "And maybe I'm a bit overestimating myself. But there's something between us now. A link. A link that he created, even if he doesn't know it. It's … strange."
"Quatre, as much as I would love to keep on this charming discussion about your mental links with a psycho killer in the deserted streets of a bad neighborhood on L1, I think it would be best if we headed back to the hotel."
"Are you angry with me, Wufei ?", Quatre asked in a small voice.
Wufei sighed.
"No, Quatre, I am not. I just … Hell, I can't help worrying about you, that's all ! That little game is dangerous, and I don't like it !"
"But you won't talk me out of it, will you ?"
"The only way for me to talk you out of it would be to behead you. As I do not wish to do that, since it would mean the loss of a very good friend and a very good job, I will not try, but I'll do my best to protect you from people who want you dead."
"Thank you, Wufei. I'm sorry I make you worry. Just trust me, okay ? I know what I am doing. I am not trying to get myself killed. My life doesn't suck that much."
Wufei sighed again.
"Let's go. You look worn out. I'll drop you into your bed."
O.O.O.O.O
Heero saw Nichols get beaten without much surprise. The man had not been discreet. What he didn't expect was for Quatre Winner to pull out a weapon which he apparently knew how to use. What he expected even less was a little replay of the scene at the spatioport. The young man's eyes became clouded, and he looked around and stopped to face the exact spot where Heero was. Heero knew that the young man could not see him. It was physically impossible, since it was too dark. But Quatre Winner was staring straight at him, his eyes not blinking.
What happened next was almost too much for Heero. He seriously began to doubt his sanity when a voice seemed to reach out for him.
'Who are you ?'
Heero dropped the binoculars and shook his head. That could not be happening. Telepathy didn't exist. Except that the same question was clearly visible in the blue-green eyes fixed on him, and that the killer was pretty sure he knew who the voice belonged to; but that seemed so … crazy. He was not crazy. His mind had probably made the whole thing up because he was tense, as he always was when he began a mission. It just didn't help that this time, his target was unusual. And hot. Heero shook his head again in disbelief . Where the hell did that come from ? First the eye color, now he was finding the young man hot … Something inside of his head warned him to drop the matter, to refuse the contract and move on, to get away from this young man as soon as possible. But his pride as the best killer of the galaxy overwhelmed that little voice. The Perfect Soldier never failed. All of his targets ended up dead. And Quatre Raberba Winner would be no exception.
Heero snatched up the binoculars and went away from his hiding place as fast as possible.