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Broken Cage
"Damn it..why are we just letting him walk out of here." Duo demanded to know as they watched the young doctor walk away as if he didn't have a care in the world. Or even a grain of guilt on his shoulders. "I mean..he's insane and has been killing children. Why can't we arrest him?"
"There's no proof that he did anything wrong, Duo. If you noticed he was very careful to never say he had a hand in anything, only that he knew it was going on. There isn't any proof to find either since I'd imagine that the hantas destroyed it all. " Noin said as she laid a hand on Duo's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do right now."
"Well we could but it would be going outside the law." Heero said coldly, just itching to get a gun and blow the little prick's head off. He knew he could see to it that the body was never found.
"They'll get him." Quatre said quietly as he watched the man turn the corner and out of sight. God how he wanted to run after the man and strangle him to death with his bare hands. Never had he known such rage before and he found that it consumed him, driving away every thought but to choke the life out of that murderer. "He'll die and he won't die quickly once they get their hands on him. And they will. In time."
"And I for one would cheer them on." Relena said as she shivered, moving closer to Heero. "That look in his eyes. He really did think it was nothing to kill all those children. As if the death of children were no more tragic then the death of a fly. How can anyone think like that? Look in the mirror every day knowing that?"
"A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths a statistic." Sally said softly as she quoted Stalin, a twentieth century dictator who'd killed millions of his own people in his race to be the best. He'd likely thought of those deaths as acceptable losses too. "People will always do terrible things and claim that the ends will justify the means."
"Yeah well if that's the way they feel they should have done the testing on themselves and left innocent children alone." Duo said hotly, his eyes dark with anger and barely leashed rage. "Did you see the way he smirked at us when we let him go? It was like he was taunting us with the fact that he knew there was nothing we could do to stop him."
"Well he will pay, Duo. Even if it isn't in this life he will pay in the afterlife." Wufei said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest as if to ward off a chill. "And no one escapes the judgment of the almighty."
)
Walking out of the Preventers towards his car Doctor Finch was far from pleased. How dare they look at him like that. How dare they call him a monster and look at him with such disgust? Well they wouldn't be so superior when he succeeded in the project and those ignorant, small minded Preventers were faced with an army of super soldiers. Then they'd wish they'd been nicer. He really shouldn't have expected them to understand though. They were just soldiers and two faced politicians after all. Such small minds could never truly understand the greatness of his plans until they were faced with it heads on. Oh then they'd be sorry, Finch thought with a sneer. Lady Une had been a definite disappointment as well but she was a woman and therefore as two faced as any politician. She'd sat there, all high and mighty like she was better then he was. Well she would soon learn differently. But perhaps he'd let her live long enough to see what greatness she'd helped bring forth before she changed her tune so that she wouldn't have to pay for what she'd done in the past. A typical woman, doing whatever it takes to protect her hide, throw aside all your ideals and values if it kept your neck out of the noose.
"Hello, Doctor. Long time no see." Came a voice and Elliot spun on his heels, turning to see two figures walk out of the darkened parking lot and towards him with slow, measured strides.
"Who are you?" Finch demanded to know, a shiver of warning racing down his spine. Who were these people? Preventers sent to hassle him?
"You don't recognize us? Well you were just a boy when your father brought you to the labs. Brought you to see the race of super soldiers he was creating. I'm sure it's a field trip you didn't soon forget." The taller of the two said, his voice as cold as ice. "We weren't sure that you'd followed in his footsteps, not completely anyway. But after that little speech..well I think that confirms everything. Obviously you decided not to take our warning to heart."
"Warning? Oh God you're..you're hantas. Two of the originals." Finch nearly squeaked, his face losing all color as they reached up and removed the shades they'd been wearing, their glowing eyes fixed on him like radars.
"Yes we are...you really shouldn't have followed in your father's footsteps, Elliot. Now you're going to follow him to hell." Was the older one's cold response before pulling out a device then pointing it at the doctor fired, sending a stream of electricity into Finch which sent him into a wriggling fit before he hit the ground, still barely conscious. "You're death is going to be as slow and as painful as all the children you've killed in the past. We'll see how you like being the lab rat." Picking him up together the two carried him over to their van and threw him in the back. First they'd deliver Finch to his new home and then they would come back for Eve.
)
Hours later
Breathing harder then usual Heero stared through the glass at the motionless assassin who appeared to be playing possum. She'd been leaning against the wall for over an hour now and had yet to twitch, much less move. Her back had to be killing her by now, Heero thought absently as he bit back a yawn. She was made of stern stuff and he wasn't the least surprised with how well she'd been holding up. They'd tried to interrogate her again with the information that they'd gotten from the doc but she'd remained completely silent, not saying a word. Not an emotion on her face either no matter what button they'd pushed. The only telling thing was that she'd shot Quatre a few glances during the interview, silent communications between the two. It would appear that Relena was right and Eve did like Quatre. They'd tried sending him in alone but she wouldn't talk to him either.
"Are you all right?" Relena asked, coming up from behind to wrap her arms around his waist, nuzzling her face against his back. "You're exhausted, aren't you?".
"I'm fine." Heero said as he continued to stare at the glass. Truth be told he was close to being dead on his feet but he had no intention of leaving this place until they got some answers. Or until she escaped. Whichever came first.
"There's no way she can get out, Yuy. Relax." Duo confidently said coming to stand beside his friend who looked more then a little tense. Heero had been watching the girl like a hawk all night and it was wearing Duo out just watching him. "Why don't you go stretch out and get a few Zs. She's not going anywhere any time soon."
"She'll escape, Duo." Heero said just as confidently as he turned his head towards his friend with a very serious look in his eyes. He knew she would, had known it all day. You couldn't hold someone like that for long. Even if she couldn't do it alone there were those that would come and get her out. She wasn't alone in this city and her friends were as dangerous as she was. More so possibly because they didn't have ties with any one them.
)
"Really and how do you think she'll get out?" Duo asked only half joking as Relena walked over to the other side of the room to get something to eat. If Heero really did think she could get out of the building, loaded full of security Heero had designed and installed himself..well then that was just a scary thought.
"She's not someone who'll just do as you expect, Maxwell. She's studied all of us. She knows us, she's already gone through her options and is now waiting for the moment to carry her plan through." Heero said coolly as he sent Duo a look that said he hadn't a doubt in his mind about this. "It wouldn't surprise me if she had planned for this possibility before she even came to work here. She's survived this long, she didn't do it by being careless and not preparing. She's been caged too much, she won't be able to stand it for long. She'll get out simply because she can't survive otherwise."
"You can't know that, Heero." Milliardo said shaking his head though he was beginning to think perhaps his brother in law had a point. There was just something about Eve, this Eve he saw before him that made him think there wasn't a lot she couldn't do. Or wasn't capable of doing if the need arose. "And she's not in a cell, she would have thought she'd be put in one instead of in this room and it's not like she suffering right now."
"Yes I can. She'll escape. It's not a question of can she so much as when will she." Heero said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest stubbornly. "And she's not alone, Milliardo. I'd bet a great deal that there are more then a handful of people involved in all this who want her out of here. Who will come to get her out of her any minute now."
)
"Heero." Relena said with a start, interrupting their conversation before Milliardo could argue his point again and the two get into a bitching match. There was something that was bothering her and she was going to bring it to their attentions before they came to blows.. "What's that smell? It's starting to give me a headache."
Looking at her questioningly Heero ignored everything and concentrated on the air and the scents it brought, his eyes popping open when he recognized the faint scent as he got closer and closer to Relena. "Steelit." Heero said naming a sleeping gas he'd used himself during the war though rarely since it was expensive and hard to come by. "She was quicker then I thought." he finished before Relena fell forward, unconscious into his arms, Heero falling with her to the floor shortly with the rest of his friends in a painless and deep sleep.
)
Meanwhile the door to Eve's lovely holding area opened and as the lights went off on cue Eve could make out two sets of glowing eyes staring at her from the doorway. It had taken them long enough, she thought, even as she got to her feet with cat like grace. "Took you two long enough. What did you do? Stop for some take out on your way here?" Eve said accepting the guns handed to her, knowing they'd be loaded and ready to go. They'd be needed to get out of this place in one piece.
"Let's blow this joint shall we, big sister?" J.C. said cockily as he bowed low with a wink, motioning gallantly towards the door they'd come through as he moved out of the way to let her pass.
"My thoughts exactly." Eve agreed with an identical grin as she walked into the darkness with Darius and J.C. covering her back. It was time to get the hell out of here and report the latest developments to the boss. She was not going to be a happy camper at all.
)
Breathing hard Noin almost missed them as she exited the Preventers building in pursuit of the Hantas who'd been spotted exiting the building moments before. Swearing lightly under her breath she prayed that her husband and their friends were all right as she tried to figure out how in gods name she was going to bring the damn assassins in without her body being shot full of holes. Well they'd been protecting her for the last month at least so maybe they'd simply maim her this time, Noin thought hopefully as she tried to block the image of the man Eve had killed so easily from the tape from her mind without a hell of a lot of success. The man had been a hunk of solid muscle, towering over the girl and yet Eve had killed him in seconds without a scratch on her. What chance did she really have against one of them? Much less three. "Well I might as well find out and hope I have the chance to tell them about it later." Noin said to herself with a smirk as she tried not to think about her husband's reaction to this is she made it out of this alive. Milliardo was definitely not going to be pleased.
Reloading her weapon while she ran after them, her searching eyes quickly caught sight of them at the edge of the Preventers training area, melting into the darkness as though they were a part of it. Taking aim she fired a warning shot into the air near their heads and while they processed the shot she managed to get close enough that she could just barely make out three human shapes in the darkness that surrounded them all and made her skin crawl with uneasiness. She was on their turf in the dark, they had the advantage. "Hold it, Eve!" She yelled out not really expecting an answer so she was surprised that not only did they stay put but they merely watched her walk towards them, making no move to shoot at her or move. A single figure moved slightly closer to her, eyes glowing yellow in the darkness and in the darkness she could just make out the gun clutched loosely in the figure's hand. It was Eve, she was sure of it and unlike the many times she'd met the girl she felt fear at the mere sight of her.
"Do you think that's really wise, Noin? All things considering?" Eve stated softly as she motioned with her head for her companions to move on without her. Without showing any hesitation they did so and with a measure of shock Noin recognized one of the men as her assistant Darius from the brief glimpse of his face in the glow of the moon. "You're really not in a position right know to give orders. Seems to me you're all alone and you're not a fool either for that matter. If we wanted you dead right now you would be before anyone could come to your rescue. So turn around..and run away."
)
"Darius." Noin said simply in a barely audible whisper as she watched him and the other man melt into the darkness with an ease that was like watching a person slip into a piece of clothing tailored to fit him. "He's in this too." She couldn't believe it, now she knew how Relena felt. To think that all this time she'd been kicking herself for not making the connection with Eve when she'd had her own traitor right under her nose to deal with. Sweet and charming Darius was a Hanta; she'd had one by her side the whole time and hadn't even known it.
"Very perceptive, most people don't clue in until we tell them which is usually too late for them to do anything about it. Then again, you've proven to be far more resourceful then we anticipated, Noin. You've come closer then anyone to ever uncovering a small part of what's going on which is as impressive as it is annoying." Eve said with a half smile figuring that there wasn't any point in trying to convince Noin otherwise about Darius, she wouldn't insult the other woman's intelligence by trying. Things were getting out of hand too quickly though, Eve thought as she picked up on the other woman's fear that Noin was trying so hard to hide. "So we're at a bit of a standoff Commander. I really don't want to have to kill you but I will, you know I will. not to mention that I should." she added looking Noin straight in the eye as she smiled darkly. Of all the soldiers to have followed her out it had to be Noin, Eve thought with a shake of her head. She respected the soldier a great deal and it would be a shame to kill her, a real waste. Besides that the last thing she need was the Peacecrafts on her tail in a pitiful attempt to avenge his wife, her sister in laws death for the rest of their lives. Not to mention the political problems when she ended up having to kill the both of them. She didn't enjoy killing anyway and so she decided to try to scare Noin off, better her to feel like a coward then not to feel at all. "Any request for an epitaph? That is if I leave enough body parts to be worth a gravestone?" Eve asked as she deliberately made her voice as evil as possible that sent shivers coursing down Noin spine.
"I know that you're not the enemy here Eve." Noin said having put quite a few pieces of the mysterious puzzle together as she'd run after the three Hantas. She still knew that she was in deep trouble; she just thought that maybe she wasn't right about who exactly the enemy was. "For some reason you and Darius have been making it your business to guard Relena and I from someone who's trying to see us dead right? We have a videotape of you guarding Relena and that meeting at that national park wasn't a coincidence either, was it? You were there for a reason; you risked your life to save us for a reason. I don't know why you're doing it or who else is involved but I do know that Yamachi and Trowa are and I'm pretty damn sure you're not the bad guy here. I know that you won't just tell me everything so take me with you and take me to someone who will explain or has the authority to. Let us know what's going on, we've earned that much given how much trouble we've been causing each other."