Disclaimer: I don't know too much about cars so…leave me alone if you get picky about things…

Chapter 16

"Alright, just let me do the talking and we'll get on our way." Sopher said, squirming out of the car and walking up to the rental office. He sauntered into the building and walked up to the counter, saying in his most sensuous voice, "Excuse me, I need something with a smooth ride, sleek curves, and moves fast. . ."

"Well, all I have to sell you are cars so hopefully that will be okay." The salesclerk turned to face him, cocking an eyebrow. With a grin, he said, "That would be just fine. . ." Clearing her throat and looking bored with his presentation, she said, "I'm sure. Follow me, I'll show you some of our selection."

"Lovely. . ." After multiple cars, and flirt sessions, a car was picked and the guys followed Sopher into the office as he signed the paperwork.

"Alrighty, here you go, miss. . ." He squinted, trying to read her nametag. With an eye roll, she said, "Michelle."

"Michelle. . .what a beautiful name. . .can I call you Michelle?"

"Well, I can't determined whether or not you're capable of calling me but either way, no, you MAY not. . .and it's Miss DuCharme to customers. . .Thank you for your business, don't be late or I'll have to charge you. . .good day." She said, taking the papers from him and walking back into the rear offices.

"Woah. . .BURN!" Iceman said, laughing at Sopher.

"She sure told you. . ." Dextosterone said, stifling an outburst.

"Let's go. . ." Sopher growled through his teeth, stalking out of the building to the car they just rented.

"Have you ever been rejected before?" Playa asked.

"Shutup. . ." Grumbling all the way to the College, Sopher pulled up into the college parking lot, jumping out and looking around at the scenery.

"It's quiet. . .too quiet. . ." Iceman whispered, looking around at the nearly pitch black surroundings.

"It's almost 3 in the morning, dude, of course it's quiet! Now, let's get into the dorms and meet up with our contact." Sopher said as they slunk across the parking lot, being careful to stay in the shadows.

"We have a contact?" Playa asked curiously.

"Duh, how else do you think we're gonna pass as college students? And get into the dorms, for that matter. . .come on, we're across the street." They darted across the street, following the stone walls setting off the houses all way back to the men's dorm. They quietly dashed over to the Roman styled building, hiding against the pillars and making sure the coast was clear. Sopher went to the front door, looking in before starting to break it down.

"Sopher. . .what the heck! This is no time to be getting your groove on!" Iceman hissed, getting freaked out by his partner's movements. Suddenly, he stopped and stepped back, watching as a man came to the door and opened it.

"Bust a move, baby." Sopher said.

"Roger Dodger." The man responded.

"Cool beans." They shook hands and he said, "I've been waiting for you guys, what took you?"

"A little problem finding a place to land. . ." Sopher said as he closed the door behind them. As the man walked toward the stairwell leading to the upstairs dorms, Iceman whispered, "That little freak session was your signal!"

"Wasn't my idea. . .but it sure was fun." Sopher grinned.

"Who's. . .idea was it?" Playa was almost afraid to know. Sopher didn't respond as they entered the second floor. They walked quietly back to a far room around the corner from the stairs and the man opened the door, letting them go in and check things out before getting comfortable. Sopher walked back to the man and said, "Thanks for your help, man."

"No problem, and call me Kevin, but it's Mr. Pesce around everyone else." The man said, started out the door.

"Gotcha, see ya in the morning, Kevin." The door shut and Sopher dashed through the rooms gathering the guys into the first room. As they settled into chairs and on the beds, he said, "Alright, now everyone remembers their assignments, correct?"

"I work with you to get recruited." Iceman stated.

"Miguel and I are your backup hitmen." Playa said, pointing to his partner.

"And I'm the log keeper and info giver." Dextosterone said cheerfully.

"Good. Now, get some sleep because we have no idea when we might get the chance to again. Breakfast is at 6 so don't be late, that's when we get associated with the area and their lingo and such, maybe even get noticed by some recruiters."

"Do we actually have to go to classes and learn stuff?" Iceman asked, not looking forward to that part.

"We only attend the classes, you could daydream the whole time for all they care. Okay so. . .get out of my room, I have some sleeping to catch up on!" Sopher kicked everyone out of his room and jumped into bed, snuggling with his pillow and falling fast asleep.

A knock echoed off Duo's door, catching Rachel's attention.

Who could that be now. . .I just got Duo to sleep. . .Rachel quickly jumped up and ran to the door, opening it quietly and peeking out.

"Rachel. . .sorry to disturb you." Trowa said, looking a little uneasy.

"what is it? Is something wrong?" She responded, covering her mouth as a yawn escaped her.

"Not really, I just wanted to ask you something. . ." He said, glancing over Rachel's head into the room. She looked back in briefly to make sure Duo was still asleep before sliding out into the hall and closing the door. She had on a robe and Trowa immediately assumed the worse. His gaze sunk to the floor as he searched for elsewhere to focus his attention. Crossing her arms, Rachel said, "So. . .what did you want to ask me?"

"I was doing some research on the enemy and found out that they had a link to you in this world." Trowa said, raising his gaze to her face but hiding his feelings.

"Really? I exist here?" She said, sounding surprised.

"You did. . .once. You died in the war with your boyfriend."

"My. . .boyfriend?" She blinked.

"Yeah, it said his name was David Schroder." Her eyes widened and she almost gasped, looking away. Blinking, Trowa said, "You know him?"

"Y-yes. . .I was in love with him in my world. . ."

"Does Duo know?" Trowa cocked his eyebrow.

"No. . .but it doesn't really matter, my life is here now. Wow. . .we actually went out in this world. . .it's almost as if all my hopes and dreams were real in this world and all my fears were real in mine. . ."

"What a depressing way to look at it. . .you dreamt of dying with this David character?"

"Well. . .no, but I suppose maybe I hoped to die SOMEday with him. . ."

"That's interesting. . .Rachel, do you know Stacy and Mike?"

"Huh?" Rachel snapped out of her musing and stared at Trowa.

"It says you were friends with them before the war, in some club called 4-H."

"Seriously? That exists here too?"

"So you do know them?"

"Well. . .yes, I do. . .but these people aren't like the ones I know. . .Sara and Chris aren't evil and Mike's not a spy for the government. . .at least I don't think he is. . ." Rachel began to muse again.

"So. . .none of them are like the versions you have?"

"Well, they have similar personalities, to some extent. . .Stacy's still sweet and gentle and friends with Mike, who might I add is still quiet as ever. . ."

"So they're the same people. . .but have lived different lives. . .perhaps as you said, the people in this world are just. . .living the dreams the real people have? I mean, the people from your dimension."

"I always said this place was a dream world. . .it would make sense."

"But you're here, is this a dream to you too?"

"I've always wanted to live in another world. . .but this is extraordinary! I wonder. . .if that's true then. . .David secretly dreams of being with me! Could we have the same dreams. . .?"

"You're getting off the subject. Why would anyone have secret desires to start wars! Are your friends psychotic?"

"No! Sara and Chris aren't like that!"

"Perhaps they are; people dream of being things they aren't all the time but act nothing like what they wish they could be. . .that's the whole point of dreaming, to be something nothing like yourself."

"I guess that's true. . .so that means Sara dreams of being an athletic, sadistic maniac? And Chris. . .well, I don't know what he wants to be, we haven't run into him yet."

"So you couldn't give any information on the them. . ."

"I don't know if it would help any, they most likely aren't anything like themselves here."

"If you know them then. . .why haven't you spoken to them?"

"Trowa. . .do they know about our powers?" He thought for a minute and said, "Most likely not."

"Then how can I? They think I'm dead. . .well, to them I am! To know I'm alive. . ."

"But they know your name, why haven't they reacted?"

"I don't know, perhaps they don't know I'm dead here. . .don't ask me, I don't have the answers."

"Okay. Sorry to have woken you for this. . .goodnight." He started to walk away when Rachel said, "I wasn't asleep, I was waiting for Duo to go to sleep. . .he was afraid he'd wake up and I wouldn't be there again. . ."

"Rachel, it's none of my business what you do with Duo, you don't have to explain yourself to me." Trowa muttered, his back to her.

"I'm not sleeping with him, Trowa. . .you know I'm not like that and it hurts you'd even think that."

"I. . .I never said that I-" Trowa turned back.

"I don't care if people know about my personal business, if I don't have anything to be a shamed of, why hide? Goodnight, Trowa. . ." Rachel turned and walked back into Duo's room, slowly closing the door behind her. Standing for a moment, frozen by her words, Trowa thought, You may not have anything to hide but. . .With that, he turned around and walked back toward his room to 'sleep'.

"Whew. . .there's a lot of hotties in Kentucky! And I just love a Southern accent on a girl. . ." Iceman whistled as a group of college students walked by, giggling at his comment as they went to breakfast. He winked to them and Sopher said, "I know they're inviting but we have work to do, don't forget your mission. . .business before pleasure. . ." Suddenly, a raving beauty walked by and his eyes followed her as he said, "And it sure would be a PLEASURE to do business with her. . ."

"What were you saying?"

"Oh. . .yeah. . .let's go, I'm hungry." Sopher mumbled as he walked into the cafeteria. As he walked through the line for the buffet, he overheard a conversation between two jocks two people ahead of him.

"And they're coming in at 3?"

"Yeah, we're going to meet them out by the clock tower behind the girls' dorms."

"Who's going to join?"

"A couple of the guys, not many, they said not to make it obvious so don't tell anyone else. Tim said they only wanted 5 guys for their run today."

"Right. . .this is gonna be the best year of school ever. . ." The men laughed and walked off to find some seats.

Out by the clock tower at 3. . .Sopher thought to himself, remembering that date as he headed out to find a seat himself. He sat by his brother and Dextosterone said, "Gross, you got the pancakes? They're still doughy. . ."

"I got our first lead. . ." Sopher muttered before taking a bite of the pancakes.

"Really. . .Wind didn't hire you for your looks after all. . ."

"Clock tower at 3, behind the girl's dorm."

"Right."

"These pancakes aren't doughy. . .you're just too picky!" Sopher said, acting like normal as he munched away on his breakfast.

"8 hours and counting. . ." Heero muttered before taking a sip of his coffee, his eyes closed in silent thought. Relena walked into his office carrying a tray of food, stopping in front of his desk and saying, "Hungry?"

"Yes, thank you. . ." Heero said, not really looking her direction as he cleared a space for the tray with one swipe of his arm. She set the food down and said, "It's. . .getting pretty close, don't you think, Heero? Can we really trust that these guys can save them on their own?"

"I don't but no one will let me do it my way. . ." Heero said, typing on his keyboard.

"You don't? Why didn't you say so before?" Relena exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Because it was the only way to settle down the others, meanwhile I've been devising my own plan in case they really don't do the job."

"You have a plan? Can I see?" Relena walked around the desk, resting her hands on his shoulders. He quickly pressed a button and the screen blacked out, causing Relena to blink in surprise. She slowly took her hands off his shoulders as he said, "It's not ready yet."

"Maybe I can help. . ."

"No." Heero said simply. Relena frowned and said, "Heero. . .!"

"Please just trust me on this one. . ."

"Fine. . .you know, I'm really getting tired of you hiding things from me. . ." Relena left the room and Heero glanced at the doorway after her, thinking, In due time, you will know. . .I will tell you everything. . .but not yet. . .

"So, might that little toy of yours play into this great plan you've devised?" Heero snapped his gaze across the room at the wall behind him and saw Rachel's figure slowly fade into sight, stepping out of the wall and onto the Persian rug adorning the floor.

"And you're telling me not to use my powers. . ." Heero grumbled as she sat on his desk.

"I figure no one will know if you don't tell them. . .a secret for a secret?" She winked.

"You have an evil side, you know that? What do you want?"

"I was just curious about your plan, might that ship of yours be part of it?" He turned back to his computer and turned it back on, going back to his work.

"Perhaps. . ."

"Perhaps?" She leaned over his shoulder and he stiffened, glaring at her. She grinned and he rolled away from her, saying as he went back to typing, "Since we're not going to use our powers for safety reasons. . .might as well. I hear Noin's been doing some planning of her own behind Relena's back too. . ."

"Really? How'd you hear that?"

"I didn't, I followed her."

"Oh." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"She's been working with my old mentor to create a new and more powerful mobile suit, for who knows what. . ."

"Mobile suit? I thought the production of those were-"

"Illegal? They're considered weapons so yes."

"But Noin trusts Relena. . ."

"She feels the same as I do, she wants to keep her plans and aspirations safe from anything."

"I see. . .does this new model have a name?"

"I believe I overheard her mention it being called 'Mercurius', it has a powerful shield it generates, able to withstand any weapons fire."

"Mercurius?" Rachel's eyes widened as she had flashbacks of the series.

"You know about it too?" Heero sounded surprised.

"Mercurius is one of two mobile suits created by the doctors for OZ, or at least that's how it went in the series. The other was called Vayeate and it had a beam cannon more powerful than the one later installed on your Gundam. . .it had the power to rip apart the hull of a Gundam. . ."

"Impressive. . .but this was only created by Doctor J. . .unless the others just didn't show their faces. . ."

"It's possible that's how it is in this version of the game, maybe Vayeate hasn't even been thought of yet. But that doesn't make sense, they were nothing without each other, Mercurius was the defense and Vayeate was the offense. . .together they were nearly unstoppable."

"I see. . .I need to get in contact with Noin, we haven't been in touch for hours. . ."

"We need to get both of those guys over here, since it doesn't do them much good to keep their distance now. . ."

"True, I'll call them." Heero grabbed his phone and called up Milliardo and Noin.

Hello Heero, what can I do for you? Milliardo answered the call.

"You can bring yourself and your girlfriend over here so we can have a little chat." Heero responded coolly.

Is there a problem?

"Not yet. . .I'll see you two in a few minutes, don't be late." Heero hung up the phone.

"Are they coming?" Rachel cocked her head to the side lazily.

"I haven't known Zechs to resist an invitation without explanation. . .he'll be here." Heero said, going back to his work.