8: Misfortune in paradise

Mariemaia watched Jin from a safe distance as he ducktaped and roped the man to a sturdy and strong chair in the dinning room area after he stripped him of anything he could use to either free or kill himself. The man's legs were tied behind the back of the chair, as were his legs and his middle side was bound to the back of the chair. Mariemaia's heart pounded with fear as she continued to watch Jin, her body trembled with an unrecognizable feeling of terror she hadn't felt since Heero had challenged the Brussels residential blockade shelter. Sweat rolled down her face, her hair was stuck to her face and neck. Jin could have let the man kill her, the cold demeanor of his voice proved that, but he didn't. Mariemaia's emotions were at an all time high, she couldn't contain the feelings she felt for long. It would probably cause a split personality to form......

Her head fell in her hands as she fell against the back of the couch, she didn't want Jin to see her in such a state but there was little she could do about it. The attacker had came out of nowhere and grabbed from behind threatening to kill her if she screamed again. Mariemaia was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of a bag landing on the couch, the thud brought her face out of hiding only to meet eyes with Jin who had a more than worried look on his face.

Why? Why would he care about me now? Is it because he feels guilty? Mariemaia thought spitefully as he inched nearer to her. Jin noticed her flinch at his approach he slowed his pace to a cautious onr; he didn't want to frighten her any more than she was. His eyes fell upon her neck and right wrist: there were ugly bruises on those areas from the man's strangle hold on her. Mariemaia's eyes followed his and she immediately backed away from him.

Jin closed the distance between them with two strides and gripped her unharmed wrist to keep her still, she struggled in his grasp and it bugged him to say the least. "Hold still, I need to see if your all right!" He exclaimed as her struggles became more violent. "Mariemaia!" The 10-year-old girl slapped him hard in the face, unconsciously Jin let go of her wrist stunned. Mariemaia glared at him through her tears. "Why do you care!!!!!" She shrieked. "You've done nothing but hurt my feelings when I all wanted to do was help you! Now you suddenly have grown and conscience and decided to care about me?! Where do you get off acting the way you do!"

Jin was silent. "What have you done in your entire life to deserve anyone's compassion let alone give any!!" Jin shook his head never bothering to soothe the pain in his throbbing cheek. "I- don't know," He replied quietly. "Why not?!!" Mariemaia spat. "Because I can't remember compassion from others kind as you are! that's how I get off acting the way I do!!" Jin shouted enraged. "Damnit Mariemaia I only wanted to help you! Forget about my problems, forget about helping me! I'm beyond it!" Mariemaia trembled at the roughness of his voice, his eyes burned with anger and an unbidden sorrow she wished she could rid him of but he wouldn't allow it.

She whipped her face of the tears that fell down her cheeks and shook her head. "Your beyond it...?" She whispered, confused. "I've got amnesia. Its obviously not temporary," Jin scoffed and headed into the dinning room where his prisoner resided. The man watched from underneath his wild sandy brown bangs with a grin and devious eyes as Jin came around the dinner table and toward him. He had heard the entire argument between the two and it confirmed his suspicions, Margaret wasn't lying about the boy's mental condition. It certainly made his job easier to a point.

He watched Jin lean up against the dinner table his look was unpleasant. "Back to business," Jin muttered. "Who are you and want to you want with me?" The watched him pick the silencer up from the table with semi-fearful eyes. He tried to force out all thoughts of being killed as he lips his dry lips. "My name is Emid, my employer needs the information your hold within your head," The man replied dully. Jin's eyebrow arched in curiosity, he gotten the information out of him fairly easy, it only made his alert mind grow more worried.

The man smirked at the expression Jin's face, the kid was going to be too easy to bait! "Who's your employer?" The Korean asked aiming the gun into the air nearest to the light fixture hanging over the man's head. "A friend of your mother's," Emid replied. "Her name's Margaret Cypher and she's looking forward to meeting you." Jin's eyes watered at the mention of the word 'mother' but kept his emotions in check, he fiddled with the safety of the gun unconsciously. "I've never heard of her.....,"

Emid cut him off before he could finish. "Or you just don't remember her. They were close friends," Emid explained carrying a softer expression. The boy was buying it, he could tell he was, Emid watched Jin's hand loosen on the gun proved, he was going to drop his guard. Jin's eyes shifted downward he pondered on the sketchy information that was given to him. It would be nice to talk to someone who knew his mother it would probably bring him some sort of closure---- no! He couldn't think like that! This woman was out to kill him for whatever he held within his mind and he couldn't lose sight of that.

Jin tightened his grip on the silencer pushing all of his unimportant thoughts out his mind, he aimed it for the man's knee. "How can I trust the word of someone who hurt another I care for?" Jin snapped. Emid's hazel eyes narrowed in question, he shifted his head toward Mareimaia who was listening on the interrogation. "She your girlfriend?" He asked wagging an eyebrow at him. Jin's face contorted in disgust and he shot the man in his upper leg. Emid grunted in pain. "No," Jin replied nastily. "She's a significant other and is of no concern of yours." Mariemaia turned her head away from the scene unable to stomach Jin's violent tactics.

Emid grunted in pain opening his eyes grinning like an idiot, his eyes twitched with pain and he fought to ignore the blood soaking his jeans. Jin felt a twang of guilt. His humane side pitied Emid. "Y-you know what?" Emid chuckled halfheartedly biting back pain. "What?" The 13-year-old muttered. "You should be careful of what you tell strangers," Emid twisted his hand around and pressed down hard on his palm. A flash of blinding light swallowed the dinning room, Jin shut eyes the moment they began to sting from the intensity of the light, his threw his hands up over his hands dropping the silencer. The sound of glass shattering in the living room caught Jin's attention he turned his head in that direction but he couldn't see a thing. "Mariemaia!" He shouted running blindly out of the dinning room.

Mariemaia was also blinded by the flash of light, it had reached her area as well, leaving her with only half of her sight. She felt around searching for Jin's hand or something sturdy to hold onto until he reached her. The sound of several footsteps approaching her frightened her to no end and she made a run for the stairs, she could only see fuzzy shapes and objects she hoped were the thing she usually gazed upon when she came down the stairs. "Grab her!" Came a strong feminine voice. Mariemaia panicked and fell onto the landing of the stairs, she crawled up the stairs franticly shout Jin's name desperately.

"Mariemaia!" She heard Jin call her. "I'm at the stairs!" She cried poking her arm through the baluster. She saw several figures run past her hand into the living room armed with machine guns. She closed her eyes in attempt to reclaim her vision but to no avail, her sight was still slightly blurred when she reopened them. The 10-year-old screamed when she felt someone grab a hold of her hand as though their life depended on it, she struggled to get out their grasp fearing that they would kill her. "Run, Mariemaia! They're only after me!" Jin's voice was closer to her ... he was one that was holding her hand.

Mariemaia shook her head although he couldn't see her movement, but he sensed her hesitation. "No! They'll hurt you!" She cried. "They'll hurt you more than me if you don't do as I----!" Jin stopped in mid-scentence at the feeling of something pricking the side of his neck. Red clouded his vision until, his mind became drowsy until he reached the conclusion that he had been drugged. Jin's hand fell from Mariemaia's his body fell limply to the ground. Mariemaia was near hysterics when she felt Jin's hand release hers but a blow to the head from the end of a pistol put an end to that. Mariemaia slumped against the stairs unconscious.

Duo zoomed down through the snow upon his red snowboard with not a care in the world, he watched everything beside him past him by like a fleeting dream as he dodged in and out of trees. He was ahead of Hilde, Quatre, and Dorothy whom he had left behind eggier to forget his worries and problems. He felt this was the best way; ice-skating would never quell his burning desire to forget his horrible past, ice-skating would have him reflecting on his past and the war. Snowboarding on the other hand would have him thinking of only one thing; dodging trees and where he would stop or rather land if he crashed.

His braid was tucked into back of his jacket so it would not latch onto anything he'd past by, his bangs rested upon his blue ski-goggles, his face stung from the air that flowed around him and his feet wanted to touch the ground instead of being restricted by the snowboards shackles. Duo however paid no attention to this, he glided out of the tree-populated area of the mountain smiling from ear to ear, he couldn't compare the joy and speed he was feeling to anything.

Duo kept his mind focused on the snowy trail before him for if he thought of anything else he feared he would crash as a result of being distracted. He wondered sometimes what that would feel like. Would the snow break his fall or assist in the torture of breaking bones and freezing temperatures? Duo was sent sailing into the air when he aimed himself for the edge of the cliff, for a moment he knew what it was like to fly without being a mobile suit or shuttle, he knew what eagles experienced when they were in the air. Sort of, Duo thought grinning.

Joy bubbled inside him as he came down gracefully, he dodged a boulder well hidden by the snow and came to an abrupt stop when he turned sideways. Duo pulled his goggles off his face and held back a shout of joy as he caught sight of Hilde coming down the hillside of the cliff, she seemed to be enjoying herself as well. The German teenager came to a stop when she bumped into Duo accidentally, Duo kept themselves from falling into the snow by pushing himself backward Hilde gripped his shoulders fearfully once she was came to a complete stop.

"How can you enjoy yourself going that fast Duo? I almost hit a tree!" Hilde exclaimed. Duo laughed at her nervous expression, he reached over and pulled her goggles from off her face, resting them on her head. Hilde's aquamarine eyes sparkled with a childlike gleam to them. Which meant something to Duo. Hilde acted a little too mature for her age at times, especially when it concerned their business in the scrap yard. "I'm used to it is all, Hilde," Duo replied with a chuckle.

Hilde scoffed cracking a small smile, Duo send a wink in her direction and continued downward after giving himself a good push forward. Hilde watched dazzled by his agility on a snowboard. "He's wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing," She muttered following after him. While the two energetic scrapyard dealers zoomed down the slope at top speed, Quatre and Dorothy moved a very moderate speed.

They were only a mile away from the two and were in no rush to catch up to them. Dorothy dodged obstacles with ease and dignity, she styled her hair into two braids to keep it out of her face, she looked back to see if Quatre was behind her. He was but he seemed to be lacking in speed that she had but just so long as he behind her she had no problems with his pace. Her braids flopped against her chest damp with moisture the air held. Dorothy dodged another boulder but lost her footing when an uncomfortable feeling flashed over her mind, she brought herself to a halt.

Pulling her goggles up from over her head she glanced the around the area with careful eyes. Dorothy was unaware of Quatre's presence beside her, the Arabian teenager watched Dorothy confused by her sudden stop. He was beginning to wonder if there was something bothering her. Perhaps it had to do with what he didn't hear her say. "Dorothy---." Quatre was silenced by Dorothy's hand over his mouth. "Hush Quatre," Dorothy commanded. "There something or someone here." He stared wide-eyed at his surrounding environment in question.

He couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary that would be watching them besides wild animals. Quatre's mind was soon changed when the ground beneath him shook violently, both blondes eyes shifted around in all directions. Dorothy snapped her head in the direction of the trees, the snow fell from the branches it was held in and behind the cluster of tees resided two lifeless jade eyes. They stared down upon the couple with little remorse as the figure marched out into the open, Dorothy slowly lowered her hand from Quatre's mouth as the towering figure she recognized as a mobile suit came into view. The maroon shaded machine that was a cross between a falcon and Wing Zero stopped its approach and focused its camera upon Quatre and Dorothy. "Epyon!" Dorothy cried unconsciously.

The 17-year-old blonde gripped Dorothy's wrist tightly pulling her away from certain danger. Dorothy didn't argue although she found it hard to walk backward with ski's on her feet as did Quatre. The mobile suit followed them taking only one step partly closing the distance between them. "I believe its a mobile doll," The platinum blonde announced in a hushed voice. "It behaves like one so It shall show us no mercy..." Quatre couldn't care less, they were at a serious disadvantage out in the open and he had to find them a safe place to hide.

He leaned over close to Dorothy bringing his lips to her ear. "I think we can outrun it," He whispered. His breath tickled her ear and she tried her hardest not to laugh in such a dire situation, she smiled at his idea and nodded. Bending over the two picked up their ski-poles and pushed themselves forward, the headed down the hill as fast as they could. Epyon turned its head in their direction and marched after them, it was in no hurry to catch them. The duo never looked back as they rushed down the snowy slope uncertain where they would find safety from a mobile suit.

Nevertheless they would have to try to escape. They dodged many obstacles but they seemed to no farther from Epyon, it almost felt like they were a conveyer belt that was in reverse and they were running the opposite direction of the flow of the conveyer belt. Dorothy looked back to find that Epyon had stopped perusing them and breathed a silent sigh of relief until a looming shadow caught her attention. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked up to find Epyon's heated whip coming down over her.

The 17-year-old teenager threw herself out of its path breaking her ski's, the heated whip came down where she used to be burning away the snow beneath it . She tumbled down the hill in no control over where she would stop, Dorothy kept her eyes shut as she felt her body roll over the edge of the cliff and land roughly on her side, her ankle got itself wedged into a small corner of a boulder and the against the wall base of the cliff. Dorothy grunted in momentary pain as she tried to pull her foot out from between wedge it had gotten itself in but it wouldn't budge, all she did was bring pain the more the moved it.

Dorothy fell back onto her side loosing all hope, Epyon's heavy footfalls could be heard approaching her direction. The mobile suit would seek her out with and she would die. The 17-year-old closed her eyes unsure of what to do, her body lie still unmoving as Epyon approached the cliff side it stopped for a moment and scanned the area for heat signatures. Dorothy whimpered wishing the mobile suit would move on. At the same time she wondered where Quatre could have gone and if he was still in good health.

After a moment or more Epyon stopped its scan. It could not find any heat signatures besides that of Duo and Hilde's which were a good several miles away. Epyon rocketed into the sky transforming into its flight mode, snow blew around in the fury of the wind Dorothy was close to fainting, the cold sting of the snow however, kept her awake and conscious. She watched as the mobile suit became nothing but a tiny spec in the sky. Dorothy began to let go of her will to stay conscious but someone fell beside her as though appearing instantly out of thin air.

She lifted her hand to brush the snow from off her face, her heart pounded against her chest when his soft caring hand gripped her ankle and turned upward. Dorothy pulled her aching foot out of the small corner. The blonde grasped the sides of his waist and pulled herself up on him. Quatre embraced her trembling form in an attempt to calm her down. "Quatre," Dorothy whispered hoarsely. Quatre's eyes narrowed with concern, he turned his attention to the sky.

He would have to trust Duo knew danger when he sensed it, Epyon was heading straight for him and Hilde. "I know Dorothy, I know," He grunted rising from his crouching position. Dorothy sluggishly followed suit placing her hands firmly on his shoulders, her eyes met his when she was completely standing. Quatre watched her hobble closer to him and flung her arm over his shoulder. Dorothy did not protest against this. The two began to climb back up the hill. "That was quite a tumble you took," He said trying to lighten the mood. Dorothy nodded solemnly.

Quatre could see that she was in no mood to laugh off her fears so he tried a different approach. "I'm sorry I didn't help you sooner. I ducked behind some trees and you were a good mile away from me. If I had come out Epyon would've-----." Dorothy used her hand that wasn't in Quatre grip and clamped it over his mouth, Quatre's eyes widened considerably before narrowing in annoyance, Dorothy smiled apologetically. "No need to apologize Quatre, I don't peg you for a coward. Be rid of your guilt because I don't blame you for your hesitation," Dorothy said removing her hand from his mouth.

Quatre blinked a few times before attempting to speak but Dorothy threatened to put her hand over his mouth once more, he fell silent. Dorothy lowered her hand, bringing it back to her side. They continued up the hill until they spotted three familiar figures coming over the slope. Dorothy's pale eyes brightened with relief as she watched the smaller figure wave in her direction. The platinum blonde recognized this smaller figure as Relena. "Miss Relena!" She cried waving back to her. Quatre watched as Relena, Heero, and Wufei come down the slope at a slower speed than usual obviously concerned they might hit them.

Heero was the first to reach them, he came to halt and pulled his goggles down onto his chest, he scanned down at Dorothy's ankle with a look of disappointment. "Injured again Catalonia?" Heero asked looking up at her. Dorothy shrugged pressing her weight against Quatre as a way to vent her frustrations. Quatre never took notice of this. "Heero, we've got a problem on our hands," He began. Wufei and Relena came up beside Heero just in time, they stared at the two blonde's in question. Heero glanced over to Wufei briefly before turning his attention back over to Quatre. "What is it Quatre?" Heero said bluntly. "This situation of ours has risen exceptionally," The Arabian began. "Epyon has been----."

Heero cut him off wordlessly with a look utter disbelief as memories of piloting the demonic machine came rushing at him like a tsunami. His could feel his very soul wavering at the name of the mobile suit and the remembrance of their last encounter with it. Quatre began to look concerned when Heero's face paled slightly, he opened his mouth to word his worry but a loud explosion from behind caught him before he could utter a word. All heads turned toward the white cloud that formed in the air from the ground and an almost unnoticeable scream that followed after it. Relena's eyes began to reflect fear as her mind tried to match the faint scream to someone's familiar vocals.

"That sounded like-----," Relena never got to finish her sentence. Heero snapped himself out his trance and immediately went into action. "Quatre where are Duo and Hilde?" He asked quickly. Quatre turned and pointed in the direction the explosion came from. As if on automatic Heero pushed himself forward and headed down the hill at top speed. Wufei shifted his board and readied himself for take off. "Quatre take Relena and Dorothy back to the ice ring, its where Trowa and Catherine are," He ordered not waiting for the blonde teenager to reply.

Quatre watched as the Chinese Preventer headed down the slope after Heero. Relena extended her hand a second late as she tripped over her words that were meant for Wufei. "Save it Relena, we've gotta head back, Trowa will need to know about this," Quatre said sternly. Relena closed her mouth slowly with a nod, but her heart cried out in concern for the well being of the former 01 pilot, she prayed Heero and Wufei would return safely. The honey blonde dropped her ski poles and headed over to left of Dorothy and flung the platinum blonde other arm over her shoulder. Dorothy glared slightly at her helplessness but obliged to her friends help. Relena gave her a knowing smile. "This trip will be a shorter this way," Relena explained. Dorothy just closed her eyes and helped the two up the hill as much as she could.

Duo crashed to the ground feeling as though gravity itself assisted in his painful landing. The aching in his legs returned but he highly doubted it from the accident he had before he came here. He had been cruising down the hill without a care in the world Hilde beside him, he hadn't noticed the looming shadow over them. That is until the shadow began to change its shape and that's when he looked up. His colbolt blue eyes widened in sheer disbelief and fear when he saw the looming figure of the Gundam Epyon shadowed by the sun.

He watched helplessly as the machine brought its whip down toward himself and Hilde, he shouted out a warning to Hilde but by the time his words reached her the burning whip had come down separating him from Hilde sending him sailing through the air. Now he laid on the ground dazed and confused with no knowledge of where Hilde was or if she was even alive. He climbed to his feet unaware that he snowboard was no longer on his feet until he stumbled backward at the sudden sting of pain that invaded his senses, Duo fell to the ground holding his side.

Hesitantly he looked down he was almost taken aback by the sight of his blood soaking his down jacket, he took notice that his blood had also stained the snow quite a bit. Duo smirked weakly; it would explain the dizziness that was slowly claiming him. He started to climb to his feet but caught sight of Epyon's whip coming toward him once again, Duo fell flat on his back throwing his arms up to shield his face. The Gundam's whip wished over him like violent gust of wind the heat that emitted from the weapon made him sweat, he thought for sure he was going to be hit.

Scrambling to his feet Duo took off in the direction he thought Hilde fell in, his heart pounded in his chest threatening to become detached from his body as his fear slowly began to take a hold him. He braid whipped around him as he jumped over a fallen tree. He fell to his knees but he got back onto his feet and continued to run blindly in on direction. He could hear Epyon twirling his whip above him and he pushed himself faster, Duo swore he was going to die from his fear.

He slid down a small hill of snow and stumbled over a snowboard. When he reached over to pick it up it wouldn't budge, Duo then began to dig through the snow that surrounded the board praying Hilde wasn't already dead. Duo would look up into the sky at Epyon from time to time his body was trembling with a new kind of fear, the machine loomed overhead like a vulture waiting for its pry to die. "C'mon Hilde don't be dead," He whispered harshly wrapping his hands around the limp figure's waist. His vision was becoming slightly blurred from the loss of blood, each breath he drew was harsher than the last, his throat was sore with raw pain. Duo smiled nervously, he recognized Hilde's body weight from anywhere.

He yanked her out of the deep snow she fell back against his chest He reached over with one hand and undid her feet from the snowboard the put her legs in front of her so that she was not on her knees. He stared down at her through fearful eyes, one side of her face bore an ugly bruise and there was nasty gash on the side of her forehead.

"Don't give up me yet Hilde, I'm gonna get us outa here...... somehow," Duo gathered her up in his arms ignoring the protests from his injured boy and rushed out into the open. His ears twitched at the sound of Epyon's rockets activating Duo quickened his pace. I'm going to die and drag Hilde down with me! None of this is right!! He thought frantically as he rushed out into an untouched plain of snow, his feet crunched against the hollow ground brining more worries to Duo's mind.

Ignoring them Duo continued forward, the snow slowly became deeper and was now up over his knees. "Shit!" He cursed. As he struggled through the snow, he was unaware of Hilde slowly coming back to consciousness, she fidgeted in his grip slowly opening her eyes causing Duo to look down. The only problem with this is that he stopped walking. Hilde looked up at his dirty sweat-covered face in confusion. "D-Duo.....?" She rasped. "Hilde...." A smile came to Duo's face chasing his worries and fears away but that feeling was short lived by both. Epyon took this moment to strike and brought his heat rod (whip) down on the seemingly hollow ground.

Duo fell to his knees dropping Hilde as the ground shook violently, this was it he and Hilde were going to die and no one would know about it. Hilde flung herself at Duo wrapping her arms around his neck fearfully, Duo did the same only his arms were around her waist. He listened to the sound of Epyon's whip crushing and burning everything in its path without a thought of mercy. His grip on Hilde tightened and before he could react the ground beneath them crumbled. Hilde screamed as they plummeted into the void of darkness, she kept reminding herself that Duo would protect her, that he wouldn't let go of her until he knew she was safe. He would protect her.

Zechs yawned tiredly rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he had been working 5 hours straight and he could not find any information on anything Une had gotten from Heero. Typical. stretching himself he saved the data onto his computer and shut it down, he would have plenty of time to work on it when he got some of his energy back. Pushing his chair away from his desk he stood yawning for a second time.

"Coffee...," Zechs stared down at his desk. There were five half-finished cups of coffee on his desk, his eyebrows arched in confusion. He wasn't aware he had that many cups of the newlywed Jennie Wheeler's caffeine fee coffee, no wonder he was tired. He walked out of his office rubbing his eyes, he needed to sleep more than he realized but he had a job to do and that was to come first. Besides Une would have his hide for sleeping on the job. His blue eyes ventured the deserted hallways as he approached Noin's office-door, he wondered if he had made her angry when he kicked her out of his office for pacing so much.

Maybe she wouldn't let him just as payback for kicking her out of his office. Zechs laughed weakly, he loved Noin for all she was and what she stood for but sometimes she could get on his nerves with her habits. He knew did the same to her as well with his habits. He stopped in front of her door and couldn't help but hear another person inside her office with her. He knew it was a woman but he didn't recognize her voice. "A new friend perhaps?" He yawned knocking on the door. The voices stopped, he barely heard Noin rising from her seat to get the door, a moment passed and he grew tired of hearing the women offering to get the door.

Would someone open the door or at least invite me in? He thought annoyed. Just as he was about to fall asleep where he stood the door flew open bringing him out of his half-sleep. He stared upon an average sized woman with long raven hair, brown eyes and mocha skin, her figure was small, smaller than Noin's. He arched a tired eyebrow in question. "Who are you?" He asked. The woman seemed to be at a loss, but she answered his question nonetheless. "Senator Gabrielle Shore, are you the former OZ Lieutenant Zechs Merquirse?" The woman replied haughtily. Fully awake Zechs looked over the Senator's shoulder at Noin, the short-haired 22-year-old stared back in question. Turning his attention back to Gabrielle Zechs's eyes became steely. "Yes, I am," He stated firmly. "Why are you here, is my real question."

[TBC]