Eternally Yours
Chapter ten: This is the Last Chance
The heavy slam of the door barely registered in her mind as she stared, blankly, towards the high ceiling, her thoughts racing frantically through her mind, as they had been doing for the past week. At least, she thought it was a week, honestly, it felt like longer… like an eternity of hell, eternal damnation; there were no windows to the outside world, therefore obscuring her knowledge of time, leaving her once again, in the dark in more ways than one.
"Miss," The squeaky, high voice called out to her, but she ignored it, continuing to stare up at the white paint above her and reminiscing on what she had done in her life, to generate so much havoc and grief, "Miss, you have to eat something, look, I've brought you some mince and potatoes…"
Again ignoring the voice, Lafeia thought of Heero… it was all her fault, she had gotten him trapped in this mess and she had tugged him into it. Hell, she had practically forced him into the relationship that they had… or used to have.
"You haven't eaten in nearly a week miss; the master's getting annoyed… It's really not wise to irritate Master Cromer."
"Look," Lafeia retorted bitterly, her eyes snapping towards the stout middle-aged women in front of her, carrying a tray of food, "I'm not hungry and you can tell Master Cromer, that I do not, any longer, have a reason to abide by his orders. He broke his promise. The only thing keeping me here…" she cast a fractious glance down to her thin wrists, "are these damned chains!" She shook her pale, fragile hands at the woman, causing the heavy chains to clank as they knocked noisily together. Tugging on them, she demonstrated to the servant girl that she was united with the bedposts, therefore preventing her from moving around.
She coughed roughly, as she finished, having drained herself of her remaining energy and sunk, deeply, back into the mattress, several broken springs – caused by her thrashing around for several days – digging and jabbing, tiresomely into her spine.
"Here, miss, drink this," the woman moved quickly towards her and leaving the tray on the mahogany bedside table with a thud, she tipped a cold glass to Lafeia's mouth, forcing the chillingly cool liquid to trickle slowly down her dry throat.
Lafeia reluctantly swallowed, she hated being treated like this, as if she was weak – even though she knew herself that she was – and leaving her feeling as though she was incapable of taking care of herself, and thanks to Michael, she was. Incapable of taking care of herself, that is.
Twisting her head away from the glass, she flew back against the headrest, keeping as far away as possible from the stranger standing before her.
"Who are you?" she asked, eyeing the woman with a suspicious glare.
"Penny, but that's not important dear, what is important, is that you eat up," she grabbed the tray and rest it on Lafeia's legs, "there now, shouldn't be too hard for you to reach it now."
"Go away, I'm not eating that," Lafeia growled, thrashing her legs so that the tray toppled over, spilling the food across the mattress and staining the sheets with a musty red liquid.
"Oh dear," the woman replied, hustling about quickly and trying to clean the quilt's covers, "I'll have to get the master in to have a word with you."
Lafeia's dull eyes narrowed and her already deathly pale lips thinned into a taut line as she glowered at her, "Don't you dare…"
Penny shrugged hesitantly, shaking her head, and grabbing the tray from the ground, where it had fallen, she stumbled out of the room, muttering profoundly under her breath.
Once the door had once again slammed shut, behind the plump woman, Lafeia released a shaky breath. She hadn't dealt with Michael since the day that… Heero had permanently left; she realized that he was giving her time to adjust to this new phenomenon, however, Lafeia knew, that she could never, really, get over this.
Sinking her fingers into her head, she shook the horrid thoughts from her mind, trying to release herself of the relentless pain that rang through her at the thought of him. The chains rustled quietly as she steadied herself and leant against a post, feeling intensely tired but knowing that she wouldn't sleep… she couldn't.
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"Hilde, answer the phone… please…" Duo muttered, one hand clasped around the cell phone and pressing it to his right ear and the other, skilfully steering the car around the vacant roads of the L4 colony.
After a few more rings, a girl's perky voice greeted him from the other end of the receiver, "Duo, hey, what's up?"
"Hilde, we got a big problem, Heero's been captured, I need backup immediately. Send the pilots over here ASAP." Duo muttered quickly into the mouthpiece of the cell phone, his breaths ragged from the adrenaline pumping through his veins, bursting sparks of energy into each of his muscles.
"What-" Hilde started, hesitantly.
"I'll explain later," Duo almost barked at her in frustration, "Just get the pilots."
"Okay," Hilde stammered nervously, having never experienced Duo's anger taken directly out on her, "I'll send them on the private shuttle that transported you and Heero, although I don't know how long that will-"
"No," Duo demanded, "I want them sent to the public spaceport. It's closest to me right now, we don't have enough time."
"But Duo, the public spaceport will be crowded with civilians and there's no way that the guys will make it past the gates without being inspected for weaponry." Hilde explained.
"Damn it!" Duo growled slamming his other fist against the wheel and sending the car raving out of control; quickly he grabbed control of the wheel again and focused the car back on the road.
"I'll send them on a private flight as soon as possible. Meet them at the spaceport. I love you, Duo, goodbye." Hilde said before the dial tone registered in Duo's mind.
He snapped his cell phone shut and slipped it into a pocket before placing both hands on the steering wheel, readying himself for a long drive.
"I love you too, Hilde." He mumbled, his face as blank and expressionless as the perfect soldier's.
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The steel gate clanked shut behind him, sending an echoing clang through the dark and damp rooms. The dripping sound of water, relentlessly falling from a broken pipe and slamming almost loudly against the ground reached his mind as his feet wandered towards his goal, clipping repeatedly off the cold stone flooring.
"Leave," he ordered his voice ruthless and hard. The two large men looked at each other, as if anticipating whether to follow the orders, but seconds later both had departed their stations and were silently moving away.
Slipping an old, rusted key into the worn metal lock, he twisted it and listened carefully to the light clicking noise that seemed to thunder in his ears, becoming in time to the intensifying rhythm of his raging heart.
He stepped inside the cell, feeling the cold atmosphere instantly chill his already trembling bones; however, the faint glow of an unknown light source in the distance was somewhat comforting as it cast its warm amber glow across a corner of the dead room, sending all other areas into an ethereal shadowy realm.
"So you finally decided to come," a harsh raspy voice, unaccustomed to regular use, called out to him from the darkness, and as his eyes adapted to the darkness he was able to make out the slumped form in the far corner of the cell, basking itself from view in the unfathomable shadows. "I was beginning to lose hope."
He let out a shaky sigh, cursing himself for abiding by the other's request. He was starting to regret coming down here, he was putting so much at risk, but a part of him knew that this was the right thing to do. The only thing to do.
"What can I do?" He asked, rather hesitantly, his gaze falling to the cold granite floor in front of him, unable to face the other person.
"You need to help me get out of here." Came the hoarse reply. Even though he had known that this was the request that was undoubtedly going to be made, it hit his system like a shock.
"I can't-" He started, his heartbeat quickening at the illegitimate response.
"Listen," the other growled, "It's been too long already… backup is on its way, in fact it should be arriving within the next few days, maybe hours." The shadowed figure shuffled slightly and Adam dared himself to look at him in time to see him stand, shakily, holding onto the cold walls for support. "We need to get her out of there soon, you, yourself, have seen the poor condition that she is in, if she's left unattended any longer, she's going to die. For sure."
Adam swallowed. Heero's statements were true, but if something went wrong, if they were caught, they would be slaughtered, every single one of them.
Hesitantly, he let his tall form drop to the cold, stone floor, and sidled his head into his hands.
"Alright then. What have you got planned?"
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A breeze swept in as the door to her room suddenly and abruptly opened and Michael strolled in, looking enraged and furious as he glared coldly at the girl who was lying on the bed. He furtively walked over to her and released her from the chains with a twist from a brass key.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" He demanded an answer, standing and hovering over her small, weak form with a somewhat threatening appeal to his stature.
Lafeia stared at her bloodied wrists and traced her fingers shakily across the crimson stained scars, "It has come to mind." She answered solemnly and emotionlessly, not bothering to meet his gaze.
"Don't be ridiculous." Michael harshly replied, anxiously pacing the room. Lafeia slowly lifted her entranced gaze from the dark liquid leaking hastily from the gashes on her arms and stared at the man with an almost amused smile. He clearly still needed her for something later on in his plans. Wouldn't it be such a terrible thing if she just happened to… pass away?
"I have no reason to stay here any longer. People like you have hunted me for my entire life," her voice was outlandishly devoid of all emotion, and as Michael looked at her, he was stunned to see that her usually vibrant eyes were extremely pale and holding an almost misty white hue to them that sent chills to his spine. "And stealing everything that ever meant anything to me… people like you are what have driven me to this point of near distinction. You stole him from me, you stole my last thread of hope, and now… what do I have left to live for?"
She shrugged and lay absently down on her mattress, the blood leaking freely from her wrists as her eyes closed, apathetically, "So why even bother with the basics… like food?"
Michael growled, this stupid, pathetic excuse for a human was ruining his plans, and it was driving him insane. He realised that it was he, who had broken the girl and forced her to this point of weakness, but now, he was wondering whether his final mission target was actually worth it.
He grabbed a strong and steady hand onto the wooden post of her bed and stared at the limp body lying there, "Get her bandaged up, don't let her die." He ordered the guards at the door, disgust apparent in his tone.
Treading out of the room, with heavy footsteps echoing against the cold marble floors and resounding noisily against the walls surrounding him, he decided something.
If she wanted to play like this, he could play too. He was sick of her worthless acting, it was time that he showed her just what she would be missing without her life.
"Get me Adam Roster!" He barked demandingly as he threw himself into a comfortable armchair of his room, the subtle glow of the light from the fireplace flickering dangerous shadows across his darkly threatening face.
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The dark silence was shattered by his unremitting footsteps as heavy, military shoes hammered against the harsh cold stone. A deep sigh was released from his mouth and it wavered unsteadily as his thoughts tumbled across his mission.
He had just given him the perfect opportunity to put the plan into place, he had just handed him numerous freedoms and most of all, he had just supplied him with the chance of wreaking havoc. Deviant, rebellious havoc and he was going to take him up on his offer.
A wide, callous grin tore through the skin around his lips as he reminded himself of what, exactly; it was that he had to do.
'Take care of the girl,' he had ordered, 'make her abide by my plans. I want her under control by the end of today.'
'Yes sir!' Was his reply. Well this was one time were his plans weren't going to fall perfectly into place, this was one time when Michael Cromer was going to fall for his misjudging trust, foolish man.
"Commander Roster, we've been waiting for you."
Adam nodded his head indifferently, his tousled blonde hair falling aimlessly into cold, cutting eyes whilst vengeance lay hidden, disguised deeply by his adopted mask and pushed deeply into his heart.
The door glided smoothly open as the guard twisted the key and stepped aside, allowing his commander access to the dull, sombre room.
A heavy blanket of desperation and disconsolateness shrouded and smothered the air in the room, and as he studied the small, weakened and yet elegant form of a young girl, spread across the crimson-stained bed sheets his heart cried out in anguish at the faded soul.
The door slammed shut behind him, notifying him that they were alone and out of earshot. The girl on the poster bed didn't flinch and the only thing that left him reminded that she was still alive was the slow and uneven rise and fall of her chest.
Crossing the room, he rested his weight upon the mattress and stared at Lafeia, swiping stray strands of dull, black hair from her pale, emaciated face.
Serious payback was in order here. Michael Cromer had fatally damaged the strongest girl he had ever known, he had knowingly tore away her life, ripping it callously from her chest and left her here, as her flame burnt out, progressively, causing her to smoulder to ashes.
She was a toy, a dilapidated toy.
"Lafeia, can you hear me?" he asked gently as he stroked her face with tenderness.
A sudden tremor took hold of her body and she shivered as her eyes, sleepily and gradually opened.
"It's okay… I'm here for you. I promise, if it's the last thing that I ever do, that I will get you out of here." His voice was low and shaky, so unlike the fake, strong tone that he had adapted to for so many years.
"Adam, leave me alone," she moaned in a croaky, unused voice. Silent tears trickled from solemn, depressed eyes as she stared with him, pleading for solitude.
"No, I won't do that. I've done that for too long now, it's time for your escape." His voice was adamant as he forced the strength into it for her.
Lafeia shook her head, and attempted to drift back into her isolated world of sleepy delusions, but Adam grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly to rouse her from her weariness.
"Listen," he begged fervently, "please, listen to me; this is the last chance that I will get to redeem myself in your eyes. I won't let anything happen to you… not now, not ever."
"You expect me to fall for that?" she coughed, harshly.
He frowned deeply at her, and turned away from her perilous eyes. "Get ready, I'm going to need your help, if you want to get out of here safely."
Lafeia nodded, somewhat untrusting and doubtful of his plans.
"Here's what's going to happen…" He leant in close to her ear, whispering words, which were incoherent to the rest of the world, and thankfully, their final mission target… Michael Cromer.
Now was the time for revenge… The score was about to be settled, and only then, when it was all over, would they be in the league.
Yes, yes, I know that this chapter is considerably shorter than the rest of them, but if I had have continued this, well it would have spoilt all of the dark, evil fun in the next. Wheeee the fun-ness… Thanks for all the past wonderful reviews, and thank you guys so much for sticking by me the whole time. Especially Charlie and Jess! Love you guys, oh and Jess, update for goodness sakes… please? (p.s we should write a fic together some time, it would be so fun and an honour to write with thy greatness!)
Anyways? Can I have some reviews please? I'd like to know that there are still some EY fans out there… somewhere. (Places hand across her brow and stares out into the open) Anyone?
Love y'all
Allura