k2: I'm back! SOoo sorry for the delay. Well, we buried my grandma last Thursday, the reason it took this long, however, was because the circle of life decided to continue moving. My grandma died, but my sister had her baby. 59 hours of labor! Can you believe it? She was in so much pain, she looked like she was going to die! But, after they broke her water for her it went faster and five hours later Claudia was born.
So, now that all the distractions are out of the way I can finally upload the next chapter. Once again, sorry it took so long!
Oh, and one more thing. This chapter is dedicated to Moonjava. Thank you so much for the encouraging comments. I Gratefully appreciate it.
MK: Now for the chapter?
k2: Almost! (grins) I have a question for all the reviewers. Is anyone interestedin seeing what the original chapters looked like? You know, just to see how they compare?
MK: That is a stupid question!
k2: (shrugs) Well, anyway. It was just a thought.
MK: You have something else to tell them you know.
k2: I do? I mean, I do! Yes, I do! Aheh, yeah. Thanks Mew. Erm…well, I am going to be taking a bit of an extra long time putting up some of the other revamps. I kinda, well…I need to make a few changes on them, but nothing big. It's just I got a job now so my time is limited on the 'puter and, while they aren't big changes, I only have a limited amount of time on the 'puter and I still have my e-mail and stuff to check. So instead of seven to ten days per update it's prolly gonna be expanded to two full weeks per update, but that okay. Because when I get to chapters 20 and on, well…they are new chapters. They haven't even been revamped yet. And then after those, well, let's just say that I am far from done writing this story. After all, it' is the life and times of the G-pilots, right?
MK: In other words, she's going to be uploading the new chapters and while her old rate of putting chapters up had been two weeks at a time, and her writing style has improved a lot, it is going to take her a bit longer then that to update.
K2: But don't' worry! I promise you guys that I won't take more then, well, a month to update, okay? I promise! And that will still be quite a while till I get that far, after all. I am only on chapter 6, right? Right. So then, here is the next story!
MK: Oh, and don't' forget. The review replies are at the bottom now.
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Gundam Wing Generations:
The continued Epic of the Gundam Universe
St.1: New Types and Space hearts
Ch.6: Reporters and Mad Scientists…. Darn them all.
Rating: PG-13 (T)
General genre; Drama, Mystery, Action as sub genre.
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A large map lay tacked to the side of the briefing room wall, colored lines marked precariously along roads that seemed to lead off of one road in particular. Some areas leading off the roads were marked with an X while others were marked with a circle, one spot in which a dart suddenly lodged itself tightly.
"Maxwell!" Wufei shouted as he pulled the dart out of the board before rounding onto the irritated brunette. "Damn it, stop doing that!"
"This is getting us nowhere!" Duo shouted back from where he was lounging in a carefully balanced, two legged (four legged, but he was balancing on two), chair next to the door, his legs kicking back on another for added support. "Man, you're foul mouthed when you're in a bad mood." He added in a grumble. Not that I haven't heard him say dammit before, but he said other things earlier.
"Both of you grow up." Milliard growled as he continued to examine the map.
"What we need to do is get people to look into these places that we marked." Duo stated as he arched his arm back and threw another dart, irritating Wufei more.
"Where did you get those anyway?"
Duo grinned, "You won't like the answer."
"I don't even want to think about what that implies." Wufei grunted as he turned back to wall while Duo snickered.
"You do realize, Chang, that he is only doing this because he knows it annoys you?" Milliard whispered softly, "I saw him take them out of his jacket pocket."
"Maxwell is a moron." Was the only reply Milliard received.
"You're the one that lets him get to you."
"You guys talking about me or something?" Duo asked quickly, "Yer talking awfully low and stuff."
"The world does not revolve around you Maxwell." Wufei snapped sharply.
"Well sOorRy!"
"That's it, if you two don't stop acting like preadolescent children right now-."
Milliard never finished. The door opened to allow both Hiiro and Trowa to enter, their faces grim masks of discontent. Their sudden appearance, however, had the added effect of knocking Duo off balance as the door nipped the edge of his chair landing him on his back and slamming his head into the wall behind him.
"Dammit!" Duo howled as the pain reverberated from the back of his skull to the tips of his toes and back again.
"Serves him right." Wufei grunted. Neither Hiiro nor Trowa paid him a second glance.
"What is it?" Milliard asked, noting their shared grimness.
"We have a problem, something that is going to delay us for a few hours."
"A few hours!" Duo was suddenly on his feet, ignoring the searing pain in his head and the sudden spinning of the room (though he did place his hand on the wall to keep from falling over), "Do you know what could happen in those few hours? We could loose Quatre forever!"
"Not likely." Trowa stated, "Not if he finds it necessary to perform a physical examination first."
"Oh, jeeze, please don't make me hurl!" Duo grunted. "I don't even want to think about that."
"What is the delay?" Wufei inquired sharply.
"A rumor has started that Quatre has been kidnapped." Hiiro replied soberly.
"A rumor we need to stamp out immediately." Trowa added. "Une is preparing for a public announcement, I need to head over to the cafe where Quatre was last seen and ...talk to the waiter there."
"And that is all your going to do." Hiiro stated firmly.
"I get the impression that no one trusts me today." Trowa mused with wry amusement.
"I know I don't." Duo stated quickly.
"It's not that we don't trust you, Barton," Wufei began, "We just know how much you, eh…" Wufei trailed off slightly, wanting to choose his words very carefully. Trowa was extremely sensitive about this particular topic; "you care for Quatre. And vice versa."
"Wufei, go with him." Hiiro ordered to which Wufei glanced quickly from Hiiro to Trowa, and back again.
"You think that's a good idea?" Wufei asked, not even worried what his question implied.
"Humor me." Hiiro replied cynically. Trowa just glared reproachfully at Wufei, irritated at his implication. "You are not to announce who you are to anyone but the waiter. No one is to know he is in custody, you are not to use any force. Just ask him to come along for questioning. I want you two to go because he knows both of you were there with Quatre and will recognize you. If he is the leak we need to eliminate him, you know what I mean Zechs!" Hiiro stated quickly before Milliard could counter his remark.
"Don't call me by that name again." Milliard growled instead, "Zechs Marquise no longer exists, he died during the war."
"Right." Hiiro stated, practically ignoring the statement. "As I was saying, we need to...cut him off from the public until this has been resolved, but keep things from looking suspicious. If he isn't at the cafe find out where he lives and be sure to make up some innocuous excuse as to why you need him."
"Got it." Wufei replied. Trowa nodded his head silently and turned towards the door.
"We leave now." Trowa stated, leaving no room for argument. "The sooner we track him down the faster we can get this resolved."
"I agree." Wufei stated as he began to follow Trowa out of the room. Before he got to the exit, however, he stopped. Turning to glance at Duo he held his hand out expectantly. "My car is still at the café, I need the keys to yours."
"Like I'm just gonna hand them over?"
"Hand them over Duo." Hiiro stated, "Any other car in the vicinity is a Preventers patrol car."
"Yeah, yeah." Duo grumbled as he took his keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Wufei. As if on an after thought he added, "It's got one 'a those remote alarm/locater key chain things."
"Thanks."
"And don't let Trowa drive!" Hiiro called after Wufei as he left the room which suddenly grew quite silent as the last three occupants looked at each other.
"Soo...where does that leave us?" Duo asked, scratching his head.
"We continue were I interrupted."
"That'll be a little hard considering Chang is gone." Milliard replied, frowning.
"Why is that?" Hiiro asked, his face turning to the map. "According to the work you have done we can continue without him."
"No, not that." Milliard grinned a rare grin. "Him and Maxwell were the ones in the middle of something."
"Oh, hahah!" Duo crossed his arms, "You really need practice at the humor department Zechs."
"I said to stop calling me that!"
"Make me." Duo grinned.
Hiiro quickly placed a hand on Milliards shoulder, shaking his head. "Now isn't the time to kill him, do it later."
"Great." Milliard grumbled, "I'm stuck in a room with the two people that irritate me the most."
Duo, confused, looked first at Milliard, then at Hiiro. "How does he irritate you? I thought you liked him."
"Correction." Milliard replied, "I respect him. He was my rival during the war, nothing more. Now that the war is over he is nothing more then my sisters interest. That is what irritates me."
"Ah, how cute!" Duo mocked, "You're acting the over protective brother for a change!"
"I don't think this is going to work out." Hiiro stated. "I think we'll both kill him before we even think about killing each other."
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"I'm really sorry Maia," Lady Une, her back to the bathroom stall in which she hid, spoke softly into the small phone in her hand. "I understand your disappointment but-." Une stopped short as a short burst of angry tones shouted from the other end and she narrowed her eyes angrily. "Now you listen here young lady! I will not have you talking like that to me, do you understand? Yes, I know I promised, I know how excited you were about this but something came up! I promise you this is no small matter and I assure you it is not simply something I can just let anyone else handle. This is something that only I can do and if you will kindly take the time to turn the channel away from those cartoons you are so obsessed with, to the news channel mind you, then you can see just why I must remain here. And I strongly suggest you take that as an order Maia." Lady Une waited a moment, then added, "Let me talk to Anise please." After a brief second the other line changed positions and a softer tone came through. "Ah, yes. Anise, is it possible you could stay over night for me? I am afraid I may be at the office for longer then I had expected. Yes? Thank you, and if it isn't too much trouble please take Maia out for an ice cream, I hope that may ease the burn at least a little." Une smiled as she received a positive answer and bid her babysitter Farwell.
As she put her phone away she rested her head against the stall, her soft brown eyes closing as she allowed a small upsetting breath escape her. She hated to break off her dinner date with Mariemaia, it was to celebrate her four foot walk. Her therapy was going very well, at the rate she was going she would be walking again by her fourteenth birthday! Albeit with a little help, of course. No matter how much she progressed there was still some minor permanent damage done to her spine...
But then again, Une knew that balancing the child with her current responsibilities was going to be tough when she took the girl in. Becoming a mother at the age of twenty had never been top on her priority list and that in itself was going to disadvantage her. This was only another bump in their otherwise smooth road. A road that Une was sure would remain smooth so long as she could continue to balance out her responsibilities.
"And now to face the firing squad."
Lady Une exited the bathroom stall with a strong gait as she stepped up to the bathroom mirror. She briefly examined herself, knowing just how much she would be scrutinized once this all began, and deftly reached into her jacket pocket to pull out a small case. Upon opening it a pair of thin wire frame glasses lay staring up at her expectantly.
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"This isn't good."
"He should have been back by now, Rashid will be here soon!"
The front door to Winner Manor opened and closed with a loud bang, the sound of it startling the two young woman on the second floor that were in the midst of talking.
"Master Quatre?" a loud booming voice asked aloud.
"Oh, no!"
"Too late!"
"Why can't Marco be here when we need him?"
The young women quickly raced down the stairs and entered the den just as Rashid Kurama came in, breifcase in hand, looking rather confused.
"Ah, Maree, please turn the news on, the remote is on the table next to you." HE stated when he saw the two ladies. "Do either of you know where Master Quatre is at the moment? I am expecting a 'meeting' with him in the next hour and I have a flight to catch in two."
The women exchanged quick glances with each other then turned back to Rashid. Their response was in chorus.
"No."
Maree, a dark haired young woman in her early twenties, quickly picked the remote up, clicking the television on quickly and began to turn around in order to leave, the red haired Jessica on her heels.
"Somehow I get the feeling you do." Rashid stated, stopping the two cold. His voice then turned gently reproachful, as if he's caught a pair of children in the act of hiding a broken vase. "Come on, turn around."
The girls slowly turned around, the expressions on their faces meek as they faced the warm hearted giant.
"Where is he?"
"He, er...went out." Jenny murmured softly
"With Miss Catalonia." Maree added.
"He what?"
:television:"Thank you for gathering together on such short notice. I think we can all agree that it is imperative that rumors are laid to rest and the truth revealed.":television:
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Iria Winner smiled kindly at the taxi driver as he placed her bags in the trunk of his car before opening the door for her. He looked at her a little awkwardly before offering his hand to her with a nervous smile. "Will you need assistance?"
"No, I'm fine." Iria's smile increased a little, her soft features relaxing the drivers nerves just enough.
As he stepped back Iria turned a little in the chair she sat in, reached into a bag and pulled out a pair of 12 inch metal bars that appeared about as thick as a quarter. She pressed a button on each one, both of them elongating with a quick snap, and set them on the ground, using them to support her weight.
"They were a gift from my brother." She explained as she climbed to her feet. "I am under orders to stay off my feet for another two weeks and I prefer to get around on my own. Me and my younger sister, Alia, are surprising him with a visit today, it's his birthday."
"I see." The driver, genuinely interested, found Iria to be very pleasant to be around and wondered if all the Winners were like her.
As Iria made her way to the passenger's door she worked the canes with her hands, moving her legs as quickly as she could until she was able to sit down with a huff. "Another week of this and I will be able to start walking again, though if you ask me I could have started walking the day I woke up."
"That's good to hear Miss Winner." The driver, genuine in his words, remembered that the woman before him had been in a coma since her father died during the war, he had heard about it when an exposition had been done on the young heir to the Winner fortune. She had only woken up recently, apparently, and was still getting her old life back into order.
After closing the door for Iria (not mention putting her wheelchair in the trunk with her bags) the Taxi driver walked around to his own seat, buckled in and started the engine. As he pulled out of the spaceport Iria's cell began to ring and she quickly, and excitedly, pulled it out in order to answer it. "Peter?"
"Iria, I think there is something you need to here!" the voice on the other end was distinctly feminine and more to the point, overly familiar.
"Oh, hello Alia." Iria frowned, noting the disturbed tone in her sister's voice. "I thought you were Peter, he should be arriving in Sanc within the next few hours. What's wrong?"
"Do you mind if I turn the radio on Miss. Winner?" The driver asked, cutting into the conversation.
"No, not at all." Iria replied, her hand over the receiver.
As the driver began to turn the radio on Alia continued talking, the distress in her voice growing by the second.
"I stopped at a cafe to get some coffee and you wouldn't believe what is currently being broadcasted on their public television!"
"I repeat, the rumors surrounding the raucous on Marian blv. earlier this morning are misconstrued." The radio blared, startling Iria from the phone. "We have it under strong and reliable informants that Mr. Winner and his business associate Dorothy Catalonia are currently on retreat as we speak. His whereabouts are unknown to all except those who informed us and now we, as well, know due to the current circumstances that have arrose. Mr. Winner is taking a much-needed sabbatical and will return when he is ready. The supposed kidnapping that took place is currently under investigation and the identity of the true individual will be released the moment we have word on the matter. Thank you. Do I have any more questions?"
"Dear lord!" Iria gasped, clutching to her phone as if it were a life line.
"Iria?" her phone cried, "Iria! Did you hear? Iria!"
"Well, I guess you won't be seeing your brother after all, huh?" The driver shrugged, "I heard some rumors that he and Catalonia are dating, that could have something to due with their secret retreat, don't you think? Or are the rumors even true? Miss Winner?" The driver glanced back when he received no reply. "Miss Winner?"
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His body slammed against the metal inner wall as his brother pinned him face first, his right arm twisted around behind his back forcing pain to course through his spine as the muscles strained for release. He didn't cry out, however, knowing that Phil was waiting for just that and instead closed his light blue eyes against the pain.
"How do you feel now Pauly, huh?" Phil hissed into his twin's ear. "Ready to apologize yet?"
"I already did!" Paul argued, "Now let me go!"
"That wasn't an apology and you know it!" Phil growled as he sent another wave of pain through the others spine by jamming his fist against it. "A bloody stammer is nothing but a sign of weakness! How many times have I told you that?"
"I-I-."
"Stop stammering you pussy-whipped moron!" Phil stepped back from Paul, relieving the pressure on his arm, but only in order to grip him by the shoulders, digging his fingers in tightly, and throwing him against the floor. "For crying out loud Paul, if it's the last thing I do I am going to make you stronger! Do you realize how embarrassing it is to share the same face as a whimp like you? I still don't know what Fue was thinking when he made us, but he couldn't have meant to make you so pathetic! You have the strength of four freaking large men Paul and what do you do? Nothing! You don't even fight back when you're attacked! Are you even listening to me?"
Paul lay where Phil had thrown him, his eyes closed and unmoving. Phil stormed over and nudged him with his foot. When, still, he got no response Phil slammed his foot into Paul's unprotected side, turned on his heel and stormed out of the room they were in, muttering curses behind him as he did.
Paul continued to lay motionless until he was sure Phil was gone, then let out an awful groan and curled slightly as he recognized the pain flaring thru ought his body.
"Man, what a jerk!" Paul groaned again as he forced himself to get up, ignoring the continuous protests of his aching body. Of course, everything Phil had said about him was the truth and he knew it (well except for how pathetic he was of course). He showed excellent self control everyday! After all, Phil was still standing, wasn't he?
Feeling a rising bout of anger Paul slammed his fist into the floor, the cement cracking under his hand.
Phil was right about that, too. Paul was strong, but he saw no reason at all to use his strength. Not in the way Phil suggested anyway.
"What was Fue thinking when he designed me?" Paul wondered then. Fue had never once forced Paul to use his enhanced strength, not in any graphic manner. Of course Paul had broken things for Fue, but never had he been forced to hurt anyone. He had also never enhanced Cole, his pride and joy (not to mention the one mostly enhanced), to be this strong, either. And, while he and Phil shared the same DNA, the same body structure, their minds and personalities were far different, polar opposites even. And Paul was the only one with the strength.
A rueful smile appeared on his face as a thought suddenly accured to him. "Just another test before the final product, that's all. Who cares what the real reasons were anyway?"
And then Paul's mind found itself on the youth they had abducted earlier that day, his guilt bearing down on him again. Paul climbed to his feet, wondering exactly what it was that was going to happen to the boy.
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Duo's black mustang pulled along side the curb and came to a stop, both the front passenger and drivers side doors opening to allow Trowa and Wufei to exit respectively. A few pedestrians that glanced their way did double takes as they noted the still bandaged young men walking quickly towards the cafe; their shirts were also the same ones as earlier. As they entered the cafe Trowa scanned the bustling waiters and waitresses currently on duty and noted that not a single one of them, however, were anyone he recognized from that morning.
"Shifts changed already." Wufei noted, as he too saw no one recognizable.
Trowa quickly turned to the side as a blond haired woman quickly rushed past him, not even sparing him a second glance as she almost ran right into him (or almost shoved him to the ground at the speed she was going). He stared after her a moment, watching as she flashed a taxi down.
"Is it me, or does she look familiar to you?" Wufei asked the question that remained on Trowa's mind.
Trowa shrugged, blocked the incident from his memory, and began to scan the room again. Taking the hint Wufei did the same.
"We need to get a list of everyone who worked today." the Chinese youth stated firmly, feeling alack of enthusiasm fill within him.
"Maybe not." Trowa replied softly as he took note of someone gathering their belongings at a table in the back. When the young man looked up Trowa saw that it was, indeed, the waiter (now off duty of course) that they were looking for. Nodding in that general direction Trowa pointed him out to Wufei. "That's him there."
"This may be easier then I thought it would be." Wufei replied slightly, and pleasantly, surprised. The fact that he was heading in their direction made it all the easier for them. Perhaps he just wasn't aware of the potential trouble he was in? Or, maybe he was...?
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"Discounting all the residential area's," Milliard began as he marked off a few more x's, "We can conclude that only this vicinity here," a large circle over a four mile radiance was marked, "would be satisfactory for a potential hiding place."
"You're forgetting something." Hiiro stated as he examined Milliards estimates.
"What's that?"
"This road here." Taking a green marker Hiiro began to mark over the current red one, making a line along the road of the inner city and past the lake harbor and then onto another road that disappeared off the map.
"What's that?" Duo asked curiously.
"Leftovers." Milliard grunted, "The outskirts of the capitol, what's left of the old capital. Old old Sanc. Ruins, you could say, though people still live there and have essentially rebuilt it themselves. I almost forgot all about it."
"Sounds like the slums." Duo stated, "But…slums in Sanc?"
"Every place has it's bad sections, no matter who leads them." Millard stated, "Though slums is hardly the correct term for this area."
"Think of it as a large refugee camp that has been around for the past ten years." Hiiro added, "A refugee camp about the size of a small city to be precise. Relena is in the process of working on repairing it, but it's difficult when they consider themselves separate from the rest of the kingdom."
"They have been separated from any form of decent leadership for too long," Milliard mused, "It is essentially what one would call a black market base. It is going to take Relena a long time to weed out the corruption involved, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if it never goes away."
"Joy." Duo replied unenthusiastically, "We got a map of the area?"
"No." Hiiro shook his head; "This area hasn't been documented properly since the fall of the first Sanc Kingdom."
"Well. That's alotta help."
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"Am I in some sort of trouble?" The young waiter couldn't be more then seventeen years of age, his youthful countenance averaging at about that. His soft brown eyes were nervous, darting around the room in a mixture of confusion and swallowed fear. Wufei had to give him credit; he was doing a splendid job of hiding how he truly felt.
"Not exactly. It depends on what you tell us."
"Starting from where I left you with Mr. Winners wallet at the cafe." Trowa added.
"Well..." The youth took a small breath, swallowed, then tried again. "Umm...after you guys left?"
"Yes."
"I-I...took the wallet and put it in my locker. I told no one, just like you'd said no to do, and that was the last I heard about it until I got off work. Rumors had already spread by that time, I never once told anyone anything, I swear!"
"Even if you had you wouldn't be in any trouble." Wufei assured him, "We just need you to be aware that a kidnapping of this magnitude could result in a large amount of panic."
"Well, still." The youth murmured, "I never told anyone anything."
"Good. And to keep it that way we are going have to ask you to stick around for a while. Not long, mind you, but long enough for us to get things settled. We are also willing to offer you a minimal amount of compensation for your silence, agreed?"
"Minimal...amount?" his eyes widened in surprise. "What's minimal?"
Wufei scribbled an amount on a piece of paper and slid it to him across the table. "You must remember. Silence is more then just mandatory, it is for the security of the nation."
The youth balked at the amount written, choking on his own breath. He looked up quickly, incredulous. "Mr. Winner is that important?"
"Don't you ever watch the news?"
"Course not, I'm only seventeen." The youth sat back in his chair, perturbed. "What would I care about the news for?"
Trowa and Duo both exchanged expressionless gazes before returning to the kid.
"Course not." Wufei grumbled, "Life's a heck of a lot easier when your ignorant."
Feeling as if he'd just been insulted the kid narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Wufei turned his face away, an attempt to keep his feelings on the matter from leaking out. "You've just got the life we could only wish for, that's all. You can go now. There will be directions waiting for you as you leave."
Dubious, the boy raised himself out of the chair and headed to the door, only to hesitate as he realized something. "Waitaminute." He turned around and looked at Trowa and Wufei again. "How old are you two?"
"None of your business, now leave!" Wufei growled, beginning to grow irritated.
"18." Trowa replied quickly. "I was 3 when I became a soldier. I would start paying more attention to world affairs if I were you, they could prove important someday."
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"This...is getting ridiculous." Duo was, once again, balancing on two legs of his chair, his feet now braced on the table and staring up at the ceiling with a glazed expression.
"What is he even doing here?" Milliard asked irritably, "He has yet to prove helpful at all!"
"Not true!" Duo turned his head to glare at Milliard, "I helped mark that map with all those different circles and X's and stuff!" Duo crossed his arms over his chest, his lips falling into a pout as he murmured "I just left all the calculating to you and Hiiro."
"I agree he can be useless," Hiiro stated, ignoring Duo, "but face it. We let him loose now it'll take forever to find him when we need him."
"Hey!" Duo protested, loosing his balance and falling with a thud, his head smacking into the floor again. "Ouch, dammit! Grr! That'd better be a joke Hiiro!"
A sly grin came to Hiiro's face but only Milliard saw it. The tall blond felt himself grin also, quite surprised to see Hiiro joking, though apparently Duo didn't find it too surprising (though it did appear to be hard for Duo to tell the difference).
"Anyway we're pretty much done with this now, right?"
"Essentially, that is correct." Milliard confirmed
"And until some of the press dies down we're stuck here?" Duo asked in a grumbled groan.
"Exactly."
"Does that Catalonia chick know this?"
All three men exchanged unsure expressions, none of them certain if she knew adn none willing to go mention it to her.
(presently in the waiting room)
"LET ME OUTTA HERE!" Dorothy cried furiously as she banged her not so delicate fists on the wall. Relena, however, sat in a chair with her head in her hands, clearly gaining a rather large migraine as Dorothy continued to scream and pound, trying in vain to break the door down with just her fists.
(back in the briefing room)
"I believe Une was going to take care of it personally." Milliard responded, not giving it a second thought.
"So...what? We just sit here until Une get's back and tells us what to do?"
"Yes." Hiiro replied.
"Man, I've always hated taking orders and doing things like a trained monkey."
"Trained monkey?" Milliard bristled at the comment. "Are you insinuating-."
"Oh, drop it!" Duo waved the older man off as he plopped back down in a chair. "You are way too touchy Milly."
Hiiro quickly set a hand on Milliards shoulder before he could lunge at the braided brunette that was currently in the process of regaining his balancing act, oblivious to the blond's irritation.
"At least he doesn't call you Wufy."
Milliard stopped and turned an incredulous stare onto Hiiro. "You're kidding."
Hiiro shook his head. "Either that or Wu-man. Anything to get a rise out of him, and it usually works. Of course, then Wufei threatens him in the most unkind ways, namely with that Katana he rarely ever carries anymore. Needless to say it happens whether he means for it too or not."
"Hey!" Duo shouted, staring at them while balancing, "Your talking about me again, aren't you?"
"You're paranoid Duo. Shut up."
Before Duo could respond to Hiiro the door opened to emit both Trowa and Wufei, both looking rather sullen.
"Any luck?" Duo asked, managing not to fall this time.
"None." Wufei replied, "The kid kept his mouth shut and won't be talking again anytime soon."
"Soo...if he isn't the leak, then who is?" Duo asked, as he looked at Trowa and Wufei in a partial upside down state. Trowa walked around until he was leaning against the table only inches from where Duo's feet were resting. Duo, watching, looked at him expectantly, but it was Hiiro who answered.
"We, as well as the press by this time I am sure, are well aware of the fact that Quatre has been targeted by an assassination attempt, correct?" Five heads nodded in response.
"If not him then Dorothy anyway." Duo added
"Right. The commotion at the cafe, not even a whole two months since the last attempt, could have signaled to them something has happened. They may have just put two and two together, especially considering the fact that it was a male Caucasian with blond hair."
"I hate reporters." Duo muttered. "I hate mad scientists too!"
The door opened again, or slammed open rather, to allow Une entrance. Startled by the sudden arrival of yet another person, not to mention the way in which they entered, Duo kicked a little too hard with his legs and nearly toppled over once more. Thankfully Trowa reached out and grabbed his foot, bringing him forward and dropping his feet onto the floor.
"Four legs." Trowa stated, "Or next time I'll just kick them out from under you to save time."
"Jerk." Duo grumbled as he crossed his arms irritably.
"What's wrong Une?" Milliard asked, bringing attention back to the woman.
"I hate, loath, and detest the paparazzi!"
"Went that bad huh?" Duo frowned.
"I at least managed to convince them that, 'no, Quatre Winner has not been kidnapped' and 'no, we are not on high alert regarding terrorism' and finally 'no, Relena Dorlain is not in hiding'. The cover story for now is that Mr. Winner, along with business associate Dorothy Catalonia left early this morning for a sabbatical in an undisclosed retreat that not even his closest associates are aware of."
"Got a question for ya Une!" Duo spoke up, "Speaking of Catalonia, that is. Does she know about what's going on? I mean, didn't she give us a sort of deadline before she tries to do something herself?"
Une rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Yes, well, of course I had to tell her something."
"So? What was it? I don't see her tearing down the halls or anything."
"I simply told her that the public is beginning to discover something is amiss and they believe Quatre may be kidnapped, something we cannot allow them to assume. I told her that a delay in the investigation was inevitable and she should continue to wait in the waiting room until a time I see fit to allow them to leave. I even offered her a relaxant to calm her nerves."
"Really." Duo grinned, "What'd she say?"
"I'm surprised you can't hear her screaming and shouting from here. I simply locked the door to the waiting room and told Dr. Po to ready a sedative if things got to out of control."
"Dear lord."
:knok-knok:
The door opened a crack after the brief knocking on the door and Lucreiza Noin's head appeared. "Kernel, they're here."
Une frowned, glanced at the pilots assembled around her, then nodded to Noin. Both Hiiro and Trowa exchanged knowing eyes but didn't' say anything.
Noin opened the door further and stepped aside to allow two grizzled, senile men entrance.
"Dear god, not them!" Duo rose to his feet immediately, his eyes narrowing irritably. When next he spoke it was a sharp demand. "What are they doing here?"
"Now, now, we are simply here to help." Professor G explained as he entered the room, his calm face as enigmatic as ever. Behind him, however, Instructor H didn't look quite as calm.
"We came as soon as we got word." H stated, "I asked G specifically to come along, he knows more about Fue then the rest of us."
"Excellent." Une stated, "Then he can tell us everything he knows while you explain to me more about Quatre and his…unusual talents."
"You knew about this?" Duo demanded as he rounded on Une.
"We both did." Hiiro stated, "They have been working for us."
"Us?" Milliard asked, "Does Relena know about this?"
"No one except for those who are currently working under my orders Sir." Noin stated
"Even you knew about this?" Millard looked sharply at Noin. "Why was I never informed of this?"
"You didn't need to know." Noin replied. She stood at attention but her eyes refused to meet his.
"Your too close to Relena." Une stated, "I ordered Noin to tell no one, even you."
"I'm as much in charge of the security of this nation as any of you are-."
"That is beside the point." Une interrupted. "Far from beside the point. The point of the matter is I made a calculative decision and stuck with it."
"Great." Duo grumbled, "Just when I thought I would see the last of these freaks."
"How has Petunia been lately?" G asked suddenly
Duo froze. Catching this Trowa looked from G to Duo and back again, startled.
"She's fine." Duo stated, "I'm surprised you even still care."
"That isn't fair Duo." G's calm façade suddenly wavered as a wave of anger washed over him but it left almost immediately and he relaxed again. "I would like to see her again."
"Hey, you know where to find her."
With that Duo turned away from the old man and retreated to the far side of the room, glancing once, apologetically, at Trowa as he did so.
Trowa made a mental note to get the straight facts from Duo when this was all over with.
"Yes, well then." G cleared his throat and turned back to Une. "I brought a device that may help us. Noin?"
"Right away." Noin stepped over to the table where Trowa still leaned and took the shoulder case off, setting it on the table. What she took out was what appeared to be a laptop at first, but instead of a keyboard it had dials. With a set of number keys on one side and a set of letter keys put to the other side.
"This is a tracking device." G stated, "IT will pinpoint an isolated area in which you kidnappers can be found."
"How did you manage to come by a device like that?" Milliard demanded, "And how can it track the kidnappers?"
"I created it." G stated, "To find my daughter when she got lost. Duo had no knowledge of this device so do not blame him. The point of the matter is I can locate these individuals of yours, though I am afraid that since it will be forced to track more then one it's sensors will be off."
"How's that?"
"The range in which it can track will remain the same, but the are to be pinpointed will be a large one. Of course, I will also have to try and differentiate the signals since Petunia is in the area."
"Get on it immediately." Une stated, "Instructor H, I would like to talk with you privately if you please?"
"Yes, of course."
"I'm coming too." Hiiro stated
"No." Une held her hand up, stopping Hiiro before he could move. "I think it best to keep as few people as possible in the know about this for now. I will compile a report for you to read later, but for now it isn't necessary."
Hiiro, unconvinced, nodded and stayed where he was while Une left with H.
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k2: Hope you guys liked it!
MK: And now for those replies!
k2: MousyCoon: Glad you here from you again! Hope enjoy this chapter as much as the next!
Moonjava: Again, thank you for the supporting words and I'm glad like how it's going. Guess what? It's only gonna get better and better from here on out.
darkfairy88: Yes, I found the manga's very important with loads of info. Do you realize how much research went in two writing this? Luckily I have awesome sights to get references from. As for the spelling mistakes, I hope you don't' mean the words that had been purposefully misspelled, but then again I am sure you can tell the difference between those. Maybe someday, if I ever do another revamp (godforbid!) I may get those taken care of. In the meantime, well…they are there to stay. (shakes head) Spell check is my best friend, but sometimes it disappoints me.
Da-Ku Hisaki: CALM DOWN! Sheesh. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but as you can see this one is no better. (puts her arms up defensively) No shaky! It' makes it hard to update! Plus, I still gotta make those small changes, now that I found my disk anyway. So yeah. Oh, by the way. I'm sorry I haven't been able to read that chapter all the way through yet.