"So you guys coming?" Duo voiced after a minute. As he spoke he flung out sodas from Heero's refrigerator to everyone as Trowa turned on a sport.
"I'm game," Trowa said and propped up his feet on the coffee table. Trowa Barton was not the mentioned real name… the fact was he didn't have one. Some years ago though he had taken the name after the real Trowa Barton was killed and joined Operation Meteor. Trowa had honey brown hair with deep piercing green eyes. His hair was one – if no the most – outrageous hairstyles in the world. Though kept short to his head his bangs were brought to cover one side of his face giving his somewhat of a lop-sided look to his appearance. All the same the young man was able to pull the hairstyle off with surprising skill that actually made it look appealing on him.
"That's one, Quatre?" Duo turned to the blonde of the team. Quatre was a quiet young man with trimly kept fair-hair, disobedient bangs and big vivid azure eye, which matched his cheerful outlook. He had long since altered his attire subsequent to when Trowa and Duo had practically slaughtered him when they were shopping for clothes after he had brought his customary choices. Now he wore simple jeans or pants with a simple tee shirt.
"No… I have plans with Catherine later tonight." Quatre flushed and Trowa raised his eyebrow in query. "I promised I'd take her out to dinner tonight. Maybe next time though?"
"Yeah sure… whatever you say. Wu-man?" the chestnut haired boy looked at the Chinese boy. Wufei was the grouchy Chinese young man of the group. With jet black hair pulled into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck and matching black eyes he seemed always too preoccupied with certain segments of his life.
"Pass… this is your guys craze not mine… besides I have an assembly with the rest of the clan tonight." Wufei said with a shake of his head. "I better get going anyway… I'm due at L5 in about four hours." The black haired young man stood up and tugged down his ash colored shirt and tossed his jacket over his shoulder. "Later guys."
"Later man," Trowa said with a wave of his hand. "Next time I guess."
"Wait up Wufei, I'll drive you over to the shuttle port if you wish." Quatre offered.
"Naw, thanks anyway. I have to take Nataku with me," Wufei declined. "Tell Heero later for me and that he shouldn't get to wrapped up in this girl she sounds like trouble."
"Will do… Later Wu-man." Duo sat down in the lazy boy chair near the patio doors. "So do we just wait for the almighty leader to wake up or do we go back to our places and rally here at nine?"
"I have to get some other clothes if we're going to a rave so I guess I'll spin over to my place pick it up and just come back here. No point it holding up Heero from his "life deciding decision." Trowa used his fingers to show quotes around the life deciding decision with a smirk.
Duo gave a snorted laugh and shook his head. "You said it… man is he ever obsessed. Wu-man's right… she only sounds like trouble. But hey-"
"Since when as trouble stopped Heero?" Trowa completed and picked up his jacket.
"I know." Duo scribbled a quick note down at taped it to the big screen TV before following his associate out the door of the condo.
= 9:48 later that night =
"Hurry up will ya!?" Heero called edgily from the entryway of his domicile.
"No." Duo shot back and took his time on lacing up his shoes even though they never needed to be tied. "Dude you need to lighten up, I don't think the girl's buddy will just get up and walk out if you're not there by 10 sharp."
"I do! Now come on or I'm leaving and you'll have to find your own way in." Heero growled and double-checked his gun. He slipped it into the back waistline of his pants and then tugged the pants down to give the more baggie affect.
"Pull those anymore and they'll fall off," A female voice said just as Duo and Trowa were walking out of the house. Three startled young men whirled around with their weapons trained on the undetected speaker. "Nice to see you too,"
"Hildey!" Duo cried and lowered his gun. This was his ex-girl friend. They had gone out for a year before they realized that they wanted nothing more than to be friends. Actually they weren't even friend with benefits.
"As much as I would like to stay and chat," Heero pulled out his car keys and turned on the car by turning off the alarm. (The newer more expensive cars have this, you turn off your alarm and the car starts up) "But I have somewhere to be in ten minutes."
"Where?" Hildey looked at the three men questioningly.
"Cave of Darkness," Trowa answered and unlocked his own SUV.
"Really? How are you getting in?" Hildey was astonished. The Cave of Darkness was the hardest rave to get into and it was always colony or earth hopping from place to place.
"We're meeting someone… we'll most likely be on the list." Duo answered and opened the door to the black corvette.
"How did you get on the list?" Hildey asked.
"Listen," Heero snarled and got into his car, the rolled down the window, looking at the purple haired girl icily. "I don't have time for this. I know someone who got us on the list and we have to be there ten sharp. In other words I don't have time to stand here talking to you. Good bye." Heero slammed the car into reverse and then roared away with a corvette and SUV not far behind him.
Hildey snorted and kicked the ground. "Grump,"
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
"Give me a scotch, Will, and keep an eye out for Keef's guest." A girl with long golden blonde hair and silver blue eyes said she looked around the pulsating rave looking for four particular people. Raising her eyes that were donned with silver glitter she smiled and gave someone on the upper level a thumb up.
The young woman paused from her raving and returned the gesture then reached up and placed something in her ear while turning on an exceptionally small box that was clipped to the back of her baggie rave pants. Her long, long, long blonde hair was pulled up in a high ponytail with a single thick braid wrapped around the base of the ponytail. A few wisps of hair that were shorter than the rest of the ponytail were teased out in a small uplifting curl. A wisp of slightly curled strawberry blonde hair fell from behind each ear resting gracefully across her shoulders. A dark blue abdomen exposing, halter-top that was backless with the exception of a few criss-crossing ties wrapped around her chest suiting her and faltering her appearance.
"Morgie," The silver blue-eyed girl said to what an individual standing close to would suppose to be the air. "Your "guests" should be here any minute. Get down here." The girl on the second level looked down, setting her drink down and excusing herself from the crowd she was dancing with. Maneuvering swiftly through the ocean of bodies she brought herself nearer to the black painted railing. After checking to see if a landing spot would remain vacant she swung herself over the edge and landed in front of her companion.
"Here's the disk, I'll be monitoring. After they leave we trail them." The blonde said as she shrugged.
"Understood. 22 hundred hours, use your unique element and get lost." The other blonde handed the other her drink and shooed her away.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Three young men walked past the huge line that was lining up outside the door of the pounding rave. Cries of protest rose up as they briskly walked past but the men ignored them.
"I'm sorry sir-" The large man at the door looked at them.
"Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, and Trowa Barton to see someone." Heero cut him off.
"I'm sorry sir but you must be on the list," The large man said with a bored tone.
"Why do you think he told you our names? Just in order to waste air? Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton to see someone." Duo butted in with a glare. The man just looked at them in annoyance. "Stop making me repeat it already! It's bad for my health!" Duo hollered and slammed his figure down on the clipboard. "Use your eyes and look for the names or we'll just go in without your permission." The man went to say something but instead placed his hand over his right ear.
"Yes, Ms. Shade?" he asked quickly. A pause and a nod. "Very well, Ms. Shade, I'll send them right in."
"Ms. Shade?" Trowa asked turning to Heero.
"The owner?" Heero shot back lowly before turning to the man blocking the way into the rave. "Get out of my way. I don't have time for you Heero growled and started to shove past the man.
"Hey now! No need to get rough… I was just told its okay to let you in." The man snapped and stepped out the way, even if Heero had basically just shoved him in the street to begin with.
"See… no look what you've gone and done…" Duo looked down at his gray button up shirt that was embroidered with black and white Japanese symbols. "You made Heero lose some of the little patients he has and you've messed up my shirt. What type of help are you?" Trowa smirked and pursued his friends through the doors that led into the throbbing rave.
SSSSSSSSSSSSS
With natural grace the blue silver-eyed girl slipped into the booth and drummed her fingernails on the well-polished tabletop. The waiting was killing her…. Pulling out a mirror she checked her make up and hair before raising a glass of liquid to her glossed lips.
"You read this?" She spoke lightly into the air, her lips barely moving as she saw three impending men. All very handsome yet the one with the chestnut hair pulled into a long braid seized her concentration.
"Affirmative. Just go with the plan… don't answer any questions that I haven't allowed you to." A sweet voice answered. The voice always reminded her off a cool babbling brook running through a soft forest.
"Understood."
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Heero looked around the mass of populace, bodies moving endlessly to the beat of the techno music. Heero noted this. Cave of Darkness was noted for one person and her raving skill.
"Yuy," Trowa tapped his arm and spoke close to Heero's ear in order to be heard of the pounding main steam. "Over there, the girl in blue and black backless halter." Heero followed Trowa's gaze to a girl of 16. She seemed a bit out of place with the new age skater pants and backless halter of almost midnight blue. The girl was beautiful, Heero had to admit, yet Heero still found her friend more appealing to him. Duo on the other hand could have died happy just then and there.
"That's her friend?" Duo asked Heero as they leisurely and calmly made their way through the dance floor.
"I suppose so," Heero shouted, Duo and Trowa the only ones in the entire rave being the ones who heard him.
"She's beautiful," Heero and Trowa exchanged knowing grins and finally stepped up from the throng of bodies into the raised floor of the bar section.
"Duo, Trowa," Heero paused a minute at the bar, leaning onto its top. "Keep your eye open." Heero reminded. Each of the young men ordered a drink after a quick dispute with the bartender and waited for several minutes to watch the ravers.
"Why aren't we moving over?" Duo asked. Evidently he was anxious to go met the girl who he had been staring at ever since he set eyes on her.
"Because, look," Trowa pointed motioned with his glass, a false smile marrying his face, towards a door at the back the waiting beauty. "Someone's in here, watching her."
"So?"
"We don't know who it is," Heero said dully and swirled the contents of his glass around before gulping them down.
"We can't wait all night!" Duo protested, the affects of his drink slowly warming his blood. "Let's go."
Trowa and Heero glanced at each other. "I'll wait here," Trowa offered. Heero nodded and pushed himself from the counter. With Duo flanking him he slowly walked over to the girl. It was now apparent who was in that room. Police. Indifferently Heero walked up to the table and leaned to the side of the backbench. The girl put a fake smile on her face.
"You're being watched," Heero counseled and shook her hand in simulated salutation.
"I know," She answered, her voice sweet and darkly mysterious. Duo loved it! "And it's not me they're looking for." She let a small giggle out and pointed to the bench across from her with high wooden backs. (Think those booths in restaurant with the high back) Duo slid in and Heero after him. Heero leaning forward, his face close to the blonde haired girl. Reaching forward he took a lock of her soft golden hair and toyed with them.
"The disk?" Heero asked and knew Duo was pissed.
"I have it," She replied as she ran her hand down the side of his face. "I can only answer a few questions." Heero ran his hand down her arm, glancing to see if the cops were still present. They were and watching warily. Duo leaned forward with a fake grin.
"What's your name?" The girls blue eyes darted over to him.
"Angelina, Duo, I'm called Angelina Shade, Angel Vixen. I'm your partner; but now is not the time," She said and ran her hand down Heero's arm as well, reaching his hand she placed a disk under his palm and put her hand over it. "Morgaine is my best friend, almost a sister. Both of us have been trained to be your partners. Neither one of us have been trained by anyone you have really heard of so it matters little if I tell you now. Ask your questions quickly, we're loosing time." She whispered next to Heero's ear and slipped the real disk into his shirt that was slightly unbuttoned. The shirt was black, dress like but with shorter sleeves, red and silver dragons were embroidered across the shirt. Heero leaned back in the seat and allowed the shadows to mask his face.
"Where do you two live?" He asked slowly.
"We have a stationary home on earth and one on L6." Angelina answered and glanced down at her watch. Both young men noted that it was a Rolex.
"Where?" Duo asked. Angelina looked at him with a small smile, abnormal for her.
"Californian around the northern area." Angelina retorted lowly. Duo nodded.
"How is it you two are friends?" Heero asked.
"Morgaine's mother was basically a mercenary and her father her mothers first in command… if that's what you wish to call it. She had Morgaine's sister on L7 and then had to quickly leave because of some reason or another. On a raiding party on someone's house. The crew midwife delivered Morgaine. We met up some years later when Morgaine got in a huge fight with her supposed 'sister'"
"The crew midwife?" Duo asked.
"A woman who had been a midwife before joining forces with my mother and her crew."
"Mercenary's aren't heard of in these times," Heero reminded.
"They are yet under different names. Simply pirates and thieves. Call them what you will." The door behind them slid open silently yet the beep in Angelina's ear alerted her long before the door opened. "Heero… Duo…" Angelina trailed off and reached underneath the table. "Those are not cops… GO!" She whirled around, gun in hand and fired. Two men when down with a bullet to the head. The shot was never heard, and Duo saw why. A top rate silencer had been placed on the gun.
"Heero we can just leave her to the take of those guys!" Duo cried.
"We can and we will!" With Trowa's help they dragged the struggling Duo out of the rave.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Running to their cars they saw that the brawl had traveled outside. That was when Heero saw Morgaine. With a shake of his head he cleared his thoughts and shoved Duo in his car.
The sounds of skin striking skin and the grunts and steams of air coming out of beaten bodies filled the still night air, drowned out well enough from the beat of a song.
"Heero, you cold hearted bastard! They're out numbered we can't just leave them… they'll get killed." Duo cried. "Besides they're un-" Suddenly the scrap of steal sounded and the sound of flesh being cut open cut him off.
"You were saying?" Heero asked and pulled out of the parking lot following an oblique fleeting look at the young Ms. Keef and Shade.