Savior

Chapter Six - The Sound of Silence

When Quatre comes to, he feels something warm against his side and something cold against his back. It smells stale and but the faint odour of sickly sweet perfume lingers in the air.

His cheeks hurts, from new wound. He brings his hand to it, feeling broken skin under his finger tips. He winces as his nails scrape at the dried blood.

Shifting, he winces as his eyes meet the dim bulb. His vision is wavering and he finds it difficult to concentrate. He blinks trying to retain his normal sight.

Something moves against his back, and Quatre regains some of his lost senses. He tenses and slowly, slightly turns to face what might be behind him.

The coldness is the concrete floor, slightly stained and cracked. The warmth turns out to be a person, slumped over Quatre's body and moaning in their sleep.

Short dark hair and pale skin, breasts in his back and a slight rise of hip reveal it to be a woman. Curling into his body as he tries to turn and face the person, Quatre gasps softly as tears automatically swell, still adjusting to the glare of the light bulb.

Gritting his teeth, and rubbing at the unknown hurts in his stomach, Quatre makes the cautious movement into a sitting one. The shock of the identity of the person makes him gasp for entirely different reasons.

"Hilde?" He says quietly, touching her shoulder and rubbing it. There's an ugly bruise on her head, with some swelling. Running his hands down her body he fails to identify any other injuries which he is thankful for.

A groan is all he gets in response, as weak hands try to bat away his roaming hands. He stills them and lets them rest on her arms. She's cool to touch, just as the whole room feels. Her pulse is weak, but seems to be growing stronger.

He wonders how and why she is here as well. Quatre struggles to remember what happened in men's changing room, but most of it is a blur. She wasn't there with him, he was sure of it. How did she get caught up in this mess?

He licks his lips, wondering in his fuzzy thoughts, if he should wake her. He's stalled by her raspy breathing quickening, she sits up slowly and stares at him, her eyes slowly focusing.

"What - Quatre? Where are we? What happened?" She coughs, and rubs her throat. "What happened?" She repeats, arms reaching up to rub some warmth into her shoulders.

Shaking his head, he shrugs. "I'm not sure. I don't know."

"This isn't good." She says slowly, her brow wrinkling. "What should we do? Is there a way out?" Hilde starts to stand, but her legs wobble under her and she fall back on the ground. "Ouch."

"I think we were drugged. What's the last thing you remember Hilde? I was in the men's change rooms, Duo had just left and then some men came," he shakes his head. "I don't know."

She frowns, "I think I was outside the change rooms, I was waiting for Duo. I never saw him come out. I don't think so. I guess they must have seen me when they were escaping with you."

"Another flaw in the security system. How far embedded are these spys? They've managed to kidnap us and get us past the security," Quatre exclaims.

He watches them. A smirk twisting across his face as the woman approached him. Concentrating on not tensing when she placed a hand on his back, old instincts die slowly.

She seems happy, for once, and she laughs when the girl falls to the ground when she attempts to rise. She's still in Preventer uniform, and he notices not for the first time that it doesn't suit her.

Pink lips widen into a smile as she gives him his orders. The smirk doesn't fail to drop from his face, he knew she was watching for that.

In some ways she is pleased, but in other more deeper ways, she's angry. Her eyes flash, as she leaves. Her final words, demanding he have results, by any means necessary.

The stakes have risen, he takes them in hand and promises to do just so. Orders are orders...

"What?"

"It's true!"

"It can't be, how could they in the middle of the Preventer HQ?"

"I heard some of the higher ups talking about it, it has to be true!"

"And here I thought you were going to stop eavesdropping." There is a pause. "What did they say? They couldn't have said that, could they? It can't possibly be true!"

"Well, I was just passing when I heard one of mention Quatre Winner, so I, er, paused - "

"Pfft."

"Anyway, he's been kidnapped! They said it, not me."

"Is that all?"

"Oh... I think someone else was missing... maybe Hilary Schiman? Anyway, she doesn't matter. Whatever, Quatre Winner kidnapped! We have to save him! It's our duty as Preventers!"

"Kidnapped, eh? Wonder how this is going to play out..."

Wufei twitched, this was not a good day.Resisting the urge to thrum his fingers on the table, he put them to good use. Drinking coffee.

Curling his nose at the coffee that the Preventer HQ issued, he cautiously took a sip. His entire face blanched, paling at the taste as his lips curled in distaste.

"Chang!" Someone called. Wufei turned and arched a brow as he took another sip, inwardly retching at the taste. Heero stood there, a grim expression on his face. "Quatre's been kidnapped. Hilde as well."

He swallowed convulsively, the hot coffee scalding his throat. He barely noticed. "When did this happen? Where could it have happened?"

Heero shook his head, "They went missing a couple of hours ago. I only learnt of it recently," he paused, "When no one could find him, I went through the video surveillance of when he had last been seen. He was snatched right inside this building! It confirms it!" Anger lit Heero's voice.

"I see." Wufei looked up. "Any thing else?" The coffee cup is carefully placed in the table, the foul taste is forgotten as he places his attention on Heero.

"There has to be a spy, inside, there is no other way this could have been done. We just have to figure out who." Heero declares, an old look starting to take over his face.

"Security? Do you think they could have done it, Heero? They have the ability to block video taping, and from it being routinely checked. They also have the job of letting people in and out."

"Through several security check? No," Heero murmurs, shaking his head, "I don't believe so. It would have to come from someone who has a reasonable amount of power to get through security."

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "You have an idea who it may be."

Heero tensed and shook his head, "No. It can't be." He looked up, "Duo gone as well."

"What? Was he kidnapped as well?" Wufei asks, shock entering his tone. His head falls, as he runs a hand through his hair. He's tired, and finding it hard that Quatre could be kidnapped, and in the middle of the Preventer Head Quarters. How could Duo be gone as well?

"I don't believe so, he left this building safe and sound." Heero pauses, a frown crossing his face. "It's stupid but. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen the tapes myself."

Stepping closer, Wufei barked out, "What are you talking about Heero? Make some sense!"

His lips twitched, "Wufei, did you ever think that Duo would work for the Soldiers of God?"

"You can't be saying... That's ridiculous! Duo would never do that!" Wufei exclaimed, "Tapes can be faked, Heero, you could do it yourself. It could be some old tape of Duo put on this new one."

"If they could do that, then why not get rid of the tape altogether? Then we wouldn't know that he was a traitor and he could still supply the enemy with information!"

"Let me see. Let me see those tapes, I need to see them with my own eyes!"

"Very well," Heero murmured after a pause, "Then we must see Une, understand?"

"What should we do, Quatre? It's cold, and I'm thirsty. Where could we be?" Hilde murmured weakly. "We have to act, the longer we are here, the more we are in danger."

"Yes, we should try to find a way out of here." Quatre said back to her. He sniffed. "The room smells odd. It's vaguely familiar, but I can't quite recall..."

"Concentrate," Hilde whispered, her voice hoarse. She crawled forward, "You take the left side of the room, I'll take the right. Luckily the room isn't that large, or we wouldn't be able to cover it. I - I don't seem to be getting my strength back quite yet."

He puts one hand forward but pauses when he hears a faint sound, an echo. He pauses and looks over to Hilde who is still shuffling painfully forward.

"Stop. Wait." They both sit, Hilde following his command. "I think someone is coming."

Hilde swallows. "I don't think that is good..." She whispers.

Quatre shakes his head, staring about for some sort of weapon, when finding none he brings his gaze to meet Hilde's. He smiles weakly at him, trying to reassure her. He's feels gratified when she smiles back at him.

There's a grinding sound and their eyes part. Quatre finds himself catching his breath as he waits anxiously.