Chapter 4: Into the Fire

"I've come to terms with the fact I'll never change

And that's just fine, I find solace in the pain

I don't mind the darkness, it's easy on the eyes

I'm praying for something to make me feel alive

I wouldn't take back a moment

Not one miserable moment

I'll give it all, 'til there's nothing

I'd walk into the fire

Into the fire

I'd walk into the fire

Into the fire

Into the fire"

-Into the Fire by Asking Alexandria

Vice President Dorothy Catalonia watched the news coverage of the devastation from the secured basement of the hotel, her phone gripped in her hand. Beside her, Mariemaia adopted the same position, leaned forward over her knees, phone clutched between her hands. Dorothy reached over and lay a hand on the young woman's wrist.

"Call your mother. It's alright," Dorothy said. Mariemaia sighed in relief and stepped away from the couch. Dorothy watched as Mariemaia brought up her mother's contact and put the phone to her ear.

Dorothy's mind raced. If the president didn't survive, she would be the next in line. And she knew what she had to do. It wouldn't be pleasant, and it would make some people angry, but she would be left with little choice. If she could make is back to Brussels, she'd have to launch Operation White Rabbit.

Mariemaia returned to Dorothy's side and sat back down. "Mother is fine. Noin got banged up during the attacks, but seems to be alright. Preventer has activated Standard Procedure."

"So the boys are back together," Dorothy muttered, still watching the television. "I really had hoped we've never have to see Standard Procedure in my lifetime." Mariemaia pressed her lips into a line and nodded.

"I feel like I should be doing something to help," Mariemaia said, her eyes gazing at the television. On screen, the footage showed crews working through the night to pull bodies, some alive, some dead, from the wreckage of the collapsed building. The first responders looked exhausted, but they continued to work. Dorothy had asked for crews to be brought in from surrounding major cities to help with the work.

Dorothy jumped when her phone began to vibrate and ring in her hands. She recognized the number. It was the only one she had memorized. Her heart squeezed tightly and a tear forced its way into her eye. She answered.

"Madam Vice President?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Yes," she breathed.

"The President did not survive his injuries. He passed away a few minutes ago." The tear in Dorothy's eye fell down her cheek. She glanced at Mariemaia and shook her head. Mariemaia lowered her chin and closed her eyes. "You are now the acting President of the ESUN."

"Thank you."

Dorothy hung up the phone and lowered it between her knees. A heavy weight settled on her shoulders. She would have to appoint a new Vice President to fill the space left by her advancement. That would have to happen soon. But who could take that place?

One person came to mind, but Dorothy knew she'd never agree to it. The decisions Dorothy would have to make would drive a wedge between them and ruin their friendship. But perhaps in a dire situation, Relena Darlian-Yuy might agree to a temporary term as Vice President of the ESUN.

"I'm afraid we have some dark days and difficult decisions ahead of us," Dorothy said. Mariemaia nodded in agreement.

Dorothy rose from the couch and approached the Preventer agents guarding the door. They glanced down at her, frowning. "Have you heard anything else from Une?" she asked. The agents glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"Not yet."

"I need to return to Brussels as soon as possible," Dorothy said. "Make it happen."

The two agents reluctantly saluted his her. One of them pulled out his phone and turned away to make a phone call. Dorothy left him alone and returned to her place on the couch.

"Absolutely not. Out of the question."

Heero looked up from his computer in the basement command center of the Preventer building. Une was nearby, talking on the phone. He couldn't hear the other half of the conversation, but Une seemed adamant that whatever the request was to be denied.

"It is simply too dangerous right now. Give us a few days before-" She paused for a moment, listening. "Alright. Fine. If the proper precautions are taken, then she can return. But I'm sending more Preventers to escort her to the manor when you land here in Brussels."

Heero guessed at whom they were talking about: Vice President, or rather, President Dorothy Catalonia. Heero knew Relena must have heard the news by now, and she would be rather distraught. She had a lot of similar ideals to the President, and Heero believed that Dorothy as President made Relena nervous. Heero would have to try and talk to her, the next time he had a chance to be alone with his wife. Who knew when that would be.

Sitting beside Heero was Duo, who was researching or hacking, or doing whatever it was that Duo did. As he worked, his phone began to ring. Duo picked it and answered without stopping his work.

"Hello?" he answered. "Oh, hey buddy…. I'm fine…. You know I can't tell you that sort of thing." Duo stopped and listened for a moment, then said, "No. Stay in space with your mother. We don't know what we're dealing with here…. I know. I'm sorry, buddy."

Heero felt sorry for Duo and his situation. He couldn't imagine being separated from his child by outer space. Duo hung up the phone after saying goodbye, set his phone down, and leaned back in his chair for a moment before resuming his work. Heero stared at Duo for a moment, then looked back at his own screen.

On it was a high resolution image of the machines that attacked the ESUN. Heero's job was to study the images and try to determine their make. So far, he's determined that they were made up of, at least in part, gundanium alloy. The metal had a certain sheen to it that couldn't be replicated by other metals. And there was no denying it: the machines looked like miniature Gundams, though Heero couldn't tell if they were remotely operated or if they had pilots. He hoped Duo's work would shed some light on just where these suits came from.

Relena and Quatre left the Preventer headquarters and traveled with a contingent of Preventer agents to the Brussels presidential manor, which miraculously hadn't been attacked. It was not underground yet, so Relena and Quatre were able to walk up the front steps to the door, passing by the posted guards. The door swung open for them, and they stepped inside the cool building.

The inside of the manor was chaos. There were people everywhere, some with injuries, some without, but no one seemed to know what to do with themselves. Relena recognized most of the faces in the room from her days in the ESUN tower, though a few names escaped her. Relena climbed the steps to the second floor balcony and looked down over the chaotic room. A few people saw her, and a hush fell over the room as all eyes turned on her.

"I'm glad to see so many of you here," she said, folding her hands in front of her. "We don't know the devastation that we faced today because of these attacks, but I hope everyone prays for the souls of those we lost." Relena paused for a moment of silence for their fallen comrades. "Until we have a handle on what is happening, I ask that everyone try to remain positive. We cannot let the state of the Earth fall into disrepair because of these attacks."

"What about the president?" someone shouted from the crowd.

"I have not heard his status," Relena answered.

"I heard he's dead," someone else said. Relena shook her head.

"I do not know. Once that information is available, it will be released," she said, trying to keep her voice even. She glanced to Quatre, who gave her a nod and an encouraging smile. Until at least, simultaneously, their phones vibrated. Relena held up her phone while the crowd watched her in silence. It was a message from Une.

President is dead. Ruby Falcon is acting president.

Relena and Quatre glanced at each other. Standard Procedure had to be followed. Very soon, news crews would be outside the Presidential manor, waiting for confirmation from either Dorothy or the Attorney General.

In the meantime…

"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, glancing around the room. From the expressions on some faces, they guessed at what she was about to say. "The President is dead. Vice President Dorothy Catalonia is now acting President."

A roar erupted in the room. Relena stepped backwards, and allowed herself to be surrounded by her Preventer escort. Quatre edged to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's get out of here before the news crews show up," he said. Relena nodded.

"Take us to my home," Relena said to the Preventer agents. They nodded and escorted the two former politicians from the Presidential manor, leaving a wake of anguish and anger behind them.

In the penthouse office of a gleaming office building, towering over the city of Moscow, two men met together, exchanging handshakes and bourbon. They sat down in smooth leather chairs, a glass table between them at their knees. A crystal decanter of fine bourbon and two crystal glasses stood on the table. The older man leaned forward and pulled the stopper out of the decanter and poured a measure of bourbon in each glass. Each man picked up a glass and clinked the edges together. At the same time, they took a practiced sip of the spirit and lowered the glass to the arm of the chair.

"The plan went off without a hitch," the older man said. He grinned at his partner. The younger man returned the grin and sipped again at his bourbon.

"It won't be long before they discover us, but we'll be ready by then," the younger man said.

"Are you sure we shouldn't have attacked the Preventer headquarters?"

"I'm sure. It's half the fun anyway, picking those people off one at a time. Besides, we're not complete monsters," the younger man said, talking around a laugh. "We want to have a little fun."

"How do you know that they'll be able to retaliate?" the older man asked.

"Just a feeling. I don't know Dorothy Catalonia personally, but her reputation precedes her. Now that she's president, it won't be long before she retaliates. Then the real fun will start."

"You sound as if this is all a game," the older man chided. His partner smiled.

"It certainly is a game," he said. "And I am confident that we will win."

"Assuming this game of yours has rules," the older man said. The younger man merely grinned and sipped his bourbon.

-SE