Chapter 3 - The Port

The night already fell on the streets of Philadelphia when the trio reached the banks of the Navy Yard. It was a two-hour long constant dash in the showering rain from the searching lights of the zone guards - through the drains, semi-destroyed subway tracks, abandoned buildings, and ruined, bombarded streets. Heero was only a little breathless when he opened doors to the abandoned warehouse. Duo was a little bit more winded than Heero.

But Relena fell on her knees the moment she crossed the threshold, panting for breath. Duo called her name and kneeled next to her. Heero looked around the warehouse, listening and inspecting it for any sign of danger. He reached the other end of the building and opened the back door to go out in the storm again. In front of him, on the background of a stormy sky, he could notice the black contours of the bridge - the only bridge that survived the bombardments. They weren't far from the city limits-

"Heero stop," he heard Duo's voice from behind. "She can't anymore."

Heero glanced over his shoulder, exasperated. Relena was heavily breathing, leaning on Duo's arms. Her trousers were soiled with dirt and blood from bruised knees. Her eyes were closed, hidden by the curtain of her thoroughly wet, honey bangs.

"Get up," Heero commanded. "We will reach the other side of the river in about one hour."

"We're staying the night here," Duo protested, emphasizing every syllable.

"If so, our deal is off," Heero closed the door back with a loud thud and darted his way back.

"Hey!" Duo got to his feet and blocked Heero's way. "Dude, the deal is still on. You agreed to get us past the river!"

"And only that. The deal didn't include wasting time in the port."

Duo seemed as if his words got caught in his throat for a moment. "She's wiped out," he muttered angrily, pointing at the woman sitting on the floor, "this dash was insane. Further running will kill her!"

"Carry her or leave her," Heero grounded out, sending him a steely gaze when the long-haired man gripped him by his jacket, clenching his other fist.

"You asshole...!"

"I'm all right."

They both turned in the voice's direction.

Relena was already standing and slowly limped towards them. She was dripping wet, just like them, but she was trembling like in a fever. Her knees were bruised, just like the insides of her hands. When she tilted her head up, Heero got startled by the intense look of her radiant, ocean-blue eyes.

He understood how bad he underestimated her. She was stronger than he thought. She would have gone now if he had ordered her to. She would have found the strength. Even if it meant for her to die trying. He unexpectedly felt uncomfortable under the power of that look of hers, more than he ever expected himself to be in similar circumstances. Relena brushed her wet bangs off her face leaving tiny bloodstains from the palms of her wounded hands on her white cheek and took another deep breath, trying to steady her breathing.

"I've rested. We can go now."

But Heero felt his feet glued to the ground.

Duo glanced at Relena and at Heero, then he let go of Heero's jacket and offered Relena a hand, that she gladly accepted, closing her eyes and leaning into him. Then Duo looked back over his shoulder to Heero. "We'll head out at dawn."

This time Heero didn't protest. He turned his gaze away and looked at his feet, clenching his fists.

What the hell?

x x x

"She's asleep."

Heero didn't look up at those Duo's words, still gazing over the Navy Yard through the window. Duo's silhouette stood between him and the little campfire they burned on the second level of the warehouse, casting a long shadow. The long-haired man waited for any of Heero's reaction, but when he didn't get any, he just sighed and slumped on the floor on the opposite side of the window frame. "You should sit by the fire, dry yourself out."

Heero turned his head slightly towards the campfire, noticing the outline of Relena's sleeping body in the corner. This strange, annoying feeling of guilt accompanied him every time he looked at her. "You're going to Houston," he asked, changing the subject, "because of those laboratories?"

Duo's face and silence indicated that this question hit the jackpot. The man arched his eyebrow, propping his elbow on a knee. "So, you've heard about them?"

Heero shrugged. "They say it's a rumor." He actually thought that until Relena Peacecraft nearly shot his head off several hours before. If even one of the Peacecraft was still alive, that could mean the rumors were true. And that somewhere in Houston lay the hope for mankind.

"…but this rumor may be true. I know what you're thinking, dude," Duo muttered with a grin, and he shot an eye in Relena's direction too. "I actually wouldn't move my butt even for an inch outta zone if it weren't for her. Maybe now you're interested in keeping us company?"

"I don't do company," Heero answered calmly, but impassively. "Tomorrow, you cross the river, and we go our separate ways. Dude."

"Yeah, right," Duo sighed with a bored voice. He took out a little package from the pocket of his black jacket and opened it, then shoved in Heero's direction. Heero gave a slight glance at the gesture but then turned his head away. "That's a relief, actually," Duo spat, putting one cigarette in the corner of his mouth and lighting it. "They're getting harder and harder to get. I already had to wave goodbye to coffee. The moment all reserves of cigarettes go void, I'll have to kill myself."

Heero was still frowning at the alleys of the port beneath the warehouse. The long-haired eventually became curious, as he leaned over to peek at the spot. It stopped raining a while ago, the moon rose and illuminated the ruins of the city like a giant lamp. Beneath them, two figures were standing by the opposite buildings, about 200 meters away from their warehouse. They had two arms and two legs like humans but weren't ones anymore. They were wriggling and tripping, trembling, lowly moaning in the moonlight.

"Man, they're freaking me out," Duo sat back with a sigh and dragged a cigarette. Heero didn't say anything at Duo's obvious observation. He just brushed his bangs from the line of his sight and rested his hand back on his rifle, continuing his so-called watch.

"Hey," came Duo's voice again. "How old were you during the outbreak?"

Heero raised his eyebrow at the question. He couldn't remember when was the last time when somebody asked him about such personal stuff. Nobody cared how old he was. Nobody was celebrating eighteens anymore. The long-haired began to irritate him.

"Six."

"So we're all peers," Duo dragged his cigarette once more. He studied Heero long enough that it made him feel uncomfortable. "How did you survive? You've been smuggling since then?"

Heero finally swayed his head and frowned at Duo, his look a mixture of surprise and chafe. Experiencing it so many times during one day, he began to get used to this feeling. "Why do you care?"

"Me?" Duo lifted both eyebrows, posing a surprise. "I don't. I just like talking with people, that's all. I see you're not a talkative guy."

Heero shrugged at the remark and turned his head to continue watching the Clickers in the alley. "There's nothing to talk about."

They both sat in silence for a while. The air was chilly and the night peaceful; all they heard were the discontinuous, but safely distant moans of the infected.

"Actually, there's more than you think. If you're still alive, that means that somebody died for you to live."

Heero looked up curiously at the long-haired man. Duo was gazing at the moon, then took a deep breath, as if he was about to start a new sentence, but hesitated.

"Seven seconds," he almost whispered after a moment. "In my case, all it took was seven fucking seconds."

Then the past started to torment the man with double strength.

"When I heard her scream, it was already too late. It could have been me if she didn't save me. There was nothing I could do but to shoot off the carrion that bit her. And then I killed her, so she didn't turn into one of these things. Actually, it was she who pulled the trigger. She held my hand and pulled the trigger. I couldn't…"

Duo stopped and locked gazes with Heero. "Do you believe in God?"

Heero's look wandered somewhere beyond Duo. He didn't answer.

"If God exists," Duo continued after dragging his cigarette for a significant moment, "he doesn't play chess with humans' lives anymore, like our grandfathers used to say. If God exists, he plays Russian roulette with humans. And all it takes is seven seconds to decide whether you live-" Duo crossed his fingers the way it imitated a gun and aimed it at Heero. "-or you die."

Heero didn't say anything but noticed the change in Duo's eyes as he faced him once again. "I don't know why I'm telling you this," Duo spat suddenly, breaking the eye contact and rising on his feet. Heero's sight followed him as he walked away, then he turned his face to the night.

"I don't believe in God," he answered the question aloud.

Duo stopped in half step, then dragged his cigarette for the last time. "You're strong, Heero Yuy," he stubbed a cigarette with his boot. "Shame that you won't keep us company on the road to Houston."

Hearing this, Heero put the rifle from one hand to the other, resting the barrel on the other shoulder and looked over the port. The sky on the horizon slowly began to light up in gold and red. The unholy moans finally began to fade as the dawn approached.

TBC