A/N: I didn't forget this story! I promise I'll finish it. My muse seems to have run off somewhere so it's just been a bit difficult to make the chapters work. The updates just might be a bit slow, but I am hoping that I'll be able to push this one along a little faster.

Chapter 38

Heero left his computer and stood behind Duo. "Do you recognize him?"

Duo nodded. "Yup. Definitely that Jason guy that works for Whitaker."

Heero ran a hand through his hair. "Well that's one question answered. Why would they target Relena? She's not like the other girls they've pulled off the streets. If Relena even goes to the beach, the whole ESUN knows about it."

"Yeah, well that's probably why they tried to be all formal about it. If it looks like she's there on her own terms then they can ruin her reputation and parade her around for anyone willing to pay enough to have a piece of her and then claim that she got out of control on her own," Duo said with a scowl.

Heero frowned. "We won't let that happen. We're going to cancel all of Relena's appearances until we get these men in custody."

"She's not going to like that."

"It doesn't matter if she likes it," Heero pointed out with a scowl of his own. "It's for her safety. We can show her the pictures of the girl we found if she needs further convincing."

Duo nodded. The condition of that poor girl would be enough to convince anyone that the situation was not to be taken lightly.

"I'll tell her," Heero said, standing. "Get the surveillance feed from the press conference and see if you can get a better ID on the guy you tried to chase down."

Duo nodded and turned back to the computer. He knew that Relena would listen to Heero about cancelling her appearances even if she didn't like it. Though Duo was pretty sure she'd still give Heero a piece of her mind on the subject. He almost felt bad for his boyfriend, but he figured this was just karma getting back at Heero for lying about that flashback.

Wufei checked the address before ringing the doorbell. He wanted to get this investigation over with. He looked at Sally. "I'm hoping this won't take long. Thank you for coming with me. I really think I could have handled this alone, but Une insisted I bring someone else along as a witness."

Sally smiled at him. "I don't mind coming along. Besides, it lets me spend more time with you."

Wufei smiled at the pretty blonde next to him. He again wondered if he should propose but the thought was pushed away as the door opened.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Is this the Brewster residence?"

The woman nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"I am Agent Chang and this is Dr. Po from the Preventer's office. We were asked to investigate your daughter's unfortunate situation."

The woman's eyes filled with tears as she opened the door wider. "Please come in. I'm so grateful that the Preventers are taking this seriously."

"Please accept our condolences," Wufei told the woman as they entered the tidy home. "I have a list of questions that I need to ask you, Ma'am. They may seem insensitive but please know that it is protocol and I am only asking in order to rule out possible suspects, especially since there is a chance that foul play is afoot. And I will be recording the conversation so that we can review the answers back at Headquarters if we need to."

Mrs. Brewster nodded. "Please, won't you sit down? Can I get you anything to drink?"

"A glass of water would be nice," Wufei said as he sat on the flowery sofa.

Sally sat next to him. "Water would be lovely."

Mrs. Brewster disappeared into the kitchen and the Preventers took the time to look around the room. There was a piano and the walls were covered in pictures. If Wufei had to pick a word to describe it, he would say it was cozy.

Mrs. Brewster returned with a tray containing water and a plate of cookies. She set it down on the coffee table and handed each agent a glass before sitting herself.

"Thank you, Mrs. Brewster," Sally told the woman as she accepted her glass of water.

Wufei also murmured a thanks but declined a cookie. Something about the cookies nagged at the back of his mind but he couldn't place why.

"You said you had some questions to ask me," Mrs. Brewster prompted.

Wufei cleared his throat. "Yes. Please remember these are standard questions and we are only asking to get a clearer picture of what happened to your daughter."

When Mrs. Brewster nodded, Wufei continued. "For the record, please state your daughter's name and age."

"Penelope Brewster was s-sixteen," Mrs. Brewster got out with difficulty.

"How would you describe your daughter's personality?"

"She was always such a sweet girl. She loved to sing and wanted to be a veterinarian. She was a little shy but had a lot of friends anyway. I just don't think she killed herself."

Wufei pressed on with his questions. He knew that many people who committed suicide had plans for the future. They were also secretly depressed and their friends and family never found out about it until after the fact.

"Did your daughter have any problems at school?"

Mrs. Brewster shook her head. "She was on the honor roll and was voted Homecoming Queen. She was involved in choir and the drama club. If anyone didn't like her, I never heard about it."

Sally kept her expression neutral as she took a sip of her water. Sometimes kids didn't tell their parents everything.

"Have there been any issues at home?" Wufei asked carefully. He hated to suggest that the parents were at fault in a child's death but it happened far too frequently to rule it out.

Mrs. Brewster hesitated a moment. "I didn't think so. I know…since her death…things between her father and I have been very strained. But before that…we were happy."

Sally spoke. "Mrs. Brewster, as we told you before, I am a doctor. Has your daughter had any serious health issues or been diagnosed with depression at any point?"

Mrs. Brewster shook her head, "No. She's always been very healthy."

Sally nibbled on a cookie as she thought. It was less likely the girl had a drug dependency if she hadn't been seriously ill, but that didn't completely rule out drug use.

"Well," Wufei said slowly, "would it be okay if we looked around your daughter's room? It might give us further insight on the situation."

"Of course," Mrs. Brewster said. "If you'll just follow me."

"Relena, I'm serious about this."

"As am I, Heero. I cannot cancel my appearances. You're just going to have to step up security."

Heero scowled. Why was she insisting on being so difficult? She'd always listened before when he expressed concerns about her safety. "Why are you fighting me on this?"

Relena crossed her arms. "Because I really think you're overreacting this time. There have been notes left on my car. No one has tried to kidnap me or shoot me. I haven't agreed to work for those people and I don't intend to. I'm sure once they realize that, they'll stop. I don't see why you're being so difficult."

Heero abruptly turned and walked out of the room. Relena was surprised. He didn't usually back down so easily. She was just as surprised when he returned moments later and shoved something into her hands.

"THIS is why I'm being so difficult."

Relena looked at the photograph and dropped it in surprise, covering her mouth with both her hands. "Wh-what…what is that?" To her it looked like a bloody mess.

Heero bent to retrieve the photo. "This is a photograph of a girl we rescued not two weeks ago from a sex ring being run by the same people leaving those notes on your car. She'd been starved and beaten within an inch of her life. Her knee had been dislocated and she's been so terrified that she refuses to speak. We have managed to get her to write a few things and she told us that she was kidnapped and part of the reason she was beaten was because she didn't let them rape her."

Relena was quiet for a moment. "W-what about the other girls in the ring?"

"What other girls? Are you referring to the one Trowa found being raped, even though she was already dead? Or maybe you mean the ones in pieces in the attic?"

Relena's eyes widened and she visibly paled.

Heero kept right on, knowing full well that he was being blunt and very morbid. He had to make Relena understand. "This girl is the only one we found that was still alive. These men are not messing around. They are psychopaths. Now will you take my concerns seriously?"

Relena reached out and took the picture from Heero, forcing herself to look at the lacerations covering the girl's back. Now that she knew what the photograph was, it was easy to see just how injured and skinny the girl really was. It made her ill and she handed the photo back, willing the contents of her stomach to stay down.

"I'll talk to my publicist. I don't know how long it will take to cancel everything but I'll do it," she said quietly.

"I'm sure Sally can declare you ill if that would make it easier for you to reschedule," Heero suggested. He knew how hard it was for civilians to understand that politicians did not always cancel just to cancel. Having an excuse would make Relena's cancellation of her appearances more acceptable.

Relena nodded. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Heero. You always know what's best for me."

"You are my friend," Heero said simply. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Relena smiled. "I don't want anything to happen to you, either. Promise me you'll be careful when dealing with these men?"

Heero nodded. "I promise."

Wufei and Sally searched Penelope's room. Wufei asked Mrs. Brewster if she knew the passwords for her daughter's laptop. She didn't know them, so Wufei asked if he could take the laptop back to Preventer headquarters for evaluation. He explained that if she was being cyberbullied then the Preventers could trace the perpetrators. Mrs. Brewster agreed to let him take it.

"Should we look through this as well?" Sally asked, holding up a diary.

Mrs. Brewster frowned.

"I understand that it is personal, but if she wrote anything at all that will help us figure out what happened…" Wufei started.

"Take it!" Mrs. Brewster burst into tears. "Take anything you need to find out who did this to my baby."

Sally handed Wufei the diary and wrapped Mrs. Brewster in her arms. "There, there…let it out. That's it."

Mrs. Brewster sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Sally told her gently. "You need to grieve and you need to give yourself permission to be upset about this. It's normal and holding it in will only make it worse when you finally let go."

When Mrs. Brewster had calmed down, Sally pulled out a card. "I think it would be wise to speak to a grief counselor. They can help you get your feelings figured out and it might be a good idea to have your husband go as well. Here's the number for a counselor in case you don't have one already."

Mrs. Brewster took the card and slipped it into her pocket. "Thank you," she murmured. "I…I'm sorry. I can't handle this right now. Please feel free to look around and take what you need. I'll be in the living room if you have any further questions."

Mrs. Brewster left them and Sally looked at Wufei. "What else do we need to check?"

"Actually, I think between the computer and the diary we should have everything. I didn't notice any personal papers in the desk or her book bag. Is there anywhere else a young girl would keep such things?"

Sally moved over to the dresser and checked the underwear drawer. "Nothing." She turned to see a very confused Wufei. "What?"

"Girls hide things in their underwear?"

Sally snickered. "Not generally while they're wearing it. But it's assumed that an underwear drawer is private and will be left alone."

"Oh." Wufei was quiet for a moment. "So…what do you hide in yours?"

Sally gave him a mock glare. "None of your business. And don't bother checking the next time you come over because it will be moved by then."

Sally headed out the door and Wufei followed, chuckling to himself.