Part 3

Previously -

"Because, Cagalli, I feel the same way."

It would have been a perfectly romantic moment, if not for the fact that at that very second, Cagalli stepped back and tripped on something that had been lurking underneath the carpet. She cursed as she stumbled, her shoe had caught on the edge of the carpet – and revealed something rather sinister underneath.

It was a blinking black device, and as Athrun stepped toward it, his face paled when he confirmed his suspicion.

"Cagalli. You're going to have to leave."

"What?"

"Cagalli. There's a bomb attached to your floor. And it's going to blow in 5 minutes."


"Wh… A bomb?"

Cagalli stood there, still for a moment, unable to process Athrun's words.

"Yes. A bomb. Get out of here." Athrun pushed Cagalli towards the door while he picked up the phone from its cradle on Cagalli's desk. Putting the phone to his ear, all he could hear was a rush of static. Fear as cold as ice was settling itself in his stomach now. He took his cell phone from his pocket, and to his dismay there was no reception.

A jammer. He realized, his eyes widening in shock. Someone's jammed the telecommunications in the palace – or at least in this room.

A sharp exclamation of pain shook Athrun out of his thoughts. Cagalli was jumping around the room massaging her foot. Apparently, Cagalli had found the door locked when she tried to open it, and as Cagalli would do, she tried to kick it open. The door as expected, stayed firmly shut.

"Someone's sabotaged the phone lines." Athrun said quietly. He bent down and examined the bomb carefully. The black device could have fit in the palm of his hand, and aside from the glowing red numbers which were ominously counting down, there was a number pad.

"Is there anyway we can stop this thing? Like maybe cut a wire or something?" Cagalli asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Athrun shook his head as he pointed out the number pad to her.

"A new design. Came out last month. The bomb is deactivated when the right code is typed in."

"Oh. Damn."

"It's no good. It'll detonate if the wrong code is given. We have to be absolutely sure, and that's quite impossible. No, deactivating the bomb isn't an option. The phones are dead, so we can't call for help. The door is firmly locked, so I don't think we can escape either."

Cagalli glared at Athrun, couldn't he see that she already knew that? Why was he so cool and collected even now? Wasn't he afraid at all?

"Well, then, do we just sit here and wait to die or something?" She struggled to keep her voice from trembling. Good going, Cagalli, she told herself dryly, better angry at Athrun than to admit that you're scared.

The numbers blinked eerily. 3 minutes left.

Athrun didn't answer. He walked around the room, and then finally stopped at the ceiling-high curtains, which were currently drawn. He pushed the curtains to one side, and smiled, apparently satisfied, when he saw the window. Trying to open it, he found them locked.

"Do you have the key?" He turned to Cagalli, finally addressing her.

"It's not here with me." She said, calming herself down. "But who needs a key – there are other ways to open a window."

Cagalli walked over to her desk.

"Come on, help me push this." Cagalli positioned herself behind the desk, and was wildly motioning for Athrun to join her. Athrun grinned and complied. The both of them pushed with all their might, and soon, the heavy oak table was next to the window. Cagalli panted in exhaustion, her limbs felt ready to give out. She stumbled over her own feet, and Athrun steadied her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I just need to rest-"

She sneaked a peek at the bomb.

1 minute.

Panic shot through her, and somehow, she didn't feel so tired anymore.

"Alright, lets break this window. On three. One, two… Three!" With a swing, the desk was sailing out into the night sky. Shards of glass littered the floor, and Cagalli cringed as one of them cut her arm. Where the glass once stood was a jagged hole.

30 seconds.

"Ok. Let's jump." Athrun said. "It's a good thing your office overlooks the swimming pool."

"You don't say." Cagalli looked down, and almost immediately, she regretted it.

Whoaaa.

The swimming pool seemed awfully far away from where they were. What if they jumped and missed? What if they landed on the concrete? What if –

"Come on, Cagalli. We have to jump now."

20 seconds.

"I…I…" Cagalli's feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, and her tongue seemed frozen as well. She felt dizzy from the vertigo, and she shook her head as she tried to clear it.

Athrun picked her up in his arms, ignoring her protests. She held on to him as he stood at the edge of the ledge, preparing to take the plunge.

"Look. Athrun. Whatever happens, I just want you to know that I still… erm…that is to say…I lo-…Er…" She blushed, unable to get the words out.

Athrun chuckled. "Yeah. Me too. But don't worry, we're going to get out of this just fine. I promise you."

10 seconds.

She heard his sharp intake of breath as he prepared himself, then the next thing she knew, they were falling.

There was a giant splash as both of them hit the surface of the cool water below, and Cagalli felt knocked off balance as the water rushed up to greet her. Dazed, she seemed to blank out at the floor of the pool, the water hurting her eyes as she tried to breathe. Water entered her nostrils, and she choked for a while before Athrun pulled her up to the surface.

Somewhere above, there was a loud explosion and an inferno blazed, devouring what had once been Cagalli's office.

A walkie talkie buzzed, piercing the hot silence of the night. In the bushes, a mysterious figure whispered into it.

"Operation failed. Target escaped and apparently unharmed. Will be returning to headquarters now. Over."

The voice sounded audibly irritated, and it was through gritted teeth that the stranger's next words were uttered:

"I'll get you yet, Princess."

Cagalli stared up at the burning building, a towel was wrapped securely around her, and the mug of hot chocolate warmed her trembling hands. Beside her, Athrun was giving the police an account of their escape.

We escaped. We're safe. We're alive. She thought repeatedly to herself. She bit her lower lip as she tried to breathe normally. Somehow, she didn't feel so safe.

This isn't the first time. Her stomach sank horribly. This isn't going to be the last either…

"Princess, if it's alright, we would like to take your statement now." Chief Inspector Reyn said kindly to her.

"Uh…oh… Sure."

Cagalli retold her account of the events that took place, and Chief Inspector Reyn nodded as he took notes down.

"Well, seems to match up with Mr. Zala's account. Do you have any idea who did it? Perhaps the same person who perpetrated the last attempt?"

"The what?"

Athrun's voice sounded oddly loud and angry. Cagalli stared at him, feeling guilty for some unfathomable reason.

"Erm…It was nothing…" Cagalli said, trying to smile weakly.

"Nothing?" Athrun demanded.

"Well, if you don't mind me saying so Princess, a few attempts on your life isn't nothing." The Chief Inspector said rather testily.

Cagalli's eyes widened in horror as she tried to stop the police officer from talking; please shut up, please shut up, she pleaded in her mind. Unfortunately, the man just rambled on.

"First, that poison in your dinner – well, if it weren't for the fact that you were rushed to the hospital in time – then the time someone tried to knife you – it was admirable that you managed to voice out your suspicion before he could strike you, so that the guards were prepared and stopped him before he reached you, but honestly, that doesn't change things and then there was that bomb in the car… REALLY Your Highness, when are you going to let us increase the security measures? We haven't been able to find the masterminds, and you know that your life is still in danger. You keep saying it's no big deal, but hasn't it occurred to you that you mightn't be so lucky every time?"

Cagalli gave the Chief Inspector a death glare, and she stood up to face him, hands on her hips.

"VERY. WELL. YOU. HAVE. MY. PERMISSION. TO. ENFORCE. THE. NEW. SECURITY. MEASURES." She said, choking out every word.

"Erm…yes…Very good Your Highness, I'll erm… See to it at once…" The Chief Inspector bowed hastily and scurried out of sight, half-expecting Cagalli to pull out a gun and shoot him. Once he was gone, Cagalli turned to face Athrun.

His face was devoid of emotion, and his eyes seemed cold with fury.

Athrun looks mad.

Really mad.

Uh oh.