(AN): I want to thank all who reviewed.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter Four

Preparing

Plant

Patrick looked at him, "Clyne's daughter has to go, but for now leave her alone, and he still has his uses to me so just ignore it."

"The election is coming us sir, and I think I found a way for you to get elected." Rau said.

Patrick looked at him, "You have the intelligence on the area."

Rau looked at him, "That is correct sir and it is as you feared, blue cosmos has there hands on Nuclear capabilities."

Patrick looked at him in horror, "You're sure?"

Rau nodded his head, "These are the thermal scans of the Panama area," Rau said as he handed over the documents.

Patrick took them and looked them over, "Those disgusting naturals…Do you have proof that the Earth Forces delivered the supplies?"

Rau looked at him, "No sir, but you and I know they did."

"I would like to wipe them out here and now," Patrick replied.

"I suggest we use this sir, this could be push you need to win the election," Rau told him.

Patrick smiled, "Clyne will be returning tomorrow, I will bring this up to the high council, he will without a doubt bring up his daughters attempted assassination, so this will get them off the topic fast, make sure to deliver all the information to me before the meeting."

"What if Clyne backs down from the information?" Rau asked.

"I know for a fact he will not issue military force, so I will suggest use of Athrun's unit to go down and have a look," Patrick added.

Rau smiled, "Your sending him back out already?"

Patrick looked at him, "I want him back in action as soon as possible, especially after his failure; I need to see if he will still handle his missions like he did in the past."

"Shall I inform him?" Rau asked.

"No, lets see what plays out at the upcoming meeting , have him on ready, and if my plan works I will brief him myself for what I want done," Patrick told him sternly as Rau just smiled.

"As you wish sir, I will gather as much information on the Panama area as possible, the blue cosmos base is a few miles away in the jungle so if they go they should have no problems," Rau told him.

"Keep an eye on the area, use whatever means necessary to gather whatever information you need, blue cosmos and those naturals will not get a nuclear weapon into space," Patrick said.
Rau started walking out of the room, when Patrick called out to him again.

"Yes sir," Rau said.

Patrick smiled, "Prepare a way for this information to leak if Clyne denies it, we will make sure the people see me as the one taking action."

Rau smiled, "I will handle it sir," Rau said as he walked out of the room and began to make a call on his cell-phone.

Patrick sat back in his desk and smiled, there was a great threat to the Plants now, and he needed to make sure his ultimate weapon was still useful so that was why he was going to assign Kira to this mission.

Around the city

After Kira was dismissed he left the military facility and decided to walk home, his home was a mansion giving to him by Patrick, Kira always believed it was too much, but with all of the upgrades Kira designed to military equipment, Patrick insisted he would also have to live the part of a military engineer. A lot of the military supplies developed in the past few years came from Kira, but Patrick made it look like entire teams were mostly responsible, it wouldn't do good to draw to much attention to Kira.

Kira turned down the car that would have taken him home in order to walk; he needed to clear his head. He always kept his equipment with him, so it looked like he was some sort of tourist walking down the road.

Kira saw that the night was approaching in the Plants so he decided to head straight home, but his mind was still fixed on what the leader told him, and to the target he failed to kill. Kira knew he would have to come up with something to make the leader back off of her, he knew that he was only delaying what he would do in the future, something inside his heart told him he had to make sure she was safe, but for the moment Kira wanted her out of his head, he continued to walk and as fate would have it he ran across a store that was showing her face on the news, many people were gathered listening to the report and Kira joined in.

Kira instinctively stopped to hear what the news reporters had to say.

"Lacus Clyne and the chairman Siegel Clyne are hopeful that the peace conference tomorrow will be a huge success in assuring peace between Plants and Earth, Lacus Clyne the spokesperson for the Clyne Faction is scheduled to speak at this conference, the chairman is hoping…" The news reporter went on.

Kira ran that through in his head, "That is a correction she will not be speaking tomorrow," Kira said as he kept looking at her picture, "Did I do the right thing…yes I did the right thing, for the leaders world it is good she didn't make that speech, but she will be useful, I must assure she remains alive at all costs," Kira told himself as he walked away from the building, he didn't know why one girl had such an effect on him, why was he questioning everything he believed in, he didn't know the answers so he didn't listen to the rest of the report and started walking home again.

As he was in deep thought his phone rang, Kira didn't hear it at first but he eventually picked it up.

"Yeah," Kira said

"Le Cruest here," Rau said on the other line.

Kira snapped back into reality, "Yes sir."

"Something big came up, you have been ordered to report back to the leader in two days," Rau added.

Kira thought about that, "I understand sir, but what exactly is going on?"

"The leader will brief you when you arrive, be here once the council meeting is finished, you will get your mission then," Rau added.

"I will be there sir," Kira said as Rau acknowledged and they both hung up.

Kira wondered what mission he was going to be on next, as it seemed urgent, he kept walking until he reached outside the city where a lot of wealthier homes were located, Kira walked through those and reached his secluded mansion, it was in a forested area of the Plants and that was the one thing Kira liked, he walked up to the gate and placed his fingers on a pad and looked into a retinal scan. This was an ordinary mansion when Kira was given it two years ago, but he made a lot of adjustments and it made a highly classified secured area look like a plane lock and key, this place was well tightened with security.

Kira wasn't paranoid about security, he just liked creating things, and a lot of his mission data and new weapons he developed were located here so he took extra measures. As the retina scan confirmed, and the finger prints matched the gate was opened and Kira walked inside, as the gate shut behind him. As Kira walked up to his front door, he removed a keycard that would unlock his door, and all other doors around the mansion, Kira designed a special locking device so each important room needed a different keycard, but the one he carried was the only one that would open everything, and Kira hardly ever let it out of his sight.

As Kira walked in he shut the door behind him and was greeted by his mechanical pet Tori, it was a gift from Athrun from over eight years ago, this was the one thing Kira treasured most. Tori flapped its wings and sat on Kira's shoulder.

Kira smiled at the bird, but he had work to do so, he made it through his mansion to the master bedroom. Kira placed his equipment down and walked over to a switch pad he had on the wall. He typed in a few pass codes, and his security monitor was activated, Kira had placed several cameras around the grounds, he looked on and saw that everything was normal, but they would sound off an alarm if someone came and he wasn't looking. Kira wasn't going to leave until the morning so he decided to lock down the place. He typed in a few more codes and his security system was activated, the doors were clamped shut with solid titanium, the windows were already bullet and blast proof, and the motion sensors around the compound grounds were activated. He someone were to step a foot in the compound grounds he would know it, lights were placed all around the compound and they would activate leaving no enemy a place to hid.

Kira had several escape routes and many ways to retaliate in case of an attack, this place was set up so it could be singly defended by one person. There were claymores, and non lethal anti defense weapons around the compound that Kira could control with a single computer, or through his personal communicator he developed, automatic guns and sleep gas were also placed in secluded spots. Kira developed all of this just in case he would ever need it, in his line of work you could never be to sure of what would happen if the leader was ever found out, or if he was attacked, and he liked developing these things so he tried it out on his own home, and in no time military facilities were starting to use these devices as well, but Kira saved the his best creations for himself.

After his security system was set, Kira removed some of the equipment and placed it on his bed, he was getting a new mission but he decided to place it back anyways. He walked over to his giant bookcase and removed one book pressing the small switch and the bookcase slid over revealing all of Kira's personal battle equipment. Kira slowly placed all of his weapons back in their assigned spots, taking note he would need to stock back up on non-lethal grenades. After everything was placed he hit the switch again and it closed. Kira had several other weapons around the house and even a special M-9 he had stashed near the bed, the guy was prepared for anything.

Kira wasn't in the mood to do anything at the moment so he took a quick shower and immediately went straight to bed, as he was lying there he decided he would go and visit the woman who was like his mother all those years, before he had his briefing with the leader. As Kira started drifting to sleep his mind once again went to Lacus Clyne, Kira couldn't get her out of his mind, and he knew the leader wouldn't back off of her for long, so he decided whatever mission he was given he would do it with one hundred percent capability, as long as he succeeded in the missions it would not matter what Lacus accomplished, the leaders world would still happen, that was all he could figure out at the moment to keep her alive, he knew she had to live and he see to that.

Orb Hotel

The day of the conference was here and Lacus was waiting at the hotel like her father had told her to. She didn't want to back away from making that speech but she obeyed her father's wishes and remained behind. Siegel left early that morning knowing well he would have to return to the Plants by that night. Uzumi met up with him and they both went to the conference, but without Lacus' speech it would be a lot harder to get them to agree to the treaty. Siegel left a lot more guards at the hotel as he feared for his daughter's life. Andrew was left, and Mu was left as well, Uzumi had but enough security around his own daughter and he knew she wouldn't take too kindly to that. They met up and headed straight for the peace conference.

Lacus was left alone, but she was tired from the lack of sleep she got the past nights, as her mind kept wondering to the man who was supposed to kill her. She still couldn't get it out of her head, why he didn't do it, and why someone like him was even holding a weapon. She saw it in his eyes and felt it in his touch, he was not the kind of person who should be holding a weapon. Something in her mind was wondering why she was even thinking about someone who was here to dispose of her, but something inside her mind and heart would not let the subject go. Lacus would have gone insane if this kept up, and she was glad that she noticed a person storming into the room.

Lacus looked up and smiled.

"I heard what happened are you alright?" the person asked as they went up to Lacus.

Lacus smiled, "I am fine, and nothing happened to me Cagalli."

Cagalli looked at her, "Your fine, someone tried to dispose of you and all your saying is that you're fine."

Lacus chuckled, "It is good to see you again, is Kisaka with you?"

Cagalli pointed to the door, "I left him outside, he has been bugging me ever since this happened, but I was able to con him in to bringing me here, and stop changing the subject."

"There is really nothing to talk about, he came in and didn't shoot me, and then fled," Lacus said as she was struggling on what to say, this was her best friend, someone she knew for a long time.

Cagalli didn't by it, "I have known you to long Lacus, what are you hiding?"

Lacus had to get this out; she looked over and saw no one.

"Alright, I saw him Cagalli, and I didn't say anything," Lacus told her.

Cagalli stood straight up, "You what! Why would you do that, the guy tried to kill you and you don't want to help find out who did this."

Lacus tried to calm her down, "That's the thing Cagalli, he could have killed me, but he didn't, he stood there and would not pull the trigger, and his eyes were not cold like you would expect."

Cagalli was trying to take all this in, "You just let him stand there aiming a gun at you and you did nothing, what if he would have shot, and why are you defending him?" Cagalli was really getting worked up.

"Something told me he wouldn't shoot, he was so gentle when he touched my face, and his eyes…" Lacus was going on but Cagalli cut her off.

"Your talking like you have known this guy for years, I can't believe you said nothing," Cagalli almost shouted.

Lacus quickly looked at her, "Promise me you will say nothing."

Cagalli looked at her, "Are you serious, this will get you killed."

Lacus pleaded with her, "Just please say nothing, I want to go with my feeling on this one."

Cagalli stared at her for awhile, "Alright, your secret is safe, but I still think you should tell your father."

Lacus smiled, "Thank you."

Cagalli was going use this opportunity for more information though.

"Now tell me what did he look like?" Cagalli asked.

Lacus looked at her, "What, why?"

Cagalli smiled, "I just want to know, I already told you I would stay silent."

Lacus remembered how they were when they were kids. Being the daughters of always strong political leaders even from childhood they were friends. They did everything together and never once broke their word to each other.

"He had violet eyes and brown hair, he seemed to have a tough exterior but his eyes said he was very kind and gentle and I felt that in his touch, it was like he didn't want to be here," Lacus told her.

Cagalli smiled, "Alright then, if you got a chance would you like to meet him again?"

Lacus smiled, "Yes I would, I have to see him again, I have to know why and…" Lacus said as she stopped herself for a second, "I have this gut feeling he will be needed in the future."

Cagalli laughed a bit, but she noticed Lacus stopped as she changed what she really wanted to say. "Your feelings have always been right, and I'm sure you will get your chance."

Lacus smiled, "I hope so."

Cagalli smiled and the two decided to change the subject.

Outside Hotel Room

Mu and Andrew were joined by Kisaka as they were doing their duty. As soon as Kisaka walked into the room Mu and Andrew didn't even notice, as they were waiting for the final report from the forensic specialists, they were waiting by the phone and computer hoping for something. They could tell the guy was good that tried the assassination the other night and they doubted they would find something but they were still hopeful that the Chairman would have something to report to the supreme council.

Mu finally noticed Kisaka, "Been awhile, I guess she was getting on your nerves."

Kisaka smiled, "She was insistent on seeing her friend, and the grounds are safer over here, I doubt they will try a repeat attack in daylight."

Mu smiled, "Your right, but we hope to find something here."

When Kisaka was about to say something the phone rang and Andrew put it on speaker.

"Waltfeld here," Andrew said as the rest listened in carefully.

"I unfortunately bring bad news for you guys," the agent told them on the other line.

Andrew frowned, but he expected it, "You analyzed everything and found nothing?"

"That's correct sir, we found no traces of fingerprints, hair sample, no blood or even skin tissue, we turned the hotel upside down looking for this stuff yesterday and found nothing, that wasn't apart of the agents assigned at the hotel." the agent said.

"What about that piece of equipment you found, and what about the other building he ran to, you would have to have found something?" Andrew was almost shouting.

"Like I said sir we analyzed all that, the goggles were detonated by the explosives and the heat fried every inch leaving us with nothing, we searched the other building and still found nothing," he replied.

Kisaka and Mu were listening with disappointment.

Andrew placed his hand on top of his head, "So we have absolutely nothing to use?"

"Well sir, from the bodies we received the bullets that were fired into them, by the assassin," the agent told him.

"What good will that do, there is probably thousands of the same kind," Andrew said.

"Not quite sir, from what I can tell it is different from standard issue ZAFT, and Earth forces issues, we are currently analyzing it further to find out what type of weapon it was, but the strange thing is, is that it is not showing up in the data base," The agent said.

That caught Andrew interest, "That man, was defiantly military trained, and disguising a bullet type is not easy to do."

"Your right sir, we have tried everything but nothing is being found, and if it is military issue it should show up somewhere," the agent replied.

Mu and Kisaka were still listening intently.

"It is not easy to disguise a bullet, this is another interesting piece, someone high up could be pulling the strings here," Andrew said.

"Are you speaking of Zaft sir?" the agent asked.

Andrew stared at the phone, "Too early to tell, it could also be the earth forces or a radical group that hired a mercenary, I will report this to the Chairman, he should authorize you access to more file's, hopefully that will turn something up."

"I understand sir, in the meantime I will try to find out more through some contacts," the agent said.

"I will get back to you, one last thing send me the data on the bullet you found," Andrew told him.

"I am sending it now sir," he said as Andrew watched as the data showed up on the computer.

"Great work, keep at it," Andrew said as he hung up the phone and looked at the data.

Mu looked at him, "Well that's interesting."

Andrew looked at him, "I have a feeling something big is happening here."

"As for what you said, make a copy of the data and send it to us, I will have Lord Uzumi place people on it as well."

Andrew agreed and all of them looked at the data, Kira's rifle was rarely used and was almost forgotten, especially since Patrick was making sure it never showed up as a choice for Special Forces soldiers. No matter what they did they would only have a one in a million chance of stumbling on to the data, Patrick made sure everything would stay in the shadows.

They looked at the data and soon after left the room.

Plant Kira's Mansion

Kira was sitting at his desk going over a few data specs for the new communication devices he was developing when someone arrived at his front gate, the person used a keycard and Kira's system alerted him to his visitor, since the keycard was used it wasn't a full alert, just something telling him someone was here. Kira heard the system and looked at his monitors and he smiled as he saw the guest. Kira turned off his computer and went to greet his guest, the guest arrived at the front door, and Kira answered it.

"It has been to long Athrun," Kira said as Athrun came in.

Athrun looked at him, "I heard what happened the other day."

"Did your father tell you?" Kira asked.

"Yes, and I was a little surprised," Athrun replied.

Kira sat down and so did Athrun.

"I couldn't do it Athrun, it wasn't like the past, there was something different about this one," Kira told him.

Athrun looked at him, "Well it was only one slip up, but you have always had good instincts."

Kira smiled, "I take it you got word about the new one."

Athrun nodded his head, "Yes, father called the entire Zala squad for this, I have to say Kira I am tired of letting you do all the work, we should be helping you not just standing by to help with your escape."

Kira looked at him, "It is the leaders wishes Athrun, and if one of you got killed it would make him not look as good, it is imperative he becomes the next chairman."

"I know you're grateful to him Kira, and I agree with his ideals as well, but I think there is a better way of going about it," Athrun told him.

Kira smiled, "With people like blue cosmos manipulating the naturals, it is imperative we follow this through, only then will true peace come."

Athrun smiled as both of them believed in Patrick, after all that was all they were told when they were small.

"Mother called me asking about you Kira, you should go see her, I was planning to tomorrow, so why don't we go together." Athrun told him.

Kira smiled, "I was planning to tomorrow, before I met with the leader, and I think it would be nice, she has never treated me any different since we were children."

"Good she would like that, I have said it before Kira, you are my brother just as you are her son, I know you feel like an outsider but we are your family," Athrun told him.

"That would be nice Athrun, and someday I will accept that, but until the world the leader desires takes place I will not let emotions cloud my judgment," Kira said as he failed to tell him why he really couldn't finish his last mission.

Athrun knew Kira desperately wanted to know about his true life, the only ones who knew Kira was the ultimate Coordinator were Patrick, Rau, and a few others, the rest just thought of him as a coordinator, Kira knew as well but he always wondered about his true self. Patrick told him he saved him from a blue cosmos attack, and that was true, but Patrick never told him he was the one who wanted him manufactured into the ultimate coordinator, he wanted his weapon and Kira's true father gave him that. Kira was raised to believe he should use his abilities to fight for the leader's world and Kira did just that. Kira always questioned why his father made him what he did, but Patrick told him it was his dream, and all naturals just play with life, and Kira believed him.

Kira and Athrun finished their conversation and did their farewells, Athrun with the rest of them stayed at the military facility. As Athrun was walking out the door he said something.

"By the way Kira, Yzak is looking forward to seeing you again, so be prepared for it," Athrun told him.

Kira laughed, "The fool never learns," Kira told him as he watched Athrun leave. Kira's thoughts were not of that rivalry nonsense as of now, he was solely focused on his new mission he would get, he had to succeed in order to keep the leader satisfied enough that he wouldn't need to dispose of Lacus, Kira was not going to hold back one bit, and he would hope it would not come to another attack on Lacus.

Orb Hotel

Siegel and Uzumi returned from the conference with no progress what so ever in the conference. All that was accomplished was that both sides wanted more and more power, Siegel tried compromising but the earth forces didn't like his compromise, it was hours of pointless discussion, with nothing accomplished, Siegel wanted to meet again, but they said it was pointless and walked out. They were at no war now, but the fragile peace was hanging on by a thread.

Siegel and Uzumi walked into the hotel and found both their daughters were there.

"Cagalli, what are you doing here?" Uzumi asked.

Cagalli looked at him, "I was bored."

Lacus looked at her father, "How was it father?"

Siegel frowned, "Nothing was accomplished and they broke away from the talks."

"I'm sorry father," Lacus apologized.

Siegel looked at her, "There was nothing anyone could do Lacus, I think they decided long before, but we must not give up hope."

Lacus smiled as Mu and the rest of them walked in, Uzumi and Siegel filled them in on what the meeting was like and they frowned.

Andrew decided to fill them in on what he found, "Sir, I got the report back while you were gone."

Siegel looked at him, "What did you find?"

Andrew looked at him, "They found nothing forensic sir, that guy was good."

Lacus looked up as she remembered and Cagalli noticed her reaction.

"So I have nothing to report to the council about?" Siegel asked.

Andrew smiled, "Not quite sir, this is what they gave me," Andrew handed the data to him."

Uzumi looked as well.

"A bullet," Siegel said.

"That's right sir, a bullet not found in any data base," Andrew said.

That spiked everyone's interest.

"As you know sir, all standard equipment is in the data base and we searched all of them, finding nothing, from what I saw he was military trained," Andrew told him.

"You're saying it's a cover up," Uzumi asked.

"I think someone must have removed it from the data base," Andrew said.

"You're saying someone from Zaft did this, but that would have to be someone high up," Siegel replied.

"It could also be someone from the earth forces, and judging from what happened today it could be them, but it could also be a radical group that hired a mercenary," Andrew said.

"This should be interesting to the council," Siegel said.

"I have someone working on this, but I need authorization for him to go into more detailed files, and possibly more," Andrew said as the more would be to hack into highly classified papers of high ranked members.

Siegel would normally object to that, but it was his daughter's life, "I will authorize it."

Andrew smiled, "Thank you sir."

"I think we could look around as well," Mu asked.

Uzumi looked at him, "I will help with this as well."

Lacus listened to everything, as did Cagalli but they said nothing. Siegel had to head back to the plants to inform his council and they were given an escort to the Orb mass driver, Lacus and Cagalli did their farewells, but it would not be for long as they were going to have a conference in the Plants in the near future. Andrew went with them and the rest stated down in Orb.

The shuttle was launched returning to the Plants. It would be night when they arrived and Siegel had to brief the council the next morning, and Patrick was looking forward to that.

To be continued…

(AN): I hope you liked this chapter, the next one will be up by Tuesday, it will contain the council meeting, and Kira's mission briefing. Bye for now.