The boy rested his finger on the trigger. Just one shot and it would be all over. One shot and his mission would be complete. It shouldn't be so hard. This was just another assassination, another splatter of blood on the walls. Nothing he hadn't done before. But…his body wouldn't move. All he could do was stand there, injured leg throbbing, arms beginning to ache from holding up the heavy gun.  

        "Hurry it up, kid," Odin snapped. The boy tightened his grip, his sweating palms making the gun slide down a little. He had to do his mission. He had to follow orders. That was what Odin had always told him. Nothing else mattered except doing exactly as he'd been told. Inwardly, he closed his eyes. Ice closed around him as his finger tensed on the trigger. It seemed as if someone else were doing it and he was standing there, watching himself. Just one more twitch and it would all be over. I'm sorry, he thought. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.  He jerked the trigger back.

        Click

        The sound seemed to echo off the walls. The boy stared at the gun without really seeing it. It…it hadn't gone off. What… It must be empty. They had just been in a firefight. That was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He should have checked. He looked into his mentor's cold face, wishing he could ask what to do. Odin smirked, as if happy at his confusion. The boy's hands shook. Damnit. What now?

        The door opened behind him.

          "Hey, brat! I told you to make it quick!" Burke snapped in a whisper. Suddenly the man seemed to realize what was going on. The gun was snatched from his slippery hold and a rough hand grabbed his arm, twisting it painfully behind his back.

          "You little punk!" Burke snarled. "You're a little spy, ain't ya?" The man tugged the boy's arm up sharply; sending a spasm of pain rippling up into the boy's shoulder. He ignored the pain, forcing himself not to react. "You're a little Alliance spy!"

          "I was sent to kill him."
          "Bullshit!"

          "Hey-" Odin started.

          "Shut up, idiot. Be grateful I'm saving you!" Burke pushed the boy out the door, letting it close behind them. Then, with a final shove, sent the seven-year-old sprawling onto the hard floor. The boy pushed himself to his feet and turned to glare at Burke. The cadet had both hands on his hips and a smirk danced on his face.

          "You thought you were so smart, didn't you, kid? Killing the rebel leader on the planned day of the operation."

          "I didn't-"

          "I know better then whatever it is you're going to say, so don't bother to try." 

          The boy saw a flicker of movement just down the hall. Captain Weaver. He was watching them. If the stupid cadet would just turn his head a little he would see him. Weaver noticed the boy's stare and put and hand to his lips.

          "Nothing's going to disrupt my plan," Burke said, turning so his back was to the spying Captain. "Not you, not a bunch of disorganized idiots who call themselves 'rebels'. I've been planning this little fiasco for a year." A big, stupid grin spread across Burke's face. "Wouldn't you like to know what it is." The boy stared him straight in the eye. Then looked over his shoulder to the captain, then back at the man. Hopefully, if he wasn't a total moron, he'd take the hint.

          "No, I wouldn't. Don't tell me," the boy said for added emphasis. Burke chuckled and folded his hands behind his back.

          "Well, since all their going to find of you when I'm done is a smoldering little corpse…I'll tell you anyway."

          Weaver was getting closer, slowly pulling out his gun. Surely Burke could at least hear him. Unless the man was completely dense.

          "As soon as I'm off duty, I'm going to blow up the base. With the communications relay gone, there's no way the Alliance will be able-"

          "You won't be doing anything, Burke," Weaver said, gun pointed and ready at the back of the man's head.

          Burke whipped around, pulling out his gun. Weaver shot. The cadet fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. The boy stared curiously at the captain. What was the point of shooting not to kill? It was funny, but Weaver didn't seem angry at all. He looked upset, betrayed, but there was something else there too, something the boy couldn't quite place.

          "I trusted you," the captain said, his voice matching his expression. "How could you do this, Samuel?"          

          "Don't... call me that, bastard," Burke snapped, voice a little hoarse. "It's because of...people like you...that my brother's dead!" As he spoke, the cadet lifted his gun, hand trembling. Weaver's finger tightened on the trigger.

          "Don't do it. I don't want to kill you," Weaver said. "Please... What will it accomplish?" Burke hesitated a moment, then, lowering his head, set the gun on the ground. He was giving up so easily? It wasn't really surprising.

          "Are you all right, lad?" Weaver asked, glancing briefly at the boy. He shrugged. "Well don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. I need you to take the cadet's gun and bring it here to me." The boy inwardly scowled at Weaver's patronizing tone and did as he was told. Burke's face was pale and stretched with pain. Judging by the amount of blood on his uniform, this was a pretty serious wound. Still, it would take him quite a while to die.

          "That's it. Right here," Weaver said, holding out his hand. "Then we'll get you away from all this scary business, okay?"

          Burke snorted. The boy ignored him and turned his attention to the captain. If he kept to his role of the innocent kid, he could always sneak back in and kill Odin later. But...but if Burke's mission went through, then he wouldn't have to kill Odin anyway. Maybe...maybe he could take over Burke's mission! That way, Odin wouldn't have to die! Odin might even be proud of him. He hadn't been ordered to do it...but...hadn't Odin once said that following orders was one of the worst mistakes he ever made?

          "Lad?"

          The boy looked up. Weaver's warm brown eyes met his, then flickered down to the gun, and back. In that moment, Weaver understood. Understood everything.

          "You-" was the last word Weaver ever said. He fell, blood spurting from the hole in his head, and hit the ground with a thud. The boy rushed over to the fallen captain and began sorting through the man's clothes for the mobile suit key.

          "What...what did you do?" Burke asked.

          "I'm going to do your mission," the boy said, finally finding the green strip of metal on a chain around Weaver's neck.        

          "But...but you...you were telling the truth... Weren't you?"

          The boy nodded, trying to undo the latch of the chain.

          "I'm an idiot..."  Burke muttered.

          The boy rolled his eyes. Once again, brilliant powers of observation by an adult. With a grunt, he jerked the chain from off the body's neck and shoved it in his shorts pockets. Then he turned back to Burke. Distant shouting came from down the hall. The cadet seemed to decide something. He nodded and struggled to stand. The boy helped him, slipping an arm around Burke's waist to help him stand. As the boy wasn't entirely sure where everything was, he'd have to rely on the man.

          "Help me to the comm panel," Burke said, gesturing to a row of buttons on the wall. For someone who was injured, the man moved fast. His face was pale, though and the hand clamped over his stomach was pure white. Burke pressed a sequence of buttons. Then pressed a red button down and said:

          "Initiated."

          At first nothing happened. Suddenly the lights snapped off and there was a gradual whine as the computers shut down. The shouting from down the hall became confused.

          "That'll buy us a few seconds before the generators come on line," Burke said. "Comon'"

          It took a full minute for the generators to kick in...and even then, it was just red lights flashing dimly in dark halls. The boy was impressed. This rebellion was really well organized. They might even be able to pull it off, in spite of Burke's stupidity. They reached the entrance to the hanger, just as the power came back on. It was well guarded. Burke jerked back around a corner, just in time. They couldn't just barge through. It was five well armed soldiers against a wounded man and a kid. The boy could maybe pick one off from the shadows, but with all the others firing at him, he wasn't sure if he'd be very good. They needed somewhere to hide out for a little bit and plan. As if reading his mind, Burke gestured to a door further along the hall. The man was leaning on him heavily now, and his breathing was shaky. The door led to a small janitor's closet. Once inside, the cadet slumped to the floor. Sweat was trailing down his face and his white hand was stained red.

          "I don't know what we're going to do," the man said in a whisper, leaning his head against the shelves. "If only Kris were here."

          The boy crouched beside the door, keeping an ear out for approaching footsteps. The power must have knocked out the security in the cells too. Odin had probably escaped by now.

          "He was the leader, you know," Burke went on. "Planned everything. They called him a genius..." He chuckled softly, wincing shortly afterwards as the movement jarred his stomach. "The best pilot I've ever seen. But he made one mistake... One stupid mistake...and they found him." Burke closed his eyes tightly, clenching his free hand into a fist. Kris must have been the brother then. The boy wished he could care about losing someone close.

          "They tortured him. Tortured him...and all I could do was watch." Burke relaxed, slowly shaking his head. "I was the leader then. I tried my best... Even organized that stupid little rebellion to take the heat off us. But... It's all over now isn't it?"

          "There aren't any other pilots?"

          "Being a mobile suit pilot isn't easy," Burke said, giving him an irritated glare. "You have to go through rigorous training and..."

          "I can do it." The boy looked at the floor. It would be hard, but he would do this mission or die trying. He had too. If he failed...then...Odin really was going to die.

          "You?" The sarcasm dripped from the cadet's voice. "A kid like you?"

          "I saw what Weaver did."

          "And you think that's enough?"

          The boy stood, jamming the gun into the waistband of his shorts. "I don't think you have a choice. I can do this for you, if you help me into the hangar."

          "You're out of your mind. It's risky for me... For a kid like you, it'd be suicide."

          The boy looked at him straight in the eye.

          "So what?"

          For a long moment, Burke didn't nothing but stare. Then he shook his head.

          "All right. It's not like we have anything to lose. I hope you're ready do die, kid."

          The boy nodded. He was always ready to die...

~~~

Notes: Yes. I knooow. It took foreverrr. I've been busy people. ^^: I can't guarantee when chapters are going to be updated but they ARE going to be. This fic is STILL going and will still be unless I tell you otherwise. ^^; Let me put it this way, school all week, work all weekend. And COLLEGE too, so that should tell you something… I'll try. ^^:

Disclaimer: Ach, I don't own the little buggers…and ye well know it.

Night~Mare