Part 5

Ami awoke with a groan, sitting up in her bed with her right arm, the only one she could move at the moment. A look at the clock on the opposite told her it was eight at night, meaning she had only been at the hospital a little over an hour. Her left arm was wrapped up and had a cloth sling on it, probably so she didn't move it too much. Her head was still pounding from where the man, Kaden, had hit her, but she was a bit more worried about what Heero had heard in the alley.

She wasn't too surprised when she looked in the corner of the room and noticed him sitting and watching her calculatingly. The man was so quiet that she hadn't even noticed him. She berated herself for not being sharp enough to catch on, her skills having dulled down a lot in the last few peaceful years.

"How's the arm?" he asked, using the question as more of an ice breaker as he had many tougher ones for her to answer.

"I don't know, I haven't tried moving it."

"I wouldn't." She nodded at his words, speaking.

"How's the face?"

"Hurts like hell actually." It was now apparent that Heero was bruised from right beneath his eyes, on his whole left cheek, and had a split lip which had been cleaned. "It's part of the reason I stayed to talk to you. The hospital is keeping you overnight, by the way."

She cursed her luck, having known Heero would question her. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head, before opening them and giving her the same intense look that he always did, the one that made her stop breathing a few moments and put her in a stupor.

He decided to start from what he had learned first.

"Ami, I want to believe you, but you keep lying to me about everything." She blanched. How could he know that?

"I heard that man, Kaden, say that he was taking you back to headquarters, and that when his superiors were done with you and your friends, he would have you. Firstly, by your friends, he is referring to the ones you told me were missing?"

Well that was easy enough. Ami nodded energetically in response. He nodded as well, continuing.

"Why did they kidnap your friends to begin with?"

"I don't know, that's what I'm trying to figure out." This answer was truthful, he could tell, so he moved on.

"They're coming back for you now. Why? What would superior members of the Dark Alliance want with you and your friends, enough to come back for you?"

She was silent. He waited, knowing he wouldn't leave without answers. "I don't know why they are so interested in my friends and I, or why they felt it was necessary to come back for me."

That was a lie. Heero mentally noted that and moved on, his glare intensifying to show her that he had picked up on it. She bit her lip.

"Do you know anything about the Dark Alliance's powers or how they create those monsters?"

She sighed, but nodded. "A bit. I don't know any details about them, but I know the main idea."

"Which is?"

"Have you ever witnessed power like that of the Dark Alliance before?"

"No."

"Then I'm sorry to tell you this, but I don't think there's anything I can compare it to. There are just some people that are born having these powers. People or beings, that are different from humans."

The conversation was turning very sci-fi but Heero had to believe her because he had witnessed all of it. "People who are born strong enough to do this to my face, and appear in front of me before I see them move?"

She nodded. "Actually, that man, Kaden, was much stronger than that."

"How do you know?"

"I just knew. I'm sure you saw that he wasn't taking you seriously until you shot him four more times."

"You speak like someone with experience."

"Next question."

Heero growled slightly, but let it slide. They were in a hospital and a nurse had allowed him to stay beyond visiting hours. If he raised his voice they would kick him out and he would learn nothing.

"Who was that man that came at the end?"

"His name is Mamoru. He's a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yes, a good friend. He's my best friend's fiancé, actually."

"He works for the Dark Alliance. Was he that good a friend that you would take a bullet for him?"

"Yes."

"You would give your life?"

"I had to." Heero couldn't understand because Ami wouldn't tell him, but for Crystal Tokyo to happen, there had to be the King. Plus, what about Rini?

"You aimed to kill when you shot at him," Ami said suddenly.

"He was about to take you away. Excuse me for thinking he was as resilient as the man he was with. Anyways, if he's such a good friend why is he working for them and against you and your other friends, which include his fiancé?"

"He doesn't know what he's doing," Ami defended.

"What?" Heero questioned. "He's just a traitor."

"He's not," she insisted. "Groups like the Dark Alliance, they recruit people by force."

"Blackmail," Heero said with a nod.

"No," she retorted before she could stop herself, now having to explain as Heero raised a brow at her. "Not blackmail. When they want you to work for them, they take away your free will. They brainwash you and make sure you are not thinking for yourself. It is easy for them to recruit workers."

"Again, speaking from experience."

"Next question."

He nodded, getting used to the game now. "Do you know where their headquarters is?"

"No, I was trying to get it out of the man a few minutes before you showed up."

"Did he approach you?"

"Yes, he was asking for directions. Then he showed up in front of me ten minutes later when I got near the apartments," she explained.

"Did he say anything about why he specifically was pursuing you, it seemed personal."

She supposed telling him the next part would show him how confused she was as well. "He said he chose my file."

"Your file?" Heero repeated. Ami nodded her head.

"Yes, he said one year ago his superiors told the agents that they could choose a file, and he chose mine. I am clueless as to why they had files on my and my friends."

Heero pursed his lips. She was sincere but he had a feeling she was hiding something really big from him that would tie this all in together. He decided to go in for the kill.

"Why is your drivers licence a fake?"

She glared at him. "Excuse you?"

"I had to get it out for your paperwork. It's a fake, it's not government issued although it is excellently done."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she retorted, her voice indicating that she knew exactly what Heero was talking about. He smirked, standing.

"You know what else was interesting? It has your current address on it, the address of the apartment that you spontaneously moved into a week and a half ago. Now, I suppose you could have gone and requested the ID the same day you moved in. It probably could have arrived a couple of days ago by mail with your new address, right? That would be explainable and even then I wouldn't believe you, but here's the issue: it was issued about a month ago. How could you have know what your address would be a month ago, if my neighbors didn't put their house on the market until the day you purchased it, a week and a half ago?"

Ami's mouth sagged open slightly as Heero approached her bed, tipping his head at her. "Finally, I've caught you on something you can't deny. I don't brag like Duo, but I must admit Mizuno, this feels good."

"Is your name even Ami Mizuno?" He continued, frowning. "Are you someone else with a record with the Dark Alliance or something? Is that why you have a fake ID?"

Her mouth dropped lower, indignation covering her face. "Yes, my real name is Ami Mizuno," she snapped. He nodded, totally calm, his eyes boring holes into hers as he turned to leave the room.

"We'll see. I confiscated your fake driver's license by the way, although I made you some photocopies in case you needed it for anything. Don't worry about your job for now, a fake ID isn't enough proof to have you fired. Anyways, I'm not at the office Monday, so I won't be there to monitor you. We have that mission I was being briefed about today...." he paused, turning to stare at her as he stood in the doorway. His eyes roamed over her angry features, before speaking just as calmly. "....have a good weekend."

Ami practically growled at his retreating form as he left the room, letting her head sink into her pillow. She couldn't believe she had made out with that ass the day before- was she mental or something?

She intended to have a nice relaxing weekend, and she was glad that suspicious Heero wouldn't be in the office on Monday. She was thrilled actually, because she was calling in sick and he wouldn't be there to question her absence.

She was calling in sick so she could go to Garderville, the city she had seen attacks in twice so far in the records. After what she had learned from Kaden today, she couldn't wait to find the base and find her friends. She didn't know what Kaden's superiors wanted with them, and definitely didn't want to know what the agents they had been promised to had in mind. The thought made her blood run cold, and brought up new feelings of dread for her friends much stronger than her previous worry. Now that Mamoru was on the other side she was even more worried.

She would go to Garderville and if the headquarters were there, she would find the Dark Alliance before they found her. All she needed was a decent wig and perhaps some colored contacts. Yes, that would be a good idea. The issue was how she would venture out of her apartment to get them. She supposed she could wear a hat and sunglasses just so she could run to the mall and get the items she needed. There was no need for a wig at work, since she was positive that what Pluto had said about the Dark Alliance not wanting to go near the Preventer's headquarters would hold up.

She was released from the hospital the next day, and quickly set to work that weekend on preparing to leave on Monday.

On Monday morning, she awoke early and got ready to leave on the train to Garderville at ten.

She had bought a brunette wig, medium brown, although she made sure that the wig had hair totally different from her own, longer reaching about mid back. The wig was natural hair, and she tried it on, pinning the hair up halfway like Minako usually did but with a small hair tie.

She also brought brown colored contact lenses, not wanting to have colored contacts that looked too bright and fake. She chose to wear a bit of makeup too: eye shadow, eye liner, and mascara, as well as a light blush and light colored lipstick. This was also for obvious reasons. When Ami was younger, she hadn't worn make up at all. For occasions now, Ami always wore make up, allowing the girls to do it for her. However on a day to day basis, she usually wore only a bit of mascara and a light blush, applying a nude lip balm when she left the house.

Wearing more makeup would throw off anyone who thought that they recognized her, and she angled her eye shadow like Minako had shown her once to even change the shape of her eyes a bit. For her clothing, she wore a pair of dark denim Capri pants and a three-quarter sleeved black cotton shirt, layered on top of a light pink camisole. She nodded. Also not her usual colour scheme, although she thought that she should wear it more often.

Slipping on a pair of black sandals, she was ready to go. Ami grabbed a different purse, putting everything she would need in it, and grabbed her train ticket. She took one last look at herself in the mirror. She was a new person. She was no longer even wearing a sling on her arm. It still hurt a lot, but thanks to her superior healing it was as if it had been healing a few weeks, not a few days.

She got into the awaiting taxi, headed for the train station. It was only a two hour train ride to Garderville, and she typed some coordinates in her minicomputer on the ride, preparing to thoroughly search the city.

Heero resisted reaching over and smacking Duo on the ride. His fellow pilots had all been surprised that early Monday morning when he had shown up at Quatre's house with half of his face bruised. The bruising under his eye had begun to heal a bit after the weekend, but his lip was still pretty bad and his cheek was a black and purple, showing how hard a hit it had been. The nurse tending to him had commented that it was a small miracle that his cheekbone hadn't shattered from how hard the hit had been. He had to agree with her.

"I will explain everything to you Duo, including how my face got like this, if you would just shut the hell up," he said lowly. Duo was quiet and nodded. Trowa glanced at him from the mirror as he was driving, and Quatre turned in the front seat to look. Wufei glared at Duo and turned his attention to Heero.

Half an hour later, after Duo had interrupted several times to ask questions, Heero was finished explaining everything. Everyone sat silently, debating.

"...but what could this all mean?" Quatre asked finally. "What does she want, working with us and having fake identification? Why are the people after her and her friends?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Heero said. "She says she doesn't know the exact reason, but she's hiding something. Something big, and whatever the Dark Alliance wants with her has everything to do with it."

"I still can't believe you shot Ami," Duo said, shaking his head. "Damn man, you could have killed her."

"I didn't shoot Ami," Heero corrected. "I shot the man that was trying to kidnap her; she threw herself in the way."

Wufei rolled his eyes, muttering "stupid onna." Heero knew it was all a front; Wufei could respect a woman taking a bullet for a friend rather than playing victim.

Trowa spoke up finally. "I'm sure Ami would have been interested to know that we were heading to Garderville on a mission today, you mentioned that the notes she wrote down about Dark Alliance attacks all happened in Garderville."

"That is exactly why I didn't tell her," Heero said. "It is Preventer's business to check on disturbances with the Dark Alliance, not the business of Ami Mizuno, if that's her real name."

Ami exited the train station in Garderville, left in its vast downtown area. She supposed it was time to get down to work. She pulled out her mini-computer, setting it to beep quietly anytime there was any negative energy around.

She put that away in the purse she had brought, not wanting any Dark Alliance members to spot the Mercury mini-computer if they indeed had so much information on her. The computer, as she had known before, would also pick up on her friends if she was within 100 feet of them, meaning that could only be used if she was physically within the headquarters.

She had picked up a tourist map for Garderville when she had first gotten off the train, and she sat at a bench and tried to sort out the possible areas of the headquarters. She had decided a few things on the train, them being first that the headquarters would probably be a large building. This enemy seemed extremely organized and they probably had more workers than Ami could count, so that would mean they would need to use an establishment that would have the excuse of having so many employees as a cover. That, and the establishment would probably have to seem restricted in some way, seem friendly but at the same time be clear that residents of the city couldn't just walk in when they pleased.

She pulled out a pen and divided the map of Garderville downtown into three areas: residential, recreational/commercial, and larger corporations. She crossed out residential immediately, doubting a base would be located in the center of the apartment complexes. She debated about the commercial areas, but crossed that section out as well. It had to be friendly but off-limits, meaning not commercial. This left the section of town where all of the large corporations and head-offices were located. It wasn't more than a twenty minute walk through the commercial area to get to that part of town, so Ami set off in that direction. If her computer made any indication while she walked through the commercial areas then she would check it out, but she doubted it would.

"Okay, so headquarters thinks that whatever city the base is located in, the Dark Alliance would be hiding under a big corporation. Good funding and a friendly face for the residents of the town, but still private," Quatre said, as the five sat in a coffee shop downtown. "We should just walk over, we're at the edge of this district and we all look inconspicuous."

They glanced down at their outfits, all casual jeans and t-shirts or polo shirts to try and look like lost tourists. Duo had even added a cap to his hair. Heero, because he had been seen by a Dark Alliance member, had been forced to also wear a cap to try and cover his face, particularly the bruises. A couple of them even had backpacks, although the backpacks were filled with weapons and not water bottles.

The group headed out of the diner, heading to the corporate area.

Ami walked past several big buildings with large slogans, all busy with several people in expensive suits milling in and out. It was a busy town, perfect for Dark Alliance headquarters because everyone was just too busy to pay attention.

Her computer started to beep slightly when she reached a crossing between four large buildings. Ami frowned. There were four blocks, all joining in this one spot. She stood on the edge of one of the four corners of the sidewalks, watching cars stop at the four-way stop signs and pass through carelessly. She had goose bumps just being in the area, and when she peaked at her computer in her purse, opening it up inside, she was unsurprised to see that it was picking up negative energy from all four of the monstrous buildings towering above her.

Ami backed away from the four way crossing, going to stand besides the cell phone company's headquarters as she tried to check out the four buildings from a hundred yard distance, feeling safer.

All four buildings had the same logo on top, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud when she read the words next to it. "Garderville Security."

Unbelievable. The Dark Alliance was hiding under the cover of a security agency. The thought that Dark Alliance members were being deployed by the hundreds to different locations across thousands of miles, under the rouse of protecting people no less, made her sick. It was just perfect. Who would question how trustworthy a security agency was, or question why they couldn't go inside? Who would wonder why the security agency needed four buildings? The rouse for that would be that a few of the buildings were necessary for the training of their many employees. Who would even argue with the agents standing at the doors, glaring at people, or the people in uniform exiting the building? Security. That was what everyone would want and no one would mess with them. As Ami stared at the building, she realized that the security agency must be legit. They probably had all the proper licensing and paid rent regularly, and since they obviously deployed their agents regularly who would suspect such a horrible group to be housed beneath the rouse?

Now that she had located headquarters, she was left with a lot of work to do. There were four buildings. She needed to know what was in each one, and she didn't think that Pluto would like her charging the building alone. There were a lot of risks, and she in fact probably wouldn't make it past the front door before she was caught. No, it would be like she was generously handing herself over. She needed to plan and she needed Pluto with her. For today, it would be best to stay hidden and see if her computer could scan the buildings and record all entrances and exits. It would store it and she could look back and analyze the date later.

She needed a reason to be here. Perhaps it was best to stay by the cell phone company for now, as she was at a safe distance. She entered the cell phone corporation and asked the woman for a brochure. The woman gave it to her and Ami headed back outside, sitting on a bench by the large glass doors of the cell company and opening the brochure wide, pretending to be immersed in it. In her lap she tucked her mini-computer, hiding it and what it was scanning with the brochure. Next to her she kept her purse close, still partially slung on her arm should she need to run or transform.

The computer began the process of scanning the first building and Ami gave a detesting sigh, knowing it would take a while but also knowing how vital it was for her friends. She could only hope they were alright. She owed everything to them and she refused to fail in her one chance to save them.

The pilots were taking their second walk through the area. No one building had stuck out to them as possibly hosting the Dark Alliance. According to their records, all had perfect licensing and had never caused suspicion.

"This is pointless, I'm getting hungry again," Duo quipped, staring around the area they were in. "There's nothing to eat here, the only building that even let's you inside is the cell phone one."

"Maybe there's a cafe or something on the bottom floor for their employees," Quatre suggested. "Most of these buildings have these accommodations."

"Good idea," Duo agreed energetically, dragging Quatre across the street while the others followed at an even pace.

Heero had to admit he was feeling a bit defeated. The issue was that he and the pilots couldn't possibly find the base unless they were allowed inside. He glanced at the cluster of tall buildings to his left. The Garderville Security agency was well known and deployed their agents to every city around constantly. It couldn't possibly be them.

Duo and Quatre were stopped at the door, Duo entering and asking the receptionist if they had a cafe.

Quatre looked to the right, where a pretty brunette sat at a bench, seemingly totally engrossed in the pamphlet on the cell phone company.

Ami meanwhile ducked her face, unable to believe her twisted luck. The pilots were sent on a mission here? Heero had purposely not told her where he was going. From the corner of her eye, she saw Duo enter the place, wearing casual clothes and a cap. By the door, Quatre was peering at her. He had on a backpack too. Smart, Ami had to admit. They were dressed like tourists.

Heero, Wufei, and Trowa crossed the streets behind the others. She could see although she tried not to look, that Heero's bruised face was hidden beneath a cap, and he ducked his head ever so slightly as he walked.

The others came to stand by Quatre, but he was staring at a brunette on a bench outside the cell phone company. Wufei pinched Quatre in the arm lightly, raising a brow at him to indicate at his staring. Quatre offered an embarrassed shrug, but didn't say out loud that something was familiar about the brunette. Trowa tipped his head at Quatre. Quatre wasn't the type to creepily stare at random women in the street. Heero turned his attention to the woman, studying her carefully.

Ami was practically counting down seconds in her head, wishing they would just go away. Her disguise wasn't good enough to conceal her from anyone who knew her well, and despite the change in hair and eyes and the makeup on her face, she still felt exposed.

A couple of men from the "security" agency came down the sidewalk they were on, in uniform and probably heading to lunch in the downtown area. Ami lowered her head more, focusing her eyes on the pamphlet in front of her. One of the men gave her a slight passing glance, but noticing the other tourists next to her, he kept walking.

Ami exhaled slightly, not willing to look up from the paper until the men in uniforms were far away. She could feel the power radiating off of them and thanked God that she had been scanning the building or else her computer would have begun to beep from their negative energy.

Heero's eyes narrowed suddenly, coming to realize something as he stared at the woman's face, just as Duo was returning from inside. He opened up the door only slightly, speaking.

"Hey, there's no cafe, it's being renovated," he said disappointedly, frowning as he noticed the pissed expression on Heero's face. He stepped fully outside the door, shutting it.

"Heero buddy, what's with you?"

Heero's hand shot out and grabbed Ami's wrist before she could blink. Duo gasped. "Heero don't touch people," he lectured as though Heero was a five year old.

He didn't release her wrist, forcing her to lower the pamphlet from her face. Everyone gaped. Brown hair and eyes and heavier makeup, but it was Ami. She made no movement, staring back at Heero with an equally intense glare on her face before she tore her wrist from his grip.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He questioned angrily.

"What do you think?" She seethed back, the man bringing out the worst in her.

Everyone remained deathly silent. Another few security agents passed them and Ami lowered her gaze, the men again glancing at the tourists and heading back to the downtown area.

Ami didn't dare breathe until the agents passed. Her computer gave a slight beep, and she glanced down at it. Heero reached out and grabbed it before she could.

He stared at the screen. "Why are you scanning those buildings?"

"Isn't it obvious," she said, glaring. "Give that back to me. If anyone sees it we're dead."

He raised a brow. Why would anyone recognize her computer? It was plain enough, the only thing unique about it being the Mercury symbol on it, but that could have just been a sticker for all anyone knew. It was irrelevant.

Ami stood, tossing the pamphlet aside and keeping a firm grip on her bag. A couple of more agents exited the buildings on their right, and she spoke carefully and quietly, seeing that one of them had familiar blonde hair.

"Give me the computer. Close it and put it in my bag and walk in the other direction."

"You think they're in the security agency?" Quatre whispered suddenly, realization dawning on his face. Wufei scoffed, rolling his eyes at her.

Heero pursed his lips, deciding if he should listen to her. Finally, he snapped the mini-computer closed and placed it in her hand. She moved to put it away just as quickly, but a voice cut through their silence just as she dropped it into her purse.

"Is that the Mercury computer?"

The group all turned to stare at a security agent with dark hair and brown eyes. He stared at the group carefully, not spotting the person he was told possessed the computer.

Another agent came to stand next to him. "You must have had it wrong," he seethed. "According to our file, she has blue hair and blue eyes."

The group held their breath, all wondering why the hell the agents would know what kind of a computer Ami carried.

"I guess you're right," the first agent said, the two turning and approaching the blonde agent Ami had spotted earlier. She cursed her luck. It was Kaden. There was at least fifty yards between him and her but with his speed that probably meant nothing. To make matters worse, the cell building was nearest to the security agency but far from the other companies, the area deserted save for the receptionist inside the cell phone company, everyone else on the upper levels.

"We have to get out of here, especially you Heero," Ami said very softly. Everyone was still just trying to keep up. "He's going to kill you Heero, I can guarantee it."

"We have guns onna, I know Yuy said they were strong but give me a break," Wufei said. Kaden suddenly looked up, meeting her eyes from where he stood, even at the great distance. He gave a smug smile, Ami realizing she had been recognized. He was almost healed it seemed, although he was perhaps walking with a bit of a limp.

"Welcome," Kaden called. "I guess you decided to give up after all. How nice of you to come to me and spare me the trouble. Perhaps I won't be as rough with you as I previously intended."

Ami's eyes hardened at his disgusting talk. "Don't hold your breath," she called back sweetly. Kaden smirked at the challenge.

She sighed, speaking one last time to the pilots but knowing the answer. She couldn't be left defenseless and if they didn't leave her secret was about to be exposed. "You're not going to run?"

Heero's eyes hardened. What was wrong with her? "No."

She nodded. Reaching for her wig, she easily pulled it off, running her hands through her blue locks. Her hand was clamped around her transformation wand in her purse and she set the purse on the bench, pulling out the wand.

The five men stared at her like she was crazy.

"I hope that pen thing is more dangerous than it looks," Duo muttered from behind her, Trowa reaching into Quatre's back pack where they all had their guns.

She nodded calmly. "Not to worry Duo, I just hope I haven't lost my touch."

"Huh?" Duo said, his frown deepening as she threw the pen into the air and shouted.

"Mercury crystal power!"

A blinding light exploded from the tip of the pen, and they covered their eyes, before water shot from the tip of the pen and fully surrounded Ami. They all gasped, another blinding light following before Ami stood in a different outfit.

"What the hell?" Duo asked staggering back a step in shock.

"Are you going to run," Mercury turned to look at them, her voice demanding.

"Hell no onna, I don't know what the hell you just did but we're not running," Wufei said, preparing his katana. The other had their weapons ready, and Mercury turned, seeing that Kaden was prepared. He didn't pull out a gun, and only one of the other men with him had a weapon. The other was probably gifted like Kaden.

She wouldn't let them get the upper hand. They had to attack the three and get the hell out of the area before reinforcements were called.

"When they are down a little we have to get out of here," she told the others. "There are way too many men inside, and they'll come out soon."

"Don't tell me what to do Ami," Heero retorted.

Mercury sighed, her patience with Heero withering quickly. "It's Mercury in this form," she stated back just as coldly. She opened up her visor, not needing her mini-computer as readings immediately flashed across the screen. The two men with Kaden stood behind him, Kaden clearly their superior. She noticed that Kaden had yet to call for backup. Was it ego?

Kaden suddenly put a foot in front of the other, and she knew he had assessed her and was ready to move. She wouldn't allow it. He had bested her the other day and assaulted her and she refused to let it happen today.

From the readings on her computer, she also probably couldn't destroy him, but she could delay him.

Kaden smirked, thinking she was ready to attack him head on.

"Go ahead, try me," he called, not prepared to give her the chance. Without wasting another second, she placed her hands in front of her.

"You're not going to be able to see. Don't move from your spots," she warned.

The group exchanged glances. Her fancy outfit, despite how appealing it was to the eyes, had made her more commanding and Heero didn't like it. That was why he was more than surprised when a small glow began to emit from her hands.

"Mercury Bubbles, blast!"

The group staggered backwards as a mist surrounded the entire area, making them completely unable to see. Kaden cursed from where he stood with his men. He had heard of this power and hadn't taken it seriously, he couldn't see a thing.

Heero felt Duo grab his shoulder from behind him.

"What the hell just happened?" Duo asked. They made out the shadowy figure of Mercury approaching them.

"We have to get out of here," they heard her say. "We can't win, not today."

"Try and run," Kaden's voice taunted. "The mist will wear off soon and I will pursue you."

Mercury turned. She'd have to delay even more if the group was to make a good run for it.

She turned to face Kaden, who was standing about thirty yards away and unable to see her. Good thing she could see him perfectly.

The mist was beginning to fade where they stood and the pilots could see Mercury in front of them, hands outstretched as she prepared another attack. The pilots couldn't help but shiver slightly. The mist had been cold but they felt even colder.

Icy droplets of water began to surround Mercury, spinning around her quicker and perhaps being the most devastatingly beautiful thing they had seen from her yet before she released it.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"

The wave of ice water was released at Kaden and the other two men, Mercury pouring far more of her energy into it than usual to make sure it held them for a while.

The sound of the three men's anguished screams followed, even Wufei wincing. The last of the mist began to clear as they could see the three bodies of the men, all frozen in a thick layer of ice. Duo gaped.

"Holy shit."

Mercury grabbed her bag off of the bench, moving down the street.

"We have to run, it won't take them long to break free of that and they'll easily catch us."

She took off down the street, the group wordlessly following as Heero knew how strong Kaden was from the previous day. The man had been shot five times and he was walking like nothing had happened today.

They ran as far as their legs would carry them, straight out of the corporate area and into the downtown commercial area.

Mercury de-transformed, everyone covering their eyes as they ducked deep into an alley, panting heavily.

"They'll come looking for us, they'll search the entire city." She panted.

"Dude Ami, I can't believe you just did that," Duo breathed. "I loved the outfit." Ami resisted rolling her eyes, too busy trying to catch her breath. Even winded Duo was still flirting.

"We need to get a hotel room and fast, to regroup and discuss what the hell just happened," Trowa said, breathing heavily. The man rarely spoke but she was sure he was stunned.

"There are several hotels in town. The Dark Alliance won't possibly be able to search them, and they can't risk blowing their cover. Let's go," Quatre said. Ami slipped her wig on her head and allowed Duo to put his cap on the brown wig. Duo knew she was clearly a marked woman.

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