standard disclaimer apply

sorry for the late up date

"You look terrible," commented Heero as he released the man by dumping him on the ground.

To the other's surprise, the man's face broke into smiles as he started pulling at his face. That pale skin had the elasticity of rubber and actually got torn off!

A cheery face of a beautiful lady with high cheekbones and a pert mouth was revealed. She also removed the wig that covered her silken blond hair. It flowed down like a golden water fall past her shoulders and down the small of her back.

"Lynx!" Gretel exclaimed excitedly as she clapped her hands.

"Hi Gretel. How are you feeling today? Oscar said that you were feeling unwell yesterday. Something about a cold?" asked Lynx in her normally husky voice as she patted Gretel on her head. She acted like she had just entered in time for lunch, oblivious to the others' amazement.

"Much better. Satan stayed up all of last night to take care of me," replied Gretel gaily.

"Oh really? Why aren't I surprised?" Lynx asked as she sat down on a chair that was pulled up.

"Where were you? Madame Doubtfire nearly collapsed in a fit when she realized that you were missing," snapped Heero sharply, irritated by her smug looks.

"I was out. Besides I left a note," Lynx rebutted.

"A note 'I'm going out' is very impressive," Heero said sarcastically.

"I'm not going to argue with you when you are in a bad mood," huffed Lynx as she turned her attention to the others at the table.

"We've haven't really been introduced. I'm Lynx, Satan's wife."

"Wife!"

"Yeah, we've been married for ten years."

"By an absurd twist of fate," muttered Heero under his breath.

"Anyway, I just thought I'd drop in to say hi. Satan rarely talks to anyone outside the Darnar," she drawled.

"Darnar?" asked Quatre, slight off guard at the events unfolding.

"Oh. He has not told you. Of course," she rattled on. "He never tells anyone anything. Some times I wonder why I married him. Anyway the Darnar is the collective name for all the orphans that are part of our orphanage. But you don't really need to know that. With such an antisocial friend, you may never ever see any one of the Darnar."

"You and Gretel happen to be part of the Darnar. Thus, I am not antisocial," Heero refuted calmly.

"Yes, you are. You have a mean attitude problem."

"I don't have an attitude problem. You're the one with a perception problem."

"I do not! You are the one who refuses to go for social functions," argued Lynx.

"You're the one who revels in it. I plain can't stand them."

"That does not mean that you don't have to go."

"That's because I have no need to. You appear at every social function know to man," Heero justified.

"That's what you get when you have unsociable husband."

"Don't push it," warned Heero as his hands clenched into fists under the table. His barely reined temper started to spit fire out of his intense blue eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you. Come and get me if you wish," Lynx commented highhandedly.

"Satan. Lynx. You are not due for a marital spat. You just had one two days ago," protested Gretel, toying with her pigtails again. "Besides, Satan's already leaving the colony with Zariach. You don't want to say goodbye so unhappily, do you?"

"Zariach's leaving?' asked Lynx.

"Yes. She announced yesterday. Something about trouble in L5."

"With BB again?"

"Yes," answered Satan this time. Massaging his temples, he explained, "He is being sued for unlawful practices."

"Of what kind?" asked Lynx wryly.

"All kinds."

"What does that have to do with you? What BB does has nothing to with you, not for the past half decade at least."

"I'm not going because of him. We barely even get along nowadays. He's riled that Zariach would not let him build that genetic research faculty. I'm not crazy enough to step on his toes."

"Finally, you've seen the light."

Heero decided to ignore her sarcastic comments and continued calmly, "I've been summoned."

"Ah."

"Excuse me," interrupted Duo. "Can some one fill me in on what the is going on?"

"Nothing that you need to know," Lynx replied nonchalantly.

"Ignore her, she forgot to eat her medicine today," Heero cut in as he wanted to end that conversation.

"Okay," Sally said in a long breath. "Things just started to get complicated."

"They are so much more," Lynx stated as she help herself to the canapés served. "I'll take Gretel from here. Don't you have to go and fetch Zariach?"

"I will. Not now though, she's taking a nap. I never want to be the one who wakes her."

"Not to mention the amount of pain she'll inflict if she's on a fuse."

"Tell me about it," Heero said as he rubbed his neck subconsciously in memory.

"It's time to go Gretel. Get your stuff and say goodbye," Lynx ordered in a no nonsense tone as she dusted her hands.

Gretel got out of her seat and gave everyone at the table a hug. Lastly she went to hug Heero and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Be good and listen to Lynx, okay. I don't want a letter coming in the middle of the night complaining of your behavior," Heero said as he patted Gretel on her head.

Gretel nodded obediently and allowed Lynx to lead her out by the hand.

"What just happened?" asked Wufei, still stupefied by the events.

"Don't think about it," Heero comforted him. "Think about how you all are going to appear at L5 next week. The last I saw, it's not going to be a bed of roses."

"We'll pull through. After all, Winner has quite a large share of L5," Quatre justified.

"How are you getting there to start with? I've located 5 cloaked space shuttle waiting for you departure."

"That would be a problem," mused Duo as he rubbed his chin.

"It's more than a problem. They have long range missiles just waiting for you."

"I see your point," Noin muttered.

"Unfortunately, I can only provide you with two choices. You either leave with me today when I accompany Zariach or you find some way by yourself. I can't offer you anything else because I don't have the spare time to do so."

"We'll take the ride," Sally replied instantly. "We have a better chance if the enemy is unaware."

"Suit yourself. Be at the West Side Airport at 1800h. I'll send Elton to look for you. Bring along as many personnel as you wish. Just bear in mind to stay away from Zariach. She's not a fan so to speak of the MP3s."

pls R&R