A/N: Shorter chapter this time. I wanted to get this posted up before the weekend and if I didn't cut it off where I did, it came out to about a 6000+ word chapter. Even I don't wanna read that much in one sitting!
After the next few chapters, I'll be putting up a timeline in my profile so you can keep track of what's up. If you're a new reader, check it and there will be spoilers, don't say I didn't warn you!
Anyhoo, read and review! Now, on with the story.
When You Run Among Shadows
Chapter 7: Meetings
October, AC 199
An elevator door slid open and two men stepped out, walking down the well-light corridor and through a series of winding hallways. Both knew the building by heart; it had been their place of work and study for years, where they spent most of their days learning everything they could about the enemy and how to keep them from disrupting their own precious utopia.
While Samuel Creed wasn't the brightest bulb, he had connections, something his cohort, Lawrence Lavie, couldn't deny was terribly useful thing. Every individual in their organization was useful; some had connections, others had money, some were, in themselves, indispensible sources of information. Samuel had so far held the key to their successes in hiding the recent revolts and purposeful attacks; the young man had several friends in the Preventers organization, informants, moles who were willing to play both sides.
One such man was waiting in his office, Lawrence knew. Hopefully he has something new for us.
Sam looked at his mentor thoughtfully. He had never been this deep into the compound; his security clearances didn't allow him entry to the higher levels of what appeared to be nothing more than a simple office tower. They were now on the fifteenth floor, and the tower still had at least seven more floors above. Sam wondered what went on in the lofts at the top of the tower. He supposed it must be something important.
Sam's musings left him paying less attention to where he currently was, and when Lawrence stopped in front of him, he nearly bumped into the older man. "Sir, I'm sorry… why have you cleared me to come up here?" he asked, watching Lawrence reach into his bag for his office keycard. He found it, swiped it through the reader, entered his passcode and the two men stepped inside.
On the other side of the door, Sam found his answer. "Carl!" he said, crossing the room and shaking the hand of the man who had been waiting for them. "It's great to see you. Great to see you took us up on the offer!"
Lawrence smiled, closing the door. He was very glad, himself. Having a Preventer working for them, especially one so close to the President and other senate members, was indispensible. Seeing that Carl Jacobs was in one piece and had arrived safely on the colony, it appeared Une and her men still had no idea a double-agent was in their midst.
It as good news for Carl Jacobs, and he, in turn, had good news for them.
"I have some information regarding the Foreign Minister," he opened, taking the seat Lawrence had gestured to. Sam sat down beside him, staring at his friend as he fervently listened to the classified information. He never thought to question why it was being brought to his attention. Carl continued his debriefing, "Apparently one of her guards, a "Heero Yuy", abandoned his service about a month ago."
Sam thought it was strange, but not uncommon. Protecting someone so famous must be a lot of work, he thought, definitely not a job for just anyone.
Carl shifted in his seat, still addressing Lawrence, who had taken his own seat behind an oversized wooden desk. "We didn't think too much of it, everyone takes leaves now and again for personal reasons, or whatever. Problem was, this Yuy guy didn't just leave. He didn't sign off, he just disappeared. Une was convinced he went rogue or something."
Lawrence was intrigued. "How can you be so sure? Aren't you too far under her? I wasn't aware you were on speaking terms with the commander…"
"Oh, you know. Word gets around. I don't talk to the bitch myself, she gets her underlings to boss us around." Carl laughed, shaking his head. "What she does all day, I'll really never understand. Aaaaaaaaanyways," he continued, doing his best to appear nonchalant, "this guy disappears. Une's freaking out like he's the antichrist or something. Relena's miserable for weeks. Figure they must have been having it on, if you know what I mean. So Yuy, they're looking for him. Finally my boss, Chang, and this other guy Maxwell, they find him at the spaceport in New Port. Turns out he'd been trying to flee to a colony. When they try to talk to him, he just turns around, straight up shoots them and takes off!"
Sam gasped. "What do you mean, he shot them? They're his coworkers, aren't they? I mean, we have footage of them outside of work, even… and he just shot his friends and ran?"
Carl shrugged and turned back towards Lawrence, who was now resting his chin on his folded hands, elbows resting on top of some assorted paperwork. "That's what I heard. The two of them were out of work for a couple days. Duo left after that, went on leave and hasn't been around much since. Chang's still around, pissy as ever.
"Problem is," he continued, finally getting to the point of his information, "is that they can't find this guy anywhere. And I mean anywhere," he clarified, pulling some papers out of the attaché case he brought with him. "The guy's changed his name, to say the least. No records of any Heero Yuy besides the original anywhere, at least that I could get to. They never figured out what colony he went to… but I've got money on this one," he finished, passing the papers to his handler.
Lawrence looked over the documents, pulling a small pair of reading glasses from his desk drawer and placing them on his nose. They were all sealed under the same file number, dated just a few weeks previous to the current date. They outlined Yuy's escape, the circumstances of the young man's betrayal and his presumed location, which was obviously incorrect. Lawrence cleared his throat. "What makes you think he'd come here, Jacobs?" he asked, filing the papers away.
"Well, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" Carl said, leaning forward in his chair. Sam nodded, deciding he might as well add his opinion. If he didn't take any chances, he'd never climb the ladder in this business.
"I have to agree, Sir. The number of retired soldiers we attract suggests they must have a reason for wanting to be here. I mean, 'birds of a feather' and all that, right? Maybe the new regimes on Earth disagreed with this 'Yuy' character as much as anyone else who's left Earth to come here."
Lawrence had to agree. "You've done a fine job, Jacobs. Excellent research," he commended the young man, standing to shake his hand. "You know your way out, I presume? Laina has been asking for you, you know. You might want to stop in before you head back to Earth."
Carl laughed, running a hand through hair. "Yeah, that's likely to be my plans for the week. Lemme know if you need anything!" He let himself out.
Sam remained seated, absorbing the information he had just heard. Someone who used to work for Relena could be here, on this colony? He thought. He understood the importance of having someone like that around but it brought a new question to mind: What did Lawrence want with Relena Darlian?
The gentleman seemed to understand where his ward's thoughts were wandering. "Don't you worry about the young Minister, Creed," he said, leaving his desk chair to sit in the now unoccupied guest chair. "I know you used to be familiar with the little Princess. This is why I've brought you here today. I've got a special assignment for you from upstairs," he continued, leaning forward to face the younger man. "We want to send you to Earth. We need someone near the Minister, someone we can make her trust."
Sam shook his head. "Why would you want to send me? I mean, I've never done anything like this… and I'm not even a very good liar!" he protested.
Lawrence ignored his insecurity, continuing with his vague instructions. "It will be a fair amount of time before anything important occurs, dear boy. We just need someone situated there, in New Port, to keep an eye on things for us! This way, when you are needed, we will let you know, and when you aren't, you can fawn away from a nearer distance."
Lawrence smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, boy, we have faith in you! Now, I know you know the way out. I'd go home and start packing right away. Your flight leaves tomorrow afternoon." With that, Lawrence Lavie opened the door to his office and ushered the stunned, confused and unsure young man into the corridor, closing the door behind him.
October 20, AC 200
Hilde followed the doctor into her office, closing the door behind her. 'Amelie' studied her carefully. The girl didn't seem shy, but was most definitely guarded, looking around at the décor in the room and the collection of books before settling down in the armchair provided. Two pairs of blue eyes met, and Middie smiled. She had heard a lot of Hilde Shbeiker from Relena over the years, and knew that anyone who could charm their way into being loved by the Princess was definitely in her own good books. Pulling out a pad of paper and a pen, she started her usual routine.
"So, Miss Shbeiker, Relena told me I might be able to meet you sometime soon, but I wasn't expecting it to happen quite this fast," she started, grinning. "I guess it serves me right for underestimating her powers of persuasion, hmm?"
Hilde sighed, smiling. "She didn't really have to… talk me into coming here today," she started, not making much eye contact. "I've been thinking about talking to someone for a while, but I don't have a lot of money and therapists are in a lot higher demand in space… If Relena hadn't offered for me to come in, honestly, I wouldn't have for a long time, I bet."
Middie shook her head knowingly, leaning back in her chair. "I hear you. I used to practice in the colonies, you know. Tried charging what I did here, had people lined up for a year in advance to get an appointment. Always made me feel bad, not being able to keep up with the demand… there's a lot of hurting people up there," she finished, looking at the girl carefully. Hilde's eyes remained on the floor, so Middie decided it was time to get down to business.
"So, Hilde –can I call you that? What made you come today?"
Hilde paused, considering how to begin. "My husband and I got married a little over a year ago. We were happy, before we got married. Things were really good, after the war ended and things settled down… We were both soldiers, back then, so we were happy to just get down to having a normal life, I guess." Middie looked up from her notepad, gesturing at Hilde to continue.
"Well, we hadn't really been too sure about the wedding and everything. We didn't have any money saved up for it, and Duo had really only proposed a few months before. Anyway… Relena came up with the whole thing… she paid for it and everything. I may never forgive her for that," Hilde added, half smiling.
Middie smiled along with her. "Well, it sounds like a great day! Why don't you tell me about it?"
