Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / GetBackers Fan Fiction / Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Consequences of our past ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 19 )

 

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Chapter 18

 

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“Duo, I need you to call Quatre now.” Hiiro announced, his glare steadily darkening with frustration at the innocent machine.

 

“It's too early.” The braided boy protested. “It'd be suspicious and he'll run if he suspects.”

 

“He's right, Hiiro.” Wu Fei agreed, checking his watch. “I don't like it myself, but we need to wait another twenty minutes.”

 

“At least that long.” Trowa nodded. “Otherwise, he'll disappear and we'll never find him… For being as well-known as the heir to the Winner Fortune is, Quatre is exceptionally good at hiding when he doesn't want to be found.”

 

“Better than me?” The braided boy demanded incredulously.

 

“It's a risk we may have to take.” The Japanese boy argued. “He's going to leave.”

 

“How can you tell?” Duo asked, leaning over his love's shoulder so he could see the screen.

 

“Quatre's just had a large sum of money transferred from his Earth account to several dummy accounts on L4. I've also located a flight plan that has been registered within the last ten minutes.”

 

“Damn it!” Shinigami growled. “Quat, you self-centered bastard!”

 

“I've found the line that he's piggybacking off of, but I haven't located the source yet…” Hiiro shook his head as his fingers flew over the keys. “He has a lot of security… more than usually necessary.”

 

“Q's hiding. He knows that the only one who has a chance of finding him is you.” The braided teen pointed out before adding smugly. “I'd have a lot of security too.”

 

“It's not just that.” Prussian eyes narrowed thoughtfully, “The extra firewalls and traps are on obsolete system files. The important ones like his banking transactions, WE records, Family records, and Medical history are barely protected at all.”

 

Wu Fei and Trowa exchanged a sharp glance, “Which ones are protected?” The oriental demanded.

 

“Security, transportation, memory, music, word documents, his web usage… individual files labeled Zero through Seven with no descriptions and…” The hacker raised an eyebrow, obviously confused. “Photoshop?”

 

“Shit…” Trowa swore, “How did he label the ones with numbers? With words or digits?”

 

“Numbers.”

 

“Each number has a zero in front?” The banged boy asked.

 

“Yes. 00, 01, 02, 03…” Hiiro glanced up at the usually silent teen. “Do you know what they are?”

 

“Have you tried opening any of them?” Wu Fei inquired.

 

“No, I was going to start with 04…”

 

“Don't!” The Chinese boy warned, “You'll get a nasty virus, I guarantee it.”

 

“Try 07.” Trowa suggested. “If you can get past the firewalls into that file, there should be a link that will disable the rest of them and allow access to the other files.”

 

“What makes you say that?” Duo raised an eyebrow.

 

“It's the unknown.” Wu Fei explained. “Each of the numbered files represent something or someone according to the label. 00 is the Zero system, 01-05 is us Gundam Pilots and 06 would be Zechs.”

 

“Why would he have a file on him?” Shinigami scowled.

 

“I don't know.” The oriental teen shook his head, “But I do know that Makubex helped him organize his computer systems as a means of thanking him. That's what the seventh file is for. It's the key to the rest of the information.”

 

“Hiiro?” Duo prompted as his lover typed in cues for the password debugger program.

 

“I think they're right.” The hacker acknowledged as a whole new window of information opened for him.

 

“When is the flight scheduled for?” The braided boy asked.

 

“… Forty-five minutes.”

 

“And the nearest airport?” The violet-eyed teen frowned.

 

“… Half an hour away.”

 

“He's not going to wait for you to call back.” Trowa whispered.

 

Shinigami glared at the computer screen. “I'm not going to allow him to run away.” He swore.

 

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“Where is he, Rashid?” Furious violet eyes promised extreme violence towards the bodyguard's video image. “I demand to speak with Quatre!”

 

“I'm afraid Master Quatre has been called on some important business and will be unavailable for the remainder of the day.”

 

“Don't give me that shit, Rashid!” Shinigami warned. “I want to speak to Quatre!”

 

“We can't always get what we want.” The man said somewhat sadly. “If that were possible, than we wouldn't be in the current situation that now burdens him.”

 

“I want to help him, but I don't have the whole story.” Duo said calmer than before.

 

“It's not your help he needs.” The Maganuac stated before hanging up on the flabbergasted teen.

 

“Please tell me you were able to trace that.” Wu Fei whispered, looking rather pale.

 

“Hn.” Hiiro smirked triumphantly.

 

“I'll drive.” Trowa announced, taking Duo's keys from the shocked teen and running towards the car. The braided boy and the others quickly following as soon as Hiiro knocked him out of his stupor.

 

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“Aya!” Omi's voice called out in a hushed whisper, “They're leaving!”

 

“Probably going to look for the blonde kid.” Yohji mused, inhaling his cigarette.

 

“His name is Quatre.” The younger boy snorted indignantly. “I'd think that you could remember the name of the kid that rescued us.”

 

“Omi and I will follow the pilots.” The redhead ordered, “The two of you stay here and keep a lookout for them. I suspect they'll be here soon.”

 

“Be careful, guys.” The youngest assassin cautioned. “They'll probably already know you're here.”

 

Two sets of nods acknowledged the truth behind Bombay's warning.

 

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“Quatre is going to be less than thrilled to see us.” Wu Fei pointed out as the banged teen took a sharp corner. “Even if we manage to catch him before he leaves for his flight, there's no guarantee that he will meet with us.”

 

“I'm hoping that you and Tro will be able to convince him.” Duo admitted.

 

“I don't know if that will work very well.” The raven-haired teen frowned. “We're not exactly on speaking terms.”

 

“How did that happen?” The braided boy demanded, “From what you were telling us, it seems as if you two had it going on.”

 

“Turn left at the next light.” Hiiro interrupted without looking up from his laptop.

 

“Isn't that a one-way street?” Trowa questioned.

 

The Japanese ex-pilot raised an eyebrow in silent challenge. After a shifting glance between his navigator and the lane, the driver smirked and turned onto the road, weaving through the oncoming traffic while ignoring the angry horns.

 

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“Master Quatre…” Rashid inquired, knocking on the door to the room where the small teen had been packing.

 

“That was Duo on the phone.” The empath guessed before his friend could say anything. “They're on their way.”

 

“What will you do?” The bear of a man inquired as he admired his young master's eerie ability to make correct conclusions so quickly with so little facts.

 

With a burdened sigh, Quatre turned to stare out the large window that overlooked his well-kept garden. Mentally, he made a note to give the gardener a raise. It looked immaculately gorgeous, and for a single elderly man, the large estate was an enormous job to take on alone.

 

“Master Quatre?” The Maganuac prompted, concerned.

 

“What can I do?” The blonde whispered hopelessly, his right hand moving to rest over his heart. “They will be here before the taxi.”

 

“One of us could drive you.” The large man suggested.

 

“If they know where we are, it's because they've broken into my systems. They would know if one of the vehicles were to leave and would be able to track it even if they didn't already know what the destination was.” Another sigh escaped from the depressed youth. “Running is futile now… I was too careless… No matter where I go, they'll find me…”

 

“If they can track the cars, then why not send out all of them in different directions?” Rashid suggested. “Lead them on a wild goose chase? You could be in one that is going the opposite direction of where you need to go. Then the taxi could pick you up at a different location and back-track to the airport.”

 

Quatre graced his friend with a kind smile. “I appreciate your help, Rashid, but I'm afraid there isn't time. I estimate that with Hiiro or Duo driving, they'll be here in 7.35 minutes. If it's Trowa, then it'll be 6.25 minutes and if Fei is behind the wheel, then they'll arrive in 4.35 minutes… providing he hasn't hit anyone. They'd trap us before we could even leave the gates.”

 

“So you're just giving up?” The former soldier sounded angry. “What happened to the kid that fought bravely and with honor? Who always had a plan for every situation? Where is the leader I swore loyalty to? What happened to the young man I respected?”

 

“…”

 

“What happened to your self-appreciation?”

 

“It was stolen from me.” The reply was meek, but honest.

 

“Then maybe it's time you get it back!”

 

Azure eyes blinked, a small gasp escaped the seemingly frail teen as he spun to face the man he looked up to as a father-figure. Rashid could almost see the gears beginning to turn as the strategist began to formulate a plan.

 

“You're right, Rashid.” Quatre admitted, a new look of determination gleaming in his eyes. “This isn't over yet. They haven't won and they're not going to.”

 

“What can I do to help?” The man bowed slightly.

 

“If I know Duo, he'll keep his promise not to call the others only because they're already with him. They've probably been filling him in since I left off in my story. I know that Hiiro is the one who hacked into my network and systems. Only he could have dissected the firewalls and traps as quickly as that. I also know that no matter what Wu Fei and Trowa have said, none of them have the whole story and all the facts. They don't have any idea of the danger that is still threatening the peace of Earth and the colonies, or even my own life.” Quatre glared out the window. “Unwittingly, my friends will lead my enemies straight to me, but I'm not going to run anymore. They can try to take me, but I'm not giving up without a fight!”

 

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To be continued…