Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Appleseeds ❯ Episode 10: The Hunter ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. Never did, never will. Everything else is mine (unless otherwise stipulated)

Episode Ten: The Hunter (January 4, 280 AE)

“What the hell happened?” Noin shouted, storming into the basement office, flinging her jacket across the room and violently wrenching off her tie. “How the hell was someone able to get to him? This level is supposed to be secure!” she roared at an ashen-faced Wufei and Quatre.

“We don't know,” Wufei responded in a strained voice. “Sally thinks it's some kind of neurotoxin that paralyzed his lungs. She doesn't know if it was introduced into his system or if his body produced it in reaction to the drugs…”

“We're not even sure if he was killed or died due to complications?” Noin snapped.

“No, Sally-” Wufei began before Noin angrily cut him off.

“Where is Sally? I went to the morgue first thing and she wasn't there and neither was the body!”

“She's in her lab, trying to determine which specific neurotoxin was the cause of death.” Wufei informed his furious commander.

“Why isn't she performing an autopsy? It's been over six hours since he died, and why the hell hasn't he been moved to the morgue? He's not still in that damn room is he?”

“No, Trowa and Heero him moved to the dorms,” Quatre whispered tightly.

“Oh God,” Noin groaned. “Don't tell me… Heero is refusing to let go of the body?”

“In a matter of speaking…” Wufei offered but Noin had already left the room and was storming down the hallway at a fast clip, Quatre and Wufei hot on her heels.

“Commander, wait!” Quatre called desperately after Noin's tall form. “There's something you should know!”

“Can it Winner, if you're trying to convince me to foster Yuy's unhealthy obsession with this UNDIS, forget it!”

“I don't think you understand Commander,” Wufei tried.

“Oh I understand just fine! I'm running an agency where my top agents allow a classified captive to be killed under their watch and then form an attachment with his corpse!”

With one final outburst of anger, Noin reached the `dorms'. After scanning the short corridor lined with numerous doors, she marched up to the only door with a sliver of light escaping along the bottom. Forgoing knocking, she slammed the door open and froze at the sight that greeted her.

~*~

Dorothy stifled a yawn as she crept silently down the hallway towards her grandfather's study. Although it was ridiculously easy to plant ideas in Relena's head, the process was surprisingly tedious and time-consuming. Relena had been an interesting challenge at first, but Dorothy was fast getting bored with the girl's simple minded nature; the girl only thought of two things: peace and Heero Yuy. There was no excitement, no fire in her veins, just a sense of entitlement that was as boring as they came. If there was one thing that Dorothy despised most, it was the lack of a challenge. And if her grandfather would not give her a suitable outlet for her talent, she would find one for herself.

Finally reaching Duke Dermail's study, she pressed her ear to the door and strained to hear the conversation taking place inside.

“… yes of course, we've had a few setbacks but we can regain lost ground easily,” her grandfather's voice rumbled through the wooden door.

“What of the Darlians and the Peacecrafts?” Another voice asked, deeper and sharper.

`Midek,' Dorothy thought to herself with a cat-like smile.

“Dorothy has the girl well in hand. I am dealing with Darlian, I'm confident that I can persuade him to step down to make way for his daughter.”

“Is that really wise?” the other voice replied with misgivings evident in its tone.

“Of course, we consolidate all the Peacecraft and Darlian influence to one girl. She may become very powerful, but once we remove her from power, both families will crumble.”

“I see,” said the voice. “You are confident of success?”

“She is nothing but a spoiled, naïve girl,” Dermail scoffed. “She will hardly pose a problem; Dorothy already has her eating out of her hand. And if all goes to plan, we can bring down Heero Yuy along with the girl.”

“Very good Duke,” the voice praised. “What of the problem we have at Preventers?”

“Taken care of. The subject has been terminated.”

“Good. See if you can't bring the assassin to our side, he will be useful in the future,” the voice ordered.

“I will see what I can do. He is ruled by money, it may cost us a great deal to bring him completely to our side,” Dermail answered with some small amount of frustration.

“Cost is no issue. With the cloned credits, our resources are unlimited.”

“Of course my lord.”

“Good. Report back in a week. I will send you the details later,” the voice commanded.

Hearing the distinct click of a communication line being cut, Dorothy rose silently from her crouch and hurried down the hallway with a wicked grin on her face.

~*~

Heero looked up from his bedside vigil as Noin slammed the door to the small dorm room open. A single medical tube ran from the inside of his right elbow to the pale arm resting on the bed, the flowing blood within the tube a stark contrast to the bed's white sheets. His uninjured left hand firmly gripped the arm's thin wrist, two fingers pressed against the wrist's pulse point.

“What? How… but…” Noin sputtered as she gazed at the prone form on the bed, his chestnut bangs and oxygen mask obscuring his face.

“Simple, the UNDIS is still alive,” Trowa stated calmly from where he leaned against the back wall, his posture relaxed and nonchalant.

“Duo,” Heero growled from where he sat facing the bed, his eyes returning to its occupant.

“Sorry, Duo Maxwell is still alive.”

“But… the message,” Noin faltered.

“Not entirely untrue,” Wufei spoke up as he stepped around Noin's frozen figure and into the cramped room. “His heart did stop briefly, but Sally was able to get it started again. I see he's off the artificial ventilation,” he remarked to Trowa.

“He started breathing on his own about an hour ago, it seems as though Heero's blood is working,” Trowa answered, handing a bag-valve mask to Wufei.

“I thought it was a neurotoxin… Heero's blood?” Noin stumbled over her words as she tried to free herself from the shock. “Sally approved this?”

“No,” Heero answered, “I made Trowa perform the transfusion. Dr. J insured that I was immune to every poison and toxin known to man. It was logical that my blood would neutralize whatever toxin is in his bloodstream.”

Noin exhaled noisily. “What the hell is going on? First I get a message that the UNDIS is dead, now I come back and he's alive… and why isn't he connected to any equipment?”

“To maintain proof of death,” Trowa explained quietly. “An assassin must always produce proof of death in order to receive payment. In cases of a remote or indirect kill like this one, monitoring equipment is often hacked into to provide that proof.”

“But why message me that he's dead?” Noin demanded.

Trowa shrugged slightly. “If it's a direct targeting like I suspect, whoever ordered his death was most likely in the meeting at Parliament. Seeing your reaction would cement their belief that the UNDIS, sorry, Duo is dead.”

“So you made the last six hours of my life unbearable based on a hunch?” Noin snapped.

Trowa met Noin's gaze evenly and unapologetically. “We needed a genuine reaction of shock, otherwise we would have lost our slight advantage.”

“I agreed with Trowa's decision,” Wufei piped up. “Although not the most honourable of tactics, it was the best call.”

Noin scowled but didn't press the matter further. “And if this was a deliberate attempt on his life like you suspect, how did they manage it?”

“Whoever it was manipulated one of us to unknowingly deliver the poison and then monitored the target remotely through the medical equipment,” Trowa deduced calmly.

“How can you be so sure? About all of this?” Noin asked, still doubtful.

“It's what Pierrot would have done,” Quatre answered softly from behind Noin. “Are you going hunting?” he asked Trowa.

Trowa dropped his head to avoid Quatre's heart-stricken gaze. “You know I have to.”

Quatre sighed and turned away. “Be safe,” he whispered brokenly before he disappeared down the hall.

“That would be my cue,” Trowa sighed as he pushed himself off the wall. “Heero, the toxin should be out of his system by now, it should be safe to detach him, you don't want too much of your blood in his system. Wufei, can you stay here and keep an eye on them both?”

Wufei inclined his head in assent, “Of course.”

“If you would excuse me Commander?”

Noin nodded curtly, “Just make sure no one can trace it back here, do I make myself clear Agent Barton?”

“Crystal clear,” Trowa moved to the doorway.

“One more thing,” Noin added, her eyes turning soft. “Be careful out there Trowa. Quatre is not the only one who worries for your safety.”

Trowa paused for a moment in the doorway before slinking into the shadows.

~*~

“I trust you were satisfied with the proof of death?” The handsome man smiled in the dark room.

“Very, the second source of proof was most satisfying. It was a real treat to see that woman put in her place,” the voice from the darkened vidphone replied.

The man laughed, “I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Now, my credits?”

“They have already been transferred into your account. You should be able to access them first thing in the morning.”

“Good. It was a pleasure doing business with you. I must say, this last job was challenging in a most satisfying way. Now if you'll excuse me,” the man reached to cut the connection.

“Wait!” the voice pleaded desperately. “I have a proposal for you. How would you like to join our inner circle and be on permanent retainer? I can assure you that you would be rewarded most handsomely.”

The man smirked. “Thanks but no thanks. I'm off for a well deserved vacation, shacking up with you old coots just isn't on the agenda,” he laughed gleefully as he cut the line.

“A vacation sounds like a wise idea,” a voice floated out from the shadows. “A permanent vacation.”

“Who's there?” the man shouted, whirling around and brandishing a sharp blade. “Show yourself!”

Trowa jumped nimbly from his perch on the window and casually stepped into the room with his hands in his pockets.

The man laughed as he scrutinized the figure dressed in jeans and a simple turtleneck with no weapon in sight. “You must be either very unlucky or insane to break in here,” he baited, ignoring the fact that his window was on the 37th floor.

Trowa shrugged as he stepped into the dim light, revealing his long-banged hair and cool green eye. “I believe it is you who is unlucky.”

“Who are you?” the man snarled, his fear beginning to grow. Wasting no time, he lunged forward with his blade, murder in his eyes. “I'll cut it out of you if I have to!”

Trowa smoothly evaded the oncoming assault by nimbly leaping into the air and flipping over his opponent to land silently behind him. Grabbing the man's arm before he could react, Trowa quickly disarmed him with expertly applied pressure to the man's wrist. Howling, the man wrenched himself away and kicked out at Trowa while lunging for his blade. Sidestepping the man's desperate kick with another flip into the air, Trowa landed neatly in front of his prey and slammed him into the wall with his large hands over the man's mouth and throat. Stumbling to his knees from the shock of the blow, the man stared up at Trowa and his eyes widened in horror as he glimpsed Trowa's hidden eye gleaming in the faint light.

“I am nameless,” Trowa answered the man's earlier question, “but if you must call me something, call me Pierrot. Unfortunately for you, those who have laid eyes on my true form never live to tell the tale.”

~*~

After assisting Heero in removing the transfusion line between him and the patient, Wufei found himself with little else to do. With Heero occupying the only chair, Wufei was forced to sit cross-legged on the cramped room's desk. He idly watched as Heero continued to monitor the young man's pulse and breathing for an hour before he grew weary of the stillness in the room.

Clearing his throat Wufei broke the silence. “Are you certain Trowa is right and that it was a specifically targeted assassination attempt?”

Heero nodded as he continued to gaze at the prone form on the bed. “He wouldn't have gone hunting if he didn't have a strong suspicion. Besides, what else could it have been?”

“An attack on Preventers as a whole,” Wufei supplied. “The medical lab isn't as secure as this level, drugs and supplies could have been contaminated in the attempts of harming anyone receiving medical treatment here.”

Heero considered the possibility briefly. “Possible, but not likely. I believe that Duo's medication was tampered with specifically.”

Wufei thumped his head against the wall behind him in frustration. “Either way, Sally's not going to be happy since it means that she was the one that unintentionally poisoned the UNDIS. I wonder what the woman is up to now…”

“She's still in her lab, trying to identify the specific neurotoxin that was used,” Quatre informed from the open doorway, wearing his wig and glasses.

Wufei arched an eyebrow. “Why are you in disguise?”

“I just came from the lab,” Quatre answered. “It's in lockdown but it doesn't hurt to be too careful. Sally's still determined to prove that the contamination couldn't have happened in her lab but…”

“But?”

“Trowa was right,” Quatre admitted. “The medical equipment and database were hacked into and the heart monitor was being accessed remotely.”

Wufei let out a deep breath. “Have you informed Sally?”

“I didn't have the heart to. What's more troubling is that when I tried to determine where the digital breach came from, it traced back to Sally's workstation.”

“That's not possible!”

“I know Wufei, it's just…” Quatre faltered, “I sent a report to Noin… she said that she would break the news to Sally. I just couldn't tell Sally, not when she's already feeling so guilty about almost killing the UNDIS.”

“Duo,” Heero interjected. “His name is Duo, not `the UNDIS'.”

“Heero, we don't know that for sure…” Quatre tried to mollify his colleague. “I know you have a hunch based on what you found on L2 but…”

“His name is Duo,” Heero repeated firmly.

“And how do you know that?” Wufei demanded from atop the desk.

Heero glared at his fellow agents in turn before turning back to the bed and calling out softly, “Duo… Duo!”

“Hhhmmph…” the figure on the bed moaned slightly. His eyes cracked open to reveal slivers of violet. “Lil' mother? Is that you?”

~*~

Duo floated in the shades of gray between oblivion and wakefulness. Someone was calling his name, but no one knew his name anymore. Unless…? He struggled sluggishly to respond, only managing a garbled moan. After grappling to regain consciousness a moment longer, he was able to lift his heavy eyelids slightly.

“Lil' mother? Is that you?” he croaked past his dry and aching throat.

A straw was gently pushed into his mouth and he greedily sucked down the blessedly cool liquid. His thirst quenched, he rolled his head away and tried to focus his fuzzy mind.

“Where are the pups? Are they safe?” He managed to pry his eyes open further and gazed into deep blue.

“Huh?” His mind was gradually waking up and insisting that something wasn't right. Squinting, he focused his blurry vision on the face filling his vision and it finally clicked.

“Hey! You aren't lil' mother! Bastard!” he snarled and spat for good measure. As he tried to lever himself into an upright position a darker head filled his vision and he felt a sharp pinch at the junction of his neck and shoulder. His vision darkening, he fought to remain conscious.

“What did you do that for Chang?” the blue-eyed man growled.

“Just a simple nerve pinch, he was getting too distressed for his body to handle. Relax, he'll awaken in a few hours feeling much calmer and more relaxed.”

~*~

Sally's hands trembled as she threw another petri dish into the incinerator. Logically, she knew that the attempt on her patient's life stemmed from her lab, but her pride refused to believe that anyone could have breached her lab's security. If there was one thing Sally prided herself on above all else was that she ran her lab with a firm hand. Nothing should have escaped her attention when it came to her self-proclaimed territory, nothing. Yet the evidence was glaring her right in the face and she still couldn't even determine the specific neurotoxin that caused her patient's lungs to shut down. Blinded by her denial, she continued to search for every naturally-occurring explanation until her insistently beeping com unit forced her to abandon her work.

“What!” she barked as she viciously answered the call.

“I need you in the morgue,” Noin's voice responded through the unit.

Sally gasped and clutched her com unit tighter. It couldn't be! Had she not only lost control of her lab but of the patient as well? Biting back tears, she left the lab with her head held high. She couldn't show weakness, not now.

Reaching the Preventers morgue, she pushed past the double doors and winced as a blast of frigid air washed over her body. Noin and Trowa stood across the room from her, next to an autopsy table currently occupied by a sheet clad figure. Approaching the table, Sally gave an involuntary cry.

“Walker! What happened to him? Was he attacked?”

Noin pulled out a chair and gestured to it. “You're dead on your feet Sally, sit down before you collapse.”

“I'm fine! Why is Walker dead?” Sally insisted as Noin firmly pushed her into the chair, both her hands on Sally's trembling shoulders.

“Sally,” Noin said firmly, “I wish I wasn't the bearer of bad news, and I don't know how else to tell you…”

“What? Just spit it out Lu!”

“Walker was the assassin.”

“No! Impossible!” Sally denied vehemently. “He was a good lab tech, a good worker and a decent man!”

“He was a chameleon,” Trowa supplied quietly. “He had a talent for manipulation and being exactly the man you wanted him to be.”

“But… he's been working for me for several months…”

“He was a man of opportunity. He saw an opening in the lab to glean information to sell and ultimately put himself in an ideal position to take out a target if the need arose. He most likely positioned himself to target one of us, but the UNDIS was just as lucrative a target.”

“But how?”

“Think back Sally,” Noin urged, “Did Walker change is behaviour lately? Show an interest in what you were doing? Worked on something he shouldn't have?”

“Oh God!” Sally exclaimed. “He came up to me while I was making the special IV treatment.”

Trowa stepped forward to catch Sally's gaze. “Did he divert your attention with anything? Was he holding anything?”

“He gave me a cup of tea… and he had his jacket slung over his arm,” Sally replied brokenly. “He must have slipped something into the solution while my attention was on the tea… And he said something about uploading files to the medical database… I should have known!”

“It's alright Sally,” Noin soothed. “He had us all fooled. I approved his employment, remember? We'll just have to improve our screening methods and upgrade the security in the lab. Let's just be thankful that we managed to get through this without any casualties. In fact, we might have the upper hand now, right Barton?”

Trowa nodded. “Quatre isolated the digital breach. It was contained to the medical databanks only, most of which were encrypted. All other databases are secure and online. Quatre and Wufei are working to increase the complexity of our encryption programming.”

Noin breathed a sigh of relief. “Do we need to worry about anyone missing Walker?”

“No, he was an independent assassin and spy, working for the highest bidder. He was very careful to keep is identity secret. He mentioned to his employer that he was going to take a vacation. I created a false trail that made it seem as though he had run off to a resort in L4.”

“Any success in discovering the identity of his employer?”

“No, he refused to divulge anything about his employer, even in exchange for his life. It appears that he valued his reputation more than his life. Quatre is working on tracing the money trail as well as the communications net.”

Sally moaned and buried her head in her hands. “This is a disaster! If my high-clearance lab was breached, there is no doubt that there are more moles within the organization. How long will be able to keep up the charade that the UNDIS is `dead'?”

“I have a solution for two of our problems,” Trowa offered, pointing to the body on the table. “Walker will be cremated in place of our UNDIS, no one will think to check the cremated remains.”

“True,” Noin noted. “If we pretend to be covert with the remains, they will assume that we are trying to cover up the death and believe it is the UNDIS.”

Trowa held out a card chip to Sally, “And here is a very generous donation from Walker that you can use to upgrade your lab, maybe even build a separate lab downstairs. Don't worry, it's untraceable.”

Sally accepted the card chip with a weary chuckle. “I almost feel like we're in the middle of the rebellion again.” Sobering, she continued, “Even so, the UNDIS remains at risk as long as he's in our custody, he needs to be hidden someplace safe…”

Trowa gave a ghost of a smile. “I believe Heero already has a plan.”

~*~

AN: Still fiddling with the middle section and its bogging down my writing. Feeling pretty unmotivated these days too… must be the sunny weather outside. Anyways, more of an information chapter and a bit of a look into Trowa's character as well as his relationship with Quatre. Trowa's turning out to be quite chatty, which I don't like… but since he's the one with most of the answers, it's unavoidable. Duo needs to wake up and start mouthing off but he still insists on napping… room enough for that next chapter.

Btw… I hope the glossary helped clear up some confusion, yes, no?