Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chupacabras Synchronicity ❯ Eleven ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven

Wufei tore the bottom of his shirt off and fastened it firmly around Sally's head, hoping it would slow the blood flow until they could stitch it up. After some probing he had agreed with the girl; it was just a deep gash in the head, no other damage amazingly enough. That didn't make Wufei feel any better as his mind turned to more explosive thoughts, like where Treize had gone, where Duo was, and if they were alive.

"Wufei…He tumbled backward over the banister!" Trowa murmured, his eyes fastened on the inanimate object. "They were using his own powers against him!"

Wufei shuddered, imagining one of his own burning fireballs turning back around to blast him, the heat actually touching, burning flesh…

"He'll be alright. We have to move! Come on."

Slipping an arm around Sally's waist he wound his other around Trowa, amazed at how much weight the other slender youth put on him. Wufei had not realised just how badly Trowa's insides had been damaged. He only hoped Trowa was not dying within.

It took time to get them down the stairs, stopping at every minute sound, looking around every crevice for the waiting shadow, that small itch that now struck more than just fear in their hearts.

Wufei was not really afraid any more. He had killed enough of the beasts on his way down through the school levels that he knew they could be killed easily if caught sufficiently off guard. That was not what made him grin, almost ferally, as he hauled arse out of their way. No, he attributed that small facial feature to a person, and what he imagined their reaction would be when they found him.

Wufei imagined just what Heero Yuy would do to the Chupacabra.

After all, touch Heero's friends and you were asking for trouble. Touch Duo Maxwell and you had a death wish. Touch both…well, Wufei figured you would see what happened when he found Heero.

There were voices down the hall, small murmurings that were oddly familiar. Wufei edged Sally to the ground and snatched his katana from the slip on his back, aware of Trowa taking his own weight once more. Wufei left him leaning against a wall protectively over Sally before heading toward the turn in the corridor, opening his senses.

It is not dark. I can see. Breathing low, stay quiet. No sound. Listen to the silence; let it speak to you. Balance. You weigh nothing; now walk. The air has texture; feel it. Fell how it moves around you, how it is not disturbed. You are alone. Keep going.

It was a familiar ritual and it calmed him, thoughts slipping into nothingness as his body took over, pushing him forward in silence.

The voices grew louder and Wufei reached out, pulling them into his senses, listening intently. So familiar…

"Don't move! It'll see us!"

"I think it saw us a long time ago moron!"

"Shh!"

Both female. They sounded rather panicked. Easing slightly around the corner, Wufei realised he was directly behind a Chupacabra, who hadn't seen him yet because all its attention was focussed on Une and Catherine, two very unlikely companions, plastered against the janitors cupboard.

Silent and insidious, Wufei reached deep into the core of his being and drew his power forth. Flame erupted around the Chupacabra, caging it, burning, heat searing every particle until it was nothing more than a flitting pile of ash upon the floor.

"Fire!" He vaguely heard Catherine squeal.

"But that means…" Une was watching the corner as Wufei rounded it, a slight smile on his face. Trust Une to know exactly what had happened. Not that it wasn't obvious. As far as anyone knew, Wufei was the only pyromaniac among the Psionicists.

"Come on!" He snapped at the two women before turning sharply on his heel and hurrying back to where Trowa and Sally were pressed against the wall. Catherine and Une saw immediately what the problem was and Sally was suddenly entwined in Une's arms while Catherine supported Trowa. Wufei grunted at them, slipping his katana into an easier grip, and hurried down the hallway, senses still wide open, listening for everything and anything.

The halls were eerie. The silence deafening. Slipping through the abandoned corridors, all the bedrooms locked, the underside of the doors blocked, the soft yellow light from the overheads was not quite enough. Wufei thought it made the world look bathed in snot, which was totally disgusting. He didn't want to have to touch anything.

Something snatched at his senses. He hurried forward, the scent familiar. He heard the others hurrying to catch up but he didn't wait. They were in no danger from what was ahead.

He rounded a corner and came face to face with chaos. Blood mingled with green slush all over the carpet floor, smeared up the walls and splattered over the roof. It was mixed with an odd bluish slop that could only be frozen blobs of skin. It was everywhere; unavoidable.

"Duo?" A surmising gasp said from behind but Wufei shook his head at Trowa.

"Then who?" Une asked, irritated and evidently disgusted. Wufei wondered why she wasn't scared.

Wufei studied the mess, pushing emotion aside and looking at all the small details that said this creature had not been unmade; not taken apart piece by piece and all those little pieces scattered. This was…somehow worse.

The frozen skin was the first indication. It had to have been done by Cryokinesis. There weren't any Psionicists they knew who were Cryokinetic.

The second indicator was the way the mess was spread; splattered across the ceiling but spread across the walls. That was the Aerokinesis if ever Wufei had seen it. They didn't know anyone with that ability either.

However, if anyone living possessed those talents, there was only one person who could utilise them, and that person was very well known to Wufei. He was suddenly very pleased. So this was what happened when you stepped over the line!

"Heero."

Wufei nodded at Sally's reply to Trowa's question, amused she had come to the same conclusion. Not that it was difficult. If it looked bad, and Duo wasn't nearby, it was pretty much a guarantee that the genesis had done it. That genesis was, for better or worse, Heero.

"Come on!" Wufei forced himself to wade through the gore, silently wondering just how many Chupacabra had been hiding here, waiting to ambush whoever walked into their trap. He decided he didn't really want to know.

They had reached the end of the dorm and the door was still locked. Sighing heavily, Wufei wondered just when the dorms had become a maze before turning to the stairs.

"Up again!" Sally groaned and Wufei nodded. He noticed a small trail of bloody footprints headed in the same direction and forced himself to go faster, opening his senses further. They were close! He could almost feel them!

Then he remembered the mess below and stopped. If Heero didn't know it was them, if he thought they were more Chupacabra! He couldn't let that happen, but how could he stop Heero?

Don't get close. Go slow. Be silent. Feel the earth. Let your feet lead. Balls not heels…float.

Taking a deep breath, Wufei pushed on, every nerve afire, his mind locked shut to keep the fear at bay.

It was because his mind was so firmly locked that he missed the oddness at first. But it was a familiar oddness and its persistence broke through his control.

`Wufei?'

Wufei stood stone still in the centre of the hallway and forced himself to concentrate on that voice.

`Quatre?'

`Wufei!' Quatre's voice squealed in his mind and Wufei could almost see Quatre grabbing hold of Heero's arms and hopping around in delight. It soothed him somehow, to know the blonde was alright.

`Where are you?'

`Near the stairs by the mess Yuy made…'

`Oh…'

Yes, oh Quatre! Wufei was surprised he sensed nothing more from Quatre. He knew the blonde had to have been completely abhorred by the site, not to mention terrified, but he seemed to have blocked his reaction from his system. Wufei was impressed.

`We're above you. Go back to the stairs and come up one more level.'

`Where are you going? We have injured.'

Quatre paused and Wufei could almost hear them talking. It was like a buzz on the edge of his vision. It was stunning to think Quatre was capable of this…mind speech. It was also perfectly typical. If anyone could bring them together in this way it was obviously going to be Quatre. No one else had the heart.

`We're heading for Heero's room. He wants to get something.'

Wufei laughed. If it was in Heero's room, and had anything to do with their current predicament it had to have been made by Duo. Which basically meant Heero was on his way to pick up an arsenal. Wufei didn't mind at all!

"Turn around! They're just above us!"

No one argued. No one asked how he knew. They just followed his orders, for which he was extremely grateful. After all, how do you explain you were just talking to Quatre… in your head?

They were waiting for them at the top of the stairs. Iria was with them; a small trio. Iria went immediately to Une's side to help with Sally which bought a slight smile to Quatre's lips. Wufei wondered if there weren't more to Iria's attentions toward Sally than met the eye. Quatre and Heero would know, and even Heero seemed a little amused. Quatre himself, of course, went straight to Trowa, one slender arm winding its way around his waist even though the taller boy seemed to be getting himself back together. He had hardly been leaning on Catherine at all. Wufei breathed a sigh of relief. Some small part of his brain had still been worrying if Trowa had internal injuries. Evidently not.

"Duo?" Heero asked quietly where no one else could hear as they started toward his room.

"We don't know," was all Wufei managed, not willing to tell Heero exactly what had taken place. He hadn't been there anyway. He wasn't really sure what had taken place, only heard it second hand from Trowa and Sally.

You arrived too late to hep him, that's why, Wufei's brain snarled at him and he crushed the runaway thought. There would be time to deal with guilt later. Now was for battle.

They reached Heero's room uneventfully. Heero went straight for his desk, opening the bottom draw and pulling out a white wooden box. Wufei had never seen it in his life. He leaned closer to Heero and watched in silent fascination as Heero removed the lid and pulled aside a slight piece of white gauze with all the reverence of a Christian holding Veronica's veil.

Nestled in white satin were two perfectly crafted wrist cuffs, both white and slender, perfectly moulded to the shape of Heero's wrists. There was no doubt in Wufei's mind who had crafted them as he took in the ornate wings engraved along the side, sparkling gold and the maze of golden threaded wire down the other. They were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Heero's fingers brushed over the bands and his body shivered. Wufei didn't want to know what he was thinking. He certainly didn't want to cold he saw in his friend's eyes directed at him. He waited until Heero had fastened the bands around his wrists before turning back to the door and checking the hallway.

Wufei snarled and Heero nodded acknowledgment. The Chupacabra were coming.