Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Crimson Nights and Scarlet Dawns ❯ Chapter 4

Thank you for the reviews... especial thanks to ep-chan for those magic words, "I didn't find it at all confusing". I have been worried that I'm making no sense at all, but I'm feeling much better now. ^.^

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FOUR:

"Hilde!"

Most of the people sprawled throughout the room turned to look at the newcomers who had just staggered in the doorway. Several approached, wearing wide grins-- including the one who had yelled, who swung a laughing Hilde up and around in his arms before kissing her soundly on the mouth and setting her down. Duo watched in startled amusement as this treatment was repeated by several of the others who were closest, while others still settled for a squeeze around the shoulders and a peck on the cheek.

"Shit, guys," Hilde said when they finally finished. "If you miss me this much, you should come visit me more often."

"The Doc scares us, Hil, you know that." The apparent spokesman of the group grinned down at the dark-haired girl, unrepentant. "She's always coming up with new things to stick us with."

Hilde snorted her opinion of that statement, then gave in to a grin of her own. "Well you can just stay in hiding, then, and let me drag my poor injured ass to you. Wouldn't want you to fall into the clutches of Big Bad Sally, after all." She cast a bright-eyed but sharp look around the room, visibly counting faces. "Everything's all right, then?" she asked suddenly.

The guy's grin mellowed into a real smile, and he pulled her close into another hug. "Just fine. Not so much as a scratch."

"Hey!" someone yelled from across the room. "I hit my head. Don't ignore that-- it bloody well hurt!"

"Right, sorry. With the exception of Baro's thick skull, everything's fine." There was a brief squawk of protest from the unseen Baro, but Spokesman ignored it in favour of Hilde. "We were actually overprepared. Weren't as many of the bastards as we were told to expect-- Cally's unit was sent along as backup, and they pretty much just stood back and twiddled their thumbs."

Far from looking reassured, Hilde frowned and pulled back a bit. "They left before you got there?"

The man winced a bit, and his smile wilted. "I didn't say that, Hil, there couldn't have been any number of reasons--"

"Vamps don't give up their lairs without a damned good reason, you know that perfectly well," the dark-haired girl said hotly. "And this isn't the first time it's happened in the last little while, either. Something's up."

"I know," Spokesman soothed, giving up on the light-hearted tone. "And there are people looking into it. We turned over our report to Relena as soon as we got in. Don't worry about it, okay? Come on," he coaxed. "Just relax with us for a while. Okay?"

Reluctantly, Hilde nodded, and was given another quick hug in return.

Spokesman finally turned his attention over to Duo, who had been standing quietly by the door trying to ignore the curious looks directed his way. "Who's your friend? You been recruiting for us again?"

"Good god, I'm an ass." Hilde whirled around to face Duo, wearing a rather sheepish expression. "This is Duo. He's in Med with me for the rest of the week," she said, and from the look of comprehension on Spokeman's face, that must have been explanation enough. "Duo, this is Cal, my unit leader. All these other ingrates are the rest of my crew." She rattled off a list of names, while each named individual raised a hand or grunted an acknowledgement as they were called. Duo stopped trying to remember after about the fifth, though there were at least twenty people lounging in that room.

With Cal's aid, Hilde hobbled over to an armchair chair and sat, and Duo followed, rather grateful that the girl was leaning on someone else this time. She had been fine on her crutches when they first left the infirmary wing, but by the time they had reached their destination she had been relying rather heavily on Duo's support, and his shoulders had the aches to prove it.

I am not looking forward to the return trip. Wonder if any of these guys want to volunteer?

While Hilde chatted happily to those around her, Duo let his mind and eyes wander. He surreptitiously watched those around him as they circled and milled-- of all shapes, sizes and genders, though he did note that nearly all were young, looking to be a year or two older than him at most. They lounged carelessly throughout the room, lying over the overstuffed furniture and each other with equal ease. The overall result was an image of casual intimacy that was at once mildly embarrassing and very comfortable-- one the one hand, he felt rather like he was intruding somewhere he didn't belong, and on the other it somehow seemed right. He was struck with the odd impression that this was simply the way things were meant to be.

Duo let his gaze linger consideringly on a few faces, before sliding over to the door and settling there.

He had been thoroughly startled by the sheer size of the place he found himself in. The two of them had left the infirmary wing-- or simply Med, as Hilde had told him to call it-- though a single heavy door, and had walked, and walked, and walked--

Hilde, of course, had been the consummate tour guide as they went, pointing out hallways and stairwells with the ease that only one long familiar with the place could possibly manage. This way to the general living quarters, that to Records and Intelligence. One floor up to the armoury, two down to the training centre. Duo's mind had boggled at trying to imagine a structure big enough to fit all of the sections the girl described.

The final surprise, though, came when Duo had commented on the lack of windows. That was when Hilde told him the entire complex was underground.

"It only makes sense when you consider than most of the people living here are light-sensitive," she elaborated when Duo had given her a blank, stunned look. "And it'll be very defensible if the vamps ever decide to hunt us out and mount a full assault. It hasn't happened yet," she continued grimly, "but I suppose it's only a matter of time before they start looking at us as more than just an annoyance." She gave a harsh bark of laughter, her eyes gleaming darkly again. "Just let them try to take us out."

After that conversation, Duo had half expected to see soldiers' barracks when the door finally opened on their destination, but he had been pleasantly surprised. The room they entered looked more like the living room of an exceptionally large house than anything reminiscent of Duo's own brief military career. The place was exceedingly comfortable and obviously lived in, by the feel of it. A wide hallway stretched off from one wall, and stairs led upwards into the unknown-- from somewhere up there came the sound of a television turned up far too loud, and several clashing types of music-- and through another door could be seen a spacious kitchen.

Duo drew his eyes away from the flat panel of the door and eyed that particular room for a moment, wondering if it was stocked with the same odd array of foods that his own small kitchen was back in Med. He had wandered back into the lounge at three with the already-familiar box of synth in his hand, to find Hilde with her head stuck into the fridge, rummaging through the contents. She had gestured him over, handed him several jars, and before he really knew what was happening he was standing in front of the stove, stirring something that smelled rather dangerous.

It was only when the dark-haired girl made to throw in a generous handful of pickled banana pepper rings that he called her on it.

"Trust me," she had laughed, expertly elbowing him aside and tossing in the handful. "I'm sure you've noticed the complete and utter lack of taste in the synth?"

Duo cast a sour look over at his recently emptied carton before nodding.

"Well, it's not for lack of flavour on its part. I've been told that it would be sickeningly sweet-- if we could actually taste it." She made a sweeping gesture to the ingredients scattered on the counter. "Sour and spicy, those are the choices. Pick a fridge anywhere in the compound, I guarantee you'll find at least one jar of dill pickles, a bag of halapenos and a whole lot of hot sauce." She sighed dramatically. "It's a good thing we aren't allergic to garlic-- I love the stuff. It's one of the few things I can still taste!"

Duo snapped back to the present as someone stepped around the corner out of the kitchen, munching on something coloured an angry red. He became aware of someone calling his name just as a hand waved in front of his face.

"Hey, you still with us?"

He turned his head to see Hilde and several others watching him intently. "Ah-- sorry. Just thinking."

He was given smiles and nods and sympathetic looks in reply. "There is a lot to think about at first, isn't there?" one woman-- Duo thought her name was Erin-- asked lightly. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it far faster than you really want to or think you should."

"And then you won't be able to remember what things were like before," someone else added.

"What do you think you'd like to do, Duo? You thinking about the Hunters at all?"

"Come on, Aaron," Hilde protested. "Give him a chance. He's barely been awake a full day, yet."

Duo shook his head. "No, it's all right. It'll depend on a lot of things, still, but--" He hesitated for a split second, glancing around the room again. "I think I'd consider it," he finished.

The one identified as Aaron gave him a feral grin. "Good. We can use all the help we can get."

There were a few mutters of agreement from those who had overheard the comment, and the dark looks on their faces made Duo hesitate before speaking-- but the questions had been building pretty much since he'd awakened, and wouldn't be suppressed. "Why-- why do you hate them so much?" he finally managed, feeling like he might be headed into dangerous territory. "I mean, why all of this? It's like you're--"

"At war?" Aaron finished grimly, and nodded. "We are."

There was a brief moment of silence, which it seemed no one wanted to break, before Hilde took pity on Duo and continued the explanation. "Setting aside the fact that every single person in this place had their old life stolen away by a vamp," she said bitterly, "and the fact that any vamp would slaughter us, slowly and painfully, if they ever got the chance-- they deserve to have something fight back against them." She scowled at nothing in particular. "They deserve to be the ones hunted, for once."

"Consider this," Cal continued quietly, coming up from the side and sitting near Hilde. "An average vampire needs to drink blood anywhere from once a week to once every couple of months. Needs to. In reality, they sometimes take four or five victims in a single night, just because they want to, because it amuses them. Usually young people, reasonably attractive-- they can be very picky, choosing out someone who will give them a good hunt."

"I was hunted," someone from the sidelines spoke up, stepping forward with the expression on his face nearly as dark as the hair hanging into his eyes. Duo remembered that his name was Victor. "Along with my sister. They chased us for two hours," he continued, his eyes burning. "Showing up out of nowhere to play with us a bit, then letting us run again. They laughed the entire time they tore out her throat, and they kept laughing when they finally turned on me."

Someone came and wrapped comforting arms around Victor from behind, drawing the man back to a couch to sit while muttering soft words into his ear. Stunned, Duo barely noticed the actions; he started when Hilde laid a hand on his arm.

"They don't often leave their victims to turn vampire themselves," the dark-haired girl continued. "They know just how to mutilate a body so it won't rise. Those they do allow to survive are usually kept as servants, or something like that-- enthralled so they're completely devoted to their masters. It's very rare for it to be like in the movies, with the vampire choosing his bride out of love, to spend eternity with--" She gave a harsh snort at the idea. "The reality is a whole hell of a lot more brutal."

"And since no one believes in their existence anymore, no one guards against them, no one even pays them any attention," Cal added. "The police find a victim, they say it's a mugging gone wrong, or a gang killing, or some strange cult activity-- or any other explanation but the truth. They launch a short investigation, come up with nothing, and it's forgotten. No one notices, no one cares."

The unit leader spoke in a subdued voice-- in fact, the mood of the entire room had become more quiet, and most of the loungers had left. Duo felt a pang of regret for disrupting the casual, comfortable atmosphere that had been present when he first entered. Feeling awkward, he shifted in his seat, then slowly stood. All eyes were focused on him as his mouth opened and closed soundlessly a few times.

"Thank you," he finally said. "I-- I should go now. But I'm going to think about what you've said," he quickly added. "Like I said, it'll depend on how things turn out, with me, but--" He left the thought hanging, and from the gleam in the others' eyes, they figured out what it was he meant.

Hilde stood as well, with minimal difficulty-- apparently the brief rest had done her some good. "Yeah, I should get back too, before the witchdoctor comes looking for me," she said lightly. "Don't be strangers, okay guys? If I can make the trip on crutches, you've got no excuse."

Everyone laughed, and the solemn mood was shaken off to some degree. There commenced another round of hugs and affectionate touches, while Duo stood back and watched a touch wistfully. I could be a part of this, he found himself thinking, and discovered the thought no little bit appealing.

It was a thoughtful Duo that stepped through the door into the hallway.

They started the slow walk back to Med, interrupted only once, early on, when they came around a corner and nearly ran into the two figures already standing there. One was a truly massive man, taller than nearly anyone Duo had ever seen before, with black hair and what looked to be a naturally dark complexion. The other was tiny by comparison, a very young man with wild brown hair. The two had been talking quietly, though broke off when Duo and Hilde approached.

The tall man stepped towards them, attention on Hilde, asking her how she was-- Duo's attention, however, was on the second figure, which had turned to walk away from them. Just before the young man vanished completely around a corner, he turned his head just the slightest amount, and Duo caught the flash of deep blue eyes.

Is that--?

But then Hilde was introducing him yet again, and he lost the thought. Nodding in greeting, he shook hands with the man named Rashid, whom Hilde said was the leader of the Hunters.

"Nighthunters," the dark-haired girl quickly amended, at a mild warning look from Rashid. "Technically," she said to Duo, grimacing apologetically, "when I've been saying Hunters I've meant Nighthunters. There's the Dayhunters, too-- but there's over two hundred of us and only four of them, so it's easier to just call us Hunters and leave the long name to them."

"Hilde," Rashid warned again, though there was a slight smile in his eyes. Hilde in return just threw up her hands in surrender, and gave a crooked grin to the huge man before they all continued on their ways.

Duo cast a thoughtful glance in the direction the other young man had gone, before they passed through a door and left that area altogether. "Who was that other guy?"

"Talking with Rashid? That was Heero. He heads up the Dayhunters. They must have been on conference call or something, because our two groups don't tend to meet up much." She shrugged. "Not that we don't get along, I guess-- though they are an odd bunch. I don't think three of the four have ever smiled in their lives, and that includes Heero back there. No, for the most part, our schedules just don't match up. While we're sleeping, they're out working. And vice versa."

Duo's eyebrows went up. "They can go out in the sunlight, then? That's got to give them quite an advantage."

"Oh, hell yes." A touch of envy flashed across Hilde's face, though it quickly passed. "It's incredibly rare to have the other typical Hunter traits without the light sensitivity, though, which is why there's so few of them." She grinned suddenly. "But those few! Holy shit. You have got to see those guys in action sometime. They are unstoppable."

Hilde launched into a story about the one time when missions had overlapped between the Night and Day teams, which fed into other stories, which took them all the way back to Med and then some. By the time Duo was yawning into his carton of synth, he was starting to hope that he would be able to be a Hunter. Having heard their reasons for fighting, and having seen the close ties between them-- it appealed to him, very strongly, in ways he didn't try to look at too closely.

When he flicked off the lights in his room and pulled up the sheets, his whirling thoughts chased him into sleep.

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... okay, is there anyone who can't see where this is going?