Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Deceptions Revised ❯ Dark Deceptions Revised 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Last Chapter

~You know what you must do, Heero. Continue your observations. Guard the girl. If anything should turn up and you require assistance, you know I am always there for you. My son.~

In the years before Heero lost all his feelings, he could recall the warmth and love he felt from his parents. He remembered that now as he allowed one corner of his mouth to lift.

~I know, father.~

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Chapter 4

Heero leaned his frame against a tree, arms crossed over his chest as he gazed out at Relena. Feeling a familiar stirring, he glanced at the figure in the corner of his eyes.

"Anything?"

Trowa shook his head. "Nothing. We've been here for over a week, Heero. Neither you, Wufei, or I have felt anything to raise suspicions. It must have been a fluke with Renaldo earlier."

Heero cursed as he kicked a pebble with the toe of his boot. "I'm certain it wasn't a fluke, Barton! There's something about this group. Something worth looking into."

Sighing, Trowa turned away. "I know, and I agree with you. But with nothing else to base our notions on, then we have no choice but to abort. At least for the time being."

Heero hated to, really did, but he conceded with Trowa's point. With no other option left, he would turn his resignation in tomorrow.

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Relena glanced up from her paper, a slight frown marring her features as she called to whoever was at the door to come in. She was pleasantly delighted to see Heero enter.

Setting her paper aside, she rose. "Heero! What a surprise seeing you're here. I thought you would be with Duo, considering you have rarely left his side since you were hired."

"I was hired to be his assistant. My duty was to be near him," Heero replied. "However, due to unforeseen circumstances, I am unable to continue my employment here."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Heero. We enjoyed your company, however silent it was."

Relena giggled at her quip as Heero remained silent and unmoving. He drew forth a sheet a paper, a quickly scribbled note on it.

"Could you give this to Duo for me?" he asked. "I've already given my resignation papers to the head of officials. This one is for Duo. I realize he's with Quatre at the moment and I don't have the time to seek him out."

"I understand. I'll be sure he gets this. And thank you, Heero. For your commitment. I hope you the best, wherever you shall go."

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Quatre shrieked as Duo tackled him to the ground, rolling until Quatre was pinned down and straddled by the triumphant boy.

"Score!" Duo crowed, fists in the air as he laughed maniacally.

Quatre, caught between laughter and gasps, struggled beneath his friend. "Duo!" he wheezed. "Get off me!"

Grinning, Duo propped his hands on his hips. "Nah. Don't think so. This is the perfect position to . . . " a devilish sparkle lit Duo's violet eyes " . . . tickle you!" he screamed, his fingers dancing across Quatre's chest.

Flag football forgotten for a moment, the two boys rolled around in the grass, shrieking and squealing as one struggled to get away. All anyone could make out was a tangle of arms and legs with a splash of chestnut and pale blonde.

A half a dozen or so security littered the small park clearing, each stripped down to shorts and t-shirt, a brightly colored slash hanging out of their waistbands. Each grinned at the boys, used to their erratic behaviors.

"Duo, please!" Quatre cried out, his sides stitching from so much laughter.

"Say uncle! Say uncle!"

"Uncle! Uncle!"

"Say Duo Maxwell is the bomb! He's the best in the whole wide world! I couldn't live or breathe without having Duo Maxwell as my best friend!"

A breathless squeal was his only reply. Giving in, Duo stopped. Aquamarine and violet eyes peered up at each other, both flushed and breathless. With one last tickle, Duo scrambled off Quatre, holding out a hand to help him up.

Quatre brushed off his pants as he tried to catch his breath. "I hate you!" he exclaimed with a chuckle.

Brushing back his wavy bangs, Duo grinned at his best friend. "Sure sure. I hate myself too. In fact, I hate myself so much - oof!"

Quatre's mouth opened to scream as, out of nowhere, a hideous monster tackled Duo, ripping the braided boy away from Quatre. He stumbled back, collided with an immovable wall of muscle. Thinking it was one of the bodyguards, he reached out and jerked on the arm.

"Hurry! Save him!"

A low growl rumbled in the air. Freezing, Quatre looked up in horror as a disfigured creature revealed jagged rotten teeth to him. He screamed in terror as he staggered backwards.

Meanwhile, Duo once again was rolling around in the grass. This time, it wasn't in all fun and games. He briefly wondered on the whereabouts of the security detail, but it was quickly shoved aside for more important matters. Like keeping this guy from ripping out his throat.

Duo managed to wedge a knee between him and his attacker. With a hefty shove, he threw the fiend off him, allowing him time to scramble to his feet and draw out a wickedly long Bowie knife he kept strapped to his calf. Holding it with the blunt edge of the blade pressed parallel and against his arm, he lashed out, the cutting edge raking across the monster's face. He dropped to the ground, kicking his leg out and spinning. As the creature fell heavily, Duo sank the blade into its heart and twisting before jerking the weapon out and slashing its neck. He jumped up, only to crash into the other offender as he smashed into him from behind.

As Duo looked up, he saw the pale, unmoving figure of his best friend lying on the ground. Red misted over his eyes as an unholy rage descended on him. With a howl, he threw the assailant off him, rolling to his feet in one smooth motion.

"Sir, get down!"

Duo reacted instantly, dropping to the ground as gunfire erupted over him. He saw the body of the enemy jerk back and forth and bullets riddled his body. And, just like the carnival, he still stood, a grotesque sneer plastered on his face after the smoke cleared. With a snarl worthy of any beast, Duo launched himself forward, knife gleaming in the pale moonlight. The zombie jumped back to avoid his attack, swinging his own claws at Duo for defense.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, a blur shot forward from the surrounding trees. Thinking it was another attacker, Duo leaped away. Instead, the blur collided with the monster, the two bodies skidding across the ground in a trail of dirt and grass. When the dust cleared, Duo watched as a figure detangled himself from the unmoving body on the ground. Cinnamon colored hair swept to one side hid half the face of the individual, one bright jungle green eye gazing steadily at him. Tall and lanky, but with a dancer's physique and muscle tone. He slowly raised his arms to the side, revealing he had no weapons.

"I won't harm you," he said. "I'm a friend."

Duo snorted, Bowie knife gripped in his hand.

The person's lips twisted, as if he was fighting back a smile. "I speak the truth. I'm a friend. I work with Yuy."

Surprise filtered through Duo has he slowly lowered his weapon. A groan sounded behind him. Without a second glance, Duo skittered to a stop beside of Quatre as he struggled to sit up. "Quatre!" he exclaimed, arms held out to help him.

Only to be shoved aside by the stranger who had come to his rescue.

"Easy, little one," he said softly, one arm around Quatre's back for him to lean on. The other quickly skimmed over the blonde's body to check for any broken bones.

Sputtering, Duo glared at the young man. "Just who the hell are you?!" he demanded.

"My name is Trowa Barton. Heero Yuy is a friend of mine."

"Yeah, so? What are you doing spying on us?"

"Heero expressed a concern regarding you and your friends. I am merely doing what he wanted me to do, and that is to keep an eye on you two."

"Just who's the boss around here, anyway?" Duo muttered under his breath.

Quatre groaned again, hand flying up to cradle his head. "Duo?" he called out, his eyes clenched shut.

"Right here, buddy. How are you doing?"

"Like someone smashed my head in with a club. What happened?"

"Assailant, pal. Two wackos thought they could get away with running off with you."

Falling back into the arms that held him, Quatre mumbled, "I don't care. I just want some painkillers and a comfortable bed."

Trowa glanced up at Duo as he motioned forward his guards. "Duo," Trowa spoke, "Take Quatre to a car and head back to the hotel. I'll handle everything here."

"Good idea. If Yuy trusts you, I suppose I can too. Alright, Q-ball, we're going back to the hotel."

Trowa watched the two figures stumble across the small clearing, disappearing from sight as they walked down the paved road to an awaiting car. He turned his attention back to the six or so men awaiting orders. He captured their minds easily, planted false memories once again before setting them off in the direction of the hotel. He'll deal with Duo later, but for right now he had two dead zombies to get rid off. And a very irate Heero when he reported this to his friend.

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"Why is it you and Trowa get all the action and I don't?" Wufei mused as he leaned against the wall of Heero's hotel room.

Heero paid no attention to Wufei, he was too busy battling his own demons.

~Duo and Quatre were attacked!~ he fumed to himself. ~And I wasn't there to protect him! I was too busy resigning!~

Luckily, Heero managed to retrieve his resignation papers and erase the meeting with the head of officials. He ripped up Duo's copy as well after sneaking into Relena's room. He clenched his fist until his nails dug into his palm, blood beginning to drip onto the floor. On the table beside the bed, a light bulb shattered.

Ignoring the broken glass, Trowa said, "At least we know Heero's feelings was correct. Something is making vampires target this group of three. First it was Relena. Now Duo."

Heero's head snapped up. "What do you mean?" he demanded. "You said Quatre was attacked."

"Yes, I did. However, it appears to me Quatre was only attacked to be silenced. After he was knocked out, the other creature turned his attention to Duo. He was the real target in this attack."

Heero hissed as Wufei contemplated. "But why?" he questioned. "Duo is a male. He couldn't be the lifemate of a male Carpathian. Perhaps he has some other kind of power that draws attention."

"I've been thinking," Trowa put in, "of what Heero had said earlier. Remember when I erased the memory of the attack on the carnival? Heero said Duo was acting as if he didn't believe any of it. What if Duo was able to withstand mental compulsion. It would explain his behavior."

"But why wouldn't he step forward?"

"One man stating there was a vampire at a carnival compared to hundreds of eyewitnesses saying it was the work of a deranged terrorist?"

"Very well then. If Duo can withstand mental coercion, that doesn't explain why he's so special to a vampire. Vampires seek out the innocent to command and control. Why would they want someone who they couldn't force obedience upon?"

"It doesn't matter at this point," Heero interrupted. "What matters is protecting them against further attacks. Wufei, you job is to watch over Relena. Trowa, you guard Quatre. I'll protect Duo in the mean time."

"Why do you get to protect the braided boy? Why can't I?" Wufei teased.

Heero hissed, his eyes narrowed at the asian boy. Overhead, the light shattered, plunging the room into darkness.

. . . TBC . . .