Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eternal Promises ❯ Part 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer : I've never claimed to own Gundam Wing, or it's affiliated characters, so you can't sue me for that. I'm mearly borrowing them for my entertainment, and shall return them upon compleation of this fic, . . . perhaps ^_^. I do however stake claim to all original characters I happen to throw in here, and to this particular story.

Eternal Promises

By Eden

Part 10

Ekin stared blankly out the window, eyes not focusing on any of the scenery that quickly flashed by as they drove. From the look on him face, one could easily assume that he was board, even tired of the tedium involved in driving and the lack of activity.

Reiko leaned towards his younger employer and tapped him on the shoulder. "Is there anything the matter, boss?"

The blond man turned towards him, an amused smile playing on his lips. "And what would be the matter my friend?"

Sitting back against the soft leather of the limo's seats, the larger man shrugged. "Nothing I suppose. You just looked like you had something on your mind. I thought that it might have something to do with Ms. Darlian."

"And why would you think that?" Ekin closed his eyes in a slow blink.

"Why?" It was Reiko's turn to smile. "Did you think I missed those looks you kept giving her while she was sleeping beside you on the seat?"

"Those were merely looks of curiosity."

Reiko couldn't help but give his employer a hard time about the young female politician they had kidnapped and then returned home. She was very beautiful after all, and had obviously stricken the young man's fancy, no matter how he tried to deny it. "That was more than curiosity in your eyes. If I'm not mistaken, I could swear that you were showing an interest in her."

He watched as the smile spread completely across Ekin's lips. "Even if I was showing an interest in the Vice Foreign Minister, it shouldn't be that unbelievable. She is a very beautiful young woman who is also very intelligent and unafraid to speak her mind."

"That's true." An impression of how the younger man had enjoyed his brief exchange with the politician the previous day crossed Reiko's mind. Even in the strange predicament she had managed to hold her own against Ekin and had done so in a way that made both of the men respect her power.

A hint of malice had come into the blond man's eyes, and Reiko noticed it only once he looked up to acknowledge him speaking.

"That's why she has so many admirers, and that's why she was the perfect person to use. She is the one person who can draw out my quarry." The malice had turned into something like hunger.

"You may have ruined everything by telling her your name though. You realize that, don't you? Everything was so well planned out, the right amount of information to tell her and the kidnapping, and how to finally send her back. All of those months of careful planning could be worth nothing now if she remembers." He shook his head.

Ekin waved his hand dismissively. "You worry too much, dear friend. The sedative had too firm a hold on her by that time for her to remember my name, and even if she does remember, it won't matter because it will be too late."

"That's assuming things run as smoothly as they have been so far."

"They have no reason to do otherwise." He had taken up his earlier position of his arms crossed across his chest while staring blankly out the window.

"I think your underestimating the capabilities of all those involved."

"On the contrary, if they figure out what's going on, all the better. My plan will unfold sooner than I expected."

Reiko thought he saw a wistful expression cross his employers face as he asked, "How can you be so sure of what to expect?"

Another smile came up and curled the corner of Ekin's lips. "Because I understand the way they think."

Without being able to do anything but shake his head and sigh as the scenery outside the window continued to flash by.

After confirming the door was locked with firs a check of the handle that wouldn't budge, and a shove of his arm, Heero stepped back. With a sudden surge of power, he planted his foot firmly by the handle and forcefully broke the latch. Cautiously he stepped forward into the building, his gun pointed in front of him as he scanned the room. As he moved in farther he heard someone come up behind him and Zecks' voice demanding answers.

"Status."

He finished checking the room but didn't turn to look at the other pilots now coming in. "This one is clear. I'm going to check the corridor to the right."

"Right behind you buddy." Duo spoke coming up on his left side.

Heero managed a nod and a grunt of acknowledgment before heading off towards the darkened corridor. As he went, he noticed that his body was making all the right moves without him having to think much about the right way to proceed. It seemed as though he hadn't left this way of life completely behind him after all.

He and Duo moved through the hallway stealthy and alert for anything that could be a potential danger. They checked every doorway and corner for any sign of the kidnappers or Relena. When they saw that the hallway branched off in another direction, they silently agreed to split up. Duo continued to go along the same hallway, while Heero investigated the new direction.

Taking more care now that he was on his own, Heero pushed open the first door that he came to, his gun trained on the interior. It seemed empty, and further inspection only proved his first observation. Where could she be? He was beginning to feel anxious; there wasn't a single guard or trace of Relena yet. What were these kidnappers trying to pull?

Coming upon the next door, he tried it with his hand and found it was locked. Determination boiled in his veins as he used his shoulder to force open the small wooden door. It gave easily under his weight, and he fell into the room with his gun drawn, and eyes quickly assessing the surroundings. There were no enemies here; there was only a slender figure fast asleep on a blanket that had been spread out on the floor.

Cautiously he approached her, looking behind himself for anyone who might try to surprise him. When he was beside her form he knelt down and shook her shoulder, watching her face for any reaction. When she continued to sleep without stirring, he tried again, this time a little harder.

Her violet eyes remained closed; her sandy eyelashes fanned out against her cheeks that seemed to be unnaturally flushed from the sleeping drugs they must've given her. He put the back of his hand against her forehead and checked her temperature. She was a little warm but nothing he needed to worry about yet.

"Relena," Heero breathed her name in relief. His initial check of her had revealed no bruises or scratches, but he would make sure that Sally did a complete check of her once they got her back to the Sank Kingdom.

Taking another look down at Relena's peaceful face, he brushed a finger across her forehead and pushed away a stray strand of hair. She didn't move, or seem to notice in her deep sleep. It was strange, but seeing Relena like this, so relaxed and peaceful, was almost enough to make him forget where they were. He could almost slip into a daze doing nothing but watching her until she woke up. Suddenly he shook his head to rid himself of the thought. Of course they couldn't stay were they were, there was no telling who was lurking around this place even though they hadn't found anyone yet.

After taking a moment to assess the situation again, and deciding on the best plan of action, he tucked his gun back into the pocket on his vest while he leaned down lower towards Relena. Carefully he put one arm under the crook of her knees and with the other, cradled her body against his chest. As he stood up, he noticed how light she was and how easily she rested against him. Looking down at her face, he saw a content look move across her lips.

There was nothing more Heero wanted to do then look down and loose himself in her face, but not now. There would be time enough later on when there was no risk of being found or caught by the enemy.

"Let's get you home, Relena." He spoke to the sleeping girl as he turned towards the door.

As he looked out the doorway, carefully leaning forward to look around the corner, he saw Duo dart around the corner towards him. Heero allowed the braided pilot to see where he was standing with his charge.

"So you found her." Duo strolled over once he saw the hallway was secure. He tapped the radio that was strapped to Heero's chest once he was close enough. "If you would've had your radio on you would've heard that the rest of the building is secure. It seems that the kidnappers were true to their word, and kept this strictly a drop off."

"I see." Heero narrowed his eyes. "Well then all that we can do right now is get Relena back to the mansion. We can all talk more there, and it will give Sally a chance to look her over." He shifted the bundle in his arms slightly.

Duo nodded. "Good idea."

They made their way back to the large front room of the warehouse where everyone was waiting. Upon hearing the two of them approach they looked up and allowed an obviously concerned Zecks to move through them. Once he was standing in front of Relena, Heero stopped walking and allowed him to place a hand on his sisters' cheek.

"Drug induced?" He asked Heero without looking up.

"Most likely."

He moved to feel her forehead. "She's a little warm."

"A slight fever caused by the drug induced sleep. I'm going to have Sally check her out fully once we get back to the mansion."

"Hum." The older man's lips tightened. "Let's go."

Without another word he turned and stalked out the door. Heero followed, his eyes narrowed with his purpose.

Quatre came up beside him and matched his pace as they moved towards the van. "How is she?"

"Other than the fever, fine as far as I can tell. There are no marks on her from what I can tell, and her sleep seems peaceful enough. The kidnappers seemed to have stayed true to their word so far."

The blond man sighed and seemed to relax a little as he snuck a glance down at the young woman. Heero caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Hn." Unlike some of his teammates, he wasn't about to trust these kidnappers just yet. He shared Zecks' sentiments about being cautious and prepared for anything they may get thrown at them. For all they knew, Relena could be poisoned or worse. Without realizing it he held the sleeping girl closer.

As they reached the van they had come in, he stopped and contemplated what they were going to do with Relena. There wasn't enough room for her to lie down, so after a moment he decided to put her sitting up. As gently as he could, he placed her on the middle seat by the window where Duo had been sitting earlier, and pulled the seat belt around her. Once he had sat down beside her and done up his own seat belt his eyes wandered over to look at her face again.

Her expression hadn't changed, she still looked content to be sleeping, with her hair falling across her forehead in a honey colored fan. As he watched, her head began to slide down to rest on her chest in an uncomfortable looking angle. He knew that they had quite a long drive ahead of them and that if she stayed that way for the whole trip she wouldn't be able to move her neck when she woke up.

He hesitated for a moment before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, and made sure her head was rested on his shoulders. Relena seemed to let out a gentle sigh though still deep asleep.

When he forced himself to look away he caught Zecks' eye in the review mirror. The older man, who had always been protective of the younger sister he barely knew, and who had fought ruthlessly with Heero during the war, had a strange trust of the two together. Heero could see it in his eyes as plain as day. It was as if he knew Heero would protect her the same way he would.

Understanding the mans look, Heero turned his eyes downwards a bit to see that the honey head had moved down a little off his shoulder, and was resting on his chest. She had begun to sag in her seat, and her body was in what looked like an uncomfortable angle. Without thinking twice he tightened his grip on her shoulders and brought her body closer to his.

He saw the knowing look in Zecks' eye and didn't know why until he realized what he had just done. Heero couldn't remember being openly affectionate with anyone before now, and he was surprised he had done anything this time without even realizing it. Of course now was not the time to be denying his actions, not after everything that had happened.

Hardening his mouth into a hard line, he looked up again at Zecks and gave his head a stiff nod. There was no way he was gong to let anything happen to Relena, and he would never again bring himself to think of her the same way as when they first met. The older man seemed to understand the meaning of his look and smiled.

Wufei had started driving, and was maneuvering the large van back onto the road going back to the Belgium airport. As they drove Heero could hear Duo making choking noises in the back seat, obviously frustrated that Quatre was making sure he didn't say anything. The normally stony faced young man was finding it increasingly difficult to suppress a smile at the thought of the talkative American being forced to be quiet. Well better Quatre then him.

Allowing a sigh to escape his lips Heero leaned back against the seat. With his eyes closed he allowed the movement of the vehicle to slowly relax his tense muscles and clear all the thoughts that were giving him stress. It wouldn't be long until they made it to the airport and got on the plane back to Sank Kingdom. He knew that he would be more at ease once Relena was safely in her home and surrounded by Preventers. Of course, after what happened the first time, he didn't completely trust them either. That was why he was going to take personal responsibility to make sure she wasn't left alone for any length of time, and that the people she was with were trust worthy. He wasn't about to have a repeat of this rescue mission if the kidnappers suddenly decided that their orders or directions hadn't been followed the way they thought they should be.

Absently, Heero hugged Relena's shoulders tighter as he thought about someone trying to take her away again. Resolve washed through him like ice water as he promised himself that he wouldn't allow it to happen again.

`I will protect you.'

Reiko stood back against the wall as he watched Ekin stair out the large windows behind his desk. It was the same routine every evening since they had taken up residence in this new base. Ekin would sit there in his chair and watch the sky set on fire by the fleeting rays of the setting sun.

Sometimes he would sit there without saying anything and just stair out the window, while other times they would have conversations about things like the plans he had after they had kidnapped the Vice Foreign Minister. They had discussed so many plans during this time that Reiko had almost began to think of this time as a sort of personal meeting with just the two of them.

As he watched the young man's hair take on the orange glow from the light coming through the window, he thought about his reaction earlier to questions about Ms. Darlian. He hadn't come right out and denied any interest in the young woman, but he had stated a good point about what an unreachable woman she was. She did have multitudes of admirers and was constantly surrounded by security teams who never let anyone within reaching distance of her. That was why she had been able to catch Ekin's attention to easily. The rare chance to see Relena Darlian in true form without the added intimidation of her bodyguards.

A small smile had come across the young man's face as he continued to watch the sun sink lower into the horizon.

"What do you find so amusing?" Reiko crossed his arms across his chest as he watched his employer.

He didn't answer for a long moment, and just continued to stair out across the landscape. When he did finally speak, his voice seemed detached somehow.

"I watch this sun set every evening, and each time it seems a little different. The scattered clouds might change the way the colors go across the sky, or a storm either in the morning or evening, could make things look either more red or more purple."

"That's to be expected because the world is constantly changing, things are never the same from one moment to the next."

"I understand that very well. The point I was trying to make was that everyday I enjoy seeing the changes that happen, but for some reason today I am not able to pay attention to the changes in the sky." He had brought his fingers up in a steeple before his eyes.

The situation was just too amusing, and Reiko couldn't contain the low chuckle that came from his chest. "It would seem that you have other matters on your mind which are preventing you from enjoying the sunset. Perhaps if you quit denying your feelings to yourself, you would be able to concentrate again."

Ekin's smile turned thoughtful as he tapped his fingers together. "You may be right. I should quit denying my feelings and begin to use this situation to my advantage."

"And how are you planning on doing that, Sir?"

"I'll just proceed with the plan we have and then if I meet with any resistance, I will use what they most care about against them. The best thing about this new part of my plan is that there won't be anything him or his little friends can do to stop me once I have captured the Vice Foreign Minister and her heart throb."

It was Reiko's turn to be thoughtful. His employer seemed elated at the prospect of this new plan he had come up with, and he doubted that anything would persuade him to abandon it now. He knew what the young man's plans were, it wasn't hard to read someone he had been with for so many years, and he knew that no one involved would be getting off easily.

"Are you sure it's going to work the way you want it to?"

"Don't worry about that my friend, everything will go according to my plan. I told you earlier that I know the way they think, I can plan for any response they might give me." Ekin tilted his head to the side a bit and seemed to be contemplated something. After a moment he turned and looked up. "The only one who I can't completely prepare for is Relena Darlian. The manner in which she handled herself here was, although pleasant, a shock. I would've pictured her being more docile and passive then she was. I had no idea what she would be capable of if she was suddenly threatened."

Reiko cocked an eyebrow. "So she's your wild card?"

"Precisely."

"And how are you going to control her then?"

A grin spread across his lips. "I'm going to leave her without a choice. She will be forced to do whatever I ask of her, which will be no small favor."

"Is this really what you want to do?"

"Oh yes." An almost primal look passed over his eyes. "I've had enough years of pain to be sure of anything."