Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eyes Cold As Death ❯ Eleven ( Chapter 11 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Eyes Cold As Death

Chapter Eleven -- The Storm Approaches

"I don't know if this is a good idea." Trowa shook his head at the remote sitting on Heero's desk.

"Why not?" Duo asked, trying to challenge Trowa into a verbal duel. "You don't think he can handle it?" Trowa rubbed his forehead.

"No, this isn't about Quatre. This is about the Gundams." Trowa raised his eyes to meet Duo's. "Aren't they supposed to be secret?" Duo laughed.

"We've already fought with the Gundams several times, Trowa." Heero began. "You fought in Heavyarms before you left. Remember?" Trowa squeezed his eyebrows together for a moment before his eyes widened in remembrance.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. It was just so stressful and. . ." Wufei placed a hand on Trowa's back.

"We understand. No need to explain."

"So we just waltz out to our Gundams and go play?" Duo grinned and nodded.

"I get first shot at Quatre!" An indignant snort came from the corner of the cramped office.

"What am I doing again?" Quatre asked, looking all too comfortable in all black and a baseball cap.

"You get to fight us, Quat! Re-learn how to pilot a Gundam." Duo plopped down on the couch beside Quatre and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. Quatre didn't tense up anymore with Duo's touch. He had grown used to it. Duo couldn't help the relieved smile that spread across his face. Quatre turned to face him.

"And I want to do this why?" Duo rolled his eyes as Heero answered.

"You may be called upon as a reserve pilot to fight the Eagle Squadron. This is the best way we could think of to train you." They had all decided to reason this test as a training procedure rather than a ploy to get Quatre's memories back for several reasons. One, Quatre had become rather edgy when his lost memories were brought up. He had confided in Duo that it was because he was afraid they wouldn't ever come back and he would be disappointing everybody. Duo had tried to calm him down and reassure him that it didn't matter if his memories came back or not, he still loved him and that was all that mattered, and he could vouch for the others, too. The second reason was that it looked better on paper when presented to Lady Une. She had even liked their disguise idea. Duo picked at his baggie blue jeans in disgust of his disguise as Heero. He shrugged mentally and returned to the present.

"Okay, I like that idea. When do we begin?" Duo had to laugh at Quatre's restrained excitement at kicking some major ass.

"As soon as we can get mister moody over there," Duo tossed his thumb over his shoulder at Trowa, "to stop asking pointless questions and let us go." Duo winked at Trowa, silently telling him that he was just picking on him.

"Alright," Trowa threw up his hands in mock surrender and backed toward the door. "Let's get going." As Duo stood up, Trowa threw a pen at him. "I'm anxious to pilot Heavyarms again, too." Duo pouted and threw the pen back, missing Trowa entirely and hitting Wufei in the back of the head. Wufei just stopped, shook his head and moved out of the office. Trowa laughed and followed. Duo breathed a sigh of relief and hooked his arm through Quatre's and led them out of the office. Heero was going to remain behind to monitor Quatre's progress by remote and shut ZERO down if anything bad were to happen. They were not looking for a repeat of AC195 by any means.

"Heero, I want to pilot ZERO, can I pilot ZERO, please?" Quatre began tugging on Duo's arm as they neared the hanger where the Gundams lay in waiting. Duo had filled Quatre in on the disguises and told Quatre to act like him. They needed a plausible excuse for the so-called Duo to be piloting ZERO.

"You can't handle ZERO." Quatre pouted and pressed him again.

"I can too handle it, you're just afraid of Deathscythe." Duo passed Quatre a look of disdain.

"Believe me, I can handle your piddly Gundam."

"No you can't, or you'd let me pilot ZERO."

"Fine, Duo, pilot ZERO. I'll laugh at your ineptness." Duo stated in monotone. Wufei looked over his shoulder.

"What's wrong with you Heero, you never give into Duo's pleas." Trowa laughed beside him.

"Its because they're in love, Wufei. Heero's become Duo's housecat." Duo choked.

"I don't think so, Barton. I'm not trained." Wufei just snickered. Quatre looked smug, and Duo hoped that Heero didn't hear that part of the conversation. Heero might kill him later for even letting the other guys get away with that. "I'll get you later for this." That just threw the others into hysterics.

"Yup, definitely sounding more and more like Duo everyday." Wufei tossed behind him. Duo just fumed in hopes that he wouldn't laugh with them. It was hard acting like Heero, and he was pretty positive that he wasn't doing a very good job of it. He was all too close to letting a bubble of laughter slip past his lips, so he tried stewing in more anger. A snicker fell out of his mouth. He clamped his lips tighter together, but that only served in letting more snippets of laughter through. In no time at all, he was howling with laughter with the rest of his friends.

______________________________

Jezebel watched as the four pilots climbed into their Gundams. She decided to tap into their communications as they went about their combat training. She leaned forward, her nose centimeters from the screen. There was something odd, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. She didn't like the fact that Heero and Duo had traded Gundams, but after witnessing their banter en route, she let it go. It was rather obvious; after all, that Heero and Duo were together, and it made sense that Heero would be more apt to go along with Duo harebrained ideas. She watched the Gundams lumber out of their hangers.

A soft chime sounded and she quickly answered the page. It was Colonel Satavich. She activated her end of the transmission.

"Yes." The Colonel cleared his throat.

"The Node bases are completely operational. We should be able to turnover in a day once the Dolls get here." Jezebel nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good, Colonel. I will be making a trip in the next few days to wrap up any loose ends before returning to Preventer HQ. Here I will try to dismantle any long-range sensors they have, the less warning they have, the better. Is there anything else?"

"Do you have a definite ETA for the Dolls?"

"They are ahead of schedule. They should be here in five days." The Colonel saluted and signed off. Jezebel stared at the blank screen.

"Damnit, Duo! This is now personal!" Static blared from the speakers as interference cut through the transmission. Jezebel swore viciously under her breath. She hadn't thought to record the transmissions from the Gundams, so she had just lost several minutes worth of information.

"Heero, leave Duo alone, you don't need to unleash all of Deathscythe's power on ZERO, you know."

"Shut up, Fei! I'm busy!" Jezebel shook her head. She had to agree with Wufei's statement earlier: Heero was definitely acting more like Duo every day. She turned around to face her computer and brought up the last file she had been reading.

In defense of the Free World, I propose this action. The UN needs to open its eyes and see this imminent threat against, not only the US, but also the rest of the world. If these terrorists are not stopped, how are we supposed to live? These transgressions of irrefutable violence need to end here and now. My so-called Crusade against Iraq failed, yes, but it failed because the UN did not back me up. I beg you now to help us, help end this era of terror. How many more cities need to be destroyed by nuclear weapons before we make a stand? How many more Los Angeles' and Chicago's need to be quarantined before we fight back? How many more Denver's and Boston's need to be left in ruins before we defend ourselves? When will you stand up and fight this evil? When London is a battlefield? When Moscow is nothing but a wasteland? When Beijing is in nuclear winter? I ask you--no, I beg of you to stand with me and fight Hussein.

I propose this action. I propose that we cryogenically freeze a special ops unit from NATO, programmed to unfreeze in ten years. If our crusade against Iraq fails, then we have hope still. This technology is new, true, but I feel that it is our last hope. Give these special ops troops all of the weapons they will need, give them the instructions that unless a friendly face greets them when they wake up, then they are to destroy the government at all costs. We will not let our children grow up under Hussein's rule. We will not let our children suffer what the innocent Iraqis have suffered. We will not fall without a fight.

Give your support; help us rid the Earth of this indescribable evil. Aren't eight nuclear explosions enough? Can't we begin to live in peace? I leave this decision in your capable hands. Members of the UN, I thank you for your time.

Jezebel smiled into her steepled hands. Her unit was in the process of completing their mission orders. The children would no longer live under Hussein's influence, even if it had been over two hundred and twenty years. She would make sure that NATO's last orders to her and her unit were carried out to the letter.

______________________________

Quatre banked hard to the left, barely missing the sweeping arc of Deathscythe's thermal blade. He grunted as the motion pressed him into the armrest. Shit, he would probably have a bruise there. He turned and blocked the next sweep of the giant scythe with his sword. He gritted his teeth, straining against the friction that threatened to push him away from Deathscythe…

Cold began to seep over him, everything became brighter, and everything happened slowly. He could track the movements of Heavyarms…no, his enemy, from the corner of his eye. He calmly turned and swept aside the attack with ease. The black suit turned back to him again, raising the thermal scythe, Quatre spun out of the way. He felt the scythe grind into the ground.

"ZERO's taken over. Move with caution." Heero's voice filtered over the speakers. Grunts of acknowledgement followed swiftly. Quatre grinned at his enemies; they were so kind to look after him. He laughed heartily.

"Yo, you okay man?" Duo's voice sounded clearly and Quatre nodded and spun around to face Heavyarms.

"Perfect." Quatre dodged the knife attack and tried to trip the massive Gundam, but Deathscythe rammed his suit. Quatre braced for impact, and his sabre dropped as ZERO impacted with the ground. He was defenseless in this exercise. Using the powerful cannons or the dual buster rifles were not an option in this mock battle. He could easily take out half of the city, which is precisely why Trowa wasn't using any of his firepower. He sagged a little in his seat, preparing to use his thrusters to slide him from under Deathscythe. A small beep caught his attention and he turned to examine the data pouring in. A bogie, one that was not associated with the Preventers. Quatre looked around at the other Gundams towering over him. Even in the communications that passed between them, it was apparent that no one else had noticed the bogie. It was then that he noticed the drain on the communications--someone was tapping into their channel. Quatre's eyebrows lowered and he fingered the switch that would give him the boost needed to dump Deathscythe. He tensed up and flipped the switch. A heartbeat later, a deafening roar shook ZERO and soon he had left Deathscythe laying stunned in the dust.

"Fuck!" Duo cried in surprise. Quatre didn't answer. Instead, he turned toward the bogie and fired up his engines, throwing himself at the unknown enemy. He flipped the three switches that would change ZERO into bird-mode. He blasted off, leaving his friends in his wake. He felt, rather than saw; Deathscythe and Altron follow him. He ignored the repeated questions, not wanting to say anything to alert the bogie of his knowledge. As he drew closer, he scanned for any commercial markings. Perhaps it was a shuttle, but his scan proved that the bogie was marked. Quatre's eyes narrowed even further as the markings were displayed on his screen. His blood ran cold as the outstretched wings of the bald eagle imprinted themselves in his mind. It was the symbol of the Eagle Squadron. It was them, the same bastards that had hunted him for three years. It was the enemy.

Everything disappeared around him as his entire being focused on the bogie. Useless information shed itself from his mind as he began calculating his attack.

"Where's he going?" Wufei's voice asked over the comm. Quatre's lips pulled back into a snarl.

"Shut up." He hissed coldly through clenched teeth. They would alert the enemy if they continued to talk. But how could he let them know without taking them out? He had no choice; he would just have to plan for the enemy's knowledge of him.

"Heero? What are you reading?" Trowa's voice sounded worried, and Quatre wanted to ease his pain, but he couldn't at the risk of their lives. He had to take care of this enemy before he destroyed the city. He scanned the bogie once more as he approached it, noting all of the weaponry stocked and loaded in the plane's arsenal. This was one motherfucking-loaded plane. He slipped out of bird-mode and drew out the buster rifle and took aim as he hurtled through the air to his target. There couldn't be any failure.

"Must not fail." His whisper went unnoticed by him as he locked on to his target. "Target locked." His voice sounded far away as his targeting systems flashed red. He pulled back on the firing controls as one of the other pilots cried out for him to stop. He raced through the resulting explosion, scanning for any other missed bogies. He would stop them, all of them. The Eagle Squadron would cease to exist.

"Heero! Shut him down!" Duo's voice was loud in his ears and he rounded on the approaching suit. He aimed his gun at the Deathscythe with a cold and calculating glare. He could see Deathscythe explode, the fiery bits raining down on the landscape below. He narrowed his eyes.

"The enemy has been destroyed." He announced before powering down the rifle and turning toward the hangers. He could almost see his friends exchanging glances with one another. All he knew for sure was that they followed him, questions swallowed for later.

He powered ZERO down and patted the console before opening the hatch.

"You are a good suit, but you're not mine. I want mine." Quatre shrugged and adjusted his baseball cap before climbing out of the Gundam and to the scaffolding below him. He was greeted with Duo's flying form and he braced for the inevitable impact, the effects of the ZERO system still lingering.

"What the fuck was that about?" Duo's voice was rough, probably from the effort of not shouting. Quatre gazed at him dispassionately.

"Our communications had been tapped, and that was an Eagle Squadron plane. It was carrying a shit-load of weapons. I just prevented it from getting to its destination." Quatre slowly shrugged Duo's hands off. Duo just looked at him at him with a fish-out-of-water expression. Wufei and Trowa approached with more caution. "I don't think we should talk about this here." With that said, Quatre turned and headed back down the hall toward Heero's office.

"Christ!" Duo moaned.

Once they were all sitting in Heero's office Duo piped up again, berating Quatre for not letting them know what he had been doing.

"We were afraid, Quatre! We didn't know if the ZERO system had taken over your brain again or not!" Quatre continued to stare at a spot on the wall.

"Duo, let him explain." Wufei's calm voice spoke, apparently soothing Duo. Duo fell onto the couch, causing Quatre to bounce a bit.

"I didn't read anything abnormal--yes, the ZERO system did take over, but he still retained knowledge of who his friends were. He didn't loose control."

"Thanks, Heero. That makes me feel so much better." Duo replied sarcastically.

"Enough!" Quatre snapped. "This is absurd. What did you expect me to do? Our communications were being tapped!" Quatre narrowed his eyes at Duo. Duo raked a shaking hand through his bangs.

"I was just worried. When you wouldn't answer, I thought that ZERO had taken over you mind. It does that."

"Then why let me pilot a suit that potentially dangerous?" Duo's shoulders sagged.

"Because we wanted you to learn. We felt that you would learn best this way." Trowa offered. Quatre glanced up at him, noticing his pale complexion.

"You were worried." It was a statement. Trowa nodded. Quatre's lips twitched into a faint smile at which Trowa visibly relaxed.

"I was at the remote so I could shut ZERO down if anything happened. There wasn't any harm or danger involved." Heero spoke softy. Duo put his arm around him.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you anyway, Brother." Quatre nodded his head. Duo couldn't, not unless he wanted to betray the most solemn of vows.

"I know, Brother." Quatre leaned his head on Duo's shoulder, suddenly wanting to be held. Duo's arm flexed and drew Quatre closer. "It was the Eagle Squadron. I ran a check and the drain on communications was not a Preventer signal. It was coming from HQ, though. I know that you have a mole, so I acted like I thought best."

"Acting on your instincts is a good thing, Quatre." Wufei pointed out. "It was wise." Quatre nodded at his other Brother and closed his eyes.

"I'm tired." He could feel Duo's head nod in agreement.

"Trowa'll take you home."

"Thanks." Quatre slowly stood up and moved to where Trowa was leaning against the wall.

"I hate you." Duo's voice was soft and wistful.

"I hate you more." Quatre responded by instinct. Duo jumped up.

"You remember!" Quatre looked at him quizzically.

"Remember what?" Duo's face fell.

"We used to say that to each other. I thought that you had remembered." Quatre sadly shook his head, keeping his gaze to the knotted carpet.

"I'm sorry." He felt Duo approach him. He refrained from looking up. Duo's hand lightly grasped his chin and gently raised his head so he was forced to look into Duo's eyes.

"Don't be sorry, Quatre. I'll just teach it to you. But don't ever be sorry." Quatre's lips twitched into a small smile.

"I hate you."

"I hate you more." Quatre searched Duo's eyes for what was supposed to come next, but he couldn't remember. His mind was blank. The silence grew. Duo laughed and flung his arms around Quatre's shoulders. "Ha!" Quatre couldn't resist the full smile that stretched his lips. Duo wrinkled his nose at him. "I'll teach it to you tomorrow, if you want. Pick me up for lunch?" Quatre nodded and hugged Duo.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Duo released him and addressed Trowa.

"Take him home, mister. If I find you didn't, I'll be forced to torture you." Trowa laughed and pushed away from the wall. Quatre waved at Wufei and Heero.

"See you tomorrow, Duo. Heero, Wufei." Trowa turned and followed Quatre out of the cramped office. Quatre stepped closer to Trowa as they walked toward the stairwell. "Did you want to stop and get food?" Quatre turned a scrutinizing gaze on Trowa. He decided that Trowa hadn't changed at all, and was still trustworthy.

"Yeah." He reached for Trowa's hand as they stepped out of HQ and into the dying sunlight. Trowa's fingers clasped loosely around his fingers and suddenly he felt whole. "What was the real reason for the training?" Trowa turned to look at him and sighed.

"Duo thought that you might get your memories back by using ZERO." Quatre surprisingly didn't feel upset.

"Why would he think that?" Trowa closed his eyes.

"Because ZERO gave me back my memories when I lost mine."

"Oh." Trowa raised his hand, keeping Quatre's snuggly entwined. Trowa pressed a fleeting kiss on the back of Quatre's hand before dropping his hand to swing normally between them. Quatre felt warm.

He had become more comfortable in Trowa's presence, and found that he really liked the taller man. He still didn't like being touched without his consent, but Trowa seemed to understand, and let Quatre initiate every touch. He sighed and let Trowa guide him through the streets.