Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Eyes Cold As Stone ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

Eyes Cold As Stone

Chapter 10

Jezebel glowered at the medic. Fuck. She fumed.

"Let me go." She was so angry that she couldn't even shout. The medics looked at each other, most likely searching for support, and stepped out of her way. She stalked out of the med-room and made her way toward the detention area. That damned Gundam pilot was going to pay for shooting her in the stomach. He was going to pay for killing her General. Hell, he was going to suffer, and then die. Pausing at a com-unit, she paged the second in command: Colonel Satavich. "I need you in the Detention Cells. Now." She didn't wait for the acknowledgement. She continued on her deadly path of vengeance.

"Sir." Jezebel barely glanced at Satavich.

"I need you to do some interrogation." She keyed in the code to the detention area. "Make sure it's the final interrogation." Colonel Satavich grinned wickedly. "Start with the blonde one."

"Yes, sir." They entered the cell where the Gundam pilots were. They sat next to each other, leaning against the far wall. The icy glare she was receiving from the braided one chilled her to her bones, but it was nothing to the heavy stare of hatred and contempt that was coming from the blonde. She resisted an almost uncontrollable urge to turn and run.

"Him." She pointed to the blonde one. Oh, yes. You will die. She stepped aside as the Colonel approached the pilots. She turned her back and walked out of the cell. "I'll meet you in Interrogation." She smiled. The pretty blonde one would die, but not before telling her everything.

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Heero looked at the clock for the hundredth time that evening. 10:32pm. They should be out of there soon. ETA to drop point was 5:00. The drop point was approximately two hours walk to the Node base. That would put them at the base around 7:00. The mission only called for a three-hour stay-enough time for Quatre to hack into the computers and Duo to place explosives. Heero read the information on his laptop again. Their rendezvous was three hours after they entered the base. From there, they would escape together, triggering the explosives, and signaling for their suits. Meeting up with their suits in the clearing, they would annihilate as much of the base as they could before returning to the drop point.

The Mobile Suits hadn't moved.

Heero rubbed his face in his hands before checking the clock again. 10:33pm.

"Damnit!" He cried out to the empty office. He checked the data again-no change. The data that Quatre sent had been received, but the Mobile Suits hadn't moved. He double-checked everything-Quatre had contacted HQ at 4:53pm with the information that he and Duo were leaving the drop point. The message had informed HQ that all was well and the mission was proceeding as planned.

So why hadn't the MS's moved?

Something was wrong.

Duo…

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Quatre had been memorizing his surroundings, hoping to find anything that was familiar. He was currently being led from the detention area to the Interrogation room. His escorts weren't overly friendly. He winced as one of their balled hands impacted with a broken rib. He started. Something familiar. He tried to crane his neck to study the hallway, thinking that it might have been one of the halls he had traversed on his way to the control center. Judging from the blackened streaks of carbon residue, he shouldn't be too far from the control center. Swinging his head around to eye the soldier on the other side of him, he noticed another hallway, adorned with a helpful sign that said: TO MS. Quatre cheered in his mind. All he had to do was to find a way to get both he and Duo to that hall and they were home free. Not a problem…just spring the two of hem from prison and they were fine. Quatre felt his inner joy fading away. He had studied the cell and its confining door-it wasn't impossible, but it was sure as hell improbable. The two of them would be stuck there for quite a while. Quatre was prodded along, and shoved into a nondescript room. A plane metal table stood alone in middle of the room. There weren't any decorations of any sort, other than a large mirror-most likely a one-way. How quaint. There wasn't any furniture other than the solitary table. It wasn't hard to deduce what this room was used for. He held back a shudder. This room was all too familiar. He shook the memory away from him and looked at the officer that had led his procession.

"I'm your interrogator." He had a thin moustache and greasy hair-probably from too much styling gel. Quatre narrowed his eyes at the officer.

"You're a Colonel." It was a question in the form of a statement, intended to get information by conformation-a standard bluff. It worked.

"Yes, I am." The Colonel fingered his sweaty moustache and gestured for the guards to release their hold on Quatre. "I have a few questions for you. It would definitely be in your best interest to answer them truthfully and completely. The more detail-the better. I, however could care less. It's your life on the line-not mine." Quatre suppressed a laugh, obviously this Colonel had never done this before. The speech was nice, but the delivery sucked. The Colonel cocked his head, obviously wanting a reply of some kind. Quatre shrugged. The Colonel turned red. Quatre felt himself picked up and thrown at the table. He tried to catch himself with his hands, but failed as he hit the corner of the table and tumbled to the floor. He scrabbled for purchase with numb fingers, but found none before a shiny boot buried itself in his tender stomach. He grunted with the impact, rolling over to take the sting off.

"Name?" So, this Colonel was to the point. Quatre remained silent. He saw the Colonel nod before he felt another booted blow. Hiding his pain, he stayed silent.

"Name?" Quatre divorced himself from the interrogation, trying to be oblivious to the beating his already broken body was receiving. Oh, God, Trowa. I'm so sorry.

He woke up what seemed to be days later, but Duo calmly informed him that it had only been a few hours. He lay sprawled out on his stomach, it wasn't comfortable, but he figured from the numbness that spread through his ravaged muscles, it was the best position to be in. He looked at Duo-he seemed unhurt, except, maybe, his pride.

"You okay, man?" Duo looked about ready to cry, and he didn't really feel like speculating into his appearance.

"I feel like I've been beat up, but otherwise I'm just peachy." Quatre tried humor-anything that would make the pain go away. He was rewarded by Duo laughter.

"Leave it to you, man, to see the bright speck in the infinite darkness." Quatre smiled.

"You just have to know where to look."

"Yeah." Duo's eyes lost focus for a moment. "What did they want with you?"

"Apparently, I killed a General." Quatre had overheard the female and the Colonel talking-they had thought that he had passed out.

"That's great, man! I mean, that's one of their elite."

"Yeah." He closed his eyes, willing the pain away, but not succeeding. "I wonder what went wrong."

"They didn't say anything?"

"No. My best guess is that it was purely coincidence. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Damn Murphy."

"No kidding." Duo always blamed Murphy for anything and everything. After all, its Murphy's Law that says anything will go wrong that can. Hence bad situations. Like this one.

"Everyone says that he was an optimist, but I think he was just a jerk."

"He was an optimist. He was optimistic that if you planned out absolutely anything and everything that could even possibly, no matter how minutely, go wrong, than you could do anything flawlessly."

"So, in other words, we didn't plan this mission out very well, huh." Quatre failed to suppress a chuckle. His ribs flared with fiery pain.

"Obviously." A long silence filled the cell. Quatre tried to think of anything except for the pain. Trowa smiled at him in his mind. He felt tears stinging his eyes as he lay on the cold hard cement, unable to move. He felt weak, useless and stupid. He reached out to Trowa in his mind, feeling warmth begin to flow through his body. He was just about to touch his love, when he heard Duo whisper.

"Do you think they'll come for us?" It was just a whisper, but Quatre heard it clearly.

"Of course. As soon as they realize that we haven't completed our mission, Heero and Trowa will be here."

"You sound so sure."

"Because I know they care." Duo wrapped his arms around his knees, bringing them to his chest.

"I wonder sometimes what it would be like. Being with Heero." He smiled warmly at Duo, encouraging him to continue. "I sometimes dream that we'd never be apart-that we would go everywhere with each other. Missions, the grocery store…okay, maybe not the bathroom, but you know what I mean." Duo chuckled to himself. "Then I have nightmares. Nightmares that Heero is never able to get past his cold, heartless, perfect soldierness. I know that he's come along way, and he has. He's way better than in those nightmares, but I have them just the same. I prefer the dreams; they're much nicer. The sex is great, too." Here, Duo paused. "Did you ever dream of life with Trowa?"

"All the time."

"Did you ever have doubts?"

"Of course. I am only human, you know. And both Trowa and I have had our share of problems. Need I remind you that I almost killed him?" Duo laughed.

"No. You don't. But were you ever scared of him? Not that he would hate you for liking him, but truly frightened?" Quatre looked away from Duo.

"Yes." His voice was barely above a whisper, but he knew that Duo would hear it. "I was afraid that he'd disappear into his world of silence, and I'd never hear him say anything again. I was afraid that he would just leave, or that he'd treat me the way the soldiers treated him. I was afraid that he'd never be able to love, because he had never been shown how." Quatre blinked back tears. "You, Wufei and I…we've been lucky. We had people who loved us. And eventhough it wasn't an ideal life, or an ideal love, we knew how to love in return. Heero grew up training. Always training, never playing. He wasn't allowed to be a kid, he wasn't allowed to be human. And Trowa…" Here, his voice cracked. "He…his…he only had abuse-no love, no comfort, no care. He…" Quatre squeezed his eyes shut, tears spilling freely. Duo put a careful, comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I understand." He painfully sat up. He needed to hug someone, to be held. He also knew that Duo needed the same, and that overrode any pain Quatre had. His pain became an irritate ache, rather than the immobilizing fire he felt earlier. A body could break and feel, but a friend…that was something he could not afford to lose. He grabbed Duo, pulling himself against the warm body. He rested his head on Duo's shoulder, unable to do anything more. He tightened his arms around Duo, hoping he'd understand. He felt Duo wrap his arms around him-carefully. He felt Duo's body begin to shake, softly at first, but increasingly more violently.

"Shh, its okay, Duo. We'll make it through this-I promise." Quatre repeated the words at first to Duo, but then also to himself. They had to make it out…period. There wasn't a choice in the matter. It was what they always had to do. They would make it out.

"I don't want to lose you, Quat." He tried to rub Duo's back, but was unsuccessful-it hurt too much.

"Trust me, Duo. You won't. You might lose my body, but you'll never lose me. I'm stuck in your head and your heart forever-and even if you tried, you couldn't get me out. I'm there, as long as you're alive, I'll be there-in a corner of your heart and mind." Duo abruptly pulled away, causing Quatre to whimper slightly in pain.

"Promise?'

"Promise."

______________________________

"Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately."

`We should leave now, then."

"I agree, but Une…"

"She won't let us go, will she." Heero hung his head; it was something that only Trowa was privileged to see.

"No."

"Then we'll have to go without her permission." Heero looked up into Trowa's eyes. : I won't leave Quatre."

"I won't leave Duo."

"When do we leave?" He cracked a smile. Trowa though just like he did. They were like brothers-twins, separated at birth.

"We can you be ready?"

"I'm ready now."

"We leave now. I have two suits prepped."

"Good." He didn't miss the trembling in Trowa's voice, nor did he miss the trembling of his own voice. Duo had gotten him good, now all he had to do was get Duo back.

______________________________

This time, they were ready.

Duo pounced on the guard's back while Quatre slipped around to grab his gun.

"Hurry up, Quat!" A loud bang was his answer as he dropped to the floor on top of the now dead soldier. "Thanks."

"No prob. Come on…this way." Quatre fled the cell-Duo right behind him. He pushed Quatre ahead of him, reluctantly forcing the blonde to move faster. I promise I'll make this up to you, Quat. He scanned all of the corridors and doorways they passed, until Quatre passed by a sigh that announced Mobile Suits.

"Suits?" Duo asked, feeling stupid. Quatre nodded sluggishly in front of him. "Come on, buddy, we'll make it, I promised."

"Know." Shit, this was bad. Quatre wasn't even talking in complete sentences. Duo slipped quickly in front of Quatre and hoisted the small blonde on his back. He continued to sprint toward the advertised hanger, ignoring the increasingly amount of footfalls behind them.

"Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit." He muttered under his breath. He knew it was wasteful, but he needed the flustered energy that came from swearing. He felt Quatre's thick breath erratic in his ear. "Shitshitshitshitshitshit."

"There they are!" Fuck. They were now in sight of the soldiers. Quatre too injured to run on his own, and he was laden down with the injured Quatre, so he couldn't run as fast. There was no way he was leaving Quatre, though.

"Leave me."

"NO!" He shouted, furious at their situation.

"Save yourself, then save me."

"NO!"

"I'll stay alive with them. Don't know if I can running."

"No."

"They need me. They want me. Give them what they want. I'll keep them busy."

"No." They were almost to the suits; he could see them looming in the hanger. He felt his knee begin to give way. Quatre slipped.

"Go. Get back to HQ. Get reinforcements. Come back and get me. `I'll be fine."

"no." Duo's voice had lost all will. He was now floating in a sea of turbulence. "no…"

"Please." He fell, Quatre rolling uncontrollably like a ragdoll. "Get out for me."

"But I'll lose you." Quatre imperceptibly shook his head.

"Remember." Quatre placed a hand on his chest, above the heart. "Remember." Duo glanced at the suits, still meters away, and looked at the advancing soldiers. Salvation and condemnation. If he didn't get away now, he'd never have another chance. But, Quatre… He felt the touch of cold steel against his cheek. "Go." He looked at the shaking gun in Quatre's hand. Tears fell from his eyes as he stood and turned toward the suits.

"I hate you."

"I hate you more." Came the weak reply. Tears blinding him, he turned and ran for salvation.

"I hate you longer." He could see Quatre's smile in his mind. "I'll be back for you, Quat." He didn't think that he had said it all that loud, but he could hear Quatre's reply.

"I know. I'm waiting. Godspeed, friend." Duo hardly heard the last words as he ran wildly for the nearest suit, trying to ignore the rain of bullets around him. His breath caught painfully in his chest as he tried to hold back sobs. Why? Why do you have to be so valiant, Quatre? Why do you have to be so concerned for me, and not you? Tears blinded him, but he plowed ahead. He flung himself into a cockpit and his fingers automatically flew through Pre-flight sequence.

He hadn't spared a glance backwards, knowing that he would fail if he did-his resolve dwindling from nothing to nonexistent. But he did now. He couldn't see Quatre, but he knew that he was. He could see a few soldiers fall from an invisible hand. No soldiers had gotten to the hanger; they were being cut down by a fighting Quatre.

His suit flashed ready lights. He raised the rifle. Damn…he couldn't help Quatre with it; the blast from the rifle would kill Quatre as well as the surrounding soldiers. He cried helplessly in the suit, and with an anguished wail of loss, cut down the hanger doors and sped into the night.

"Quatre!" He didn't see the soldiers carrying Quatre's limp body toward a shuttle. He didn't see a raven-haired woman enter the shuttle after Quatre. He didn't see the shuttle warm up through its pre-flight sequence, and he didn't see the shuttle take-off in the opposite direction. All he could see were his tears-and Quatre's smiling face.