Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Fallen Angels, Broken Hearts ❯ CH 3 ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: dark_liandrin 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance / Suspense / Angst / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.10.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 143 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action / Romance / Suspense / Angst / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.10.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 143 | Status: Work In Progress
"Absolutely honey." She smiled lightly, "And don’t worry about my shop, alright? Rashid and Mohammad Allen are watching it and stuff, and Quet will check in on it. Video phones do help." She hugged Ryo again, smiling, "You are taking care of yourself, right?"
Ryo nodded, "Uh huh. Best as I can."
"And how much is best?"
Ryo turned and faced her, "As much as I can handle until it stops hurting." She smiled at Leigh Lou before looking forward.
Lou shook her head. It gave her chills how fake that smile was. Ryo had changed immensely in the time she had been gone, but according to what Duo and Quatre had told her, everyone had changed.
Duo shrugged lightly in Lou's direction, and she dutifully followed Ryo into the baby's room, already planning her first call to Quatre in the back of her head. She needed to talk to him, Ryo was teetering on the edge, and it worried her immensely.
Ryo opened a door to show a beautifully decorated room in different shades of blues and yellows.
"Ryo, this is beautiful. Did you do it yourself?"
After being with the Maxwell's a week, Leigh Lou came across Ryo packing a small bag, wearing her Preventors jacket.
"Aren't you on maternity leave?" she asked.
Ryo paused and looked slowly to the doorway where Lou was leaning casually. "I am."
"Then what's with the jacket?"
"It's the only short jacket I own. All the rest are knee length or longer," she replied returning to the bag.
"And the bag?" She raised an eyebrow as Ryo crossed the room to the closet.
"I'm going to visit a friend for a few days. I’ll be back by Monday." She smiled around the closet door.
"Does Duo know this?"
"Nope. This is totally spur of the moment. I was going to call him when I got there so he couldn't get all protective." Ryo shoved a few more clothes into the bag before walking into the bathroom. "Besides I'm not due for a few months. I'll be fine."
"How about we call Duo now and I'll go with you?" Lou got out her cell and began dialing.
"No. Don't bother him at work . . . " She took the phone from Lou.
"Where are you really going?" She put her hands on her hips.
"Brazil."
Lou cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"To look for Li." Ryo said simply.
"And what makes you think she's in Brazil?"
"Come with me." Ryo took Lou to the baby's room and took a wooden box from the top of the dresser. She walked to the rocking chair and sat down. "Okay, I haven't told anyone about this." She opened the lid to the box.
Inside it was full of newspaper clippings.
"Ryo, what is this?"
"This is everything I thought could possibly have been Li. And the last one just didn't really add up. Preventors hasn't said anything about new terrorists. I talked to Lady Une the day after they made the announcement about the bombing. She said all known terrorists are accounted for and none are in Brazil. And Preventors didn't authorize the bombing. It just doesn't make sense."
"But, Ryo, you can't, you're pregnant." Lou said slowly.
"The baby isn't due for two months, I have plenty of time."
"No, Ryo, you don't. You aren't supposed to be straining yourself. Are you even supposed to be on your feet?"
She shrugged. "Dunno. It'll only be a little bit, Lou. Please. It's my sister. What if Duo was gone and you were in my situation, what would you do?"
Lou sighed. "Duo wouldn't want me to do anything that could harm the baby."
Ryo looked cross. "Fine, whatever. I've got to go." She shoved a few more things in her bag before she headed to the door. "I've got to go and find my sister, because if she was in that explosion then she is somewhere, alone, and hurt. I am not going to let her die." She left the room.
Lou followed her. "Ryo, wait, I'm coming with you. Duo and Li would never forgive me if something happened to you. Just promise me you'll take it easy."
Ryo nodded slightly, "I will."
-Brazil-
"Ryo Leeann Maxwell, if you don't sit down right now, I am sending you home," Leigh Lou put her hands on her hips and glared at her friend.
"Lou, I'm fine," she replied, pulling her hair up off her neck. "Besides, there is no place to sit."
She looked around the village. "Come with me," she walked over to a young girl and spoke to her in Spanish. "Do you have a place where my friend, Ryo, can rest?"
The girl nodded, looking at Ryo. She then took the pregnant girl by the hand and led her to a home.
"What is your name?" Ryo asked the girl in Spanish.
"Sana," she answered, showing her to a chair.
"That's a pretty name."
She blushed. "You look like..." she trailed off.
"Who?"
She shook her head. "Nada."
A man about forty entered from another room. "Oh, Sana. You didn't tell me we had a guest."
Ryo rose to her feet quickly, and began rapidly explaining herself. "I'm sorry. My friend insisted I get off my feet. We are with Preventors, investigating the home of the terrorist-"
"Mira isn't a terrorist!" Sana protested angrily.
"Sana, that is no way to speak to this lady," her father said firmly.
"Did you know her?" Ryo asked anxiously.
She nodded, "She isn't a terrorist. She can't be. She's too nice. She never hurt anyone."
Ryo sat back down carefully, "Do you think she lived?"
"Yes, she had to. Otherwise we would have found a body," her father interjected. "There was none. The entire village helped search the rubble after it cooled. Mira escaped. She was a remarkable young woman."
Ryo pulled a photo out of her wallet. "Did Mira look anything like this woman?"
The picture was Li, taken not long before she left. It wasn't great; Li had been trying to avoid the camera, but it was the most recent picture her sister owned.
Sana studied it for a few moments as if imagining it differently. "She was different, but had the same sadness in her eyes."
Ryo's face lit up. "You're absolutely sure? This picture was taken a couple years ago." She found a small sketchbook and pencil in her purse. "Could you describe her for me?"
Sana nodded. "She has shoulder length raven colored hair, really tan skin, black eyes, she's skinny, and really, really, tall."
She finished the sketch quickly and handed it to the girl. "Like this?"
It was a quick sketch, but Ryo and Li were both rather good artists. It wasn't a difficult sketch because Ryo just drew Li with black hair and eyes. Sana studied it with a look of recognition.
"Yes, that's her." she handed the book back.
Ryo's smile lit up her entire face. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"
-Maxwell house-
"Ryo, Lou, I'm home! I got dinner for us!" Duo walked in the garage door that evening with take out Chinese. When he didn't receive an answer he closed the door and walked to the kitchen. After setting the food down he walked through the house. "Leigh Lou? Ryo? Honey, are you home?"
After he searched every room, he walked to their bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He laid back and heard a crinkling noise. He sat up and picked up the piece of paper he had laid on. Duo leaned across the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Worry was in his eyes as he read the note in his wife's handwriting.
Hey handsome,You're really not going to be happy with me. I took a shuttle to earth. I think I found a lead to Li. I have to check it out. Lou caught me as I was packing, so I forced her to come with me. We'll be back soon. A week at the most. I'm sorry, Duo, for not telling you in person. Go and look at the box in the baby's room. It's on top of the dresser. It's got everything I thought was important to finding Li in it. Look through it. I may have missed something. I love you Duo. Lou is making sure I take care of myself and the baby while we're gone. She was totally against me going, so don't blame her. This was all me. Once again, I love you. See you soon.Love,Ryo
Duo stood up and practically ran to the baby's room, flipping the light switch as he entered. He grabbed the box and sat in the rocking chair. When he opened it he nearly dropped it. "Dear God, Ryo, why didn't you tell me this is what you had been doing?" He had probably over 200 articles and notes sitting in his lap. After going through some he closed the box and headed downstairs.
He grabbed his Preventors jacket and headed back to the garage. It was going to be a late night.
Duo rubbed his eyes as he looked at the 100th article. The last time he looked at the clock it was 3AM. Now, it was 7. He pushed the paper away from him and stood and stretched. He needed a break.
As he was putting on his jacket, the office door swung open slowly.
"Maxwell what are you doing here so early?" Heero asked peering into the office.
"I was about to go get some breakfast," he yawned. "Wanna join me?"
"Have you been here all night?"
"Just grab your keys and drive me to food. I'll answer your questions then." He rubbed his eyes again and Heero noticed news ink smeared across his face.
Heero sighed. "Come on, Duo. You look like you had a long night."
Duo shuffled out the door, with Heero close behind him.
-Diner-
"Okay, Duo, first tell me how long you had been there." Heero said as Duo sipped his coffee.
"Since 9PM last night."
"What were you doing?"
"Reading news articles."
"You stayed up all night, at headquarters, reading newspaper clippings? I hope you called Ryo. I know she likes you to be home."
"No, I didn't call her."
Heero looked at Duo seriously. "Are you certain you were reading the newspaper all night? Did you ever leave?"
"What are you insinuating, Yuy?" Duo's voice raised as glared over his coffee cup.
"It's just not like you to not call Ryo if you're gonna be late."
"I'm going through those d clippings to try and find my wife!" Duo exploded.
"What do you mean? Where is she?"
"I don't know! She said something about trying to find Li," he spat out the words, frustrated.
Heero looked like he had just been slapped in the face. "She went to find Li? Did she go alone?"
He sighed. "No, thank god. Ryo dragged Lou with her. But she doesn't need to be traveling so much. Not with the baby so close to being due. And a week of gallivanting around who knows where, is not something she can do. What if she catches something? All of the articles are about small villages in the middle of nowhere. They probably don't have the proper supplies and vaccinations if Ryo gets sick..." Duo slumped forward, his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. "I can't lose her, Heero. She's my whole world."
Heero looked at him. "Lets get the food to go. I'll help you try and find her."
Duo looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Thanks, man. It means a lot."
"Lou, I was right!" Ryo smiled when Lou entered Sana's home, which had been opened to them.
"Right about what?" she asked.
"Li! She was here!"
"How do you know?" Lou was smiling inside. Ryo hadn't been this happy since before Li disappeared.
"Sana, and her father confirmed it. Lou, she's alive. We're going to find her and everything is going to be okay." Her smile went from ear to ear and her eyes were shining with a long extinguished light.
Heero and Duo had taken over an empty conference room so they could have more room. Lady had given them both the day off, to go through the papers.
"This would be a lot easier if Lou and Ryo had their phones on," Duo muttered, placing the article he just read into a pile.
"Duo, look. I think I found something." Heero walked across the room to lean across the table and hand Duo two papers. One was a news article; the other was notes written in Ryo's hand.
TERRORIST BOMBED IN BRAZILEscaped terrorist?Unauthorized bombingWoman, about 20No terrorists in BrazilLady didn't know?Could it be? Need to investigate..."She's there. I know it. Ryo is in Brazil," Duo stood quickly, grabbing the article and notes. He was half way down the hall when Heero called out to him.
"Wait. I'll go with you." He said catching up.
"You don't need..."
"I want to." he insisted
Duo nodded. "I'm going to get Lady to schedule a flight ASAP. You might want to call Kara and tell her, where you're going."
His reply was brisk. "It’s okay. I’ll call her later.”
Quatre sighed softly and sat back in his chair, exhausted. His fingers were absently wrapped around an empty coffee mug. He had recently drained it of its contents in order to keep his mind awake. He hadn't slept in over 24 hours, and it was just now catching up with him. he gave a small smile, remembering how during the war he had endured much more than this every day. he could deal with a little loss of sleep.
"Would you like some more coffee, Master Quatre?" One of his attendants held out a percolator, waiting.
"Yes," Quatre answered. His cup was once again filled.
"Sugar or cream?"
"Both," They were handed to him. "Thank you."
The attendant bowed deeply to him, then exited.
The plane experienced a bit of turbulence and Quatre was hard put to keep from spilling his coffee on himself. Recovering quickly, he glanced to his left to see how Li was faring. She had been exhausted and so she had lain down on the row of seats across from him to try to get some rest. She had obviously been jerked awake now, but she had been able to get a few hours of sleep in and was looking a little better. She met his eyes and opened had opened her mouth to speak to him when they both noticed a light blinking in the top corner of Quatre's laptop screen. Someone was trying to contact him by videophone.
"Who is it?" Li asked quickly.
He checked, "It's Duo, hold on." He carefully turned the laptop so that anyone looking at him would be unable to see Li, then answered the call.
He was momentarily surprised to see Heero on the screen with Duo, but he didn't let it show. "Hello, Duo, Heero. What do you need?"
"We just called to tell you we're after Ryo," Duo said nonchalantly.
Quatre blinked in surprise, "What? What do you mean?"
Duo sighed. "She left suddenly to go look for Li. Has she called you?"
At Duo's words Quatre paled but recovered quickly, and managed to say, "N-No, she hasn't. She left to look for Li? Why would she do that?"
Li shot out of her seat and, ignoring the pain such a quick movement caused her, slid into the seat directly across from Quatre so she could hear better and fixed her gaze on him, making him feel more than a little nervous.
"Seems she's been planning this since Li disappeared. The bombing in Brazil I guess got her attention. She thinks Li was the 'terrorist' said to be there. You haven't heard from Lou have you?"
"Not since last week, no. Why? Are you saying she's missing too?" Quatre's tone turned from confused to concerned in a flash.
"Ryo dragged her along. I was just asking in case she called you. I haven't been able to reach either of them."
"So you're going to Brazil? You better hurry, the lord only knows what sort of trouble they could get themselves into." Across from him Li nodded her assent.
Duo nodded. "I'm going to try calling her again. See ya around Quatre!" There was a clicking sound and the picture disappeared off the screen as he hung up.
Quatre looked up, meeting Li's gaze. "I believe we have a problem."
Ryo nodded, "Uh huh. Best as I can."
"And how much is best?"
Ryo turned and faced her, "As much as I can handle until it stops hurting." She smiled at Leigh Lou before looking forward.
Lou shook her head. It gave her chills how fake that smile was. Ryo had changed immensely in the time she had been gone, but according to what Duo and Quatre had told her, everyone had changed.
Duo shrugged lightly in Lou's direction, and she dutifully followed Ryo into the baby's room, already planning her first call to Quatre in the back of her head. She needed to talk to him, Ryo was teetering on the edge, and it worried her immensely.
Ryo opened a door to show a beautifully decorated room in different shades of blues and yellows.
"Ryo, this is beautiful. Did you do it yourself?"
After being with the Maxwell's a week, Leigh Lou came across Ryo packing a small bag, wearing her Preventors jacket.
"Aren't you on maternity leave?" she asked.
Ryo paused and looked slowly to the doorway where Lou was leaning casually. "I am."
"Then what's with the jacket?"
"It's the only short jacket I own. All the rest are knee length or longer," she replied returning to the bag.
"And the bag?" She raised an eyebrow as Ryo crossed the room to the closet.
"I'm going to visit a friend for a few days. I’ll be back by Monday." She smiled around the closet door.
"Does Duo know this?"
"Nope. This is totally spur of the moment. I was going to call him when I got there so he couldn't get all protective." Ryo shoved a few more clothes into the bag before walking into the bathroom. "Besides I'm not due for a few months. I'll be fine."
"How about we call Duo now and I'll go with you?" Lou got out her cell and began dialing.
"No. Don't bother him at work . . . " She took the phone from Lou.
"Where are you really going?" She put her hands on her hips.
"Brazil."
Lou cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"To look for Li." Ryo said simply.
"And what makes you think she's in Brazil?"
"Come with me." Ryo took Lou to the baby's room and took a wooden box from the top of the dresser. She walked to the rocking chair and sat down. "Okay, I haven't told anyone about this." She opened the lid to the box.
Inside it was full of newspaper clippings.
"Ryo, what is this?"
"This is everything I thought could possibly have been Li. And the last one just didn't really add up. Preventors hasn't said anything about new terrorists. I talked to Lady Une the day after they made the announcement about the bombing. She said all known terrorists are accounted for and none are in Brazil. And Preventors didn't authorize the bombing. It just doesn't make sense."
"But, Ryo, you can't, you're pregnant." Lou said slowly.
"The baby isn't due for two months, I have plenty of time."
"No, Ryo, you don't. You aren't supposed to be straining yourself. Are you even supposed to be on your feet?"
She shrugged. "Dunno. It'll only be a little bit, Lou. Please. It's my sister. What if Duo was gone and you were in my situation, what would you do?"
Lou sighed. "Duo wouldn't want me to do anything that could harm the baby."
Ryo looked cross. "Fine, whatever. I've got to go." She shoved a few more things in her bag before she headed to the door. "I've got to go and find my sister, because if she was in that explosion then she is somewhere, alone, and hurt. I am not going to let her die." She left the room.
Lou followed her. "Ryo, wait, I'm coming with you. Duo and Li would never forgive me if something happened to you. Just promise me you'll take it easy."
Ryo nodded slightly, "I will."
-Brazil-
"Ryo Leeann Maxwell, if you don't sit down right now, I am sending you home," Leigh Lou put her hands on her hips and glared at her friend.
"Lou, I'm fine," she replied, pulling her hair up off her neck. "Besides, there is no place to sit."
She looked around the village. "Come with me," she walked over to a young girl and spoke to her in Spanish. "Do you have a place where my friend, Ryo, can rest?"
The girl nodded, looking at Ryo. She then took the pregnant girl by the hand and led her to a home.
"What is your name?" Ryo asked the girl in Spanish.
"Sana," she answered, showing her to a chair.
"That's a pretty name."
She blushed. "You look like..." she trailed off.
"Who?"
She shook her head. "Nada."
A man about forty entered from another room. "Oh, Sana. You didn't tell me we had a guest."
Ryo rose to her feet quickly, and began rapidly explaining herself. "I'm sorry. My friend insisted I get off my feet. We are with Preventors, investigating the home of the terrorist-"
"Mira isn't a terrorist!" Sana protested angrily.
"Sana, that is no way to speak to this lady," her father said firmly.
"Did you know her?" Ryo asked anxiously.
She nodded, "She isn't a terrorist. She can't be. She's too nice. She never hurt anyone."
Ryo sat back down carefully, "Do you think she lived?"
"Yes, she had to. Otherwise we would have found a body," her father interjected. "There was none. The entire village helped search the rubble after it cooled. Mira escaped. She was a remarkable young woman."
Ryo pulled a photo out of her wallet. "Did Mira look anything like this woman?"
The picture was Li, taken not long before she left. It wasn't great; Li had been trying to avoid the camera, but it was the most recent picture her sister owned.
Sana studied it for a few moments as if imagining it differently. "She was different, but had the same sadness in her eyes."
Ryo's face lit up. "You're absolutely sure? This picture was taken a couple years ago." She found a small sketchbook and pencil in her purse. "Could you describe her for me?"
Sana nodded. "She has shoulder length raven colored hair, really tan skin, black eyes, she's skinny, and really, really, tall."
She finished the sketch quickly and handed it to the girl. "Like this?"
It was a quick sketch, but Ryo and Li were both rather good artists. It wasn't a difficult sketch because Ryo just drew Li with black hair and eyes. Sana studied it with a look of recognition.
"Yes, that's her." she handed the book back.
Ryo's smile lit up her entire face. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"
-Maxwell house-
"Ryo, Lou, I'm home! I got dinner for us!" Duo walked in the garage door that evening with take out Chinese. When he didn't receive an answer he closed the door and walked to the kitchen. After setting the food down he walked through the house. "Leigh Lou? Ryo? Honey, are you home?"
After he searched every room, he walked to their bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He laid back and heard a crinkling noise. He sat up and picked up the piece of paper he had laid on. Duo leaned across the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Worry was in his eyes as he read the note in his wife's handwriting.
Hey handsome,You're really not going to be happy with me. I took a shuttle to earth. I think I found a lead to Li. I have to check it out. Lou caught me as I was packing, so I forced her to come with me. We'll be back soon. A week at the most. I'm sorry, Duo, for not telling you in person. Go and look at the box in the baby's room. It's on top of the dresser. It's got everything I thought was important to finding Li in it. Look through it. I may have missed something. I love you Duo. Lou is making sure I take care of myself and the baby while we're gone. She was totally against me going, so don't blame her. This was all me. Once again, I love you. See you soon.Love,Ryo
Duo stood up and practically ran to the baby's room, flipping the light switch as he entered. He grabbed the box and sat in the rocking chair. When he opened it he nearly dropped it. "Dear God, Ryo, why didn't you tell me this is what you had been doing?" He had probably over 200 articles and notes sitting in his lap. After going through some he closed the box and headed downstairs.
He grabbed his Preventors jacket and headed back to the garage. It was going to be a late night.
Duo rubbed his eyes as he looked at the 100th article. The last time he looked at the clock it was 3AM. Now, it was 7. He pushed the paper away from him and stood and stretched. He needed a break.
As he was putting on his jacket, the office door swung open slowly.
"Maxwell what are you doing here so early?" Heero asked peering into the office.
"I was about to go get some breakfast," he yawned. "Wanna join me?"
"Have you been here all night?"
"Just grab your keys and drive me to food. I'll answer your questions then." He rubbed his eyes again and Heero noticed news ink smeared across his face.
Heero sighed. "Come on, Duo. You look like you had a long night."
Duo shuffled out the door, with Heero close behind him.
-Diner-
"Okay, Duo, first tell me how long you had been there." Heero said as Duo sipped his coffee.
"Since 9PM last night."
"What were you doing?"
"Reading news articles."
"You stayed up all night, at headquarters, reading newspaper clippings? I hope you called Ryo. I know she likes you to be home."
"No, I didn't call her."
Heero looked at Duo seriously. "Are you certain you were reading the newspaper all night? Did you ever leave?"
"What are you insinuating, Yuy?" Duo's voice raised as glared over his coffee cup.
"It's just not like you to not call Ryo if you're gonna be late."
"I'm going through those d clippings to try and find my wife!" Duo exploded.
"What do you mean? Where is she?"
"I don't know! She said something about trying to find Li," he spat out the words, frustrated.
Heero looked like he had just been slapped in the face. "She went to find Li? Did she go alone?"
He sighed. "No, thank god. Ryo dragged Lou with her. But she doesn't need to be traveling so much. Not with the baby so close to being due. And a week of gallivanting around who knows where, is not something she can do. What if she catches something? All of the articles are about small villages in the middle of nowhere. They probably don't have the proper supplies and vaccinations if Ryo gets sick..." Duo slumped forward, his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. "I can't lose her, Heero. She's my whole world."
Heero looked at him. "Lets get the food to go. I'll help you try and find her."
Duo looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Thanks, man. It means a lot."
"Lou, I was right!" Ryo smiled when Lou entered Sana's home, which had been opened to them.
"Right about what?" she asked.
"Li! She was here!"
"How do you know?" Lou was smiling inside. Ryo hadn't been this happy since before Li disappeared.
"Sana, and her father confirmed it. Lou, she's alive. We're going to find her and everything is going to be okay." Her smile went from ear to ear and her eyes were shining with a long extinguished light.
Heero and Duo had taken over an empty conference room so they could have more room. Lady had given them both the day off, to go through the papers.
"This would be a lot easier if Lou and Ryo had their phones on," Duo muttered, placing the article he just read into a pile.
"Duo, look. I think I found something." Heero walked across the room to lean across the table and hand Duo two papers. One was a news article; the other was notes written in Ryo's hand.
TERRORIST BOMBED IN BRAZILEscaped terrorist?Unauthorized bombingWoman, about 20No terrorists in BrazilLady didn't know?Could it be? Need to investigate..."She's there. I know it. Ryo is in Brazil," Duo stood quickly, grabbing the article and notes. He was half way down the hall when Heero called out to him.
"Wait. I'll go with you." He said catching up.
"You don't need..."
"I want to." he insisted
Duo nodded. "I'm going to get Lady to schedule a flight ASAP. You might want to call Kara and tell her, where you're going."
His reply was brisk. "It’s okay. I’ll call her later.”
Quatre sighed softly and sat back in his chair, exhausted. His fingers were absently wrapped around an empty coffee mug. He had recently drained it of its contents in order to keep his mind awake. He hadn't slept in over 24 hours, and it was just now catching up with him. he gave a small smile, remembering how during the war he had endured much more than this every day. he could deal with a little loss of sleep.
"Would you like some more coffee, Master Quatre?" One of his attendants held out a percolator, waiting.
"Yes," Quatre answered. His cup was once again filled.
"Sugar or cream?"
"Both," They were handed to him. "Thank you."
The attendant bowed deeply to him, then exited.
The plane experienced a bit of turbulence and Quatre was hard put to keep from spilling his coffee on himself. Recovering quickly, he glanced to his left to see how Li was faring. She had been exhausted and so she had lain down on the row of seats across from him to try to get some rest. She had obviously been jerked awake now, but she had been able to get a few hours of sleep in and was looking a little better. She met his eyes and opened had opened her mouth to speak to him when they both noticed a light blinking in the top corner of Quatre's laptop screen. Someone was trying to contact him by videophone.
"Who is it?" Li asked quickly.
He checked, "It's Duo, hold on." He carefully turned the laptop so that anyone looking at him would be unable to see Li, then answered the call.
He was momentarily surprised to see Heero on the screen with Duo, but he didn't let it show. "Hello, Duo, Heero. What do you need?"
"We just called to tell you we're after Ryo," Duo said nonchalantly.
Quatre blinked in surprise, "What? What do you mean?"
Duo sighed. "She left suddenly to go look for Li. Has she called you?"
At Duo's words Quatre paled but recovered quickly, and managed to say, "N-No, she hasn't. She left to look for Li? Why would she do that?"
Li shot out of her seat and, ignoring the pain such a quick movement caused her, slid into the seat directly across from Quatre so she could hear better and fixed her gaze on him, making him feel more than a little nervous.
"Seems she's been planning this since Li disappeared. The bombing in Brazil I guess got her attention. She thinks Li was the 'terrorist' said to be there. You haven't heard from Lou have you?"
"Not since last week, no. Why? Are you saying she's missing too?" Quatre's tone turned from confused to concerned in a flash.
"Ryo dragged her along. I was just asking in case she called you. I haven't been able to reach either of them."
"So you're going to Brazil? You better hurry, the lord only knows what sort of trouble they could get themselves into." Across from him Li nodded her assent.
Duo nodded. "I'm going to try calling her again. See ya around Quatre!" There was a clicking sound and the picture disappeared off the screen as he hung up.
Quatre looked up, meeting Li's gaze. "I believe we have a problem."