Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Family Ties ❯ Chapter 92 ( Chapter 92 )

“Family Ties”

 

January 2007 ShenLong

 

Chapter 92

 

[Preventer Headquarters]

 

“What is it, Fiona?” Une asked as the intercom unit beeped.

 

“Agent Sky asked me to let you know that they have heard from all but one of the agents currently guarding the senators, ma'am.”

 

“Thank you, Fiona. I'll go down to communications in just a moment.”

 

“Yes, ma'am. Commander, will there be anything else today?”

 

Une glanced at the clock, her eyes widening when she saw the time. “No, Fiona, that's all for today.”

 

“Okay, ma'am. I'll take my leave then.”

 

“Fiona?” Une called sharply.

 

“Yes, Commander?”

 

“You can't leave the building. With the Firecell having been deployed it's absolute chaos out there. Headquarters is under complete lock down, no one out and no one in.”

 

“But, Commander...”

 

“I'm sorry, Fiona, but you will have to remain here at Headquarters until further notice, it's for your own safety,” Une replied.

 

“I see.”

 

“Look, go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat. I'll see what I can do in regards to getting some sort of accommodations set up here at HQ.” With everything that had been going on, Une had completely forgotten that something would need to be organized in the way of temporary sleeping arrangements for the Preventer staff

 

“Ma'am?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“If it's okay I'd like to stay and help. I can sort out and organize something for sleeping arrangements. Probably the gymnasium would be a good place, it has the mats we can use for mattresses and it's a large area so it should be able to accommodate several employees.”

 

“Fiona, that's very kind of you, but your shift has finished, it's not fair to ask you to continue to work.”

 

“I don't mind. Besides, it will give me something to do other than twiddle my thumbs and you have enough on your plate to deal with.”

 

Une gave a chuckle. “Okay, I'll hand all that over to you then. Fiona, I'm sure that Senator Peacecraft would be willing to give you a hand.”

 

“The senator? But I don't think that this is really a job a senator should be doing, ma'am.”

 

“Trust me, Relena will be more than happy to help out.” Une gave a wry smile as she thought abut the woman. Relena was certainly keen to assist in any way she could, but up until now Une hadn't found anything the senator could really do.

 

“If you're sure, Commander.”

 

“I'm sure. I'll find her and give her the run down. I'll get her to meet you in the gymnasium. First though you are to go and eat.”

 

“I think I'll pass. Have you eaten the cafeteria food lately? If I'm going to eat that then I'm probably better off taking my chances outside with a rioting mob; at least that death would be quicker and a lot less painful.”

 

“Point taken,” Une replied with a laugh. “Take one of the com units with you, I'll talk to you soon and let you know when to expect the senator..”

 

“Thanks, Commander.”

 

The intercom unit went dead and Une took a moment to close her eyes. She was so tired, couldn't remember the last time she'd slept; or eaten. Her mind suddenly switched to Sally. The doctor was staying with Nurse Brown and the agents' son at the mansion and given the current state of affairs, there was no way the doctor could make it safely back to Headquarters. Une hoped and prayed that they would be all right - not that she doubted the skills of the security staff Quatre Winner had in place. She made a mental note to get Sky or Sun to contact the doctor and bring her up to speed with what was happening, and tell her to remain exactly where she was until further notice.

 

Opening her eyes again, Une reached for her com unit to locate Relena and let her know of Fiona's current task and see if the woman would assist her.

 

* * *

 

[Preventer Communications]

 

“Commander approaching,” Forest stated as he entered the communications room and spotted Sky.

 

“Thanks.” Sky braced himself.

 

“I'll be in the other room monitoring the internal network,” Forest said with a grin and made haste towards the door.

 

“Chicken.”

 

“You'd better believe it.” With a final wave, Forest was gone.

 

“Agent Sky, what do you have?” asked Une as she entered the main communications room.

 

“Commander, I've received word from agents Elm, Shadow and Granite. All have made it to the relevant safe houses with their assigned senators. Agent Moon is yet to arrive but we expect to hear from him somewhere in the next half an hour.”

 

“Good.” Une breathed a sigh of relief. “Did they give any indication of the situation out there? Any problems at all?”

 

“The general information was that the citizens are still panicking, running riot and demanding the ESUN still stand down. None of the agents encountered any problem in relation to getting to the safe houses that I'm aware of,” replied Sky.

 

Une breathed a small sigh of relief. “Not much we can do about the ESUN other than to keep them safe for now.”

 

“Ma'am?”

“Yes, Sky?”

“I don't mean to be forward or anything, but just how the hell is this all going to end?”

Une gave a shake of her head, sat in a chair and lowered her eyes. “I wish I knew, Sky.”

 

* * *

 

[Satellite XRB 23 Surface]

 

Three Gundams and one shuttle watched as the two other Gundams shimmered and disappeared from view. All four were thinking the same thing, Quatre the one to give voice to those thoughts.

 

“I hope they remain safe.”

 

“I'm sure they will,” Trowa replied, his voice calm and soothing.

 

“Then I suggest we also do our best to remain functional. Incoming,” Wufei stated and all three pilots returned their attention to the battle.

 

Whilst the number of Orion suits had diminished significantly, those that were left were fighting with a renewed and desperate vigor; and there was nothing more dangerous than a desperate man - especially when he was in a mobile suit.

 

“Where'd those other two suits go?” one pilot asked.

 

“Don't know,” replied the Gold leader.

 

“They've faded from view and I”m not getting anything on my scanners,” came the voice of one of the blue squadron.

 

“Better watch your backs,” called the Red leader. “Come on, regroup and let's take these bastards down.”

 

“I resent that remark,” Quatre muttered, his communications unit having picked up on the conversation between the Orion pilots. “I had a mother and a father.”

 

Zechs snickered at the comment.

 

“Watch out, 04, attack coming in from seven o'clock,” Wufei informed the Sandrock pilot, swinging his trident around to parry with another suit that had dared to sneak up on him.

 

“Thanks, Wufei.” Quatre spun the black and gold Gundam around, shotels sweeping through the air and neatly severing the suit into two pieces.

 

“Just a little closer,” Trowa muttered as he watched the incoming suits intently, finger hovering over the button. The console beeped and the screen showed him the suits were in range. Depressing the button, Trowa released the last of his missiles at the Orions, scoring a direct hit with one and the blast taking out another three. “Successful strike for the Gundams,” he said softly.

 

“Bloody hell! Don't they ever give up?!” Zechs growled as he was again rocked in his seat, the shuttle taking a hit to the starboard side. He aligned his rifles and sent forth a beam, the suit he was aiming for dodging and returning fire. “Une, you owe me big time for this. Take that you asshole!” This time the beam rifle found its mark.

 

“You want a piece of me? Then come on, fight me honorably,” Wufei snarled, swinging Shenlong around and sending the dragon arm forth yet again.

 

“Just another walk in the park,” Trowa mumbled as he prepared to line up his next target. Heavyarms raised the gattling gun, took aim and then let fly - or tried to. “Fuck!” Trowa hit the controls again, to have the same result. The incoming suits realized the red Gundam was having a problem and within seconds they were swarming for him.

 

“Oh, crap. This is gonna hurt,” Trowa whispered as he eyed up the incoming suits.

 

“Trowa? You have major incoming,” Quatre informed his lover.

 

“No shit,” Trowa replied as his fingers again flew over the computer console.

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“I'm clean out of ammo.”

 

“Oh. That does pose a bit of a problem.”

 

“You think?”

 

“Trowa! There's no need to be sarcastic,” huffed Quatre and swung the shotels again to take out another suit.

 

“And there's no need for you to state the obvious,” Trowa returned as he pulled forth the knife Heavyarms carried for moments such as these.

 

“I know you're under a lot of stress, we all are, but try to remember your manners,” Quatre fired back and spun around to decimate another suit.

 

“Manners?! Fuck the manners, Quat. I'm in quite a lot of shit here,” Trowa snapped.

 

“You'll be in a lot of shit with me too afterwards if you don't watch your language. Just remember the couch,” Quatre sniffed.

 

“Fuck the couch.”

 

“That's all you'll be getting too.”

 

“If you two could stop your little spat and settle on the divorce later, I think we'd all appreciate it. In case both of you had forgotten, we have several enemy suits intent on taking us out here,” Wufei interrupted.

 

“They're married?” Zechs questioned.

 

“Not for much longer,” Quatre muttered.

 

“I heard that.”

 

“Barton! Use your knife, I'll come over and try to help you. Winner, shut the fuck up and concentrate on slicing and dicing,” Wufei snarled, putting an end to the verbal sparring match.

 

Winner and Barton, married? Zechs was having a little difficulty in wrapping his head around all the sudden information. Not to mention the sudden appearance of Wufei's sense of humor. Slicing and dicing? Now that was something he expected Maxwell to come out with. The shuttle shook as another beam connected with the hull and Zechs hastily put his mind back on the job at hand.

 

Trowa had the knife ready. He could see Wufei steadily making his way closer to him, but he wouldn't be in time. The Orions would beat the Chinese man. Trowa waited patiently until the first suit was within range, then he sent Heavyarms forward, knife flashing through the air.

 

The pilot was taken unaware, thinking it would be a simple case of getting close enough to the red mecha and releasing the beam rifle at almost point blank range into the cockpit. He didn't count on the knife.

 

Heavyarms used its free arm to grab the opponent and draw the suit even closer, enabling Trowa to plunge the knife deep into the hydraulic system of the Orion. Pushing the suit away, he watched as it flew out of control to hit the satellite surface.

 

“Never underestimate your enemy,” Trowa muttered, a small smile on his face. That smile soon disappeared though as several suits all attacked him at once. “Ah, fuck.”

 

“Attack!” cried the Red leader, noting the red Gundam was only armed with a knife now. “Watch out for that right hand, stay clear and take this sucker down.”

 

With a whoop, five other suits joined in on the attack. Heavyarms was completely enveloped in the swarming suits.

 

“Trowa!” screamed Quatre and spun Sandrock around, shotels blazing as he swung them through the air, cutting down anything in his path as he hit the thrusters and sped towards his husband.

 

Inside Heavyarms' cockpit, Trowa was being tossed around in his harness like a rag doll. The Orions were using everything they had and throwing it at the Gundam. Alarms were going off all over the place, Trowa unable to silence them as he did his best to keep the other suits from landing a strike to the cockpit.

 

A blast to the Gundam's right side had Trowa thrown to the right, cracking his head and tearing the ligaments in his left shoulder as his body strained against the harness. A sharp cry left his throat and he bit down on his lip to try and offset the pain. Another shot had him jolted back to the left, his right ankle getting caught between the pedals and wrenching it.

 

“Attack my husband would you?!” Quatre screamed and unleashed the fury of Sandrock upon the six suits currently doing their best to take Trowa down.

 

The black and gold Gundam moved so fast it appeared to be a blur in the atmosphere. Shotels arched through the air, cutting first one way, spinning and cutting the other way. Within seconds, the six suits were no more.

 

Wufei and Zechs both watched the scene unfold, their mouths open in shock as Quatre systematically tore through the six suits.

 

“I think Winner has gone Zero on us,” Wufei whispered.

 

“Holy shit, it's like a mother protecting her young,” Zechs stated, unable to believe that the normally calm, serene blonde, who was a strong activist for peace, could be such a ruthless, cold blooded warrior.

 

Wufei heard the words and gave a snort. “You have no idea of the mother hen streak Winner has within.”

 

“Something tells me I don't want to either,” Zechs replied.

 

“Trowa?! Trowa?! Are you okay? Trowa!? Acknowledge!” Quatre all but screamed down the com link.

 

“Did anyone get the number of that truck?” Trowa groaned.

 

“Trowa, thank Allah.” Quatre gave a relieved sigh. “Are you okay?”

 

“Um, I think so.”

 

“Status report 03,” barked Wufei.

 

“Strained shoulder, possible broken ankle and one hell of a headache. Still functional though.”

 

“Functional, my ass!” came Quatre's voice.

 

“My ass is still functional,” Trowa retorted.

 

“Boys, oh, boys... I suggest we get these suits finished off as quickly as we can and then take stock of the situation,” Zechs butted in.

 

“Right you are, Zechs,” Quatre replied. “Don't think you're off the hook yet either, Trowa. I'll sort you out after.” Sandrock spun and with a burst from the thrusters, went on the attack again.

 

Trowa gave a sigh, rubbed his head with his good hand and turned his attention back to the battle.

 

Wufei shook his head. “By Nataku, if I ever survive this I swear I'm going to take a long vacation, preferably to Mars.”

 

Zechs would just be happy to get back to the Black Ops - a lot less stressful.

 

* * *

 

[Satellite XRB 23 Domes]

 

Duo carefully guided Deathscythe towards the shuttle bay entrance, Wing's hand still enclosed within the black mecha's. “What's the plan?” he asked Heero as he dodged a couple of stray suits and landed Scythe just outside the entrance.

 

“Get inside, find Barton and arrest him. Then see if we can find this professor and reverse the Firecell,” Heero replied and adjusted Wing's thrusters to assist Duo in bringing them both safely to the surface.

 

“I see. It's not going to be easy. Barton has a couple of really good bodyguards with him.”

 

Heero snorted.

 

“Hey! You haven't seen the size of one of them; he makes Rashid look like a dwarf.”

 

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” came Heero's reply.

 

Duo rolled his eyes. “We're not all superman,” he muttered. Eying off the entrance to the shuttle port, Duo sent Deathscythe's scanners forth and grinned when they came back clear. “Looks like we're in luck,” he stated.

 

“Hn.”

 

Carefully, Duo edged closer and slowly brought the two Gundams to the ground just outside the entrance. The pair walked their way inside and moved to the far section beside the depressurization chamber. “Seems to be all clear,” said Duo as he looked around.

 

“It would appear so,” agreed Heero and began to power down Wing.

 

Deathscythe also powered down, Duo leaving the mecha in standby mode. Grabbing his helmet, he slipped it on, wincing as the collar brushed against the cut to his head. With the helmet secure, he flipped the comm switch. “You ready, Heero?”

 

“Hai.” Heero also had his helmet in place, Wing powered down to standby mode as well.

 

“As soon as we step off the Gundams, we're going to become visible,” Duo warned.

 

“I know.” Heero checked his gun and slid it back inside his flight suit, double checking he was completely sealed inside before hitting the switch to release the hatch. Releasing the harness, he got himself out of the pilot's seat and stepped onto the hatch.

 

Duo similarly released himself from his harness and stepped out onto Deathscythe's hatch. Grasping the handle to the small wire, he allowed it to drop him steadily to the ground. Once he stepped away, he became visible. Heero appeared at his side within a couple of seconds.

 

“Which way?”

 

“Through here,” Duo replied and led them both to the chamber.

 

A couple of minutes later they were standing inside the corridor of the Dome. Heero removed his helmet, Duo doing the same and they hid them in a corner, away from prying eyes. Keeping his braid tucked down the back of the suit, Duo pulled his gun from within the suit and checked the safety was off.

 

“I'm betting that Barton is in the control room,” Duo said, keeping his voice low as he looked around.

 

Heero had also removed his gun and flipped the safety off. “How many can we expect in the control room?”

 

“Not sure. This way.” Duo moved off down a corridor, keeping himself in the shadows, silent feet traversing the Dome. With a grunt, Heero followed.

 

Duo led them through a maze of corridors and deeper into the Domes. Eyes and ears remained alert, neither man wishing to risk an encounter with any personnel that may still be on the satellite. Duo knew that Barton wouldn't have sent all his people to the earth, there were certain to be quite a few still left on the satellite. As he drew upon his memory of the satellite layout, he also did his best to remember roughly how many personnel there would most likely be inside the control room. He knew Zaheer would be there, the man didn't stray far from Barton at all. Sampson would most likely still be around too and so would several of the techs and with any luck, Professor Hawkins.

 

As they progressed closer to their target, it became a little more difficult to remain hidden. They came across a couple of small patrols, avoiding them by the skin of their teeth, ducking into whatever doorway, closet or hiding spot they could find.

 

“How much further?” Heero asked as they proceeded down yet another corridor.

 

“Not too far now.” Duo paused for a moment to get his bearings. “If memory serves me correct, the way to the hangar where the suits were housed is down that way. The holding cells were along those corridors and that means the control room is down this way.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah.” Duo nodded and reached to tuck a few stray hairs that had escaped his braid back behind his ear. His eyes widened when Heero reached out and ran his fingers gently through Duo's bangs. “Heero?” Duo winced as Heero's fingers found the cut to his scalp.

 

As Duo had tucked the stray hair away so Heero had seen the traces of crimson in some of those locks. His fingers moved forward, doing their best to locate the source of the blood. He knew he'd found it when Duo winced. “You're hurt,” he stated simply.

 

“It's not much, just a small cut. Ow!”

 

Heero pulled his lover closer and parted the locks to get a proper look at the injury. “Hn,” he muttered as some of the hair that was stuck to the wound pulled free, causing Duo to yelp. “Looks like it could do with a couple of stitches.”

 

“Yeah, well, when this is all over I swear I'll let Sally doctor me all she likes.” Without waiting for his lover to reply, mainly because he knew from the look in Heero's eye the man was about to bring up something he really didn't want to discuss right now, Duo headed off down the corridor towards the control room.

 

With a glare to his husband's back, Heero began to follow, only to be brought up short when Duo suddenly froze and motioned for him to also freeze. Sidling up behind his lover, Heero dropped his voice to a whisper. “What is it?”

 

“Listen.”

 

Heero strained his ears. Seconds later he heard the soft, muted tones of talking. He quirked an eyebrow at Duo.

 

“That's Wainright's voice,” Duo whispered.

 

“The senator?”

 

“Yeah. He's got company too, probably Richards.”

 

Heero's eyes gleamed. “We need them alive.”

 

“We have time to make a pit stop?”

 

“Hai. We do for these two. There's several charges awaiting them back on earth.”

 

“Fine with me. How do you want to do this?”

 

Heero's eyes gleamed.

 

“Silly question,” Duo muttered and rolled his eyes as he took up position on one side of the doorway, gun drawn and ready.

 

Heero took the other side, gun also drawn. He counted down with his fingers, Duo following the movement and then opening the door. Immediately the door was open, Duo dropped to the floor, Heero stepping forth with his gun raised and voice speaking.

 

“Freeze! You're all under arrest.”

 

Wainright and Richards jerked in their seats as the door to their room was suddenly thrust open and they found themselves staring down the barrels of two loaded guns. Both men raised shaky hands into the air, the wine glasses they held threatening to spill their contents.

 

Raising himself from the floor and keeping his gun trained on Richards, Duo carefully approached the senator, noting Heero doing the same, but to Wainright. Wainright wasn't going to take this easily though.

 

“Who the hell are you?! What right do you have to come barging in here and why am I under arrest? On what grounds?” Wainright spluttered.

 

“Preventer Agent Day,” Heero stated, keeping the gun aimed directly at the senator's forehead. “You are both under arrest to answer charges of disturbing the peace, theft of government funds, defrauding a colony, conspiring to take over the ESUN, associating with known criminals and intentions of starting a war.”

 

“You forgot kidnapping,” Duo added with an amused smile.

 

“Hn. I thought it was Barton who kidnapped you?”

 

“Yeah, he did, but these guys were in on it too.”

 

“You are also charged with being accessories to the kidnapping of a Preventer Agent.” Heero turned to look at his lover. “Happy now?”

 

“Yup.”

 

Richards hung his head in defeat, Wainright's eyes narrowed and his face turned red, but there wasn't anything he could do, not when faced with a loaded gun and all he had in the way of a weapon was a wine glass.

 

“Cuffs?” Duo asked.

 

Heero shook his head. “I don't have any, do you?”

 

“Nope. I thought you might have been able to pull some out of that spandex space of yours,” Duo snickered.

 

“In case you hadn't noticed, I'm wearing a flight suit, not spandex,” Heero deadpanned.

 

Duo took a quick look around the room. “That should do,” he said and began to walk over to the archway that passed between the bedroom and the current living room of the senators' quarters. The curtain was held back by a length of cord, cord that Duo quickly cut from its moorings. Slicing the cord in two, he passed Heero a length and then began to tie the wrists of Senator Richards together and secure him in a chair.

 

Copying Duo and securing Wainright to a chair, Heero disappeared into the other room and returned seconds later with a pair of socks. He handed one to Duo. “Gag,” he said by way of explanation.

 

“I hope they're clean,” Duo mumbled and shoved the sock into the senator's mouth. Richards also hoped they were clean.

 

“Now what?” asked Duo.

 

“Make a note of the room position and call it in to Zechs and the others. We need to get to the control room,” Heero replied.

 

“Okay,” Duo replied and pulled out his com unit to contact the shuttle.

 

~ * ~

 

tbc...