Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Family Ties ❯ Chapter 109 ( Chapter 109 )

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

“Family Ties”

January 2007 ShenLong

Chapter 109

[Preventer Headquarters]

The entrance to the Preventer building parking area lay ahead and Sally gave a soft exhalation as she spotted it. They had been lucky during their drive to headquarters and only encountered a couple of mobs of people still roaming around. Fortunately for them, the mobs had been focused on other things and they’d managed to drive through without any mishap.

The gates to the parking area were closed, a couple of agents just to the side in the security boxes watching her approach. As she drew closer, Sally slowed down and then brought the vehicle to a stop. One agent stepped out, the other watching his back with a gun in his hand.

“Identification, ma’am?” the agent asked.

Sally grabbed her purse and pulled her ID from within, passing it to the agent to check. Nurse Brown also removed her ID from her purse and passed it over.

“Won’t be a moment,” the agent stated and stepped into the security booth where he scanned the ID; the other agent kept the gun trained on them at all times. A few seconds later, the agent stepped back out and passed the ID back. “Sorry for any inconvenience, Doctor, but with all the shit that’s been going down we can’t take any chances.”

“That’s quite all right, we both understand and to be honest, I’d be really worried if you didn’t go to these lengths,” Sally replied as she tucked her ID back into her purse.

The gates were opened and Sally drove inside, parking the car in the section reserved for the medical staff. Once the engine was cut, she got out and fetched Keitaro from his baby seat whilst Margaret removed the child’s stroller from the trunk. Settling the babe into the stroller, Sally couldn’t help but smile as the child remained asleep, an innocent look on his cherub face.

“He truly is a little miracle,” Sally murmured.

“Yes, he is, and I sincerely hope his possible future brother or sister survives all this to share a long, healthy life with him.”

“I agree with that,” Sally whispered. “Come on, we need to go see Une and find out the status.” With Margaret handling the baby bag, Sally took a firm hold of the stroller handles and began to push the child towards the elevator.

Within a few minutes they were walking down the corridor to Une’s office. The building was pretty quiet, even if it was just late afternoon - early evening. With all that had transpired it didn’t come as a shock to Sally, she fully expected all able bodied agents to be out in the field. Arriving at the Commander’s door, Sally knocked and entered.

Felicity looked up at the knock and then person entering. “Doctor Po, it’s good to see you,” the secretary said.

“You too, Felicity,” Sally replied, taking in the tired looking secretary and the slightly rumpled clothing. “I need to speak with the Commander; I believe she is expecting me?”

“Yes, she is, Doc. She’s down in  Communications right now, I’ll let her know you’re here.” Felicity pushed the numbers for Une’s pager.  “Take a seat, she shouldn’t be too long in answering.”

“Thanks.” Sally and Margaret moved to sit on a couple of the straight backed chairs and await Une’s call. They didn’t have to wait long.

Felicity informed the Commander of her visitors and was told she would be there immediately. The secretary offered the two women refreshments; both declined, opting to just sit and wait.

Une strode into the office a few minutes later. “Sally, Nurse Brown, glad you made it safely. Please, come through.” Une marched into her office, Sally, Margaret and the baby stroller right behind.

Sitting down again, Sally didn’t waste any time in getting to the point. “Have you heard from Heero? What is the status and ETA?”

“Trowa called in not long ago and gave me a brief outline of the agents and their injuries. Here...” Une passed over a clip board. “I wrote it all down on there so you could read it yourself. The shuttle should be getting in contact with us again soon, but I think it would be better if you were to come to communications and speak with Agent Air yourself, then he can answer any questions you may have and give you an updated  status of all on board.”

Sally took the clip board, her eyes scanning over the neat handwriting. The small frown between her brows deepened as she read the facts before her. Having finished, she looked to the nurse and back to Une. “This doesn’t look good for Duo,” she stated simply.

“I have to agree with you,” Une replied, “Which is why time is of the utmost importance.”

“Right. I need to speak with Trowa as soon as possible, once I have the information I need, I can leave Margaret here to get things set up in the medical wing for me. I’ll need a couple of other doctors to take care of the agents with less urgent injuries and also the professor; I’ll deal with Duo myself.”

“And Heero,” Nurse Brown said with a chuckle.

Sally snorted. “Yeah, I’ll deal with him too as knowing Heero he won’t leave Duo for anything.”

“I’ll leave all that side of things to you to organize, Sally. You have full, priority clearance to do what you need to.” Une looked at the slumbering child in the stroller. “Errr, what about the baby? The creche isn’t operating with all that’s been going on.”

“Shit, I’d forgotten about Keitaro,” Sally said sheepishly.

“I’ll find someone I trust to keep an eye on him,” Margaret said firmly.

“May I suggest someone?” Une asked.

“You may, doesn’t mean I’ll leave him with them though,” the nurse replied. She wasn’t trying to be difficult, but with all they’d been through these past few weeks, Margaret didn’t really want to let Keitaro out of her sight. Whomever was going to supervise the child needed to be someone the nurse knew and could trust.

Une gave an amused smile. “I was going to suggest Relena Peacecraft. She’s here at headquarters for her own safety and has been helping out with many things whilst this crisis has been going on. I’m sure she would love to babysit Keitaro and I know she wouldn’t let any harm come to the child.”

Margaret thought about that. She knew the woman, having met her a few times and knew her to be a responsible young person. “Okay.”

Sally smiled. She knew Relena would watch over Keitaro with her life.

“I’ll have Felicity track her down and come here so you can brief her on what Keitaro’s routine is.” Une turned her attention back to Sally after receiving the nurse’s nod of approval. “Whilst Margaret and Relena are organizing the child, we will go through to communications and contact the shuttle.”

“Fine with me,” Sally replied and stood up.

Une left the office to pass on her request to Felicity, the secretary promising to locate Relena immediately. Leaving Margaret and Keitaro with the secretary, Une took Sally to communications.

* * *

[Shuttle 221]

“H – Heero?” Duo’s voice was soft and strained.

“I’m here, Duo.” Heero stood up, his hand still holding Duo’s

Slightly out of focus violet searched Heero’s face. “Where are we? What’s happening?” Duo’s voice was barely a whisper and laced with pain.

Leaning close, Heero brushed a tender kiss across Duo’s lips. “We’re on the shuttle and bound for Earth. You were injured by Barton,” he replied.

Duo’s eyes clouded as he fought to remain conscious and bring the memories forth. Suddenly they flooded back and he grimaced. “The knife?”

Heero shook his head. “It’s still in your abdomen. It’s best to leave it there for now until we get you to expert, medical help. If we remove it, it could make things worse. You need to stay as still as possible, Duo. We don’t know what internal damage has been done or exactly where the knife is sitting. If you move around, you could end up causing it to move too and hurt yourself even more.”

Duo could see the logic in that, even if he wasn’t happy with it. Fear flashed through his eyes and he gripped Heero’s hand tightly. “What about...? Is the...?” Duo couldn’t bring himself to say the words, dreading what the answer would be.

Soft lips brushed over Duo’s ear as Heero whispered to him. “I don’t know, Duo. Until we can get an ultra sound scan, we won’t know for sure if you are expecting, or if the knife has connected with your special parts or any vital organs either.”

“Barton?”

“Unfortunately , he’s still alive,” Heero growled.

“Good.”

Heero raised an eyebrow at that. “Good? I don’t see...”

Duo interrupted him. “If he’s still alive then I can kill the bastard myself for what he’s done.”

A soft chuckle escaped Heero’s mouth. “I think you’d better get in line, Duo.”

Despite the pain a small smile graced Duo’s lips. “Yeah, just make sure that Wuffers, Quat, Tro and yourself leave me a little of him to torture.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” came the dry response.

“How long until we reach Earth?”

Heero glanced at his watch. “About another three hours.”

Duo’s hand tightened in Heero’s again. “The medical help... Who-”

This time it was Heero that cut in. “Sally.”

Duo gave a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

“Sally will take good care of you, Duo, just like she did before.”

Blackness began to infiltrate the edges of Duo’s vision. “Gonna pass out,” he murmured as his eyes slid shut.

“Rest, Duo. I’ll be here to watch your back.” Heero’s hand tightened a fraction around his lover’s as he anxiously waited and willed the shuttle to move faster.

* * *   

[Preventer Headquarters – Communications]

“Sky, get me shuttle 221, please and put it through to the other room,” Une ordered as she entered the communications room with Sally right behind.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Sky, this call will be a medical one. I need a completely secure line and turn the recorder off for this frequency. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you of patient / doctor confidentiality?”

“No, Commander.” Sky began to fiddle with the dial, tuning in the frequency for the shuttle.

Une and Sally made their way into the small side room and placed the head sets on.

“Shuttle 221, this is Agent Sky of Preventer Communications. Do you copy?”

The usual static came down the line before it cleared.

“Preventer Communications, this is Shuttle 221, Agent Air here. Go ahead, Sky.”

“Air, I have the Commander and Doctor Po wishing to speak with you. I’m transferring you through to the Commander and Doctor Po now.”

“Thank you, Sky.”

“Go ahead, Commander.” There was a soft click as the call was put through and Sky shut down his end of the line.

“Agent Air?”

“Commander?”

“I have Sally with me. I need you to answer her questions as best you can so we know what medical set up we will need to treat the injured when you land.”

“Roger that, Commander.”

“Trowa? It’s Sally. What is the current status of Duo? And the rest of the agents?”

Trowa proceeded to let Sally know what he’d found as far as injuries went on Duo, then what he’d treated on  everyone else as well. He read off the latest vital statistics he’d taken from Duo, noting there was only a slight change in blood pressure and temperature. The vitals for the rest of the agents and the professor remained the same.

“Thanks Trowa, I’ll organize to have the appropriate medical treatment waiting here at headquarters for when you all arrive. What is your ETA?”

Taking a quick look at the instrument panel before him, Trowa did some mental math. “We should be touching down at the shuttle port in two and a half hours,” he informed.

“Roger that, Air.” Sally fell silent for a moment as she searched though her mind for any treatment Trowa could give to Duo to help the braided man without harming either the agent or the possible baby. “Air, just how certain are you of Night’s possible extra condition?”

Trowa frowned. “Given what we know from Duo, and what we have observed, I’d feel comfortable in saying it’s a sixty percent chance of a positive,” he swallowed before continuing, “Although that has changed since Barton’s attack on him and where that knife is situated. If he is positive, that knife just may have turned it into a negative, if you get my meaning. There’s only one sure fire way of knowing exactly what is going on and any and all damage, and that’s with an ultra sound. I don’t have that sort of equipment on board; actually, I think Preventer really needs to look at upgrading its medical supplies on these shuttles. They are well stocked for your average treatment, but when you have agents going into more serious situations, I think it would pay to have more stocked of what is normally contained and also upgrade to more specialized supplies.”

“I’ll make a note of that, Air and pass it onto the board here at Preventer,” Une chipped in.

Recalling what was usually stocked in the medical kit, Sally decided a mild pain killer wouldn’t hurt Duo or the child he was possibly carrying and relayed her information to Trowa.

“I’ll give him the pain killer immediately,” Trowa said.

“Thanks. Air, I want you to keep monitoring his vitals every fifteen minutes, if anything changes suddenly, contact me immediately. Once I’ve passed on what needs to be set up here at headquarters, I’ll be on my way to the shuttle port and will meet you there when you land.”
“Roger that, Sally.”

“Good luck, Trowa; I’ll see you all soon.”

“Thanks, Sally. Shuttle 221, out.”

“Preventer communications, out.” Sally removed her head set and stared at Une. “We have a lot to organize.”

It didn’t take Sally long to track down Margaret and fill her in on what she needed prepping in the medical wing. With the nurse’s promise to have it all set up and ready to go before Sally got back, the doctor grabbed her medical bag and stocked up on what she would need, adding supplies she didn’t usually carry just in case. Going by experience, if she had them, she wouldn’t need them; but if she didn’t you could bet your life she’d need them for something urgent.

With everything packed, Nurse Brown handling the medical wing and Keitaro safely with Relena, Sally bid Une goodbye and set out for the shuttle port. She had incoming wounded to take care of.

* * *

[Satellite XRB 23 – Shuttle 121]

Zechs had disappeared aft to locate a bunk, leaving Quatre alone in the cockpit. With his head set on, Quatre fiddled with the dial of the radio, doing his best to tune into the frequency used by the Winner Corporation shuttles.

After a few attempts, the radio finally locked the frequency in and Quatre put out his call.

“Hailing any and all Winner Corporation shuttles in the following sector: XR 10 to XR 30. Any Winner shuttles in this range, please respond.” Quatre sat back and waited.

Nothing but static came down the line.

“I repeat; hailing any and all Winner Corporation shuttles in the following sector: XR 10 to XR 30. Any Winner shuttles in this range, please respond. I repeat, please respond.

“Unknown hailer, please identify,” came over the head set a minute later.

“This is an urgent call, repeat, urgent call. Shuttle that has responded, this is Winner related business, please identify yourself and I will reciprocate,” Quatre stated. He wasn’t about to inform the shuttle exactly who he was just in case it was an unfriendly ship. Despite knowing that the Winner CEO could take care of himself, there had been a few attempts to kidnap Quatre – none had succeeded. Quatre wasn’t about to let his guard down though and needed to know if it was one of his own company’s shuttles first.

“Unknown hailer, this is Winner Shuttle, Sandrock Construction 42. Captain Montgomery speaking. Please identify yourself.”

“Monty? Is that you?” Quatre laughed as he recognized the voice. Montgomery had been with the company for years and Quatre knew the Captain quite well – he was one of their most experienced pilots.

“Mr Winner?”

“Yes, Monty, it’s me, Quatre.”

“What on Earth and in space are you doing out in this sector?”

“It’s a long story, Monty, one I don’t have the time to go into now. Look, I’m in a bit of a situation here and I need some help.”

“Roger that, sir. What can we do to assist?”

“Monty, I’m on the satellite known as XRB 23 and I need to get back to Earth quickly. The shuttle I’m on is damaged and isn’t safe to fly back. There is a repair crew on the way but it will take quite some time before the shuttle is space worthy again. I don’t have that sort of time.”

“I thought that satellite was abandoned?”

“It was. Monty, where are you headed and can you swing by and pick me up, please?”

Captain Montgomery punched some information into the on board computer and did some mental calculations. “We are about an hour away from the satellite and Earth bound. We’ve just delivered a load of construction materials to L2 X395. We were returning to Earth with scrap so if you can hold out for another hour, we can come in and pick you up, sir.”

“Thank you, Montgomery.”

“I’ll need a little more information from you, sir in respects to landing area and such.”

“No problem.” Quatre passed over all the information the Captain needed and then cut the connection. Montgomery would make contact again when the shuttle was five minutes out to verify landing coordinates.  

Just as Quatre was about to leave the cockpit to let Zechs know he’d managed to contact a shuttle, Mercury’s voice came over the radio. Hastily shoving his head set back on, Quatre took the ‘call’.

Mercury informed him that the back up team was an hour and a half out and would require exact coordinates for their approach and landing.

Quatre duly gave Mercury all the information he would need and then informed him of the soon to arrive Winner shuttle that would take him back to Earth.  Mercury accepted the information and stated he would contact again when they were about fifteen minutes out to verify if the Winner shuttle was still there and to double check on clearance for the shuttles to land.

Having noted all that down, Quatre cut the connection and closed his eyes for a second before a broad grin crossed his lips.

Knowing he would be off this floating rock within the hour and that the back up crew would be here in the next hour and a half cheered Quatre up immensely.  He went in search of Zechs to let him know of the expected ETA for the back up and that his ‘ride’ would be arriving soon.

* * *

[Shuttle Port]

Sally glanced at her watch as she pulled into the parking area of the Preventer shuttle port. If the shuttle was running on time it should be arriving somewhere in the next hour. Locking the car, she hurried to the main building and located the officer in charge.

Storm had already informed the officer to expect the doctor and once Sally had shown her ID, the officer escorted her to where a small buggy was waiting.

“Pryor will take you directly to the main control room where Captain Storm is awaiting you, Doctor. I’ll call him up and let him know you're on your way,” the officer said as he assisted Sally into the buggy.

Pryor, the driver gave Sally a grin. He was obviously one of the shuttle mechanics, his greasy coveralls and stained fingers a dead giveaway. “I’ll have you out to Storm in a jiffy, ma’am,” he said.

“Thank you, Pryor is it?”

“Yep, that’s me. Hang on tight, ma’am.” Pryor engaged the buggy’s engine and the small vehicle surged forth. For such a tiny thing, it certainly had a turn of speed on it and Sally grabbed hold of the rail beside her arm to keep her in her seat.

The mechanic expertly guided the buggy through the large terminal and across the tarmac sections where some shuttles waited. Shooting down a small corridor, Pryor took a left, right and then another left. “Almost there,” he said.

They crossed another section of tarmac, scooted around the edges and followed a yellow line that led them towards a series of buildings. Driving the buggy into another corridor, Pryor brought it to a halt alongside a series of doors and stairwells.

“Take the door marked Sector 2 and follow the corridor to level six. Storm will be waiting for you there,” Pryor informed as he offered his hand to assist Sally in getting out of the buggy.

“Thanks, Pryor,” Sally responded as she accepted his assistance and then took her medical bag from his outstretched hand.

“You’re welcome, ma’am.”

Sally passed through the door and walked briskly to level six. Up ahead, behind a wall of glass panels she could see the main control room of the shuttle port. Captain Storm was waiting for her by the door and let her in.

“Good to meet you, Doctor,” Storm greeted and shook Sally’s hand.

“Likewise, Storm,” Sally replied. She liked this man, warming to him immediately.

“I was just about to contact the shuttle; if you’d care to wait whilst I do, you will be able to get the latest update from the agents on board. I’ll have one of the officers take you out to the chopper pad afterwards so you can be ready to go once the shuttle has landed, Doctor.”

“Thank you, Captain. That would be perfect,” Sally replied and followed the Captain across the room to the control panel.

A young officer was just in the process of contacting the shuttle, Storm waiting behind him with his head set on.

“Shuttle 221, this is Preventer shuttle port, do you copy?”

“Preventer shuttle port, this is Shuttle PA 221, Agent Fire here. We read you loud and clear.”

Sally drew in a sharp breath as Wufei’s voice came over the airwaves. Her heart began to beat faster and she prayed he was all right.

“Agent Fire, this is Captain Storm. What is your ETA?”

“ETA is forty-five minutes, Captain. Approaching the atmosphere now and waiting for the coordinates to line up for the window of reentry.”

“Roger that, Fire. We will remain in contact with you until point of reentry. Once you are through the atmosphere and communications are back on line we will assist you in bringing the bird home.”

“Acknowledged, Storm.”

“Chopper is on stand by and Doctor Po is ready to treat all injured. Shuttle bay 21 is ready to receive you.”

“Thank you, Storm.”

“Shuttle port will keep this frequency open from now until you are dirt side and parked. All other traffic has been either diverted or put on holding patterns. You have priority clearance 221.”

“Roger that. Will keep frequency open and contact you once the window is a couple of minutes away. Shuttle 221 out for now.”

“Copy that, Fire. Shuttle port on hold.” Storm removed his head set and with strict instructions to his communications officer to keep him informed of the shuttle’s progress, he turned back to Sally.  “I’ll take you down to the ground floor and have one of my officers escort you to the waiting chopper, Doctor.”

“Thanks.” Sally grabbed her medical bag and followed the Captain out of the control room.

* * *

[Shuttle 221]

Wufei put the communications on hold and turned to Trowa. “Could you go check on the others and let them know we will be coming up to the window for reentry in thirty minutes, please? Everyone is to strap themselves in and make sure that Agent Night is completely secure. I’ll need you to come back though and assist me with bringing this shuttle in.”

“No problem, Wufei, although I don’t know how much use I will be to you.”

“You will be able to function well enough to assist me,” Wufei insisted. “I would have asked the professor, but he doesn’t know anything about shuttles and enlisting his assistance with the take off was fine, but the landing is a completely different story.”

Trowa nodded. He understood perfectly well what Wufei was saying. “I’ll be right back.”

Heero looked up as Trowa entered the medical bay. “How long?”

“We need to secure Duo as best we can. Reentry window is just under thirty minutes away,” Trowa replied and shuffled towards the bed.

Heero stood up, moving a little awkwardly as his muscles had stiffened whilst he’d been sitting there and his wounds were also protesting the movement. Heero ignored the pain though, his lover was far more important. Heero knew, as did the rest of the pilots just how rough a reentry could be. Even if one did get the angle perfect, the craft would still buck and shudder as the atmospheric layers played havoc with its outer skin and navigational controls.

Between the two of them, they managed to tighten the straps across the bed and Duo’s body, careful of the knife still protruding. There wasn’t anything more they could do to keep the knife secure, they would simply have to pray that the padding and bandages Trowa had applied earlier would be enough to prevent it from moving.

With Duo now as secure as could be, Heero and Hawkins took up their own seats and strapped themselves down. Heero took up his hold on Duo’s hand once more as Trowa left them to assist Wufei in bringing the shuttle in.

Duo’s eyes flickered open. “Heero?”
“I’m here, Duo.”

“What’s happenin’?” Duo’s words were a little slurred, possibly due to the painkiller Trowa had administered earlier on Sally’s advice.

“We’re about to come upon the window and break through the atmosphere. It won’t be long now and Sally is waiting to look after you.”

“Hate reentry, it’s a fuckin’ bitch.”

“I know.”

The sound of the shuttle’s engines began to change a little, indicating they were coming up on that window.

Duo gripped Heero’s hand tighter, fear an ever present emotion. God how he wished he could slip back into unconsciousness for the break through the atmosphere – but now that he wanted it, it wouldn’t come. “Fuckin’ Murphy and his law,” Duo mumbled.

The craft began to whine, the fuselage shuddering and bucking as the layers of gasses were penetrated by the shuttle nose. All on board were jolted around a little as the shuttle forced its way through.

On the bed, Duo bit his tongue and did his best to stifle the cry of pain as his already injured body was jolted about.

~ * ~

tbc...


Converting /tmp/php7RlSW6 to /dev/stdout