Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Heero's Plan ❯ Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

Chapter Four

"We arrested twenty five people." Lady Une paced in front of the Tallgese III with short clipped strides, her arms crossed across her chest.

She stopped, pinning Sally, Wufei and Noin with a glare. "Five in the Preventers department alone."

"Security is being increased and we've initiated a secondary check on all personnel." Wufei told her.

"I'm not sure that's good enough." Lady Une turned her head away, noticing for the first time that a shadow had made it's way across the floor.

She nodded to him and walked away.

Heero watched Lady Une resume her pacing with a patience he didn't feel. There wasn't time for useless guilt.

"Where are the targets?"

"Under tight security on the ninth level." She sighed. "They're demanding to be set free. I hope you're right about this Heero, one of them has enough authority to make all our lives difficult if you're wrong."

"I'm not wrong. I'm going to need Duo, Quatre and Trowa before I begin questioning."

"They are guarding the prisoners."

"Good. Make sure they see them."

"Why?"

"I'm the man who shot Relena. I'm the last person they'll expect to see, but if they know there are other Gundam pilots around, it won't seem strange when I show up."

"All right Heero, we'll try it your way."

Heero didn't move.

"Where is she?"

"She isn't awake yet." Sally told him.

Heero's cold expression didn't alter as he repeated. "Where is she?"

Sally smiled. "In your room."

Heero turned away with Sally following, and walked to the room he and Relena had shared for the past two nights.

He typed in the security code and opened the door.

Relena's casket stood in between the two beds, its' Plexiglas cover gone.

Heero stopped next to the casket and stared down into her face. He knew her unnaturally pale pallor was due to the makeup she applied earlier, but it still bothered him to see her this way.

He could understand where Milardo found the inspiration for his eulogy.

"When?" His question was nothing more than a harsh whisper, as if he was afraid to discover that she wasn't asleep after all.

"In an hour or so. I didn't want her waking up before the funeral was over." Sally's voice held the tiniest trace of a laugh.

"Will you stay with her?"

Sally nodded. "Of course. I'll tell her you'll be back as soon as you can."

"Thank you." Heero held Sally's gaze for a moment in gratitude before leaving the room.

The light in his eyes went out before he approached Lady Une.

"This shouldn't take long."

******

The look on Duo's face was one of disgust as he stared at the man on the other side of the one-way mirror.

"That guy is a certifiable loon." Duo threw his hands up in the air. "He's been sitting there, happy as a clam, smiling, since we brought him in."

"I'll be careful." Heero opened the door to the interrogation room and stepped inside.

The blonde haired man seated at the small table betrayed only a momentary look of surprise before he smiled in welcome.

"Heero Yuy."

Heero felt his face grow frigid and hard. "Barton."

"I can honestly say it's a pleasure to meet you, Yuy." Barton's voice oozed with sick charm.

Heero didn't move. He had to restrain himself from pounding the guys' face in. "Why's that?"

"Because you did me a great favor." Barton laughed unpleasantly. "I thought about sending you a thank you gift, but I couldn't think of anything appropriate."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come now, Yuy. You know perfectly well what I'm referring to. The flawlessly executed shooting of Relena Peacecraft."

"She goes by Darlian now."

The blonde man's face turned red. "What difference does it make? She's dead!"

Heero stared at him. "Why did you want to kill her?"

Barton stood up, taking two rapid, agitated steps toward the rear of the room before whipping around.

"The Barton family's place in history was already written until she interfered. If you hadn't killed her I would have, but a lot more slowly." He pounded the table with one fist. "Relena Peacecraft ruined everything!!"

"Darlian." Heero corrected coldly.

Barton straightened up, staring at Heero with glittering eyes and an irrational edge to his smile. "What are you doing here, Yuy? Why hasn't one of these Preventers put a bullet in you?"

Heero lifted one shoulder negligently. "Maybe it's because I've got more friends than you do." He turned to leave. If he didn't get out of there, he didn't think he'd be able to stop himself from killing the deranged man. The guy was a menace.

"Yuy, wait!"

Heero stopped, glancing at the man over his shoulder.

"Tell me, what did she look like?"

"What?"

"Relena." Barton whispered, grasping the tabletop so hard that his nails scratched the surface, his expression filled with sadistic excitement. "Her face. When you shot her. What did she look like?"

Heero opened the door, closing it firmly behind him.

"Yuy!" Barton yelled. "I want to know! WHAT DID SHE LOOK LIKE?!!!"

"You're right Duo. Loony."

"Do you want to talk to the other two?"

"Yeah."

Duo's face twisted even further with distaste, and jerked his head to the left. "They're right down here."

Heero walked with Duo to the next interrogation room. Trowa was waiting outside. He nodded at Heero and Duo.

Heero looked through the mirror at the woman sitting angry, but composed at the table.

"Has she said anything?"

"Nothing helpful," Trowa answered. "She claims she has diplomatic immunity."

"She does."

Trowel's eyebrows went up.

"Duo, see if there's any connection between her and the Barton foundation. I suggest you check the database for government building contracts awarded to the Barton's prior to the Mariemaya incident. There may be a money trail there."

"Oh sure, leave all the boring stuff to me."

"Duo."

"All right, all right, I'm goin." He walked down the hall muttering to himself, "Why do I always get stuck with the dreary jobs?"

Heero entered the room. He nodded a greeting to the woman. "Minister of Trade Shelley."

"At least you know who I am." She said in a cultured tone. "What is the meaning of this illegal arrest? The Preventers department has gone too far this time. I have diplomatic immunity."

Heero was certain she expected to be released at any moment.

"I'm sure you do Minister."

His low monotone seemed to confuse her momentarily.

She tilted her head, studying Heero.

"I recognize you. You're that Gundam pilot, the one who murdered Vice-Foreign minister Darlian."

"Yes."

"What are you, some kind of paid mercenary? Am I you're next target?"

"No."

"I don't understand, how did you get into Preventer headquarters?"

Heero crossed his arms. "The best place to hide is right out in the open."

Minister Shelley glared at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you hated Relena enough to want to kill her."

"What? What a ridiculous statement. I have nothing but the highest regard for Relena Darlian, God rest her soul."

"Then explain you're involvement with the Barton foundation."

Heero watched a frightened expression flit across her face before it was quickly covered up by righteous indignation. "The Barton foundation! How dare you accuse me of collaborating with those power hungry people!"

Heero placed both hands on the table, leaning forward with a speed that had the minister cringing away from him.

"Your expression just convicted you, Minister Shelley."

Heero walked out of the room, ignoring her sputtering.

Trowa shook his head. "Greed can motivate a person into doing almost anything."

"Only if that person is weak."

"True."

"Where's the third target?"

"The next door down. Quatre's with him."

"Good. Call Lady Une about Minister Shelley. Tell her Duo is looking for the connection."

Trowa looked sceptical. "She's not going to be satisfied with that."

"She'll have to be."

He walked to the next room where Quatre stood waiting.

"Heero."

Quatre's smile seemed sad.

"What's wrong Quatre?"

"Look at him, Heero." Quatre gestured toward the occupant of the room.

The man sat hunched over, his hands in his lap, crying.

"How long has he been like this?"

"Since I confronted him outside the funeral."

"Hn."

Heero walked into the room.

The man sitting in the chair flinched as soon as the door opened. He stared at Heero, terror stricken.

"You. You're the one who killed her." He whimpered.

"Yes."

"Are you going to kill me too?"

"No."

The man swallowed visibly.

"What .. what do you want?"

"I want to know why you hated Relena Darlian."

"I didn't hate her! Not really!" he sobbed, tears streaming down his face.

Heero waited, his face looking anything but sympathetic.

"She said Miss Darlian was in the way. She said I'd be rich. We never expected you to kill her, Barton was supposed to do that, but when you shot her, she was so happy."

"Who?"

"My boss. Minister Shelley." The man gulped.

"How rich?"

The little man's eye shone with hope. "Really, really rich. She made a deal with Barton and I get a cut."

"What deal?"

"I c .. can show you." He looked around as if he expected someone to jump out of the wall. "Just don't let them kill me."

Heero didn't answer.

"I was just so happy to be rich." The man's chin quivered. "I thought she was nice. I really did."

"Someone will get the information on this deal from you."

The man opened his mouth, but Heero left before he could say anything more.

"How sad," Quatre sighed.

Heero shook his head. "This whole situation is sad."

"Yes, you're quite right."

They both turned to look at the blubbering mess sitting at the table.

"Can you handle this Quatre?"

"Of course."

"Good, I need to check on Relena and speak to Lady Une."

Quatre's smile brightened. "Say hello for me."

Heero nodded and thanked his friend with a small grin.

Quatre gaped at seeing the smile, then laughed out loud.

******

Heero walked steadily through the dark hanger toward the room he and Relena were sharing, his rage dissipating with every step. He had never felt so angry before. The soldier in him demanded that he kill the people threatening Relena and the peace they fought so hard to achieve. But the man in him knew that was not the path to take. The man had won, barely.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Milardo Peacecraft's voice drifted out of the tiny room.

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life." Relena's answer was confident, even challenging.

Heero paused a couple of feet away from the door to listen.

"I see." Milardo didn't sound like he was giving ground so much as leaving the battlefield gracefully. "I won't stand in your way then."

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise! I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

"I'm sorry." Heero could hear the smile in her voice. "It's just that I know you're not fond of him."

"That's putting it mildly." Milardo's mutter was barely audible.

"What?"

"No. He's not my favorite person, but he makes you happy, so I'll try to get along with him."

"Oh Milardo! Thank you!"

Heero moved forward, now that that was decided, making more noise than usual as he walked. Milardo stuck his head out the door just as Heero reached it. He stared at Heero for a moment before stepping aside to let the other man pass. "She's been waiting for you."

Milardo smiled at his sister. "I'll leave the two of you alone. Noin is expecting me upstairs." He turned to go.

"Peacecraft." Heero's use of his name stopped the older man. "We have all the evidence we need to convict the big fish. Lady Une is laying charges right now. I thought you'd want to know."

"Thanks, Yuy." Milardo nodded at Heero, and with last look at his sister, left.

Heero switched his attention to Relena. Gone was the makeup that made her look pale and lifeless. Her skin glowed with the same vitality as her smile. She changed out of her fancy dress and was wearing her Preventer uniform again. She could have been wearing a potato sack for all Heero cared.

"Relena." It was all he could get out before she was in his arms.

He held her close, moulding her to his body, needing to feel her warm and alive against him. "Relena," Heero said again, letting her name roll of his tongue.

"Heero, what's wrong?"

He lifted his head from where he'd buried it in her neck and met her eyes.

"Heero?" Relena stroked his face, trying to ease the harsh set of his jaw. "Who was it? Who did you catch?"

"Barton and two others."

"What others?"

"Relena, I don't think .." He wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. Minister Shelley had been one of her friends and supporters. Or so it was thought.

"Who was it?" she demanded.

Damn.

"Minister of trade Shelley and one of her aides."

Relena's eyes grew wide with shock. "What? I don't believe it." She pulled out of Heero's arms and blindly sat down on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Relena."

"Are you sure? Could there have been some mistake?"

Heero remembered the look on the woman's face when she gazed down at Relena in the casket.

"No. No mistake."

Relena stared blankly at the wall. "She helped me so many times, encouraged me with my policies of peace and supported me at more meetings than I can count." She shook her head. "Why would she want me dead?"

"Money."

That got Relena's attention.

"She had a deal in place with the Barton Foundation."

"The Bartons?" Relena's face changed at the sound of that name. "The Bartons!" Her blank expression vanished, replaced with anger and disgust.

She stood up. "I want to see her!"

Heero said nothing for a moment. He wasn't sure this was a good idea, but from the look on Relena's face he figured she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Okay."

******

Heero watched Relena stare at Minister Shelley still sitting in the interrogation room.

The woman didn't look so confident any more.

Relena moved to open the door, but Heero stopped her.

"Are you sure you wan to do this?"

She glanced behind him to where Duo, Trowa and Quatre stood. They wanted some answers too. Wufei and Sally would have been there but they were busy processing Curtis Barton.

"Yes. I want to hear her reasons from her."

Heero sighed, "Okay, but I'm coming in with you."

Relena opened the door and stepped inside, Heero close behind.

Minister Shelley looked up as the door opened and gasped in shock as she recognized the young woman standing before her dressed in a Preventer uniform.

"Relena?"

"Hello Diane." Relena's voice could have frozen a sizzling barbeque on a hot summer day.

"Oh my God. You're alive?"

"That's obvious. Isn't it?"

"How?" Her eyes darted to Heero. "He shot you."

"Yes, he did."

Diane Shelley appeared visibly shaken.

Relena took a step toward the other woman. "Why, Diane?"

"What?"

"Why did you lie to me? Was the money really worth throwing away everything you've worked for, everything the whole planet has worked for?"

"You have no idea what I want or what I was working toward, Relena," Diane Shelley said with distain, recovering from the shock of seeing her alive. "You wouldn't understand, you with your Pollyanna ideals. You're just a girl, you have no idea what the people need." She sneered. "You and these Gundam pilots have no grasp on what truly motivates people to succeed."

Relena stared at her. "That you think this way .. I feel truly sorry for you. People need honesty and hope, not greed and subjugation." She nodded at Heero, who opened the door.

The other pilots were waiting for them.

Duo grinned at Relena crookedly. "Way to go, Relena."

"Yes, Miss Relena," Quatre added with a smile of his own. "Very well spoken."

Trowa nodded in agreement.

Heero put his arm around her waist.

"Let's go home."