Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ In the City at Night ❯ Devil's Due ( Chapter 23 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Devil's Due

"You here alone?" a man called Dover muttered to Riley, leering at her in a way only a goodly drunk man can manage.

"'m with my boyfriend," Riley returned, gesturing the general way of Raul. She sipped her cocktail again, studying the man. "You?"

"I came with some friends," Dover returned, then shook his head and started to move away. He wasn't quite walking straight as he looked the bar over.

Riley shook her head, writing down what she learned on a napkin to help process it in her memory. Dover had not been talking to anyone about the line of power. The two other people they'd talked to during the day had been loyal friends or followers of the people in the officer's club, and the information had come back the same.

That left two people.

"What are you doing?"

Riley jumped hard as Jordan snatched the napkin from the bar and shoved it into her drink in disbelief. "Oh, Jor..." she touched a hand to her heart.

"Never write it down," he snapped, glowering at her. "What the hell do you think? What if the barman here is paid to watch?"

"I'm not too worried about 'what ifs'," Riley retorted, pouting down to her now ruined drink.

"It's all in the details, Riley," he hissed in her ear.

"What are you doing? You're gonna ruin the setup," she muttered.

"Hey, buddy," Raul's voice sounded irritated from behind, moving closer. "That's my girl."

Jordan turned an arrogant expression onto Raul, "Too bad for her."

"Get away from me," Riley snapped at him, sliding off the stool and moving more toward Raul.

"If she's yours, why did you leave her at the bar?" Jordan retorted a bit flippantly.

Raul narrowed his eyes at his leader, trying to judge what the next step would be.

"It would have been a pity fuck anyway," Jordan informed Riley, turning and walking away with her cup in his hand. They watched him dump the contents into a trashcan, then set the cup on a passing waitress' tray before looking to each other again.

"Let's go home," Raul suggested, pressing lightly on her back.

X x X x X

Tirone Beedus pressed his throbbing face against the cold pane of glass, staring at an unfamiliar neighborhood. He didn't know where he was, how long he'd been unconscious, or how long before the asshole talking to him gave up on his coercion and put a bullet through his forehead.

All for what? What was the man's intent? He rambled about powerful people coming from powerful families and how the common people should have leaders from amongst their ranks like a proper democracy. He'd ranted about how people like President Wilkon or Zechs Marquise could manipulate the system to do whatever they wanted...and he'd grumbled about Duo Maxwell, an old god brought back to life...or something. He'd mentioned the five former Gundam pilots, anyway. He'd said that Terry Shifton was the best choice of leader if he weren't too humble to accept the position, but Tirone himself would work for the people just as well.

Tirone had made very sure the man believed he'd work for the people.

The guy was either insane or blinded by the kind of loyalty that scares most leaders.

Beedus shifted back in his seat as he noticed a man walking toward a car in the driveway, thinking about the last few days. There'd been a phone call on one of them, and the room had been thoroughly searched...and they'd found his cell-phone. That desperate fear aside, he had to figure he was dealing with powerful idiots...the kind who might forget to lock a door.

Tirone focused on the door to his room, then to the man who was climbing into the car. He was wearing dark sunglasses, and his hair was a nondescript color of brown. The car itself was one of the used-hard type of vehicles you could buy for a few hundred dollars at any used car dealer. One of the kinds that won't stand out on a road, but doesn't have much invested into it...not worth keeping.

He watched the car pull away, then listened to the silence of the house below him.

Had the idiots left him home alone? He almost dared to hope as he moved toward the bedroom door, ignoring the pain all over his body. If he could get away...if he could get away to the police...or were the police here corrupt? Was there an underground movement to be rid of past kings and their families?

He needed to find a map, he noted, testing the door to his bedroom...and watched it open in disbelief. The hall beyond was empty, but he could hear someone downstairs.

How did that one go? Tread softly but carry a big stick? Something like that...and since he didn't have a stick maybe it'd suffice to just tread softly.

Something deep inside him noted that he'd be dead if the people in the house heard him, and he took his time to move down the hall to a cracked door. A breeze brushed his sore face, setting a wound to stinging and he bit his lip silently as he looked the room over.

Empty.

Tirone moved carefully to the window and looked down at the ground, noting that there was a ledge he could probably drop to.

Climbing out that window was possibly the most terrifying thing Tirone Beedus had ever done. God only knew what the people would do if they found him. He basically inched his way down the wall, ignoring the sore ribs and things that informed him he'd be spending weeks on Remalene if...when...he lived through this.

He landed on the ground, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he waited for the dogs to come after him. He'd been hearing dogs that sounded big the entire time. His heart stopped when he heard a man laugh to his left. He took a moment to tempt fate and move to that corner to see the door to the house shut as the man commented across the building. The dogs were kenneled and eating...Dobermans. Nasty and sleek Dobermans with those ridiculous spiked collars.

Dear lord, something was looking out for him...

He snuck carefully along one fence to the back, climbing it quickly and dropping on the far side as he realized it was an alleyway.

Some sort of god was really looking out for him. He'd gained some sort of special favor. Tirone allowed himself a tight grin, moving down the alley quickly and looking either way on the street.

There was no time like the present to run like a fucking jack-rabbit.

X x X x X

"Pity fuck?" Riley pouted at Jordan as they moved toward the canteen an hour after meeting up after the bar.

"Dude," Jordan muttered, looking at her. "First rule, when we're in any form of character, don't take what I say seriously."

"That one could come back to bite you in the ass," Xane noted.

"Hopefully we'll have done our trust shit well before we do this again so you'll know when to take me seriously."

"Trust shit?" Judas asked curiously.

"Trust games...you know, if I were falling off a cliff and we'd just found a thousand dollars that was also gonna fall off, would you save me or the cash." Jordan looked between them, pulling the door open.

"Is the money on you?" Raul asked, tilting his head.

Jordan laughed and smacked him gently upside the head.

X x X x X

"So he got you a full case of Amber for that shit?" Heero demanded of Eastland in amazed disbelief as he stood with the guard in his little tower. "And all you had to do was give my phone back to me?"

Duty snickered and nodded. "I still have a bunch left, too. He says he thinks it's too sweet."

"He's not big on sweet," Heero agreed in amusement. "I bet you he's buttering you up."

"Why do you say that?" Duty protested. "Come on, can't he just be a nice guy?"

"Oh sure. He is...but I bet he's buttering you up. It's one of his things. When he finds someone who might be useful he makes sure he has'em where he can ask favors of them at any time. Shit, I'm so wrapped around his finger he could probably get me to do personal shit for him."

Eastland made a slight face at the idea, "I needed to know that."

Heero laughed delightedly, "Is that the only thing he's done for you?"

"We've only talked once or twice," Eastland shrugged. "He's just a nice guy and I can accept that."

"So speaketh thee by your case of Amber-red?" Heero muttered sweetly. "The hardest single-serve alcoholic beverage on the planet?"

"Exactly," Eastland beamed at the man. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"Well," Heero muttered, considering things. "It was mentioned that some confidential materiel may have crossed your path."

That got him an interested look. "I'm sure lots has...why?"

"Well," Heero considered how far he wanted to trust the man. "You know the shit that's been goin' on, right? We closed the base and it's still on high alert...all that fun stuff?"

Eastland nodded.

"Someone got some confidential information regarding decisions made on..."

"Oh, your officer's club!" Eastland nodded his understanding. "Yeah...yeah, I know about the top ten."

Heero narrowed his eyes.

"And I wouldn't tell anyone," he added, making a gesture to placate the former pilot. "I make a lot of friends...and a lot of them don't have any of their own, or no one else they can trust. I lend an ear and once'n a while an opinion."

"And you repeat none of what you hear?" Heero demanded. "You didn't mention by chance...to anyone...who was who?"

"I didn't get the full list," Eastland noted, thinking back to the conversation. "I got the top three names and then the fact that you were in the bottom forty...well," the guy tilted his head. "Twenty? Whatever. The comment was made that you'd made the list...which is cool?" His tone was openly questioning.

That got him a grin. "And you repeated it to no one?"

"Not a soul," Eastland agreed, raising his right hand in the mock of a boy scout's pledge. "It helped me accept that the base was closing down."

"And how about Corringer?" Heero muttered, studying him.

"What about him?"

"He's here all the time."

"Yeah, he is. Anyone who'd say anything to me makes sure I'm alone before they start talking."

Heero nodded, considering things. "We're...a bit lost," he admitted. "Any information would helpful at this point."

"Shit, go shake-down that pretty boy kingpin," Duty gave him a confused look. "He knows, just break'im."

"Um...Breer?" Heero blinked at him. "He didn't do it."

"How can you tell?"

"Findings," Heero gave the man a pointed look. "Internal questioning...the sort of shit that smacks 'you don't need to know' on your forehead. He didn't do it."

Eastland grinned at that.

"If you could keep your ear to the ground for me," Heero added, pushing away from the table he'd been leaning against. "I can make it worth your time."

"Personal or official?"

"Personal," Heero grinned. "If anyone found out that I took the few minutes to come down here and chat with you about this..."

"You weren't sent?" Eastland blinked.

"Oh no," Heero offered the man a smirk. "The official you-don't-need-to-know shit marked you out on a first look-over of the list."

That got a genuine smile.

"I like you," Heero shrugged. "I figured you could feel out these people who like to talk to you for me...I don't need anything confidential, just names of people who might have picked up on the list...any underground bullshit that smacks of treason, you know the sort of thing."

"What kind of shit can you do for me?" Eastland asked, tilting his head as he studied the man.

"What do you need?" Heero returned. "Give me what you want and I can tell you what I'll do."

"More Amber might be nice."

"You don't drink on the job?"

"Don't be offensive."

"Is that all? Shit, I can buy you a case a week...not that it'd do you much good, but hell."

"One a month would be keen."

"I'm hoping this won't take that long to sort out," Heero noted.

"Okay...so three cases over time, and hook me up with that pretty little thing on your team."

Heero actually laughed at that, staring at the male in disbelief. "I have about fifteen pretty little things on my team. I need a...well, a sex to start with. Chick or guy?"

"I like women," Eastland informed him, giving him a look.

"You can't be too careful, darling," Heero reassured him with a smirk. "So that gives me seven. The term 'little' suggests it's one of my shorties, so there're about three."

"Black hair."

"Okay, two...do you know her? Or are we just fishing in the dark? Are you sure she's one of mine?"

Eastland grinned at him, studying the man, "You're perfectly willing to set me up with one of your girls?"

"I don't see you as a threat...I suppose we can call it that. You don't seem like some nappy abuser. I'll get you a first date, but that's all I can manage."

"She's exotic?" Eastland offered after a moment. "I think she might be Indian...like, Asian Indian."

"Doe?" Heero asked blankly, then grinned as the realization seeped in.

It figured.

"Doe?" Eastland asked, looking uncertain.

"Illia Shoas," Heero explained. "We call her Doe because her eyes melt any heart she comes in contact with."

"Illia," Eastland considered it a moment, then tilted his head at Heero.

"She's sweetness embodied, and if you even consider hurting her...she'll kick your ass herself."

That got a startled grin.

"I was gonna volunteer," Heero noted, moving toward the door, "But then she'd try to kick my ass."

"I note the word 'try'," Duty noted.

Heero laughed, winking at him as he pulled out his phone, "Dictate."

Eastland blinked at him.

"Number," Heero informed Eastland, grinning when the startled man repeated his home phone. "I'll call you with details," he added as he started away. "Later."

"Uh...bye," Eastland muttered after him, hitting the button to let Corringer enter the base. "All's well that ends well, huh?"

Heero waved an acknowledgement to the man's salutation, then blinked as his phone started to vibrate. "Talk to me," he muttered as his mind registered an official number on the caller I.D.

"Yuy?"

"What can I do you for?"

Instant babble.

Heero stared at his dashboard as he slowly closed his car door, trying to connect the voice to a face...and then started actually understanding what had been said. He backed out of his parking spot with pursed lips as another car took it. The former pilot didn't bother noting this other person as he drove off toward the canteen. Jordan was supposed to be there...

"Can you help?" the woman demanded, taking a slightly panicked breath. Before he could respond, though, the minor official was off and running again.

"Ranie!" he snapped as he pulled into the parking lot, "You need to calm down."

She took several half-sobbed breaths, "But, Heero...he doesn't know where he is."

Heero ran his fingers along the bridge of his nose as someone tapped on the window to his SUV. He blinked at Jordan and rolled down his window. "I need your help," he informed Jordan seriously.

Jordan passed him the fountain drink he'd been holding, then turned to the five members of his crew and started talking. He tossed his car keys to Xane, then moved around the end of the SUV and slid into the passenger's seat, studying Heero's eyes.

Ranie was crying.

"We're on our way," Heero informed her, closing the phone and reversing instantly. He squealed from the parking lot.

X x X x X

"He looked awfully serious," Corringer noted to Duty as he moved up the little sidewalk to the shack. "What's going on?"

"He was bored and decided I needed to be blessed with his presence," Duty replied, grinning.

"That's a mixed blessing."

"Nah, I got him to hook me up with one of the girls on his team," Duty smirked, dropping back into his chair and watching Mat move to sit in the second chair. "What's up?"

"Nothing, really," Mat shrugged, thinking a moment. "I've had a long day."

"Fun, I'm jealous. People keep coming to pester me. I couldn't get bored if you paid me to right now."

Mat laughed and shook his head, shifting down in his seat as he massaged his sore knuckles. "Would you follow Beedus?"

"Tirone Beedus?" Duty asked, blinking as he thought. "Yeah...yeah, he's a good guy."

"Who wouldn't you follow?"

"Isn't that a little deep?" Eastland returned, tilting his head. "Who wouldn't you follow?"

"Relena Peacecraft."

Eastland snorted, "She ruled the world before and it didn't suit her fine palette."

That got an amused sounding snort, and they changed topics onto the date Duty'd lined up. In moments they were comparing her to the last girl he'd been with. This led into the last girl Corringer had been with and the fact that their luck with women only seemed to last for one night.

Corringer frowned and shifted forward, "Just a minute." He pulled his phone out and opened it, glancing at the screen read-up. "Hello?"

"He's gone," the man on the other end breathed in a controlled panic. "The room is empty."

"He's gone?" Corringer half shouted in disbelief as he stood up quickly, then looked around to Duty. "My dog," he muttered, then darted for the door...and disappeared into his car. About a half minute later he was at the gate looking to Duty in a kind of panic.

"Must be some dog," Eastland noted, hitting the button before grinning. "All's well that ends well, though."

In almost that same instant, Yuy's silver SUV came sailing down the road. Eastland watched with interest as the car flew by with a slight wave in his direction. Maxwell was sitting in the passenger's seat with a laptop open in his lap, and Yuy didn't bother stopping at the end stop sign, swerving around Corringer's stopped vehicle. They were gone in moments, and a breath later, there was no sign of Corringer either.

Duty moved to pull open a game of mahjong on his computer, shifting down in his seat. "Right."

X x X x X

Tirone moved quickly down a suburban street, swallowing hard as he tried to keep his face from the view of the passing cars. He'd nearly died of joy when he'd reached a payphone and found two quarters sitting in the return bin, and thanked whatever god was protecting him again.

He didn't want to jinx himself by doubting his protector, and at the same time he felt a bit foolish for putting that much faith into any entity he couldn't prove was assisting. He'd called back collect five minutes later to Yuy's voice and a few quick words of confident reassurance. This had been followed by an order to go to a certain cross street that was about six blocks away by Yuy's reckoning.

Beedus had always liked Yuy.

He half jogged up the road, feeling like someone was watching him. He was by no means on a deserted sidewalk, so it was very likely that someone was watching him, but...

To walk those six blocks took Tirone about twenty minutes. He found it amusing somehow that he'd been held against his will an hour prior and had escaped with no one the wiser.

Eerie and two hundred and nine, Tirone stopped, looking around at the flow of cars...until he noted a silver SUV driving almost erratically through the traffic.

Was it Yuy or the others? His heart fluttered in his chest...and he heard tires squeal behind him.

"Tirone!" Yuy's head popped out of the SUV's window...as another man stood from the passenger-side door with a gun raising.

Tirone ran and dived into the back seat of the SUV as shots rang out above, pulling the door shut behind himself and dropping to lay length-wise on the back seat. It was at that point he realized that the man standing out the door had a foot on the chair and a foot on the window. He wasn't holding on inside. The tires squealed and loud clunks against the side of the monstrosity indicated that Yuy'd paid a helluva lot of money for his car...

"Turning!" Yuy shouted...and the car turned.

Beedus watched in a vague sort of horror as the man standing outside the car jumped before the turn happened. The car door slammed shut with the motion, and there was a loud thud on the roof. The shots were still being fired as Yuy took them past a large and tall building...and into an alley.

The man on the roof slid back in through the window with a wild grin as he dropped one magazine onto the floor and loaded another, "that was invigorating."

"Why didn't you kill them?" Yuy snapped.

"Because that'll be the declaration of war we don't need until we know who the fuck we're dealing with."

Yuy slammed onto another road with yet another squeal of tires.

"You alive back there?" Jordan looked around his seat to look at Tirone and grin almost impishly at him. "In all the commotion, I never caught your name."

"Tirone," the man returned, sitting up and extending his hand. "Who're you?"

"Maxwell," Jordan returned happily, situating himself to buckle. "Jordan Maxwell."

"I thought it was Duo," Beedus noted, blinking several times as the comment about the old god brought back to life returned to him.

"It used to be...man you look like shit. You gonna be all right?"

"I don't know," Tirone noted, realizing he was probably in shock or something. "I think I might puke, though."

"Ain't my car," Jor reassured happily. "Fuck, I'm hungry." A moment later, a cell-phone appeared in Tirone's face. "Make your calls, my dear friend, we want everyone to know you're alive and well."

"The well part is questionable," Heero noted, smirking back to the man. "I'm gonna take us the long way...we should stop at a drive-through."

"You're in-fucking-sane," Tirone breathed—normally he disapproved of swearing, but there didn't seem to be any other accurate way to put it.

"Yeah, probably," Yuy agreed, turning down another road with no signal or warning. "Put your seatbelt on."