Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Kindergarten Heero ❯ Chapter 17
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Calic0cat 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.09.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 358 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.09.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 358 | Status: Work In Progress
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Title: Kindergarten Heero
Chapter: 17/?
Author: Calic0cat
Story Started: June 8, 2003
Genre: Shonen Ai/Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Fusion
Pairing: 1x2, 13x6, 5xM, TxH
Rated: R(?)
Warnings: AU, OOC, Swearing, Death (*not* one of the guys)
Archives: At http://www.calic0cat.net/ (my site) and at Mediaminer.org under Calic0cat. Anyone with archive permission for my other fics can help themselves.
Disclaimer: Duo and Heero and the rest of the GW gang aren't mine. This story is. Nuff said.
'Thinking'
"Speaking"
*** Time passing or scene change
Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the movie "Kindergarten Cop". Blame that pic of Heero with a ferret and the fact that the "Kindergarten Cop" DVD was on a sale rack and caught my attention. Feedback is appreciated.
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From the moment that Treize had spotted the child, there had been no doubt whatsoever in his mind. Even as appallingly dressed as she was, the resemblance to his mother was remarkable; the little redhead was undeniably his daughter. Once a quick glance around had confirmed that Leia was nowhere in the vicinity, he'd been more than prepared to seize the opportunity. The pains they had taken to lose their less-than-subtle tail before coming to the funfair had definitely been worthwhile. With a little good fortune, they would be halfway back to L.A. before anyone realized where the girl had disappeared to. Once there, he had no doubts as to his ability to retain control of his daughter. He would be in his own territory.
Possession really did amount to nine-tenths of the law. The other tenth was all about money and power.
"No, liebling, I am most definitely not a stranger," Treize repeated to the child in his arms. She squirmed frantically, as he began to walk swiftly back towards the exit. He was peripherally aware of Milliardo, a silent shadow at his elbow, eyes scanning the crowd, undoubtedly watching for any sign of Leia. Or of Detective Yuy, for that matter; Treize's sources had stated quite clearly that the man was currently *somewhere* in this backwater town. Quickly, to distract the girl before her protests drew undue attention, Treize exclaimed delightedly, "Do you know that are the very image of your grandmother?"
Helen stilled and gave the tall stranger a wary but curious look. "My grandmother? I don't have a grandma."
"Everyone has a grandmother, liebling," Treize assured her with a charming chuckle. "You have never met your grandmother - she passed on when I was but a boy - but there is a family portrait of her as a young girl, and you look exactly like her." He qualified silently, 'Aside from the dirty, tear-stained face and the dreadful clothing, of course.' Leia used to have exquisite taste; he could scarcely fathom that she had dressed his daughter in such a disgraceful outfit. "Shall I tell you about your grandmother?" he inquired, keeping Mariemaia's attention on their conversation rather than the fact that they were making their way towards the funfair's exit. He would prefer not to need to explain away hysterics to dozens of concerned bystanders.
Her classmates had grandmothers, grandmas who spoilt them rotten with birthday presents and special treats. She'd never missed having a daddy - Mommy said Uncle Duo was better, anyway - but she'd always kind of wanted a grandma to make a fuss over her. Helen nodded, wide-eyed. "Okay."
***
Meiran waved in response to her children's happy shouts as the child-sized Ferris wheel carried them up in the air, happy to be there with them. The Khushrenada case had left her previously-booked day off in question. She'd been called in for the morning briefing, but Gee had decided that her family's personal relationship with the Maxwells was too close for her to be involved with the situation, and had sent her off to join her family at the funfair.
She had mixed feelings about his decision. While she was well aware that being too close could compromise a case, it was difficult to accept that she couldn't be directly involved in something that affected her friends. Inaction went against her nature.
"The children are pleased that you were able to join us," Wufei commented, leaning against the fence beside her.
Grateful for the interruption to her thoughts, she turned her head towards him and widened her eyes. "Only the children?" Shaking her head, she clicked her tongue in mock disappointment. "And you, my husband, are not?" she teased.
He gave an amused huff. Stepping away from the fence, he swept her a courtly bow. "I, my dear wife, am delighted that you have chosen to honour us with your most exalted presence."
Meiran laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder as he straightened. "Idiot," she murmured affectionately. After ten years together, Wufei was very good at knowing when she needed to be distracted. And even better at providing that distraction.
"Chang!"
The sharp call had Meiran automatically reaching for the small of her back even as she turned. "Yuy? What's wrong? Where's Duo and Helen?" she demanded, her gaze sweeping the crowd for them even as she spoke.
"Helen's missing. We split up to search for her. Duo and my partner headed back towards the arcade; I'm checking the rides. No luck so far. Have you seen her?"
Meiran and Wufei both gave an involuntary glance towards their own children on the Ferris wheel. Even under the best of circumstances, a missing child was a parent's worst nightmare. "No," Meiran answered for both of them.
"Shimatta," Heero swore. "Chang, Khushrenada's flight plan had him landing in Astoria over two hours ago. Gee was supposed to have someone tailing him..."
The implication was obvious. At the briefing, Gee had been rather vague about the details but he'd made it clear that there was some kind of connection between Khushrenada and the Maxwells, a link that could put Duo and Helen at risk. "Have you called it in?" she demanded, pulling out her own cell phone.
Heero shook his head. "No signal," he explained tersely. So much for modern technology. "And the landline here is dead." If Khushrenada wasn't here and up to something, then the phone line being out was quite the coincidence. "I'll try the radio at the first aid station before checking the other attractions she was interested in." There was a faint chance that she'd gotten impatient and headed on without them.
Meiran checked her own cell, unsurprised to discover that she, too, had no signal. "Damn mountains," she muttered. Turning to her husband, she said, "Wufei..."
Anticipating her words, Wufei interrupted, "Go. The children and I will canvass the funfair, then return to the entrance to wait for news."
"Agreed." She gave his arm a quick pat of thanks and turned back to Yuy. She knew the first aiders from other community events; they'd be quicker to loan the radio to her than to Heero, badge or no badge. "I'll go call it in while you check the other sites, then meet you..." She gave him an inquiring look.
"At the front entrance," Heero supplied, impressed by the woman's very professional, no-nonsense response despite her obvious concern for her friends. "Helen had her hair pulled back in a braid and she was wearing light-coloured blue jeans and a yellow T-shirt. She was last seen at the cotton candy booth at approximately 14:30; Duo gave her candy to her and then she disappeared while he was paying for it."
Meiran couldn't quite suppress a shiver. Definitely a parent's worst nightmare. "Got it," she acknowledged, setting aside her parental reaction in favour of that of a cop. Yuy nodded once more and was gone into the crowd. She swept a last, reassuring glance over her own children as they disembarked from the Ferris wheel, gave her husband's shoulder a quick squeeze, and headed for the first aid station. Off-duty or not, she had a job to do.
***
"Shall I take you to see your grandmother's portrait, liebling?"
"No, but maybe Uncle Duo will take me to see it. What's a liebling? Why are you calling me that?" Helen demanded, her curiosity caught by the odd word.
Treize answered, "I have always called you 'liebling', my dear, from the moment that your mother first placed you in my arms after you were born. It means 'sweetheart', and that's what you are - Papa's little sweetheart."
"Papa?" Helen repeated, her eyes widening as she realized who this tall man who said he was 'not a stranger' must be. This was the man that Uncle Duo and Mr. Yuy had told her about, the man that wanted to take her away. Struggling frantically to escape, she screamed, "No... no! Uncle Duo! I want Uncle Duo!"
Thankful that the dreadful racket issuing from the nearby children's roller coaster was masking the child's shrieks, Treize frowned at his daughter's unladylike behaviour and tightened his grip on her squirming body. "Mariemaia Khushrenada! That will be quite enough of that, young lady! I am your father; you will behave yourself and do as I say," he ordered sternly.
"No!" Helen shouted. "I won't! That's not my name! I'm Helen Maxwell, 'n' Mommy says Uncle Duo's *better* than my daddy! Let me go! I want Uncle Duo!"
Treize's frown of displeasure turned to a furious scowl. As if it wasn't unforgivable enough that his daughter's mother had stolen years of his daughter's childhood from him, she had scorned the child's illustrious name and had encouraged this 'Uncle Duo' to displace him in his daughter's affections. It was absolutely intolerable. Something would have to be done.
"Enough!" he snapped sharply, placing his hand over her mouth and giving her a stern shake as her histrionics began to attract unwanted attention despite their noisy surroundings. "You are a Khushrenada, and you will comport yourself appropriately!" For the benefit of several too-curious passerbys, he added loudly, "You were warned not to throw a temper tantrum, young lady; the only place that you are going is home to bed!" Concerned looks turned to understanding ones, and their unwanted watchers shook their heads sympathetically and continued on their way.
Milliardo abruptly squeezed Treize's shoulder, hissing sharply, "Yuy!"
Treize followed Milliardo's gaze to discover that he was indeed correct. The man currently climbing the ladder to the maintenance platform at the top of the small roller coaster was none other than the police officer who had been the bane of his existence over the past few years. Realizing that, within moments, Yuy would have an excellent vantage point from which to spot them, Trieze cast his gaze around the area. He decided, "A distraction is required; you, my dear Milliardo, excel at that fine art. I shall take Mariemaia out of here while you lead Yuy on a merry chase." Even if Yuy happened to catch up to Milliardo, there would be no legal grounds to detain him.
"It will be my pleasure," Milliardo responded with a smirk. "Shall I see you at home? Or will we be... relocating?"
While contingency plans involving a move to a certain South American country with a great fondness for American money and a distinctly lesser fondness for the American legal system had existed for some time, Treize had never before seriously considered utilizing them. He had not been prepared to allow Yuy to interfere to that extent. However, it *would* rather drastically simplify the custody issue... "Perhaps a new residence would be appropriate to mark my daughter's return," he acknowledged, smirking wryly.
With an answering smirk, Milliardo turned sharply and strode away.
***
From his vantage point on the roller coaster maintenance platform, high above the crowd, Heero could survey most of the fair. Starting from the funfair's main entrance, where the arcade and the area dedicated to the rides met, he swept his gaze over the people below. Evidently finished checking the arcade, Hilde and Duo were making their way towards him. Continuing his survey, Heero caught a glimpse of a long-haired platinum blond moving through the crowd. "Peacecraft," he snarled darkly.
Where Peacecraft was, so, undoubtedly, was Khushrenada. The chances of Helen merely being lost had just plummeted to virtually nil.
Heero scrambled down the ladder and began to push his way towards where he'd spotted his target.
***
Helen had stilled, resting and listening carefully while the two men spoke. Now, as the tall redhead waited in the shadows beneath the roller coaster while Mr. Yuy climbed down the ladder and began to follow the blond man away, she resumed her struggles. She'd already broken the rule about talking to strangers, but there was no way that she was going to break the one about leaving with a stranger. She had to get away! Twisting desperately, she managed to free her mouth temporarily and began shrieking at the top of her lungs. "Help! Bad man! Help! Uncle Duo! Mr. Yuy! Help!"
Cursing quietly as Yuy froze in mid-step and began to turn, Treize covered the girl's mouth again as he hurriedly pushed his way across the walkway. Bypassing the 'On Break - Back Soon' sign in the entrance, he went inside the House of Mirrors. Hopefully, he'd managed to get out of sight before Yuy could spot them.
***
A brief flash of red hair caught Heero's eye as he turned in the direction that he'd thought he'd heard Helen's voice coming from. It *might* have been Khushrenada entering the House of Mirrors - but he was far from certain, and checking it out would mean losing Peacecraft, whose identity he *was* sure of. Torn, he swore under his breath, then plunged through the crowd towards the House of Mirrors. Duo and Hilde should be nearby; if he could spot them, he could send Hilde after Peacecraft while he searched the House for Khushrenada. Otherwise... well, he'd just have to risk letting Peacecraft go and hope that he'd really seen Khushrenada. The blond definitely had not had Helen with him; if the voice Heero had thought he'd heard had indeed been Helen's, then Khushrenada might.
***
Duo's heart raced as he followed Heero's partner through the funfair, his eyes sweeping frantically back and forth in search of his niece. His mind kept repeating, 'She was *right* *beside* me,' over and over while, out loud, he called Helen's name again and again.
Darting a sympathetic glance at the distraught man following close at her heels, Hilde noted rather grimly that they were now out of the arcade area and headed into Heero's assigned search territory. 'In fact,' she thought, 'I think that was him that I just saw headed this way.' "Yuy!" she called loudly, wanting to make sure that they didn't miss each other in the crowd. He surged towards them, forcing his way between people with little regard for courtesy.
"Keep going; Peacecraft is ahead of you," Heero ordered his partner sharply. "Try not to lose him. Khushrenada *may* be in the House of Mirrors; I didn't get a good look, but I'm going in after him." Hilde nodded once and darted away as Duo made a dash for the House. Heero grabbed his arm, preventing him from going inside. "Stay out here and watch the exit," Heero said firmly. "And keep an eye out for your friend Meiran; fill her in if you see her." The local officer should pass by on her way from the first aid station to the entrance; her assistance would be useful, and keeping watch for her should keep Duo out of harm's way.
Not wanting to delay Heero, Duo bit back his instinctive protest and nodded his acknowledgement. "Be careful and take care of her," he murmured as Heero released his arm and moved towards the attraction's entryway.
"I will," Heero promised. Drawing his gun, he slipped inside the House of Mirrors.
Several agonizingly long minutes later, a muffled scream of "Uncle Duo! Mr. Yuy! Help!" reached Duo's ears. After a moment's anxious hesitation while he looked around for any sign of Meiran, he swiftly dismantled part of the barrier fence alongside the lineup area. Hefting the solid metal post, he gave it a test swing, nodded in grim satisfaction, and entered the House of Mirrors through the doorway marked 'Exit'.
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Title: Kindergarten Heero
Chapter: 17/?
Author: Calic0cat
Story Started: June 8, 2003
Genre: Shonen Ai/Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Fusion
Pairing: 1x2, 13x6, 5xM, TxH
Rated: R(?)
Warnings: AU, OOC, Swearing, Death (*not* one of the guys)
Archives: At http://www.calic0cat.net/ (my site) and at Mediaminer.org under Calic0cat. Anyone with archive permission for my other fics can help themselves.
Disclaimer: Duo and Heero and the rest of the GW gang aren't mine. This story is. Nuff said.
'Thinking'
"Speaking"
*** Time passing or scene change
Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the movie "Kindergarten Cop". Blame that pic of Heero with a ferret and the fact that the "Kindergarten Cop" DVD was on a sale rack and caught my attention. Feedback is appreciated.
#################################################
From the moment that Treize had spotted the child, there had been no doubt whatsoever in his mind. Even as appallingly dressed as she was, the resemblance to his mother was remarkable; the little redhead was undeniably his daughter. Once a quick glance around had confirmed that Leia was nowhere in the vicinity, he'd been more than prepared to seize the opportunity. The pains they had taken to lose their less-than-subtle tail before coming to the funfair had definitely been worthwhile. With a little good fortune, they would be halfway back to L.A. before anyone realized where the girl had disappeared to. Once there, he had no doubts as to his ability to retain control of his daughter. He would be in his own territory.
Possession really did amount to nine-tenths of the law. The other tenth was all about money and power.
"No, liebling, I am most definitely not a stranger," Treize repeated to the child in his arms. She squirmed frantically, as he began to walk swiftly back towards the exit. He was peripherally aware of Milliardo, a silent shadow at his elbow, eyes scanning the crowd, undoubtedly watching for any sign of Leia. Or of Detective Yuy, for that matter; Treize's sources had stated quite clearly that the man was currently *somewhere* in this backwater town. Quickly, to distract the girl before her protests drew undue attention, Treize exclaimed delightedly, "Do you know that are the very image of your grandmother?"
Helen stilled and gave the tall stranger a wary but curious look. "My grandmother? I don't have a grandma."
"Everyone has a grandmother, liebling," Treize assured her with a charming chuckle. "You have never met your grandmother - she passed on when I was but a boy - but there is a family portrait of her as a young girl, and you look exactly like her." He qualified silently, 'Aside from the dirty, tear-stained face and the dreadful clothing, of course.' Leia used to have exquisite taste; he could scarcely fathom that she had dressed his daughter in such a disgraceful outfit. "Shall I tell you about your grandmother?" he inquired, keeping Mariemaia's attention on their conversation rather than the fact that they were making their way towards the funfair's exit. He would prefer not to need to explain away hysterics to dozens of concerned bystanders.
Her classmates had grandmothers, grandmas who spoilt them rotten with birthday presents and special treats. She'd never missed having a daddy - Mommy said Uncle Duo was better, anyway - but she'd always kind of wanted a grandma to make a fuss over her. Helen nodded, wide-eyed. "Okay."
***
Meiran waved in response to her children's happy shouts as the child-sized Ferris wheel carried them up in the air, happy to be there with them. The Khushrenada case had left her previously-booked day off in question. She'd been called in for the morning briefing, but Gee had decided that her family's personal relationship with the Maxwells was too close for her to be involved with the situation, and had sent her off to join her family at the funfair.
She had mixed feelings about his decision. While she was well aware that being too close could compromise a case, it was difficult to accept that she couldn't be directly involved in something that affected her friends. Inaction went against her nature.
"The children are pleased that you were able to join us," Wufei commented, leaning against the fence beside her.
Grateful for the interruption to her thoughts, she turned her head towards him and widened her eyes. "Only the children?" Shaking her head, she clicked her tongue in mock disappointment. "And you, my husband, are not?" she teased.
He gave an amused huff. Stepping away from the fence, he swept her a courtly bow. "I, my dear wife, am delighted that you have chosen to honour us with your most exalted presence."
Meiran laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder as he straightened. "Idiot," she murmured affectionately. After ten years together, Wufei was very good at knowing when she needed to be distracted. And even better at providing that distraction.
"Chang!"
The sharp call had Meiran automatically reaching for the small of her back even as she turned. "Yuy? What's wrong? Where's Duo and Helen?" she demanded, her gaze sweeping the crowd for them even as she spoke.
"Helen's missing. We split up to search for her. Duo and my partner headed back towards the arcade; I'm checking the rides. No luck so far. Have you seen her?"
Meiran and Wufei both gave an involuntary glance towards their own children on the Ferris wheel. Even under the best of circumstances, a missing child was a parent's worst nightmare. "No," Meiran answered for both of them.
"Shimatta," Heero swore. "Chang, Khushrenada's flight plan had him landing in Astoria over two hours ago. Gee was supposed to have someone tailing him..."
The implication was obvious. At the briefing, Gee had been rather vague about the details but he'd made it clear that there was some kind of connection between Khushrenada and the Maxwells, a link that could put Duo and Helen at risk. "Have you called it in?" she demanded, pulling out her own cell phone.
Heero shook his head. "No signal," he explained tersely. So much for modern technology. "And the landline here is dead." If Khushrenada wasn't here and up to something, then the phone line being out was quite the coincidence. "I'll try the radio at the first aid station before checking the other attractions she was interested in." There was a faint chance that she'd gotten impatient and headed on without them.
Meiran checked her own cell, unsurprised to discover that she, too, had no signal. "Damn mountains," she muttered. Turning to her husband, she said, "Wufei..."
Anticipating her words, Wufei interrupted, "Go. The children and I will canvass the funfair, then return to the entrance to wait for news."
"Agreed." She gave his arm a quick pat of thanks and turned back to Yuy. She knew the first aiders from other community events; they'd be quicker to loan the radio to her than to Heero, badge or no badge. "I'll go call it in while you check the other sites, then meet you..." She gave him an inquiring look.
"At the front entrance," Heero supplied, impressed by the woman's very professional, no-nonsense response despite her obvious concern for her friends. "Helen had her hair pulled back in a braid and she was wearing light-coloured blue jeans and a yellow T-shirt. She was last seen at the cotton candy booth at approximately 14:30; Duo gave her candy to her and then she disappeared while he was paying for it."
Meiran couldn't quite suppress a shiver. Definitely a parent's worst nightmare. "Got it," she acknowledged, setting aside her parental reaction in favour of that of a cop. Yuy nodded once more and was gone into the crowd. She swept a last, reassuring glance over her own children as they disembarked from the Ferris wheel, gave her husband's shoulder a quick squeeze, and headed for the first aid station. Off-duty or not, she had a job to do.
***
"Shall I take you to see your grandmother's portrait, liebling?"
"No, but maybe Uncle Duo will take me to see it. What's a liebling? Why are you calling me that?" Helen demanded, her curiosity caught by the odd word.
Treize answered, "I have always called you 'liebling', my dear, from the moment that your mother first placed you in my arms after you were born. It means 'sweetheart', and that's what you are - Papa's little sweetheart."
"Papa?" Helen repeated, her eyes widening as she realized who this tall man who said he was 'not a stranger' must be. This was the man that Uncle Duo and Mr. Yuy had told her about, the man that wanted to take her away. Struggling frantically to escape, she screamed, "No... no! Uncle Duo! I want Uncle Duo!"
Thankful that the dreadful racket issuing from the nearby children's roller coaster was masking the child's shrieks, Treize frowned at his daughter's unladylike behaviour and tightened his grip on her squirming body. "Mariemaia Khushrenada! That will be quite enough of that, young lady! I am your father; you will behave yourself and do as I say," he ordered sternly.
"No!" Helen shouted. "I won't! That's not my name! I'm Helen Maxwell, 'n' Mommy says Uncle Duo's *better* than my daddy! Let me go! I want Uncle Duo!"
Treize's frown of displeasure turned to a furious scowl. As if it wasn't unforgivable enough that his daughter's mother had stolen years of his daughter's childhood from him, she had scorned the child's illustrious name and had encouraged this 'Uncle Duo' to displace him in his daughter's affections. It was absolutely intolerable. Something would have to be done.
"Enough!" he snapped sharply, placing his hand over her mouth and giving her a stern shake as her histrionics began to attract unwanted attention despite their noisy surroundings. "You are a Khushrenada, and you will comport yourself appropriately!" For the benefit of several too-curious passerbys, he added loudly, "You were warned not to throw a temper tantrum, young lady; the only place that you are going is home to bed!" Concerned looks turned to understanding ones, and their unwanted watchers shook their heads sympathetically and continued on their way.
Milliardo abruptly squeezed Treize's shoulder, hissing sharply, "Yuy!"
Treize followed Milliardo's gaze to discover that he was indeed correct. The man currently climbing the ladder to the maintenance platform at the top of the small roller coaster was none other than the police officer who had been the bane of his existence over the past few years. Realizing that, within moments, Yuy would have an excellent vantage point from which to spot them, Trieze cast his gaze around the area. He decided, "A distraction is required; you, my dear Milliardo, excel at that fine art. I shall take Mariemaia out of here while you lead Yuy on a merry chase." Even if Yuy happened to catch up to Milliardo, there would be no legal grounds to detain him.
"It will be my pleasure," Milliardo responded with a smirk. "Shall I see you at home? Or will we be... relocating?"
While contingency plans involving a move to a certain South American country with a great fondness for American money and a distinctly lesser fondness for the American legal system had existed for some time, Treize had never before seriously considered utilizing them. He had not been prepared to allow Yuy to interfere to that extent. However, it *would* rather drastically simplify the custody issue... "Perhaps a new residence would be appropriate to mark my daughter's return," he acknowledged, smirking wryly.
With an answering smirk, Milliardo turned sharply and strode away.
***
From his vantage point on the roller coaster maintenance platform, high above the crowd, Heero could survey most of the fair. Starting from the funfair's main entrance, where the arcade and the area dedicated to the rides met, he swept his gaze over the people below. Evidently finished checking the arcade, Hilde and Duo were making their way towards him. Continuing his survey, Heero caught a glimpse of a long-haired platinum blond moving through the crowd. "Peacecraft," he snarled darkly.
Where Peacecraft was, so, undoubtedly, was Khushrenada. The chances of Helen merely being lost had just plummeted to virtually nil.
Heero scrambled down the ladder and began to push his way towards where he'd spotted his target.
***
Helen had stilled, resting and listening carefully while the two men spoke. Now, as the tall redhead waited in the shadows beneath the roller coaster while Mr. Yuy climbed down the ladder and began to follow the blond man away, she resumed her struggles. She'd already broken the rule about talking to strangers, but there was no way that she was going to break the one about leaving with a stranger. She had to get away! Twisting desperately, she managed to free her mouth temporarily and began shrieking at the top of her lungs. "Help! Bad man! Help! Uncle Duo! Mr. Yuy! Help!"
Cursing quietly as Yuy froze in mid-step and began to turn, Treize covered the girl's mouth again as he hurriedly pushed his way across the walkway. Bypassing the 'On Break - Back Soon' sign in the entrance, he went inside the House of Mirrors. Hopefully, he'd managed to get out of sight before Yuy could spot them.
***
A brief flash of red hair caught Heero's eye as he turned in the direction that he'd thought he'd heard Helen's voice coming from. It *might* have been Khushrenada entering the House of Mirrors - but he was far from certain, and checking it out would mean losing Peacecraft, whose identity he *was* sure of. Torn, he swore under his breath, then plunged through the crowd towards the House of Mirrors. Duo and Hilde should be nearby; if he could spot them, he could send Hilde after Peacecraft while he searched the House for Khushrenada. Otherwise... well, he'd just have to risk letting Peacecraft go and hope that he'd really seen Khushrenada. The blond definitely had not had Helen with him; if the voice Heero had thought he'd heard had indeed been Helen's, then Khushrenada might.
***
Duo's heart raced as he followed Heero's partner through the funfair, his eyes sweeping frantically back and forth in search of his niece. His mind kept repeating, 'She was *right* *beside* me,' over and over while, out loud, he called Helen's name again and again.
Darting a sympathetic glance at the distraught man following close at her heels, Hilde noted rather grimly that they were now out of the arcade area and headed into Heero's assigned search territory. 'In fact,' she thought, 'I think that was him that I just saw headed this way.' "Yuy!" she called loudly, wanting to make sure that they didn't miss each other in the crowd. He surged towards them, forcing his way between people with little regard for courtesy.
"Keep going; Peacecraft is ahead of you," Heero ordered his partner sharply. "Try not to lose him. Khushrenada *may* be in the House of Mirrors; I didn't get a good look, but I'm going in after him." Hilde nodded once and darted away as Duo made a dash for the House. Heero grabbed his arm, preventing him from going inside. "Stay out here and watch the exit," Heero said firmly. "And keep an eye out for your friend Meiran; fill her in if you see her." The local officer should pass by on her way from the first aid station to the entrance; her assistance would be useful, and keeping watch for her should keep Duo out of harm's way.
Not wanting to delay Heero, Duo bit back his instinctive protest and nodded his acknowledgement. "Be careful and take care of her," he murmured as Heero released his arm and moved towards the attraction's entryway.
"I will," Heero promised. Drawing his gun, he slipped inside the House of Mirrors.
Several agonizingly long minutes later, a muffled scream of "Uncle Duo! Mr. Yuy! Help!" reached Duo's ears. After a moment's anxious hesitation while he looked around for any sign of Meiran, he swiftly dismantled part of the barrier fence alongside the lineup area. Hefting the solid metal post, he gave it a test swing, nodded in grim satisfaction, and entered the House of Mirrors through the doorway marked 'Exit'.
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