Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Perfect Soldiers ❯ Perfect Soldiers ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters, but I do own my characters so don't use without my permission.

_This is a little odd and doesn't appear to be Gundam Wing at first but it is. So you have to read the prologue for the rest of this story to make any sense. Tell me what you thing please because this is one I have been writing for a while

_READ… You need to know that I've thrown out the Odin Lowe stuff and added something else so in a way this is AU even though everything else happens just as it did originally. As in later when I jump into the Gundam Wing story line everything happened like it was supposed to. So read if you want I think you'll like it.

Perfect Soldiers

Prologue 'Dragon'

After Colony 189: Building in government protected space of Asia

Troy Mathers lay on his bunk trying to keep his body was twitching and turning with anticipation. This was time and one time only that Troy thanked the heavens for his training. If it weren't for it he wouldn't be calm right now. He had finally found a way out and he was leaving and he would never have to see the insides of this building again. Running his hand over the bandage on his right forearm he carefully pulled back the bandage to reveal a bloodied and slightly scabbed tattoo. It was in the rough shape of a Dragon wrapped around a long broadsword. It was the mark of the Dragon. He was branded. Letting a sigh escape his lips Troy wadded the bandage and put it under his pillow. Only a few more minutes left. The time ticked by slowly until the dim overhead light went out and he was plunged into complete darkness.

As soon as the lights were out Troy was off the bed his feet landing quietly on the steel floor. He didn't make a sound as he reached under his bunk and pulled out a knapsack made of dark pillowcase. On the inside was everything he needed to make his escape and in reality everything that he had. A change of clothes a picture of his parents; tattered and well over used, and a flashlight. The gun was part of his training. Everyone had a gun. He had never been on the outside before but he knew that it would be better than here. There would be no more experiments no more tests of strength and no more drugs. He would be free.

He didn't need the light to see where he was going. Enhanced sight of also one of the perks of his training. The only thing that wasn't programmed in was his free will. He was rebellious, he fought them every step of the way and he was sure he wouldn't last for long. Either they would kill him or he would break and do everything they asked becoming the helpless drone listening only to the queen. He didn't want to be that; he didn't want to be controlled. Troy reached up and wrapped his fingers around the knob of his singular room and stepped into the hall. His bare feet made no sound on the cold steel as he moved soundlessly though the dark his eyes sharp and alert. His knapsack was hung over his shoulder. I would only be a matter of time before he broke out.

He raced down the hallway trying to focus on being silent as he plunged deeper and deeper into the facility and the likelihood that he would be caught heightened. The further down you went the older and more highly trained were the agents. He was on level one. He was year one to three age 6 to 8. He had gotten his tattoo today and tomorrow he was moving up a level and the training would intensify. He didn't want to give up his freedom and he was going to do anything to get out it. He wasn't going to give up his dreams for them. He still had a will. As he rounded the corner the hallway took a sharp incline. He counted his steps as he neared the end and when he reached seventeen he stopped. He hadn't been there more than two seconds when a hand wrapped around his upper arm and pulled him closer. Warm breath tickled his ear as an all too familiar voice reached his ears.

"We have only a few minutes. Sarah's down the hall and Michael is setting the trap." The hand was immediately gone from his arm and Troy answered back.

"How long do we have?"

"Nine minutes. I hope you're as good as you say you are. We don't have time for mistakes."

Troy nodded into the darkness even though he was quite sure his friend couldn't see him. Silently they speed toward the other waiting two. The guy in front of him was Mace Gilgan. He was nine and had just been moved up in the ranks. He was the reason they would get past minimal security and his friend Michael was the reason none of them would ever be found again. Troy had followed watched Mace for a long time trying to judge the older boy's loyalty and finally decided he was trust worthy. He hated as much as Troy did. The other Sarah was Mace's girl. He watched after her kept her close. He protected her like she was his own sister. She was only six, just newly sent and the best anyone had seen for being so young. Even Troy was impressed with her ability. I didn't take long for them to reach her and Troy saw he holding a small pocket flashlight. It did nothing but cast a faint glow only a few inches wide around her tightly clasped fingers. Perhaps it made her feel better.

"Are you ready?" Mace whispered to her and took the small flashlight from her hand and switched it off. She nodded right before they were plunged into darkness. Mace turned to Troy as the lights went out. "Take this." He shoved something round and smooth into Troy's hand.

"What is it?" Troy asked his voice barely able to be heard.

"The back up." Mace answered and turned.

Troy heard him head down the hallway and he followed. He had only been this deep into the facility once and that was when Mace showed him the way out, or the only way that they would ever have a chance. It had been Troy's plan up until this point. Troy had never even met Michael, another nine-year-old. He was putting his life in Mace's hands and he hoped that he had made the right choice.

The descent didn't take long, but now they were in the eighteen-year-olds hall. These were the newly trained completely brainwashed halls. They did everything they were told everyone of them loyal beyond human belief. They could hear the faintest noise; they could kill anyone with their barehands and hardly leave a mark. They were what Dragon was aiming for. They were the 'Perfect Soldiers' and Troy was determined not to be like them. Driven by nothing but orders. They had no free will and Troy knew he was going to be free. He wasn't going to be like them. They finally reached the end of the hallway and the exit. It was a large ventilation shaft in the floor. They could easily fit into it and slide down after that it was only a matter of time before they found the way out. It had to lead out somehow; somewhere all of them had seen the vent from the outside.

Mace stopped in front of the shaft and grabbed Sarah's flashlight and flipped it on. His voice was soft and Troy was barely able to make out the words he moved closer until his ear was pressed almost against Mace's mouth.

"I want you to take her and get out. I'm right behind you, but I have to see Michael first. I have to lead him here." Mace pulled away and handed the light to Troy. "Don't make a sound. If you do you're dead." He paused, his face never wavering and placed Sarah's hand in his. "She may be strong but she's still little. Take care of my sister Troy."

Troy caught the hint of raw emotion present in the older boy's voice. No wonder there was such a connection this was his sister, but how? No one had siblings. He didn't ask question but held her hand and slipped into the open shaft and pulled Sarah after him. He didn't have to tell her to be quiet and slowly they made their way through the building both too afraid to make a sound.

Mace replaced the screen and continued down the hall passing the graduates and running into the teacher's hall. They were not soldiers. They may know every tactic for battle every way to teach and breed killers but they would never be able to defend themselves against their own soldiers that was there own mistake. Mace was smarter then all of them and it would be there down fall. They had so much blind faith in the killers and tactical geniuses they were creating that they didn't stop to think what would happen if it didn't work. Mace was proof that none of this was going to work. When they'd taken him from his parents only three years ago, it seemed like more than that, he had vowed to escape and when the took his sister he vowed to bring her back no matter what would happen to him.

Troy may have been looking for someone to trust with his plan, but Mace had been looking for someone to trust with the life of his sister. If he didn't make it out his sister had to and Mace knew Troy's loyalty was strong and his morals too high to leave her behind. He knew he had chosen correctly Troy would take care of his sister and maybe even get her back to her mother. He just had to make sure no one would come after them once there were gone, that was what Michael was for.

Mace had to more careful with where he stepped in the teacher's hall. There were lights on at all time in the hallways so they could see at night and anyone could spot him if they came out at the right time. His senses were running on overdrive and his muscles twitched with the anticipation of a confrontation. Despite his jumping nerves he made it to the room he was in search of and punched in the security code and the door automatically slipped open. Before Mace could even move into the room a pair of strong arms were around his neck and mouth muffling any cry that might of escaped and he was pulled into the room in one swift smooth motion.

"Move and I slit your throat." The words were menacing and absent of any real emotion. There was only malice in it, but Mace didn't flinch. He waited patiently for Michael to release his hold on his mouth. "Now I'm going to let you go you'd better not make a sound." The hand came off of Mace's face and Michael flipped Mace around to face him.

Mace frowned. "Showoff. You knew it was me the whole time." He pushed the knife welding hand away from his face and bent and slunk to the center of the room where Michael had been working.

"Just showing off my skills to the undergrad." Michael bragged and flipped the knife closed and shoved it in his pocket. "You got your sister out?" He asked.

Mace stiffened and nodded. "Yeah I gave her to Troy."

"I hope you know what you're doing. They just branded him and hardly anyone defects after that. You know except us." Michael paused and walked over to stand beside Mace.

"Well I would have to say you're the only grad who actually kept a mind of his own." Mace paused and starred at the floor. "I would never be like that."

"Not everyone of them are mindless drones." Michael interjected and settled into his seat and picked up one of his tools. "Most are just beaten down, too afraid to protest. This is the only thing they have ever known. They've never had the chance to pick what they wanted to eat, to choose what time to go to bed, hell Mace they have to ask when they can use the bathroom."

"You can say all that and still do what you're about to do?" Mace asked in slight disbelief and a little uncertainly.

"Well, Mace, I figure most of them are already dead and those who are too afraid to rebel might as well be. I'm doing them a favor by ending it. The bomb is set up mostly on the grad and teacher side. The little ones know enough to get out when they hear the first explosion. If they don't…", Michael shrugged, "there's nothing I can do."

"So there are bombs throughout the whole facility?"

"Pretty much. I left the new recruit section free. The littlest ones won't catch it. In fact they'll probably be adopted into good families and the point is the bastards who started this will get what they deserve." Michael attached one last wire and held up the device. "The last one Mace, this is the one that will take out all that matter."

Mace smiled. "I've been waiting for this day since I first got here."

"As have I."

Mace and Michael both froze with the sound. They knew that voice. It was all too familiar. The only question was how? Both of them started to turn they moved slowly knowing that it was the best way to think of a plan.

"Better stay turned around boys." The voice stopped their movement as the heard the safety of a gun click off. "I've been waiting for the day when you would rebel. I knew it would be you Mace, we knew it from the beginning, but Michael." The man whistled. "You, I never thought you were one of them."

"Well, it seems I'm a pretty good actor you Son of a Bitch." Michael commented smoothly. "Did you really think that all of us loved you."

"No actually we figured some of you resented us. In fact we have a few guys pegged who will never leave the facility."

"You're going to kill him, Hammond?" Mace sneered. "Destroy your own creations."

Hammond stiffened when they mentioned his name. "No actually we have a new plan for them and thanks to you guys we now have four test subjects. Two rebel bastards, a little girl, and a newly branded eight-year-old it seems we have one from each age group. Do you think we should try it out on your sister first?"

Mace tried not to let the words effect him after all he was a soldier he had training he could control himself, or at least until he got the information he needed out of Hammond. "What are you talking about?" Mace sneered.

"Yeah, Ham man what do you have planned for us that would be worse?" Michael joined in on the taunting.

"Hmmm…very smart but I don't think I'll tell you just yet. Now tell us where the girl and the boy are at and we'll let you live to find out."

Mace let a smile spread across his face and was glad Hammond couldn't see him. "So we did get past you, huh, you don't know where they are. For all you know they could be half way across the state by now. You were out smarted and you know it." Hammond didn't answer so Michael continued.

"I'm guessing that you don't know where the bombs are either. Do even want to know how many there are and only I know how to activate them, or maybe they are already activated." Michael shifted and let his knife slide slightly from under his sleeve and into his palm. "Did you tell anyone where you were Hammond, or where you going to be the hero?"

Mace smiled inwardly as he listened to Michael. Michael was the master. He was phycing Hammond out even though he had the gun to their backs. Michael was going to kill him and Hammond had no idea what he was in for. It was only an instant longer before Michael whipped around his knife flying from his hand and Hammond's gun exploded. Mace turned to see Hammond falling to the ground the knife having slit his throat and severed his vocal cords. Mace smiled. It was okay. They were going to make it.

"Good shot Michael." Mace commented steadily. "Now how much longer. We have to get out of here before someone else comes after us. We can crawl through the ceiling until we reach the hall were the grads stay. You know which way to go."

"Huh." Michael commented steadily. "Who would have thought that bastard was such a good shot."

Mace's eyes widened as the words reached him. He turned a shaking gaze back to Michael and took him in. He was bent over his hand covering his stomach. Even in the dim light Mace could see the dark blood running from in between his fingers and over the back of his hand. "Michael?" Mace whispered in disbelief. "Michael?" He reached out to touch him just as he slumped over and Mace caught him.

"Dammit." Michael cursed. "The bastard knew right were to shoot me. This way I die slowly and painfully. Shit." He cursed and leaned heavily on Mace as he looked at his wound his mouth wide as he removed his fingers and the blood ran fresh and freely down his side drenching his gray sweat pants.

Mace found for once his training failing him. He had never seen someone die. He didn't want to see it now. Mace closed his eyes and tried to figure out what to do. 'Get out!' A voice screamed from the back of his mind. 'Just get out!' Mace looked at Michael's ashen face and pulled him up his arm going around the other man's waist to support him. "We're getting out of here Michael and you're going to have to carry yourself."

Michael looked up from his stomach his eyes glazing a bit. "Grab the bomb Mace. That one sets everything off if we can't leave it behind. We won't be able to get out in five now. We have to take it with us and set it off half way."

"What if it too far?" Mace whispered. "What if it fails to set off the rest?"

"Then we're screwed either way." Michael breathed heavily. "Now stop your bitching and let's go. I'm not gonna die because of that bastard."

All Sarah could see was the back of Troy's bare feet. Her knees ached from crawling and her head ached from trying to see in the dark. She didn't know how long she had been crawling or even if they were out of danger. Every time she lifted her hand and placed it in front of the other it shook. She was scared she would wake one of the grads below her. If they heard her sneaking threw the walls or even if they had somehow climbed into the ceiling they would reach through the walls and snap her neck. She didn't want to die and mostly she wanted her brother. Mace had promised that she would get home, but where was he and how was she ever going to find them with out Mace. Just when she thought she couldn't crawl anymore she ran into the back of Troy as he came to an abrupt stop.

"What?" She whispered not even sure that he could hear her voice she could hardly hear it herself.

Troy shifted silently in the shaft and move up beside her and grabbed hold of her pulling her close. "Don't move," he commanded, " Someone is coming."

No sooner had the words left his mouth that Sarah heard muffled footsteps coming from beyond the wall. Her heart began to beat faster and her palms were slicked with sweat as she listened. What if they had been heard? Would they be killed? What then? She sat there her fingers digging into to the material of Troy's nightclothes her eyes squeezed tightly shut. "I don't want to die." She hadn't even realized the words had escaped her mouth until she felt Troy's lips against her face and the soft reassurance in his voice.

"I won't let them get you." He vowed his voice never wavering with emotion. "I promise I'll protect you."

Sarah felt her heart rate slow a bit with his words. She felt safe with him, that he would protect her no matter what. "I believe you." She whispered back her words hardly shaking anymore. They sat like that for a while until Troy signaled for her to continue moving. He released her and with a slight smile he continued to crawl. Neither of them ever made a sound and after what seemed like hours they saw light.

Sarah could barely see it around him, but she could see the outside. She hadn't been there long enough to forget what the outside smelled like. She smelled the grass, the night air. They were nearly free. Her joy was hardly contained as Troy reached over his back and hand signaled her to stop. She knew he was breaking them out. Soon she would be free and back with her parents. Soon it would all be over.

The grate made a noise as he slid it off the hinges and pushed it outward. Sarah froze with the noise it had been too loud. They were going to be caught. Before Sarah could think of anything else. Troy's hand was on hers pulling her outside and into the cool night air.

"Run." He whispered and pulled her along beside him as the galloped through the grass.

Sarah couldn't remember the last time she had been outside. You didn't get outside time until you'd been there for at least a year. She had only been there for three months. Everything was even better than she had remembered. The smells that assaulted her system the feel of the grass on her bare feet, the way the air blew her hair as she ran. She wanted to laugh and scream and do cartwheel. She wanted to spin around in circles until she was so dizzy she collapsed on the ground.

"Don't slow down Sarah, you have to run."

The harsh words brought her from her dream world and back to reality. It was dark and right in front of them was a fence, one they would have a scale. The top was covered in a think layer of barbed wire. She didn't know if she would make it.

"How will we get over Troy." I yelled at him as we neared it. "How without them seeing us."

Troy ducked down and slowed a bit as they neared the fence they were only a few hundred feet away from it when Troy pulled her into a row of bushes and pulled her next to him again. "We don't go yet," he explained, "we wait for Mace and Michael to get out then we go."

"What are they doing?" Sarah asked.

"Making sure nobody will ever come after us again." Troy whispered harshly.

Sarah's lip quivered as she thought of what that could mean. She didn't want it to be true. No, even if some of them were bad, not all of them were. They didn't deserve to die. "What do you mean?" She asked again her voice sounded so weak and small, like the six year old she was.

"They're going to blow the hell out of those bastards and then we'll be free forever." Troy smiled slowly with the thought.

Sarah watched the smile spread across his face and slapped him. "Don't ever think of life so cheaply." She told him sincerely. "Those people don't deserve to die! You can't kill them. What about the little kids, they only just got there!" Sarah started to rise and run. She had to warn them, but Troy pulled her back down and clamped his hand over her screaming mouth.

"Shut up." He told her viciously with too much hate for a boy of only eight. "Shut up and listen. Your brother is risking everything for you and me. We're taking a stand and you're not going to ruin it because you're ungrateful." He held her in his iron grip for a few more minutes before slowly releasing her. "I'm sorry." He whispered as he watched her slink away from him. "I don't know what it was. I uh…" He trailed off and pulled his knees close and wrapped his arms around them. "I just get mad."

Sarah was breathing heavily as she watched him. She didn't dare move not knowing if it was because she feared what he would do if she ran or because his words made since to him. She just knew that even though she sometimes felt safe with him there was a part of him lurking in the darkness and she didn't want to ever see that part again. She remembered the smile that had spread across his young face transforming it into someone older. It was unpleasant and Sarah hoped that wasn't who he would become.

"I'll wait." She said finally breaking the silence. "I won't run."

Troy turned his mop of brown hair to look at her for a moment. His Prussian blue eyes burned into her violet one's. He didn't say anything perhaps there was nothing left to say, but Sarah smiled slowly at him anyway before he turned back to watch the building.

Michael kept going even though he could feel the blood pouring from his body. He was weakening with every passing minute. The makeshift bandage Mace had wrapped around his midsection was already soaked through and his blood was make small plinks on the metal shaft each time he moved. Even though his breathing was controlled not the gasps that he would have been taking if it didn't matter how loud he was being he knew the little plinks would soon wake someone up and it would be too late for both of them.

He cursed silently as he followed Mace. He had almost done it. He had almost made it out. If it hadn't been for that bastard Hammond all of it would have worked. He would have gotten out maybe found his parents, maybe found job. It was supposed to work out and maybe one day he would have a normal life, but no that bastard had ruined it all and now he was dying slowly, but definitely dying. He was so busy cursing his bad luck that he almost didn't see Mace stop. So they had made it all the way back.

Mace turned around to look at him and gave a reassuring smile into the darkness. "We're at your room Michael I'm going to go down first and you follow. I'll catch you if you can't support yourself."

"The day I need you to carry me squirt." Michael retorted trying to keep some sense of humor. There was no use being bitter the entire last few hours of his life.

He watched as Mace disappeared through the shaft and listened to see if he made a sound on his landing. There was none and Michael smiled they might get out after all. If he were going to die at least it wouldn't be in these walls. Michael jumped through the opening and landing soundlessly and solidly on the ground. So he was perfectly trained, a soldier even when death was knocking on his door.

"Give me the bomb." Michael whispered barely able to hear his own voice. Michael didn't hear anything from Mace but he felt the bomb placed between his fingers and he quickly activated it. He couldn't see Mace, it was still pitch black, but he knew the sequence by heart. In fact the teachers had drilled that skill into him. He grinned at the thought and lay the contraption on his bunk. "We've got five minutes. I hope your sense of direction is good." Michael goaded and together they opened the door and slipped into the hall. It was completely dark and but Michael knew where they were. It was only a few feet to the shaft that would lead them to freedom. He was almost free.

Michael's mind began to wonder as he ran silently through the grad halls. It turned at Hammond had been a fool after all. He had wanted all the glory for himself and failed to tell anyone else about what he had found. Hammond was an idiot and now everyone would pay for his stupidity. Michael would have laughed if he knew it wouldn't hurt when he did it. In no time at all they reached the ventilation shaft and slipped into it followed closely by Mace.

"We did it. Mace my man we're free." Michael didn't have to look at his friend to know he was smiling. The rest of the journey was made in a hurried silence. Michael had been counting off the minutes in his mind and knew that they only had two minutes left. They needed to hurry.

It wasn't thirty seconds later when Michael saw light. He would have whooped for joy. He would have screamed his relief if it weren't for the shadow that passed in front of the light for an instant and then was gone. 'God someone was out there.' Michael stopped and signaled to Mace knowing that there was enough light for Mace to see him. Not saying anything. Michael tossed him his knife and he held onto the gun. He had more training with it than Mace did and this would have to be quick.

Immediately his mind was set in battle mode. He was focused on only his enemy. He knew almost instantly that it was only teachers out there. A Grad wouldn't have passed in front of the shaft like that. A grad would have been more careful. Calculating probability he guess there were about ten of them seven for him and three for Mace. In his mind he ran over two scenarios. One he got out as if they were free and let the teacher's think they had the upper hand or shoot carelessly out the shaft. He figured the first was the best solution and pushed the gun lazily into his sleeve. It hardly fit, but it was dark outside and no one would be able to see it. He hoped Mace would have the sense to follow his lead. They didn't have much time.

Michael opened the shaft and crawled out for the moment forgetting about his wound. He was right because as soon as he was out five men swarmed around him and held him back a hand over his mouth and his arms pinned behind him by the armpits. Michael would have smiled this was too perfect. He watched as Mace crawled out next and was grabbed by three more guys. So he had been off on the count a little bit, but he had been mostly right.

"Thought you'd out smarted us huh?" One of the teachers whispered in his ear. "We're not a dumb as you think we are. We created you and we just how to stop you."

"We already have your bomb Michael. In fact we're deactivating it right now." He voice was sinister and the man pressed a gun to his temple. "Don't try a thing or we'll shoot you."

Michael smiled openly this time. "Sorry I've already been shot, and about my bomb I suggest if you have anyone tampering with it you back away from here. If you don't you'll be like a nice crisp piece of toast. Everything they'll try will set it off and when it goes." Michael laughed, " you'll all be dead before you know it." The man holding his arms took an awkward half step backward, but the man with the gun to his head was frozen. Michael couldn't see his face, but he knew the man was scared.

The man released the safety on his gun and pushed it closer to Michael's temple. "Shut up kid." He warned.

Michael just laughed again. "I don't think so." As he felt the man behind him stiffen and he let the gun slide from under his sleeve and pressed the metal object against the man's stomach. The cocked the trigger and whispered narrowly. "You'd better let me go." It was so perfect the man behind him let him go and Michael flipped around and hit the teacher's arm right at the elbow snapping it in half. He grabbed the gun out of the man's hand and shot him in the chest. Next he moved to the other shocked teachers around him. Some of them he knew and some he didn't but it didn't matter right now all of them were his enemies. Smiling wickedly he shot all four around him and lastly turned to check on Mace. The boy was just dealing the last deadly blow to his capture.

"Too easy." Michael asked the thrill of victory still in his system along with the rush of adrenaline. "That felt so good." He said smiling and turned to look at the men he had just killed their blood running freely around their corpses. He had the odd feeling of wanting to touch it. Michael was so involved in looking he barely felt Mace's hand on his shoulder.

"Let's get out of here man. The place is about to blow." Mace grabbed Michael and pulled him toward the fence. "We're not out of here yet."

Michael stumbled for a second as he forced his eyes away from the carnage immediately ashamed. "Do you think," He asked crazily, "They put something in us that makes us want to kill." He swallowed almost fearing the answer. Why had he been so captivated by the running blood?

"I don't know." Mace whispered back and started to sprint across the field.

Michael followed the adrenaline of the battle leaving his system and his stomach was on fire again, the pain radiating through his body and threatening to bring him down. So it seemed he was going to die anyway. Just as the thought entered his mind an explosion sounded behind him. It was only a matter of seconds before he could feel the heat on his back and then a violent shove as the shock wave picked him up and tossed him across the yard. Vaguely he saw it pick up Mace too and then there was darkness.

Troy grabbed Sarah and drove her face into the ground and lay on top of her. He had to protect her. He shut his eyes tight and told her to cover her ears. The explosion shook the ground underneath him and he was sure he was a goner. They had planned to be well away from the building when it blew, but it didn't seem like it was going to work that way. No more than two second after the first explosion another reached his ears and another followed by a third and then there was silence only the sound of fire feasting on a the building.

Troy was trembling when he lifted himself from Sarah. He could feel the heat of the burning building behind him. He could smell the burning wood and almost silently he thought he could hear screams. Was it possible that some of them were burning alive? His eyes widened as they took in the building. There was hardly anything left of it, only a burning mass of wood and brick. There were small fires and pieces of rubble covering the ground all around and swallowed thankful that they hadn't been hit.

"Mace, what about mace."

Troy turned to look at Sarah he had been so caught up in the fire and destruction he'd almost forgotten about her. Her small face was smudged with dirt and her eyes filled with silent tears. He hadn't seen anyone cry in a long time. Then he remembered the two boys running up the hill and then he had seen the first billowing cloud of raging fire. He had pushed Sarah down then and forgotten completely about them.

"Stay here." Troy ordered her and left the confines of the bushes and stepped out into the open. The night was light almost to daylight by the fire. "Mace?" He called into the crackling darkness and fake light. "Mace?" His own voice echoed in the night and it was haunting to hear his own voice lone in the destruction.

"Over here." A monotone surprisingly childlike voice replied.

Troy swallowed and followed the sound until he saw Mace bent over another boy. It must be Michael. "Mace, you all right?" Troy asked and swallowed when he noticed the way Mace was holding the other boy. He had his hands pressed on the boy's midsection and he was whispering to him. As he took him in he realized that Michael was a grad. There was no mistaking the way his features were matured bast adolescence. His face was hard and handsome his hair was raven black and clung to his forehead and sweaty curls.

"We have to save him, Troy." Mace said weakly and turned to look at him. Mace was covered from head to foot with shoot and his face splattered with blood. A few clear paths ran down his face clearing the dirt and grim enough to see flesh. Mace was crying his voice choked and cracked as he watched his friend die. Blood gushed from under his clasped hands and ran down the older boy's side. "I can't let him die. He didn't want to die here!" Mace nearly screamed in his insistence.

Almost as if by magic, Sarah was there by Troy hugging him and trying to get him to let go. Troy watched the seen swallowing that lump in his throat and walked toward them. Mace was wrapped in the embrace of his younger sister and Troy pressed two of his fingers to Michael's neck checking for a pulse. He sat there a few minutes trying to drown out the sobs and crackling flames and focus on the task at hand, but it was hard. Finally he felt it faintly he felt the blood pumping through the older boy's veins. He was alive. Placing his hand over Michael's nose he felt the hair escape and warm his finger. "He's alive." Troy whispered his words barely loud enough to hear. "He's breathing."

Mace pulled away from his sister wiping his eyes with the back of his hand appearing more like a child and less like the confident soldier he was supposed to be. "Michael?" He whispered his voice heavy laden with guilt and remorse. "Wake up man, we're free. Just like you wanted. You did it they're all dead." Leaning over Michael's face Mace shook the boy's shoulders and pushed his raven hair off his sweaty brow. "Wake up."

Michael's eyes fluttered open after a few more shakes and a groan escaped his throat. "Are we out?" He asked his voice barely reaching an octave over a whisper. "Did we do it?"

"You did." Mace told him. "We made it because of you."

Michael smiled. "Good. Now I won't have to die in that damn building." He laughed hoarsely and gasped for the air that was refusing to enter his lungs. He was finding it hard to focus on the people around him. "God, who would have thought it could hurt so much." His face scrunched into agony as a swarm of pain spread over him.

"We're going to take you to a doctor Michael." Mace whispered. "We're going to get you out of here. You're not going to die." Mace started to lift him up and Troy grabbed the other side, but Michael stopped them both with his words.

"I'm dying." He said simply. "You can't save me. You know I've lost too much blood. You know that." Michael was silent for a long time before he spoke again breaking his ragged breaths to speak. "I'll never see my family again." He groused almost humorously but it quickly faded when tears entered his deep green eyes and ran sideways down his face cutting through the dirt. "I just wanted to see them one last time tell them I wasn't gone. That I was alive and I loved them." His face contorted as another wave of pain swept over him. "I wanted a family of my own. I wanted…" He trailed off coughing dryly and violently until he couldn't breath for the coughing. They finally rasped into a wheezing silence and he turned to Troy. "Do you have that cylinder that Mace gave you?"

Troy nodded weakly and pulled it out of his pocket and started to hand it to Michael. "Yeah it's right here."

Michael shook his head and lifted his arm to push the hand away. "I need you to keep that it has my address in there. You, any of you go to that address you tell my family where I was that you knew. Tell them that…." His eyes were unfocused and he started to slide his eyes closed but forced them open. "Tell them that I loved them and I didn't want to die."

"Michael you can't go. We wouldn't be out of here if it weren't for you. You save all of us." Mace pleaded hoping somehow his words would force Michael to stay.

Michael smiled. "You're a tough one Mace." He lifted his hand and grasped his shoulder in a brotherly fashion. He squeezed and let his hand drop.

All three sat in silence listening to him breath. It wasn't long before he took one last huge sigh and then there was nothing. Troy hung his head and let the silent tears he didn't know he could cry slide down his cheeks. He grasped the cylinder praying he would have the strength the take it to Michael's mother and father and tell them how great he was. Mace let a tortured cry escape his lips and leaned onto his sister who had silent tears pouring down her cheeks as well. Michael had given everything for them.

"Grab his other arm, Troy."

Troy looked up and saw Mace standing over Michael his hand wrapped around the older boy's upper shoulder. "We're not going to leave him hear on the place he hated. We're burying him on the other side of the fence." Mace frowned and motioned for Troy to take the other side. With Sarah holding Michael's head the three of them pulled Michael's body through the grass and finally through a break in the fence. When they reached the other side Mace fell to his knees and started to dig in the soft dirt breaking the grass off the surface and plunging further in. Troy joined him on one side and Sarah on the other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Mace lay the last of the dirt on top of Michael's body. The sun was just starting to peak out over the trees and he was exhausted, but they weren't finished yet. Mace turned to Sarah who was placing a pile of large stones over the top of the grave and around the entire length of it creating a large oval. She was humming a song that was almost familiar to him.

"What are you humming." He heard Troy ask from his side.

"A song from church." She said reverently. "I don't remember the words, but I know the tune."

Mace nodded that was where he remembered it. As his mind wondered he remembered church. He would have only been about three, but he could see himself sitting in large pews with his parents on either side. He was wearing a suit and a little tie; Sarah was bundled up in his mother's arms.

"Say a prayer." Mace said finally. "I don't remember how to pray."

Sarah looked at him and nodded. She stood not bothering to brush the dirt from her already stained clothes and folded her arms across her chest her eyes shutting. Mace kept his open as he watched her. He glanced to his side to see Troy doing the same. Neither one of them remembered how to pray or even what they were praying to. No one talked of God where they had been. In there, there was no God.

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name, they kingdom come thy will be done as earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily our daily bread…." Sarah stopped speaking for a moment. "That's all I remember." She confessed. "But I can say more." She cleared her throat and began again. "Dear God, please watch over Michael and make sure he his happy. He saved my brother me and my friend Troy please make sure he knows we love him. Amen." She opened her eyes and smiled up at them. "I think God told me he was okay."

"I don't believe in God." Troy said evenly as he starred at the grave expressing Mace's own thoughts.

Sarah frowned at him and looked back at the building. It was barely burning now. "For a while." She confessed. "I didn't believe in him either."

Mace nodded and grasped Sarah's hand turning her away from the building that had once been their home. "We're going to our real home now." Mace told her evenly and turned to Troy. "Hand me the cylinder." Troy nodded and fished it out of his pocket and handed it to Mace. Mace flipped off the lid and two three pieces of paper slide out. He handed on to Sarah and the other to Troy. "That's the last known address of your family. This one's mine," he glanced down at Sarah, "and this last one it belongs to Michael. We'll take it to his mother on the way." Silently the three once soldiers walked barefoot down the street not knowing what was in store for them and more delighted about the uncertainty of their future than anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two months later / Miami Florida ~~~~~~~`

Mace shifted uncomfortably from the street corner and pushed the wadded piece of paper deep into the pocket of his blue jeans. Beside him Sarah pulled his hand into hers. He leaned over to smile at her. She was wearing a new pair of jeans and a T-shirt. No more uniforms.

"So this is it." Troy whispered from behind them. He was dressed differently as well. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt to cover the tattoo on his arm.

Mace nodded and turned to around to look at his friend. At who had come to be his best friend over the past few months. Together they had found Michael's parents and told them everything of their son. They had described them as best they could and tried to get them to understand that he was the one that had saved them. They had decided not to tell where they had really been. No one would have believed them and this way Michael was more of a hero. They would never understand the other way.

Now Mace and Sarah were standing outside their house. Mace was surprised that he still remembered it perfectly. Right down to the bushes surrounding the side of his house and the car parked in the driveway. He wondered if his parents remembered him.

"You know you can stay here for a while." Sarah said hopefully and took his hand as well. "My parents can help you find them."

Troy smiled down at her and looked to Mace. "I don't think so guys. I'll find them." He smiled and took his address out of his pocket. "I'm sure they wait for me for couple of years and then left. I'll find them somehow." He ripped it up and let the papers float away in the breeze. "Besides your parents won't want me around."

Mace grinned nervously and took Troy's shoulder under his palm. "I don't think they'd mind. Besides how am I ever going to explain any of this without you around?"

Troy smiled knowingly and shrugged. "Perhaps it's better if they don't know." Troy pulled his makeshift knapsack over his shoulder and looked around the neighborhood. "This is a real nice place, Mace."

"Yeah." Mace agreed. "Nothing like we're used to." Just as he was thinking about it he felt Sarah's hand slip from his and he turned to see her running toward a woman exiting the house. He knew immediately that it was his mother. He was frozen as he looked at her. She was exactly as he remembered her, but he knew he wasn't how she remembered him. "Do you think we'll ever forget what they taught us?" Mace asked never letting his eyes stray from his mother who was know enveloping his sister in a hug and crying. Her hands were on the back of her head as she tried to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"I hope so." Troy answered watching the same scene with a deep longing in his chest.

"I don't want to be like Michael." Mace said finally. "When he killed those men. I've never seen someone so…happy. He just watched the blood running. He enjoyed it." Mace turned to Troy. "What if what they did to him is in us? What if we like the sight of blood too, or we will eventually?"

Troy shuddered with the thought. "I can only say I hope you're wrong."

"I hope I am too, but when I shoved that knife into the guy holding me, Troy, I almost smiled." Mace saw Sarah lift her head and point toward the street where they were both standing. Mace didn't move a muscle, as his mother looked him over. She had her hand over her mouth. Mace watched her. Her beautiful golden hair, the same shade as his, spilled around her shoulder and her eyes a deep aqua glistened with tears as she ran walked un-surely toward him. "She doesn't know if it's me."

Troy shook his head. "She knows it's you, but she can't believe it." Troy turned his head to see Mace's father coming from the other side of the house. He was holding a pair of hedge clippers and when he saw his son standing in the street he dropped them. Troy wanted to be Mace so badly at that point that he almost screamed. He didn't want to watch anymore. He had to leave. "I have to go Mace." Troy said slowly and backed away as Mace's family came closer. "Bye, tell Sarah bye for me."

Mace's arm shot out and grabbed Troy as he was leaving he pulled his friend toward him and shoved the piece of paper into Troy's hand. "Keep in touch Troy." He whispered. "Tell me when you've found your family." He smiled then his eyes sparkling with what looked like joy. He pulled Troy closer and hugged him. "I love you like you were my own brother. Take care Troy."

With that said Mace released him and Troy ran down the street hoping to get out of sight before anyone could go after him. He could hear Mace calling for his Dad and Mom and he heard their joyous reunion echoing his mind. Tears of frustration ran down his face as he ran and with each step he went faster. His vision blurred and his lungs burned but he didn't care he wanted to run away from all of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~` Two weeks after that / Colony L1 hitched a rid on a passenger shuttle ~~~~`

Troy curled himself into a tight ball as another explosion shook the ground around him. He felt pebbles from the building to his back fall on his face and arms, but he didn't move. Even thought it was likely the building would fall on top of him crushing every bone in his body he didn't care. He had looked he had searched endlessly and there was nothing on his parents. He would never see them again and he was alone. He didn't want to go back to Mace and Sarah; he didn't want to bother them in fact all he wanted was to die. His dark chocolate hair was covered in a thin layer of dust and his skin coated in grim. Even with all his training he was unable to make a decent living. He was just 'war orphan' scum. He was spit at, things were thrown at him and he knew he would never survive.

So involved in his own self-pity he didn't hear footsteps coming up behind him until it was too late. Reflexively he pulled a knife out and flipped open the blade. He was ready for an attack if whoever that behind him was. He sat curled and clenched waiting expectantly for the first blow to come, but when it didn't he was surprised to hear a voice.

"I've been watching you."

Troy stiffened with the words and gripped the end of his knife tighter. He didn't say anything in response but the man's voice, dry and almost mechanical, made his shudder.

"I know who you are Troy Mathers, Dragon plan survivor." The last part was spoken softly and Troy leapt to his feet fear spreading across his features his knife raised and ready for an assault. "I wouldn't try that boy. I have my own methods of catching you," he pulled a odd looking gun from behind his back, "but it would be a whole lot easier if you would just come with me."

Troy stiffened. "What do you want." He said trying not to let his free show through his voice. The man was like no one he'd ever seen before. Large goggles covered his eyes, and a mechanical arm lay limply at his side. His hair was ghostly white and hung down past his shoulders.

"I want your help, Troy." He responded mildly. "The world is in need of you."

"And what can I do?" Troy asked and backed away a few steps, but didn't go anywhere.

"I can help you, Troy. I can make it easy for you to survive. I can train you so that no one will hurt you."

"I don't want anymore training," Troy told him and started to turn and bolt away from the man.

"Wait Troy." The man called and Troy stopped. "You have nothing to fight for, nothing to live for. Don't tell me you're happy. I know you're not. You can't find your parents and Troy I know why. Your parents are dead. They worked in the military they were killed by the very same people I'm fighting against. If you help me you'll get you revenge you'll get off the street and you might even save the world."

Troy felt his fingers go lax and the knife slip from his tight hold. 'Dead' the word echoed in his mind. Why hadn't the figured that before? He guessed he just hadn't wanted to. He didn't want to face the fact that he was all alone. Except for this man. This man wanted him needed his help. The only problem was he faced becoming what he had promised he never would. Then again he had also told himself he would always survive. Troy turned around eyeing the man one more time and sucking the threatening tears back.

"What's your name?" Troy asked holding his head high despite the devastating emotional blow the doctor had thrown at him.

"Doctor J." The man replied.

"I'll go with you." Troy said finally and took a step toward the man. Together they left the street and the destruction Troy knew.

In the years that followed Troy became everything that he most feared he would. He was a soldier dedicated to his mission. He killed with out remorse he fought when he was told to. He only saw the mission. He was a mindless drone driven by orders. He was a grad… During one failed mission Heero had a casualty involving a small girl and some residential buildings. Thoughts of his past resurfaced and he began to rethink who he had become. In a desperate attempt to keep their 'Perfect Soldier' the doctors erased all the memories of the past from his mind. The tattoo that graced his arm was removed but something under the skin was overlooked. He was retrained to ignore his emotions. Troy Mathers was dead and he was nothing but Heero Yuy.

I know that was really long, but I didn't think that I could split it up and still keep your interest. There are more chapters so if you want the rest make sure you let me know. E-mail me at Peanutbutter199@hotmail.com or write a review.