Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Sandstorm ❯ Chapter 3

Sandstorm

By Misanagi

Rating: R
Pairings: None yet
Warnings: Angst, violence.
Summary: Years after the war, the world is still wondering about the identities of the mysterious Gundam pilots. Now they have an answer.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters used in this fic.
Archive: http://www.psinergy.com/dryerspace/gundaniumline/misanagi/misanagi.html
Feedback: Yes please! misanagi_zzz@hotmail.com

Thanks to Anne and Haraamis, for being wonderful beta readers. *hugs* Thanks a lot!

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Chapter Three

There were many things in life that young Preventer Mark Johansen wanted to avoid, but nothing scared him more than what he had to face now. Every Preventer knew that there were people in the organization who demanded not only a great deal of respect, but who were also feared.

The first one was Lady Une. As the director of Preventers, she was known to be a great leader and a strong woman. Nothing in the organization happened without her knowledge. Whoever stepped out of line had to deal with her, and everyone knew that that wasn't a good thing.

It was a known fact that she had been a colonel during the war. She had even worked beside Treize Khushrenada. Some of the older Preventers had even been soldiers under her command. The stories that they told about her made every new recruit think twice about becoming a Preventer. Working for her was hard; she was very demanding, but the recruits also knew that they were working with the best, and that they would be well protected. Lady Une took care of her people.

The second person was also a woman, Sally Po. She was the doctor in charge of the medical facilities. Dr. Po was known as a good and caring doctor, but if the people in her care were unfortunate enough to receive a wound out of carelessness, or aggravated their condition by not taking proper care of themselves, then they were in trouble. Very deep trouble.

Mark shuddered at the thought. He had seen men who were twice Dr. Po's size shiver and squirm just from one of her looks. There were rumors that she had commanded a rebel group back in the war. Some of the most farfetched stories said that she had even met a Gundam pilot. However, those were only stories that cadets told each other, urban legends about their superiors. Which organization didn't have them?

The last person who had made a reputation by scaring new recruits was Preventer Chang Wufei. When he was angry, Chang had the ability to look at people in a certain way that made them dread the horrible fate that surely awaited them.

Chang had been working for the organization almost from the beginning. Despite his young age, he was well respected and everyone knew better than to disobey his orders. Mark remembered his early days on the job; another Preventer had made a comment about Chang. It was something about Chang's inferior capabilities as a soldier as he apparently had no experience prior to Preventers. Chang had heard that remark and offered the Preventer a chance to prove in a fighting match that he was right. It took Chang less than ten seconds to win the match and leave the rude Preventer with a broken arm. Mark had never heard anyone comment about Chang's abilities after that.

That was why Mark was less than happy about the fact that he was locked in a room with Lady Une, Sally Po and Chang Wufei. In addition, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian was sitting discreetly in a corner, and an unknown man was standing beside her. Mark decided that the man looked dangerous and he thought that it was better to stay on the man's good side.

"Can you tell us, Johansen," said Lady Une, in a severe voice, "How Quatre Winner was kidnapped?"

Mark could feel his hands trembling. He did his best to control himself, but his voice sounded shaky anyway. "I don't know exactly how it all started. I was patrolling the first floor, as Captain Martinez had instructed, when I saw someone lying on the ground. It was Gromberg." He took a pause. "I took his pulse but there was nothing I could do. He was dead."

They were all regarding him with blank looks. All except the minister; she seemed somewhat supportive. After taking a deep breath, Mark continued. "They were using silencers, that's why we didn't hear the shots and no one was alerted. I called for backup, but there was no answer. Then... then I decided to go to the study."

"Was that the position you had been assigned, Johansen?" asked Lady Une.

"No," he admitted, lowering his head.

"Then why did you go there?" Lady Une's voice didn't sound angry; actually, it was a neutral tone that reflected nothing.

"I knew Mr. Winner was there." Mark looked at his hands. "I know I shouldn't have gone there but..." He fell silent again, trying to find the right words. When no one urged him to continue, he raised his head, looking at a distant point on the wall. "I know I wasn't there long, but yesterday morning Captain Martinez sent me to the study to check on Mr. Winner. The Captain was worried about Mr. Winner's health, since he had hardly eaten anything. I talked to Mr. Winner, and he was really nice to me. Even though he's stuck in deep shi-... trouble, he still took the time to listen to me. I was in the study for about an hour, and he never said a word that didn't concern me and my problems. He never complained, not once." Mark moved his eyes from the wall and looked at the minister. "He is a good man."

It was common knowledge that Relena Darlian and Quatre Winner were good friends. They had started a lot of projects, had been allies in the political arena, and were seen often together in public. Romance magazines printed all sort of stories depicting them as a couple, but they had never said anything official. However, Mark knew that the news of Mr. Winner's kidnapping had to be hard for the minister.

"I wanted to warn him and see if he was alright," Mark continued. "I knew I wasn't following orders and that I shouldn't have gone there, but I couldn't leave Mr. Winner alone and vulnerable upstairs." Mark looked at Lady Une, expecting some kind of reprimand, but it didn't come. She just kept regarding him with the same neutral look. "I could tell that he had been sleeping. He had probably passed out, judging by the empty bottle of brandy by his side. The moment I came through the door, he looked at me. I could see his eyes trying to focus and his muscles becoming alert, as though his body was fighting the intoxication.

- Status? - he asked simply. His voice was so steady that I didn't think it could come from him. He doesn't look like it, but I knew at that moment that it was true, that he must have been a Gundam pilot."

"You should never underestimate someone based on appearance, Johansen," said Chang.

"Continue your report," ordered Lady Une, before Mark could answer.

He nodded. "I told Mr. Winner what I had seen. He got up so fast that you wouldn't have known that he was the man who was passed out on the desk a few moments before. He got some guns from his desk. I didn't have a good look at them. It was dark, and the power wasn't working, but I'm pretty sure that they were Desert Eagles. He would have looked amusing if the situation had been different. The expensive pants, the half tucked shirt and a gun in each hand. It's not what we are used to see on TV..." Mark coughed. He knew that he was getting off topic, and that was not a good thing to do when one was giving a report. "Mr. Winner told me to stay behind him, and then he walked out the door. What happened next... I mean, if I hadn't seen it myself I wouldn't have believed it. The place was so dark that I was stumbling with every step, but he didn't seem to have any trouble." Mark paused again, feeling his mouth getting dry. "I don't know how he saw them," he finally said. "He fired a couple of shots, the first ones that were heard. I noticed the men who were walking to the study the moment they collapsed on the floor. However, I think Mr. Winner missed because he only wounded them"

"Quatre never misses." The unknown man regarded Mark. There was something in those blue eyes that made Mark shiver. "And he doesn't aim to kill. Not any more."

"Are those the men that we have in custody?" asked Lady Une, completely ignoring the other man's comment.

"Yes," answered Mark. "Jennings and I picked them up after everything was over."

"Very well. Continue, Johansen."

"Yes, Ma'am. I guess Mr. Winner's shots alerted everyone, because we soon heard rushed footsteps coming towards us. He forced me to take cover, and then he dived behind a wall." Mark cleared his throat. "That's when we heard a voice coming from the stairs. The man asked Mr. Winner to come out. He said that there didn't have to be more bloodshed, but that there will be unless Mr. Winner surrendered to him. They had the place surrounded, and Mr. Winner would have only caused the death of more fine Preventers by refusing to cooperate." Mark closed his eyes for a moment, trying to focus on what he was saying. He was there to tell the facts, not to relive what had happened. "Mr. Winner glanced at the stairs. It took him three seconds to tell me how many men were there plus their locations." Mark stopped and looked at the other people in the room, waiting for some sign of awe.

"So, how many were there?" asked Chang. He sounded annoyed.

"How many what?"

"Would you concentrate, Johansen?" said the Chinese man. "How many men?"

"I don't..." Mark sighed and brought two fingers to his forehead. "Eight. He said there were eight."

"Go on," urged Lady Une. "What happened next?"

"The man started speaking again. He had Jennings with him and was threatening to kill her if Mr. Winner didn't surrender. He said some awful things; he threatened to... to violate Jennings right there if Mr. Winner didn't do as he was told." Mark bit his lip. "Mr. Winner told me to keep my position and wait until Jennings was behind the wall, and then I was to take cover in the room behind us and wait there, no matter what."

"And did you?" inquired Preventer Chang, looking at Mark with such an intensity that he couldn't help but squirm.

"I..." Mark decided that it was better to ignore the question and continued with his report. "Mr. Winner got up from where he was, crouched behind the wall, and headed for the stairs. His arms were hanging at his sides but the guns were still firmly grasped by his fingers. I peeked from my position; I had to see what was happening." Mark directed his eyes to the wall again. "Jennings was with them, she was being held at gun point by a man that had his hand closer to her breasts than was necessary.

- You made a smart choice, Mr. Winner, - said the man with the gun. - Would you kindly put both your weapons on the ground.-

Mr. Winner kept his head high. I've never seen a man look so superior while surrendering. - Let her go first, - he said, not moving from his position in front of the stairs. -Then I'll surrender my weapons and myself.-

The man laughed. - And why should I believe you? - he asked.

- Because, unlike you, I'm a man of honor.-

I don't think the man was too happy with that statement since the smile on his face turned into a frown. However, the man took the gun away from Jennings' head and pushed her forward. She stumbled a little but managed to keep her balance. She walked towards me quickly, but I noticed her slowing down a bit when she walked beside Mr. Winner. Her lips moved and I'm fairly certain that she thanked him.

Mr. Winner kept looking forward. I really can't explain how he knew that Melissa, I mean, Jennings, was beside me, but the moment she was safe behind the wall, Mr. Winner's weapons touched the floor." Mark hesitated a moment before continuing. The picture of Melissa in the hands of those men was still lingering in his mind. They weren't a couple, but that didn't mean that he didn't care for her, and after going through something like that, he was beginning to wonder if he should put his worries aside and simply ask her out.

A polite cough brought Mark back to the present. Thanks to Mr. Winner, he would have time to contemplate his love life later. Now, he had to do everything he could to help find him. "The man ordered Mr. Winner to get on his knees and to put his hands behind his head. Mr. Winner did as he was told, his head still held high. The man walked up to him and cuffed Mr. Winner's hands behind his back. They left quickly after that; they even left their wounded behind."

"Are you telling me that you stayed there and watched Quatre being kidnapped?" Mark blinked, and when he opened his eyes he found Chang staring at him.

Mark shivered. "I w-"

"Are you a trained Preventer or not?"

"Wufei, calm down," said Lady Une.

Preventer Chang ignored her. "You let him protect you when it was supposed to be the other way around?"

Cold sweat traveled down Mark's back.

The unknown man walked behind Preventer Chang and put a hand on his shoulder. The Chinese man calmed visibly.

"Thanks, Johansen," said Lady Une. "You are dismissed. I expect a written report in the morning."

Mark nodded and left the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, he let out a sigh of relief. He walked slowly away from the door, his mind still thinking about Preventer Chang's accusations. Mark knew that they were true, and he was still wondering if there was anything more he could have done. However, the selfish part of him was reminded that the attack had only left four survivors. Even Captain Martinez had died, and he had been the agent with more experience.

At the end of the hall, Mark could see Melissa waiting for him. He smiled at her. It was thanks to Mr. Winner that he and Melissa were alive. Mark had never had an opinion on Gundam pilots, but if they were all like Mr. Winner, they surely didn't deserve to go to jail.

As he approached Melissa, he made a decision. He was going to ask her out.

* * *

Abdul didn't like big cities. They felt artificial, even if they were on Earth. The tall buildings and the polluted streets made him miss the dryness and the heat of the desert. At least it was calm. However, Abdul had never declined an assignment, and this one was personal. It was for all the Maguanacs, but he had still asked Rashid for the mission. It didn't matter that every man in the Maguanac Corps had volunteered too; they only needed two men for the operation, and Ahmed and Abdul had used all their influence to make sure that they were the ones assigned to it.

After hearing the news, Rashid had assembled the Maguanacs and told them that they needed two men to go and see if Master Quatre needed any help. Many had voiced suggestions of rescuing the ex Gundam pilot and hiding him with them, but Rashid had refused. He had said that Master Quatre had already made the choice to stay and that they wouldn't be interfering with that. However, Master Quatre had been exposed, and there were bound to be some people looking for revenge against a Gundam pilot. The war had been an ugly business, and the blond had killed a lot of men. That was why Rashid had sent a couple of men to keep an eye on Master Quatre and to contact the other Maguanacs if help was needed.

"There is something wrong," said Ahmed, looking at the house through his binoculars.

The dim light of the rising sun allowed Abdul to see Ahemed's mouth twitching in a sign of worry. "What is it?" he asked, as he used his own binoculars to take a look at the house.

The place was surrounded by Preventers, but the Maguanacs had expected that. The weird thing was the broken glass lying around the perimeter of the house and the fact that the Preventers were closing up the area.

"I think we arrived too late," commented Ahmed. "Turn on the portable vid; let's see if there're any news about it."

Abdul got the small electronic device from his pack and turned it on. The screen was immediately filled by a woman's face. She was standing in front of a street, and there seemed to be some sort of commotion going on.

Using their advantage position on the roof of a house, Abdul looked trough his binoculars at a street a few blocks away. Sure enough, that was the place where the newswoman was located.

"We still have no information on the shooting last night," said the voice coming from the vid. "Preventers' officers are refusing to talk to us, but they keep promising that they will soon give an official statement. However, the question about what happened inside the Winner residence at four this morning is still unanswered. This is Sharon Parker at the site of the news."

Ahmed and Abdul exchanged a look. Whatever had happened was out of their hands, and they couldn't do anything until they knew more. Abdul searched for his cell phone and dialed a number which Rashid had told him to use only in case of emergency.

After a moment, someone answered at the other end of the line, "Maxwell."

* * *

TBC