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misanagiI'm sorry this update took so long. I hope that you enjoy the chapter ^_^
Sandstorm
Rating: R/ M
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.
Thanks to Anne and haraamis, for being wonderful beta readers. *hugs* Thanks a lot!
___
Chapter Six
They had been driving in silence for more than an hour. The sun was already rising, and Wufei was fighting to stay awake; he didn't want to think how long it had been since he had slept last. The only thing keeping him awake was determination and controlled anger. He didn't want to talk; he knew that if he opened his mouth there will be no stopping the recriminations he didn't want to voice.
He respected Une. She was a strong woman, the director of Preventers, and very smart and competent. People made mistakes, and Wufei knew that no matter how remarkable anyone was, erring was human. However, this particular mistake had put Quatre's life at risk, and that made Wufei's anger conflict with his logic. It would have been easy if Une was the only one at fault, but Wufei felt responsible too, and he wouldn't let himself forget that.
"This is not the time for recriminations, Chang. Stay focused." Une didn't take her eyes off the road. She probably didn't need to look at Wufei to know what he was thinking. They had been working together for too long her not to be able to predict him at least that much. Wufei nodded instead of replying verbally. She was right. They needed to stay focused on the objective if they wanted to find Quatre.
The captured men hadn't lied when they said that they had ignored where the kidnapers had taken Quatre. Wufei had seen it in their eyes; they had been scared. Their convictions were weak, and they were not about to sacrifice themselves to keep a secret that held no special meaning for them. They had been in it for the money; the reasons or methods they used hadn't been important. In Wufei's eyes, they had sold their souls.
Apparently, whoever was behind Quatre's abduction had known that those who only cared about money were not trustworthy and had purposely kept information from them. The men in custody had only been able to give Wufei one useful piece of intel: a name.
"This is it," said Une, stopping the car in front of a small house. "Let's just hope he hasn't fled town yet."
Wufei nodded again. "We know he had plenty of time."
Une turned to look at him, her eyes hard. "Don't think I don't feel guilty about this. I know that it was my decision to put Livinson on guard at Quatre's house. You warned me, but I still made the decision. I was lacking personnel, and I didn't consider the option of being one
man short just because you hadn't done a background check on him yourself. It was the wrong decision." She blinked, but her eyes never lost that hard expression. "I dismissed him the next day, but by then it was already too late. I can't change the past, but I can work to
rectify my error of judgment."
Wufei smirked. Une was a strong woman, and she wouldn't let an error of judgment slow her at all. "Very well. Let's get to work then," he said and got out of the car.
They didn't bother to knock. Wufei kicked the door open, and he and Une entered the house; their guns ready and their eyes scanning the place.
Andrew Livinson was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by boxes of all sizes and holding a large one in his hands. As soon as he noticed Une and Wufei, he dropped the box and took a step back. "What… what are you doing here? Ma'am, Sir?"
Une ignored Livinson's question. "Are you in a hurry to leave town?"
"No! It's just that," Livinson passed a hand through his hair, "since I was dismissed, I thought I should go back to New York."
"You thought, huh?" Une put her gun away, but Wufei kept his trained on Livinson. "You are not fit to think for yourself. That's why you are supposed to follow orders, and I don't remember ordering you to run away."
Livinson visibly paled. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, remaining quiet.
Wufei had decided to stay silent and let Une interrogate Livinson; she was good at it. After working at Preventers, Wufei had perfected the "silent but deadly" look, and he was very fond of it. He knew that by now, Une's passive aggressive actions were probably getting more to Livinson's nerves than his gun.
Une moved to a small couch by the window and sat down. She crossed her legs and extended her arms on the back of the sofa. "I'm sure that by now you are aware that Quatre Winner has been kidnapped." She paused for a moment and then fixed Livinson with a glare. "The perpetrators had inside knowledge of the compound, the security system, and the
Preventers' shifts and positions inside and outside the house. Now, what does that tell us, Livinson?"
Livinson shifted his gaze between Une, Wufei, and the gun. "Ma'am?" he said in a weak voice.
"Come on, Livinson." Une's voice turned colder. "Are you a Preventer agent or not? What can we deduct from the evidence?"
"That there was someone on the inside working with the perpetrators?" Livinson sounded terrified, and his voice became smaller with every word he spoke.
"Very good, Livinson." Une suddenly stood up, looking down at Livinson so harshly that if Wufei had been anything less than a Gundam pilot he wouldn't have been able to stand that look. "I'm going to say this only once so pay attention. You have one chance to tell us everything, and I suggest you take it." Her voice dropped an octave, and she moved closer to Livinson, as if she was going to share a secret. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the men we have in custody. Either you talk to us and face the legal consequences of your actions, or when the Gundam pilots come looking for you - and I assure
you they will – we'll do nothing to stop them."
By then, all color had left Livinson's face; he looked more like a ghost than a person. His breaths were quick, and he was shaking his head slowly.
"Don't even think about running. Chang's aim is perfect."
Livinson couldn't even look at Wufei. His eyes were trained on the blue carpet. No one spoke for a moment. Finally, he took a step back and sat on a stool, putting his face between his hands. "They said they wouldn't kill anyone." The voice sounded muffled. "They said they would only take him and leave. They promised they wouldn't kill any agents."
Wufei's grip on the gun tightened. Livinson's stupidity and greed had fooled him into believing the promises of criminals. Thanks to that, twelve Preventers were dead and Quatre... Quatre was missing. "Obviously they didn't honor their word. You can start atoning for the deaths of your comrades by telling us all you know about the kidnapers."
"I didn't mean for this to happen," continued Livinson, shaking his head slowly. "No one was supposed to get hurt. They said they would take him and that his family would pay. They have enough money. No one was supposed to die."
"The agents are dead," replied Wufei. "No ransom demand has been made, and Mr. Winner's whereabouts are unknown. It's time to stop making excuses and start being useful. Who hired you?"
"I never met him. He contacted me by phone, the visuals were always off, and he didn't give me a name."
Livinson's behavior only told Wufei that they needed to be more selective with the recruits. The man wasn't smart enough to be a Preventer. He wasn't even smart enough to be a rat.
"When did he contact you last?" asked Une.
"Three days ago." Livinson bit his lower lip. "I tried calling yesterday to ask for the rest of my... of my money. He never answered."
"We'll need your phone," said Une, extending her right hand. "Slowly. And remember that Chang still has his gun trained on you."
Livinson nodded. He reached into his back pocket, taking out a small cell phone, and handed it to Une. She put it in her pocket and took her handcuffs out. "Put your hands above your head, Livinson."
The man looked terrified, but he still did as he was told. Wufei waited for Une to cuff Livinson before lowering his weapon. "Can you handle him?" he asked and received a 'have you forgotten who I am?' look in return. "I'll call the others then, and have them meet me here."
"You know I can't allow you to do that," she said. "They are civilians, after all."
Wufei snorted. "Civilians, Lady? They might not work for you, but you know as well as I do that the term is very inappropriate."
A small smile appeared on Une's face. "Preventer Chang, I think it would be prudent for you to stay here and search the house while I get the traitor to headquarters." She took Livinson's cellphone from her pocket and handed it to Wufei. "Good luck."
Une's position as the director of Preventers forced her to deal not only with the organization itself but also with the politics concerning it. She couldn't authorize a group of civilians to conduct an investigation, but she could ask an officer to follow some leads and trust in the officer's methods.
Wufei helped her get Livinson into the car. He then took his gear and the bag he had packed for Heero out of the trunk. Trowa and Duo had surely brought their things with them. After the car was out of sight, Wufei took out his own cellphone. "Yuy, I think I have something."
* * *
Sebastian Culler sat at the desk looking at the phone. The room had no windows and was illuminated by a single light bulb. The walls were bare and painted in a dull gray color that hid the dirt, but made the room seem smaller than it already was. The only furniture in the room was the desk and two aluminum chairs. It was a depressing view.
When he had decided to leave L2, Sebastian had been prepared to make many sacrifices. After all, no one expected to change history without having to pay some sort of price. Even if the room was nothing different from what he had seen during his whole life on L2, a part of him had that ideal of a green and beautiful Earth that had been publicized in the colonies. Earth was supposed to be different, but everything felt the same. Still, this place was the one in control, making life in space more difficult than it already was. And for what? So the people who enjoyed natural sunlight and could grow their own food without the need of expensive equipment could take over the colonies too? Didn't they already have enough? Earth may be the mother of the colonies, but for every child came the time for independence, and Sebastian wasn't about to wait any longer.
The phone rang, making Sebastian look at it in disgust. He sighed and picked up the receiver. It was an old phone, so there were no visuals available, but that didn't bother him. It wasn't like he could see her. For the time he had known her, she had never shown her face but she had, for the most part, insisted on seen him. This time, Sebastian wasn't particularly excited about the conversation, so the less she saw of him, the better. "I'm listening."
"Mr. Culler. I hope you've made some progress." The woman's voice sounded as commanding as always. She was used to being obeyed, and Sebastian was expected to do just that.
"Sorry, ma'am, the kid is tougher than I thought. I haven't been able to get a useful word out of him." It had been two days. He should have at least something.
"This kid, as you call him, is a former Gundam pilot. You'll do well not to underestimate him. Just like they underestimate me. But not anymore."
"They ma'am?" As soon as the words left Sebastian's mouth he wished he hadn't spoken. It wasn't wise to inquire about her half spoken revelations. She tended to stop making sense.
"The world. The world will underestimate me, and I'll have my revenge."
This time Sebastian chose to remain quiet. She was brilliant and had enough resources to finance their operation. She had been the one who had contacted him on L2 and proposed starting a revolution. With the money and the information she had, they could both make their dreams of a different world come true. However, from time to time she started to ramble, talking about revenge and power, and blaming 'them'. Sebastian wasn't really sure who 'they' were. Nonetheless, he tried to ignore that behavior. She was, after all, the leader, and all leaders were allowed to have their eccentricities.
"I need him to speak," she said, in a firm voice. "Our plans can't move forward without the information he has. Do whatever is required to make him cooperate."
A shudder ran through Sebastian's spine. When she used that tone he felt smaller than the smallest ant, and he knew that she would be ready to step on him if she thought it was necessary. "I'm trying, but the boy is as stubborn as they come."
"War isn't for the weak-hearted. One must be strong because war will find you, even if you try to hide, even if you try to ignore it. Pacifism is for the weak, for those who can't face war, and can do nothing but tremble at its presence... but you are not weak, are you, Mr. Culler?"
Sebastian shook his head, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see him. "No, ma'am."
"And you are not weaker than him, are you?"
A few days ago, Sebastian would have answered 'no' without any hesitation. However, after spending the last couple of days immersed in a character battle with the boy, he wasn't so sure. She was right. The prisoner had been a Gundam pilot, and that made him much more than an ordinary boy. Never mind how young he looked, Quatre Winner had shown Sebastian just what a strong adversary he was. No threat, blow or promise could make Winner talk. The pilot's convictions were strong, and his patience was proving to be greater than Sebastian's.
On the other hand, it had only been a couple of days. Winner may have been a Gundam pilot, but he couldn't resist forever. Sebastian held all the cards in his hand, and he knew how to use them. Winner would break soon. "He's the weak one."
"Yes, Mr. Culler, he is weak and we are strong. We'll have the courage to finish what he started, and in the process we'll rise above all expectations."
There was an awkward moment of silence before Sebastian decided to focus the conversation again on practical matters. "The interrogation might take longer than expected, unless you are willing to let me use more force."
She gave an exasperated sigh. "I already said that you are not allowed to do anything that might jeopardize his piloting capabilities. Don't make me repeat myself."
"Excuse me, Ma'am, but I could pilo--"
"Silence!" She was aggravated. She was known for talking passionately but she rarely raised he voice. "/He/ needs to pilot. Let's face it, Mr. Culler, you might be a good revolutionary leader, but your combat experience is quite lacking. We don't only need a Gundam as a symbol for the rebellion; we also need a Gundam pilot. We need him."
"He will never do it," replied Sebastian softly. He already knew Winner well enough to understand that nothing would make him pilot to start another war. Sebastian would be lucky enough if he managed to get any information out of Winner. But making him pilot; that was downright impossible.
"You are just not approaching the situation the right way," she said, her voice calm again. "The prisoner will not yield if you only use physical force. He's stronger than that. You'll have to attack his mind too. Remind him of his crimes. Ask him if it was worth it. Question everything he is and what he deems important. Keep him alert. Visit him at different hours and never let him know what's going to happen. Make him feel pain all the time, both physical and emotional. Breaking a bone would do nothing. But make him doubt himself, and you will break his mind."
Sebastian took a deep breath. She had a way of saying the coldest things with the warmest voice. She was brilliant that way, and no amount of strange rambling could make Sebastian forget that. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Don't feel pity for him, Mr. Culler. He might look young and naïve, but he's far from that. He has taken more lives than you could ever imagine."
"I respect Winner. He fought to free the colonies; too bad he didn't finish what he started. But that's why we are here. I'll help him see the light, and then we all can fight for freedom."
"Beautiful, Mr. Culler. We'll have freedom and we'll have revenge. And the world will learn from its mistakes, and space will be beautiful again."
Sometimes Sebastian wished he could see her. He wanted to know the color of her eyes and see if they shone a different way every time she talked about their goal, or if they lost focus when she started to ramble. Her voice was the only thing he had to picture her, and no matter how much he tried, he always came up with a blurred figure. "When are we going to meet in person?"
"It's too soon for that." There was a single moment of silence. "After he joins us and the war starts, then we will meet. It'll be safe then."
Sebastian didn't know much about her. She had always said that revealing too much information too soon could be disastrous for their plans. They were careful. Their conversations were limited to business. What they were doing was too important to jeopardize. Sebastian had learnt that if he wanted things to change he would have to fight for it himself.
He had grown up in one of the poorest colonies of L2. After the wars, Sebastian, like many others, had hoped that things would change. The Gundams had fought to free the people of space, and a new and supposedly better nation had been born. However, no help ever came to his colony. Poverty was still the biggest issue; old people and kids died of hunger on the streets and no one ever did anything about it. The government said the war had crippled the economy, that their people would have to be patient because those who had been directly affected needed to be helped first. Earth had been the cause of the conflict in the first place, so why should the colonies continue to suffer while Earth rebuilt its fallen empire? It was time to fight for those who had been overlooked.
She had made it possible. Sebastian ignored her real reasons for fighting. He knew that she wanted to overthrow the corrupt government and help bring a new order where no injustices would be made. Someone had wronged her, and now she wanted revenge. Sebastian didn't fool himself; he knew that revenge was her primary objective, but even if her motivations weren't exactly like his, the path and destination were the same. He wanted to overthrow Earth's dictatorship over the colonies, and she wanted to free space from all the wrongdoers. And when they were done the world would have peace, at last.
"I'll look forward to our meeting," he said. "Until then, I'll work on getting you a Gundam and its pilot."
"Until then, Mr. Culler."
The connection was cut, and Sebastian got up from the desk. He had work to do.
* * *
It was cherry tea, probably imported and very expensive, but that shouldn't have surprised her; after all, Dorothy only bought the best. It tasted as good as it smelled. Relena hated to admit it, but Dorothy was right; that was just what she needed.
"The political arena has certainly taken a toll on you, Miss Relena." Dorothy sipped her tea, and after she pulled the cup away from her face, Relena noticed that she was smiling.
"It's been a rough couple of days," Relena replied politely.
Dorothy gave a short laugh and raised her chin. "Those lines under your eyes are a product of years of exhaustion. But I concede that these last few days have been especially hectic."
There was that taunting tone again, the one Dorothy had used since the first time Relena had talked to her. It made Dorothy seem like she was constantly amused. A superior stand if Relena ever saw one. "It seems like you have sufficient information about my life, Dorothy, while this is the first time I've seen you in years."
"We just dance in different circles. Amusing fact if you consider how alike we are."
Relena's common sense told her to ignore Dorothy's insinuation. However, Relena had a devious side that enjoyed playing Dorothy's mind games, and Dorothy was always a wonderful adversary. "Alike?" Relena repeated raising an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"
"I thought it was obvious." Dorothy waved her right hand, the tea cup still firmly grasped on her left one. "There isn't an abundance of rich, influential, powerful young people."
"However, you managed to avoid me for the last five years," replied Relena.
Dorothy pushed away a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. "You are mistaken, Miss Relena. I didn't avoid anyone. After the war, we both had more pressing affairs to take care of than our friendship."
Friendship wasn't a word Relena expected to hear from Dorothy, unless it was said in mockery or spoken with contempt. However, Relena knew that wasn't the case this time. After they had parted ways on the Libra, Relena would have considered her relationship with Dorothy as a noble rivalry, at best. Since then, Relena had only heard of Dorothy from other people. Most of what she had heard had been merely rumors that Relena didn't pay much attention to. Actually, the last trustable story she had listened to was what Trowa had told her while they waited for Quatre to get out of surgery. "You stabbed him," said Relena, more to herself than to Dorothy.
"He let his guard down," she answered immediately, knowing exactly who Relena was talking about. "His objective wasn't the duel, that's why he got hurt." There was nothing in Dorothy's tone that suggested any emotion, but Relena still felt that there was some longing hidden in her voice.
"I haven't heard from you since," Relena said, moving the conversation along. "As you weren't avoiding me, I wonder what kept you so busy."
Dorothy smiled. "Your tongue has sharpened since we last spoke."
"I've grown, Dorothy," said Relena coldly, "but so have you."
"Indeed, Miss Relena, we both have."
Deciding not to pay attention to the enigmatic statement Relena grabbed a cookie and took a bite before speaking. "I don't know why you insist on calling me that, Dorothy. We are the same age, and I'm not your principal anymore. If it's true that we are friends, then I insist you call me Relena."
Dorothy gave a small bow of her head. "As you wish, Relena."
It was weird how hearing her name without the honorific made Relena view Dorothy as more approachable. Dorothy's characteristic edge was still there, but Relena felt that she could take a glimpse at what was hidden behind Dorothy's walls.
Before Relena could speak, Sally walked slowly into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, Relena, but Une just called; I have some news."
Despite the words, Relena knew that Sally wasn't sorry for interrupting. When Sally had found out that Dorothy had managed to get inside Relena's home without much trouble, she had been about ready to replace every security guard with a Preventer. Relena had to remind Sally that her security staff had been handpicked by Heero himself, and that the only reason Dorothy had been able to get into the house was that Pagan recognized her and invited her in.
Sally had told Relena that she would respect her wishes to treat Dorothy fairly, but that as much as she wanted to, she couldn't trust Dorothy. Relena understood Sally's position. Dorothy had been an enemy and had hurt all the pilots with her actions, not just Quatre. And if there was something Sally was overprotective of, it was the pilots.
"Have they located him yet?" asked Dorothy.
"No." Sally looked at Dorothy for the first time without harshness in her eyes. "But Une and Wufei have caught the traitor. He has been taken back to Headquarters for questioning."
Dorothy snorted. "The strong Preventers, defeated by a bad brick in the wall."
Sally's back stiffened and her hands closed into fists.
"What about Heero, Trowa and Duo?" asked Relena, trying to break the glaring match between the two women.
"They are meeting Wufei somewhere." Sally returned her attention to Relena.
"So they are not returning to HQ?"
Sally shook her head, giving Relena a knowing smile. "Apparently they'll be busy, looking into other things."
Closing her eyes for a moment, Relena whispered. "They'll bring him back. They are Gundam pilots, after all." And they were also men she had learned to care for, and who deserved much better that still having to fight. Maybe peace was a privilege reserved for a selected few.
Relena forced herself to stop that train of thought. She smiled at the woman in front of her. "They'll be fine."
Sally nodded. "I'll leave you then. I have some duties to attend to." She didn't even glance at Dorothy on her way out. Relena sighed. The animosity between the two would not disappear any time soon.
"You are worried," said Dorothy after Sally left. "It's a useless emotion. Gundam pilots seem to be masters at avoiding death."
"Emotions don't listen to the mind," replied Relena. "This situation gets worse every hour Quatre is missing."
Dorothy looked at Relena questioning. "Surely you are not worried about Morris Anilievich."
"Partly," Relena admitted. "He is a disgusting man, but as long as we are playing the political game I have a chance of controlling him." She shook his head. "The economy of the Earth Sphere and the colonies is what worries me."
"Quatre resigned from Winner Enterprises. His disappearance is of no economical relevance."
"Technically it isn’t, but..." Relena let the sentence die in her mouth and gave Dorothy a hard look. "Don't play naïve, Dorothy. I don't think there's a role you would be worse for."
Dorothy smirked. "I like to keep you alert, Relena; you can't let your guard down." She grabbed a chocolate from the bowl and took a small bite of it. "So you don't trust Sulamita Winner's abilities to keep WEI as the economical base of this new pacifist world."
"I've never met her, but I spoke to her yesterday," said Relena, slowly reaching for a chocolate too. "She called to thank me for my efforts to clear Quatre's name. It isn't my place to question Quatre's decisions, but Quatre is not an easy person to replace."
"Sulamita has had more experience and business training than Quatre. She has the tenacity needed to take care of WEI."
Relena raised an eyebrow. "Have you met Miss Winner?"
"Since the Winner sisters never take their husband's names once they marry, there are twenty eight sisters to choose from, so it's safe to say I've met Miss Winner."
An exasperated sigh escaped Relena's lips. Dorothy was hiding something and those word games were a dare to Relena, a way to force her to play. "Just how may Winner sisters have you met?"
Dorothy made a show of thinking. "Nineteen. I never had a chance to meet Iria before she died. Chaia is working somewhere in the jungle, studying orangutans. She's been there for over six years now. Sarah is a teacher at the Lawrence University and rarely leaves Earth. Yael hasn't spoken to Quatre or any of her siblings since the war. And as for the rest, it's just a case of never being in the same place at the same time."
Relena was speechless. Just how did Dorothy learn so much about Quatre's family? After the war Dorothy had almost disappeared. Whatever she had been doing, she had kept out of sight, until now. However, she knew more about the Winner sisters than Relena did, and Relena had been a close friend of Quatre's for the last few years. She had met five of Quatre's sisters, and only because of casual encounters. Quatre was close to his sisters, but he had never gone out of his way to introduce Relena to any of them. "How… How do you know so much?"
Dorothy gave Relena one of her amused smiles. "The Winner sisters are very important people in the social sphere. I realize your work has kept you busy, Relena. Maybe you've been too involved in the political scene to pay attention to the world around you."
There was truth behind Dorothy's words. Relena had immersed herself so much in her work that she had practically ignored the world. A part of her kept saying that if Quatre hadn't been her political ally, she wouldn't have noticed that he had distanced himself from her. Now that she thought about it, she had received an invitation to Hinda Winner's wedding less than a month ago. Hinda was one of the sisters she had met, but Relena was so busy, she had her secretary send a gift and ignored the event completely. "I should have gone," Relena whispered. If she had gone, maybe she would have known something was wrong. Maybe there was something she could have done.
"Where?" asked Dorothy, no curiosity in her voice.
"Hinda Winner's wedding," replied Relena, making a dismissive gesture with her hand.
"It was classy; a small affair. Hinda doesn’t like the attention."
"You were invited?" The words came out as an accusation, even if Relena was more surprised than anything.
"I accompanied Quatre. It's not well seen to attend such an event without an escort."
Relena knew her eyes were wide. Her mouth was slightly open and as much as she wanted to process the information, for a few moments all Relena could do was stare at Dorothy.
Dorothy had been in contact with Quatre, they had been close enough for him to ask her to his sister's wedding. A month ago, after Quatre had cut ties with all his friends, he had seen Dorothy. Realization hit her and Relena's eyes went wider if that was possible. "You knew! You knew that Quatre's identity was going be revealed!"
Dorothy smirked. "Well of course, Relena. I was the one who warned him."
* * *
TBC
>.>
<.<
*hides*
Sandstorm
Rating: R/ M
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.
Thanks to Anne and haraamis, for being wonderful beta readers. *hugs* Thanks a lot!
___
Chapter Six
They had been driving in silence for more than an hour. The sun was already rising, and Wufei was fighting to stay awake; he didn't want to think how long it had been since he had slept last. The only thing keeping him awake was determination and controlled anger. He didn't want to talk; he knew that if he opened his mouth there will be no stopping the recriminations he didn't want to voice.
He respected Une. She was a strong woman, the director of Preventers, and very smart and competent. People made mistakes, and Wufei knew that no matter how remarkable anyone was, erring was human. However, this particular mistake had put Quatre's life at risk, and that made Wufei's anger conflict with his logic. It would have been easy if Une was the only one at fault, but Wufei felt responsible too, and he wouldn't let himself forget that.
"This is not the time for recriminations, Chang. Stay focused." Une didn't take her eyes off the road. She probably didn't need to look at Wufei to know what he was thinking. They had been working together for too long her not to be able to predict him at least that much. Wufei nodded instead of replying verbally. She was right. They needed to stay focused on the objective if they wanted to find Quatre.
The captured men hadn't lied when they said that they had ignored where the kidnapers had taken Quatre. Wufei had seen it in their eyes; they had been scared. Their convictions were weak, and they were not about to sacrifice themselves to keep a secret that held no special meaning for them. They had been in it for the money; the reasons or methods they used hadn't been important. In Wufei's eyes, they had sold their souls.
Apparently, whoever was behind Quatre's abduction had known that those who only cared about money were not trustworthy and had purposely kept information from them. The men in custody had only been able to give Wufei one useful piece of intel: a name.
"This is it," said Une, stopping the car in front of a small house. "Let's just hope he hasn't fled town yet."
Wufei nodded again. "We know he had plenty of time."
Une turned to look at him, her eyes hard. "Don't think I don't feel guilty about this. I know that it was my decision to put Livinson on guard at Quatre's house. You warned me, but I still made the decision. I was lacking personnel, and I didn't consider the option of being one
man short just because you hadn't done a background check on him yourself. It was the wrong decision." She blinked, but her eyes never lost that hard expression. "I dismissed him the next day, but by then it was already too late. I can't change the past, but I can work to
rectify my error of judgment."
Wufei smirked. Une was a strong woman, and she wouldn't let an error of judgment slow her at all. "Very well. Let's get to work then," he said and got out of the car.
They didn't bother to knock. Wufei kicked the door open, and he and Une entered the house; their guns ready and their eyes scanning the place.
Andrew Livinson was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by boxes of all sizes and holding a large one in his hands. As soon as he noticed Une and Wufei, he dropped the box and took a step back. "What… what are you doing here? Ma'am, Sir?"
Une ignored Livinson's question. "Are you in a hurry to leave town?"
"No! It's just that," Livinson passed a hand through his hair, "since I was dismissed, I thought I should go back to New York."
"You thought, huh?" Une put her gun away, but Wufei kept his trained on Livinson. "You are not fit to think for yourself. That's why you are supposed to follow orders, and I don't remember ordering you to run away."
Livinson visibly paled. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, remaining quiet.
Wufei had decided to stay silent and let Une interrogate Livinson; she was good at it. After working at Preventers, Wufei had perfected the "silent but deadly" look, and he was very fond of it. He knew that by now, Une's passive aggressive actions were probably getting more to Livinson's nerves than his gun.
Une moved to a small couch by the window and sat down. She crossed her legs and extended her arms on the back of the sofa. "I'm sure that by now you are aware that Quatre Winner has been kidnapped." She paused for a moment and then fixed Livinson with a glare. "The perpetrators had inside knowledge of the compound, the security system, and the
Preventers' shifts and positions inside and outside the house. Now, what does that tell us, Livinson?"
Livinson shifted his gaze between Une, Wufei, and the gun. "Ma'am?" he said in a weak voice.
"Come on, Livinson." Une's voice turned colder. "Are you a Preventer agent or not? What can we deduct from the evidence?"
"That there was someone on the inside working with the perpetrators?" Livinson sounded terrified, and his voice became smaller with every word he spoke.
"Very good, Livinson." Une suddenly stood up, looking down at Livinson so harshly that if Wufei had been anything less than a Gundam pilot he wouldn't have been able to stand that look. "I'm going to say this only once so pay attention. You have one chance to tell us everything, and I suggest you take it." Her voice dropped an octave, and she moved closer to Livinson, as if she was going to share a secret. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the men we have in custody. Either you talk to us and face the legal consequences of your actions, or when the Gundam pilots come looking for you - and I assure
you they will – we'll do nothing to stop them."
By then, all color had left Livinson's face; he looked more like a ghost than a person. His breaths were quick, and he was shaking his head slowly.
"Don't even think about running. Chang's aim is perfect."
Livinson couldn't even look at Wufei. His eyes were trained on the blue carpet. No one spoke for a moment. Finally, he took a step back and sat on a stool, putting his face between his hands. "They said they wouldn't kill anyone." The voice sounded muffled. "They said they would only take him and leave. They promised they wouldn't kill any agents."
Wufei's grip on the gun tightened. Livinson's stupidity and greed had fooled him into believing the promises of criminals. Thanks to that, twelve Preventers were dead and Quatre... Quatre was missing. "Obviously they didn't honor their word. You can start atoning for the deaths of your comrades by telling us all you know about the kidnapers."
"I didn't mean for this to happen," continued Livinson, shaking his head slowly. "No one was supposed to get hurt. They said they would take him and that his family would pay. They have enough money. No one was supposed to die."
"The agents are dead," replied Wufei. "No ransom demand has been made, and Mr. Winner's whereabouts are unknown. It's time to stop making excuses and start being useful. Who hired you?"
"I never met him. He contacted me by phone, the visuals were always off, and he didn't give me a name."
Livinson's behavior only told Wufei that they needed to be more selective with the recruits. The man wasn't smart enough to be a Preventer. He wasn't even smart enough to be a rat.
"When did he contact you last?" asked Une.
"Three days ago." Livinson bit his lower lip. "I tried calling yesterday to ask for the rest of my... of my money. He never answered."
"We'll need your phone," said Une, extending her right hand. "Slowly. And remember that Chang still has his gun trained on you."
Livinson nodded. He reached into his back pocket, taking out a small cell phone, and handed it to Une. She put it in her pocket and took her handcuffs out. "Put your hands above your head, Livinson."
The man looked terrified, but he still did as he was told. Wufei waited for Une to cuff Livinson before lowering his weapon. "Can you handle him?" he asked and received a 'have you forgotten who I am?' look in return. "I'll call the others then, and have them meet me here."
"You know I can't allow you to do that," she said. "They are civilians, after all."
Wufei snorted. "Civilians, Lady? They might not work for you, but you know as well as I do that the term is very inappropriate."
A small smile appeared on Une's face. "Preventer Chang, I think it would be prudent for you to stay here and search the house while I get the traitor to headquarters." She took Livinson's cellphone from her pocket and handed it to Wufei. "Good luck."
Une's position as the director of Preventers forced her to deal not only with the organization itself but also with the politics concerning it. She couldn't authorize a group of civilians to conduct an investigation, but she could ask an officer to follow some leads and trust in the officer's methods.
Wufei helped her get Livinson into the car. He then took his gear and the bag he had packed for Heero out of the trunk. Trowa and Duo had surely brought their things with them. After the car was out of sight, Wufei took out his own cellphone. "Yuy, I think I have something."
* * *
Sebastian Culler sat at the desk looking at the phone. The room had no windows and was illuminated by a single light bulb. The walls were bare and painted in a dull gray color that hid the dirt, but made the room seem smaller than it already was. The only furniture in the room was the desk and two aluminum chairs. It was a depressing view.
When he had decided to leave L2, Sebastian had been prepared to make many sacrifices. After all, no one expected to change history without having to pay some sort of price. Even if the room was nothing different from what he had seen during his whole life on L2, a part of him had that ideal of a green and beautiful Earth that had been publicized in the colonies. Earth was supposed to be different, but everything felt the same. Still, this place was the one in control, making life in space more difficult than it already was. And for what? So the people who enjoyed natural sunlight and could grow their own food without the need of expensive equipment could take over the colonies too? Didn't they already have enough? Earth may be the mother of the colonies, but for every child came the time for independence, and Sebastian wasn't about to wait any longer.
The phone rang, making Sebastian look at it in disgust. He sighed and picked up the receiver. It was an old phone, so there were no visuals available, but that didn't bother him. It wasn't like he could see her. For the time he had known her, she had never shown her face but she had, for the most part, insisted on seen him. This time, Sebastian wasn't particularly excited about the conversation, so the less she saw of him, the better. "I'm listening."
"Mr. Culler. I hope you've made some progress." The woman's voice sounded as commanding as always. She was used to being obeyed, and Sebastian was expected to do just that.
"Sorry, ma'am, the kid is tougher than I thought. I haven't been able to get a useful word out of him." It had been two days. He should have at least something.
"This kid, as you call him, is a former Gundam pilot. You'll do well not to underestimate him. Just like they underestimate me. But not anymore."
"They ma'am?" As soon as the words left Sebastian's mouth he wished he hadn't spoken. It wasn't wise to inquire about her half spoken revelations. She tended to stop making sense.
"The world. The world will underestimate me, and I'll have my revenge."
This time Sebastian chose to remain quiet. She was brilliant and had enough resources to finance their operation. She had been the one who had contacted him on L2 and proposed starting a revolution. With the money and the information she had, they could both make their dreams of a different world come true. However, from time to time she started to ramble, talking about revenge and power, and blaming 'them'. Sebastian wasn't really sure who 'they' were. Nonetheless, he tried to ignore that behavior. She was, after all, the leader, and all leaders were allowed to have their eccentricities.
"I need him to speak," she said, in a firm voice. "Our plans can't move forward without the information he has. Do whatever is required to make him cooperate."
A shudder ran through Sebastian's spine. When she used that tone he felt smaller than the smallest ant, and he knew that she would be ready to step on him if she thought it was necessary. "I'm trying, but the boy is as stubborn as they come."
"War isn't for the weak-hearted. One must be strong because war will find you, even if you try to hide, even if you try to ignore it. Pacifism is for the weak, for those who can't face war, and can do nothing but tremble at its presence... but you are not weak, are you, Mr. Culler?"
Sebastian shook his head, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see him. "No, ma'am."
"And you are not weaker than him, are you?"
A few days ago, Sebastian would have answered 'no' without any hesitation. However, after spending the last couple of days immersed in a character battle with the boy, he wasn't so sure. She was right. The prisoner had been a Gundam pilot, and that made him much more than an ordinary boy. Never mind how young he looked, Quatre Winner had shown Sebastian just what a strong adversary he was. No threat, blow or promise could make Winner talk. The pilot's convictions were strong, and his patience was proving to be greater than Sebastian's.
On the other hand, it had only been a couple of days. Winner may have been a Gundam pilot, but he couldn't resist forever. Sebastian held all the cards in his hand, and he knew how to use them. Winner would break soon. "He's the weak one."
"Yes, Mr. Culler, he is weak and we are strong. We'll have the courage to finish what he started, and in the process we'll rise above all expectations."
There was an awkward moment of silence before Sebastian decided to focus the conversation again on practical matters. "The interrogation might take longer than expected, unless you are willing to let me use more force."
She gave an exasperated sigh. "I already said that you are not allowed to do anything that might jeopardize his piloting capabilities. Don't make me repeat myself."
"Excuse me, Ma'am, but I could pilo--"
"Silence!" She was aggravated. She was known for talking passionately but she rarely raised he voice. "/He/ needs to pilot. Let's face it, Mr. Culler, you might be a good revolutionary leader, but your combat experience is quite lacking. We don't only need a Gundam as a symbol for the rebellion; we also need a Gundam pilot. We need him."
"He will never do it," replied Sebastian softly. He already knew Winner well enough to understand that nothing would make him pilot to start another war. Sebastian would be lucky enough if he managed to get any information out of Winner. But making him pilot; that was downright impossible.
"You are just not approaching the situation the right way," she said, her voice calm again. "The prisoner will not yield if you only use physical force. He's stronger than that. You'll have to attack his mind too. Remind him of his crimes. Ask him if it was worth it. Question everything he is and what he deems important. Keep him alert. Visit him at different hours and never let him know what's going to happen. Make him feel pain all the time, both physical and emotional. Breaking a bone would do nothing. But make him doubt himself, and you will break his mind."
Sebastian took a deep breath. She had a way of saying the coldest things with the warmest voice. She was brilliant that way, and no amount of strange rambling could make Sebastian forget that. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Don't feel pity for him, Mr. Culler. He might look young and naïve, but he's far from that. He has taken more lives than you could ever imagine."
"I respect Winner. He fought to free the colonies; too bad he didn't finish what he started. But that's why we are here. I'll help him see the light, and then we all can fight for freedom."
"Beautiful, Mr. Culler. We'll have freedom and we'll have revenge. And the world will learn from its mistakes, and space will be beautiful again."
Sometimes Sebastian wished he could see her. He wanted to know the color of her eyes and see if they shone a different way every time she talked about their goal, or if they lost focus when she started to ramble. Her voice was the only thing he had to picture her, and no matter how much he tried, he always came up with a blurred figure. "When are we going to meet in person?"
"It's too soon for that." There was a single moment of silence. "After he joins us and the war starts, then we will meet. It'll be safe then."
Sebastian didn't know much about her. She had always said that revealing too much information too soon could be disastrous for their plans. They were careful. Their conversations were limited to business. What they were doing was too important to jeopardize. Sebastian had learnt that if he wanted things to change he would have to fight for it himself.
He had grown up in one of the poorest colonies of L2. After the wars, Sebastian, like many others, had hoped that things would change. The Gundams had fought to free the people of space, and a new and supposedly better nation had been born. However, no help ever came to his colony. Poverty was still the biggest issue; old people and kids died of hunger on the streets and no one ever did anything about it. The government said the war had crippled the economy, that their people would have to be patient because those who had been directly affected needed to be helped first. Earth had been the cause of the conflict in the first place, so why should the colonies continue to suffer while Earth rebuilt its fallen empire? It was time to fight for those who had been overlooked.
She had made it possible. Sebastian ignored her real reasons for fighting. He knew that she wanted to overthrow the corrupt government and help bring a new order where no injustices would be made. Someone had wronged her, and now she wanted revenge. Sebastian didn't fool himself; he knew that revenge was her primary objective, but even if her motivations weren't exactly like his, the path and destination were the same. He wanted to overthrow Earth's dictatorship over the colonies, and she wanted to free space from all the wrongdoers. And when they were done the world would have peace, at last.
"I'll look forward to our meeting," he said. "Until then, I'll work on getting you a Gundam and its pilot."
"Until then, Mr. Culler."
The connection was cut, and Sebastian got up from the desk. He had work to do.
* * *
It was cherry tea, probably imported and very expensive, but that shouldn't have surprised her; after all, Dorothy only bought the best. It tasted as good as it smelled. Relena hated to admit it, but Dorothy was right; that was just what she needed.
"The political arena has certainly taken a toll on you, Miss Relena." Dorothy sipped her tea, and after she pulled the cup away from her face, Relena noticed that she was smiling.
"It's been a rough couple of days," Relena replied politely.
Dorothy gave a short laugh and raised her chin. "Those lines under your eyes are a product of years of exhaustion. But I concede that these last few days have been especially hectic."
There was that taunting tone again, the one Dorothy had used since the first time Relena had talked to her. It made Dorothy seem like she was constantly amused. A superior stand if Relena ever saw one. "It seems like you have sufficient information about my life, Dorothy, while this is the first time I've seen you in years."
"We just dance in different circles. Amusing fact if you consider how alike we are."
Relena's common sense told her to ignore Dorothy's insinuation. However, Relena had a devious side that enjoyed playing Dorothy's mind games, and Dorothy was always a wonderful adversary. "Alike?" Relena repeated raising an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"
"I thought it was obvious." Dorothy waved her right hand, the tea cup still firmly grasped on her left one. "There isn't an abundance of rich, influential, powerful young people."
"However, you managed to avoid me for the last five years," replied Relena.
Dorothy pushed away a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. "You are mistaken, Miss Relena. I didn't avoid anyone. After the war, we both had more pressing affairs to take care of than our friendship."
Friendship wasn't a word Relena expected to hear from Dorothy, unless it was said in mockery or spoken with contempt. However, Relena knew that wasn't the case this time. After they had parted ways on the Libra, Relena would have considered her relationship with Dorothy as a noble rivalry, at best. Since then, Relena had only heard of Dorothy from other people. Most of what she had heard had been merely rumors that Relena didn't pay much attention to. Actually, the last trustable story she had listened to was what Trowa had told her while they waited for Quatre to get out of surgery. "You stabbed him," said Relena, more to herself than to Dorothy.
"He let his guard down," she answered immediately, knowing exactly who Relena was talking about. "His objective wasn't the duel, that's why he got hurt." There was nothing in Dorothy's tone that suggested any emotion, but Relena still felt that there was some longing hidden in her voice.
"I haven't heard from you since," Relena said, moving the conversation along. "As you weren't avoiding me, I wonder what kept you so busy."
Dorothy smiled. "Your tongue has sharpened since we last spoke."
"I've grown, Dorothy," said Relena coldly, "but so have you."
"Indeed, Miss Relena, we both have."
Deciding not to pay attention to the enigmatic statement Relena grabbed a cookie and took a bite before speaking. "I don't know why you insist on calling me that, Dorothy. We are the same age, and I'm not your principal anymore. If it's true that we are friends, then I insist you call me Relena."
Dorothy gave a small bow of her head. "As you wish, Relena."
It was weird how hearing her name without the honorific made Relena view Dorothy as more approachable. Dorothy's characteristic edge was still there, but Relena felt that she could take a glimpse at what was hidden behind Dorothy's walls.
Before Relena could speak, Sally walked slowly into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, Relena, but Une just called; I have some news."
Despite the words, Relena knew that Sally wasn't sorry for interrupting. When Sally had found out that Dorothy had managed to get inside Relena's home without much trouble, she had been about ready to replace every security guard with a Preventer. Relena had to remind Sally that her security staff had been handpicked by Heero himself, and that the only reason Dorothy had been able to get into the house was that Pagan recognized her and invited her in.
Sally had told Relena that she would respect her wishes to treat Dorothy fairly, but that as much as she wanted to, she couldn't trust Dorothy. Relena understood Sally's position. Dorothy had been an enemy and had hurt all the pilots with her actions, not just Quatre. And if there was something Sally was overprotective of, it was the pilots.
"Have they located him yet?" asked Dorothy.
"No." Sally looked at Dorothy for the first time without harshness in her eyes. "But Une and Wufei have caught the traitor. He has been taken back to Headquarters for questioning."
Dorothy snorted. "The strong Preventers, defeated by a bad brick in the wall."
Sally's back stiffened and her hands closed into fists.
"What about Heero, Trowa and Duo?" asked Relena, trying to break the glaring match between the two women.
"They are meeting Wufei somewhere." Sally returned her attention to Relena.
"So they are not returning to HQ?"
Sally shook her head, giving Relena a knowing smile. "Apparently they'll be busy, looking into other things."
Closing her eyes for a moment, Relena whispered. "They'll bring him back. They are Gundam pilots, after all." And they were also men she had learned to care for, and who deserved much better that still having to fight. Maybe peace was a privilege reserved for a selected few.
Relena forced herself to stop that train of thought. She smiled at the woman in front of her. "They'll be fine."
Sally nodded. "I'll leave you then. I have some duties to attend to." She didn't even glance at Dorothy on her way out. Relena sighed. The animosity between the two would not disappear any time soon.
"You are worried," said Dorothy after Sally left. "It's a useless emotion. Gundam pilots seem to be masters at avoiding death."
"Emotions don't listen to the mind," replied Relena. "This situation gets worse every hour Quatre is missing."
Dorothy looked at Relena questioning. "Surely you are not worried about Morris Anilievich."
"Partly," Relena admitted. "He is a disgusting man, but as long as we are playing the political game I have a chance of controlling him." She shook his head. "The economy of the Earth Sphere and the colonies is what worries me."
"Quatre resigned from Winner Enterprises. His disappearance is of no economical relevance."
"Technically it isn’t, but..." Relena let the sentence die in her mouth and gave Dorothy a hard look. "Don't play naïve, Dorothy. I don't think there's a role you would be worse for."
Dorothy smirked. "I like to keep you alert, Relena; you can't let your guard down." She grabbed a chocolate from the bowl and took a small bite of it. "So you don't trust Sulamita Winner's abilities to keep WEI as the economical base of this new pacifist world."
"I've never met her, but I spoke to her yesterday," said Relena, slowly reaching for a chocolate too. "She called to thank me for my efforts to clear Quatre's name. It isn't my place to question Quatre's decisions, but Quatre is not an easy person to replace."
"Sulamita has had more experience and business training than Quatre. She has the tenacity needed to take care of WEI."
Relena raised an eyebrow. "Have you met Miss Winner?"
"Since the Winner sisters never take their husband's names once they marry, there are twenty eight sisters to choose from, so it's safe to say I've met Miss Winner."
An exasperated sigh escaped Relena's lips. Dorothy was hiding something and those word games were a dare to Relena, a way to force her to play. "Just how may Winner sisters have you met?"
Dorothy made a show of thinking. "Nineteen. I never had a chance to meet Iria before she died. Chaia is working somewhere in the jungle, studying orangutans. She's been there for over six years now. Sarah is a teacher at the Lawrence University and rarely leaves Earth. Yael hasn't spoken to Quatre or any of her siblings since the war. And as for the rest, it's just a case of never being in the same place at the same time."
Relena was speechless. Just how did Dorothy learn so much about Quatre's family? After the war Dorothy had almost disappeared. Whatever she had been doing, she had kept out of sight, until now. However, she knew more about the Winner sisters than Relena did, and Relena had been a close friend of Quatre's for the last few years. She had met five of Quatre's sisters, and only because of casual encounters. Quatre was close to his sisters, but he had never gone out of his way to introduce Relena to any of them. "How… How do you know so much?"
Dorothy gave Relena one of her amused smiles. "The Winner sisters are very important people in the social sphere. I realize your work has kept you busy, Relena. Maybe you've been too involved in the political scene to pay attention to the world around you."
There was truth behind Dorothy's words. Relena had immersed herself so much in her work that she had practically ignored the world. A part of her kept saying that if Quatre hadn't been her political ally, she wouldn't have noticed that he had distanced himself from her. Now that she thought about it, she had received an invitation to Hinda Winner's wedding less than a month ago. Hinda was one of the sisters she had met, but Relena was so busy, she had her secretary send a gift and ignored the event completely. "I should have gone," Relena whispered. If she had gone, maybe she would have known something was wrong. Maybe there was something she could have done.
"Where?" asked Dorothy, no curiosity in her voice.
"Hinda Winner's wedding," replied Relena, making a dismissive gesture with her hand.
"It was classy; a small affair. Hinda doesn’t like the attention."
"You were invited?" The words came out as an accusation, even if Relena was more surprised than anything.
"I accompanied Quatre. It's not well seen to attend such an event without an escort."
Relena knew her eyes were wide. Her mouth was slightly open and as much as she wanted to process the information, for a few moments all Relena could do was stare at Dorothy.
Dorothy had been in contact with Quatre, they had been close enough for him to ask her to his sister's wedding. A month ago, after Quatre had cut ties with all his friends, he had seen Dorothy. Realization hit her and Relena's eyes went wider if that was possible. "You knew! You knew that Quatre's identity was going be revealed!"
Dorothy smirked. "Well of course, Relena. I was the one who warned him."
* * *
TBC
>.>
<.<
*hides*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2005-04-08 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 03:49 am (UTC)I'm glad that you liked the chapter. And I'm sorry to keep you guessing. You'll have answers, eventually ^__^.
Thanks a lot for the comment. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 01:56 am (UTC)Wait... I'm not allowed to stalk. *goes in search of cheerleading pompoms*
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Date: 2005-04-12 05:31 pm (UTC)I think I'm a bit scared of the pompoms now... *backs away slowly*
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Date: 2005-04-12 05:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 05:35 pm (UTC)Wow! I'm really glad that you liked the RK fics! It's a great compliment. I'm not much into RK these days but I do write the occasional drabble. And of course I don't mind you adding me as a friend. *adds you too*
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Date: 2005-04-12 11:35 pm (UTC)