Disclaimer: ::runs away from lawyers:: Muhuhuhuhuhuhuh!!! Awww, ok, you want a REAL disclaimer... Hmmm... see previous chapter, and the one before that.... and before that...

AN: Wow, my first REAL cliffhanger... I'm sorry if I scared you a bit in the last one... forgive me, all will be revealed!  Sorry that this chapter is a tad long, I was trying to end it, but I kept coming up with something else I wanted included and...well, this is the result!  Please read it all though, I promise future chapters will return to their normal length. ^_^

[Space Colony: JX00019]

Dourchov sat in a tomblike stillness.  His desk casting a mysterious shadow across the walls.  The darkness encased him in his thoughts, mostly revolving around annoyance at his superiors tardiness, and what they were going to discuss. Their latest scheme was something of a mystery to him.  He knew that someone in his organization was betraying him, someone was leaking information to the outside.  The ESUN had stepped up their security, not letting anyone from JX00019 go to Earth, not even civilians.  Dourchov’s superior was adamant that this was the only way to find out who the traitor was, but he knew not to underestimate Zechs Marquise.

Unexpectedly, a quiet buzzing shook him from his pensive thoughts.

“Sir, I have been waiting for your call.”  The computer screen lit up.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting Dourchov.  The current plan has suffered delay, our operative is late.”

“Yes I heard.  Did he suffer any after affects?”

“I have been unable to ascertain that.”  Dourchov shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Don’t worry Vladimir, there’s still time.  Dr. Sieben will make contact as soon as the plan is underway.”  Dourchov was still not convinced, and the use of his first name told him his superior was not as confident as he appeared.

“Aren’t you in the least concerned about a dead man walking the streets?”

The younger man sighed firmly.  He knew Dourchov’s temperament, he didn’t have the time to deal with it now.

“There’s no need to worry Vladimir.  We’re lucky this opportunity presented itself when it did.  If we are to sniff out our mole, then we’ll need to become moles ourselves.  The man I chose for this operation is a professional, he will not fail.”  Dourchov wasn’t hearing anything he hadn’t heard already.

“What of Zechs Marquise?”  The superior narrowed his eyes at the screen.

“He is our of your hands, you only need to worry about the Gundams.  They are your principal concern.”

Reluctantly, Dourchov nodded.  A single nod of obedience.

“The rebuilding efforts are progressing smoothly sir.”

“Good.  Have you managed to establish the whereabouts of the Gundam engineers yet?”  Dourchov silently scowled, mentally noting to contact Foster.

“No sir, but the search is underway.”

“See that it is.  I must terminate the connection now, communication between Earth and JX00019 is risky; you may have to proceed alone.”

“I am aware sir.”

As if ignoring his sarcasm the younger man nodded to the screen.

“Faraday out.”

Dourchov gave a stony glare at the screen as it shutoff.  Darkness enshrouding his outlined form.

“Wars are no place for politicians.”

[Earth: Sanc Kingdom Capital City]

Relena silently watched the news.  Nothing.  She knew there would be nothing, but she wanted to see anyway, she wanted the world to feel what she felt, the awful ache the came with losing a someone you love.  Lady Une had said it was better if no one knew of his death, that it would only make tensions rise between the colonies and Earth.  She knew she was right, but it felt so wrong. To just pretend like he never existed, and that he didn’t deserve a dignified departure from this world.  Switching off the TV she stood up and walked to her balcony.  The cold night wind blew strands of her tightly pulled back hair.  She looked formal, like it was some sort of ESUN meeting, a colonial delegate’s arrival.  But in fact, she had been at a memorial service, his body hadn’t been released from the hospital, so they couldn’t have a funeral.

It didn’t matter anyway, she had always hated such things.  Her fathers funeral was just the same, all the people you would expect to share fond memories all gather in a cloud of gloom, only remembering their pain and loss, and nothing of the person that they are in mourning for.  Funerals were selfish events, she decided.  Her hands gripped the black metal, so cold; so painful.  But she didn’t move, she wanted to feel the cold, like it was the only punishment she would receive for killing her own brother.

“You should stop blaming yourself.”  Relena stiffened at the voice coming from her bedroom door, she knew that voice all too well.

“It wasn’t your fault, you can’t protect everyone.”  Relena turned around, her face composed; her eyes steely.

“No. I can’t protect everyone, but you’d think I’d at least be able to protect the people closest to me.”  Heero slowly walked towards her, his hands placed firmly in his suit pockets.

“They’re the people that are hardest to protect.”  Heero looked directly into her eyes, he wanted her to understand; he didn’t want her to think she wasn’t important to him.

“What’s with this?”  Breaking the gaze, Relena lightly yanked the bottom of his sleeve.

“It’s a suit.”

“You were at the memorial?  Only a few people knew about it.”  Relena nearly laughed at what she was going to say. “Officially he’s not dead.”

“Despite what people think, I didn’t hate Zechs.  He was a formidable opponent.  I respected him.” 

Relena sullenly smiled.  “High praise from Heero Yuy.”  

She turned back around to face the balcony.  She wanted to ask where he went, she wanted so badly to ask him why he left her that day.  But it hardly seemed appropriate.

“In many ways you and my brother were very alike.  I think he knew that too, that’s why he had a profound respect for you Heero.”  He could hear the pain in her voice, she couldn’t bear it any longer.  Duo had told him that she hadn’t cried since the day at the hospital, that she had just been like a statue; emotionless and empty.

“Relena, I want to explain why I-“  Relena turned and raised her hand to stop him.

“Not now Heero, I couldn’t bare to hear those words that I know you’re going to say.”  Heero grabbed her raised hand, closing it in his own.

“I’m not going to tell you that I am going away, I’m not going to tell you that what we did was a mistake.”  Relena closed her eyes, brimming tears refusing to fall.  Their hands reluctantly fell apart, as she turned again to look into the abyss of stars.

“Why did you leave me that day?”

Heero closed the small gap between them, standing so close, but never touching.  He knew that he would go mad if he touched her.

“There wasn’t anything else to be said.  I told you I’d come back, but I had a mission, It was easier if I just left.”  Relena turned back to face him, finding his face mere inches from her own, the anger she had built up listening to his words melted away.

“What of the mission?”  Heero refused to take his eyes from hers.

“Postponed.”

“Until when?”

“Lady Une has an operative on JX00019, we’re waiting for contact.”  Relena sighed, walking past Heero back into her room.

“…and in the meantime?”

“I’ll be here.”  Relena almost jumped as Heero took her hand from behind her, urging her to turn around.  Complying, she looked into his Prussian colored eyes.  So full of emotion shrouded by his cold demeanor.

“But for how long?”  Relena unconsciously tightened her hand on his.

“However long it takes.”  Relena smiled at her own words on his lips. 

Heero pulled her towards him, her arms swung around, gripping him as if he might disappear any second.  Through her tears, she spoke.

“I lost him Heero, I can’t lose you too.”  He didn’t need to reply, he just held her as shadows of the night cast across them in their embraced form.

[Space Colony: L-4 ]

Days.

Days it had been and not a single Gundam Scientist in sight.  The file that he had obtained from Quatre Raberba Winner’s headquarters with the help of one of his many personal assistants, did have Doktor S’s location, but it was impossible to get there without being noticed, or tripping an alarm.  He seemed to be part of a collection of scientists recently employed by The Winner Corporation on L-4 who were involved with constructing something.  No one was talking, the place was secured like a fortress.  No-one without authorization from The Winner Corporation’s CEO himself was allowed in or out of the area, let alone the building.  Whatever it was they were creating, young Mr. Winner didn’t want anyone to know about it.

He had a feeling it involved the current conflict between JX00019 and Earth.  Quatre Winner had always suffered accusations of always siding with the ESUN in disputes between Earth and the space colonies; of being their lapdog.  But when it came down to it, which side would he take? Who would he protect?

I have to find out.

Foster slapped the folder shut.  His mission to Dourchov was becoming belated, if he didn’t come up with some results soon, he would surely suspect him.  But there was no way he could hand over the location of Doktor S and possibly the other Gundam Scientists to that madman.  He was loyal only to his first duty; his true mission, and he would complete it no matter who stood in his way, even if it meant killing the scientists.  He had to prevent Dourchov from constructing the Gundams even if it cost him his life.

Foster sat quietly observing the distant building, armed security guards patrolled the roof, and the perimeter.  Motion detectors came into use during shift changes.  During his days of inspection he had observed a 10 second gap in the time it took for guards to arrive back at their posts, and the motion detecting system to reinitialize.  With a little modification 10 seconds could become 30, and he would have the opportunity he needed. 

Now all he had to do was get comfortable.  Nightfall was hours away.

[Earth: Sanc Kingdom Royal Infirmary]

Cold.  It was cold, that much he knew.  His whole body ached like hell, he could feel the pulsing sting flow through his arms and legs, begging for relief.

Upon opening his eyes, he could see a dull gray, a restricting layer covering his whole body.

Sheer agony coursed through his arms as he lifted them to remove the sheet covering him, he knew what he had to do.  Swinging his legs over the side of the gurney he touched the floor with the tips of his toes.  The floor was like ice, but there was no time for comfort, his mission was to be carried out swiftly.  He had become a dead man after all.

There was no one around, the place was deserted.  The only people that were around were the dead, laid out like meat.  He stalked over to a nearby desk, lured by a mirror propped delicately on the corner.  He slowly lifted it, he knew what he would see.  The face of a stranger looked back at him.  Not really a stranger though.  He knew who the man was, but it wasn’t his face.  He hadn’t seen the affects of the treatment, but Dr Sieben had been right, no one would ever suspect he was not who he seemed.

“I see you’re awake.”  Dr. Sieben stepped into the room, he was holding clothes, and a medical device.  He knew what that was.

“You’ll submit to a short medical examination and then you’ll carry out your mission.  Understood?”  He looked back into the mirror, the face of Zechs Marquise stared back at him.

“Understood.”

[Earth: Sanc Kingdom Capital City]

Relena sat alone in her office, sifting through tactical reports sent from Lady Une’s personnel. Heero was at Preventer HQ, their operative on JX00019 had finally made contact after the communications silence with the colony.  Heero promised to be back before end of the day, but she still felt empty without him beside her.  Yet, she had endured 2 years without him, she could suffer one more day. 

But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the work in front of her, she still couldn’t shake her many thoughts; all of him.  Of that night they shared.  Her body ached just thinking about it, she promised herself another night like that; she had the feeling Heero wouldn’t object.

Smiling she began to idly daydream.

Suddenly, a sharp buzz from her intercom cut through her reverie.

“Miss Relena, you have a visitor.”  Relena pressed the worn white button on the system.

“Who is it?”

“Mr. Winner ma’am.”  Relena straightened her clothing, she had been waiting for his arrival.

“Let him in.”

Quatre poked his head around the door to see Relena standing from her seat, her hand outstretched in an offer of greeting.  Quatre smiled brightly softly taking her hand in his own; a smile that seemed to make you forget that he was a Gundam pilot, not only capable but adept in the art of bloodshed.  An innocence painfully lost forever.

“Its good to see you again Quatre.  We haven’t had time to keep ourselves informed since we last spoke.”  Quatre, released her hand, retreating to the leather recess of the chair opposite Relena’s desk.

“You’re right, but I have already began arrangements for the reconstruction of the Gundams.“  She nodded in reply, silence filling the air for a brief time.  Quatre looked up at her, she seemed so drained.  A sharp pang of guilt filled his veins, he wished Heero was here for her.

“I’m was saddened to hear about your brother Relena, I am truly sorry.”

“Thank you Quatre, but Milliardo knew better than anyone the danger we face, I cannot become consumed with my grief.”  She paused, her voice a mere whisper.  “I will mourn him, but not now, there are more important things.”  Quatre’s heart ached. 

How could she think her suffering wasn’t important?

“You don’t have to do that, you should grieve Relena.  Venting your sadness and anger into this war can only lead to more suffering and pain.”  Quatre looked down to his lap.  His own loss which led him to a temporary insanity was still fresh in his mind, even after nearly 5 years.  He knew that he could never let himself forget.

“I will mourn him Quatre, but in my own way.”  He ruefully smiled, accepting her words as sincere.

“I just don’t want you to think you have to be strong for our sake, sometimes we need others to be strong for us.”  Relena didn’t realize, but Quatre had stood up, his hand was placed fondly on her shoulder.

“There’s no need to worry about me, you have things of your own to deal with.”  Quatre half-heartedly returned to his seat, she could be as stubborn as Heero, and he knew it.

“Yes I suppose I do.”  He sighed in defeat.

“How much longer will it be before the Gundams are completed?”

“We’ve had a set-back, but its nothing severe, they should be ready for testing within a few days.”  Relena pointedly looked at Quatre, her eyes narrowed in concern, she could tell from his voice it was a bigger hindrance than he was letting on.

“Set-back?”

“We’ve had trouble decrypting the blue-prints you gave us.  Apparently OZ was nervous about the fact that someone might try and make more Gundams, they were very thorough with their encryption sequence.”

“What about the original blue-prints to the Gundams?  Don’t you have them?”  Quatre shook his head lightly.

“All I have is Sandrock and Wing-Zero.  I was able to contact Doktor S, and he is assisting me, but at the rate we’re decoding the blue-prints it could be weeks before we can even begin production of the other Gundams.”  Relena stared hard at a point on the wall, deep in thought, she knew there was someone among them who could decode OZ encryption codes.

“Did you ask Doktor S about the Gundams at JX00019?”  Relena inquired.

“He said he didn’t know anything about it.”  Relena locked her eyes with Quatre’s, she could tell he had some doubts.

“But?”

“Oh, I’m sure its nothing.”

“Quatre, please tell me.”

He smiled at his friends concern.  “I just think he’s holding out on me, I’m sure he knows more than he’s letting on.  But there’s nothing I can do.  If he won’t tell me, I can’t make him.”  Relena nodded.  “Maybe we should try and find the others.  Perhaps they will be more forthcoming.”

“I already tried.  They had disappeared from their previously known whereabouts just days before Dourchov declared war.”  She snapped her head up at his comment.

“Quatre, you don’t think that they are…”

“…working for Dourchov?”  Quatre finished for her.  “I doubt it.  They were willing to give up their lives to stop White Fang before, I don’t think they would join a group pursuing the same kind of ambitions.”  Relena wanted to believe what Quatre was saying, but it was a fact that those scientists were the force behind many of OZ’s attack plans in 195.  If they were truly as patriotic as they claimed, they would have given their lives to stop OZ.

“Perhaps.”  Relena stood from her desk.

“Relena?”  She stepped from behind her desk, taking her suit jacket from the back of her chair.

“We should leave right away, and head to Preventer Headquarters.”  Quatre stood bewildered.

“Preventer Headquarters?”

“Yes, if there is anyone who can decode these documents, it would be the people who encoded them in the first place.”  Quatre looked on confused as Relena headed out to leave her office, before she reached the door she turned to look at him.

“Coming?”

[Earth: Preventer Headquarters]

Lady Une glanced over her desk to the person sitting opposite.  His face was pensive, glaring at the report in his hand.  Finally he looked up, wasting no time.

“Where did he get this?”

“My operative on JX00019 couldn’t be any more specific, he was using an insecure line; he couldn’t risk being discovered.  But he managed to get me this information.“

“So there’s a fault with their Gundams.”

“Apparently so.”

Heero closed the folder containing the report and flipped it onto Lady Une’s sparse desk.

“This doesn’t tell us anything, without knowing what that weakness is, it would be like a shot in the dark.”  Lady Une flicked over the cover of the manila folder.  The photograph showed a monster of a machine.  It looked very much like Mariemaia’s Serpent mobile-suits.  But they were distinctly different in areas.  Large beam canon’s mounted on each arm, micro-missiles lined up down the side of each leg.  Vernia rockets much larger than even the Tallgeese.  If these suits were in fact Gundams, and Lady Une had no doubt that they were, then their impending battle could be over very quickly.

“That’s why I called you here Heero.  We need someone with the right kind of expertise.  If we are going to survive Dourchov’s invasion then we need something far stronger than Taurus mobile-dolls.”  Heero closed his eyes in thought.

“You know as well as I do that we don’t have our Gundams anymore.  We will be crushed, it’s just a matter of time.”  Lady Une shook her head.

“You misunderstand.”  Smiling, she continued.  “Ever head the phrase: Knowledge Is Power?  What we need is specific details, we need to find the exact weakness of those Gundams.  My operative stated that the flaw was so pronounced that just one shot could destroy them.”  That had caught his attention.  “Hn?”

“All we need is someone to gain access to their system.  Relena’s attempts at contacting the Gundam Scientists have failed, if we wait for much longer Dourchov will attack.  I asked you here Heero, to assign you a new mission.”

“To infiltrate and destroy Dourchov’s base.”  Heero coldly stated.

“Precisely.”  Heero continued to glare at Lady Une, stony faced.

“The reconnaissance mission.  It wasn’t reconnaissance was it?”  Lady Une leaned back in her chair, folding her arms in her lap.

“I’m surprised you didn’t realize sooner.”  Heero didn’t appreciate that comment.  Scowling he rose from his seat, angrily heading towards the door.

“Heero.”  He stopped, no matter how angry he was, she was still his superior.  For now.

“You leave tomorrow at 0800 hours.” 

Without another word, he left the room, slamming the door.

***

“You think  Lady Une will know what to do with these?”  Quatre stared at Relena as she signed in at the head office.

“She was a significant member of the OZ organization before she defected.  Amongst us all, I’m sure she would know about these files.  She was in charge of the Gundams’ destruction at one point, she had considerable expertise on their weaponry and defense systems.  If anyone encrypted these files, I’m sure it was her.”  Quatre silently agreed, it made sense really.  Only Zechs, Lady Une and Treize were privy to important information regarding the Gundams, all they could do was pray Zechs or Treize wasn’t the one who encrypted the files.

They walked together past the hundreds of Preventer agents, busily working around the clock to gain information on JX00019; anything to obtain any advantage.  Many she passed greeted her.  She may have only been the Vice Foreign Minister, but many still saw her as the bringer of peace.  As Queen of the World.

“What are you doing here?”  Relena stopped looking directly in front of her.

“Heero!?”  Quatre almost jumped at the sight of him.  Quatre didn’t know that she knew he was alive.  

Talk about being left our of the loop.

“We’re here to see Lady Une.”  Heero continued to stare at Relena even as she spoke, but he didn’t head a thing.  Everything about this woman made him feel like throwing everything away.  To take her from here; just them, away from the ESUN, away from Gundams.  Away from war itself.

Quatre had known for a long time that Heero had harbored feelings for Relena, but it never failed to amaze him how different he was around her.  Smiling Quatre interrupted their continual gaze.

“There is something we need to talk to you about Heero, and the other Gundam pilots.”  Heero snapped from his trance, annoyed with himself for acting in that way, and annoyed with Quatre for stopping him.

“Yes, there’s something myself and Quatre have been working on.  I think you will be pleased.”  Heero stole a look at the folder in Relena’s hand.  Heero petulantly snarled as saw what it was.  Relena attempted a smile, that was dashed by Heero’s menacing glare.

“I’ll see you back at the mansion.”  At that, he brushed past the two.

“Heero!”  Relena called after his retreating form.

Quatre hesitantly placed a hand on Relena’s shoulder, she sighed in regret.

“Lets go.”  Relena simply stated, as she brushed his hand away, and headed for Lady Une’s office.

***

Dr Sieben had told him that everything was proceeding as planned.  Faraday had told Une not to declare Zechs’ death, giving his spy the chance he needed to get in and out of Preventer HQ with the information he needed.  Of course, Faraday was funding the production of mobile dolls for the Preventers, it explained why the base creating the Taurus suits had gone “unnoticed” by the residents of JX00019.  But information on those suits isn’t what he was after.  Only Lady Une of the Preventers knew about the information he sought. 

Lady Une had informed Faraday that she had an operative on JX00019 working for Dourchov’s group, but she divulge his identity.  His mission was to uncover the operative, and discover his true objectives.

He stood tall in his Preventer uniform, a picture of the man he was masquerading as.  He nodded to the receptionist in the foyer and she let him through, no questions asked.

“Welcome back sir.” 

This place wasn’t what he had been expecting.  It was a grand building, the Preventer Seal decorated the floor at the sparse entrance.  Only a receptionist and a odd looking piece of art resided in the foyer.  He walked over to the elevator, the doors sliding shut as he turned to face the door.  The receptionist looked back down to the files she was working on, when she was suddenly interrupted again, the doors to the other elevator opened and Heero Yuy stepped out, he seemed annoyed by something.  She was hesitant at first, she didn’t want to annoy him further, but it seemed like a good natured thing to do, after all, it was rumored that he was in an intimate relationship with Milliardo Peacecraft’s sister, perhaps he would appreciate the warning.

“Mr. Yuy?”  Heero stopped looking directly at the receptionist, she fought back the urge to swallow.

“Sir; Milliardo Peacecraft has just arrived.”  He looked at her confused.

“It couldn’t have been him, you were mistaken.”  Heero felt sick with anger.  If that woman had said that when Relena was down here, it would have been demoralizing for her.

“No sir, I’m certain it was him.”  Heero tuned back to the receptionist ready to lash out, but he stopped, he stared directly at her.  A few anxiety laced seconds passed; he got the feeling she was telling the truth, he couldn’t ignore it.  He turned on his heels, and smashed his clenched fist repeatedly on the elevator call button, but it didn’t respond.  He quickly tore towards the stairwell, bursting harshly through the doors.

***

He was completely focused.  He knew who to avoid, and what to say to the others.  He knew he wouldn’t be questioned by anyone as Zechs was one of the senior members of the Preventers.  The doors opened behind him, he saw a bustling group of people, all working on different things.  The current crisis obviously keeping them on their toes.  Trying to avert war wasn’t a day-job.  Nonchalantly he walked out of the elevator, only the odd person here and there noticed him, each greeted him quickly, they didn’t seem to realize that he was supposed to be dead.  There was no time for pleasantries, he increased his pace heading for his office. He passed the office of a pair he recognized; Chang Wufei and Sally Po.  They seemed to be arguing about something.

“Not an uncommon sight, huh sir.”  Zechs looked at the young Preventer now by his side as she gestured towards the quarrelling couple.  He didn’t reply to her, just continued on his way silently passing the office marked ‘Chang & Po’ knowing that they knew of Zechs’ death.  The young agent sighed raising her eyebrows in aggravation.  “Hello to you too.”

He continued onward, passing numerous double office’s, it seemed all the Preventers worked in pairs.  Eventually he came to Zechs’ office.  This was the difficult part.  Zechs Marquise shared his office with Lucrezia Noin, another member of the Preventers and he had been told that there was the possibility there was a romantic relationship between the two.  He would of liked to have some fun with this woman, but he had a mission and he was implacable, if she got in the way, then he would eliminate her.  When he arrived she was there, at her desk.  She didn’t seem to be doing much of anything.  Just sitting silently.  He knew that information on all active undercover agents wouldn’t be in his office, but Zechs had access to the Preventer mainframe from here, all he had to do was hack into the system and he could retrieve the information he needed.  He knocked on the door, she didn’t even turn around to call him in.  Her mistake.

“Come in.”  Noin sat for a few seconds awaiting whoever it was to announce themselves, she suddenly became uneasy at the silence.  A muted click of a handgun echoed in her ear.  She shifted in her chair to turn around when she heard the voice she thought she would only ever hear again in her dreams.

“Turning around would be a mistake.”  Ignoring his warning she shot her head around, Zechs’ face was staring back at her.

“Zechs?”  her voice was shaky.

He didn’t reply, he pushed the gun to her temple, emphasizing his annoyance.

“I’m not who you think I am.”  At those words he jerked the gun towards her head, rendering her unconscious.

He pushed her from the chair she occupied so he could use the computer terminal at her desk.  He broke through access code after access code. 

“This is much easier than first anticipated.”

***

Heero barged past a group of Preventers as he searched in a manner that was anything but reverent.  Walking into office’s without warning, eliciting a number of ‘hey’s!’.

Eventually someone grabbed his arm, Heero easily broke free, glaring at the young Preventer agent.

“What do you think you’re doing?”  Heero straightened his jean-jacket irritably.

“He’s here.”

***

Lady Une took the file from Relena’s hands, she nodded to herself, as she saw the arrangement of the encryption sequence.  “You’re correct, I did work on the encryption of these files.  I wasn’t aware that they were still in effect.  All files sealed by OZ were decrypted and publicly filed.”  Relena hastily smiled.

“Yes, I had all files pertaining to the Gundams sealed again for security reasons.  Myself and many other members of the ESUN’s council didn’t think it was a good idea to have ‘how to’ guides on building Gundams available to just anyone.”  Une smiled back, acknowledging her error.  “You were very wise to do so.” 

Quatre spoke up.  “So you’ll assist us?”  Lady Une almost looked offended by the question.

“I want peace just as much as anyone else Mr. Winner.”  Quatre smiled.

“Of course, I apologize.  I didn’t mean to insinuate-”

“Its quite alright.” Lady Une interjected.  She stood, signaling to them it was the end of their meeting.

“If you leave the files here I will personally see that they are immediately decrypted and sent to L-4.”

“No.”  Relena and Quatre looked directly at the protesting figure standing at the now opened door.

“Heero?”  He walked rapidly up to Une’s desk.

“You have a security breach.”

***

The file system was intricate but easily penetrable.  Whoever was in charge of security at Preventer HQ should be shot, but it worked to his advantage.  He could be out of here much faster than first estimated, if he could get out of here before they even knew about him then he wouldn’t even need to undergo the excruciating Bodily Expurgation Treatment until he reached JX00019.  He accepted his missions, but that didn’t mean that he enjoyed them.

Finally he had reached Lady Une’s personal database, these files were definitely the ones he was looking for.

This was definitely the file.

Abruptly without warning, the screen went black, all files on the terminal’s access level had suddenly become inaccessible.  The sound of footsteps echoed out outside the door, he had been discovered.  Looking down at Noin’s recovering figure, he smiled.

He was prepared for such an eventuality.

***

Heero watched Relena’s face intently, she didn’t seem to react at all when he said that the person who had breached security could be Zechs.  She seemed detached and unfazed, he didn’t know whether it was a good or a bad thing.

They approached the office, Une raised her standard Preventer issue firearm.  Heero told Quatre to keep Relena back, he expected her to protest, but she didn’t.  She just let herself be guided by Quatre back to the outer hall.

Heero nodded at Une once, a silent second passed.  Heero flashed forward storming the office, he didn’t expect to see what he found.

“Stand aside.”  Heero looked at Noin’s face, she didn’t seem scared at all.

Zechs stood behind Noin, his arm holding her to him, a gun under her neck.

“Zechs?!”  Une stood wide eyed as Zechs held Noin hostage.  “You’re alive?!”

“Stand.  Aside.”  He repeated slowly through clenched teeth.  Heero remained unaffected by the situation, he moved from the doorway, keeping his gun trained on him.  Une lowered her gun, allowing them to push past the army of agents.  He made his way past, ignoring the looks of distain by Zechs’ fellow Preventers.  He finally made his way out to the outer hallway, and to the elevator.  He calmly pressed the call button slightly releasing Noin from his fierce grip.  She felt his grip loosen slightly, she took the opportunity.  She pulled down on his arm, and the gun slipped, skidding across the floor.  Zechs released her pushing her to the ground hard in front of him as he attempted to get at the gun.  He dived for it, his hand was mere inches away.  As he endeavored to grab it a foot locked it in place on the floor.  He looked up at the figure of Relena Dorlian towering above him.

“Milliardo.”  She politely greeted.  He snarled grabbing her leg knocking her onto the floor, he took the gun and pointed it directly at her. 

Heero didn’t even stop to think when he saw the gun aimed at Relena.  The anger that had been building in him finally released.  Aiming his own gun at Zechs, Relena saw Heero’s actions in the corner of her vision.

“Heero no!”  He hesitated, looking into her pleading eyes.  He was her brother, she didn’t care what he had done, or what he was going to do, she couldn’t let Heero kill him, she would never be able to forgive him if he did.

He used their moment of weakness to his advantage, looking ahead he could see the elevator doors open, Relena was standing right in front of them.  He failed in retrieving the files, but he had committed their contents to memory, all he needed was something to take back to Faraday and Dourchov.  They wanted her dead, she would be a fine trophy.  Launching himself at her, they both fell into the slowly closing doors of the elevator.  Bullets ricocheted from Heero’s gun as he ran forwards trying to keep the door open.  He missed, and they were gone.

Heero wasted no time, running as fast as he could without falling, he pelted down the stairwell, his feet barely touching each step.  He reached the bottom of the stairs, bursting through the doors, startling the receptionist.  She gasped as Heero marched towards her gun in hand.

“Where is he?”  Heero narrowed his eyes at the woman's stuttering.

“H..he..he?” 

“Zechs.”  Heero growled.

She shook her head apprehensively, unable to speak.  Heero looked back towards the elevator, the numbers above lit up one by one, but they weren’t coming down, they were going up.  Finally the last number illuminated with a confirming chime. 

The roof.  

Heero sped towards the stairwell again, demonstrating his super-human agility and endurance as he ran non-stop without even breaking a sweat, all the way to the top of the 20 floor building.

An unfamiliar feeling flowed through him, he couldn’t name it but it was powerful.  Every time he thought of Relena dead, or Relena being taken away from him,  this unrecognizable ache coursed its way into him, it crippled him; this emotion.  Any normal person might call it fear.

He burst through the locked roof door with his foot.  His gun pointing in numerous directions.  But no sign of them.

He could hear pulsing noise, gradually getting louder, he couldn’t place its location.  Running out into the helipad he looked up, the thundering pulse was the sound of rotary-blades, a helicopter shot over him, raining the ground where he stood with gunfire.  He saw a flash of blond tresses, as another shower of bullets descended on him, ripping through his left leg, hammering him to the floor.  The helicopter changed direction and headed away from the building, Heero looked up helplessly.

“RELENA!”  He called after her.

But they were gone.

AN: Soooo, whadaya think? Too far fetched? Too clichéd? Yeno the kidnapping of a princess part... darn it, well, I tried my best! Remember CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is the BEST kind ^_~