Disclaimer: DUM DUM DUUUUM! I don't own Gundam Wing.  I know, it’s a hard blow, but it's unfortunately true. ::starts crying hysterically::

AN: WAHOOIE! I finally posted another chapter! Sorry this took SO long, but I've had a SERIOUS case of writers block... anyone wanna help me? Pweese? lol

[Space Colony: L-4]

The Winner Corporation Building was harshly illuminated. Two fog lights brightly watched over the huge main entrance to the building, which was heavily guarded. Now that he was closer he could see the whole laser net clearly through infrared goggles. It was massive, and not only covered the fields that surrounded the building, but they extended over the roof as well.

In case anyone wanted to perform some aerobatic infiltration. He smirked, amused.

An empty mobile suit carrier had arrived only minutes earlier, Foster got the impression it wasn’t going to leave empty. His dark figure, clad in black from head to toe, ducked down behind the towering trench that surrounded the factory below.

His hours of waiting finally paid off as he implemented his hacking skills and increased the gap in the time it took for the lasers to reappear at every shift change. As he had predicted, the 10 second lag had increased to roughly 30, which was just enough time to slip into the side entrance he had scouted for earlier. He was certain that he could do this, all he had to do was take out one of the guards in 30 seconds and he would be home free. The last change would initiate any second; he listened intently for the soft beep from his laptop to signal his descent. He held his breath. Listening.

Finally the screen lit up red, beeping the words ‘LASER NET DISENGAGED’. He lunged forward leaving the laptop behind, skidding down the steep slopes that encased the building.

23 seconds…

He sprinted across the disconnected network of invisible lasers, the seconds echoing in his head as he silently counted down.

16 seconds…

The entrance was in sight, as was the guard. Pulling out a handgun, complete with silencer, Foster stealthily crept up behind him, bending down, never slowing his pace.

10 seconds…

The guard shifted as he heard a heavy breath come from behind him, but it was too late. The muted gunshot hit him square in the back. He dropped to his knees, before slumping to the ground. Foster gracefully ripped the security pass from his breast pocket during his descent.

5 seconds…

He swiftly dragged the card through the swipe lock. The red light instantly turned green, a smile spread across his features as he heard the loud clunk of the lock releasing, he pushed his way inside.

Only 1 second remaining.

The small alcove he found himself in had a view of something that resembled scaffolding in the adjoining section. Walkways intersected about 10 and 16 meters above his head, separating into 5 different directions. Following the walkways with his eyes, he slowly stepped out of the enclosed area and into the main facility. Hundreds of engineers and scientists teemed around various types of machinery that were brutally screeching and droning from the strain of their numerous tasks.

Cutting some sort of metal. No. I have seen that before.

Foster looked on as 3 engineers protracted a crane holding what appeared to be a beam canon.

Not any normal beam canon.

Another crane swung over Fosters head, almost making him jump. This one carried what appeared to be an identical weapon. The two cranes aligned with each other and began repositioning themselves to lock the two gatlings together.

Not beam canon. Buster Rifle.

The colossal cannon hung motionless just inches from the ground. Many buzzed around it, making notes; adjusting power-relays; more notes; securing the locking mechanisms; more notes again. It seemed they wanted to be absolutely sure this thing was made to specification. After the superfluous inspection, a larger derrick clamped on the now completed rifle. It swerved hastily to the left towards something much larger. Foster couldn’t see from the distance he was at. Yanking out his standard issue binoculars, he zoomed in on the distant machine. At first he couldn’t believe it. But the clinging darkness couldn’t hide the truth from him much longer. Foster’s eyes grew wide in awe, holding his breath, marveling at the structure before him. He knew exactly what it was, and he had to get out of there fast before Dourchov’s lackeys clued themselves in to what was being built here. Turning on his heels he made his way cautiously back to the way he’d come in. As Foster slipped out, the gatling approached; a harmony of dull hissing breaking out as lights shrilly came on, illuminating the angelic form.

Wing Gundam Zero Custom.

[Earth: Heero Yuy Memorial Hospital]

Heero didn’t need to move to know he was wounded. It felt like one side of his body was dead, all there was, was a numb throb emanating from his lower body and chest. Relena’s name escaped his lips as he cracked open his eyes.

“Hey buddy. How ya feelin’?” Heero turned his head sluggishly to see Duo sitting in a leather chair, his elbows propped on each leather upholstered arm, his hands resting intertwined on each other in front of him.

Heero ignored his question; he was more interested in where he was, and how he got there.

“Where am I?”

Duo sat up in his seat, grinning. “At a Heero Yuy Memorial.” He continued to smile at Heero’s confused statement. “Don’t worry you’re not dead, It’s the name of the hospital. What are the chances eh?”

Heero frowned at Duo’s sense of humor. He lifted his arms from under the hospital sheets with relative ease. But an excruciating ache throbbed in his chest.

“What happened?” Heero pushed the sheets down slightly to reveal his heavily bandaged chest.

“You were shot.” He looked up, memories flooding him all at once, too much to compute.

“4 times.” Duo visibly winced as Heero revealed more gunshot wounds.

“It seems our Zechs impostor had invested in a helicopter armed to the teeth, it almost put the Heavyarms to shame, there was no way we could follow it.”

“How can you be so sure he was an impostor?” Heero said through clenched teeth, his legs felt like ice.

“Noin said that he told her he wasn’t who she thought he was, and of course a bit of forensic analysis always helps in criminal investigations.” Duo grinned sliding a file from a nearby desk onto his lap. “His fingerprints on the keyboard; they weren’t Zechs’. After all the trouble they went to, to make the guy looked and sound like Zechs and they forgot something as simple as that.” Duo jeered.

“What about the real Zechs?”

The braided former Gundam pilot shrugged in reply. “Your guess is as good as mine, his body has disappeared from the morgue at the infirmary in Sanc. But the blood tests taken at the hospital the day he supposedly died show that it was definitely Zechs Marquise. I don’t think they’d cover up his blood results but to forget something as trivial as his fingerprints…” Heero silently agreed as Duo shifted forward on his seat.

“If you wanna know my guess, I think that the real Zechs Marquise was at the infirmary, but was later moved, and replaced with our charlatan.” Duo looked at Heero, but his face was twisted in deep thought. Knowing the reaction he would receive, Duo cautiously carried on.

“I think the real question is, why would he kidnap the Vice Foreign Minister.”

He could almost see Heero’s thought process, as he sharply sat up, a newfound strength filling him as he forced his limbs to comply.

“Relena…” Duo jumped up from his seat, restraining Heero by the shoulders.

“Hey, slow down!”

“Get out of my way.”

“Come on buddy, you know you can’t do anything to help her in your condition.” Heero growled, forcefully pushing Duo’s hands from his shoulders.

“Heero!” Not listening, Heero forced himself up, and towards the door.

“Look at you, you can barely walk!”

“I can’t just lie in a hospital bed and do nothing.” Heero icily shot back.

“What are you gonna do? Ask them to surrender or you’ll beat them to death with your crutches?” Heero ignored his sarcasm and headed out of the room.

“Heero, its not just you it’s all of us! Anything that approaches JX00019 is shot down, the place is a fortress now!” Heero continued to ignore him. Duo angrily grabbed his arm, making him face him.

“You’ll just get yourself killed. We have no way of fighting back.” Heero stopped. Finally realizing that Quatre hadn’t enlightened everyone about their attempts to rebuild the Gundams.

“We have a way, but you’re not gonna like it.” Duo sighed letting go of his arm, waiting expectantly for an explanation.

[Outer Space: Resources Convoy]

Ringing.

A dreadful ringing shattered her mind as it pulsed through her head, deafening her. A fragile shaft of light blinded her vision as she blinked away dust from her eyelids. A tight and searing pain shot down her wrists that were bound behind her back. The taste of blood shocked her senses into a harsh awakening. There wasn’t much room to move. There wasn’t even much room to breathe. She was flat on her back and the four walls around her were so close, she appeared to be in a box. Horror flashed through her as thoughts of being buried alive permeated her mind. She attempted to scream but the bloodstained cloth gagging her muted her cries. Her attention was drawn back to the shaft of light, relief like she had never known pervading her senses as she realized that she couldn’t possibly be buried. Suddenly, as if someone were hearing her thoughts, the light dimmed, as something outside blocked it. Raising her head and visibly shaking, Relena caught a glimpse through the crack in the ageing mahogany wood. The incessant ringing that had clung to her mind finally began to fade at the sound of idle chat; parental chiding and footsteps suddenly became clear to her. Turning her head to peek through the gap, she gasped, coarsely dropping her head back to the bottom of the box. An ice-blue eye glared at her; admonishing her for her actions.

“If you don’t want to die, then I suggest you stay quiet.” Her memories finally revealed themselves as the voice belonged to that of her dead brother. Her situation suggested to her that they were on some kind of transport, more than likely in space. The box, she assumed, was how she was going to be transported all the way to JX00019. She shifted her weight off of her hands, attempting to alleviate her discomfort. This was going to be a long trip.

***

Relena winced as she felt herself smack into the side of the small accommodations she had been residing in for the past 8 hours. Her head felt like a ton of bricks, battered and bruised from her long, and apparently, bumpy journey.

She felt ill, the rhythmic swaying of the box she was being carried in made her feel seasick.

Fighting it out with Milliardo over appropriate security for the Peacecraft Mansion was preferable to this, and that was saying something.

Relena smiled at the memory, a solitary tear escaping down her cheek.

Her head thumped against the bottom of the box as she was brutally thrown to the floor. Her small cry didn’t go unnoticed.

“Get her out.” Relena stilled herself, willing her body to stop shaking.

“What shall we tell the Cornel?”

Relena listened intently; there was a shuffling of paper and then a reply.

“This will satisfy him. My part of this deal is practically done.”

There was another brief pause as the jangling of tools filled her senses. She almost screamed as she heard the sudden sound of the wood straining under the lurch of the tools, ripping the wood away from the lid. The piercing daylight stung her eyes, making her squeeze her eyes shut in pain. A vise-like grip grabbed her wrist, pulling it away from her eyes. Squinting, she could just about make out who it was.

Her legs - that had been immobile for hours on end - barely functioned, leaving her stumbling for her footing as a now painful grip tugged her to her feet. “Milliardo?”

“I’m not your brother kid. Nobody can save you now.”

[Earth: Preventer Headquarters]

Despite his better judgment, Duo didn’t lock Heero up in his hospital room when he told him about the Gundams. Instead he had helped him sneak out, falsify his hospital records and gave him a ride. So now, here they were walking down to Lady Une’s office, about to sign up for the search. Hell, he knew Heero wouldn’t just submit himself to it, he’d take it all on himself. Duo had never seen him this determined. Not even when she was kidnapped in 196. Maybe it was because this time he could have stopped it; maybe it was because this time he felt like it was his fault. It seemed like the only positive thing he got out of this situation was the affirmation that Heero did have feelings for Relena. Hell, it wasn’t just an affirmation; Heero was extreme in his actions as of late. He would do anything to get her back.

Anything. Duo thought somberly.

The place was once again teeming with Preventer Agents; all thoughts of war with JX00019 seemed to have gone out the window. Their primary focus was now the Vice Minister and her hasty kidnapping. As they rounded a corner towards the head office, they were met with the determined figure of Wufei.

“There’s a meeting. Quatre called it.” Heero glared past the Chinese man, straight into the office window, where the members of the ESUN council were verbally battling with the young Quatre Winner.

“He told them? Jesus, does Quatre have a death wish or what?” Duo planted a tired palm on his forehead, brushing away his bangs before they swung back into place.

“Its an opportunity. Relena might be important to the ESUN but they’re not willing to risk armed conflict over this. I suggest you take the chance he’s created for you.”

“Trowa’s here too?” Heero asked as he noticed Trowa staring stoically at the three of them from inside the meeting.

“He arrived soon after the media got a hold of Relena’s kidnapping.”

“He’s out of the loop these days.” Duo despondently added.

“We need to get to L-4.” Heero started as he turned on his heels, walking away, not paying attention to the Duo’s attempt to stop him.

“We can’t just leave! Look Heero, I wanna find Relena just as much as you do, but we don’t even know where Quatre was creating the Gundams. We’ll probably be better off waiting-“

Heero stopped harshly turning his sights on Duo.

“For their verdict? No matter what they say, I’m taking WingZERO and I’m going to get her back.” Heero continued to train his penetrating glare on Duo. Making sure he knew he was serious about this, and not to bother crossing him. He finally turned again, and Duo found himself letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“You’ll need this.” Wufei walked back up to them, throwing Heero a passkey. He scanned the back quickly reading: L-4 Winner Corporation. He knew where to go.

“So what? We’re supposed to just stay here and do nothing?!” Duo incredulously spat at them.

“There’s nothing we can do. Only WingZERO was completed. Only one of us can go.” Wufei glanced back at Heero throwing him an almost threatening look.

“Don’t fail.” Without responding Heero headed back outside.

“Heero.” Duo called behind his friend, and he was again greeted with a dark Prussian stare. “Bring her home, man.”

Heero nodded once before proceeding. He has a mission, and would die to complete it.

[Space Colony: JX00019]

“You failed?” Dourchov smiled in mock disbelief, his second in command; the man he had trusted to find those blasted scientists, hadn’t uncovered one single thing. He glanced at the report on his desk. He wasn’t surprised in the least.

“Sir, I believe they’ve gone into hiding. They could be anywhere on any colony. My pursuit lead me to their last known whereabouts, and they apparently vanished sir.”

Dourchov’s bushing eyebrows shot up, anger oozing into the air.

“Vanished? Just like that.” Dourchov stood from his chair, slowly repositioning himself in front of the window, which held an abysmal view of metal bulkheads and artificial light.

“So. Now what? Do we just, go into war and hope everything will be ok?”

Foster didn’t reply, just braced himself for what he knew would come.

“You’ve been with me a long time Alastair, I don’t think I would be here today, ready to take over this pathetic excuse for a world if it wasn’t for you.”

Foster’s stomach lurched at his words, he didn’t want to feel like he had assisted this man in his plot of lunacy. He remembered the day he received this assignment, and he remembered wanting to take it on, knowing it would boost his career. Lady Une had told him that he could make Captain easily if he could break this mission. But as it was slowing turning out, this mission was going to break him.

“I gave you this mission because I thought you could carry it out. Swiftly, efficiently. I didn’t expect that you’d betray me.”

Foster felt his heart stop.

“I knew there was a traitor in our midst Foster. Earth scum, waiting to pounce.”

His hand uneasily moved towards his waist, there positioned brazenly was a gun that would end this war. End his own life.

“I couldn’t trust anyone, the only people I could depend on to do the job right were my trusted aides. You Foster - was one of them.”

Foster’s eyes darted around the room, looking for immediate cover, anywhere that could secure him an escape. His eyes darted towards the desk, skimming over its contents when is gaze caught view of a file. A Preventer file. More specifically; his file. His hand flew to his gun, but the echoing click coming from his former superior’s direction stopped him. He looked up to see the barrel of an oversized handgun menacingly pointing at him.

“Things didn’t go the way you planned did they, “Black Dragon?”

Foster resigned his attempt at escape. He knew this was the end for him.

“I completed my mission.”

Dourchov sneered at his words, “Is that so? Mind me asking just exactly what that was?”

He forced a chuckle as he jeered at his stupidity, how could the old fool not know?

“Those Gundams, their structural flaws, they were no mistake. The original plans that were stolen from Dr. S’s lab on L-4 were altered.”

Dourchov glared at Foster, anger so profound his body began to sweat in anticipation of pulling the trigger. He wanted to hear that satisfying thump as he hit the ground. He wanted revenge.

“You think you succeeded in destroying my plans? You think that your little stunt will stop me from killing her?” Dourchov motioned towards the room beyond the glass of his own office, the adjoining office was sparse, but there was one feature that stood out. Relena Peacecraft.

Foster teemed with anger, stepping forward he was stopped again as the gun was pressed into his head.

“Nu uh… we don’t want to do anything that will get her killed. Do we?” Foster stopped, glaring at the man who’s madness seemed endless, if he killed Relena, the Gundams wouldn’t matter. He’d have a whole planet in pursuit of his corpse.

“What do you want?”

“Information. Information I know a Preventer like you would possess.”

Foster snapped his head to match Dourchov’s line of vision, an evil smirk played on his lips. He didn’t like the look of it. Not one bit.

[Space Colony: L-4]

Heero kept his calm demeanor as he walked with one of Quatre’s scientists towards the factory where the Gundams were being built. Despite the mans annoying and constant blathering he wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying. It was useless information, nothing he didn’t already know. He’d piloted the WingZERO for 2 years of his life. He didn’t need a run-down, especially from an “advisor”.

“Are you listening to me Mr. Yuy?”

Heero shot the man his usual cold glare, rendering the young scientist into a terse silence. Heero continued to stalk down the corridor, following the gantry 10 meters above his head.

Upon entering the main area he caught a glimpse of an unfinished Deathscythe Hell, the body marred with hanging tubules and wrought metal, interwoven with Gundanium support beams, and shielding. It was nowhere near completion. He really was on his own this time around. But that didn’t bother him in the least, he knew he would do anything to survive, anything to make sure he lived long enough to bring her back. Nothing had ever mattered to him as much as this did. If she died, this world would hold nothing for him, his reason for living stolen from him in the spilling of her blood. If she died – so did he. It was a decision he had already made, so long ago.

“Mr. Yuy? I assume you’re the pilot of this monstrosity?” Heero narrowed his eyes at the young woman that was glaring at him through her thick glasses.

“I take it you’re going to be needing it for your mission? Mr. Winner had already informed us of your arrival.” Heero nodded once, giving her no other indication of his acknowledgement.

She let out a berated breath, lifting a small device with a single activation switch.

“You’ll be needing this, it’s over there. Once you’re ready we’ll suit you up, then you’ll be briefed on the upgrades that were implemented.” Before he could protest the young scientist silenced him with her words.

“You’ll need to be briefed, these aren’t your average improvements. They drastically change the WingZERO’s performance and response time. We were told you’d be fighting against Gundanium mobile dolls.”

“That’s right.”

The young woman grinned as she gestured towards the device in Heero’s hand.

“Take a good look.”

Heero glanced down at the device and squeezed the button, instantly there was a reaction around them. The lights sprawled across each alcove burst into action, revealing each and every one of the 5 original Gundams. Though all of them except WingZERO were incomplete their recognizable forms became clear one after the other.

Altron, Sandrock, Heavyarms, Deathscythe Hell…

His jaw locked as hell’s angel activated itself. Its familiar emerald green eyes speaking to him, as the ZERO system reached for his mind.

We meet again my old friend.

AN: Yippee! Another chapter down for the count! ^_~ Please review and I promise to do my job faster!