Edge of the Chase [ch7. PG13]

[RelenaFanel]

Author: RelenaFanel
Chapter: 7
Summary: A moment. A hidden danger. A chase. A kiss. What? No kiss? Where's the kiss?
Previous Chapters: Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6

__________________

Edge of the Chase

Chapter 7



?What disc?? Heero repeated in response to her stunned silence, his voice slightly more impatient. It wasn?t obvious, but hummed beneath the surface so that only those who knew him best could pick it out.

Relena stared at him, her brows knitted in confusion and her mind racing to find an answer. What did he mean, ?what disc?? ?What do you mean, ?what disc??? She practically shrieked at him, her shrill voice unfettered by a need to restrain her emotions.

?I mean,? Heero responded to her in his calm, masculine-rational way. ?What disc??

?I MEAN the disc you wanted me to smuggle out of the party. I MEAN the disc I risked my career for,? Relena?s movements were jerky as she furiously ripped the disc from her skin, the tearing noise sounding far more painful than it was, and tossed it in his lap. ?I mean THE DISC I risked my LIFE for.? She paused, a disconcerting sense of enlightenment bursting through her tirade. ?You didn?t know anything about it, did you??

Heero gingerly picked the small piece of plastic and wiring from his lap and Relena couldn?t even appreciate the sight of him picking at his crotch. ?Calm down. Now tell me what happened.?

?I was set up,? Relena said hollowly, her eyes staring blankly at the windshield as she stared beyond it and into a piece of her mind where she placed the people she trusted. There were only a handful of people there, and she was loathed to remove any of them. Maybe she should just trust no one. ?She tricked me and I fell for it because of who she was,? Relena frowned, swinging her head to the side to stare sharply at Heero. ?Was he part of it?? She asked.

?Who??

?Quatre.?

Heero didn?t respond, but for once it was not the silence of someone who didn?t want to reply but the silence of someone who didn?t know how to reply. He was searching for words or explanations and Relena didn?t take it as a good sign, particularly since it probably meant he was trying to censor something from her again. He placed the disc in the cupholder between them and the plastic vibrated against plastic. ?Start at the beginning.?

?An indeterminate amount of time ago, some jerk decided to make me part of a mission without informing me of any of the particularities, especially the part that I was there to be a diversion while he stole some data from an opponent of mine.?

?You?re blaming me??

?You said it, not I,? Relena taunted almost waspishly. ?If this mule-headed dumbnut had just told me what was happening, I wouldn?t have later been duped by someone I thought was a friend.?

?That,? Heero told her, referring to her cattiness, ?is not helpful.?

?No it isn?t,? Relena conceded. She sighed heavily, and then started to tell him the real story in detail. ?After I made the speech I had assumed you left with whatever it was you needed to steal, but then Helen approached. Quatre?s sister,? Relena reminded Heero, not sure if he, like herself, knew them all by name. ?She took me into a secluded corner and gave me the disc, telling me it was the second thing you needed me to do tonight.?

?What was??

?You know what was,? Relena said suspiciously, eyeing him as she stubbornly kept her focus on the road in front of them.

?Say it,? Heero demanded.

?Are you RECORDING this?? She frowned, her mouth pursed as she turned her head to glare at him. ?Thanks for the warning.?

Heero didn?t say anything. For once she didn?t quite blame him.

Relena sighed again, dispelling her irritation. She had a feeling she was going to be unpleasant to be around until she could get over the shame she felt at being tricked. Heero would never be fooled like that. ?Helen came up to me, and gave me the disc. She said something like: ?Heero intentionally set off the alarms in the middle of your speech so you could get this out of here undetected.??

?You believed her??

Relena had to bite her tongue from snapping back with something like ?well, I?m here, aren?t I?? She didn?t think it would serve either of them if she kept up with this venomous trend. ?She was very convincing at the time, and no one had told me any different. It didn?t seem unfeasible to me that you would slip the disc to Quatre and then he would pass it to me. I was the only one they could truly account for during the time the alarm went off, wasn?t I??

?It was a trap.?

?It was Helen,? Relena reminded him. ?The only mistake I probably made was sticking around inside the party. I thought it would be damning if I ran off immediately.?

?The only mistake you made,? Heero reiterated. ?Was falling into the trap in the first place.?

?True,? Relena conceded. ?But it didn?t end badly, all things considered.?

?It hasn?t ended.?

?Sometimes you take things too literally,? she said, matter of fact. ?You must realize the implications being caught with that disc would have had on my political campaign. The people wouldn?t be able to trust me anymore.?

?Wattmeter would have killed you.?

?But you rescued me,? Relena turned her head to look at him, giving a slight smile. ?I was kind of surprised to see you. I thought you would have fled the scene of the crime long before.?

Heero didn?t respond.

?That was an implied question,? she told him.

?Which I chose not to answer,? he responded with a smirk.

Relena?s gaze landed on the disc still rattling in the cupholder between them. ?Do you think it has a tracer on it??

?It?s a distinct possibility.? He didn?t seem surprised by her question, which reaffirmed her belief that he was always at least a thought and a half ahead of her.

?And you aren?t going to throw it out the window or something?? Relena couldn?t take her eyes of the seemingly innocent piece of plastic. It made her nervous to think that everything could be ruined by such an innocuous item.

?I want to see what?s on it first.?

?Why? Don?t you have the real one??

?If they were planning to bring you up on charges, there has to be something incriminating on here.?

Relena didn?t point out that he was contradicting his assumption that Wattmeter would have offed her. ?Yeah, but it would be incriminating for me, wouldn?t it? They wouldn?t put anything on a planted disc which would point a finger at themselves.? She thought she was pretty clever until he responded.

?There would probably be something on there that would make it worth the effort for someone like you to steal.?

?I get the feeling you?ve set people up before.?

This time Heero did smile, and it wasn?t one which rainbows are made of. ?It?s usually below my talents.?

?Mmmmhmmm,? Relena grunted, holding on to the armrest as Heero swerved off the road. At first she thought something had happened to the car, like the entire engine falling out, but instead he pulled into the lot of a clean-looking gas station. Pure white lights can make all the difference sometimes. Relena turned towards him, eyebrow raised.

?You need to change,? Heero said. ?And I would like to look at that disc before disposing of it.?

?Fine,? Relena responded, sounding blas? about the idea of changing but scrambling out of the car almost before he had it parked. She wrenched the bag holding her new clothing out of the back seat and started towards the front entrance of the convenience store.

?Out here.? Heero?s voice halted her in her tracks. Relena scowled at him and his order, but obeyed with minimal protest. As she was scootching a pair of panties up under her dress he was setting up a portable computer, using the front hood of the car as a make-shift desk.

?Where?d you get that?? Relena asked as she put on a bra under the cover of the dress.

?Wal-mart,? Heero grunted.

?I didn?t pay for that,? she remarked with confusion.

?Neither did I,? he responded with a slight quirk of his lips. He set up a bunch of cords and wires Relena couldn?t see any feasible need for, so instead of paying attention she hopped into the jeans, finding the fifty percent spandex in them did wonders to keep the material tight against her ass. Then, with more talent than finesse, she wriggled into the t-shirt Heero had picked out, finding that it was one of those baby-tees young girls liked to wear. Quickly, she slipped off her gown and tugged the sweater over her head. It was so huge she was swimming in it, but she liked the way the hood draped over her face. No one would recognize her like that. For now, she slipped it off her head and used a torn strip of the dress to tie her hair up in a high pony-tail.

Relena stepped behind him, staring over his shoulder as he looked at the information contained on the troublesome disc. ?There!? She said as the screen scrolled down. ?I would have risked my career for that.? She braced a hand on his shoulder so she could lean over him for a better look. Her sweater pooled forward, brushing against his back.

?A list of politicians??

Relena nodded, and then realized he probably couldn?t see her. ?A list of politicians Wattmeter has converted, bribed, or blackmailed over to his side since the last vote on the?? Relena paused then, realizing that like his job, hers also had secrets she couldn?t share. Unlike her, however, Heero took this in stride. She wouldn?t be surprised if he already knew what she was talking about.

Heero?s fingers flew nimbly over the keyboard, a blur of motion she could barely follow. She was immensely interested in this action. She always loved watching him as his fingers were in the process of doing the impossible. It was magic, and it was sexy as hell.

?What are you doing?? She breathed against his neck. She didn?t know if her pressure against his side was distracting him or hindering his movements in any way, but if it was he didn?t show it.

?The data is encrypted with fail-safes so that tracker bots transfer with the information if it's copied.?

Relena didn?t bother insulting his intelligence by asking if he could crack it.

?Done.? Heero stood suddenly, forcing her to take a step backwards. He turned, looking down at her and a slight smile brushed across his lips.

?What?? Relena asked.

Heero?s hand reached out, skimming along the tendrils of hair already falling out of her pony-tail. He used his index finger to lift her chin upwards so her face was directly facing his. For a second, she thought he might kiss her and her heart thudded audibly in her chest. The smile left his eyes and he became contemplative. ?Sometimes I forget how young you really are.?

?We are,? she reminded him. ?We?re the same age.?

?I was never young.? He let go of her chin and side-stepped away from her. The moment was over, but she couldn?t help but wonder what it was about her appearance that had brought on the first smile. She knew she looked like a teenage girl, but had he thought it looked stupid or was he oddly charmed by her baggy sweater, makeup-less features, and child-like hairstyle? She thought Heero probably didn?t know why he had smiled, but it wasn?t something she would forget. His look had been unusually fond.

?What are you going to do with the disc now?? She asked, taking a step backwards to give him room.

?Plant it.?

?On what? Another car??

Heero shot her a level look. ?Preferably on one travelling in the opposite direction from us.?

?Okay,? Relena said. ?Watch this.? She grabbed his hand and started walking towards a car which had just pulled into the front of the gas-station. A middle-aged couple started to get out as she approached. ?Excuse me,? Relena said in a timid voice. ?We?re lost.?

?Relena,? Heero growled a warning. She knew he was cautioning her about talking with strangers, but he added authenticity to her claim of being lost, sounding exactly like a disgruntled male who refused to ask for directions.

?My boyfriend,? Relena continued, jabbing at Heero, ?thinks we continue along this route to get to Riverside, but I thought we should check.?

?Which way are you going, dear??

?That way,? Relena pointed in the direction they came from.

?Then you?re heading in the right direction.? The husband visibly rolled his eyes at his wife as she helpfully stopped to aid the young, innocuous looking couple on their trip. ?I have a map in the car and can show you if you want.?

?Would you?? Relena asked hopefully. ?I just can?t get over this idea that we somehow passed the turnoff. We?re heading into town for my aunt?s funeral.? Like a true master, Relena allowed her voice to go slightly sad, making sure to infuse the proper amount of grief into it, the amount people feel for relatives they hardly know. The older women made a sympathetic cooing noise. ?I remember visiting once as a child and I thought we were off the highway by now.?

?I know the area well. My husband and I are on our way in that direction.?

?Marlene,? said husband muttered with impatience.

?Just go,? Marlene dismissed with a wave of her hand. ?If you hurry you can buy one of those package cake things you like so much and finish eating it before I can scold you for breaking your diet.? The man took a moment to scowl at her ruining his bad intentions before he could actually act upon them and walked into the gas station, probably to do just that. ?Men,? Marlene huffed.

?I?d like to see that map, if I may.? Relena smiled charmingly. As Marlene opened the passenger door and rummaged through the glove compartment, Heero stuck the disc to the undercarriage of the car. Since it seemed to stay there with no problem, Relena figured the body adhesive was coming to the rescue again. Helen might have been a sneak, but at least she knew how to be useful. Heero stepped back from the car, almost a ghostly shadow with his movements. If Relena hadn?t been watching for him to make a move, she would have thought he was the bored boyfriend impatiently waiting for his girlfriend to quit emasculating him so they could get on their way. Sometimes, she thought that if they two of them didn?t make it at their respective jobs, they should go on the grift. They were half-way there already.

?So we?re here,? Relena said pointing to a spot on the map. ?Where is Riverside??

Marlene pointed to a spot to the south of their position.

?Ok,? Relena said, staring at the map. ?So if we go along this highway ? honey, see! I told you we were going in the right direction ? we should be there in two hours? Three at the most??

?About that,? Marlene agreed. ?We?re only driving for another hour, but you?re free to follow us out of town if you like.?

?Thank you. That?s very kind. But you see,? Relena broke off, looking abashed. ?We were going to find a hotel before joining my family tomorrow.?

Marlene laughed, eyes zoning in on her husband walking out the door of the gas station. He had his flaky caky in his hand and was flaunting it in front of his wife. Marlene narrowed her eyes. ?Enjoy it while you can.?

?I really need to use the bathroom,? Relena said earnestly. ?Would you mind doing the girly thing and accompanying me??

The trip to and from the bathroom was uneventful; Marlene talked about how her bladder didn?t seem as large as it used to be, and Relena regaled her with false tales about how her boyfriend refused to stop until she threatened to go in his car. On returning, they found the men standing around in the harsh white light of the parking lot, looking distinctly uncomfortable in the company of strangers they refused to converse with.

?Men!? Relena ended the conversation with a laugh as Heero moved away from where he was leaning against a white-washed wall. ?Thank you so much for your help. You?re good people.? She waved to Marlene as Heero slid his hand around her elbow and subtly hauled her towards their rustmobile. Once they were out of earshot, she crowed, ?and that?s how you do it.?

?That?s how you let people notice you for more than a minute.? Heero?s voice was cold, and she could hear his displeasure. It took the ready smile off her face. ?That?s how you enter a building with security cameras and put your face on video. That?s how you undo the steps we?ve taken.?

Relena shook her head at him, rounding the car and looking at him over the hood. ?That?s how you get away with planting a tracer without skulking.? She opened her door angrily, not even worrying about the old material on the seats anymore. She was dressed for the part of slumming. She slid in, slamming the door behind her. A second later Heero joined her. ?That?s how you find a kind, mother-like figure to go to the bathroom with so that it appears as though you?re family. No one will look twice at a video of a girl in jeans and a sweater chatting amicably with her mom.?

Heero said nothing.

?Besides,? Relena pointed out with just a hint of superiority. ?You were the one who slipped up and used my real name.?

?RelenaFanel.April10.2007

*reaches for candy**finds candy ALL GONE**pouts* A nice review might make up for the fact I just ate a whole package of candy which I thought rather disgusting. *depressed*

[Lady Saffir]

*snicker* There's a thought, the two of them running scams. Loved the interaction and humor between Heero and Relena.

[Midge-14]

Go Relena!

Heh Mr not-so-perfect-after-all soldier slipped up and used her name.

This is great! Can't wait for more...

[Morrighan]

I think Relena won that round.... *snickers*

Aside from the accidental double post (which I shall pass the message onto Rose so she can deal with it), I can't wait to see more!!

[11krage]

*is still laughing from reading the chapter* In short, i'm loving it and i can't wait to read more

[NafX]

I love this story ...
It's one of my daily highlights ...
Do come back soon with lots more won't you?



Keep it coming !!!

-Nat.

[HiFreak]

I have not idea how I missed the last two chapters of this fic for so long. Anyway, read it now and love it. Have to say I can practically see the sparks flying off those two, it would be nice if they did find that hotel for the night.

[PeaceWing]

Heh heh. This chapter just made my day. I just love the way this is going "yay for Relena".

[Nihal]

?I didn?t pay for that,? she remarked with confusion.

?Neither did I,? he responded with a slight quirk of his lips.

this story rocks, nice to think we are at chapter 7 and still haven't understood what's going on

[AliasGrace]

oh i just love love love love love this story and wish there was more? is there more? is there kissing in the more? oh please please let there be more!!
cheers***