Anrui Lethenanashi (9-13/?)

[Anrui]

<b><center>Anrui Lethenanashi</center></b>
<center>Chapter Nine</center>

Disclaimer: I don?t own Gundam Wing, don?t pretend to. It belongs to a bunch of wonderful, wonderful people! Give them credit!

*******

After Ann reached the base, she allowed the doctor to take her to the hospital wing. He released her after only a short time as her wounds were not dangerous. She got up, left the hospital, and went looking around. No one gave her very much grief, as most knew who her so-called ?father? was. She was free to look for Luke?s cell.

While looking around, Ann tried to remember Luke? It was hard as she hadn?t seen him in about ten years. She knew what he looked like ? that wasn?t very hard. She knew pretty much every detail about who he was and where he?d been. But that didn?t say shit about who he was on the inside. From what she could remember, Luke had been loud and boisterous, wild and flamboyant, tall and good-looking. Well, he had been tall when they were five? But Ann didn?t know if he still would be? Same went for the good-looking part.

Ann suddenly stopped walking as she noticed the sign on the door. She had found the prison ward. She hadn?t even been looking! Just wandering around. She slipped in unnoticed, but didn?t make it look as though she didn?t want to be noticed. She quickly scanned the room for hidden cameras? There were none. She scanned for voice detectors: none; finally she scanned for a security system: none. They sure didn?t worry about people breaking free here, did they?

She quickly surveyed the room? It was no wonder they didn?t have any security systems! These cells were fool-proof! Ann hardly knew if she?d be able to crack the cell open from the outside! She looked it over and deduced that she most certainly could. Knowing she could, she scanned the cells until she found what she wanted. The only full cell in the ward. A young man ? fifteen or so ? was its only occupant. He had a slim/medium build and was lying on his back with his hands behind his head nonchalantly atop his prison cot. He had obviously gotten used to the very displeasing accommodations. Ann certainly wouldn?t want to be here. The man had straight black hair that framed his face perfectly. He seemed to have heard her enter, as he didn?t look up, but made a comment.

?If you?re here to ask me once more where my sister is, I don?t know. I don?t know how that can be so fucking hard to believe. Geezus!? He seemed very frustrated.

?Why would I need to ask?? Ann asked, grinning. He didn?t seem to recognize her voice.

?Oh, so now I have an interrogator with a sense of humor? How wonderful!? He said in a dry tone.

?Well, I know where she is quite well thank you very much. She sends you her regards.? Ann saw the man shoot up on his cot. He couldn?t see out of the cell, but she could see in.

?What do you mean? You didn?t do anything to her, did you??

?No, no, no, Mr. Luke.? Ann was trying very hard not to laugh at the look on the young man?s face. She was having fun provoking him.

?I? don?t understand?? He seemed to have a problem with that.

?I?m offended!? Ann had decided to start dropping hints, very subtly. Just to see how well he deducted under pressure.

?Who are you??

?Well, well! You are good. How very pleasing!?

?If you want me to join you on condition of leaving my sister out of this, forget it! I have no proof that you know where she is!? Ann found this thoroughly amusing, so she decided to continue her scam.

?Would you join me if I brought her before you??

?If it meant her being safe? I would have to.? Ann smiled in her trademark sad manner.

?Well, she?s perfectly safe, has never been taking into enemy custody, is good at hacking, and makes a wonderful soldier.?

?What the-!? He seemed confused. ?Do you have her or not??

Ann sighed. ?Geez, you have one hell of a one-track mind, kiddo. She?s safe! Doesn?t that please you??

?No. I want to see this damned war end so that I can go to her??

?What would you do if she came to you??

?Question the security of this base.?

?You are so remarkably dense that it?s funny.?

?Excuse me!?!?

?Luke, kid, I?m fine. Can?t you tell? Or do you just not notice hints very well??

Luke?s eyes shot open. ?Ann!? He jumped up. ?Damn you! Don?t mess with me like that!?

?But it was so fun, big brother!?

?Ann Lowe! I?m going to hurt you when I get out of here!?

?Who said I was letting you out? Maybe I joined these people. Maybe I?m only pretending to be Ann. How would you know?? The cell was silent.

?I guess I don?t. But if you aren?t Ann, oh well.? He sighed. ?I can wait.?

?Oh, don?t be so depressed! I?m letting you out!? Ann opened the cell door. ?See.? The man brought his eyes up to her and his jaw dropped.

?I knew we were twins? But I didn?t know we were identical?? Ann hit him over the head.

?You mean to say that you?ve forgotten what I look like! Ingrate!? She glared at him.

?Truce! Truce!? He put his fingers together in a cross.

?Now, we have to get out of here! Joe?s gonna get pissed at me pretty soon. I think I wounded his enormous pride.? She rolled her eyes.

?Who?s Joe? Your boyfriend?? Ann stopped dead in her tracks.

?EWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!? She shrieked. ?I HATE THAT SON OF A BITCH!?

?Whoa! No need to get yourself in a tizzy over it, kid! Geez!? Luke laughed. He had a sweet laugh; his smile was genuine and not the least bit sad.

??..?

?So who is he??

?The President. Or so he likes to be called?? She rolled her eyes. ?Joe?s the General of the Federation Army.?

?!!!? Luke?s eyes almost popped out of his head. ?How the hell do you know him?!??

?Yuy forced me to join up with him.? She grinned teasingly. ?Both of ?um.?

????? He blinked a couple of times. ?Who?s ?Yuy???

?Just the leader of the colonies??

?Doh! How did you get so high-up?!??

?I live with his kid.?

?You?re engaged!?!?

Ann almost gagged. ?What?!? I am NOT engaged to Andrew thank-you-very-much!?

?You?re blushing.? Luke pointed out bluntly.

?I am not!?

?Yes you are.?

?Do you wanna get decked??

?Not in particular.?

?Then shut up, bakayarou.?

?That wasn?t nice.? He glared at her.

?So what?? She glared back. Need I mention that they both have an insanely accurate Yuy death glare? *shudders*

??let?s just get out of here.? He groaned. ?I need to see something other than a prison cell wall? It?s so dull? and gray??

?I suppose it is.? Ann smirked at him.

?So, where are we headed, dear little sister??

?We?re going back to the Federation HQ of course!? Ann laughed as though that were the obvious solution. ?I have to pick up Yuy, Andrew, and Sora!?

?You are so confusing me, imouto.?

?Well, you?re male. It?s expected? Oniisan!?

?Haha!? He laughed. ?Touch?!?

?You actually except that?? Ann blinked with an eyebrow raised.

?So? Girls are hot, guys are not!?

??? Her raised eyebrow twitched. *bonk!*

?Itai?? Luke rubbed his head.

?OK.? Ann muttered as they entered the main hall. ?Follow me.? She skirted them along the numerous halls that branched off and formed the base structure. It seemed everything was going well until a door opened to directly smash Luke in the head. The man who opened the door noticed Luke and sounded the alarm. In about ten seconds Ann and Luke were surrounded by about fifty men.

?This is just great, Imouto.?

?Well, what do you say we show them exactly what it means to be a Lowe??

?You?re on!? They both crouched into a martial arts position and prepared to fight off quite a few people. (Imagine dozens of huge guys staring you down.)

Surprisingly, the two did quite well. They both had the ability to do quite a few things that normal people couldn?t, one of those things was the ability to fight for long periods of time against guys twice their size without tiring a bit. In fact, they only got invigorated. Soon, most of the fighters were defeated, and the two were free to run for it. Ann led them to the exit, but found that the enemy didn?t want to let them through very much. There was a barricade at the exit. It consisted of about thirty men. One of them was the doctor from the plane. He looked at Ann with hard eyes and she almost regretted having to defeat him (not kill folks, just knock out). She just remembered how hard it had been to be a girl wandering the streets alone because her brother had been taken from her. She wouldn?t forgive that. There was no reason for her to feel bad at all.

?I thought you were to be trusted. You disguised yourself as one of us, then tricked us, then let him out. You are the Lowe girl. The one we were looking for. The one we must destroy. You killed one of our best troops, then paraded around as one of our most cherished soldiers? daughter. You tricked us and there is no excuse for that. Now we must kill you both.? The doctor glared at her hatefully.

?It?s not my fault you fell for it. I just wanted my brother back. Think of my killing your troop as the first part of my payback for taking my brother from me. That is the only unforgivable thing that I can think of, sir.? Ann?s eyes frosted over and she was a cold as was humanly possible plus some.

?Never mind your fucking brother! He is but one person! You killed many of ours!?

?You think I give a damn? This is a war. By the time it?s over, half the people in this room will be dead. Plus some, even.? Ann could find no reason not to be cold.

?Let?s go, Annie-girl! Let?s get out of here!? Luke touched her arm lightly.

?Right!? Ann?s eyes softened at the face of her brother. She found her resolve about her nickname fading even farther into the background. Chris? I must let your memory rest now. I have my brother. I?m happy, aren?t I? Aren?t I?

Needless to say, Ann and Luke defeated their attackers, but not without retaining some damage. Luke had gotten the better end of the fight and had only cut open his left forearm. Ann, however, had not been so lucky. She had wound up with a gunshot wound in her left shoulder, precariously close to her heart. She had yet to finalize whether it hit her heart or not. Despite uncertainties in some issues, she knew for a fact that her injury would slow her down a bit. She just had to try and remember Yuy?s cell number so that they could be picked up. She was having difficulties, though. Her eyes and mind kept fogging over. Ann knew that she was treading on very thin ice. She could collapse at any moment, who knew if she?d be able to wake up? Luke looked completely shocked at the amount of blood she was losing.

?Dammit! What the fuck is that damned number!?!? Ann was getting frustrated.

?Maybe it?s just slipped your mind, Ann.? Luke comforted softly.

??? Ann was deep in thought. Right as she thought that she could think no longer, Ann remembered the number. ?I got it! 2-786-999-0010. Try that!? Luke inserted the money and punched the number into the pay phone.

?It?s ringing?Hello!? I would like to speak with-?

?Heero Yuy.?

?Mr. Heero Yuy please?thank you!? Yes, Mr. Yuy? My name is Lucas Lowe, sir? Yeah, nice to hear from you, too? umm, sure? listen, I need you to send a helicopter to these coordinates-?

?122, 56, 709, 902A.?

?122, 56, 709, 902A? thank you, sir? I?ll see you then? Yup, bye.? He hung up. ?Mou! That man sure does like to hear himself talk, doesn?t he??

?He?s really a good guy, Luke.? Ann?s voice was slowly getting softer and more forced, Luke was noticing.

?You should lie down, Ann. I don?t want you to pass out and hit the ground.?

?I should pass out in general, Oniisan.?

?I know, but right now I think it?s inevitable.?

?I hope I don?t.?

?Yeah? Me, too.? His hair had fallen over his eyes, but Ann was sure that her brother was tearing.

?Shhh? It?ll be fine, Luke. I?ll be fine! I?ve gotten out of worse situations than this!? She reassured him, knowing that if she had actually believed what she was saying, he would have been more apt to.

?Are you kidding!?!?

?Luke, I know it looks bad, but I?ll be fine?? Ann coughed lightly, only it wasn?t so light. She saw blood on her hand out of the corner of her eye and realized that the bullet had pierced at least some portion of her heart. Oh, great. She thought to herself?

?How do I know you?re not just saying that?? He trailed off, then looked up into the sky to see a helicopter there. ?Ann, is that the one we?re waiting for, or the enemy?s?? Luke helped his sister sit up so she could get a better look at it.

?That?s ours.? Ann took a beacon out of her pocket and handed it to him. ?Wave this. The radar will be sure to pick it up.? Luke nodded and did as he was told. The Federation helicopter landed in the street in front of them and seven soldiers rushed out, along with Yuy and Sora.

?Good God, Ann!? Sora shrieked. ?Now what have you gone and done?? Sora was staring in horror at the wound on her shoulder.

?He?? Ann managed to laugh, she had a pained smile on her face. ?This? Just a little bullet, that?s all.?

?It looks like it hit a major vein!? Sora was freaking out while Yuy helped Luke and Ann onto the helicopter.

After they were on board, Yuy started up a conversation to keep Ann from blacking out. ?So this is who you went after, is it??

?Yeah?? Ann was finding it harder and harder to speak.

?Is he your brother??

?Hehe? You could say that.? She smiled in irony.

?We?re twins.? Luke answered.

?So that would make you Ann Lowe, just as we suspected!? Sora clapped her hands together happily, forgetting the current predicament.

?Yes, I guess it would.? Ann blinked at the woman?s stupidity and Sora noticed.

?Excuse me, young lady, but I am not as much of an idiot as you think, so there!?

?Really now??

?How is it that you?re still able to make smart-ass comments even when you?re this close to being unconscious?? Luke joked.

?Talent, I guess.? Ann?s vision was becoming foggy, and her voice was barely above a whisper. ?Now I feel very? tired?? Her eyes began to slowly close, and she would never remember the three people trying desperately to keep her from blacking out.

Ann awoke later in the hospital of the Federation Military. She had a tight bandage around her left shoulder and another more loosely around her forehead. She looked around briefly before sighing and letting the monitor take notice of her awakening. Five people rushed in all at once. One, of course, being a nurse. The other four being Sora, Isabelle, Yuy, and ? surprisingly ? Joe.

?Are you all right?? Sora was ? seemingly ? treating her as if she were only half there.

??? Ann just glared at her.

?I guess you are?? Sora paled and backed off.

?Oh, Ann! I have to go and get Master Andrew, now.? Isabelle ran off to find her employer.

?So, you?re up. You had us pretty worried. You?ve been out for three weeks.? Yuy grinned.

?Nani!!!!!???????!!!!!!!? Ann screeched.

????? She was rewarded with four blank stares ? OK, one was a glare.

?It means ?what?.? She rolled her eyes.

?You have, truly.? Joe barked.

?Eh-heh?? Ann?s eye twitched. ?I didn?t know I?d hurt myself that badly.?

?You did. Now, tell us what you were doing there.? Joe didn?t seem to care that there were three people glaring at him.

?I went to get my brother.? Ann glared harshly.

?And you decided that we didn?t matter? You need to tell us what you?re doing!? Joe barked.

?Good fucking grief!? Ann shrieked and threw up her arms.

?No need for foul language, young lady.? Yuy reprimanded.

??? Ann twitched.

?Was the boy that came back with you your brother?? Joe asked in a demanding tone.

?Why should I tell you??

?Because if he?s not your brother, we?ll just keep in jail.?

?You threw my brother in jail!? Ann shot into a sitting position before anyone could stop her.

?I knew I hated you for a reason! Now I?ve got enough for the world to pass around!? She threw the sheets off herself and ran out of the room. She didn?t get very far, however, as she collided with Andrew when she rounded the corner.

?Wow!? He laughed. ?You look as though you?ve seen a ghost!?

?Look, I?m fine, now I gotta go get Luke!? She shot off again.

?Luke?? Andrew just stared after her.

Ann ran down hall after hall as she searched for her brother. She soon came to the prison area of the base and shot in like a cannon, paying no heed to the two guards? outside?s warnings.


?Luke! Where are you??

?I?m over here.? Came a disgruntled voice. Ann ran to where the voice had come from.

?Luke!? She wasted no time opening up his cell door and letting him out.

?Thank you?? Luke looked beyond the point of annoyance.

?What?s with you??

?What took so long??

?Do you think I left you in there on purpose!? Ann looked as if someone had just told her she was male.

?Well? Didn?t you?? He looked pissed, to say the least!

?No! I just woke up, baka!?

?Really??

?Yes!? Ann just rolled her eyes. ?Trust me, I wouldn?t let you sit in here that long if I could help it. Why would I rescue you just to put you back in a cell??

?I don?t know. I was trying to figure that one out the whole time I was in there. I came up with only one reason.?

?And what?s that??

?That you wanted to punish me for getting caught in the first place.?

?Trust me, getting caught is enough punishment. I know. I?ve been shot about four times in the last month.?

?Itai! I don?t want to be you!?

?Well, you get to live with me for a while!?

?I knew that! Where else would I stay??

?No idea. Come on, we have to go back to the hospital wing before they send someone after me. Or Joe shows up with a shotgun.? She rolled her eyes.

?That?d be funny!?

?I now seriously question your sanity, kid.?

?Hey! I?m older than you are?kid!?

?By about four minutes.?

?So? That?s enough.?

?Well, I act older than you do.?

?You haven?t been stuck in a cell for ten years.?

?True. But, I have been drifting from organization to organization.?

?That doesn?t surprise me. We?re supposed to be dead.?

?I know.?

?Have you found out yet??

?No.?

?Oh.?

That was all the time it had taken them to reach the hospital wing. They found six very confused people standing there.

?You! Damn you! You weren?t supposed to let him out until we had him checked!?

?Oops.? Ann said dryly to the infuriated President.

?Who are you!?!? He shrieked at Luke.

?Her older brother??

?Don?t mock me, dammit!?

?Yeah? Annie, does he always yell like this?? Luke asked his younger sister.

?Only when in my presence. I guess I?m just infuriating.?

?Damn straight you are! Stupid child!?

?Who are you calling a child?? Ann and Luke asked in perfect unison.

?If you-?

?-mean either her-?

?-or him, you?re-?

?-going to get it.? They said while alternating lines. That shut up the Federation?s General.

?Nauseating, aren?t we?? Ann smirked at him.

?I could have you both thrown in prison!!?

?Do remember at all what happened the last time you tried that?? Ann smiled seductively.

??? Joe was very close to pouting right then and there.

?Aww? Poor baby gonna pout now?? Luke mocked him.

?Fuck you!?

?Again with the language!?

?Shut up, Yuy!? All three participants in the Level 5 arguing yelled in unison. Luke and Ann found that very funny, but Joe did not. (Neither did Yuy for that matter? ^^)

?Who are you?!?? Joe barked at Luke once more.

?Lucas Loverne Lowe, pleased to meet you.? Luke did a sweeping bow that had the regality of a prince. Joe?s eyes practically shot out of his head.

?But that would make you-? He was cut short by the laughter of Ann and Luke.

?Yes, it would.? Luke smiled. ?That would make us-?

?-dead.? Ann finished.

?But it?s not possible! I saw the shuttle go down! I was there! We were trying to get there before anything happened!?

?Didn?t quite make it, did you??

?Well, I sure as hell tried!?

?Hmm? This is turning out to be quite the melodrama. Don?t you think, love?? Sora nudged Yuy.

?Quite. Although, I wish they wouldn?t swear so much. It isn?t proper.?

??Sometimes I wonder just exactly how I put up with you.? Sora mocked.

?Well, my dear, you just do.? Yuy smiled and robbed her fingers in his hand.

?And I don?t mind it, either.? She smiled and leaned into his side.

?Good.? Joe and Ann were in a staring contest which the former was loosing.

?So, you tried to save me as a three-year-old, but you?re trying to arrest me, now? That doesn?t make much sense, now does it??

?Well, if you never make clear who you are, how are people supposed to get their standings right??

?Maybe I like watching people squirm too much.?

?All I have to say is that your parents wouldn?t be too happy with the way you turned out. They were total pacifists. They?d be against you.?

?Shut up!? Ann shrieked! ?I don?t remember them, so I don?t see why I should care!? Everyone in the audience realized that Joe had struck a sour note with the Immortal Girl. She turned and started leaving. Andrew quickly got up and went after her. Luke just stood transfixed to the floor. Then he got pissed.*

?You know what, you?re just, plain an ass! I have no idea why we?re even putting up with you! Ann and I don?t need your help! We can succeed on our own! You have no idea what our parents would have wanted! You have no right to make decisions for them! It doesn?t matter how well you knew them, no one knew them better than us! Annie can?t remember such things, but I can! We?re doing exactly what they told us to, alright? We remember what they told us to do, and we?re doing it, okay? So just back the hell away!? The boy had advanced on the President in a way that had shivers running down the backs of passers-by.

??? Joe had been shot full of holes by the young man?s speech.

?Luke, what did your parents say to you?? Yuy asked in a concerned way. He and Sora both had personally known the Lowe family. They could never imagine them telling their children to fight in any way.

?I?m not at liberty to say.? He seemed to have calmed down considerably.

?Why not??

?It?s not just my choice to involve you. I have to have Annie?s approval. Let?s just say that things aren?t always how they seem, okay?? He looked at them in a new way. Everyone ? from the time they first laid eyes on him ? had figured Luke to be the chipper one of the two (Ann and Luke), but now they saw someone else. Luke?s previously bright blue eyes were now tired and looked as though they?d seen twenty if not thirty times more things than they should have in their fifteen years on this planet. His smiled seemed bitter and his body wasted. He no longer looked fifteen, but seventy ? nearing the end of his days.

?I?m sorry.? The sudden statement shocked everyone. Joe was actually apologizing. ?I think I went too far. I know the Lowe family, or at least knew them.? He smiled sadly, looking at the floor. ?Well, I knew Odin at least. Senior that is. I guess Ann lied when she told us she had no family, eh, Yuy??

?Yeah? I guess?? Yuy looked thoroughly distracted.

?At least we know why she was told how do manufacture Gundanium Alloy.? Joe looked anything but ecstatic, though. ?The only problem is, I can no longer find a reason good enough to hate that damn little girl.?

?I guess that?s a good thing.? Sora smiled weakly.

?Now we just leave it to Andrew. If anyone can bring her spirits back up, it?s Andrew. I think the two work very well together.? Yuy stopped himself when he noticed Luke was glaring at him. ?No! I didn?t mean like that! They aren?t going out or anything! I swear!? Luke returned his gaze to out the window.

?Well, now that we know I few more things, I guess the only thing left is to defeat OZ.? Joe looked smug.

Luke snorted.

?What was that for?!??

?Two things.?

?Oh, yeah??

?Yeah.? He grinned in irony. ?One is for the fact that you have a one-track mind ? fighting and hate; second is for a pure and simple fact. The Federation can try and try as long as it wants? But it will never defeat OZ.?


**********

* It?s a huge thing for Luke to get pissed. Think of it this way ? Luke and Ann are like the day and night. You need one to have the other, yet they are the exact opposite. Luke is ? for the most part ? a lot like Duo from the Gundam Wing TV series. He?s always able to make a joke out of things and isn?t usually down or upset. Ann, however, is more like her son. She tends to think things over a little more when there?s time ? only when there?s time. If she has to, she?ll make the craziest decision in the world, and usually make it work out in the end. If you had to say it, Luke would be the day, and Ann the night. The day brightens the world but can be darkened, and the night sets everything in shades of gray. No happy medium for the night. I guess that would describe them quite well. Don?t you?

These are getting longer, aren't they? Crap...then they get short again. Whoops. AL's too long as is...it's KILLING my printer.