Starman chapter 15

[wsprs]

?Shit! They?re getting away!?
In his frustration, he forgot about the young man he was cuffing, and dragged the poor fellow with him as he took a few steps toward the mustang as it sped away.
?What about these two??
Stone looked to his partner and scowled as he grit his teeth. He looked from one boy to the other, still smiling as though they hadn?t a care in the world. He sneered in contempt.
?These kids are shit streaks compared to the ones who stole the Minister?s car. Leave ?em here. They can?t do more damage than they?ve already done.?
He appraised the boys as they beamed, and a malicious grin spread across his face.
?But just to teach ?em a lesson, cuff ?em to the vending machine. They must?a really wanted whatever was in it, so they?re gonna get as much as they can stomach.?
When they were finished locking the boys to the machine, Stone dangled the key in their faces - right before he chucked it as far as he could throw it. Then, he turned toward the police vehicle, not bothering to see if his partner followed. Stone looked back to see the two sitting atop the vending machine, watching him. They weren?t smiling any longer. He laughed.

Minutes later, the cop car screamed its way out of the parking lot. When he could no longer see the flashing lights, one of the boys looked to the other and sighed.
?Ya think they?ll make it??
The other boy just looked towards the sky and grinned.
?Yeah.?
The first boy smiled in response, and picked up a package from the pile of fallen candy as he nodded.
?I think so, too. But we?re stuck. I sure hope you like Doritos and Snickers.?
The boys looked at the chaos around them, and laughed.

Relena bounced in her seat. She didn?t know why, but she felt giddy with happiness. A few hours ago, she had wanted nothing more than to sleep. Now, she was delighted to be driving. Still, she looked back, though she knew the hotel was miles behind them. Her smile widened as she thought of her rescuers, but she hoped the two boys would be all right. Somehow, she believed they would be just fine. Turning in her seat, she looked to the road ahead. There was still six or seven hours until sunrise, but she was no longer sleepy. Suddenly in the mood for the strange conversation her companion provided, she looked to the driver?s side and saw that he was glaring into the rear-view mirror. His severe expression wiped the smile from her face, and she immediately began to worry. Looking back again, she saw flashing lights, and heard the distant shrill of sirens growing closer. Her heart froze as it fell to her feet. She snapped her head to look at her friend, and tried to keep her tears from falling.
?What are we going to do? We can?t outrun them in this car..?
He answered her by lowering his eyebrows dangerously, and pressing his lips in a firm, determined line. Her breath heaved, and her body shook. There was nothing they could do, they both knew it. And they had come so far! It wasn?t fair that they should be caught now when they were so close?

She bit her trembling lip and turned her head so that she looked out her window, at the police vehicle as it sped along side them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement and twisted to see what the alien was doing. Her eyes flew open as she saw him bring up the gun she had placed under the seat a few short hours ago. Launching herself to grab the pistol, she fought him for possession.
?No! No, you can?t!?

?Blade! Get on the horn and get a road-block! And some back-up for God?s sake! For an old as shit mustang, the fucker driving sure can get it to fly! I?m having trouble keeping up with it!?
Blade quickly called for reinforcements. As he was confirming their position, he dropped the radio and shouted, and pulled a revolver from his belt.
?They?ve got a gun!?
?WHAT!??
Stone swerved, but rapidly pulled along side the mustang again. His knuckles where white against the wheel, and his nostrils flared. Sweat poured from his brow, and his eyes where twice the size they should be, and were glossed over with untamed adrenaline. He shouted and spittle flew from his lips.
?Well shoot them! What in the hell are you waiting for!??
Blade jumped and fired in his surprise. The bullet shattered the driver?s side window, but it also hit the mustang. He panicked.
?Stone! What do I do? They didn?t stop!?
Stone roared.
?Keep firing until they do, you asshole!?
Blade turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He fired.


Relena screamed and threw her hands to cover her face as the window beside her shattered. Shards of glass flew around her, cutting and slicing her. Trembling, she was unable to stifle a gasp. She shook herself mentally and was able through her fear, attempt to take control of the gun once more.
?Please! Don?t you see? They?re only shooting at us because they think we?re--?
Another sound rocketed the air, and a soft crunch cut her words off. Her body slumped like a limp rag doll into his lap. Horrified, he looked to her unmoving form, and his eyes flew open with a sickening fear.
?Releena Pease-craft??
He touched her to revive her, but got no response. Whining through the tears that gathered in his throat, he choked. He shook her violently, desperate for her to move.
?Releena Pease-craft!!?
Tears streaming down his face, his eyes rolled wildly. He didn?t understand. Why was this happening? He sputtered as his breath heaved from his aching lungs. Again, he looked to her still body, hoping - silently begging - for her to get up.

Shots were still hitting the mustang, but nothing penetrated. He looked up and into the cab of the police car, eyes wide and unfocused as they stared, devastated. The two police men were not going to give up. He saw that. But he saw no way out. Save one.

He turned his eyes to the road, now completely empty, as if the soul had left them. One hand rested on Relena?s head, twisting her hair between his fingers as she had often done to him. Only her locks were matted with blood and were sticky. He didn?t seem to notice. Instead, he stared blankly out the windshield, waiting.

And there it was.

He gunned the engine until it screamed, and the mustang revved until it hit its peak at 112 miles per hour. He flew right into a semi-truck full of nitrogen that had been flagged down and used as a barricade. He smiled as the vision of a huge eruption of fire exploded violently in a mushroom cloud, even through his closed eyelids.

To him, her hair was as soft as silk.

The chaos was loud and the inferno absolute. But through the smoke, a glowing form emerged. The alien looked at the woman in his arms, and his hold on her tightened. His eyes became the insane color of rage and sorrow as they absorbed the chaos around them. It was as if all the suffering bled from the scene around them and thrived within his pupils. As he gazed at her, he took her in, memorizing every part of her beautiful face. He cocked his head as he held her to his chest, and breathed in her scent. He had always liked the soft buzz that filled the back of his mind when her smell came into his awareness. He closed his eyes and concentrated on her smell, willing it to wash over and through him, before raising his head. Features once again hard as slate, he opened his eyes. He continued to walk as though the furious firestorm behind him did not exist, holding the precious female as close as he could.

_______________________________________________________

?You?re out of your gourd!?
Duo nearly smacked himself stupid when he brought his hand to his forehead. Zechs shook his head softly, close to an end of his patience, and waited for the man on the other end to get a hold of himself. Gruffly, he spoke.
?That was what was reported, and I?ve relayed it to you as it was relayed to me. Now, I?ve fulfilled my end of the bargain. So, will you please! Inform Lady Une I?m reporting as ordered! If you do not, I?ll be forced to come back and do it myself!?
Duo?s mouth contorted into a nervous lopsided curl, and he pulled his braid as he backed slowly away from a glare that the screen did nothing to soften. When his back bumped into the wall and he could go no further, he seemed to come to.
?Naw!! I?ll tell her! Hold on a sec..?
He turned his head and an ear piercing? screech came forth.
?UUUUUUUUUUUNNNNEE!!! You gotta call!! It?s Zeeeeecchs!!?
He paused.
?AGAIN!!?
When he turned back to the screen, Zechs rolled his eyes. Duo was much too goofy to be normal. He recalled just then a comment made by Duo once. Something about violence toward someone who was always smiling invoking a sense of guilt, thus making violence too difficult to bother with. Right now, he?d take the trouble and the guilt. Zechs grinned.

A moment later, Une pushed Duo aside, but not without nailing him with an angry glower. Satisfied, she sat and confronted the screen.
?You were ordered to report back fifteen minutes ago.?
Zechs sighed, the brief elation from his wicked daydream fading, but only slightly; he had hope that she was as immune to Duo?s guilt trips as he.

Bringing himself under control, Zechs drew to his full hight and squared his shoulders.
?It?s been confirmed by more than seven witnesses as opposed to the four I reported previously. All testify that a glowing figure emerged from the smoke. It?s said that he was carrying her..?
Zechs paused to clear his throat. Une understood. She was having trouble keeping her tears to herself as well. When his features hardened, she prepared herself.
?I have contacted you to inquire what I am to do with officers Stone and Blade.?
She counted to ten, and concentrated on controlling her breathing.
Breathe in ? one?
Breath out ? two?
When she felt she could trust her voice, she spoke, albeit with much more bitterness than she had intended.
?Unfortunately, we cannot convict either man for the attempted homicide of Relena. Neither knew she was in the car, and we don?t want anyone to suspect that she was.?
Zech?s pinched brows nearly shaded his eyes completely, and his jaw was so tight she imagined she could hear his teeth grind. But to his credit, he remained silent until she had finished. But when he spoke, it was as though his voice was grating against sandpaper.
?Blade insists he shot the occupant on the passenger side. The two we found hand cuffed to the vending machine at motel 9 insist Relena was on that side as they made their escape.?
Une was so stretched and tired, her mind needed little excuse. Something inside her snapped. She couldn?t help but bark in laughter at the serious expression on Zech?s face. When his eyes widened in uncharacteristic surprise, she had to cover her mouth to prevent laughing harder.
?I pray for pardon. But you look.. Zechs, I have no excuse!?
She was turning red from embarrassment, but still she shook with barely contained laughter.
?But the look on your face is priceless! You are speaking of two fool teenagers who are handcuffed to a vending machine as though it were the end of humanity!?
Zechs opened his mouth, and let it hang as Une?s words sunk in. Slowly, the corner of his mouth raised slightly in a grin. When Duo?s guffawing spilled over hands pressed firmly over half his face, Zechs couldn?t help himself. He let himself chuckle. Mere seconds later, he found his sides splitting when Duo?s face came into view behind Une. Poor Duo was practically shoving his fist into his mouth to prevent sound from coming out, and in the process, his face was turning purple. His eyes, typically wide and in search of mischief, were now quadruple their normal size and rolling inside his head, sightless. When he passed out onto the floor, Zechs couldn?t help himself. He roared.

A minute went by before the resounding laughter died enough for coherency. He was reluctant to let it go - God, how he had needed that! By the look of Une, she had needed it as well. So far, Duo was still on the ground, though by the sound of it, he was teetering between breathing hard and giggling. The boy might be unnaturally happy, but all knew it was only Duo?s way of coping. The laugh had done him good as well. But, it was time. As he wiped the tears from his eyes, he forced seriousness to return.
?The crash was less than an hour ago. I?m going to set up a road block on I-70 in Grand Junction, Colorado. The mustang has been annihilated, but if they were seen walking away from the wreckage, I must assume they are alive and continuing their flight to Winslow. In fact, I?m counting on it.?
Hearing the weight in his voice was all that was needed to pull Une from her ill placed mirth. She sighed as she nodded. Looking onto the floor, she seemed to consider something. Slowly, she caught Zech?s gaze.
?You do realize you have Duo to thank. It was he who understood where Relena is being taken.?
Zechs drew in a deep breath and held it. Somberly, he let it out and nodded once. He seemed to struggle with some internal conflict, but finally, appeared resigned.
?Tell him..?
He paused to clear his throat.
?Thank you. Duo.?
The screen went blank. Duo lie on the floor spread-eagle, and absolutely dumbfounded. Une just smiled.
?Duo. I think it?s time you met our adversary.?
From his place near her feet, Duo shifted so that he rested on his side, and put his head in his hand.
?Yeah. I do seem to know him best, don?t I??

[kawaiiemogirl]

Hmm.