Hollow Girl: Hunting 3
Posted: Sun May 04, 2003 6:21 pm
disclaimer: not mine.
note: chapter 3 of Hollow Girl! Woohoo!!! hehe. Hmmm...not much activity here but it gets the story moving. Enjoy!
Maybe she should have listened to Milliardo. Her head throbbed with an annoying rhythm. She brushed a stray hair out of her face and wondered if the bruise showed through the heavy make-up that had been applied by a professional woman. Her arm throbbed in tune with her head. She was unable to get back to sleep after all the excitement caused by last night's episode. Everyone had been reluctant to leave her alone with the exception of Heero who was eager to examine the letter she had given him. Relena had ordered them out, begging exhaustion. And now here she was, trying to ignore the pain of music persistently playing all over her head and bandaged arm to focus on the paper work before her. Quatre's men had yet to return. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting against frustration and the weakness that was trying it's best to overwhelm her. More and more, the control she had always been proud of was slipping away. Everything was happening all at once. A mocking smile graced her mouth as she thought of the day the control would be altogether gone. What then? Would she end up in a damn mental hospital? That would stir quite a scandal. The Vice Foreign Minister, a nutcase?
"So what now?" Noin paced back and forth with a nervous restlessness. The conference table was filled with silence and bowed heads. The night had been too long and she knew that none of them have had a peaceful sleep. She turned to where Milliardo stood by the massive window that gave them the view of the mocking bright water that surrounded the palace. Her brows met in a frown of concern. He had been quiet since leaving Relena last night. "Zechs?"
"Now we wait for Quatre's men to report back." He kept his back turned from them.
Noin turned to the Gundam pilots whose eyes stared at nothing at all. They were all lost in their own world of worries. She turned to Heero. "What did you get from the letter?"
Heero hesitated before finally lifting his head and meeting her questioning eyes. The intensity of his gaze unnerved her.
"Nothing we don't already know. This guy is only after Relena and may not have to do with anyone else."
"But why?" This from Quatre whose eyes were shadowed with the remembrance of last night. "Why her? Why not the president or any of the other officials?"
"It isn't about the political world Quatre. It's simply about Relena." Noin turned at the sound of Milliardo's voice. He knew all along what it was about.
"So Relena is the main target for certain but we don't know why?" Trowa frowned in confusion.
Heero pushed his chair back and made a move towards the door, pausing to look back at the others. "Start questioning those who are currently living in the kingdom. Wulfei, Duo, get the background informations. Don't leave out anyone. Quatre, I suggest you start contacting your men and see if they have anything new. Trowa, I want you to organize the black guards and inform them of the new procedures involving their duties. From now on, nobody is allowed to lose sight of her, ever."
"And where are you going?" Demanded Milliardo who did not fully appreciate Heero being in control of the kingdom.
"I'm going to question Relena about all the people she's ever come acrossed. Friends or possible enemies. I think we'll find the perp in her memories." With that, Heero turned and left.
Heero stood before the door of Relena's office, willing his face to express only an indifferent look instead of the frustration that was running amok through his system. She was suppose to be recuperating. What the hell was she doing trying to work in her office just after such a traumatising experience? At least, for a normal woman, it would have been traumatising. Still, she had no right to push herself so hard as to punish her own body. He knocked on the door twice. "Relena?"
"Come in." Came the muffled voice.
He opened the door and walked in, scrutinising her face at the same time. The make up covered the tender bruise on her cheek, but the paleness of her face could not be camouflaged by powder. "How are you Relena?" They both knew the falseness of the question.
"Fine, Heero. What did you expect to find? Perhaps you expected to find me sobbing over my sorry state?" The sarcasm was delivered with the same quality as a whip. Relena almost winced at her own bitterness. Only Heero was ever capable of making her loose her self to such petty emotions. "That was uncalled for." Not a straight apology.
"That's fine." He would not let her get to him. Not now, not ever.
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"I just need to ask you some questions."
"I'm assuming this is about our present situation?"
"Yeah. The questions may be personal but it's necessary for you to answer them nonetheless."
How she longed to berate him for ordering her about. He had no right. No one any longer had the right to control her. She made her own decisions now. Had been making her decisions for a long time and had no need for anyone to make her relive what she had been through during those years of war. Damn him for not leaving her any choice. If she refused, she would end up looking like a silly rebellious child. "Of course. I will do anything possible to help."
Heero sensed the irritation in her voice but was indifferent to it. "Alright, I need for you to tell me about the people you've been with."
"You mean the people I've known?"
"No, I mean the people you've been with." Did he really want to hear this? He had no choice.
A guarded look enveloped her eyes, shading them and shadowing them at the same time. "I see."
"No, you don't. I'm not doing this out of curiosity or out of the desire to know about your love life. We may be able to find the enemy out of those you've known."
"I did not suggest that you were doing this out of curiosity. I simply did not expect the question." Her eyes frosted over so that the blueness turned over to green icicles. "Fine. Do proceed."
"In the past three years, how many have you been with?" A question he never thought he'd ever ask of Relena. He wasn't looking forward to hearing the answer.
The past three years. The past three years since he'd been gone. Her life consisted of the times before and after Heero. He knew she had never been with anyone in the past. She counted the men she had been with in the years after. Faces swam through her head. Faces she remembered well but did not evoke emotions. Perhaps there was a sense of regret and pity but it was hard to tell when she had refused to name her emotions long ago. "There were six."
Six. The number burned through his gut to drive itself into his soul. Six different men. All of them had been intimately acquainted with her. Had touched and caress every part of her body. No consolation came with the knowledge that none of them had touched her heart. "I need their names as well." The words came empty.
"Perhaps I should simply type up the names and give them to you later so you can look them up in the computer." She felt uneasy discussing her private life. Even with Heero: the only person to ever see beyond what she showed the world.
"I don't want just the simple facts Relena. I need to know them like you knew them. I don't want just their names and numbers. I want to know what they were like. I need their personalities." <i>Yeah, right.</i>
Relena tensed, hoping her uncertainty did not show. What they were like. Personalities. Of all the six of them, not one had lasted even for a month. They met, they dated, they shared the nights and then she left. She looked back on those days and blanched at the memories. All those men had meant nothing to her. Nothing but bodies and conversations to fill the horrible dark voids that were her nights. She bowed her head and stared at the floor, lest Heero mistook the flicker in her eyes to be emotions. It had always been like this. With both of them hiding their weaknesses by hiding their emotions. By hiding their humanity.
The door opened without warning, causing both their heads to lift in surprise at the sudden intrusion. Duo stood at the opening of the door in awkward silence. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything." Even as far away as he was from Heero and Relena, he could feel the tension that emanated from them. He recovered his composure and turned to Heero. "Quatre's men finally came back. They just contacted us. If you have questions you'd better come quick."
"Right." Heero turned his eyes on Relena.
She nodded in return. "Right." She wanted to kiss Duo for the interruption. She had almost lost all control before Heero. Something she had vowed she would never do. Not ever again. She stood and followed them out of the room.
"So, there was nothing unusual about them? Just used metals that were from the old mobile dolls?" It made no sense to Milliardo.
"Correct, Mr. Milliardo."
"Did you manage to find out where they came from or why they were there in the first place?"
"They had a space carrier who was suppose to get rid of the metals come through here and we're guessing that some of the metals wandered around here. It wasn't suppose to but the pilot of the carrier never reported that mistake."
"Did you get the name of the pilot?" This from a frowning Heero.
"We checked with the database but the Commander-in-Chief there said the guy resigned a long time ago. We checked with their computer system but it seems that all the guy's profile had been erased. Completely."
"Didn't any of them remember who this guy was? Any friends?" Demanded Duo.
"No. Actually, they said the guy was really quiet and kept to himself. He never talked to anyone so nobody ever talked to him."
"Why is it always the quiet ones?" Duo remarked.
"This is our guy." Heero turned away from the computer screen to face Relena.
Relena could not dispute it so she nodded in understanding. "The only question left is how we find him."
"He's certainly not very far away." Wulfei commented gruffly.
"No. Not if he could get to Relena so damn easily." Milliardo growled in frustration.
"So, what now?" asked Noin, who's attention strayed to Relena.
"I'm sure you guys can figure that out all by yourselves. I'm going back to work. I have to finish some papers before the meeting tomorrow." Relena turned to leave but Heero appeared before her, blocking the doorway.
"You're not going anywhere tomorrow." He stated firmly.
Relena stared at him in shock. Then she pulled her shoulders back and lifted her face to his. Her eyes burned with unleash anger. "How dare you. You have no right to tell me what to do. If I said I am attending that meeting tomorrow, then it means that I am attending it."
Milliardo held back the urge to gut punch Heero for his stupidity. Relena did not take orders from anyone. Not ever.
"I'm not doing this for the pleasure of ordering you around. It's too risky being out in the open Relena. Be logical, you're the main target of a psycho killer." His voice rose with every word but Relena stood her ground. It was only a mild shock to hear Heero's voice lace with anger and frustration. To the others however, the shock was not so mild. They stood with their mouths open, gaping at him.
"I'm sure you're right but the meeting is very important. Have your blackguards surround me all you want, but I am not going to hide inside this place depending on how long you can find this guy." Her tone became dismissive. She walked around Heero to the door.
After a moment of silence, Milliardo cleared his throat and turned his angry eyes on Heero. "You should know better than to tell her what to do."
"I don't care about doing everything that would please her. All I care about is not letting the guy get to her." Heero replied in return.
"That's it, isn't it? That's all you care about. Getting to the bastard first before he gets to Relena. It's all about winning the damn battle, right? Accomplishing the mission? Is that all she is to you? A damn mission?" Noin stared at Milliardo in surprise. Milliardo was known to never lose his temper. The others stared in bewilderment as well.
"You shouldn't talk Zechs. You once willingly sacrificed everything she loved for the sake of your own beliefs."
Milliardo flinched, losing his balance at the harsh accusation. He never wanted to think of the past ever again. All that mattered was here and now. All that mattered was Relena. "You didn't answer my question."
"Does it matter? My reasons for doing this has nothing to do with the situation. All you need to know is that I'll do anything to protect her. Even if it means getting her angry. It doesn't matter." The door opened and closed without a sound.
Outside, Heero whispered to himself as he started for Relena's office, "It doesn't matter. My reasons doesn't matter." And what were his reasons?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
comments? suggestions? complaints? i'd appreciate them all!
note: chapter 3 of Hollow Girl! Woohoo!!! hehe. Hmmm...not much activity here but it gets the story moving. Enjoy!
Maybe she should have listened to Milliardo. Her head throbbed with an annoying rhythm. She brushed a stray hair out of her face and wondered if the bruise showed through the heavy make-up that had been applied by a professional woman. Her arm throbbed in tune with her head. She was unable to get back to sleep after all the excitement caused by last night's episode. Everyone had been reluctant to leave her alone with the exception of Heero who was eager to examine the letter she had given him. Relena had ordered them out, begging exhaustion. And now here she was, trying to ignore the pain of music persistently playing all over her head and bandaged arm to focus on the paper work before her. Quatre's men had yet to return. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting against frustration and the weakness that was trying it's best to overwhelm her. More and more, the control she had always been proud of was slipping away. Everything was happening all at once. A mocking smile graced her mouth as she thought of the day the control would be altogether gone. What then? Would she end up in a damn mental hospital? That would stir quite a scandal. The Vice Foreign Minister, a nutcase?
"So what now?" Noin paced back and forth with a nervous restlessness. The conference table was filled with silence and bowed heads. The night had been too long and she knew that none of them have had a peaceful sleep. She turned to where Milliardo stood by the massive window that gave them the view of the mocking bright water that surrounded the palace. Her brows met in a frown of concern. He had been quiet since leaving Relena last night. "Zechs?"
"Now we wait for Quatre's men to report back." He kept his back turned from them.
Noin turned to the Gundam pilots whose eyes stared at nothing at all. They were all lost in their own world of worries. She turned to Heero. "What did you get from the letter?"
Heero hesitated before finally lifting his head and meeting her questioning eyes. The intensity of his gaze unnerved her.
"Nothing we don't already know. This guy is only after Relena and may not have to do with anyone else."
"But why?" This from Quatre whose eyes were shadowed with the remembrance of last night. "Why her? Why not the president or any of the other officials?"
"It isn't about the political world Quatre. It's simply about Relena." Noin turned at the sound of Milliardo's voice. He knew all along what it was about.
"So Relena is the main target for certain but we don't know why?" Trowa frowned in confusion.
Heero pushed his chair back and made a move towards the door, pausing to look back at the others. "Start questioning those who are currently living in the kingdom. Wulfei, Duo, get the background informations. Don't leave out anyone. Quatre, I suggest you start contacting your men and see if they have anything new. Trowa, I want you to organize the black guards and inform them of the new procedures involving their duties. From now on, nobody is allowed to lose sight of her, ever."
"And where are you going?" Demanded Milliardo who did not fully appreciate Heero being in control of the kingdom.
"I'm going to question Relena about all the people she's ever come acrossed. Friends or possible enemies. I think we'll find the perp in her memories." With that, Heero turned and left.
Heero stood before the door of Relena's office, willing his face to express only an indifferent look instead of the frustration that was running amok through his system. She was suppose to be recuperating. What the hell was she doing trying to work in her office just after such a traumatising experience? At least, for a normal woman, it would have been traumatising. Still, she had no right to push herself so hard as to punish her own body. He knocked on the door twice. "Relena?"
"Come in." Came the muffled voice.
He opened the door and walked in, scrutinising her face at the same time. The make up covered the tender bruise on her cheek, but the paleness of her face could not be camouflaged by powder. "How are you Relena?" They both knew the falseness of the question.
"Fine, Heero. What did you expect to find? Perhaps you expected to find me sobbing over my sorry state?" The sarcasm was delivered with the same quality as a whip. Relena almost winced at her own bitterness. Only Heero was ever capable of making her loose her self to such petty emotions. "That was uncalled for." Not a straight apology.
"That's fine." He would not let her get to him. Not now, not ever.
"Well, what can I do for you?"
"I just need to ask you some questions."
"I'm assuming this is about our present situation?"
"Yeah. The questions may be personal but it's necessary for you to answer them nonetheless."
How she longed to berate him for ordering her about. He had no right. No one any longer had the right to control her. She made her own decisions now. Had been making her decisions for a long time and had no need for anyone to make her relive what she had been through during those years of war. Damn him for not leaving her any choice. If she refused, she would end up looking like a silly rebellious child. "Of course. I will do anything possible to help."
Heero sensed the irritation in her voice but was indifferent to it. "Alright, I need for you to tell me about the people you've been with."
"You mean the people I've known?"
"No, I mean the people you've been with." Did he really want to hear this? He had no choice.
A guarded look enveloped her eyes, shading them and shadowing them at the same time. "I see."
"No, you don't. I'm not doing this out of curiosity or out of the desire to know about your love life. We may be able to find the enemy out of those you've known."
"I did not suggest that you were doing this out of curiosity. I simply did not expect the question." Her eyes frosted over so that the blueness turned over to green icicles. "Fine. Do proceed."
"In the past three years, how many have you been with?" A question he never thought he'd ever ask of Relena. He wasn't looking forward to hearing the answer.
The past three years. The past three years since he'd been gone. Her life consisted of the times before and after Heero. He knew she had never been with anyone in the past. She counted the men she had been with in the years after. Faces swam through her head. Faces she remembered well but did not evoke emotions. Perhaps there was a sense of regret and pity but it was hard to tell when she had refused to name her emotions long ago. "There were six."
Six. The number burned through his gut to drive itself into his soul. Six different men. All of them had been intimately acquainted with her. Had touched and caress every part of her body. No consolation came with the knowledge that none of them had touched her heart. "I need their names as well." The words came empty.
"Perhaps I should simply type up the names and give them to you later so you can look them up in the computer." She felt uneasy discussing her private life. Even with Heero: the only person to ever see beyond what she showed the world.
"I don't want just the simple facts Relena. I need to know them like you knew them. I don't want just their names and numbers. I want to know what they were like. I need their personalities." <i>Yeah, right.</i>
Relena tensed, hoping her uncertainty did not show. What they were like. Personalities. Of all the six of them, not one had lasted even for a month. They met, they dated, they shared the nights and then she left. She looked back on those days and blanched at the memories. All those men had meant nothing to her. Nothing but bodies and conversations to fill the horrible dark voids that were her nights. She bowed her head and stared at the floor, lest Heero mistook the flicker in her eyes to be emotions. It had always been like this. With both of them hiding their weaknesses by hiding their emotions. By hiding their humanity.
The door opened without warning, causing both their heads to lift in surprise at the sudden intrusion. Duo stood at the opening of the door in awkward silence. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything." Even as far away as he was from Heero and Relena, he could feel the tension that emanated from them. He recovered his composure and turned to Heero. "Quatre's men finally came back. They just contacted us. If you have questions you'd better come quick."
"Right." Heero turned his eyes on Relena.
She nodded in return. "Right." She wanted to kiss Duo for the interruption. She had almost lost all control before Heero. Something she had vowed she would never do. Not ever again. She stood and followed them out of the room.
"So, there was nothing unusual about them? Just used metals that were from the old mobile dolls?" It made no sense to Milliardo.
"Correct, Mr. Milliardo."
"Did you manage to find out where they came from or why they were there in the first place?"
"They had a space carrier who was suppose to get rid of the metals come through here and we're guessing that some of the metals wandered around here. It wasn't suppose to but the pilot of the carrier never reported that mistake."
"Did you get the name of the pilot?" This from a frowning Heero.
"We checked with the database but the Commander-in-Chief there said the guy resigned a long time ago. We checked with their computer system but it seems that all the guy's profile had been erased. Completely."
"Didn't any of them remember who this guy was? Any friends?" Demanded Duo.
"No. Actually, they said the guy was really quiet and kept to himself. He never talked to anyone so nobody ever talked to him."
"Why is it always the quiet ones?" Duo remarked.
"This is our guy." Heero turned away from the computer screen to face Relena.
Relena could not dispute it so she nodded in understanding. "The only question left is how we find him."
"He's certainly not very far away." Wulfei commented gruffly.
"No. Not if he could get to Relena so damn easily." Milliardo growled in frustration.
"So, what now?" asked Noin, who's attention strayed to Relena.
"I'm sure you guys can figure that out all by yourselves. I'm going back to work. I have to finish some papers before the meeting tomorrow." Relena turned to leave but Heero appeared before her, blocking the doorway.
"You're not going anywhere tomorrow." He stated firmly.
Relena stared at him in shock. Then she pulled her shoulders back and lifted her face to his. Her eyes burned with unleash anger. "How dare you. You have no right to tell me what to do. If I said I am attending that meeting tomorrow, then it means that I am attending it."
Milliardo held back the urge to gut punch Heero for his stupidity. Relena did not take orders from anyone. Not ever.
"I'm not doing this for the pleasure of ordering you around. It's too risky being out in the open Relena. Be logical, you're the main target of a psycho killer." His voice rose with every word but Relena stood her ground. It was only a mild shock to hear Heero's voice lace with anger and frustration. To the others however, the shock was not so mild. They stood with their mouths open, gaping at him.
"I'm sure you're right but the meeting is very important. Have your blackguards surround me all you want, but I am not going to hide inside this place depending on how long you can find this guy." Her tone became dismissive. She walked around Heero to the door.
After a moment of silence, Milliardo cleared his throat and turned his angry eyes on Heero. "You should know better than to tell her what to do."
"I don't care about doing everything that would please her. All I care about is not letting the guy get to her." Heero replied in return.
"That's it, isn't it? That's all you care about. Getting to the bastard first before he gets to Relena. It's all about winning the damn battle, right? Accomplishing the mission? Is that all she is to you? A damn mission?" Noin stared at Milliardo in surprise. Milliardo was known to never lose his temper. The others stared in bewilderment as well.
"You shouldn't talk Zechs. You once willingly sacrificed everything she loved for the sake of your own beliefs."
Milliardo flinched, losing his balance at the harsh accusation. He never wanted to think of the past ever again. All that mattered was here and now. All that mattered was Relena. "You didn't answer my question."
"Does it matter? My reasons for doing this has nothing to do with the situation. All you need to know is that I'll do anything to protect her. Even if it means getting her angry. It doesn't matter." The door opened and closed without a sound.
Outside, Heero whispered to himself as he started for Relena's office, "It doesn't matter. My reasons doesn't matter." And what were his reasons?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
comments? suggestions? complaints? i'd appreciate them all!
Okay, watch out Rel! Hmm...that would make a good signature. But...Raine...how...how could you let Lena be with six other guys who were not Heero?! 