Aku_ryo@hotmail.com
A/N – new thing you need to know from now on Japanese talking will be written normally, all other languages will be written in Italics. I won’t bother to italics thoughts only spoken words.
PS I don’t own Gundam Wing - surprised - I thought not...
Welcome to ..... Gepetto Chapter 5
In our last episode....
Three bullets soared out of the fog, one grazing Sallys’ cheek before blowing up the main computer Heero had been working at only moments before. The next two skillfully knocked out the only sources of light in the room. Sally raced to the door, to signal the internal alarm system. She stopped halfway as the steam cleared enough for her to see exactly who it was that fired those shots. Standing before her on unsteady legs was a grim sight. Mesmerized by it she had to force her eyes to look away. The girl she saw was Eve, her Eve. ......
Weighing up her options, the girl known to all but herself as ‘Eve’ noticed the alarm device the woman before her was heading towards. Glaring at the audacious woman in reprimand she began, “I have some questions for you. You will answer me.” ......
“Why you ungrateful little girl, after all we’ve done for you…” Wu-Fei motioned to Sally, “this woman in particular, and this is how you repay us!” Wu-Fei didn’t see it coming, Sally didn’t see it coming, the taller man towards the back of the room did however. “Wu-Fei….” He tried to warn him and then it was over. Wu-Fei hissed through his teeth, grabbing his left shoulder as blood began to soak his shirt. He had been shot. .....
Nadja ignored the building pain shooting up her side. She ignored the dizziness, the cold chill that plagued her, and the muscle spasms that made her dull left arm quake. It was the ache inside her chest she felt most keenly. It was him, it was true and all would be alright now. ‘I am safe here.’ A small smile crept up Nadjas features as relief and a new calm engulfed her. Touching his lips with her fingertips she let out a long sigh. “Leo”. The word effortlessly escaped her lips as if it were the most precious thing known to man. Feeling herself begin to sink into oblivion she cried out for him, “Angel” before unconsciousness took her. ........
“You need to help me…” Trowa nodded his compliance, “Clear my table and help me lift her, I still need to stop the blood loss”. Standing over the small girl at the table Trowa tried to support her neck and cushion her head with his hands, her skin was on fire and he knew if Wu-Fei didn’t hurry back she could easily die right here. ......
******************************
Preventer Water moved with lightning speed as she wove another bandage around ‘Eve’s” wounded leg. The thin gauze merely bought them seconds against the angry wound as the unrelenting blood soaked through the new layer. ‘It will all be for naught if Wu-Fei doesn’t show soon.’ Smiling weakly at Trowa she tried to hide the pessimism in her voice.
“That will have to do for now.”
Merely nodding his reply, Trowa didn’t bother to look up. He didn’t really know what to do, he hadn’t been listening to Sallys occasional musings for some time. ‘How long have we been waiting’ Directing his tired eyes towards the door he willed it to open. ‘Wu-Fei where are you?’
***************
“A bit old for practical jokes aren’t you?” Blackrose called out from down the hall.
Quite a comical scene appeared to be happening before her. One of her old instructors was failing miserably at pushing an ice machine down the hall.
“Care to explain…OH!” She gasped as Wu-Fei turned towards her, his steely glare an equal rival for that of the famed Preventer Night. She noted with anxiety the fresh wound on his shoulder, and the trail it left down his crisp uniform shirt. “How can I help?” Her tone serious she leveled her gaze into Wu-Fei’s own, a small nod his only mark of appreciation.
“C’mon, Move!” came the groan from Blackrose as the shifted to her side to give her aching back a moment of relief. With one final push the ice machine gave way and the object of so much disapproval finally reached the desired doorway.
“Quickly, over here.” Sally waved the two preventers in and they followed heaving the stubborn machine towards the table.
“Blackrose?”
“Water,” Stretching her arms out and rotating her shoulders, Blackrose surveyed the damage in the room. “Can I help?”
A wide smile crossed Sallys’ features. Reaching across the table to grab the younger girls hand she pressed it firmly against the bloody flannel between them.
“Here, hold here while I clean myself up.”
***************
Wu-Fei finished emptying the contents of the ice machine onto the unconscious ‘Eve’ and walked over to help Sally open an antique looking gurney that was giving her some resistance. Trowa narrowed his weary eyes in an effort to remain focused. A task he was finding it more difficult with each passing moment.
‘Leo’ the tender voice repeated its delicate call over and over in his head. The voice, it was tormenting him now, and at a time when he so needed to concentrate. Struggling to suppress the echoes reverberating in his ears other more familiar voices brought him back to reality.
"What do you mean this is all we have! Where are the rest of the supplies I requisitioned before we began all this?”
“Now’s not the time Chang!"
Silently thanking his partners stubborn streaks for inadvertently rescuing him from himself, Trowa returned to carefully monitoring ‘Eve’s’ temperature.
‘Needs to get low enough so Sally can operate safely’ he repeated the mantra to himself. Gently stroking a damp strand of hair out of the girls eyes with his thumb, the name ‘Leo’ continued to buzz franticly around in his mind.
“Water” his dry voice creaked out, “she’s ready”.
***************
Preventer Night knew he had been gone far too long. His chat with Duo taking up the better part of an hour, an hour he was supposed to be working. Although he did not agree with Dir. Une’s decision to put him on this assignment, Heero’s work ethic would not allow him to be seen slacking off.
As Heero turned the final corner to Sallys lab he noticed a faint smell in the air. A familiar smell, ‘it’s too familiar, it’s blood’. His mind signaled for him to pick up the pace. ‘Why would there be…’ his train of thought was cut off as he saw his answer.
Entering the lab he found the only thing to greet him in the darkness that swallowed the room was his own shadow, his short doppelganger radiating from the light behind him. As his eyes adjusted with a speed most would find unnerving, he began to pick through the wreckage of the room and to determine with his best detective skills what could have happened. Although some would say his cool demeanor was a sign of his professionalism, inside he was weary; weary of the smell, the feel, the sight of it.
‘How many times do I have to live through this? Blood everywhere… why must everything I do involve blood, am I cursed?’
He walked over to his computer terminal, dusting off the debris from a keyboard he knew wasn’t salvageable. Lightly depressing the button on the side he let out a sigh of relief when a small black disk popped out.
‘At least my work’s still saved’ he thought before tucking the coveted object safely into his shirt pocket.
A blue, blurry image reflecting over and over again in the broken shards that were once his computer screen caught his eye.
“Hmm?” He turned briskly, eyes finding focus in the dark where they shouldn’t be able. There in the back of the abandoned machine they had all been studying so intently was his target. A small blue bag that appeared worse for wear was resting on its side. After a quick rummage through Sallys storage closet he lifted the disintegrating object with nimble fingers, careful not to disturb even the dust around him. Placing it delicately into an analysis bag he turned on his heel and left.
***************
Sally repeated the cycle as gently as she could. Lifting the sponge from the basin she had placed beside ‘Eve’s’ beside she began again. ‘Eve’ lay oblivious on the bed. Her tattered clothing removed, her small form lay in a thin hospital gown.
As the soapy liquid cleaned away the dead skin Sally noticed the telltale faded pink marks of old injuries. Letting the sponge float in the water of the basin, Sally began to examine the stitches left behind on ‘Eve’ from her own recent surgeries. After what she knew were three successful operations to repair ‘Eve’s’ wounds Sally recognized her behavior as needless. Still she couldn’t help but fret over the small marks the disintegrating stitches had left behind, ‘Too young for so many scars’.
Quickly Sally pulled the covers over ‘Eve’, banishing the images of the scars beneath them. Reaching round Sally tilted ‘Eve’s’ head forward and removed the pillows beneath her. Supporting the girls neck in the manner one would do for a small infant, Sally’s right hand scrubbed away at the girls dark locks. “Eve’s’ shoulder length hair swept over to one side, Sally lathered the mild shampoo in.
It was then that it caught her eye, the black marks that streaked across her own hands.
‘Hmmm?’ Sally untangled her fingers for a closer look. Rubbing her forefingers together the dark marks smeared and faded.
“Dye?”
Sally fretted her eyebrows, looking back at the unfinished job ahead of her she began the scrub ‘Eve’s’ hair feverishly thinking to herself ‘let’s see the real you.’
***************
He sat there, as he often did, watching through a disguised window in the observation room. His temporary desk in front of him too small for all the information he had accumulated in the past six weeks. As Sally began undressing ‘Eve’ a small blush crept up his pale features before he turned away.
‘So much work of my own to do.’ Idly he picked up a piece of machinery from the small oak table in front of him. Turning the oblong, black object effortlessly in his nimble fingers, his free hand thumbed through the latest report from the Preventers antiquity unit.
‘In response to the statement made by Preventer Water concerning the origin of the data given to us ….’
“Wonder who told them about that.” mumbled the deep voice of Trowa Barton. Bored, he considered and rejected a few names as he sluggishly stretched his arms out in front of him. Glancing casually into ‘Eve’s’ room he didn’t expect to see a familiar pair of dark eyes staring back.
***************
In the early days of the Alliance a frustrated archaeologist became an international celebrity with the development of what was for all purposes a simple computer program. A century of work perfecting the program using the latest technology the Alliance had to offer led to the development of the Torin1/2 system.
Named after it’s initial creator the Torin1/2 system revolutionized the archaeological world by being able to quickly and accurately date the age of an object with only a 50 yr. error range. Now a standard measuring device few recognize the system for the breakthrough it once was.
One of these few is the great-great-great-grand-daughter of the initial creator. A woman who inspired by her ancestors genius has devoted her life to the study of archaeology and ancient civilizations. The woman, Dr. U. Torin, whose own genius has led to her successful promotion to head technical officer in the Preventers Archaeology department.
Quietly Trowa opened the concealed door into the hallway, the eyes and the body greeting him, belonging to none other than Dr. Torin, the woman whose report he had been leafing through.
****************
A strong breeze blew the scrap of paper temporarily out of its owners’ hand. With reflexes that he didn’t fully understand, Heero was able to pluck the escaping fragment out of the air before even consciously registering its disappearance. Ignoring the dark thoughts that always arise when his inhumanity resurfaces, Heero deftly folded the now offensive item between his fingers.
Making his way up the quaint lamp lit street a small familiar gray cat greeted him as he rounded the corner. Quickly picking her up, he tucked the purring cat under his arm and continued on his way. Pushing open a slightly ajar door, Heero entered, wading through a mass of rubble, baby toys and magazines that defined Duo’s temporary Preventer home.
“You should be more careful. Hilde will never forgive you if Shadow gets lost.” Heero called out to the empty room.
“There you are, you had your mommy worried sick, didn’t you?” A visibly relieved Duo glided over from the next room. “Thanks buddy.”
A dingle of a small bell from across the house drew both of the mens’ attention and upon hearing the sound the fuzzy cat squirmed its way out from under Heeros’ arm, darting off to find the source of the noise.
“That would be Hilde with the little one.” Duo began, turning from Heero to examine the littered floor around him. “So what can I do for my friendly neighborhood cat retriever today?”
Narrowing his eyes to slits at what he was sure would be his new nickname around the office for a week, Heero pulled out a black folder from inside his jacket pocket.
“And what’s this?”
“What you can help me with”
Opening the folder Duo found it overfilled with what he could only guess at being antique data disks. Carefully lifting one of the humorously large disks out of its bindings he turned it over several times to inspect for any signs of damage before placing it back. Nodding meaningfully to Heero, the clever Preventer was already anticipating the needs of his friend and working out the components Heero would undoubtedly need by the time he handed the folder back to Heero.
“Where’d you get this from?” Duo queried, watching as his friend meticulously went about concealing the case in his jacket pocket.
“Well I only ask because I haven’t seen anything like that in quite some time, and the ones I’ve seen are usually in such a bad state there’s no way we could of gotten them to work again, but this one…”, Duo lowered his voice a notch, looking Heero in his most serious expression, “it looks brand new. I can get you the parts you’ll need but…”
Unable to stop the smirk from creeping up on his face any longer Duo let his mischievous side show. “You’re gonna need someone to hotwire it all together for you. That is if you want it to work…”. A full beaming grin now met Heero Yuy.
“Agreed.” Heero turned to leave pausing momentarily to call over his shoulder, “Are you coming?”, before walking out into the night.
***************
Walking side by side, arms full of bags containing the various pieces Duo seemed to think appropriate for their project, the mismatched pair skulked back to the main Preventer office complex and to Heero Yuys’ desk.
“Sit.” Heero commanded his friend before dropping several bags by the door and kneeling down to adjust a unique looking locking mechanism under his desk.
‘Probably of his own design’, Duo mused cheerfully, ‘He’ll never change, won’t even trust other Preventers. Somehow a part of Duo found this sentiment rather comforting and he relaxed back into the leather armchair opposite Heero’s desk, content observing his friends’ neurosis.
In a cascade of noise Heero emptied the contents of a blue bag onto this desk. It’s contents a confusing mish-mash of childhood and adulthood. A small worn doll, a revolver, 2 boxes of bullets, another black case like the one Heero had shown Duo earlier, and what Duo immediately recognized from his distant childhood on the streets of L2 as a mean looking switchblade.
Inwardly grinning that his small attempts at dramatics had startled and suitably impressed Duo, Heero began.
“I can’t tell you where they come form or what they are connected to. Only know that you and I are the only 2 people who know of these items existence and I plan for it to remain that way. I think something bigger than the case I’m working on is going on here. If I decide to present this to Une, I want to know what it means first.”
***************
As Heero and Duo worked feverishly through the remainder of the night two small forms debated in hushed tones whether or not to help out. To anyone who would have been able to see, it would be apparent the two forms were arguing.
“It is not our place yet, we have brought them this far. Kojoro, you do this of your own free will?”
Kojoro, the smaller of the two companions nodded gently. “Yes, they need help.”
“They always need help” the other figure replied dryly. Tossing heavy white locks to the side, the tall, thin framed figure smiled. “How did you get me into this again?”
***************
It was getting late.
Duo had done his part, constructing a contrived device out of spare parts from around the Preventers office.
Now he’s ‘resting his eyes’ so he claims as his snores shatter through Heeros wall of concentration. Weary eyes struggle to understand and decript the information on the computer screen.
‘Absolute nonsense. Duo’s device doesn’t work.’
Stifling a yawn, Heero reached into his desk drawer. As his fingers searched the familiar terrain for the next data disk they came in contact instead with a faded newspaper. Confused, Heero pulled the object out of his desk.
A large photograph assailed him on the front cover. Unconscious thoughts bubbled to the surface threatening to break the great mask of Heero Yuy.
It was a familiar picture he held in his calloused hands. One of the few in which he supposed he didn’t look so out awkward.
“Relena” his dry lips whispered her name as the pain of their last meeting overwhelmed his exhausted body. Lolling forward his head dropped to his chest. Rhythmic breathing confirmed their suspicions.
***************
“He’s out, what now?” The taller one sauntered forward, gently caressing the sleeping Duos’ locks as she passed by.
“Now we help.”
Grabbing her sisters hands Kojoro lead her towards the disheveled boys desk.
“Koan we are in this quite far…”
“You know better than to question my word sister” A slight hint of bitterness on the words stung Kojoro hard.
“It’s not that! Only that I wonder how much we actually help.”
“We do not interfere, if there is evil it is of their own doing.” Koan repeated the mantra she had learned so well.
“Yes,” The smaller girl bowed deeply to her ‘sister’. Wild dark hair, embedded still with twigs and leaves from the forest, cascaded to the floor and formed a puddle at their owners’ feet.
Following suit the taller girl leaned forward. As she reached out to clasp her ‘sisters’ hands, her cold eyes momentarily scanning the desk that stood between them.
‘Ex-Queen Relena Hires New Head of Security, reports that he has killed thousands remain unconfirmed’.
Still clutching the paper roughly in his hands, the bold newsprint of the headline stained his fingers with their poison, much as it had done when it was published a few short years ago.
***************
“Wu-Fei, I would like you to meet Dr. Torin, she’s in charge of the archaological department here.”
Walking over to join Preventer Wood, Wu-Fei Chang eyed the woman in front of him with suspicion. He too had read her report and had found some of the information in it too fanciful for scientific work.
“Is this the man helping you decipher the mechanism?” The doctor shivered under the Preventers glare. It didn’t take her long to realize, Wu-Fei Chang was going to take some time to convince.
Trowa led them back into the small observation room. “Now we can all talk.”
“Both of you have read my report.” Two nods and very critical gazes were her response. Clearing her throat the determined young woman took a moment to sit down before beginning.
“The tests my department have run have produced some interesting but conflicting data. External analysis estimates an age of approximately 2000 years, which would place it B.R.I. – that is Before Remaining Information. However, the internal scans conducting show no signs of the corrosion and decay evident elsewhere and our tests confirm this with an age of less than 20 years. I ran several different scans to confirm this difference. We could be on to a significant find. BRI data is priceless due to its rarity but I can’t make sense of this conflicting information. It could be an elaborate hoax.”
Pausing briefly to check their reactions, Torin grinned. They were hanging on her every word. Wu-Fei Chang in particular looked quite dumbstruck. ‘That will teach you give me the evil eye Mr. Chang.’
Opening a sealed envelope Torin removed several long strips of paper. Handing a few to each Preventer she sat back confident. “One more thing we found inside the machine. There was this writing everywhere, we took a few etchings of it, that’s what you hold in your hands. We couldn’t make them out, thought they would be of more use to you guys.”
Wu-Fei Chang eyed the words in front of him. He knew what they meant, he was probably the only one who did. Looking up from his study he found Dr. Torin looking particularly smug.
“It says ‘Oxygen valve’, the next one says ‘Cooling System’”
“You’ve seen this type of writing before then?”
“Yes we have”
“Good then I’ll be off. My department thanks you all for such a juicy find.”
Watching the small woman leave Wu-Fei could hardly move.
‘It could be true then.’ Bowing his head low, he tried to comprehend what the conflicting data Torin left them both to ponder over could mean. Several minutes passed by before either of the stunned men spoke.
‘If it is true, one of us better be ready for the inevitable. Which means it falls to me.’
“It’s more English. I’m off to study, you’ll have to keep watch a while longer. I don’t expect to be back tonight.”
Trowa Barton stood immobile, waiting. His concealed eyes sparkling in amusement as his temporary partner stormed out. ‘So she convinced you too.’
***************
Sensitive eyes stared longingly at the glass that rested just out of reach by their bedside. Channeling all of her strength into the movement ‘Eve’ stretched her arm across. ‘Steady, don’t want to wake him.’
Clasping the cool glass in her palm she steadied her hand for its delicate journey back. ‘Halfway there,’ here mind encouraged her with images of the cool relief a drink would provide her with.
Perhaps she had held on to the glass too tight, perhaps it was too loose. Unable to do anything but watch, her cool relief slipped away from her. She watched as it bounced first, its contents forming a beautiful arc in the air. She followed the arc as it rose and winced as it fell, doing the one thing she tried so had to avoid.
Bright green eyes leapt open as a new sensation coursed through their owners body. Leaping out of his seat to assess the damage, and more importantly to him the cause of his wet crotch, Trowa froze in action. Sheepishly he raised his eyes until he could confirm what his senses told him, he was not alone in the room anymore, somebody was watching him.
“Sorry”, her small voice squeaked out. Feeling the pressure from his gaze she sunk a bit lower into the covers.
Taking in the disheveled girls state and her small form under the covers, Trowas’ own embarrassment subsided. Nodding his forgiveness he exited the room only to return a moment later with another glass.
Gently he sat next to her on the small hospital bed. Taking care to sit up properly. Nadja blushed slightly when his familiar strong hands reached around to aid her. His nimble fingers trembling faintly in their task as they casually brushed against the thin material of her hospital gown.
“Thank you”
Nodding gently, Trowa placed the glass carefully in her hands and stood to go.
‘Showtime Sally, hope your ready.’
His hand was pushing against the thin metal of the door when the worry stopped him. ‘What will happen now?’
Looking over his shoulder he caught her nervous eyes in his.
Gazing up intently at his retreating form, he noted the paleness of those blue eyes, ‘like ice’ and the fear in them. Studying his lean form for an answer, her eyes spoke the words for her.
‘Are you coming back?’
Unknowingly interrupting, Nurse Fatimal entered the room.
“Oops, sorry to intrude kids but I got a job to do.” Walking over to ‘Eve’s’ bedside she paused momentarily at the discovery of her regular patient finally awake.
“Well this is unexpected,” she chuckled to herself.
Turning to face the Preventer still frozen in the doorway she tried to hide a smirk before continuing, “Maybe you should go get Dr. Po?”
Rousing him from his meditation, he looked sternly at her before leaving. Waiting at the elevator he tried not to listen as a soft cry reached his ears.
“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you dear…”
***************
‘Something is wrong.’ Turning around briskly, he caught the sight of a tousled Nurse Fatimal diving out of ‘Eve’s’ room.
“She’s insane!” Her quivering voice shouting out to him from down the hall.
Trying to hide his growing smirk as the poor Nurse carried on, Preventer Wood calmed the flustered woman down before letting the elevator take him away.
“This is proving to be an interesting day.”
******************************
Okay then what do you think of Chapter 5?
I've given away huge pieces of the puzzle in this chapterI know I know! It's been ages since I updated, but for some reason I was having a real hard time finishing this chapter but I already have the first scene of Chapter 6 written out, so fingers crossed, less problems there
There are a few people I would like to thank,
Gold-chan my beta reader - THANK YOU !!! Also, THANK YOU to everyone who has been reading Gepetto so far, I really appreciate all reviews, comments etc.!!! So PLEASE continue to read and review ...
I promise to write you in if you review.....
AKU AKU
Aku_Ryo@hotmail.com
) well anyway, can't wait till the next one comes out and i promise to be up to date from now on....as long as i find the upcoming fics that is