DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing belonged to Sunrise and co. I’m not making any profits out of this, so don’t sue. Oh, those you think you’ve never heard before belong to me. And feedback is very welcome, people!☺

 

TIMELINE: The story mostly takes place after Endless Waltz. To be more precise, one year after Endless Waltz. That means two years after my very own Treize’s Revenge series.

 

NOTE: I kinda forgot to do this in the first chapter. I have to thank Suiki Bara for clearing up a few things for me, namely what the ‘Terra Formation Project’ is about. For your information, the project had been mentioned at the end of both Gundam Wing the series and Endless Waltz by Relena and later Zechs. So Suiki, this chapter is dedicated for you and your brilliant mind.

 

 

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST II: RESOLUTION

By Arayelle Lynn.

 

            Quatre Winner waited patiently as the private shuttle of Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian made its landing inside the holding bay of L1 colony. He waited for a few seconds until the flight traffic attendant gave a clear signal before making his way towards the shuttle. As Quatre walked, he was well aware of the flashing of cameras all around him, recording the arrival of the most famous and influential representative of Earth Sphere Unified Nation.

 

               Relena Darlian stepped out of the shuttle and made her way down. “On behalf of the colonies in space, I welcome you whole-heartedly, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian,” said Quatre, still trying to grasp on the concept of formality. They shook hands.

 

               Relena smiled in amusement at Quatre’s distinctive awkward manner. ‘He must’ve little time to practice on being a diplomat because of his affairs,’ Relena speculated, noticing how tensed he was. And so, she decided to tease him a little.

 

               “It’s really nice to see you again, Ambassador Winner,” she said and saw Quatre flushed.

 

               The reporters continued taking pictures of them. “Um… our transportation awaits us,” said Quatre, uncomfortably. “It is best we make our way to your accommodation.”

 

               “Lead on, Ambassador,” said Relena and they made their way towards the waiting limousine. Once they were inside, Quatre drew a sigh of relief as Relena watched him in amusement. He looked at her, pained. “Ambassador Winner?” he voiced. Relena shrugged.

 

               “Well, that is your job for now, right?” He groaned. “Get used to it, Quatre. You’ll be hearing people calling you that for the duration of my visit.”

 

               For a moment Quatre shook his head in dismay. “Thank goodness for all the business dealings I have to handle or else I wouldn’t have any idea how to behave.” Despite his words, Relena knew it wasn’t entirely true. Quatre Winner can be as formal and diplomatic as any diplomats. In fact, she had seen evidence of this before he took over the Winner’s family business. He had shown a great subtleties in dealing with the daughters of the influential aristocrats back when he and Heero had been hiding in the Sanc Kingdom as students in the institute. His good manner was the very thing that made him fit in with the rest of the students, something Heero didn’t bother to do.

 

               No. The main reason, Relena believed, was the weight of the burden of representing the colonies. And of course, the media. She knew all the Gundam pilots were not comfortable being the one in the news, save if they’re inside their gundams. All, except Trowa, who was used to being in the center of attention when he performed.

 

               “Don’t worry. We wouldn’t be attending much formal functions,” she said, reassuringly. “I have a lot of invitation to give talks and short visits though. They’re nothing that you can’t handle.”

 

               “Yeah, I’m aware of that,” said Quatre. “They gave me the full list of your visits this morning. But I guess the biggest event will be the New Year Ball tomorrow night.” He smiled at her. “I hope you’re ready for some heavy dancing. It’s been a long time since the colonies were graced by the presence of an influential Minister like you.”

 

               “Of course I’m ready,” she said. “You owe me a dance, remember? And I want you to be my partner for the first dance.” Seeing Quatre blushed, Relena smiled. But in her amusement, she suddenly felt as if something was going to happen soon. Something that spelt danger to all of them.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               The ball was in full swing as Quatre swept Relena onto the dance floor. Both were well aware of  the eyes that was watching them, whispering among themselves but Quatre and Relena chose to ignore them. As they danced the waltz, Quatre gave Relena an update on the other Gundam pilots save Heero whom he hadn’t heard from since the last time they saw each other. And for the first time since Relena’s visit, Quatre seemed relaxed.

 

               When the music ended, he led her away from the dance floor. “You’re a pretty good dancer for a soldier,” Relena complimented.

 

Quatre blushed. “Well, when I was very young, my sister Irin taught me how to dance.” He glanced at her and saw her gave him a questioning look. “Irin is slightly older than Erea and she’s  the best dancer I’ve ever seen.”

 

“I would really like to meet her,” said Relena. “What does she do?”

 

“Irin? Well, she opened a dancing institute on Earth. She taught  noble and rich daughters and sons how to dance.”

 

“And I’ve had the opportunity of being one of her students,” said a new voice. Quatre and Relena froze in their steps and saw a blond girl standing before them. “Hello, Miss Relena. It’s been a while.” Relena was surprised to find Dorothy standing before her.

 

“Dorothy. I didn’t know you were here,” she said as they shook hands. “How have you been?”

 

Dorothy opened her arms. “Pretty well, I say.” She then nodded at Quatre. “Nice to see you again too.”

 

He smiled. “Glad to see that you’re able to make it, Dorothy.”

 

Relena looked at Quatre, then Dorothy. “I invited Dorothy to the ball,” he explained. It was then Relena realized that whatever was between them and Trowa, it was already in the past. So Relena stepped forward and gave her old friend a hug, surprising Dorothy a little. “Well, I’m just glad to see you again. It has been a while.”

 

“And what about me?” another new voice said. Relena turned to see Vincent Dupree. “Nice to see you again, Relena.”

 

“You made it!” said Relena. “How are you?”

 

Vincent gave her one of his most charming smile. “Been busy. But I’m ready to have a good time tonight.” He nodded at Quatre. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Winner.”

 

“Just Quatre, please. And I’d like you to meet Dorothy Catalonia.”

 

Vincent raised his eyebrow as he took Dorothy’s hand and kissed it. “Duke Dermail’s granddaughter. It’s a pleasure to have meet you at last. He talked about you so fondly that I sometimes think that I’ve already knew you.” He didn’t mention Duke Dermail’s last words to him, fearing it might jeopardize their newly formed acquaintance.

 

“Duke Vincent. I’ve heard not many about you,” said Dorothy, curious as to why.

 

He shrugged and gave her a heart-melting smile. “Let just say that I wasn’t in close contact with your grandfather. I’m only a duke by inheritance and not an active member of Romefeller.”

 

“I see,” said Dorothy, immediately liked his subtle manner. “Maybe we can change that, my duke.”

 

“Vincent, please. I don’t let my friends call me duke.”

 

“Alright, Vincent.”

 

Vincent then turned to Relena. “Actually, I came by here to ask if you’re free for the next dance.”

 

“Sure. Quatre and I were just talking.” She gave him her hand. Vincent nodded at Quatre and Dorothy, “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Dorothy. Glad to see you again, Quatre.” He then led Relena to the dance floor.

 

But as Vincent was passing Quatre, he paused. “Be wary, Quatre. I saw Duke Kent Winteridge among the guests somewhere,” he whispered. Quatre looked at him, surprised. He hadn’t known that Winteridge was invited to the ball too.

 

“What was that all about?” asked Dorothy, breaking through his thoughts.

 

Quatre glanced at her. “Oh? Duke Winteridge is one of my rivals for Project Jupiter.”

 

“I see,” said Dorothy. Seeing Quatre not offering more information, she turned her attention towards Relena and Vincent who were dancing gracefully. Both were smiling, enjoying themselves. Dorothy then realized that Relena had never look happier since her father was killed. Seeing how happy her friend look made her sighed.

 

“Aren’t they a perfect couple?”

 

Surprised, Quatre turned his eyes to her. “Huh? Relena and Vincent?” Dorothy nodded.

 

“Yes, see how well they move. It’s like they understood each other, heart and soul.”

 

“Well, Vincent and Relena are old friends,” he said, slowly. “It is possible that they could fall in love.” Then he added to himself, ‘But there’s Heero. And Relena might still have feelings for him.’

 

“Hmm…” was Dorothy’s comment. She longed for someone to care for her, to love her. But the one she wanted was always out of her reach. First Treize, then Milliardo and now…

 

“Lady Dorothy,” a voice said, breaking her thoughts. She realized then that there was a handsome-looking young duke was standing before her. “Would you do me the honor of awarding me the next dance?”

 

Dorothy glanced at Quatre, not wanting to leave him alone. But she saw he was distracted by something else. Realizing that the young duke was still waiting for her answer, she offered her hand. “I’d be honored, my lord.”

 

 

Quatre choked at the very sight that caught his attention. It was a girl of his age, standing near the refreshment table with a glass of fruit juice in her hand. He stared at her, making sure she was not a figment of his imagination. He then turned to ask Dorothy to confirm his sighting but found her being led to the dance floor. And so he returned his gaze on the girl.

 

“It can’t be her,” he whispered as he made his way towards her. But as he was approaching her, he realized that his suspicious was true. She was…

 

“Kylie Khushrenada!” he said softly. “What are you doing here?”

 

The girl before him was totally different from the assassin he met two years ago. Her long red hair was darker almost to the shade of dark brown and she pulled it up and let loose a few tendrils of hair. She was wearing a dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her winter blue eyes matched her dark lavender dress beautifully. All in all, she was ravishingly beautiful. And breath taking.

 

Then, he saw the girl looked at him, uncertain. As if she couldn’t make out his deal. “I’m sorry, sir. I believe that you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” she said in a slightly accented voice.

 

“It’s me, Quatre. We met two years ago, remember?” he tried again. ‘Did she met an accident that caused her to have amnesia?’ he wondered. Somehow, that thought alone filled him with dread.

 

“I’m sorry, but no I don’t think we’ve met,” she said, politely. “I don’t know who’s this Kylie Khushrenada so I would assume that she’s a friend of yours. But I’m not her.” She started to move. “Excuse me, I was looking for my employer.”

 

Quatre stared at the retreating form, realizing that he could’ve made a mistake. Kylie was cold and void of emotions. The girl before him was polite and nervous, traits Kylie had never and would never display. Yet, the girl looked exactly like Kylie. Could it be that there’s a twin of Kylie that she herself was unaware of?

 

“Wait!” he called out to her, reaching for her left arm. The girl jumped and turned to face him. “I’m sorry for startling you. I realized my mistake now,” he apologized. “Yes, Kylie was a dear friend of mine. The fact that you look exactly like her made me mistaken you for her. It’s been a long time since I last saw her so you could say that I missed her.”

 

Something in her eyes softened. “Oh?” She didn’t seemed to know how to react towards this. “Th…that’s fine,” she said, softly.

 

Quatre suddenly remembered something. “I’m sorry. I seemed to have forgotten my manners with all the embarrassment. My name’s Quatre Raberba Winner.” He offered his hand to her. She reached out to shook his hand.

 

“You’re the one my employer was looking for,” she said, her eyes flashing. Quatre had to remind himself that this was not Kylie. “My name’s Heather Leong. It’s a pleasure to meet the heir of the Winner’s family.” Quatre was about to ask who her employer was when another voice interrupted them.

 

“Kylie!” Relena Darlian said. She had left Vincent as soon as she saw Quatre was talking to the young assassin. But she was surprised when Kylie frowned at her. So, Quatre stepped in, “She’s not Kylie, Relena.” He gave Heather an appraising look. “Though the resemblance is unbelievable.” He introduced her to Relena.

 

“Oh, I see,” said Relena, dubiously. Although Quatre believed that the girl was not Kylie, Relena found herself questioning her identity. There’s something about the girl she couldn’t place. Something that was out of place.

 

“It’s really a pleasure to meet you, Miss Relena,” she said, pleasantly.

 

“Relena, please. So where are you from?” she prompted, trying to get to know the girl. But before Heather could answer, the room roared.

 

“Hey, they’re starting the countdown,” said Quatre. The three stared at the display clock before the room as the guests chorused the countdown together. When they reached one, the room was filled with well-wishers, each wished for a good and peaceful new year. Quatre turned to Relena, his face beaming. “Happy New Year, Relena.”

 

“Happy New Year, Quatre,” said Relena, then her eyes searched for Vincent. She had planned to wish her old friend a Happy New Year but forgotten about it because of Heather. Quatre, meanwhile, turned to regard the other girl who was standing behind him but found Heather studying the ice sculpture on the refreshment table. Her face was suddenly tensed and unreadable.

 

“Heather?” he said. Heather turned her head towards him, blinking. “Oh, Happy New Year to you too, Quatre,” she said. “Will you excuse me? I have to find my employer now. I was suppose to be his escort.” She moved to get by him but she tripped over the hem of her dress. Her drinks spilled on Quatre’s shirt as he tried to jump back. He collided with Relena who was behind him as they both fell on the floor.

 

And the ice sculpture exploded into tiny pieces.

 

For a moment the whole ballroom fell into deep silence. All the guests’ attention was fixed on the remaining ice sculpture and the sight of Quatre and Relena on the floor. Heather stared at the ice sculpture and at the burning hole in the wall behind the refreshment table. She then stared at Quatre in horror. “Someone’s trying to kill the Vice Foreign Minister!” someone else voiced her horror.

 

Then the room was plunged into chaos. Quatre tried to disentangle himself from Relena, in case the shooter tried to take another shot at Relena. But then Dorothy appeared, “Stay down with Miss Relena, Quatre,” she said. She turned to the man behind her. “Take your man and find the shooter before he leave the building. And make it fast.” When the man hesitated, she barked. “Now would be a good time, captain! Don’t worry about Miss Relena. She’s in good hands.” As she said that, Dorothy’s personal bodyguard appeared by her side. The head of the security nodded and began to issue orders to his man. He then moved to calm the other guests.

 

Dorothy shook her head. “That’s the poorest security system I’ve ever seen.” She knelt before Quatre and Relena. “Are any of you hurt?” Quatre looked over Relena first before he examined himself.

 

“We’re alright, just shaken,” he said. He then remembered someone. “Heather?” he looked up. Dorothy followed his eyes and almost jumped to her feet. “Kylie!” But the girl before her didn’t act like the feared assassin at all. Instead, her face was pale and she was in verge of collapsing.

 

Quatre jumped to his feet. “Are you alright?” he asked, reaching out for her. She looked up to him and shook her head. But she didn’t say a word. If anything, Dorothy guessed that the girl that looked like Kylie was still in shock.

 

“Relena!” Vincent ran towards Relena. He knelt next to her and held her in his arms. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asked, deeply concerned. Relena shook her head. “I’m fine, Vincent. Please, help me up.”

 

“What happened?” he asked, glancing at Quatre.

 

“Someone was taking a shot at Relena,” said Quatre. He glanced at the girl beside him. “If it wasn’t for Heather, he would’ve hit his target.” He smiled at her. “You saved her life, Heather.”

 

Dorothy examined the ice sculpture. “From the look of things, she has saved both of your life, Quatre. If you hadn’t fell to the floor, you could’ve been hit by the second shot.” Heather’s head snapped towards her as others did. “There’s a second shot?”

 

“Yeah. The first shot missed and hit the ice sculpture and the second shot hit the wall,” said Dorothy, digging a bullet from the remains of the sculpture. “You were lucky.”

 

“B…but I tripped and accidentally spilled my drinks on Quatre. He’s the one who really saved Miss Relena,” Heather explained what happened. “He’s the hero.”

 

Dorothy shrugged. “Yeah, but if you hadn’t tripped, Miss Relena wouldn’t be standing.”

 

“Heather!” a new voice called out. A handsome and distinguished man in his middle twenties made his way towards them. He took her hands and looked at her with deep concern. “I’ve just heard. Are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asked as Heather nodded. “I’m fine, Kent.”

 

“I shouldn’t have left you all alone,” he said. He then looked at the people gathered around Heather. “Do you mind if I take her away now? She’s pretty shaken,” he asked. Seeing no one was objecting, he led Heather away, blaming himself.

 

“Kent?” Quatre chorused.

 

Dorothy regarded at him. “Don’t you know? He’s Duke Kent Winteridge, your rival.”

 

“Ambassador Winner.” The captain returned. They turned their attention towards the head of security. “I’m sorry but we lost the shooter. However, I’ve sent my men to scout the area in case he doubles back. So far, the vicinity is secured.” He paused to glance at Dorothy’s bodyguards. “I’ve prepared a few of my men to escort you and Vice Foreign Minister back to your hotel.”

 

Quatre nodded. “That would be fine.” He turned to Relena. “Looks like the party is not going anywhere. What would you say if we turn in for the night? Tomorrow we still have that talk you’re suppose to attend.”

 

Relena nodded. “Good idea. I’ve had enough excitement for one night.”

 

As Quatre led Relena out of the ballroom, he spared one more glance towards Heather and Kent. Both were whispering with each other as Kent tried to calm her down. Then, a man came over to the duke and they talked for a few moments. Quatre then saw Heather looked back at the bullet hole in the wall and then turned her gaze on one of the dark and empty balcony upstairs. Her statement was once again tensed and unreadable.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               “There was an attempt on Relena’s life?” Lady Une chorused as soon as she read the report brought over by Sally.

 

               “Yeah,” said the Chinese Preventer agent. “But that’s not what concerns me. She faces the threat of being assassinated everyday in her life. No, what concerns me is how close a call it was.”

 

               “Heero,” Lady Une said, understanding the meaning of her words. “You were concerned on how the assassin get past Heero.” Both of them were well aware of Heero, protecting Relena silently. They also knew that Heero would usually destroy the assassins first before any of them could even get close to Relena.

 

               “So the question is, what happened to Heero?”

 

               Sally leaned forward. “If you want, I can have some of our agents search for Heero. Who knows maybe he’s hurt somewhere.”

 

               “No,” said Lady Une. “If we do that, we’ll risk exposing his location and might even make it hard for him to locate the assassin. We don’t know what happen to him and we shouldn’t speculate. Besides, we have an even more pressing matters.” She glanced at the report Sally gave her. “You said Quatre was with Relena, right?”

 

               “Yes.”

 

               Lady Une nodded. “Good. That means we have the Gundam pilots handling this matter.”

 

               “What is the pressing matter you talked about?” asked Sally.

 

               Lady Une looked at her agent, grimly. “It’s that shadow. It’s heading straight into our solar system..”

 

               “What? What about Wu Fei?”

 

               “We lost him a few hours ago. He’s gone.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Relena waited patiently as securities ran a check on her hotel room to see if there were any unpleasant surprises. She was bone tired and her patience was wearing thin. Only the fact that Quatre was with her made her kept her temper in check. No use distressing Quatre with her own fatigue.

 

               When one of the security guard gave them a clear sign, Relena and Quatre entered the room. The security guard pulled Quatre aside. “I will have my men standing guard outside the Vice Foreign Minister’s room, just in case.” Quatre nodded as the security guard called for his men to leave the room.

 

               Relena, who made her way across the room towards her bed, gasped. “Quatre!” He quickly ran towards her, followed by the security guard. What he saw made him froze. On Relena’s bed there’s a picture of her and a stalk of red rose. A dagger was stuck on the picture. “There’s something written on the picture,” the guard observed.

 

               Quatre pulled the dagger and picked up the picture. “ ‘You will be dead,’ ” he read and looked at Relena. “It’s confirmed then. Someone is trying to get you.” He handed the picture to the guard for an inspection and picked up the rose. ‘Something is awfully familiar about this rose,’ he thought. Then it struck him, ‘Could it be… no it can’t be her. She’s on our side… isn’t she?’

 

               He turned to Relena and saw her reached the same conclusion. But both didn’t sound their thoughts, fearing that they would be making a big mistake.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Wu Fei cursed the maker of the shuttle he’s piloting as the control panel nearly blew off in front of his face. He was passing Saturn when the shuttle broke down. After several hours of diagnostic, he discovered that some of the fuses in the control panel short-circuited, not able to take on a journey as far as this. And along with it, the communication system, so he can’t call for help. Luckily, his environment system and life support were still intact but he didn’t know when he would run out of power.

 

               Cursing, he slipped back into the panel to recheck his repairs. Maybe he did made a few mistakes due to his foul temper. And for the thousandth time, Wu Fei wished he had Nataku with him. He knew the Gundam could make a long trip such as this.

 

               After rechecking his repairs, he turned on the engine. For a moment, the shuttle hummed and then died. “Come on, you-stupid-piece-of-a-sorry-reason-for-a-bucket-of-bolts. Start!” he growled, hitting the panel with his fist. Suddenly, the shuttle came to life and he rolled his eyes. “Finally!”

 

               He was about to leave the area when suddenly his sensors indicated strange readings. Curious, he headed towards the indicated area.

 

               What he saw was a Preventer’s shuttle holding on its own against some unidentified small space fighters. Realizing that the shuttle couldn’t hold on much longer, Wu Fei opened the channel. “Preventer’s shuttle, come in.” His presence attracted the unidentified fighters as a few of them came to him. Wu Fei executed a few evasive moves before destroying them all.

 

               There was static and an image appeared. “Wu Fei, glad to see some friendly face.”

 

               “Noin! Zechs! Looks like you could use some help.”

 

               “Looks like it.”

 

               “Good. I was looking for some action, anyway.”

 

               Wu Fei dove into the heart of the battle. He tried to attract the attention of this unknown enemy so Zechs’ shuttle had the chance of defending itself. The maneuvers of the fighters were new to him that it took him a while to get a grasp of things and destroy a few of them. They fought for hours before Zechs finally destroyed the last fighter. By then, Wu Fei was already panting and his shuttle was making some strange noises. Zechs and Noin were in worse condition than he was.

 

               “Fancy meeting you here, Wu Fei,” said Noin as Zechs ran a damage report.

 

               “I’m on a mission. What was that all about anyway?” asked Wu Fei, running his own damage report. His shuttle will live to make another trip.

 

               Noin wrinkled her nose. “Well, it’s some of our newly acquainted friends. They didn’t like us snooping around.”

 

               Wu Fei nodded. “Well, you shuttle seemed fine. I guess you’re okay to go on.” He paused. “I’m sorry to have to split but I have something Lady Une wants me to investigate.” He tapped a few keys to plot his course.

 

               “Are you heading towards the strange reading near Pluto?” asked Zechs, finally opening his mouth.

 

               “Yeah.”

 

               Zechs looked at him, his face serious. “Don’t bother. We already know what was going on there,” he said. Wu Fei looked at him, surprised. “You do? What is it then? Is it a new threat?”

 

               “The most dangerous threat ever,” he said, grimly. “It’s an invasion.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Quatre listened every word Relena said as his eyes wondered at every corner of the big hall. He knew that the Earth Sphere Unified Nation had provided Relena with enough security team that could protect even the President himself but of all, he trusted his own eyes and instinct to detect any sign of trouble. Especially, since he was sitting right beside Relena who was standing behind a podium giving a talk about pacifism to a large group of the colonies’ representatives. If he saw any sign of trouble, he wanted to be ready to spring into action to protect Relena.

 

               So far, there was no sign of trouble. But Quatre was not easily satisfied.

 

               “…And so let us work together to ensure the peace and harmony of both Earth and outer space. We’re not doing this to benefit any side, Earth and the colonies alike, but we’re doing this for the sake of the whole human race,” she finished as the hall echoed with thunderous hand clap as the representatives rose to their feet to show Relena they shared her sentiment.

 

               That’s when Quatre’s specially-trained danger instinct tingled in his mind. His eyes quickly searched around the hall, looking for the source that triggered his senses. Then his eyes saw it. Among the catwalk above, there was a shadow, watching Relena’s every move. With a rifle in his hand.

 

               Quickly, Quatre rose from his seat and dove. “Down!” he cried as he knocked over Relena. A few shots rang followed by screams and people running. Quatre could hear someone barked an order to shoot down the assassin as hands picked him and Relena up to get them to safety. In the chaos, Quatre managed to steal a glance at the four bullet holes on the wall where Relena was standing. He also managed to catch a sight of the assassin’s retreating form. It was a girl!

 

               Then, the chaos ceased as the head of security came over to them. “Are you hurt, Vice Foreign Minister?”

 

               “No, just shaken. Thanks to Ambassador Winner,” she looked at Quatre who was lost in his thoughts.

 

               “What about you, Ambassador Winner?” asked Captain Malcolm, the head of security. When Quatre didn’t answer, Relena was concerned. She touched his shoulder. “Quatre?”

 

               He looked up, startled. “Uh? Yes, I’m fine.”

 

               Malcolm nodded. “That was some great reflex, Ambassador Winner. You really did save Vice Foreign Minister Darlian’s life.”

 

               “It was nothing. I saw him on the catwalk.”

 

               “Then, I should say that that was some keen eye sight you have. Pity that you weren’t a soldier. I could’ve used someone like you in my team,” said Malcolm. Quatre nodded, slowly. “Yeah, pity,” he said, absent-mindedly. Suddenly another member of the security team approached them.

 

               “Report, sergeant,” said Malcolm.

 

               The sergeant shook his head. “Missed him, sir. The assassin is as slick as an eel. Maybe slicker.”

 

               “Alright, ran another sweep across the area while I lead the team to send the Vice Foreign Minister and the Ambassador back to the hotel.” He glanced at them. “No one is going to get to Miss Relena on my watch,” he said determinedly.

 

               They returned to the hotel since Relena and Quatre were schedule to arrive in the L2 later that evening. But as they were walking along the hallway, they discovered that someone was waiting. “Vincent?” Relena voiced. Vincent Dupree rushed towards her, concern was written all over his face.

 

               “Are you alright? I’ve just heard,” he said. “I was on a shuttle to L2 when I heard about the second shooting. I came back as soon as I can.” Relena could see his eyes were intense and wondered why it so bothered him that her life was in danger.

 

               “I’m fine. Quatre saved me,” she said. Vincent looked at Quatre, gratefully.

 

               “Once again, you amazed me, Quatre Winner. I thank you for saving Relena.”

 

               Quatre smiled. “She’s my friend too, Vincent.”

 

               A security guard exited Relena’s room. “All clear, sir but you would want to see this.”

 

               Curious, Quatre and Relena exchanged glances as they entered the room. Sure enough, another note was being left on Relena’s bed with a red rose. Malcolm picked the note and read, “ ‘Thank your lucky stars for your knight.’ ” He then gave the note and the rose to one of his men. “Run a scan on these items. I want to know if there’s anything that could point us to our assassin.”

 

               Then another man entered, holding a cell phone. “Captain, there’s a call for you.” Captain Malcolm took the phone and walked away from them. Relena watched the captain carefully, hearing the rise of his voice and then a look of annoyance flashed across his face. Then his shoulder slumped as if giving into a fight.

 

               He returned to them, scowling. “I was actually going to organize my team to go to L2 with you but it seems like our service for you is terminate here, Vice Foreign Minister.”

 

               Relena blinked. “Why is that?”

 

               “It’s seems that another unit is on the mission.” He regarded his men. “Hear this, men. After we escorted the Vice Foreign Minister and the Ambassador to their shuttle, our job is over. The Preventers are taking over.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               When Duo heard about the second attempt on  Relena’s life, he immediately knew something was amiss. Heero would usually destroy the assassins before they even got close to Relena Darlian. If he had missed one that would be understandable but to have missed twice, that’s different. And so, he quickly went to the vidcomm to try to contact Quatre, who was suppose to be Relena’s escort but he was too late. They had already left the hotel, heading his way. So, he contacted another person.

 

               “Hey, long time no see, eh, Trowa,” he said, as soon as the quiet Heavyarms’ pilot appeared on the screen.

 

               “I’m a little busy right now, Duo,” he said. “So make it snappy. I need to pack.”

 

               Duo shook his head. “I guess you didn’t hear about the attempts on Relena’s life then.”

 

               “Actually I did,” said Trowa. “That’s the reason why I’m packing.”

 

               Duo was surprised. “You’re coming here?”

 

               “Yeah, I’m a little concern,” Trowa admitted.

 

               “About Heero?” Duo prompted.

 

               Trowa shook his head. “Not much about Heero. It’s Quatre and Relena I’m concern about. Heero can take care of himself. If he didn’t get the assassin twice, he would get him later. I saw how he really worked. He’s good.”

 

               “Alright, if you say so,” Duo surrendered. “I’ll just have Hilde prepared the guest room.”

 

               “Thanks, Duo.”

 

               “Hey, Trowa,” said Duo before the other could disconnect the line. “You know that while Heero always get his target, there’s only one person who really gave him a hard time locating.”

 

               Trowa paused, trying to reconsider his answer but decided to tell Duo what he thought. “Yeah, you’re right. Kyle Rayden.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Trowa disconnected the line as he turned to another vidcomm. “You hear that, Quatre?”

 

               “Yeah, I heard it. I guess you guys are playing bodyguards now, huh?”

 

               “Only until Heero gets whoever the assassin is. You know we can’t be complacent about this kind of thing. The peace of humanity depends on the survival of Relena Darlian and we need to keep her alive to ensure peace.”

 

               Quatre sighed. “Yeah, I know you’re right.” He glanced at something outside the screen.

 

               “Is there something you’re keeping from me, Quatre?”

 

               His friend turned to him, startled. “Uh? No. Not at all. They’ve just announced our time of arrival.” He decided to change the subject. “The Preventers are taking over the mission. I guess I’ll be meeting Wu Fei and Lady Une anytime soon.”

 

               “Good. The more experienced people protecting Relena, the better. I’ve heard you’ve done a great job yourself.”

 

               Quatre shook his head. “Not really great or else I would’ve capture or locate the assassin myself.”

 

               “And then what?” asked Trowa. “Do you think you can face this assassin one-on-one?”

 

               Again his friend sighed. “No. I just wished I could do better.”

 

               “You’ve kept her and yourself alive this far. So that’s good enough.”

 

               “If you say so.” But he was still unconvinced.

 

               Trowa decided to end the matter. “Since the Preventers are taking over, I guess Duo and I could snoop around to find out more about our assassin. So, we might be joining you a little later.”

 

               “Does that mean you’re heading towards L1 instead?”

 

               “Since that’s where the assassin first strike, yeah. That means I have to call Duo up and have him meet me there.”

 

               Quatre nodded. “Alright, good luck.”

 

               Trowa stared at his surrogate little brother, carefully. “You be careful yourself, okay.”

 

               As if sensing Trowa’s deep concern for him, Quatre nodded. “Don’t worry, Trowa. I’ll be fine.”

 

               When Trowa terminated the connection, he couldn’t help but wondering what Quatre had been keeping from him. But whatever it was, Trowa knew it deeply concerned Quatre seeing how distracted the Arabian pilot was. And he knew Quatre couldn’t afford to be distracted for long if he wants to survive this dangerous game.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               A middle age man entered the huge room where his fellow companions waited, patiently. The room was dark, save for the light on the table where the other five was sitting. The man then took out a large envelope and spilled its contents on the table. “This is as much as I can gather from the officials before they get suspicious.”

 

               One of them looked at him as the others started riffling through the contents. “So, you didn’t meet any trouble coming here?”

 

               “None whatsoever. I left before they could even start asking questions.” The man nodded at the contents. “What’s your verdict?”

 

The men studied the contents of the envelop for a moment. They then looked at each other and nodded. There’s no question now. They’d all thought of the same thing even though it sounded a little far fetched. “It is a new threat,” one of them declared. “Which means we did the right thing by rebuilding the guardians.”

 

The man shook his head. “I thought we would not need them anymore.” He looked at the five men. “What do you propose we should do now?” he asked all of them but the question was directed towards the one in charge.

 

The leader, the one who had spoken earlier, glanced into the shadows in the room. “Now we made sure that the guardians are send to the proper authorities. They would need them anytime now.”

 

The man sighed and nodded. “In that case, I’ll make the necessary arrangement.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Quatre waited patiently for his contacts to arrive. The restaurant was nearly full because of the lunch hour but he found himself relaxed for the first time since Relena Darlian was being targeted. After an official visit to an L2’s hospital this morning, Relena had decided that she would need some time away from the official business. And since Vincent had come to L2 with them, Relena decided it was time for her to spend the rest of the day with her old friend, alone, save for five Preventer’s agents who had been stationed close by as to give the two a little privacy.

 

               The two had invited Quatre to join them but he declined after a call from Duke Kent Winteridge. He invited Quatre to have lunch with him and his companion. Winteridge had call it an opportunity to get to know the heir of the Winner’s family. But Quatre knew that Winteridge would like to size up his main competitor, which was fine with Quatre since he’s a little curious about the man.

 

               As he waited, Quatre’s mind played hundreds of questions as to why, if the assassin was Kylie, she was targeting Relena again. He had thought that whatever transpired two years ago was forgotten, that she understood how important it was to protect Miss Relena. He knew that Treize’s letter made it clear that Kylie should protect Relena. So what makes her changed her mind?

 

               Part of him also did not want to believe that the assassin was Kylie. If it was her, wouldn’t she use her old codename, Treize’s Revenge? Probably not, if this wasn’t about Treize at all. Or what if there’s a new player in the game. But Quatre was sure that the red rose was another mark that could be associated with Kylie. She had given him one before she disappeared. The same breed as the ones she left for Relena.

 

               And there’s Heather. He didn’t know much about the girl because of their short acquaintance. But there’s something about her that seemed so familiar. Something that told him that he had seen or met her before. To satisfy his curiosity, Quatre had ran a check on her background. All of it seemed valid. She had grew up in a farming village in China and only left Earth a few months ago in search for a job. That’s how she was employed by Kent Winteridge.

 

               Suddenly he found himself staring into a pair of winter blue eyes and nearly jumped. His first thought was danger but a second later, a familiar man came into his view. “Mr. Winner?” the man said. Quatre rose from his seat. “Duke Winteridge, it’s a pleasure to have finally meet you, sir.”

 

               “The pleasure all mine, Mr. Winner.” They shook hands. Winteridge turned to his companion beside him. “This is my personal assistant, Heather. But I guess you’ve met her at the party.”

 

               Quatre smiled and shook Heather’s hand. “Yeah, we’ve met.” He was curious at the relationship between them. The way Winteridge was staring at Heather was as if they were lovers. Heather, on the other hand, kept her distance as if she wanted nothing more than an employer-employee relationship with him. But Quatre couldn’t blame Winteridge though. Heather was a great prize to catch.

 

               They settled down as a waiter came over with their menu. They made their orders and while waiting, they talked. They had a conversation about their past projects, complementing each other for their good work and avoided talking about the Project Jupiter, the very thing that made them rivals. And while they talked, Quatre found that Heather kept her silence, joining in the conversation when Winteridge or Quatre prompted her.

 

               As they were busy discussing about a possible future plan together, Winteridge spotted someone entering the restaurant. “Vice Foreign Minister Relena, Duke Dupree, fancy meeting you here,” he greeted as Relena and Vincent were talking to the receptionist.

 

               The couple walked up to their table. “Duke Winteridge, Ambassador Winner,” said Relena, then nodded at Heather, “Heather. We didn’t know we’d be meeting you here.” She returned Quatre’s concern look with a reassuring smile, telling him that nothing happen to her while he was gone.

 

               “We thought we would stop by and have lunch here. I heard that the cuisine is excellent,” Vincent said. He then looked over the tables dubiously. “I guess the tables are full and we were just leaving to find another restaurant.”

 

               Winteridge quickly stopped them. “No. We cannot have the Vice Foreign Minister and her date cast away by a simple reason like that. It’s not everyday the colonies are graced by Miss Relena’s presence.” He gestured at the remaining seat. “Please, join us.”

 

               Vincent glanced at Quatre, uncertainly. He didn’t want to intrude in Quatre’s business affairs. But the blond young business man smiled. “Please, I don’t mind,” he said, gently. “We did plan to get to know each other, didn’t we?”

 

               With that, Vincent nodded and pulled a seat next to Quatre for Relena. He then took one beside Heather. Winteridge signaled one of the waiter who came to their table with the menu. After both Vincent and Relena had placed their orders, the conversation resumed.

 

               A few minutes later, the food arrived. When the waiter left, Heather suddenly rose from her seat. “Excuse me for a second, gentlemen, Miss Relena.” She then left, heading towards the ladies room. Quatre saw Winteridge’s eyes following her.

 

               “Duke Winteridge,” said Relena. “How well do you know Miss Leong?”

 

               Winteridge smiled. “Not well, I have to admit. She came to work with me about two months ago, after my old personal assistant retired.” He glanced at her. “When she first came to my office, I know I have to hire her. There was something about her…” he trailed off. He then shook his head. “Anyway, she has some very excellent recommendations. So I thought I should hire her.”

 

               “She seemed like a quiet sort,” Vincent commented.

 

               Winteridge smiled. “Yes, she can sometimes be so warm and cold at the same time. She rarely talks about her family though.”

 

               “Doesn’t that bother you?” asked Relena.

 

               “No. I love mysteries and I even love it in a woman.”

 

               Vincent grinned. “Sounds to me like you’re in love with her.”

 

               “You ought to know, Duke Dupree.”

 

               Before Relena could ask what did he mean, there was a cracking sound and the window next to Quatre and Winteridge shattered into pieces. Reflexively, Quatre reached for Relena as Vincent and Winteridge dove under the table. There were screams from the other table as Quatre heard a series of running footsteps as the Preventers agents chasing after whoever the shooter was.

 

               A pair of hands helped him up. It was one of the Preventer agent who left behind to make sure they were all save. Vincent helped Relena up as Winteridge stared out. Quatre then went to the remains of the window and inspected it. ‘Looks like someone really wants Relena dead,’ he thought, frowning.

 

               Then, there’s a sound of running footsteps as Heather appeared. Her face was deep with anxiety. “What happened?” When she saw the shattered window, she looked at them. “Is anyone hurt?” She turned to her employer. “Sir?”

 

               “I’m alright, Heather. Just shaken,” he answered.

 

               The Preventer agent’s comm chimed. “Got him?” he asked.

 

               “Lost him, sir.”

 

               He nodded. “Ran a thorough sweep throughout the area.” He glanced at Relena. “We will make sure the Vice Foreign Minister is send to safety.” He signed off and turned to Quatre. “Ambassador Winner, will you be joining us or are you staying with your companions?” he asked, glancing at Winteridge and Heather.

 

               Quatre looked at Winteridge who said, “It’s okay, Mr. Winner. We can continue our conversation some other time.”

 

               “Thank you, Duke Winteridge. It was a pleasure meeting you.” They shook hands and he turned to the Preventer agent. “Let’s go.”

 

               Then a waiter came over them. “Vice Foreign Minister Darlian?” he said. Relena turned to him. “Yes?” she answered. The waiter frowned and handed her a red rose. “Someone left this for you.”

 

               Relena looked over the red rose and found a note attached to it. “ ‘You won’t be missed again.’ ” She handed Quatre the rose and turned to Vincent, who looked at her in deep concern. “I’m alright, Vincent.” She turned to the Preventer agent. “Let’s go.”

 

               The Preventer agent took the rose from Quatre and nodded to his men. “Escort Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and her company to the limo.” Relena turned to Winteridge and Heather. “I’m sorry your afternoon meal is spoilt. But it was a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace, Heather.”

 

               Then they left.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               When they reached Relena’s room, they were surprised when the Preventer agent ushered them into the room without running a check on it first. But they found the answer later in the room. Both Relena and Quatre were surprised to find a woman in the room.

 

               “Lady Une!” they chorused. Then two more people appeared from behind her.

 

               “Trowa! Duo!” said Quatre, very glad to see them. But Trowa and Duo were looking at him, grimly.

 

               Lady Une looked at them. “Vice Foreign Minister, Ambassador,” she said, signaling her agent to closed the door. The agent acknowledged her order and closed the door. He stood guard outside the room. Lady Une turned to Relena. “Glad to see you unharmed, Miss Relena or else I would have a lot to answer for when your brother gets back.” She gestured towards a seat. “Please be seated, you two.”

 

               Relena settled down but Quatre remained standing. Instead, he walked up to his two friends. “Really glad to see you guys again,” he said, smiling. But when they didn’t say a thing, he frowned. “What is it? What did you find in L1, Trowa?”

 

               Instead of answering, Duo grabbed his shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell us that Kylie was targeting Relena? Are you trying to protect her or something?” he asked, his voice held a trace of anxiety Quatre had never heard before. He turned to Trowa who also looked at him. Concern clearly written in his eyes.

 

               “H… how did you find that out?” he asked.

 

               “When Lady Une showed us the reports, we piece it all together,” Trowa answered, knowing this was the thing Quatre kept from him earlier. “It wasn’t that hard to figure out Kylie was behind this. Although she no longer used the name Treize’s Revenge, the red rose and how the assassin slipped of the authorities’ fingers are conspicuous enough. Besides, she’s the only one who ever gave Heero a hard time to find.”

 

               Seeing that his friends had already figured things out, he looked away. “I didn’t tell you because I don’t want to make a mistake. We don’t have enough evidence to prove that Kylie is indeed the assassin.”

 

               “But we have enough evidence to be suspicious of her,” said Duo. “That girl is a lunatic and dangerous. You could’ve gotten yourself killed or even worse, Relena too and we’re the ones who have to answer to Heero.”

 

               Quatre then glanced at Lady Une, who was staring at her hands. Duo then remembered what Kylie meant to the head of the Preventer and so he quieted. Quatre then walked over to Lady Une but she broke the silence first. “When I first heard that Miss Relena was being targeted, I thought that the local authorities could handle it.” She looked at Relena. “But when I heard about the threatening notes and the roses, I know I have to step in. Kylie is my responsibility and if she, indeed, have turned against us then it’s up to me to do something about it.”

 

               “What do we do now?” asked Quatre, slumped onto the sofa. He’d never felt so weary.

 

               Trowa looked at Relena. “What’s your plan for tomorrow?”

 

               “We’re going to L3 tomorrow for a formal visit in one of the local universities,” she answered. “I was suppose to open their new south wing and gave a lecture on pacifism to the students and the faculty.”

 

               Trowa shook his head. “That won’t do. You’ll be out in the open and a very welcoming target to the assassin.” He purposely left Kylie’s name because he knew they still lacking in evidence.

 

               “Then you have to cancel your appearance, Relena,” Duo suggested.

 

               Relena rose. “I can’t do that.”

 

               “What! Have you lost your mind or something? Kylie could easily get you at such a crowd.”

 

               “This is an official visit, Duo. Not a political rally,” she argued. “I’ve accepted their invitation and promised to come and give a talk. I cannot back down on that.”

 

               “But…”

 

               “I promised the human race a world of total pacifism. What would the people say if I can’t even keep my word to attend to an invitation?”

 

               Seeing Duo was about to argue some more, Trowa decided to intervene. “Alright, you go to the university as scheduled. Quatre will be accompany you, right?” When Quatre nodded, Trowa continued. “Good. That would leave us one Gundam pilot flanking Relena.”

 

               “What do you propose we should do?” asked Duo, sore at being outvoted.

 

               Trowa looked at him. “We’re working in the background, helping the Preventer agents.” He turned to Lady Une. “Will that be okay?”

 

               Lady Une nodded. “We would be glad to have two Gundam pilots working with us.”

 

               “One question,” said Duo. “Where’s Wu Fei? Isn’t he a Preventer agent too?”

 

               Lady Une cleared her throat before answering. “Uh, Wu Fei is on another important mission for the Preventer.”

 

               “What! What’s more important than maintaining peace between Earth and the colonies?”

 

               “Ensuring the survival of the entire human race.”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Kylie stared into the computer screen. The previous attack had been a close call. Too close for comfort. Now she was preparing for her next plan of action. She knew where Relena Darlian was heading next. It just a matter of planning her next move. As soon as she got back, she found herself accessing some highly secured file and a moment later, the blueprint of the university flashed on the screen.

 

               ‘Got it. This is the last attempt. I got to make it count,’ she thought, studying the information. A second later she found exactly what she was looking for. A possible spot for the next strike. A smile played across her lips. “Perfect. This time, I’m sure I won’t miss.”

 

               Then, there’s a knock on the door.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               The students and the member faculty listened and hold on to every word as Relena gave them a lecture on the nature of total pacifism. Each of them was enthralled by her belief in total pacifism as well as her charismatic appearance. Duo found himself listening to her as well despite the possible danger. He and the rest of the people in the large hall were very amazed at how much a young woman could achieved in her life. How she had lead the world into this days of peace. In other words, Relena Darlian had achieved something farther than any normal people could achieved. And that was the main reason why people idolized Relena and wanted to achieve what she had achieved.

 

               But then Duo had to remind himself that he had achieved something too. If it wasn’t for him and Deathscythe, the human race wouldn’t be having this peace, though no one had known what he and the other Gundam pilots had sacrificed to ensure the well-being of the human race. And the fact that they were still working their butts off securing the peace between Earth and the colonies.

 

               Duo then shifted his gaze on Quatre who was sitting next to the podium. Although his face was calm, Duo could see that the blond pilot was keeping his eyes all over the room, scanning for possible threat. On occasions, he would glance at Trowa, telling him that he hadn’t seen anything strange. Watching Quatre, Duo couldn’t help but wondering why he was still defending Kylie. The girl had been all but friendly towards them especially Quatre. And all the evidence was certainly pointing at her. Duo could never trust people who do not laugh especially if they never even smile. And the fact that Kylie reminded him so much of Heero made him disliked her even more. Of all the Gundam pilots, Duo was never in good terms with Heero.

 

               Then it was finished. Quatre rose from his seat as Relena made her way back to her seat. The host of the event went to the podium to give their thanks to Relena and then the hall hummed as some of the students and faculty members exited the hall. A large number of them went to the front stage to meet Relena personally. Duo saw Quatre stood near Relena as to provide as much security as he could. Then Duo saw a Preventer agent came towards the two of them and ushered them towards the exit while some agents keep the crowd at bay.

 

               Duo then caught Trowa’s eyes who signaled him to join him. They then made their exit through the back door.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               The crowd was immense. Each was trying to catch a glimpse of Relena Darlian, former Queen of the former World Nation. Relena waved at the crowd as Quatre tore his eyes away from the crowd and managed a comment. “They loved you. You kept them captivated with your speech,” he said as they were being led towards the limousine.

 

               Relena spared him a glance. “Yeah well, let’s hope I can use the same charm on the Earth Sphere Unified Nation’s next board meeting. I still need to convince some of the representatives that the renegade soldiers are not to be punished for their crimes. Especially you Gundam pilots.”

 

               “The matter is far from over, huh?” he asked, sympathetically. He didn’t care what happen to him and knew the others didn’t care about it as well. But what concerned him was the fate of the guerilla soldiers who were just turning their lives around from the endless fighting and bloodshed. Which was why the Project Jupiter was important to him. If he could show to the representatives of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation what the renegade soldiers could achieve without fighting, maybe they would gave the soldiers a chance to start anew. And then, all of humanity can finally lived in peace.

 

               Relena, mistaken his silence for concern for his fate, said, “Don’t worry, I will do everything I can to oppose MacGarth from convicting you guys.” But before Quatre could correct her, there was a strange movement in the crowds as something or someone hit him and Relena. “Down!” he heard that person shouted as Relena, Quatre and that someone slammed onto the ground.

 

               At that very same time, someone in the crowd was struck and there was a series of screams. The Preventers tried to keep the panicking crowd at bay as to avoid a stampede as some of the agents tried to figure out where the sniper had struck from. Relena turned her head, trying to see what was going on when her eyes saw an agent examining a body of a young man, an arrow was struck into his heart.

 

               She then felt the person who knocked her down turned his head towards the body and cursed. He then glanced up and got on his knees. “Damn it!” he said in a deep voice. Relena immediately recognised the voice. “Heero?” she said, raising to her elbow.

 

               “Stay down!” Heero commanded. He then jumped to his feet and started to run before any of the Preventer agents could stop him. “Damn it, Kylie! What had happened?” she heard him growled before he disappeared into the crowd.

 

               Then, she heard Duo and Trowa calling for them as they appeared from the crowd. They both help her and Quatre up and then examining the area. “It was Heero,” she told them. “Heero saved us.” Quatre nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I heard his voice.”

 

               “Yeah, but I’d like to know where the assassin was shooting from,” said Duo, looking around them. Suddenly Trowa tensed and pointed. “There on top of that building,” he said. Sure enough, they saw a figure standing on top of a nearby building. The wind blew her hair gently as she stared down at them. They then saw her smashed her fist on the ledge and then turned away.

 

               “Kylie,” Quatre whispered, disbelief.

 

               “It’s Kylie! I’m sure of it,” Duo declared. “Let’s get her. ” He took off.

 

               Quatre started to go off after Duo when Trowa stopped him. “Stay here. Protect Relena,” he said and then he ran after Duo. Seeing he had no choice, Quatre stayed, keeping his eyes on the spot where Kylie had disappeared.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               “I can’t believe it! “Duo said, gritting his teeth as they went up the stairs to the roof. “After what we have done for her, helping her get out from the hospital, she betrayed us.”

 

               Trowa continued running up the stairs, not saying anything. When he reached the top staircase, he pushed the door open and ran out only to stop abruptly, making Duo collided with his back “What?” Duo started but closed his mouth when he saw a body lying on the floor next to a rifle.

 

               “That figure we saw on the roof. It was Kylie, right?” asked Trowa, bending to examine the body.

 

               “Of course. Even Quatre confirms it.”

 

               “Just checking,” he turned over the body. It was a young man with short black hair. His throat was slit. “We didn’t see this guy, right?” Duo took a good look at him and shook his head. “No way. I only saw one person on this roof and it was Kylie. No doubt about it.”

 

               “Then who is this dead guy?”

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               “Kylie killed her own accomplice?” asked Relena, disbelief. They were all back in Relena’s suite, discussing the new turn of event. Duo shrugged. “Well, that’s what Trowa and I are able to gather from the small evidence she left behind.”

 

               Lady Une frowned. “Kylie wouldn’t take an accomplice. She’s trained to do things on her own.”

 

               “Well, she might be recruiting now,” said Duo.

 

               “But why kill her accomplice?” Quatre asked.

 

               Duo shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s maybe the price for failure.”

 

               “One question,” said Relena. “Why was the man had a rifle with him? The student was struck by an arrow.”

 

               “Kylie might be favoring herself a new toy.” Seeing Relena’s dubious look, Duo shrugged. “I don’t know. But the reports from the forensics did say that the fingerprint on the rifle belongs to Kylie. Right?” He turned to Lady Une who nodded. “There you go.”

 

               Quatre was unconvinced. Even when they all returned to their rooms, he stayed up and stared at the notes Kylie left for Relena. He knew something was amiss but he didn’t know what. Questions played in his mind but he couldn’t answer not even one. Why was Kylie targeting Relena? Why killed her accomplice? And why Heero had come to save them and not facing Kylie before she pulled the trigger?

 

               As he stared at the notes, he suddenly thought of something. The notes though had a threatening tone to it, never said anything about her targeting Miss Relena. He reread the notes:

 

               ‘You will be dead.’

 

               ‘Thank your lucky stars for your knight.’

 

               ‘You won’t be missed again.’

 

            These three notes all carried some sort of threat and also a warning. Suddenly, a thought struck him. ‘What if Kylie was trying to warn them? What if she was trying to protect Relena? That would explain the dead body on the top roof. He could be the assassin,’ he thought. ‘But what happen to the crossbow that fire the arrow? Why the secrecy?’

 

               More questions played in his mind but he found himself too tired and lacking clue to answer any of them. But one thing he knew, Kylie was the only one who could answer his questions. And he knew exactly how he could get the answers.

 

               Provided if he’s right about Kylie.

 

>>>@@<<<

 

               Heero was on the computer when the door swung open. Without turning to see who it was, he said, “Took you long enough to get back here. What happened? You missed.”

 

               Kylie closed the door and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 11 at night, ten hours after the incident at the L3’s National University. After she got off the roof, she had decided to lay low in the sewers, waiting until the authorities abandoned the area. And then she made her way back to the apartment they rented. “Sorry. Got a little caught up,” she said, slipping off her long overcoat. A searing pain went through her spine as she cried out.

 

               Hearing that, Heero jumped from his seat and caught her before she fell. It was then he discovered that an arrow was struck through her shoulder. He helped her on a chair and examined the wound. “What happened?” he asked, seeing how pale she looked. Since she had waited for ten hours to get to their hideout, she had lost quite a large amount of blood.

 

               “I got careless,” she answered, gritting her teeth as Heero broke the arrow head.

 

               Heero reached for some clean cloth and said to her, “Hold on. This is going to hurt.” Without waiting for an answer, he tugged the shaft free. Kylie stifled a cry but couldn’t help herself from letting out a gasp. Then, Heero used the cloths to stop the bleeding and then examined the wound again. “This requires some stitches,” he told her.

 

               “Are you any good at it?”

 

               “Done it a few times before.”

 

               Kylie nodded. “Do it then.” When Heero was about to open his mouth, she quickly said, “Don’t bother asking me to take off my top. Tear it if you have to but I’m not sitting around half naked.”

 

               “If you say so,” Heero said and tore the area near the wound. As Kylie held on the cloth on the wound, he sterilized a needle and then started to work. “We don’t have anything for the pain,” he told her.

 

               “That’s fine. I don’t feel them any more,” she said. While Heero was working, there was a moment of a long silence. “There were two, Heero.”

 

               Heero looked up from his handiwork, surprised. “Huh?”

 

               “There was another assassin on that roof and she was the one who shot me with a crossbow. That’s why Relena and Quatre barely made it.”

 

               “I see.”

 

               There was silence as both considered this new turn of event. How could’ve they missed this new assassin? “Looks like Treize’s Revenge is out of the game for now,” she said, the pain and fatigue finally settled in. “That means Heather Leong will take the center stage from here on.”

 

TO BE CONTINUED…