And now, the best part of any fanfic....dum dum duuuuummmmmm....the Cliffhanger!  *goes into announcer-style voice* Leaving readers in suspence until the writer can get the time to finish the fic.... *switches to normal after recieving death glares from imaginary Heero and Duo* *sighs*
 
Once again....the....naaah, you guys know who owns GW by now, do ya really need the little four word phrase that says "I DON'T OWN IT!"?  After all, I've stated it several times already.  The Storm, however, once again, belongs to me..

Still want feedback!!

Heart of the Storm

Chapter 5

Kalli quietly sat across from Quatre at the table.  She had been quiet all through the meal.

Quatre finally asked, “Kalli, what’s wrong?”

Kalli looked at Quatre.  “Quatre, have you heard of the Preventer Storm?”

Quatre raised a brow.  “I think so.  Why do you ask?”  Of course I’ve heard of the Storm.  There’s not one of us Gundam pilots that doesn’t.  Especially since Tempest did quite a number on Wing Zero.

Kalli smiled to herself, after picking up on her brother’s last thought.

“Kalli?  Is there something you want to tell me?”

“I’m a part of the Storm, Quatre.  I’m known as Lightning.”  Kalli’s eyes shifted off of Quatre and down to her plate.

Quatre stared down.  “I see.  Is this the reason you haven’t come home?”

“I suppose.  In the past, we’ve had so many very dangerous missions, I suppose we thought that you guys would try to stop us from taking them on.”

“Then why are you telling me this now?”

Kalli remained silent.

Quatre closed his eyes.  “You may not be coming back from your next mission.”

Kalli nodded.

“Mind telling me about it?”  He looked at her.

Kalli stared at him for a moment then nodded.  She told him about how the three of them met in Oz, then took off for a few years.  Then they joined the Preventers as the Storm, with their own Gundams based on the designs of the others.  Maelstrom had the basic design of Epyon with a few of Wing Zero’s weapons.  Kalli’s Gundam, Illumination, was a cross between Deathscythe Hell and Altron.  Izreina’s Gundam, Thunderbolt, a cross between Heavyarms and Sandrock.  The latter two each having a unique weapon.

Illumination, given enough power, begins to glow brightly, blinding its opponent.  But it’s only useful in planning an escape route, or when another suit is there to make an attack.  The trick drains Illumination’s power and it won’t be able to attack for ten minutes, while it recharges.  Kalli’s only had to use it once, but Izreina and Trinity were both there to back her up.

Thunderbolt, given enough power, theoretically, has the ability to emit a shockwave, affecting anything within a ten-mile radius of itself.  This also drains power from the suit.  Izreina, fortunately, has never had to use this trick before.

“Seems the three of you are quite a team.”  Quatre looked at Kalli.

“Were.”  Kalli stared down at her plate.  “We ‘were’ quite a team.”

“Problems with Tempest?”

Kalli nodded.

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Izreina sat quietly across from Duo and Hilde.  Hilde looked between the two siblings.  Duo was also remaining remarkably quiet.

“You’d think a brother and sister, after reuniting after so long, would have quite a bit to talk about,” said Hilde.

“I’m certain we both would like to…,” said Duo.

“…But are afraid of what the other would say about it,” said Izreina.

Duo looked at her.  “So we both have secrets.  Care to go first?”

Izreina nodded.  “Why not?  After all, I already know your secret.”

“Huh?”  Duo eyed her.

She eyed him in return.  “I know who you are, Shinigami.”

“How?”

Hilde stood up, carrying their empty plates to the kitchen.  “I’ll leave you two alone for a while.”

Izreina nodded as Hilde disappeared through the door.  “Issac, I think you’d better stay seated for this.”

She told him the story, about her and the other two members of the Storm, how they met, about the Storm, about her role as Preventer Thunder, about the three Gundams, and about the problem with Tempest.

“So you’re Thunder, and Quatre’s twin is Lightning.  Who’s Tempest?”

“For the last twenty years, she’s gone by the name ‘Trinity Winters.’  She’s Heero’s older sister.”

“All three of you are sisters to one of us.  Is that just a coincidence?  Or something else?”

“It must be a coincidence.  There’s no way Oz knew who the Gundam pilots would be at the time of our training.  Une admits to that.  We went our separate ways when Romerfeller took over, but eventually wound up back together again.  We met up with Howard and created our three Gundams.  Then we went to Une to join the Preventers.  We joined as individuals but found the only way we could complete our missions was if we worked together.  So we created the Storm.  Tempest was our heart.  We thought nothing could tear us apart.  Until recently.” She sighed.  “Now that she’s betrayed us, there is no Storm.”

“Well, ‘Rainy’, you got us guys behind ya.  And that’s the truth.”  Duo smiled at her.

Izreina smiled in return.  “I know, Issac, Duo, Shinigami, whatever.”

“Don’t you think we should tell Lady Une about Tempest’s disorder?”

“Yeah, before she gives Heero the bad news.”

“Let’s go.”

“Right.”

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“Heero,” said Une.  “Don’t feel like you have to take care of this alone.  Kalli and Izreina are both ready to help out.  They are just as good as Trinity as far as their piloting skills.  And they both have very good control over their abilities.”

Heero was standing in the doorway, ready to leave Une’s office, as she was still talking.

So it was Trin that I fought.  I knew it.

“Heero, get with Iz and Kal on this one.  They know Trin as a soldier, a friend, a sister, a mother…”

“Huh?”  Heero looked at Une.  “A mother?”

“Trin has two children.  Michael, 10 years old, and Nika, 4 years old.”

And she would just leave them to fend for themselves, just like she did me.

She had no other choice.  Heero heard Izreina’s voice in his mind.  He turned and saw her and Kalli standing in the hallway behind him.

She went through hell and back when she finally got out from under that rubble.  That was Kalli.

We’ve done everything we can for those kids and will continue to do so.  Don’t you dare believe that they’ll be on their own if we can’t get Trin back.  And we WILL get her back if I have anything to say about it.

Izreina looked to Une.  “We want our Gundams ready to go by noon tomorrow.  We’re not waiting for the end of the week.”

Une looked to Heero.

“Then I’ll go with them.”

“Fine.”  Une nodded.  “I’ll have your 3 Gundams ready to go.”

“If we don’t return by the end of the week, send the rest of the Gundam pilots.”

Une nodded.  “Very well.”  She looked to Izreina and Kalli.  “Do either of you have a problem with that?”

They both shook their heads.

“Good then.  I’ll make sure Wing Zero, Illumination, and Thunderbolt are ready.”

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The next day…

“Aunt Izzy!!!”  A pair of young Prussian eyes looked up at Izreina.  She smiled down to the little girl.

“Hi Aunt Iz!”  The little girl was joined by an older boy.

“Hi Nika.  Hi Michael,” said Kalli, stepping in behind Izreina.

“Auntie Kalli!!!”

“Hi Aunt Kal!”

Both kids smiled and hugged Kalli and Izreina.

Heero watched from the doorway.

Nika looked over Izreina’s shoulder and saw Heero.

“Hi, Mister-Mommy-look-alike!” she shouted, cheerfully.

Heero smiled to himself.  She looks just like Trin, except for the blond hair.  He looked to the older one, the boy.  He had Trinity's complexion, but his hair was a platinum blond and his eyes were an icy blue.  Heero could have sworn he looked almost like Zechs.  He shook the thought out of his head before Izreina or Kalli could pick it up.  There was no chance in heaven or hell that Zechs was the father of his nephew and niece.

Izreina looked at Heero.  “Come on in.”

Michael looked at Heero.  “Hi.” Nika’s right.  He does look an awful lot like Mom.

“Heero, this is Michael and Nika.  Guys, this is your uncle Heero.  He’s your mom’s little brother.”

Heero walked in and knelt next to the kids.  “Hi.” He smiled.

“How come Mom never mentioned him before?”  Michael looked up to Izreina.

“I don’t know.  He hasn’t seen your mom in over 20 years.  And that’s a long time.”

Michael nodded.  “Where is she?”

“I don’t know that either.  Uncle Heero, Aunt Kalli and I are going to go look for her.  We just wanted to stop by and say ‘Hi’ before we left.”

“Are you coming back?”

Izreina frowned.  “I really don’t know.”

Michael wrapped his arms around Izreina’s waist.  “I want you to come back.  With Mom.  Don’t go and get yourselves killed.”

Izreina smiled.  “We’ll try.”

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Trinity walked into the hanger and looked up at her Gundam.

“It’s a marvelous machine, Trin.” Sarris stepped in behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

She nodded.  “Yes, it is.”

“How are you feeling?”  He planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Better.”

“Good.”  He removed his arms from around her.  “Because you and your suit are going into battle this evening.  I just got word that they know where you are.  Their 2 Stormers and Yuy are on their way.  You will destroy them before they arrive.”

“Of course.”  She nodded.  How the hell did they…?  Une.

Probably a tracking device on your suit.

Good for them.

Not good.  Fool, you’ve led them right to us!

Trinity closed her eyes, the pain returning.

But they won’t get this far, right?

Right.

Because you’ll destroy them before they get to close, right?

…

Right?!

She flinched.  …Right…  She sighed.

Right.

“Trin, what’s wrong?”

She opened her eyes and looked at Sarris.  “Nothing.”

“Go get some more rest.  Your suit will be ready to go in 4 hours.”

Trinity nodded.  She left the hanger and returned to her room.  She laid down on the bed.
Sarris, what have you done to me?  She closed her eyes.

He’s brought out the best in you.

NO!  This isn’t me!  You are NOT me!  My place isn’t here!  My place is with my sisters, my children, my brother…

Your place is HERE!

Trinity’s eyes squeezed shut, holding back tears.  The pain…

The sooner you accept it, the sooner the pain will cease.

I will not let you control me.

You already have, dear.  You already have.

The pain eased and Trinity fell into a deep sleep.

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Later that day…

Trinity sat in the cockpit of Maelstrom.  Space was quiet.  Very quiet.  A perfect place to get away from everything.  Almost everything.

What is your mission?

To kill the Storm.

And…?

And Heero Yuy.

Good.  You’re learning.

Trinity sighed, looking out into space.  Sarris had sent only herself out.  No other suits.  He knew that the other suits would be the firsts to go in the battle.  It would be a waste.

There was still time before the 3 Gundams would come.  Trinity had to do some thinking.  But that one side of her mind, the intruder.  She couldn’t do anything without it finding out.  Except…

She found one thing that could be useful.  The intruder only saw what she thought, not what she did.

She glanced at her self-detonation device, thinking about her mission.  It fooled the intruder, partially.

You won’t have to use that.  You’re stronger than them.  They cannot defeat you.

Finally, they arrived.

Trinity sat still, reciting in her mind:

To be…or not to be…That is the question.

This isn’t the time for this, they’ll be here any minute.

Izreina, Kalli, and Heero were already there, but she wasn’t going to let IT know that.

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Kalli and Izreina had gotten close enough that they could pick up on Trinity’s thoughts.

“Kal, what is she doing?”

“I don’t know Iz.”

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing, end them?

What are you doing?  Slight pain came, but Trinity ignored it.  She flipped on the comm system. Izreina, Kalli and Heero could hear her as she began speaking the rest.

“To die, to sleep, no more.  And by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to…”

‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

” ‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.”

Iz, there’s another voice, I’m hearing.

I know Kal, I’m hearing it too.  Whatever she’s doing, she’s distracting it.

Trinity’s hand hovered over the self-detonation device before finally picking it up.

“To die, to sleep, to sleep perchance to dream, aye, there’s the rub.”

Heero narrowed his eyes at Maelstrom.  “Izreina, Kalli, she’s going to self-detonate!  Back away from her!”

“No way, Trin!  You can’t!” shouted Izreina.

“For in that sleep of death what dreams may come…”

“Trin, please,” said Kalli.

“…When we have shuffled off this mortal coil…”

“Trin…,” whispered Heero.

“Must…give…us…pause.”  She pressed the button.