Thirty-Five

The First Mistake

      I couldn’t see... That was one of the things I hated most...I could hear Sam a pace or so behind me though, so that was good...
      I had no idea how much time had passed.
      The guards stopped us.
      “Nikki?”
      My heart jumped, that was... “Suretta?” I swallowed.
      “But Suretta’s...” Sam started, then stopped.
      No one said anything to her.
      “Yes, Nikki, I’m sorry...”
      Defense mode set in.
      “Sorry? Sorry! Suretta, you died! You were killed!”
      The blindfold was removed. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting them to confirm...
      “Open your eyes, Kaze.” there was a pause, “Nice to see you again, Killeine.” her tone was cold to Sam.
      “Wester.” Sam being Sam, she must’ve nodded slightly, not looking away...
      “I’m not Kaze, Suretta. Not anymore.”
      “You were the one who secured the lines. It reminded me of the old days, your name was written all over it. And, as always, I couldn’t faze your locks.”
      I opened my eyes, pursing my lips.
      It was definitely Suretta. Older, of course, but Suretta.
      She smiled at me, “Will you stop helping them now?”
      The betrayal I felt whipped through me, “Stop helping them...for you...” I stared at her, feeling something that had to be hatred, for the first time, “You’re joking, right?”
      Her expression changed to one of hurt.
      “You died, Suretta! You died! I was watching you on screen and you disappeared! You fucking died! And now, you’re here, trying to take over the world and asking me to help you? Are you stupid, did you lose all the fucking sense you once had?” I stared at her a moment, thinking fast.
      We were in the headquarters of the Lunar Base.
      “Obviously you must have, because you died!” I shook my head and felt Sam shift slightly. “But, just so you know,” I lowered my head slightly, not looking away from her, using my most condescending voice, “This exploit will end like the last one. Romefeller is dead, just like you, Suretta. You’re a ghost. You are a memory.”
      She was completely shocked and unbelieving.
      Realization hit, “Suretta is no more. I’ve shed my tears for her and lived through the grief...told her mother the bad news and lived.”
      Her eyes went wide.
      “You are Wester...You betrayed me...” the last was a whisper.
      She swallowed, “I didn’t betray you. You were too naive to understand. But, Nikki, I am Suretta...”
      I bit my lip and shook my head, “Only friends call me Nikki, Wester. You are not my friend.”
      “Nikki...”
      I looked back to Sam. A very pointed gesture.
      Sam was surprised, and vaguely confused. She was also pissed.
      “Nikki...” Wester tried again, but I ignored her, “Fine. Kaze, under the name of Wester, I hold you. We will use you and Killeine to insure the good behavior and cooperation of the Gundams zero, zero-two, zero-three, zero-four, and zero-five. We will not hesitate to follow through with any threats we make, we will not hesitate to kill you if the Gundams...”
      “We are not worth it. Heero knows it. He will choose the good of the colonies and Earth over us.”
      “You will not win.” Sam said before I could, “Romefeller will fall. It needs support and financial backing. We notice you have neither or little. Of course, skill always helps...” Sam smirked, “But I won’t even start on that. Romefeller will fall with or without the cooperation of a few more men...”
      “Oh, but, Wester. You might need to be warned...” I turned to Sam, “We never can tell, you know...” I whispered loudly, “If she’s all that bright...” I turned back to the now outraged Wester, “We won’t be much use to you dead.” I smiled, knowing it showed false, “But hell, maybe we’ll just be alive again suddenly...”
      She slapped me hard, striking the gash. I’d nearly forgotten it...I could feel warmth running down my cheek.
      “Romefeller falls...” I whispered, “You are wrong.”
      She stared at me in complete shock.
      “Where are we?” I looked around, pretending not to recognize the room.
      She smiled slightly, covering her shock, “What happened to your face?”
      I grinned, focusing on her, “I surprised a Gundam pilot, Wester.”
      She nodded and then looked to the guards that surrounded us, “Take them to the cell.”
      “Yes, Ma’am.” the leader replied. She started to set the blindfold back on.
      “There’s no need for that. She knows where we are, and if Killeine still has the common sense she once did, then she knows too.”
      I grinned at her, “I’d forgotten Suretta could read me like that.”
      She had been smiling. At these words, or the realization of what they meant, the emotion drained from it. She continued with the expression.
      Pointedly, I turned my back on her.
      She had wanted this exchange to go better, for me to be the same naive little girl she used to know.
      But her death, the death of so many of my friends, and then putting up with the leaders and keeping Sam and Kris from being sent away...it had changed me.
      Then, there was Heero.
      If I hadn’t met him, I would still fall back on that little girl.
      I had grown up from association. I had lost the naive little girl who was trained to follow orders from those with the appropriate trappings and jump when told to hop.
      We walked down the halls in silence.
      Every corner held a memory, every shadow struck a cord. I had lived here, worked here, “played” here, been in charge here...I knew this place better than the fropps leading me.
      “We just passed the cell access.” I informed the captain.
      She stopped, confused, “We were told to take this way...”
      “So you have nothing better to do than try to mislead me in a place I know better than you ever could?”
      She narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
      “Keep in mind that I was once ‘Kaze of the maze’. Even though I no longer have that title, nor want it, I carry the knowledge...and the skills.” she didn’t seem to catch my hint.
      “Why should I trust you?” she demanded.
      I blinked, feigning surprise.
      “Did she ask you to trust her?” Sam asked, amused.
      “How do I know your not trying to escape?”
      “Because I wouldn’t get you in trouble like that. I have no grudge against you... as of yet.” I shook my head, “Besides; revenge is sweet. I won’t leave here without getting my fair share.”
      She shook her head.
      “Three doors down on the right.” I informed her with a flick of my hair.
      This would be fun. My revenge would be simple.
      In a place with such easy access to computers...Wester should be ashamed.
      “Hey, Sam...”
      “No talking!” the leader commanded.
      I ignored her, “Remember when those guys tried to lock us in the cells?”
      “No talking!”
      I met Sam’s eyes, smiling.
      She raised her eyebrows slightly.
      “If you know so well...” the leader muttered snidely, “Then you’d know there’s no communication between prisoners...”
      I nodded to Sam and looked at her, “Yes, but what of hostages?”
      “Excuse me?”
      I smiled, “Did you not hear Wester? We are to be used to ensure the good behavior of zero, zero-two, zero-three...”
      “No,” Sam cut in, “The good behavior and cooperation of the Gundams zero, zero-two, zero-three, zero-four, and zero-five. You can’t leave little things like that out if your quoting.”
      I smiled at her as the leader glared at us.
      “Hold your tongue.” she muttered.
      “Yes, Ma’am.”
      Sam snickered.
      We fell back into silence, gaining curious looks from the fropps.
      She knew what I needed her to do.
      We came to the cell door and they unlocked our hands.
      The leader held the hand-held control out to me, meeting my eyes.
      Evidently she assumed I knew how to do this. I, of course, did, but that was amusing. These were the same units I’d learned...they were connected to the main computer of the compound and the security system. She shouldn’t have let me even touch it...
      I put my finger on the scan...Now...I hoped Sam knew it.
      She did. She tried to make a break for it.
      A simple distraction.
      I typed in my code numbers and the cell repair numbers so the wall computer in the cell would be open, glad they had the information on a sticker within my sight.
      I glanced up at the leader sharply, whom had stopped paying attention to me.
      Almost instantly, Sam stopped struggling.
      I was shoved into the cell, and she was watched warily as they scanned her in.
      After the door closed, I smiled at her, “I almost feel sorry for them...”
      “Almost.” Sam agreed, “So what are you going to do?”
      I smiled, heading for the computer, “No. The question is, what won’t I do.”
      Computers were so easy to fuck with...not to mention fun...
      Suretta Lynn Wester would regret leaving ‘Kaze of the Maze’ on the Lunar Base with the computers so easily accessed and me so pissed...


      “They could be to Earth by now...” Kris’s tone was pointed so we’d hurry up.
      “Five shuttles left within five minutes of each other,” I reminded her, trying not to lose my temper, “Within five minutes of her leaving...In five fucking directions...”
      “I’m aware of that, Heero.”
      I took a deep breath, “Then have some patience.”
      She glared at me but said no more.
      I ignored her, focused on the screen.
      We’d had no luck finding them from the surveillance cameras so we’d come back to the study and accessed the files...it was odd not to have to hack for the information...
      As tense as we were, Quatre had managed to lighten the mood a bit when he pointed out that I could just use the code and access anything in his network...
      “She wasn’t in that one...” I murmured.
      No one said anything.
      “Or that one...” Duo added.
      “Maybe that one...” Quatre was slightly hesitant.
      Trowa nodded, “That one or that one. Not that one though.”
      We were pointing at the screen.
      “That one.” Wufei pointed to one of the two.
      “I...don’t know...” it could have been either of the two.
      “It’s that one, Heero. It went to the Lunar Base.”
      We all looked up to him, surprised by his attitude...he hadn’t been exactly acting like our friend of late...he’d been too interested in getting layed.
      He was focused on the screen.
      “Nikki reassigned all those...” Quatre started.
      “If they’re willingly Romefeller...” Duo pointed out.
      “Are we going to attack or wait for their call?” Wufei demanded, meeting my eyes.
      The light for a call began to flash.
      I held Wufei’s eyes a moment and he nodded.
      Quickly, I pushed the buttons.
      The screen flashed on and we all focused on it.
      Nikki and Sam were sitting on a couch...still in their party dresses. A woman in an Oz uniform was nearby, a gun held negligently in one hand.
      I noticed the small details absently, focused on Nikki.
      She was mouthing something to me quickly.
      ‘We’re in the Lunar Base. Keep calm. We’re fine. I’ve accessed the computers. She’s Wester...Suretta...’
      “But she...” I started before I thought about it.
      “What was that?” the woman...evidently Suretta, demanded.
      “We’re listening.” Quatre replied. Assuming the mannerisms of ‘Mr. Winner’.
      “I’d noticed.” she looked to Nikki a moment, “Pray tell, what did Kaze say?” she now focused on me.
      “Nothing of interest to you, Suretta.”
      She glared at me, tilting her head slightly, “Oh, that. All right.”
      “You do have a point, don’t you?”
      “She takes a while sometimes.” Nikki informed me.
      Suretta turned and slapped her so hard that the gash began to bleed...by the look of it, it had been bleeding before...
      My heart plummeted at the sight of the blood...and Nikki laughed.
      “None of that.” Suretta grated and turned back to us, “Seeing as you aren’t much for pleasantries...” she had tried to ignore the laughter, but her expression was hurt, and it was more than obvious that Nikki hadn’t been acting the way she’d expected...or hoped, maybe...it was hard to tell for sure.
      “You have our women. What do you expect.” Wufei’s tone was cold.
      “My, aren’t we the chauvinist...”
      The door opened and Relena, Zechs, Sally, and Noin came in, their faces worried, “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it earlier...” Relena started, then looked at the screen, “Nicole...”
      It was going on noon. We’d let them know what was going on around three...it’d happened around midnight...and sent them to bed. They said they’d come as early as they could, but we’d told them not to, they might distract us. It hadn’t been too flattering, but it was true, and they knew it. We...well, Quatre, really...had called them an hour ago...waking them up.
      “Your Majesty...” Suretta smiled, “Great. Please, make yourself comfortable...we have things to discuss...” her face fell and shock overcame her when she saw Zechs, “Commander Milliardo...” she breathed.
      “I’m Zechs. Not Milliardo.” Zechs replied, “You said we have things to discuss?” he went on as she seemed ashamed.
      I wasn’t too happy about him being here, but what could I say...
      Discussions seem to lead to trouble...I’ve noticed...” Sam said with a cold smile.
      Suretta turned to slap her.
      “I suggest,” Kris started, stopping the woman, “You don’t do that. You should remember, I tend to hold a grudge...”
      Suretta turned and looked her over, “Turren. You look well.” she didn’t seem fazed by the words.
      “I am very well.” Kris agreed, still cold.
      “Well, aren’t you going to return the complement?”
      “I have no intention of chatting with my enemies.”
      “All right.”
      “Can we move on, please?” Wufei was annoyed.
      “So, the chauvinist does speak English...”
      “She has a hard time staying focused.” Nikki said, her voice cold. Suretta turned on her, “You remember, don’t ya, Heero?”
      “Yes. I do. How do we keep her focused?”
      “Shut up!” Suretta yelled at her, frustrated and slightly hurt. It occurred to me that she didn’t want to hurt Nikki...didn’t want to try and control Nikki...and she didn’t want to be in this position.
      Nikki chuckled deep in her throat.
      “Nikki. Don’t.” Duo said, “We need you both alive.”
      Suretta would not kill them. I almost felt bad for her, almost.
      Nikki didn’t look from Suretta, “We would be fairly useless, dead.”
      “But it would sure make me feel a hell of a lot better.” Suretta replied.
      “Then kill me.” Nikki’s voice was even.
      “Don’t tempt me.”
      “Do you have demands, or are you just trying to piss us off?” Quatre demanded, “Not too bright, either way though...we’re on our own now, and can do as we will without worrying about a greater scheme...”
      “Be patient, Mr. Winner...”
      “My patience is nearly shot.” he cut in.
      Nikki was watching her watch...a watch...where’d she gotten a watch?
      Suretta sighed, “Fine. We hold them to insure your good behavior. We demand that the Gundams and Relena Peacecraft be delivered to our envoy or we will not hesitate to kill Kaze and Killeine.”
      ‘Ten, nine, eight...’ Nikki mouthed at the same time. As she reached one, Suretta paused for a breath.
      There was an explosion.
      “What was that?!” she looked around, then disappeared off screen.
      Nikki was studying her nails. She looked up to us and smiled.
      “Sounded like an explosion, Wester.” Sam said, also smiling.
      I smiled at Nikki.
      ‘Type in the letters to make it work.’ she mouthed, ‘I’d say about eighty-five, twelve. Zero hour...’
      The screen went blank.
      “What was she talking about?” Zechs demanded after a time.
      I had my eyes closed, Type the letters to make it work... “A secure line,” I’d say about eighty-five, twelve... “How many mobile dolls..” Zero hour...
      “Midnight.” Duo finished, “But did she mean leaving or arriving?”
      “Arriving.” Kris said, “She meant arriving.”
      I looked at my watch, two. “It’s too late now...”
      “She meant tomorrow then.”
      “I don’t want to wait that long.” Wufei was annoyed again.
      “Neither do I, but she seems to have a plan...”
      “Or maybe she’s just having fun...” Kat was staring blankly in Trowa’s general direction.
      I didn’t want to know if she was right.

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Kyeian