Getting It Started
“Quatre, what are you doing.”
I turned in surprise. I hadn’t heard Heero approach.
I shook my head, “What do you mean?”
He watched me levelly and I knew he knew something was going
on.
I had no intentions of explaining, yet, however. Not until I had
proof.
He shook his head, “Tell me something.”
I continued to meet his eyes, but stayed silent.
He took a step closer, gesturing behind him to the room Nikki
was in, “Do you realize what this is doing to her? Do you realize what he
did to her...”
I looked away, not being able to hold his eyes anymore.
I knew what it was doing to her. Making her face Price
everyday...she was having nightmares...she seemed very vulnerable...more so, even, then
when she was being held hostage...and if the way Heero was acting was any indication,
more vulnerable than she had been since the incident itself...it made sense.
“Tell me something, Quatre. Tell me something so I can reassure
her with more than ‘He knows what he’s doing.’ because it’s getting old.”
I sighed meeting his eyes again, “Think about it, Heero. All
right? Think about everything. Price never used to attend those meetings...ever. Then,
suddenly, about two meetings ago...when it was first noted that we would be
there...that Nikki would be there, he shows up with up-to-date information.” I
shook my head, “Think about it.”
He settled back some, thinking about that.
“He had no one taking his place before.”
Heero gave me a look that asked about that.
“I was at every meeting. I haven’t missed one since that time I
visited you and Sally kept trying to tempt us to go...” that brought surprise and I nodded.
“He’s up to more than just trying to kill Nikki. He might have a preference there...I’m
sure he wants to get you and Duo as well. He has no affinity for the others and he plays
nice to me so he can get access to things he never had before...”
He nodded.
“But I think it’s a distraction. If we’re focused on watching for
snipers, then we’re not watching Nikol. And if we’re not watching Nikol, then he can get
emergency supplies. We still need to check those last four bases.”
He nodded, thinking, “So what are you doing?”
I shrugged, “Making him and Nikol believe their little plot is
working...that Price is getting in good with me...”
“What about Nikki?”
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, “I don’t know. She’s my
assistant now in more than just word. I can’t work without her...”
He rose an eyebrow.
I smiled slightly, “Yes, I know I can. But how about Nikol? If I
start showing up at work without my personal assistant, he’s going to notice. Just like
he’ll notice if I don’t have my bodyguard and hers...”
That got another look.
I nodded, “We told the press that’s what the two of you are, so
now you have to be with us until we get something figured out...” I started thinking fast,
“We can alternate, of course...that way it’s not only Wufei and Trowa base hopping...we
can even hit two of those at once...maybe even all of them if we can find somewhere
secure...” Like with Relena...Nikki might not like Relena, but she’d stay there and play
nice if we asked her to...I was sure of it. We could leave them with Relena, Sally, Kris,
and Noin. If they stayed in basically one room with a hidden unknown exit...Relena had
told me...
“Quatre!”
I jumped, coming out of the reverie.
Heero smiled and nodded, “Whatever you’re thinking...it’ll work.
But what will we tell Kyle?”
I smiled, an idea coming to me, “I’m taking a personal day to
deal with the stress. I’m going to be completely inaccessable to anyone. No business, no
visits...I’m going to be relaxing with my family.”
Heero grinned, “What if he asks to come over?”
I shrugged, “We need to set up the details
first...can...you...ask...Nikki?”
He watched me a moment, then shook his head.
I frowned.
He smiled, “Let her know what’s going on. I’m going to go tell
the guys.”
I sighed, looking at the door to their room, I wasn’t looking
forward to seeing what it did to her...
Her eyes were haunted...so tired...I did my damnedest not to meet
her eyes...
Wufei came out of his room and looked at me, then at where I
was looking.
“You heard?” it was more a statement. I didn’t look away from
the door.
I hadn’t wanted to face the others either...but this confrontation
with Heero removed that. I could tell them now...Heero was going to anyway.
Wufei nodded, “Quatre...”
I slowly turned my head to face him.
“Do you remember that day when Heero warned you all about
their games?”
I nodded.
“Remember how pissed Heero and Duo were with me?”
I nodded again.
“Remember what she was like?” he nodded at Nikki’s door with
his head.
She’d been curled on Heero’s lap...It was weird to think that they
hadn’t been a couple then...she’d been scared...bad...Duo told me that Wufei had
implied...
The rest of the story occurred to me and my eyes opened
wide.
Wufei nodded, guilt receding from his eyes, “All that stemmed
from Kyle.”
I closed my eyes, thinking over what I’d say.
He nodded again, “I’m gonna go join Heero.”
I lay on the bed staring at the white ceiling.
At least it was dark up there...this room was very bright...not
much like any we’d had so far.
I heard a door open in the hall and Heero stood after a
second.
I looked at him.
“I’ll be back...”
I sighed, then nodded.
He crossed the room and went out the door.
A few seconds passed, then I heard him start talking quietly to
someone.
I rolled on my side, closing my eyes. I couldn’t sleep, though,
not with the dreams I was having...or, more correctly, the dream...I kept
remembering what had happened...how helpless I’d felt...him gripping my wrists..
I wiped a tear away and turned on the radio.
It was all because of Kyle. Sam and them had tried talking to
me...reassuring me...but none of it had helped.
If I didn’t have to see him everyday...
I tunred the radio off and took deep breaths.
Quatre was up to something...and he knew what he was
doing...or, at least, that’s what Heero kept saying. I wasn’t sure if Quatre even knew
what happened with Kyle...
Except for his apologizing...that is.
The door opened and I looked over my shoulder.
It was Quatre.
I blinked, sitting up.
He stood there a minute, evidently waiting to be invited in...an
odd thing for him to do since he hadn’t even knocked...he got over it and came the rest of
the way in, shutting the door.
“Sorry I didn’t knock.”
I shrugged, “It just surprised me, that’s all.”
He sighed, looking away.
“What’s up?”
“I wanted to apologize...”
“Again?” I smiled at him.
He gave me an arch look, “Again.” he confirmed as he walked
over and sat on the bed, “I feel really bad...but I have to have my
assistant...Believe me, I wouldn’t ask you to deal with him for no reason...”
I nodded.
He sighed, looking away again, “I have the suspicion that he’s
working for Nikol.”
I blinked, surprised...but it made sense.
He shook his head, “I think the attempt’s to distract us. I’m sure
they know his past and are taking advantage of it...They probably don’t realize that we’ve
already had him traced. They’re just using him.”
“What makes you think that?” it wasn’t that I didn’t believe
him...
He looked out the window, “He showed up the meeting
after...”
“Meeting?”
He looked at me, nodding, “Yeah, the Preventers meetings. The
officers meet with the funders to discuss things...”
I nodded.
“So, he shows up after I personally talked to Une and a few
others about us sharing our information...and he’d never been to a meeting before that.
He had up-to-date information and facts that only the highest officers had.”
I nodded again.
“That’s what caught my attention. The other was the fact that he
had us followed. He has money, yes, but not the means for what Zechs saw...”
“What’s that?” no one had given me the facts about the
trap.
He had receded into thought...out-loud...now he blinked at me,
“Huh?”
“What did Zechs see?”
“The trap...” he sounded like he thought I already knew.
“Yes, dear, the trap. I was only told there was one. No
facts.”
He sighed again, “Lots of soldiers. Lots and lots of
soldiers.”
I frowned.
“Okay, so...only about fifty...”
“Only fifty?”
He grinned at me, “Heero can take on ten unarmed...with Duo
there and weapons that brings it to thirty...even with the surprise factor...in a
normal fight. Add in the attempt on you and that has them both pissed and
fighting for their lives...they would have been fine...and Add Zechs to make that fifty a
piffling amount...they just don’t like to kill.”
I nodded, “And that was only fifty that Zechs
saw?”
He nodded, “That was hidden and not. There weren’t many
places to hide.”
“Then it was him doing the fine work.”
Quatre gave me a curious look.
I smiled slightly, “They’re not the type to waste their
soldiers.”
He nodded, “So...” he re-collected his thoughts, “I’m assuming
he’s in league with...” he grinned a bit, “Neo Romefeller...” he rolled his eyes, “And they
think he’s gotten in good with me...”
I lay back on the bed again and he shifted to face me better.
“Which brings me to you. I’m assuming they don’t think you
guys recognize him...which helps them even further because he knows you a bit...and I
can’t work without my assistant. Had we not made it public then we could get
away with it...so you’re with me when key shit is happening...and so is Price. He can
keep on eye on what you’re doing...and hopefully for him, where everyone else is.” he
pursed his lips and hesitated.
“What?”
He sighed, “Can you work out a schedule so we can hit the last
four bases at the same time?”
I blinked, surprised. If they were all out on mission...all
of them...then we’d be unprotected...a golden oportunity for Nikol...
He sighed even deeper, “I hate to do it...but I also have to ask if
you’ll stay with Relena...”
I nodded, “Whatever you say, boss...”
That didn’t settle with him. He looked about to get pissed.
I rose my chin a bit, “Don’t go getting...whatever with me. I
don’t mean anything by it...”
“Then don’t deffer to me!”
Did he just say that?
“Don’t give me my way.”
I frowned.
“People have been giving me my way my entire life!” for
a moment he looked like a boy...a frustrated boy... “My entire life...Nikki...because I was
heir, because their job depends on my will...Treating me like...like...” he shook his head,
“I don’t know. But I’m sick of it. I don’t want to get my way just because I decided I
wanted something...”
I sat up again, grabbing his hand, “Quatre, if I deffer to you, it’s
because I agree with you. Because you’re making sense...with all of us. None of us see
you as your father’s son...your money’s holder. We’re your friends. We discuss things
with you when we’re unsure and we agree when you’re right.”
He looked down, “I need to talk to Relena and them about
this...but if you’re willing I don’t see much of a problem arising...”
I smiled, “I like it when I get my way.”
He sighed, “That’s because it’s not given to you without a fight.
You don’t have everything handed to you on a silver platter...”
I smiled, “Give me the information and I’ll make it work.”
Kyeian
