Papa Zechs - Chapter 11

  Sally, Wufei, and Quatre patiently waited beyond the door as they heard the footsteps come closer to the room. Slowly, the door opened, and Cecil stepped inside.

 Quatre quickly shoved the door shut, while Wu and Sally drew their guns.

"Randolph Cecil, you are hereby under arrest for treason against the Earth Sphere Unified Nations. Put your hands behind your head, and kneel with your knees spread apart." Sally ordered.

Cecil ignored them. Visibly getting hold of himself, he walked to the chase lounge and sat down. Playing with the arm, his hand disappeared for a moment, causing Wu to fire a warning shot.

"Keep your hands within view!" he ordered, causing the villain to quickly raise his hands in the air.

In his right hand, was a slim, metallic object about six inches long.

:::He must have gotten it out of a secret compartment in the arm rest.::: Wu thought, cursing his lack of foresight. He really should have checked while he had the chance.

"This," Cecil said, "Is a detonator. One click of a button, and this entire facility is gone."

His green eyes were blank, refusing to acknowledge fear, but the whiteness of his face told a different story. Randolph Cecil was not very good at this sort of thing. This is why he hired his muscle.

He raked his free hand through the formally chestnut colored locks, coming away with a tinge of red hair coloring on his hands.

"Please.. take a seat. It's not that often that I get to have tea with two Preventers and the head of Winner enterprises...."

"I'm comfortable right where I am." Sally spat, not about to give in easily.

She looked at her partner and noticed a crafty gleam in his eye. Wu sat down, smiling a tight, secret smile.

"Sit next to me, Woman. You never know. Maybe he'll serve some decent coffee."

:::What is he up to?::: She thought, noticing Quatre with the same look. :::Of course! The others will start blowing up the MS's soon!:::

She sat, and waited as a man came in bearing a tray. She was surprised when she noticed that it held four settings.

"I knew the moment you walked into my quarters. I do have camera's." He said. "Now, my question is this - Why did the Preventers send just you three?"

Quatre started, then stared hard into himself. :::He's not hiding anything. He really doesn't know about the others.:::

"What makes you sure that we're alone?" He asked, earning Wufei's scowl.

" If there were more of you, I would be hearing the sounds of mayhem. I'm well aware of how you Gundam Pilots fight."

"Oh.. mayhem..." Wu smirked, catching on. "Like that?"

The sound of multiple explosions rang through out the small colony, followed by the clink of ricocheting bullets.

"What?" Cecil shouted, unable to believe that they were actually being attacked. He ran to the window overlooking the training grounds, horrified that most of his fleet was already destroyed.

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"Hey, where is everyone going?" Duo laughed, watching the mercenaries running in the opposite direction. Not one of the hired men ran towards the MS's, so they were basically slicing through unprotected scrap metal.

"I guess they weren't paid enough." Zech's cool voice came over the intercom as he nonchalantly sliced through another suit.

"How many are left?" Heero asked, business as usual.

"Well, we took out sixty mobile suits with the explosives, and another seventy-two in the last few minutes..."

"seventy-five" Trowa corrected.

"You know, this is way too easy."

"Hnnnnn"

"We have about sixty-five more to go."

"Do you hear that?" Zechs asked.

"Hear what?" Duo asked.

"The signal. The other team has some problems."

"Do we help?"

"Finish the job, first, Heero, then you and Duo go after Davis. Trowa and I will go and lend them a hand."

"Ok.. Let's finish this."

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Wu silently sneaked up behind the distracted man as Cecil stared, horrified, at what had once been a fleet of suits. He kept his eye on the detonator, anger building up with each step. The sonofabitch was bluffing.

He picked up an ornate lighter from the table under the windowsill. Flicking it open, he ran his finger down the igniter and asked,

"Do you need a light for that cigar?"

Randolph jumped back, his finger twitching on the silver cigar holder as if it really was a detonator. Gulping, he turned, and made a run for the other room.

Sally blocked the way, firing once into the wall next to him.

"The next bullet goes through your heart. You are under arrest. Kneel and assume the position."

Wu had just fastened the cuffs on the man when Zechs and Trowa ran into the room.

"False alarm." Quatre joked, relieved that so far, there hadn't been any killing.

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"Where's Davis?" Duo asked, slamming the soldier into the wall.

"He's not here! I haven't seen him in over a week!"

"I don't believe you!" Heero said, leaning against the corner with his arms crossed.

"I'm telling the truth! He followed the escaped prisoners! There's a rumor that the boss exploded his ship when he failed him!"

"Rumor? Do you believe it?"

"No... Mr. Cecil would have promoted someone if he had."

"So.. Davis is running around somewhere." Heero muttered under his breath.

"I don't think we'll meet up with him again, buddy." Duo slapped him on the back. "Now.. what do we do with this one?"

"Let him go. He's harmless without Cecil."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Let's go see if Zechs needs our help."

They turned around and walked back towards the hanger. Suddenly, Heero pushed Duo down onto the ground, drawing his gun at the same time. The bullet entered the mercs forehead just after Heero felt the sharp burn go through his shoulder.

"Sonofabitch!" Duo shouted, staring at the lifeless man, "We were gonna let him go!"

"Duo.. shut up." Heero slumped against the other man as his friend half carried him back to the MS Hanger.

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Epilogue

"Oh Heero! Are you alright?" Relena asked, carefully avoiding his bandaged shoulder as she placed her arms around his waist.

"It's just a scratch, Princess." He reassured her, swaying slightly for effect.

She steadied him, squinting. "It is not! Milliardo! How bad is it?"

"It went through, Relena. He'll be fine!" Her brother said, looking disgustedly at the pilot as he milked the scene.

"I just need to rest a bit, Relena... Can you help me to my room?"

"You don't have a room here, anymore! Go home!"

"Stuff it, Milliardo! Come, Heero... Lean on me."

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"Well, Babe! Here we are. Home sweet home!" Duo bounced on couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.

Hilde glanced at the feet, warning him with a look.

"Heh..." he muttered sheepishly, lowering them. "You know, Hilde.. I've been thinking."

"Yeah?"

"Let's get married.. this week."

"This week?" she repeated,

"Yup." he stood up, and pulled her into his arms. "If there is one thing I learned, Hilde-babe.. it's that I don't want to be apart from you again. So.. what do you say? Marry me?"

"Did you have to ask?" She teased, hugging him back.

"Nope. That's why Trowa and Quatre are busy throwing everything together for us... Noin is bringing the dress."

"Duo! You cocky brat!"

"You love me!"

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Wufei waited on the balcony for Sally to climb into bed. It was near midnight, and it was his first day of freedom. No more answering to Zechs. No more frustrations and anger at the ESUN council. No more waiting to settle things with the woman.

:::Was she the guilty one?::: He asked himself, glaring at her back as she brushed her hair.

He watched as the brush pulled through the tangled twists, slowly smoothing them until they were strands of old gold.

She placed the brush onto the desk and stood up. He stiffened, backing into the shadows as she walked over to the glass doors and opened them.

"Wu?" she said, "Is that you?"

Surrendering, he answered her.

"Who else would it be, Woman?"

He reached over and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I suppose you're here to get even?" She teased, too used to his threats to be nervous.

"Yes." He bent his head down to kiss her, gently teasing her lips until she cuddled into his chest.

She kissed him back, then slowly moved away. Taking his hand, she pulled him through the glass doors.

Watching his face the entire time, she leisurely unbuttoned his jacket and slid it off of his shoulders. He wore a blue tank tucked into well worn jeans underneath. Sally ran her hands down the lean muscles of his arms, surprised when he grabbed his wrists to stop her.

"So.. Who's been taking my place while I've been away?" he asked, not referring to his position as her partner.

"No one." She answered, bringing her mouth to nibble on his jaw.

"I'm supposed to believe that?" He asked, scoffing.

"Hmmm... Yes."

"Convince me."

He sat on the bed, roughly pushing her down to her knees. Sally could feel the wetness seeping down her legs as his demands became clear.

Slowly, she slid his sneakers off of his feet before moving her hands to the worn denim of his jeans. Unzipping them, she slid his pants off past his raised hips, dragging his cotton boxers with them.

His hardness rose from his lap, causing her to lick her lips in anticipation.

She glanced into his eyes, swallowing nervously at the look he gave her. He was leaner, more dangerous than before. He hid something from her... something that put that cunning look into his eye.

"Wu? What's wrong?" Sally asked, unsure of him.

"What could be wrong, Woman?" He leaned down, petting her cheek.

She curled her face into his warm palm, kissing the tender skin with relieved lips. Slowly, she lowered her mouth to his cock, lavishing it with pent up desire.

"Yess..." He moaned, his hands pushing her mouth lower. "That's it, Woman."

She held his twitching member in her hand, grazing her teeth over it's delicate skin as her mouth rose.

His hips spasmed off of the bed, forcing himself deeper into her mouth.

Sally chuckled, tormenting him further as he squirmed. Soon, he pushed her away, his face showing the strain he was under.

"Looks like I'm not the only one to go without." She teased, as his eyes flashed fire.

"I've heard differently, Sally." He said, no longer pretending to be the gentle lover.

"That's not true, Wufei." She pulled away, and got to her feet. Pulling her robe tighter around her willowy form, she walked to the other side of the room to put distance between them.

"I haven't slept with anyone else, Wu. It was well within my rights to, since we never had any sort of understanding, but I didn't. We are partners, and sometimes, lovers, but that's it."

Sally walked over to the balcony and opened the glass door. "I think you had better leave."

"Sally..." He mumbled, realizing too late that he made an ass out of himself.

"Leave, Chang! You don't trust me, so I don't want you! I assure you, that I'll be requesting a new partner in the morning."

"Dammit! Hear me out, first!" Wu shouted, earning a contemptuous glance from her.

"No. you had me tried and convicted before you came here! I don't hop from bed to bed, you bastard! What, just because I accepted you in mine without a commitment, I'm suddenly a slut? Get out."

"I had to be sure that it wasn't you... That you're not the one trying to get rid of me."

Sally stopped, confused. "What are you babbling about?"

"Before I came here.. after we reported to the President.. He pulled me aside to apologize."

"For what?"

"He said that he was wrong about me, and that he should have talked with me before listening to 'that agent'. That just because 'she' was high in the ranks of the Preventers didn't mean that 'she' knew everything about me."

"I don't understand." Sally said, her face twisted in her confusion.

"He admitted that the whole guardianship thing was to get me out of the Preventers.. and put me where I could be watched. He was told that I was a traitor, but he didn't have any proof."

"So he forced Zechs to become your guardian, knowing that he would report any suspicious behavior."

"Yes... Doing the same to Duo and Heero was just his way of throwing me off guard. Who ever started this wanted me out of the way. I had to make sure that it wasn't you, Woman."

"You didn't trust me." She glared, her hand raised to smack his cheek.

"I couldn't afford to trust anyone! Not even you, Sally. You're my best friend, and I couldn't trust you. Do you know how that made me feel? I had to talk to you... see if you had an incentive to get me out of the picture. I thought.. that maybe.. you had another lover. One that was more... suave."

Sally groaned, seeing his actions for what they really were. The moronic jealousy of an idiot.

"Wu... We don't even date. Why would I have to get rid of you to take another lover? All I would have to do is not ask you home."

"Maybe because you know I would kill the first guy who touched you?" He joked, waiting for her reaction.

"Is this an offer for something else?"

"I don't know, Sal. I think, it might be more along the lines of a demand. I won't share you, Woman. I think you would actually have to kill me to get rid of me."

"Oh damn.." She brought her hand to her eyes, rubbing them as she felt a headache coming on. "You certainly know how to make a girl speechless."

She walked over to the bed and pushed him off. Digging into the ceramic bowl next to her bed, she lifted out the keys to his apartment and threw them to him.

"Go home, Wu. We'll talk about this in the morning."

She turned her back on him, her arms wrapped around her shoulders as she waited for him to leave. Behind her, the door slammed shut, and she flinched at the harsh sound.

She was barely aware of the sobbing that came out of her throat, as she sank to the floor, crying. She didn't hear his footsteps as he sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Stop, Sally. You know I can't stand to see you cry." He muttered, brushing her hair off of her forehead.

Tenderly, he leaned down, kissing her lips in a chaste kiss. "I can't help what I feel, Sal. I love you. I know that you're not ready for that, and I'm not asking for anything more than you can give me. Just.. don't push me away, Woman."

Her sobs quieted, finally wearing down to a slight shudder. "Wu.. I don't know what to say. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

"I think I can handle whatever you throw me, Sal." He smiled, kissing her eyelids.

"Make love to me, Wufei."

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The End... (Well.. sort of.. :) Here ends the end of Papa Zechs, and the beginning of something else. I don't know when I'll get to it, but it is planned!)