Papa Zechs, part 7

The Presidents Mansion

Zechs leaned against the wall, quietly listening as Donnel reported the newest rumors to the ESUN president. According to the 'reports' handed in by official observers, two more colony representatives had turned up missing.

::::Strange, that no one realized that all of the missing people have close ties to the Winner Corporation.:::::

Zechs didn't want to be suspicious... but if he had learned anything about his 'boys', it was to never underestimate them. He knew, that if he dug deep enough... the young pilots would be involved with this plot.. if not at the very center, than close to it.

"Preventer Wind..."

He looked up from his reverie, meeting the presidents gaze.

"Yes, sir?" He asked, knowing what came next.

"We need you to travel to L4 and investigate the truth of these rumors. It may be that it's only someone stirring up trouble to make a profit on something imported.. or, it really could be the missing mobile suits. Either way, we need you to take a look."

"Yes, Sir. I'll leave right away." Zechs nodded to the president and his intern, then sharply turned and left.

"Thank god we still have men like him on our team..." The President said.

Just then, another young intern came running into the office. "Mr. President!" She cried, waving a pile of reports, "Three more reps are missing, as are thier families! A Mobile Suit was seen just outside of the colony L4, and a shuttle has been taken hostage!"

"Victoria! Is it truth, or mere speculation?"

"We are still awaiting confirmation, sir." The intern blushed, realizing her mistake.

"Don't worry about it. We'll soon find out the truth, m'girl."

Duo's Cottage off campus, about 3 am(Out take 6.5 for more detail.. :> )

"Babe? Where are you?"

Duo's voice floated out the window to reach Hilde's ears. She was in the rose garden, staring up into the moonlight, dreaming of being back home.

"Out Here, Duo." She called quietly, trying not to wake anyone in the house. "I couldn't sleep."

He came up behind her and wrapped his lanky arms around her middle. Resting his chin on top of her head, he greedily breathed in the floral scent of her hair. Following her gaze, he smiled. He had always loved that sight.

He told her about it so often, of how he would lay on the deck of the freighter, staring at the glowing orb for hours. Duo spent night after night, memorizing the view, so that when his time on Earth was over, he would be able to recall it easily. It was such a witchy sight.. magical. In a way, it reminded him of her...

Her face was tilted so that it bathed in it's rays. Her skin glowed translucent in the shimmering light. Her blue eyes twinkled, and her mouth.... Their cherry red luster seduced.

Duo turned her around in his arms, and gently kissed the plump lips. Her mouth tasted like the berry tea she favored, sweet and intoxicating to his senses.

He gently pushed, until she leaned against the wall, and surrounded her with his forearms. Lovingly, he traced his lips from her mouth, gently over her jaw, down her neck, and across the swells of her breasts.

She gasped, happy at his intrusion, and gave herself over to his lovemaking. Hilde missed his touch before bed, the slow and easy way he would torture her until she cried out for mercy. This week, they would play catch-up, and renew their possession of each other's souls.

Heero stood at the kitchen window, quietly watching the young lovers in thier private moments. It hurt, seeing them so carefree, so... easy with each other. He was jealous over that. He wished that Relena and his relationship was so simple.

Of course.. he doubted that Duo had tried to kill Hilde.

He smirked, watching for a few minutes, before turning away. Silently, he placed his water glass in the sink and left the darkened kitchen to find a bed.

  The next morning:

Duo answered the phone on the seventh ring, smiling when he heard Howard's voice.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Right on schedule, Duo. We've been all over the colony, sharing our knowledge with the 'children'! I can guarantee that we'll have some interested parties involved soon!"

"That's just great! We're on schedule, then?"

"All set for you to run with it, kid.... I'll see you soon!"

"Thanks, Buddy! Bye!"

He hung up the phone, smiling. Turning to Heero, he said, "That was Howard. They have been pretty busy, lately."

"Hnnn... I know. Relena called last night. The Preventers are sending in Zechs."

"YOU KNEW? And you didn't tell us?"

"I am now. Stop whining. We have work to do."

Heero turned away from the braided pilot and finished his breakfast. He had to get his tools together so that they could boot the program up into the four satellites involved... It would be delicate work, that had to go undetected.

He sorta wished that he could leave the man home.. as inconspicuous went.. Duo didn't know the definition. Still.. what use was a mad engineering genius if you couldn't use him?

"Hurry up, Duo.. we only have five more days left us."

"Well, more than that. It would look funny if we were all together when the plan went down."

"I'm not putting this off any longer than I have to."

L4 Loading Docks

Zechs walked down the street wearing Jeans and a tee shirt. His trademark platinum hair was darkened to a mahogany, and pulled back from his face. Taking a lesson from Duo, he wore a baseball hat pulled low over his forehead, shading his unforgettable eyes.

He looked left and right, appearing as just another out of work dock worker. To further the disguise, he walked into shipping office after shipping office, asking for work.

No one paid attention to the shmuck that actually wanted to do this type of work, and they talked freely. Yet.. there was no more news. The rumors where still flying, but they had no direction. No one seemed to know WHERE the suits were coming from.. nor did he find an eyewitness. It just didn't add up!

He walked back into the street, knowing that his earlier suspicions were correct. Out of the corner of his eye, he got further proof. Heero and Duo.. together .. on L4.

Now, he could understand if it was L2. After all, that was Duo's home. But L4? No.. It was too much coincidence. He decided to stay hidden, watch them and see what they were up to.

"Duo! That was my foot!" Heero cursed, shoving his weight against the crate so that it hit the other pilot's toes.

"Ouch! Y'know, it WAS an accident! I'm sorry!"

"Well, now we're even."

Together, they picked the crate of computer components back up and loaded it onto the dolly. They now had the parts to 'upgrade' the satellites.

Heero took out a bandana, and used it to wipe the sweat from his face. Freezing mid-motion, he turned back to his partner.

"Did you see that?" He asked, turning back to where he noticed the man watching them.

"See what?" Duo followed his gaze, then shook his head. There was no one there. "Man, you are really paranoid!"

"There was someone there, watching us!" the 01 pilot insisted.

"Sure, buddy.. and I'm the Easter bunny." Duo pushed the dolly down the loading dock to where their shuttle had just finished being inspected. :::I have to get him back to Earth before he REALLY flips..:::

"Maxwell, there was someone watching us! My instincts don't lie!"

"A HA! INSTINCT! You didn't 'see' anyone! You 'felt' him! Guess what, buddy? You were w-r-o-n-g!"

"I know what I saw!"

"Okay... you saw someone watching us. Maybe he thought we looked familiar! Now help me load this thing!"

:::That was close.::: Zechs thought, hiding behind the bush. He had been spotted, but he watched as the insolent one laughed it off. :::All is not lost yet.:::

He watched as the two went to take the dolly back to the shipping office, and hurriedly sneaked aboard. Going to the cockpit, he placed a mini transmitter under the seats and hurried back out again. Now, he can hear what they were up to.

The pilots lifted off into space, oblivious to the tiny micro transmitter that was sending their conversation to the headphones on their guardians ears. Listening to their conversations, as Heero explained what he needed done, he soon came to understand the plan.

It was simple, but genius. Unfortunately, too much could go wrong. If left to themselves, the plan would fail. He would never get rid of them that way. His mind decided, he sat back and called into Headquarters.

"Preventer Wind here. Is the Lady available?"

An anonymous voice came back, asking him to hold, then Une was in front of his view screen.

"Lady? Rumors are confirmed. There is definatly a large force raising to power. I'll call back when I have a target."

"Acknowledged, Wind. I look forward to hearing more from you."

They clicked off simultaneously, keeping the conversation short enough not to be traced.

Duo's Cottage

Hilde yelled a joyous rebel yell as she finished the last of the code. It was over.. and it was perfect. Quickly, before she changed her mind, she hacked into the ESUN computers and booted up the virus.

ESUN Security Headquarters

"SIR!" The young Preventer recruit quickly called over his supervisor. It was only his first day on the computers, and he wanted to confirm this before he sounded the alarm. "What does that look like?"

"What?" The older man re-read the data, before saying, "Good work, Preventer. It looks like that invasion we've been hearing so much about."

Within moments, alarms were ringing, calling everyone to assembly. Lady Une looked out from the balcony, nodding to the man her permission to start.

"It's the real thing, people! I want everyone to keep an eagle eye on their equipment! If anyone see's a variation in their course, get me or the Lady! Arron's! You're in charge of convincing the dignitaries to leave ESUN headquarters! We don't need them assassinated! Now, get back to work!"

Somewhere on an uncharted colony on the opposite side of the sun.....

The man grinned, watching his people train in the mobile suits. Soon, the Earth would understand their mistakes... They should NEVER had left their guard down.