Prologue

“I hate goodbyes, damnit!” Duo pouted with his arms crossed over his chest. “C'mon, can't we stick together?” he whined.

Sighing, Duo uncrossed his arms and bent down to pick up his bag. “I'm off to L2 cluster again. You guys drop by, with warning or not, I don't care. Oi, Wufei, don't be a stick in the mud and stay silent. It would be nice to hear from all you guys.” Duo glanced about, frowning, “Wait a minute... We're not all here.”

Trowa flicked his eyes over the surrounding area. “The five of us are. But no, the other Preventers are not present.”

Heero answered, “Lady Une is not able to see us off, Noin's already left for Mars, but Sally and Zechs ought to be here.”

The others ignored his comment while they searched for the two Preventers. After a few minutes, Trowa spoke again. “I need to leave so I don't miss my flight. Good bye.”

“Aw damn... Well, make sure you keep in contact, alright, man?” Duo and the others said their farewells as Trowa headed towards his gate. Heero left next and soon Quatre had to depart, too. Duo had the latest flight and Wufei would be remaining on Earth for his newly acquired position as a Preventer.

Finally Sally and Zechs appeared, moving quickly through the crowds of people to reach the remaining former, Gundam pilots. “Everyone's left already, where were you?” Duo questioned as the two came within earshot.

Zechs looked preoccupied with a determined look on his face and he ignored Duo's question. “We might need your help, something's come up.”

“Then let's hurry. Come on, we're not sure how this will go.” Sally took the lead, almost running down the hallways, heading towards the parking lot.

“There was a call informing us of an illegal operation going on in one of the port warehouses. We need to head over quickly before they move out. Our source informed us that the group moves quickly so as not to be caught. They manufacture powerful weapons and sell them secretly.”

Duo clung onto the seat in front of him as they made a quick turn and Wufei let out an indignant snort when the long braid caught him full in the face. Hiding a laugh, Duo apologized. “Anyone got something to spare me for defense?”

“I'll get you something,” Zechs told him, bending over to reach beneath his seat. When he sat up again he held a simple styled gun in one hand and a charge in the other. “Here.” He handed it back to Duo and the braided boy went about preparing the weapon.

“Just about there,” Sally remarked. They'd slowed a bit as they passed through long shadows cast by multiple warehouses. Finally Sally cut the engine and they slipped out from the truck. With Sally still in the lead, they headed towards one of the inner warehouses with few windows. A locked, metal door faced them and Zechs moved forward to place small, silent explosives around the powered lock.

Once they could gain access inside, they split into two groups. Wufei headed to the left with Sally and Duo followed Zechs to the right. The pale-haired man kept ice-blue eyes flickering about for any signs of danger as they crept along a darkened hallway. Near the end was a door opened just a crack and they slid through quietly.

It seemed to be some sort of lab; only some equipment was packed away in large crates while other systems still lay out. As they maneuvered around the various crates and equipment, neither man picked out another being. Duo paused at one point and leaned over to skim some printouts that were lying on a keyboard. “Zechs,” he said very softly. With a frown on his face, he beckoned his companion back. Zechs began to turn back, but stopped, a sudden look of shock crossing his typically guarded features.

Duo couldn't figure out what the other was looking at, too many crates were in his line of vision. `Damnit, what's the problem?' The printouts in front of him were logs talking of developments of various cyborgs. He grabbed the first few pages and stuffed them in his shirt as he headed towards Zechs. “Okay, what's going on?” he whispered.

As soon as he could, Duo turned his head to find what Zechs was staring at. He, too, froze in shock and he felt his eyes widen. “No way.” Zechs was finally recovering from shock and moved forward, reaching a hand out to touch the thick glass of the preservation tube. Inside a cyborg, almost completed, floated with its eyes closed.

A tiny, faint hitch made its way into Zechs' breathing as the man closed his eyes and rested his head against the glass. “Treize.” Duo stared in amazement as a single tear found its way from Zechs' eye and down his nose.

The next moment things were thrown into confusion as the lights were turned on and suddenly there was a handful of men rushing into the room and destroying the equipment and burning the papers. One of the men caught sight of Duo and Zechs and shouted the warning. Soon two of the men stopped their original work and went after the two Preventers. Duo raised his gun and shot one of the men in the thigh, effectively stopping the man. Zechs did the same to the other, then shot at the next man that began advancing on him.

The third man dodged out of the way, knocking over one of the tall lab lamps. The lamp crashed into some of the other equipment and sparks began flying through the air, setting the place on fire and causing the men to flee quickly. Duo turned, ready to sprint away, only to find that Zechs wasn't behind him.

Looking from Duo and then back to the preservation tube, Zechs looked lost, an expression Duo had never seen on the man's face. “I can't leave,” the former OZ officer confessed.

Duo hurried back, ducking beneath flaming equipment and towards Zechs. “Okay then... let's see how we get this guy out of there, hmm?” Momentarily Zechs looked surprised, but he wasn't about to turn down some help. So the two worked quickly to find a release mechanism that let out the thick liquid within the tube. A door hissed open at the top as the tube lowered a bit and together Zechs and Duo hauled the cyborg out.

“Shit, he's heavy,” Duo muttered. An explosion rocked the floor. “I think that's the cue for us to get our asses out of here. Let's move it!”

They moved as quickly as they could with their load and dashed down the hallway. The smoke was choking and Duo was beginning to feel the effects as his lungs burned. Zechs took action and located the nearest window. “Get ready,” he warned before dashing towards the glass and breaking through with his force.

Duo felt his grip on their load slip and he cursed silently before taking action and prepared his body to hit the ground. Zechs used his own body to cover the cyborg in his arms and as they hit the ground he rolled away from the building.

More explosions followed as Duo picked himself up and looked around for anyone else. Emergency vehicles were approaching, he could hear them, and Sally and Wufei were rushing towards them.


	Lionna's Corner of Anime Fanfiction \| home Prologue ~ * ~ * ~ `...Who am I now...? What has passed...? I cannot believe I'm alive... ...How did this occur... ...Mirialdo... did you survive?' ~ * ~ * ~ “I hate goodbyes, damnit!” Duo pouted with his arms crossed over his chest. “C'mon, can't we stick together?” he whined. Quatre patted the braided boy on the head, “Don't worry, we'll still keep in contact, ne?” “Stop over-exaggerating,” Wufei remarked, casting one brief look towards the others. Sighing, Duo uncrossed his arms and bent down to pick up his bag. “I'm off to L2 cluster again. You guys drop by, with warning or not, I don't care. Oi, Wufei, don't be a stick in the mud and stay silent. It would be nice to hear from all you guys.” Duo glanced about, frowning, “Wait a minute... We're not all here.” Trowa flicked his eyes over the surrounding area. “The five of us are. But no, the other Preventers are not present.” “Where are they?” Quatre questioned. Heero answered, “Lady Une is not able to see us off, Noin's already left for Mars, but Sally and Zechs ought to be here.” “Those two? Late?” Duo crossed his eyes. “That's mind-boggling.” The others ignored his comment while they searched for the two Preventers. After a few minutes, Trowa spoke again. “I need to leave so I don't miss my flight. Good bye.” “Aw damn... Well, make sure you keep in contact, alright, man?” Duo and the others said their farewells as Trowa headed towards his gate. Heero left next and soon Quatre had to depart, too. Duo had the latest flight and Wufei would be remaining on Earth for his newly acquired position as a Preventer. Finally Sally and Zechs appeared, moving quickly through the crowds of people to reach the remaining former, Gundam pilots. “Everyone's left already, where were you?” Duo questioned as the two came within earshot. Zechs looked preoccupied with a determined look on his face and he ignored Duo's question. “We might need your help, something's come up.” “Duo, could you postpone your leaving?” Shrugging, Duo replied, “Sure, don't see why not.” “Then let's hurry. Come on, we're not sure how this will go.” Sally took the lead, almost running down the hallways, heading towards the parking lot. “What's going on, onna?” Wufei demanded as soon as they loaded into one of the Preventers' trucks. “There was a call informing us of an illegal operation going on in one of the port warehouses. We need to head over quickly before they move out. Our source informed us that the group moves quickly so as not to be caught. They manufacture powerful weapons and sell them secretly.” Duo clung onto the seat in front of him as they made a quick turn and Wufei let out an indignant snort when the long braid caught him full in the face. Hiding a laugh, Duo apologized. “Anyone got something to spare me for defense?” “I'll get you something,” Zechs told him, bending over to reach beneath his seat. When he sat up again he held a simple styled gun in one hand and a charge in the other. “Here.” He handed it back to Duo and the braided boy went about preparing the weapon. “Just about there,” Sally remarked. They'd slowed a bit as they passed through long shadows cast by multiple warehouses. Finally Sally cut the engine and they slipped out from the truck. With Sally still in the lead, they headed towards one of the inner warehouses with few windows. A locked, metal door faced them and Zechs moved forward to place small, silent explosives around the powered lock. Once they could gain access inside, they split into two groups. Wufei headed to the left with Sally and Duo followed Zechs to the right. The pale-haired man kept ice-blue eyes flickering about for any signs of danger as they crept along a darkened hallway. Near the end was a door opened just a crack and they slid through quietly. It seemed to be some sort of lab; only some equipment was packed away in large crates while other systems still lay out. As they maneuvered around the various crates and equipment, neither man picked out another being. Duo paused at one point and leaned over to skim some printouts that were lying on a keyboard. “Zechs,” he said very softly. With a frown on his face, he beckoned his companion back. Zechs began to turn back, but stopped, a sudden look of shock crossing his typically guarded features. “How could it be...?” Duo couldn't figure out what the other was looking at, too many crates were in his line of vision. `Damnit, what's the problem?' The printouts in front of him were logs talking of developments of various cyborgs. He grabbed the first few pages and stuffed them in his shirt as he headed towards Zechs. “Okay, what's going on?” he whispered. As soon as he could, Duo turned his head to find what Zechs was staring at. He, too, froze in shock and he felt his eyes widen. “No way.” Zechs was finally recovering from shock and moved forward, reaching a hand out to touch the thick glass of the preservation tube. Inside a cyborg, almost completed, floated with its eyes closed. A tiny, faint hitch made its way into Zechs' breathing as the man closed his eyes and rested his head against the glass. “Treize.” Duo stared in amazement as a single tear found its way from Zechs' eye and down his nose. The next moment things were thrown into confusion as the lights were turned on and suddenly there was a handful of men rushing into the room and destroying the equipment and burning the papers. One of the men caught sight of Duo and Zechs and shouted the warning. Soon two of the men stopped their original work and went after the two Preventers. Duo raised his gun and shot one of the men in the thigh, effectively stopping the man. Zechs did the same to the other, then shot at the next man that began advancing on him. The third man dodged out of the way, knocking over one of the tall lab lamps. The lamp crashed into some of the other equipment and sparks began flying through the air, setting the place on fire and causing the men to flee quickly. Duo turned, ready to sprint away, only to find that Zechs wasn't behind him. “Zechs!” he called once he spotted the man. Looking from Duo and then back to the preservation tube, Zechs looked lost, an expression Duo had never seen on the man's face. “I can't leave,” the former OZ officer confessed. Duo hurried back, ducking beneath flaming equipment and towards Zechs. “Okay then... let's see how we get this guy out of there, hmm?” Momentarily Zechs looked surprised, but he wasn't about to turn down some help. So the two worked quickly to find a release mechanism that let out the thick liquid within the tube. A door hissed open at the top as the tube lowered a bit and together Zechs and Duo hauled the cyborg out. “Shit, he's heavy,” Duo muttered. An explosion rocked the floor. “I think that's the cue for us to get our asses out of here. Let's move it!” They moved as quickly as they could with their load and dashed down the hallway. The smoke was choking and Duo was beginning to feel the effects as his lungs burned. Zechs took action and located the nearest window. “Get ready,” he warned before dashing towards the glass and breaking through with his force. Duo felt his grip on their load slip and he cursed silently before taking action and prepared his body to hit the ground. Zechs used his own body to cover the cyborg in his arms and as they hit the ground he rolled away from the building. More explosions followed as Duo picked himself up and looked around for anyone else. Emergency vehicles were approaching, he could hear them, and Sally and Wufei were rushing towards them. ~ * ~ * ~ <<< >>>