Chapter 34 / 37
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
Several things happened in the span of a mere couple seconds. Almost as soon as Duo hit the ground Zechs dropped next to him, horrified as he tore at thick layers of fur to get to the wound.
Quatre let out a scream, having identified their attackers. "Heero, Trowa! Stop!"
Rook saw Duo drop, his keen vampiric senses smelling freshly spilled blood. A murderous gleam lit his eyes and he bared his fangs in an angry hiss, covering the distance between himself and Heero in a couple long strides before springing. Both Heero and Trowa were alarmed at the unexpected and impossibly fast charge and unloaded several rounds into Rook before he collided with Heero, bearing him to the ground under his weight. Each bullet had obviously hit him and it had to have hurt - blood seemed to be everywhere.
"Rook, NO!" Quatre yelled and Rook paused, snarling ferally at Heero, his fingers hooked into claws. Heero took the opportunity to deliver a solid punch to the vampire, horrified at the sheer amount of bullet holes and their apparent ineffectiveness.
Trowa stared as Quatre hurriedly threw off layers of furs. "Quatre?...Oh shit..."
Rook gave Heero one last snarl before standing and releasing him. "You know these people?"
Heero turned his gaze to Duo. // Oh shit... //
Trowa frowned. "We...we didn't know it was you. We were looking for clues...not that there's much here...as to your disappearance...and suddenly four people, one that we don't recognize and three that are buried under outrageous full-body fur suits are practically on top of us...a...what the...!" Trowa's emerald eyes were widening in alarm as Rook dug his long, slender fingers into a bullet-hole in his arm, hissing under his breath but not pausing until he came up with the metal slug, casting it down into the sand. The wound slowly closed up right before their eyes.
Heero scrambled to his feet, dropping his gun as he scrambled over to Duo. "I didn't mean....didn't know...shit."
Duo's eyes were rolling in his head, not focused on anything. A thin trickle of blood trailed from one corner of his mouth, and his breathing had a dreadful gurgling quality to it. His breastbone had shattered on impact and it sounded as if his lung was punctured. Zechs ran his hands through his hair in horrified frustration, not caring that the act streaked his long platinum locks with blood.
Quatre moaned in horror at the sight of his friend and looked frantically about the scanty remains of his estate for anything he might use to help his friend. He saw the entrance to the lower level and tore down there to the saferoom. Some of the medical supplies that Duo had originally brought with Zechs when he first came were still there. // Maybe we can stabilize him and get help...! // he thought frantically, running back and blurting out his plan.
Zechs felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He had seen enough gunshot victims to understand that there wasn't much they could do. Heero may have missed Duo's heart but that didn't mean the wound was any less fatal.
A shadow fell over them as Rook approached. "I...may be able to do something. May I?" he asked, looking at Zechs.
Zechs nodded tersely. "Please...please." He let out a long, shuddering breath, trying not to let himself hope. Rook nodded and stooped, picking Duo up and heading for the lower level of Quatre's estate. Zechs tried not to panic, not wanting to be separated from his gravely injured lover. "Where are you going?!"
Rook turned to eye him for a moment. "I will need no distractions and silence if I am to do anything for him. Trust me."
Zechs bit his lip and nodded.
Heero stared at Zechs. // He really...does care about Duo. And Quatre seems to have no problem with him. But who the hell...WHAT the hell...is this new guy? // "Quatre. Who is that?"
Quatre frowned, worried about his friend. He also was trying to squash his anger at Heero; he knew Heero's training and reflexes had simply been thrown into red alert, thinking them under attack. "That's Rook...he's a friend. He was the one that helped us get home...and he's going to get the dragon from Treize and take him back where he belongs."
"Is he human?"
Quatre shook his head slightly. "No."
Heero waited for the blonde to respond further, but Quatre was too distracted. Heero watched as Quatre abruptly swallowed his own fears and went over to Zechs, convincing the tense and worried man to sit down, talking to him quietly.
The wait seemed to languish on forever. It was at least an hour before Rook came up the stairs. His tattered silk shirt had been discarded and, save for the blood smeared over his skin, he seemed none the worse for wear.
Zechs flew to his feet and almost pounced on the vampire to demand an explanation. However, he changed his target when he saw Duo walking up the stairs right behind Rook. Zechs felt tears in his eyes of sheer gratitude, disbelief, and simple overwhelming emotion. Not caring about who was watching or what anyone thought, he scooped Duo into his arms and pulled him into a bruising kiss.
Quatre stared at Rook, who had said nothing as yet. "You healed him?"
Rook nodded once. "He is in one piece and likely to remain thus."
"How," Heero stated flatly, eyeing Rook with complete distrust. The vampire's gaze when it turned on him was far from friendly and Heero felt an unexpected chill go down his spine. Rook's voice was as icy as his eyes, dropping to a hiss.
"My abilities and what I can do are none of your concern. You are lucky your friend is still with you and luckier still that I have enough respect for the rest of your associates to have spared you."
Quatre and Trowa tensed, wondering briefly if the two were going to get involved in a fight after all. Heero stared impassively at Rook for a long moment before nodding his head and closing his eyes. "You are right."
Rook eyed Heero for another long moment before turning on his heel. "Master Quatre, I hate to rush things, but I must find the dragon immediately. Time is of the essence. Every minute that goes by lowers his chance to survive."
Quatre nodded. "Yes...Heero, is the hangar intact too?"
Heero nodded. "Everything that was sturdily constructed or underground seems to have survived destruction. You can probably radio in to Wufei. I believe he went to confront Treize personally about the dragon. He's not called in. We were going to go after him after we checked things out here."
Quatre nodded and motioned for Rook to follow him. Rook did, though he paused and eyed the mobile suits stationed inside the hair with a fair amount of suspicion. Quatre didn't wait to explain things and simply rode the lift cable up to the cockpit of his Sandrock. // Never thought I'd see you again, my friend... // He tuned his radio to the private channel on Wufei's personal communicator and sent out a call.
~ * ^ * ~
Wufei jolted awake. For a long, fuzzy moment nothing in his entire world made sense to him. He abruptly stiffened as things came back to him in a rush and he realized where he was. He was in bed - Treize Khushrenada's bed! - and had nothing at all on. His face abruptly flushed a deep shade of red as his memories of the night before came rushing back - especially when his consciousness pointed out to him that the OZ general himself was laying directly behind him, propped up on one elbow and watching Wufei in amusement.
"Good morning, my dear dragon...I believe you have a call."
// So that's what woke me up... Dear gods, what am I DOING? What did I already DO?! // Wufei's consciousness abruptly supplied him with plenty of memories of the night before of him writhing in unbelievable ecstasy under Treize's experienced touch, moaning and begging the general to... Wufei shook his head hard to stop that train of thought before it got any worse. He scrambled for his communicator and silently thanked the gods that there was no video screen. "Chang here..."
"Wufei! It's Quatre! I don't have a lot of time, we're in a hurry. Where are you?"
Wufei felt his cheeks flush brighter. "Quatre, you're alive! I'm... HEY! LET GO OF THAT!"
Quatre blinked at the sudden sounds of scuffling and Wufei's indignant yell. He blinked, taken completely by surprise when Treize's smooth, cultured voice spoke. "Wufei came to see if he could gain any information by associating with me and taking over my resources, by force if necessary. However, I was more than happy to have an extra mind to attempt to figure the puzzle out that was placed before me, and Wufei's was exceptional for the task."
"Ah...er...ahem. Mr. Khushrenada...I have someone with me that wants to take the dragon in your custody home. We...we found his brother. It's a long story, but please tell me he's still alive."
Treize stood and strode over to his desk. Wufei's blush renewed when he realized that the general was fully as naked as he himself was, and he hastily averted his eyes - much to Treize's amusement. Treize pulled up a security feed of Shaiyra's room and studied it for a long time. He saw the shallow rise and fall of the boy's chest. "Yes, he lives...though barely. He is not well off."
"We're on our way. Er...why did you help Wufei? Why is he still there?"
Treize glanced at Wufei and smiled widely. "This has nothing at all to do with the war or any of our personal views...this was about helping someone in need. For such a common goal, even enemies can unite for the greater good...though I am not so sure I am or ever was your enemy. Who am I to stand in the way of the warriors ordained by God?"
Quatre considered it for a long moment then nodded. "We're on our way. Please have him ready...it will take us a couple hours to arrive."
"Understood."
"Thank you, Mr. Khushrenada."
"Of course," Treize turned off the communicator and returned to his bed. He paused to consider Wufei for a moment, waiting until the boy finally turned to look at him, feeling the weight of Treize's gaze. Treize smirked and swooped in to capture Wufei's lips in a deep kiss. Wufei's eyes widened in surprise and he attempted to scramble backwards.
Treize didn't relent, simply shoved Wufei backwards and pinned him beneath his weight. "L...let me go..." he managed to whisper.
"We have a couple hours..." Treize murmured, moving to nibble at the boy's neck. Wufei's sharp retort died in his throat, coming out as a throaty moan.
Wufei decided he really didn't want to be let go after all.