Chapter 43: The Enemy of My Enemy
Saint Gabriel Institute
Relena looked around for Heero near the entrance. He knew they would be coming. She promised him. Where are you, Heero?
"Relena." Noin opened the door. "It looks like we can go inside. It's the weekend, no one will be here."
"It should be closed." Oh, Heero. "I understand. Heero unlocked the doors."
"Where is he?" Noin asked as Relena went inside.
"He'll only show if it's positive," Relena said, understanding that much. He wouldn't risk any chance of being seen with her now. She reached in her purse and pulled out the new test. Precautionary. Zeches had been telling her that the other test was probably good enough, and if her nerves rattled her, she could take another test at any time, and still go to Saint Gabriel for Heero's benefit.
She wouldn't do that though. Although she was preparing a speech in her mind, she would be as cautious as Heero. After this test, as long as it had been, her decision would be sound.
She took her test package into the stall. She did her business and came out. She washed her hands as she kept track of the time. Not long. Last pregnancy test.
Watching it and the time. She bought one that was digital that stated 'negative' or 'positive' on the device. The best one on the market on Earth. Then, as she kept watching, not much time passed as it started to write dots across its screen. When it was done, it would have its answer.
"Are you done yet, Miss Relena?" Noin asked through the door. She had been polite enough not to come in.
"Almost." Relena smiled, knowing she was ready and waiting to hear the negative to call and tell Zeches. "I will be out soon." She didn't hear Noin answer. Instead, she heard a sound outside. Heero? She went toward the door, and it opened up.
With two people she never saw before, pointing guns at her. In the middle, was Heero. He was dressed in nice clothes, posher than his regular wear. "The illustrious Relena Dorlain," he said strangely. "You're mine."
What? It was Heero, she could tell it was Heero, yet he whipped handcuffs around her wrists? What are you doing, Heero?
"You've just been jacked by the Phillips," one of the men she didn't recognize said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
What did she have to say? Relena looked toward the corner. "Positive." She glanced back at Heero. He wasn't surprised at all. Just what are you up to, Heero Yuy?
She cooperated quietly as she was taken to a van outside. Noin had been knocked out. Really, Heero? What was going on? She was placed in the back of the van, gently by Heero taking over.
The other two did come in though and looked at her.
"Insane the theory worked, Heero," he said from across the room.
They continued driving for some time with Heero not saying a word to her. She didn't dare to say a word either as she tried to understand what Heero was up to.
When they stopped, they were in front of a simple residence.
"You need something else, Heero?" One of them asked.
"No. I'll be in on Tuesday as I prepare Relena," Heero said to them as he took her out of the back of the van. As it left, she waited. He still didn't explain anything, just going inside with her cuffs on.
Relena waited on the inside, still handcuffed. Even a pacifist reaches a limit. "Congratulations on the new profession and family, Heero Yuy."
Heero seemed to get the hint and undid the cuffs. "Take a seat, Relena."
A seat. Relena took the nearest seat on a couch.
"Duo Maxwell never joined his family," Heero said. "So I did. I'm part of the crime syndicate that is hunting Dorothy Catalonia."
What? "Why?"
"Why else?" He asked. "You're Relena Dorlain, pregnant and on the run with Heero Yuy currently. I didn't have many choices. I'm getting rid of the one thing I can." He went toward the small kitchen. "The rules are simple. I find Catalonia, I hold her until Gin Phillips or Middie Une kill her. I find Trowa Barton, and I kill him." He came back to the door with a glass of water. "Here."
He couldn't honestly be doing that. Relena took the glass of water. "I don't understand."
"Life isn't easy, and until I find RTL, then it's going to stay like this. Nothing is changing. I've already called Trowa before I took this job. He knows to stay out of my line of sight," Heero answered. "If I do see him, I have no choice but to follow through."
What?! "You would really kill your friend?"
"I'm on thin ice enough out here. I had to find a place that would protect us, and this was the most satisfactory I had," Heero answered. "I never called Quatre, but I told Trowa to tell him when I safely had you. I told the Phillips that Zeches Merquise took you away, I was desperate, and I would take any job or task for some protection. A couple of proof samples, and I was in their good graces."
Relena took a sip of the water. Heero. "You knew."
"I switched tests last time," Heero admitted. "I needed you out of the way to make this happen. The only reason I have you is due to the Phillips investigating and finding you, to get you back to me."
"The only reason you have me, is because you chose the place and time," she corrected him.
"Not to them. That means they believe that it's safe. When an assassin is outed, death or protection must await you. I didn't choose death."
"With the lovely handcuffs, I suppose that makes me an unwilling runner as well," she pointed out. "Is that the one thing you could change, Heero? Whether I was escaping with you or not?"
"If anything happens to me in the line of duty, you are to be returned unharmed to Zeches Merquise," Heero said. "They will make sure that the fact you didn't run with me willingly would be revealed."
"But, why?" Relena asked. "How did you know this family would take you in as fighting for them? One would assume right away it would be best to kill someone like you."
"Like I said, I proved my worth." He didn't explain how. "Duo had told Mrs. Phillips about Hilde Schbeiker and him, in comparison to Trowa and Middie Une. Even though she was angry and shot at Duo, she also listened. When I contacted them and told them the same thing, her beliefs had changed. The fact that you just scored a digital positive only proved it more."
That's why he really wanted her testing right then and there. "Proof positive." It would be a great coincidence if Heero Yuy ended up in such a jam as Duo described. Proving the point so well with her testing too. "Good enough to even fool me, Heero Yuy."
"Just behave," Heero warned her. "This family isn't that gentle. Stay out of the way and don't talk to anyone."
"Why do you have to kill Trowa then?" Relena asked. "Why is that such a profound order?"
"Gin Phillips, Duo Maxwell's half-brother, is in love with Middie Une," Heero told her. "Mrs. Phillips saw how much Gin is willing to kill for Middie Une to keep RTL off of them, so she wants Middie Une for Gin. Trowa is an exceptional fighter, so it's imperative to have someone as exceptional as him. It's that simple."
Hmph. "That's a terrible reason to kill."
"It's a good enough reason to hire me," Heero answered. "I can also dig into RTL even deeper with their resources. The ultimate goal is to find and stop Revenge of the Lost. An alliance with an enemy of my enemy is the best place to be."
"The ultimate goal?" Relena closed her eyes. "Heero, even if you do, what good will it do? The fact of the matter is, I am still pregnant."
"You would be safe and be able to go back to your position," Heero answered. "I would go back to my life. That's good enough for me."
Not for me. She noticed Heero staring at her too. "What?"
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