Capítulo 88: Codes and Yelling
Quatre's Home in Colonies
"Sir? We have a problem with some kids."
Quatre heard his intercom while he was working. "Kids? Like teenagers?"
"No, Sir, kid kids. One is maybe four or five?"
Oh. "It's probably just some lost kids. Try to see if their family is nearby."
"They had some of the codes to get in, Sir."
Codes, they had codes? How would some kids have codes? "I'm coming down." He went all the way to the front to see his security with two kids in front of them. Did Amado try and retake back his identity or something? That wouldn't be smart. He was annoying enough when he came back, but Quatre was in a mood that was delicate, which meant he wasn't on him.
At least Quatre was polite enough to pick up the hospital bill for him.
Quatre smiled and bent down to see them. If they were paid off to get in there, then they probably had a need for that money. In fact, their clothes were stained. Ragged. "Hello. I have some questions for you."
"We are here for the money promised to us," the little girl said. "We were promised money if we came here instead of our Aunt's."
Um? Well, that was a new one. "How did you know the codes to my property?"
"Platinum gave it to us." The little girl pulled out a paper from her overalls to him.
Platinum? He looked at the note. It was definitely coded.
"She yelled when the codes stopped working," his security officer told him. "That's why we thought it was best to call."
Yeah, yelling wasn't the kind of thing someone did when they were meaning to sneak inside.
"We were promised yummies," the little boy said. "Platinum said goodies."
Hmm. They had changed a few codes, but the next set of numbers were too many for any of the next locks anyhow.
"Miss Catty promised if we disobeyed, you'd give us money!" The little girl exclaimed.
"Miss Catty?" Platinum. "What's your name?"
"Bubblegum Diamond," she said proudly. "We need to go to our Aunts, but Miss Catty promised if we came here and used the codes, and if I get stuck and I yell, that you would give us lots of money."
It was impossible. But? "Bubblegum Diamond. That's a pretty name." She curtsied. "Kind of like jewelry."
"Food," she said. "You are supposed to eat with us and give us lots of money."
"Eat with you two." It sounded like instructions. They were carrying a bag of something. Platinum, like a platinum blonde. Miss Catty like Miss Catalonia. These names. Knowing codes. It was going to hurt even more if he got it wrong, but . . . "Let's go into the house and eat."
He walked along with them and took them to the closest eating area.
Bubblegum Diamond put out the spread. "The grapes are the best. We also got crackers. Miss Catty snuck in some ham."
Tomato," Kenny said as he reached for a tomato.
"Kenny, share," Bubblegum Diamond scolded him. "Share, share!"
A tomato. A slice of extra thin ham, cut in half. A few grapes. For two children to eat for a supper? "Yeah, I don't know who wouldn't treat you to some better food."
"Lots of extra food, you are lots of extra rich," Kenny said to him.
"Our Aunt will be mad if we don't get a ticket and lots of money," Bubblegum Diamond warned him.
He saw something underneath the grapes and grabbed it. A photo. A photo that was spelling out a lot of things he needed a moment to think about.
Those two kids were right next to someone. There was some platinum hair he could make out, but the picture cut off a little higher than the children. "Do you have a better picture?"
"Miss Catty wasn't allowed to take a picture with us unless she kept it low. She still did for us," the girl said.
The clothes didn't match. There was no way Dorothy would have been caught like that. Her pale skin was a lot more covered in dirt. She had a plain shirt and skirt that wasn't in much better condition than these children. She was also carrying something in her arms, he could see the edge of them. One had a blanket and- "The dress."
"That's our first and only picture with her." Bubblegum Diamond put her hands down and tried to reach for it.
"Platinum?" He pointed to the picture. "What's going on with her arms?"
"Yeah. We just got to RTL." The little girl finally dropped the name. "Momma sent us for safety."
"Momma gone," Kenny said.
"Yeah. Miss Catty helped us. So did Sapphire."
"I didn't want to leave," Kenny said.
"Yeah, but Miss Catty and Sapphire wanted us out. Superior scared them." She shrugged and held the picture. "So. Money and ticket?"
Oh. Kids. They didn't answer his question at all. "I'll get it all figured out, but back to this picture. Is she carrying a baby?"
"She is carrying her babies," the little girl dropped on him. "Zara and Amira."
Zara and Amira? Zara and Amira?! She had twins.
Quatre looked again at the little paper that Bubblegum Diamond had brought. She found a way to get back to me, this can't just be some code to the home. Not this one, it doesn't match. It's intentional. It's? "It's not a code to the house." It was an Earth telephone code! He stood up. "Pardon me. You'll get plenty to eat soon, I promise. Just eat your food and don't leave." He ran by his security. "Don't hurt them, just make sure they do not leave this room."
He ran as fast as he could to the nearest phone. She's alive, she's actually alive! She's trapped somehow, but I got the message loud and clear. He dialed the number immediately.
"Hello?" That voice wasn't familiar.
"Hello." Not her. "My name is Quatre Raberba Winn-"
"Oh, Quatre! I mean Quatre Winn," she cut him off. "I'm glad to hear from you. It's okay, I have your son and daughter."
Son and daughter. "You do?"
"Yes, your twins are just fine. I understood your wife's emergency. I'm really sorry about her sister going into the hospital so quickly. They were both good babies, but it was really last minute babysitting and your wife said you'd have a lot for the babysitting fee? I mean, she only trusted me to babysit because I have a lot of experience and she didn't trust anyone else. I basically had to let the library down to take this on though, so-"
"Where can I pick them up?!" Okay, too excited, he shouldn't scare her. "Where did you meet my wife at? Where can I get them?"
"Oh, she came into the library in a real panic with them. I'm at my home though. I just fed your boy and your daughter is still sleeping. Sir?"
"Yes. Um. I need an address."
"Uh? I'd feel better meeting back at the library when you get into town. Just give me a call before you come," she said.
"Uh. Sorry, I . . . what is that address?" A street name. "I mean, the city too."
"Oh? Oh, you really are far from each other. Well, she said to wait, and I won't judge your relationship." She gave him the full address.
Definitely Earth. "I'll be there as soon as I can. It might be a little late, but I'll make up for the cost of it all." She sounded delighted. He went back to where the children were with a smile. Not likely you are going anywhere yet. "I'll make sure you get that ticket but I can't get it yet. Curfew." Simple Earth kids might fall for that one. "You can stay here. I am going to order anything you want-"
"Meat, real meat, like chicken! Chicken!"
"Meat! Hamburgers!"
Yeah. He watched as one of his servants came over. "Go ahead and get them some real food. Take them to the kitchen and fix whatever they want. Take them shopping too, get them baths, and give them a guest bed tonight. If for some reason you can't reach me, just keep taking care of them. If somebody calls for them?" No. "You don't know anything about them. I'll handle it when I get back."
"Yes, Master Quatre. Are you off now?"
"Yes, immediately." He couldn't tell them where though. He'd risk nothing on them, he just needed to get to them.
Earth: Gin's Home
Duo and Hilde had scouted out some apartments that seemed to fit the bill, right after their interesting ice cream conversation. Yep, they earned it.
Hilde promised she would be fine with his little nephew or little brother. She'd even help out if Middie needed a little bit of help. Still, she got the hint too. Duo couldn't leave them with no place to go.
When they had returned, they spent the rest of supper and the night with Gin and Middie. Middie seemed out of it for most of dinner.
Duo made a point to have Hilde hold Alec more while he tried to keep his eyes on Middie. It wasn't too hard, especially since they were all just relaxing with each other. Once Middie headed to her bedroom and took Alec, he tried to have a conversation with Gin about it.
It didn't turn out well. Gin wasn't getting into it, and he wasn't seeing the truth past what Middie said.
Hilde's actions were just as bad. She ended up slamming her foot against the end table. "Boy, can I visit the sunshiney world you live in, Gin? Ugh!" She put her foot back down. "I don't care what she said, she didn't get with him 'just because'! She didn't want to be punished, but oh boy, that didn't work out anyway, did it? No wonder she wanted to kill him afterward, broken promises!"
"Hilde." Duo raised his voice toward her. Usually she didn't get that broiled up over things that weren't political in war. "Why don't you head down for a little while too. I'll talk to Gin."
"Good idea. I can't take it out here anymore." She got up and headed toward the vacant room.
Duo wasn't going to fuss on the subject. Some people had trouble seeing things, and Gin was one of them. He'd just wait for Trowa to come see Middie. Keep it simple. "So what's on TV right now?" Oh, even better. There was a knock on the door. He went over and answered.
"Hey, look who finally got here," Duo said gesturing to Trowa. "Uncle Trowa took his sweet time to finally come and see his nephew." He folded his arms. "If we are keeping score so far, I'm the better Uncle."
"I am probably not even in the running," Trowa said to him, clearly irritated at his attitude. "I need to see Middie Une."
"Whatever reason you came by, it is a good time to see your sister." Gin didn't get up. "Second door on your left."
Trowa headed straight back. Guy wasn't letting even a second burn by, he was concerned big time. His presence startled her at first, but Trowa went into her room and closed the door.
Oh boy. Time to see how it went.
"I'm fine, I was just tired more often." Middie watched Trowa checking her all over, like she'd have marks on her or something. "I'm fine. Just tired."
"You are clearly not fine." Trowa put her arms back down. "Why have you given up on your art?"
"I'm just tired." She felt so drowsy. "I am just really tired."
"I am going on stage in 30 minutes. People will start lining up soon. Where's the smile that would win them over to get their portrait done?" he asked her.
Smile for the portrait. She tried but still couldn't. Even for Trowa. "I'm just tired of all the fakeness. I can't put on a show anymore." She tightened her hands. "I got through it all by thinking 'it was war'. I got through it thinking 'they deserve this'. I can't get through this. The moment I took that shot, that fate was sealed for a pregnant woman. A woman and her unborn child. An innocent woman and her innocent unborn, just stuck for the same reasons I had been. I. I can't do fake anymore," she confessed.
Trowa looked around her face. "You can't fake smiles for Gin anymore. He knows you don't like him. He knows that you are scared of him."
Oh. That's where it all came from? "I can't fake smiles anymore. I'm done with it all."
"Smiles help get you through," Trowa said to her. "You use smiles to make others smile. Others smiling helps you to feel a little better. Without any glimmer of anything from you, then you wind up being no one. Feeling like no one. You end up just as a no name."
No Name. She watched him look over toward Alec. "He's not sleeping yet. He's only quiet because of his pacifier." Trowa was starting to mess with him. She went over to look at Alec. "I guess he did fall asleep. The pacifier helps."
Trowa grabbed the pacifier out of his mouth and set it to the side.
"That was a power move." An irritating one at that. Alec was going to wake up now, and he'd be real grumpy. Why did Trowa do that? It didn't even take a whole minute before Alec was starting to scrounge around.
Trowa drew closer to him as he started to wake up. He moved away slightly, but then came closer again. "I don't know how to pick him up. I never really studied babies, even when I thought he'd be mine."
Middie went over and picked him up on his side. "I didn't take any courses. I figured stuff out, especially when Gin helped. Alec prefers on the side and nestled." She bounced him very gently, making him settle down again. Trowa reached out and tried to take him, so she helped him. A little odd? Maybe he was doing the same thing Duo did. Maybe he didn't trust her without her smiles to watch for Alec. "I would never do anything that would leave him motherless. I'm no different than before. I just can't fake smiles."
Trowa was trying to look at Alec in the eyes. Alec yawned closing them, and then opened them again, looking at Trowa. "We need to get your smiles back, Middie. You need to put a smile on for the world, for it to have any chance to smile back."
"I didn't expect to hear that from you." What was Trowa doing?
"We will get them back, if you come back." Trowa drew his attention away from Alec, straight to her. "Out in this world, you can be left behind. Even now, someone who used to be obsessed with you, is ready to turn you out. The circus isn't like that."
What was he saying? She looked back toward Alec as he snuggled against Trowa. Trowa actually tightened the grip.
"Trowa?"
"Giving the crowd something special while they wait in lines. It was something only you could do. We can work on your smile again better, when you are among real friends. Would you like to return with me?"
Again? Did he get weird new information? "Trowa. Alec is-"
"He's Duo's brother or nephew. I understand the circumstances," Trowa told her as he started to sway Alec. "It . . . doesn't really matter. Once you are in the circus family, you are always a part of it. Even the leader was making special schedules, to make sure there was always someone to help take care of the new member if needed. He never changed that course."
Back to the circus. "I've lost a lot of my touch."
"Until you can retrieve your own smiles." He reached into a bag and gave her a similar mask to his. One-sided happy face.
A way to hide that perfect smile. A new act. "If I am really welcomed back."
"Then we will leave together back to the circus. It's a distance away on a colony and it's getting to be late, so we can rest first if you would like."
"I think I'd like that," she admitted.
Trowa went over and put Alec back in his crib. He lingered on him a few seconds. "I'm going to talk to Duo for a little while."
Kind. Gentle. Trowa politely asked Duo to see him outside. He had to see how Duo felt about it all. "Duo. I'm taking her back to the circus with me."
"Really?" Duo asked. "I mean, I thought I'd have to take care of her. It's my relation. Unless, you see something else there?"
"I think I see something," Trowa admitted, "but, it doesn't really matter. I know this is the right thing to do. Gin was short-lived. She isn't in the right state of mind to be out there alone. Even by your words. You'd 'have' to take care of her."
"Oh. So, you really want this?" Duo asked. "Okay. I won't fight you on it. I'll probably be making more visits to come check up on them."
"I'm sure that would be fine, Duo." Trowa went back inside. "For now, to Gin Phillips, a concerned brother is taking his sister back. One day, I'll tell him the truth it it comes to that, but I won't involve you. I don't want to involve you in this lie anymore."
"Start on a lie, and end with a lie. Total opposite of what I used to stand for," Duo remarked. "Then again, I used to kill thousands of people, so I guess it's a pretty even trade?"
A small smirk. Trowa went back to the house with Duo. "I talked to Middie, and I talked to Duo. I want to take Middie and Alec back home with me."
"Really?" Surprised, but there was no look of protest. "If she wants to go with her brother, who am I to say no. Do you need something for the trip? Any money? I got a little extra money. Need some snacks? Oh, wait. You probably mean in the morning. Sorry."
Yeah. Trowa could see it. Without fake smiles or a fake personality, Gin didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore. She would be on her own soon, maybe before Duo even offered anything. "I'll take her in the morning."
"No problem. How long are you going to be gone with her?" he asked. "A couple weeks or months or . . .?"
"As long as it takes for her to get her smiles back," he lied.
"Okay. She will be missed."
No, she wouldn't be. "Middie was a lot more attractive when she faked happiness for you. Rub all of the pretty away on her face and she looks like a used match that can't burn anything within you."
"Whoah, whoah, whoah!" Duo interrupted the conversation. "Take it easy, Trowa. Middie was a huge responsibility on him. Let's not start this kind of thing, huh?"
Gin really didn't say anything.
"Sorry." Trowa didn't even know why he said that. He just- "She needed support. You couldn't give it anymore because your relation isn't what you wanted it to be."
"I couldn't give it? She rubbed up on my dead beat dad, and that's all just water under the bridge?" Gin said standing up.
What? Trowa watched Duo smack his head.
"Don't start this again, Gin. Really. You are not going to like where this goes."
"Of course I don't. She's admitted it I don't know how many times. That's . . . just the kind of girl she is."
"She instigated it, but she did that because she thought she wouldn't be punished later. Not because she was winding her vines around him of all people!" Duo yelled at him.
She didn't want to be in pain. She slipped back into old tricks, to try and escape it. That was a step Middie Une would take. Did Gin really not get it? This is the person I left her too? He doesn't understand her at all. "If she gave you that trademark glossed up smile, you would have got it. Without that illusion, you miss everything, even the importance of the art. I never should have left her with you."
"Well, you did, and where else was she gonna go? I'll stop talking now." Gin started to leave the room. "I'm heading to my room. Gin Phillips is headed to his room." He looked toward Middie Une's door. "Not a secret lair to some villain room, an actual room, like an actual person!"
"Don't yell at her like that," Trowa warned him.
"Off you go, Gin, to your room," Duo insisted harder. "Good call. Good night."
Gin went off to his room as promised.
"Man, really." Duo sighed. "Phillip name or not, he's lived too clean all his life to understand or see the truth when things get dirty. Getting everyone to get along is not my thing. I'm surprised Hilde didn't interrupt sooner."
Hilde? "Where is Hilde?"
"Uh? I saw her at dinner. We watched a movie but she was getting into it with Gin too, so I told her to go cool off in her room," Duo said. "But. All this back and forth should have brought her out. Did she go to sleep?"
Trowa watched Duo take off toward their guest bedroom, getting a sinking feeling. He just saw Middie. He went out to talk to Duo, and then he had a confrontation with Gin, it hadn't been too long. It hadn't been.
He went into Middie's room. Alec was no longer in the crib, only his pacifier. "Middie?" He checked the closet. Nothing. Maybe she snuck to the bathroom?
"Hilde, you better answer within the next two seconds!" That deep, shrill voice. Not a yell. A scream of words only Duo could perform, and would perform, for the most desperate of times.
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