Chapter Four

The icy wind whipped at his hair through the sparkling glass of the shattered windshield, numbing his face and making his eyes water. Branches slapped at the hood of the jeep, and the road blurred in and out of his vision as he sped down the uneven path, oblivious to the rocks, trees, and other obstacles he barely missed crashing into. Every bounce and jolt the vehicle took sent a knife of pain stabbing at his ribs, but even that was irrelevent. His body was on auto-pilot, reacting instinctively with a perfect soldier's honed reflexes. His dark, haunted mind was somewhere else altogether.

'Releena.'

Images of her pale, drawn face played across his mind; memories he wanted desperately to forget, but was unable to. He could still remember every ragged breath; every movement of her fragile, broken body; every word. He could still see her eyes; those shining green eyes that gazed at him with complete understanding and trust. A trust he didn't deserve, especially after violating it so many times. But, her last words ever spoken in this world, had been for him.

'I love you, Heero Yuy.'

"No," he choked outloud, his words lost in the howling of the wind. Abruptly, it had begun to rain, and the icy drops streaming in through the window soaked his clothes and plastered his hair to his skull. His traitor body began to shiver with exhastion and cold, but he barely noticed.

'Releena, you can't love me. I failed. You died because I couldn't protect you.'

But he had seen the love in her eyes. He couldn't deny it as that pure, innocent gaze met his own...just before she closed her eyes and that brilliant light was lost to him, forever.

Heero swallowd against the sudden tightness in his throat. 'Releena, you deserved better than me.' His blue eyes suddenly hardened with resolve. 'I can't bring you back, but I CAN avenge your death. I swear I will not rest until every one of those Red Fang bastards are dead.'

His hands gripped the steering wheel until they were white. And as the tiny part of Heero that was human continued to wallow in self loathing and guilt, the Perfect Soldier almost seemed to smile as he knew what he had to do. 'Mission accepted.'

Trowa Barton looked at his watch as he steadily paced the long halls of the emergancy wing. It was 5:30 am, nearly six hours since they had flown Releena in by airlift, and the doctors had been working on her ever since. He and Quatre had been notified by Duo that they had found the young foreign minister, and had rushed here right away. Now, he, Quatre and Duo were waiting around for news of Releena's condition, while Wufei and Sally had returned to the Preventer's headquarters to take care of some buisness. Noin and Zeches were here as well, along with a host of soldiers and bodyguards posted at various places inside the building and out. After what had happened at the peace meeting, Zeches was taking no chances.

Trowa sighed, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. After a moment, he saw Quatre round the corner and walk towards him. The blond pilot's face was weary; his eyes were red and bloodshot from being up all night, first searching the whole city for Releena, and then waiting around for the doctor's verdict. He tried giving Trowa a tired smile as he approached, but the tall pilot could read between the lines and knew that something was very wrong.

"Releenas' in stable condition," Quatre informed him in his quiet, soft spoken voice as he reached his friend. "The doctor's say she's out of danger, for tonight at least."

"But...?" Trowa prodded gently, somehow knowing that that wasn't the end of it.

"But...she's fallen into a coma. They can't bring her out of it."

Trowa drew in a slow breath. "Do the others know?"

Quatre nodded. "Duo is on the phone will Sally and Wufei, and Zeches is talking to the doctors." Quatre hugged himself and stared aimlessly down the hall. "Why do these things happen to good people, Trowa?"

"You know the answer to that, Quatre."

"I know, I know." Quatre sighed and brushed long yellow bangs out of his eyes. "It's just that...don't these people what we're trying to DO, here? Do they WANT more killing and bloodshed? Do they want another war? WHY? It just seems so POINTLESS!"

"Quatre..."

"Gomen, Trowa." Quatre rubbed a hand across his forehead. "I guess I'm pretty exhasted, ne? Gomen; I shouldn't have blown up like that. I'm...I'm just so tired of it all. I just want it to end."

Trowa favored his friend with a rare smile. "Iie, Quatre; don't apologize. It's what we all want, ne?"

"Arigato, Trowa."

"Hey, guys." The pair turned to see Duo jogging down the hall towards them, his long braid swinging rythemically from side to side. Quatre saw Trowa's small smile quickly vanish as the tall pilot's face resemed it's usual blank expression.

Duo grinned at them, but his weary smile was slightly forced. "Just finished talking to Noin," he said. "She told me that Releena is being held in room 15B on the seventh floor. We can see her now if we want to."

Quatre looked at Trowa, who inclined his head. Duo blinked, then shrugged at them both and led the way.

Miliardo Peacecraft sat in a metal chair in the corner of the hospital room, his icy blue eyes dull with fatigue and rimmed with red. Just a few feet away, lying amidst the I.V. tubes and the softly beeping machines, was his only sister Releena Peacecraft, looking as ghostly white and pale as the sheets she was lying on. Seeing her so silent and vunerable, when she was usually so spirited and full of life, stirred almost forgotten emotions in the heart of the Lightning Count. He didn't know he cared about his little sister so much. He'd been determined not to play the overly protective big brother who always poked his nose into his sibling's personal affairs. No, against his own doubts, he let her do her own thing, to make her own desicions. And she had done very well for being so inexperienced. But now, Miliardo wished he had listened to his own suggestion for her to have more bodygaurds when attending that meeting. If he had, then maybe she wouldn't be lying here, on the brink of death, while the fate of the world teetered on the outcome.

Abruptly, Miliardo was angry. Angry at himself, for not looking out for her better. Angry at Releena, for her sometimes infuriating stubbornness. ENRAGED at those Red Fang bastards for daring to hurt his sister and throwing the world into chaos again. And angry at a certain young, dark haired pilot, who had never once failed a mission, until now.

"Heero Yuy, I'd better not ever see you around my sister again. You had your chance, and you failed. Wherever you are, stay there. Don't come back. You destroy everything you touch.'

Miliardo closed his eyes. He was unbelivabley tired, which he knew was impairing his good sence, but at that moment he didn't care. He was angry, exsausted, and worried sick. He felt ready to put a hole in the next person's head who came through the door.

There was a timid knock on the door in question, and a pair of violet blue eyes peeked in cautiously.

Miliardo straightened. "Duo," he stated. The braided pilot gave him an infuriating grin and stepped inside, followed by Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei, who must've returned from the Preventers headquarters. Miliardo eyed the four young men without alarm as they crowded into the room. There had been a time, not very long ago, that he didn't trust these young warriors; these boys who were just too young to understand the true meaning of war and sacrafice. But he had come to realise that all of them, even Duo and Quatre, were wise beyond their years, and had sacraficed so much already. He couldn't help but admire these kindred souls. They had earned something few people ever inspired in him: his respect. And his trust. He trusted these boys with his life.

All except one, that is.

"Hey, Releena-sama," Quatre said quietly, reaching out to lightly stroke her arm. He suddenly shivered and drew back. "She's so cold," he whispered.

Wufei gave him a glare and hung back from the bed, disdaining to come closer, although his eyes betrayed him with their worry. "I was speaking with Sally, and she said that talking to victems in a coma is believed to help them come out of it sooner," he stated, trying to act indifferent and failing. "Although there is no medical proof to this theory, close friends are encouraged to speak to the victem whenever possible." He was looking at Duo while he spoke; as was everyone else. Duo stared at them all and blinked.

"What? Why're you all looking at me? It's not like I'm a really close personal friend or anything."

"Just the one best suited for the job," Trowa replied truthfully.

Duo snorted, but didn't argue.

"Talk to her, Duo," Quatre encouraged. "We'll all take turns, but you do it so well, and I can't think of anything to say."

Duo looked down at Releena and chewed his lip. "Um, okay. Hey, Jousan, can you hear me? It's just me, you know, the good old God of Death. How're ya feeling? You got all of us worried sick, ya know?" He sighed and looked back up at the expectant faces. "Aw, come on, guys! This ain't working. And why do I have to do it? If you ask me, Mr. Perfect Soldier is the one who should be talking to her. She'd rather hear his voice any--"

"But Heero isn't here, Maxwell." Zeches voice was icy, and Duo gulped at him. "He obviously has more important things to do."

Duo bristled at the implied insult. "Hey, Zeches, ease up on the guy, okay? You weren't there tonight, so you don't know--"

"I know he isn't here, right now." Zeches voice couldn't have been more chilling if he had shouted and cursed. "I know my sister is in a coma which she may never come out of. And the person most involved in this tragedy did not choose to stay with her. No one knows WHERE he is, but he obviously does not care about this situation, or he would be here tonight. Can you argue with this, Maxwell?"

Duo looked like he was about to, but Wufei kicked him in the shins and glared. This was not the time to fight with each other. They had to be united for the task at hand.

"I was able to dig up some files on the cowards who call themselves the Red Fang,"

Wufei said to change the subject. "Not much, but a little. Their leader is an ex-member of the old White Fang group that we defeated a couple of years ago."

Zeches face grew, if possible, colder than before.

"Basically, they're a well organized terrorist group who think that absolute pacifism will corrupt the world."

"And the easiest way to get rid of that notion is to kill the represetitive of total pacifism," Quatre mused, face and eyes grim.

"They won't stop at just this attempt," Zeches muttered. "If I know the White Fang at all, these bastards will keep on coming until they accomplish their mission."

"So, it's up to us to protect Releena." This from Trowa.

"Just protecting Releena won't accomplish anything in the long run," was the reply. "We can't wait for them to come to us. If we don't stop them, permentaly, then they will keep coming back."

Everyone was silent while this soaked in.

"So, we have to wipe them out," Trowa said calmly. "We have to make sure there isn't one left to carry on their ideas."

Quatre sighed and looked at his hands. Everyone knew what he was thinking, as they were all thinking the same thing.

Abruptly, Zeches stood. "Get some rest," he ordered. "We have a day ahead of us, and I want everyone to be alert and ready."

"What about Releena-sama?" asked Quatre.

"I've posted gaurds all through the building and the outside street, and there will be one outside her door at all times," Zeches answered. "And Noin will be here as well, so don't worry about Releena. She'll be well protected. We need to concentrate on finding the bastards that did this to her."

Wufei nodded in agreement, moving towards the door. Trowa followed quietly with a last look at the girl in the bed. Quatre and Duo lingered a moment longer, but after saying their goodbyes to Releena, stood and followed there comrads down the hall.

Miliardo was the last to leave. He waited until all four Gundam pilots were well on their way down the hall, before he turned and brushed a strand of hair from his sister's face. His ice blue eyes softened as he bent down and pressed a light, brotherly kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight, Releena. Be safe." And with that, he was gone.

A lone figure stood outside the hospital in the pouring rain, his lean frame obscured by the shadows. He watched as a tall, silver haired man gave final instructions to a trio of soldiers before getting into a car and driving off. The other Gundam pilots followed closely in their own vehicles, and soon they all vanished into the rain.

The figure raked a hand through his thick, touseled brown hair and gazed up to a certain seventh floor room, his cobalt eyes narrowing to see through the rain. Satisfied, he turned away, pulling his jacket closer and wincing as the movement sent a twinge of pain through his side. Keeping his head low, he began walking down the street until his lean sillohette melted into the pouring rain and was lost from sight.