Disclaimer: This is storyline number two in the works now, because those of you who read and reviewed seemed to like the idea, so I went with it. I am still working on Legacies, too. But you know how that old saying goes about absence making the heart grow fonder... I do feel the need to point out at this time that I make no profits from my writing, here or at any other site…so don’t bother trying to sue me. Can you say COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME?…

Author’s Note: For anyone who has not read any of my other fanfics, I should warn you that I love angst and heavy drama, with a healthy mix of action to boot. A little blood and profanity tends to crop up throughout them, too. You have been warned. Also, I’d like to point out, for those of you just beginning this story, there is a prologue written for this…you might want to give it a quick read first. Now, on to the fic…

War’s Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 1: Dark Revelations

The high-pitched beep generated by his laptop, immediately brought Heero back to full consciousness, erasing all traces of his fatigue.

The list he had compiled from a number of hacked databases, was a short one, he noted, as he began to cross-reference the multitude of potential sources.

…The internal design was specific… He mused, in silence. …But, the containment block was probably salvaged…Could be from anywhere…

Playing a hunch, he quickly accessed the Preventer Group’s encrypted security network, retrieving the file outlining the specifics behind his mission.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he was playing with fire. He also knew where hacking into the database of his current employers would leave him, but his gut reaction told him that there was more to this, than what he had been told.

Skimming through the report with frenzied interest, Heero wasn’t surprised to find that the danger Sally had spoken of was in little doubt. His eyes narrowed as a few key words caught his attention.

…Toxin…Deadly…Undetermined origin and chemical structure…All attempts to counteract-FAILED…

Continuing to read, he also found evidence that a small group of scientists aboard the containment block had been found dead, each displaying a variety of symptoms and side effects, from exposure to the chemical.

…Had they been testing it for some reason?… He wondered to himself, toying with the notion that perhaps science had finally reared its ugly head, claiming the lives of those six young men as unwitting victims of their own creation.

The deceased were left unnamed in the report, but judging by the information he did have, namely the identification marker found on the containment block itself, he knew where he needed to start.

Hopefully, the backup that Sally had spoken of earlier, would arrive soon… Heero thought to himself. …Then maybe, no one else will have to suffer the same fate as those scientists…

* * * * *

Colton Reid strode casually through the corridors of Preventers Headquarters, leaving an air of arrogance in his wake. Although, not looked on as favorably as the former Gundam pilots, he was both intelligent and capable, and had quickly risen through the ranks, as one of Lady Une’s most trusted subordinates.

A few years older than the Gundam pilots, he was both handsome and charming; with short, spiky, jet-black hair, and steel grayish-blue eyes, he had always found himself at the receiving end of someone’s attention.

Except today…

He noticed, after a few moments of walking, how eerily silent everything was. Usually, that loud-mouthed, ex-Gundam pilot, Duo Maxwell, would be carrying on about the latest joke he had heard…or inciting a food-fight in the upstairs break room.

But today, there was only silence…

"I better find out what’s going on." He whispered, under his breath, before heading off in the direction of Lady Une’s office.

* * * * *

"So that is our current status thus far…" Lady Une said, concluding her short briefing.

The four young men sat in silence, still pondering the possible ramifications of Une’s worst case scenario.

Noin, Zechs, and Sally stood against the back wall, silently observing the former pilot’s reactions as they were brought up to speed on all the "need-to-know-basis" material.

"I have managed to obtain for the five of you, our highest level of security clearance, until we have seized any and all of the remaining containment blocks that could be carrying this particularly hazardous material. If even a small amount of this chemical was to reach Earth, the heat generated, in the process of breaching the planet’s atmosphere, could alter its composition. I don’t think I need to explain to you of the potential outcome if that were to happen."

"The death count could be in the hundreds..." Noin finally stated, all eyes in the room turning to her own. "Possibly even the thousands…"

"So what are we gonna do about it?…" Duo asked, visibly shaken over the possibilities. "I mean…we don’t even know where it came from…or who created it…"

"Heero Yuy is looking into that as we speak." Lady Une stated, softly. "Quatre, I’d like for you to join him in his investigation on Colony Z-12195, as soon as this briefing is finished. Perhaps the Winner family’s influence in the colonies, may shed some light on where to begin."

Quatre nodded in affirmation of the order, but did not speak.

"I am appointing the rest of you each, to a different sector of the surrounding districts, particularly the colonies in closest vicinity to Colony Z. If there are any more of these containment blocks out there, your mission will be to secure them and bring them here to Headquarters, where they will be safely disposed of…Understood?"

There were a few quiet mumbles before Une stepped back, satisfied to see everyone nodding in agreement.

"Good. Make certain that the information you received here today does not leave this room. Your current mission, as well as any further orders are, and will remain, classified. If the details of this investigation were to be made public, we would have mass panic on our hands. The decisions and actions we take now, must be made cautiously, if we are to take control of this situation and prevent any loss of human lives."

"Right!" Duo replied, enthusiastically, seeming to be the voice for all four of the young pilots.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a single figure was listening to their every word…

* * * * *

Dr. Cairn Selleste found her level of concentration dwindling rapidly. It had been days since she had slept; her excitement over the success margin of her "tests" had, up until now, fueled her frantic workload.

The others didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm over the most recent results, but, unlike them, she had never allowed her moral judgments to outweigh the potential advancements to her work.

She had just stepped back from the miniature tabletop microscope, nearly knocking her stool over in the process, when one of her colleagues entered the lab.

Dr. Telphan Wendt was young, but brilliant. Just shy of his eighteenth birthday, he was one of many who had made stabilization of her pet project possible. She felt a slight twinge of regret every time that she saw the boy, imagining who he might have turned out to be…or what he might have achieved had his affiliation with her, not destroyed his career.

All regret disappeared from her mind, though as she thought about the world they would create together…the five of them.

"You’re still working on the new coolant system…" Wendt stated, sounding a bit surprised. "Have you slept at all today, Cairn?"

She didn’t have the opportunity to mutter a reply, not that it really mattered. She knew her young assistant could see through any deception she might have devised.

"You know…the others think you might have gone a bit too far…" He remarked, softly, not really surprised that she hadn’t stopped working. "You know, killing the doctors. I thought we had all agreed that we would save the first human tests for here inside the lab. What if something had gone wrong?…"

"Nothing went wrong." She stated, autonomously.

"But…"

"Look, Wendt..." She interrupted, waving off any argument he might have pursued, with a single swipe of her hand. "You cannot be afraid of the potential risks right now. The preliminary tests were completed. The others were firm in the creative process, but they are cowards when it comes to furthering the research. We cannot remain in a laboratory forever. Anything short of a confined human testing in a sterile environment would have been meaningless. It was necessary."

Their eyes met briefly, flirting dangerously with the pure passion of their work. He could feel his face pale as he studied the determination that burned inside their jade-colored depth, knowing at that moment, how little human life really meant to her.

"Dr. Selleste…"

She turned, abruptly, at the sound of her name, noticing the young apprentice of her colleague, Dr. Arend.

"There is a transmission for you, Dr. Selleste." The young boy repeated, swallowing hard as she trained her intense glare on him, instead.

He cringed inwardly as her face took on an even more severe expression, and she stepped over to the comm. station against the far wall.

With the flick of a button, a familiar face greeted her…one that turned Wendt’s blood to ice, as a flurry of questions assaulted his mind.

…A Preventer?…Why would Cairn be talking to the Preventers?…What the hell is going on, here?…

A twisted smile seemed to cross her once beautiful features as she met the stern figure on the screen before her.

"Selleste, what are you up to!?"

"Why, Mr. Colton Reid…to what do I owe the pleasure?" She replied, mockingly.

"Cairn, this was not part of the plan…" He retorted, angrily. "Now Une knows about it. She even cashed in on some old favors and got Zechs and Noin back in from the terraformation project on Mars."

"You said you had everything secured on your end…"

"I did until you left your little project out there for them to find. What the hell were you thinking? I can’t cover for your mistakes, when I don’t know about them, Cairn!"

Telphan watched the conversation with both awe and fear. From what he could tell, the Preventer was worried. Moreover, he thought he could see the faintest of smiles creep into his colleague’s features as she, too, noticed it.

"You can’t keep doing this…"

"Oh, but I can, Colton." She purred, wickedly. "This just pushes us into Phase 3, a bit sooner than I intended…but no matter."

The sound of her voice sent shivers coursing through Telphan Wendt’s body, but she was too engrossed in her conversation with the Preventer to notice it. He never liked it when she took that tone. It was one that always made him question just how far she would be willing to go. He didn’t like knowing what she was capable of, when someone trapped her in a corner.

"Don’t do anything foolish, Cairn. I am taking a shuttle there now. I will buy us the time we need to come up with a plan. Remember our deal…"

"I may not be the most ethical person in this world, Colton, but I do keep my promises. Now, what are you going to do about the Preventers?"

"Well, it seems that some of the details in Une’s official report were falsified…" He replied, with a dramatic gesture of mock surprise. "I am sure that Heero Yuy will be visiting some mutual friends of ours, shortly. With him out of the picture, we will have plenty of time to cover our tracks…"

"But won’t the others realize that you’re gone? They’ll be suspicious."

"With their new missions, no one will be paying attention to where I am. Have no fear of that." He answered, casually. "I’ll join up with you as soon as I have finished with that ex-Gundam pilot, Yuy…"

* * * * *

Brock Velleister didn’t like it…he knew how to read people well enough to know who, and who not, to trust. And he knew one thing for certain…this kid meant trouble.

He watched for a moment as the young man with unruly brown hair, approached the counter, feeling himself begin to sweat under the intense glare housed within his cobalt blue orbs.

Their eyes locked with a noticeable degree of suspicion, just moments before a young girl’s voice broke the silence.

"Can I help you?"

Brock turned to see his young sister and co-worker, Krysha, step up to the counter, obviously enthralled by the slender youth, who was still staring at him, intently.

"I’m trying to hunt down some records concerning a containment block that was discovered a few days ago, believed to have originated from this colony. According to the identification number, it was salvaged from your lot."

"A containment block?…" Krysha asked, feeling a slight tingle of fear and confusion rush through her veins. "…from our salvage yard?"

"I’m looking into every possibility." He replied, evenly, mentally noting the other boy’s reactions to the questions.

"I’m afraid it’s just me and my brother here since my dad passed away last year." She said, with a sad smile. "I’m afraid we aren’t much for keeping the books. You’re more than welcome to look if you like, but I doubt you’ll find much that will help you."

Heero noticed the sudden uneasiness that passed over the boy’s features as she slid the book across the countertop.

…That kid is hiding something…

Heero shuffled through the loose receipts and noted a handful of names scrawled in the ledger, always keeping watch on the young boy behind the counter.

…Time to test that theory…He thought to himself as he ran his finger down the list of entries. "There it is."

"Huh?…" Both kids said, in unison, before Krysha turned to look at her brother.

"Did you know about this?" She asked, frantically, as her brother began arguing with the stranger.

"That’s impossible!" He screamed, slamming his hand down on top of the pages of the thick leather bound logbook; his sister pulling at his other arm.

"I thought you said that you weren’t going to help them anymore!" She shrieked. "You promised me, Brock!"

"Krysha, I didn’t! He’s lying…I didn’t do anything, I swear it!"

Heero stepped back from the counter, observing the scene as it unfolded before his eyes.

Brock was fighting, desperately, to control his sister, who was alternating between shaking the boy and throwing wild punches at him.

Heero knew that he would have to bring the situation under control in a hurry. He needed answers, and was quite sure now, that questioning these kids would probably get him those answers. Nevertheless, something…some instinct…told him not to drop his guard just yet.

Without warning, the boy behind the counter lunged for something just out of his view, and Heero quickly dove out of the way as a gunshot rang out; the bullet narrowly missing his left shoulder. In a single swift and incomprehensibly accurate motion, he leapt from his position on the floor, disarming the boy with a sound, crushing blow to the arm.

Heero's attack left him weaponless and defeated, and now he was the one on the receiving end of a gun barrel.

He looked up, finding nothing but a cold, calculated glare from his opponent. Looking into Heero’s face was like staring at a doll…a perfect mask of soulless blue eyes, shadowed just enough to be menacing, and grim determination etched across his unwavering features.

The only thought that came to his mind at that instant was that he was going to die.

"Don’t move." Heero seethed, threateningly.

"Look, what do you want?…" Brock asked, nervously. "…It wasn’t us, okay? We didn’t have anything to do with it! We just gave them the parts…"

"Gave who the parts?…" Heero asked, clicking the safety off when Brock hesitated.

"Look, I don’t know their names. You think they’d tell us…Come on!"

"Is protecting them really worth your life?" Was Heero’s reply as he leveled his weapon off at the boy’s face. "Because I’d make you a bet, they won’t hesitate to let you die."

"Tell him, Brock…please!" His sister begged, the tears clinging shamelessly to her lashes. "Brock!"

"All right…it was…"

Heero saw the boy’s focus shift, but not until it was to late…

His mind registered a brief flash of movement just before a blinding haze of pain shot through his skull. He struggled against the overwhelming dizziness that threatened to drive him to his knees, feeling the steady river of blood that careened down the side of his face. It was the last conscious memory before his world faded to black.

Colton Reid stared down in satisfaction, at the crumpled figure before him, amazed that he had actually subdued the former Gundam pilot with a single, well-placed blow.

He grimaced slightly as he noticed the modest pool of blood forming below the boy’s head.

Training his weapon on the unconscious body before him, he whispered, "It looks like you picked the wrong mission to accept this time, Yuy…"

END

Well, that’s all folks! I really hope you like this, I know there are a lot of names and stuff, but, I’m sure I’ll be narrowing down the list of suspects fairly quickly. This fanfic might get kind of confusing, but I hope it will be rewarding when it is all done! Thanks for reading…and I hope to get the next one out soon. Oh, and as an addition to my author's notes, I would like to point out that I am testing a theory about writing a story synopsis and how it relates to reviews. So I apologize to Rose, if you are reading this, I am not trying to steal your synopsis idea, but it is the reason I read Dangerous games Ch. 16...so, like I said, I'm testing the theory!