CHAPTER XII- Temptation

A/N: My spectacular beta-reader, Laura, brought up a good point. As a perfect soldier, Heero should have known that Relena’s wounds weren’t fatal. However, I’m defending myself with two things 1) Heero was too blinded by anger to pay much attention and 2) the footage was really grainy. Thanks to her, I’m going to try and bring that to attention in this chapter. P.S. to all HyxRP fans: in the last episode of Gundam Wing, Heero gives Relena a teddy bear and a note. Before she rips the note, the audience gets a glimpse of it. Does anybody know the translation? (my pet peeve…)

Warnings for this chapter: Severe PMS (Sally kicks some butt) and drug-related issues, as well as mature themes. Many of you may get confused by Heero’s hallucination. One of the long term effects of stimulant abuse is hallucinations, so therefore, he gets one.

Thank you! On with the show…

~ML

He was stumbling blindly. Stupidly. If Odin Lowe had seen him, he would have had him removed from the job. He was too emotional. He knew it. But then, in some ways, his emotions were helping him, telling him instinctively where they had killed Relena. He did not, of course, know why they had done so, or even who was in charge. Of course, he suspected Ariel had something to do with the plot, and if her only motive was to hurt him, she wouldn’t hesitate in killing Relena.

Which had been done. Horribly.

He had known it was Relena on that tape through those eyes, her vibrant, brilliant eyes, that glowed with fear and pain and hatred, the only color in the grayish room, spare the blood.

She was dead.

He didn’t know how close he was to the fields that were right in front of the building where Relena had been captured, at least, not until he stumbled onto the sickly sweet-smelling fields.

And then, all he felt was desire. The desire to forget. The desire to pretend that Relena was still alive. The desire to become faster and stronger, as the stimulants had made him. He could hurt them. He could hurt them all for what they did.

He hadn’t been the one to kill her. She would have preferred, he believed, to have died by the hands of a friend instead of an enemy.

The fields warped slightly, shaping into a hallucination, a long-term side effect of using stimulants. He tried to ignore it, well used to the distortions of things around him. These little moments of irregularity reminded him of the insanity from before, reminded him that it simply was not worth it.

"Do you miss it, brother?"

Heero spun around, the blood pounding through his veins in fury. Behind him stood Ariel Yuy, vivid and proud, as always.

But was she a dream or reality?

"Ariel."

"Your given name was Heero. Oh, the irony, right? Actually, Heero Tenshi-Yuy. But then, Tenshi can’t really be your surname, can it, seeing as your father was not Satsumo Tenshi? I wonder what it would be then…what was that kitchen boy’s name?"

"What do you want?" He asked. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to rip her throat out. She was just an illusion…

"You don’t like it, do you? Not having anything to make you feel any better?" she said smoothly, lovingly, "With a stimulant you could be more powerful. You could feel so much better." She pulled out a small plastic bag from the pocket of her long wool coat -her protection from the cold of the Indian night- and smiled, "You could have one last taste." She sighed, "After all, Relena’s not here to help you, is she? She’s dead. Everything in your world has died. But this," she put the bag in his hand, "this can help you avenge her- and make you feel human…at least for a little while."

"GO AWAY!" he shouted at his fantasy, shoving her away from him and running away through the rows of plants.

It took him several moments to realize that he had touched his hallucination.

And that the small packet was still in his hand.

He looked back, but she had had the common sense to leave when he was still unaware. However, Ariel was right. Relena was dead. He felt dead too, as if he had lost all of his compassion with final breaths. But he could live for a few seconds…he could court the abyss for a few more moments to avenge the death of the only person who had meant anything at all to him.

She was the only one who had never asked anything of him, only gave with love and tried not to make him do anything. Everything he had done for her had been self-imposed, all of his actions in concern for her had been something he had wanted to do.

He could…just one last time…

But no! There were reasons that strongly pointed against it. First of all, he wanted this to be his victory, not some drug-induced bloodbath. He wanted to look back at his work and know he did it uninfluenced. Secondly, Relena wouldn’t have wanted it. He could almost see her crestfallen face at the idea. That was the last thing. He didn’t think she was dead. She couldn’t be, for he hadn’t killed her. He knew he was thinking illogically, but he couldn’t really help himself.

However, the Drive was something more instinctive than thought out. It wasn’t something you just ‘did.’ He could feel the battle rage in his mind, animal thoughts versus humanity.

He stood there, unmoving, while his mind burned with guilt and want and terrible, terrible sorrow.

"I think I’ve held him off for a short while." Ariel murmured into her cell phone. She did not tell her associate that she had not caused any physical harm. Perhaps a part of her could not stand him still. Perhaps a part of her still wanted him to suffer instead of shooting him in cold blood, "Now, are you sure you want to kill the other Gundam pilots?" She had no qualms about destroying her brother’s little friends.

Mr. Kaliya’s voice was different. He was very wary of leaving any traces of his identity for others to find, "Yes, Ms. Yuy. The pilots are clever and skilled soldiers. They have the potential to quell a disturbance in a matter of days. I need to keep up these profits."

"But you’re keeping Relena alive?"

"I plan on releasing more tapes if they should try and resolve it peacefully. For that, I’ll need her."

"The bomb in the hotel has been set by some hired men. They don’t know what it’s for or even care. We can blame it on some Hindu and Muslim terrorist factions."

"Excellent.

"As always. But you must understand," Ariel replied coldly, "I did not come here to be a strong right hand. I did not come here to do your dirty work." Ariel looked up through the crops of plants, "I came here because of your offer of power. I want the presidency."

Mr. Kaliya understood all too well, "And with me at your side, Ms. Yuy, your success is guaranteed."

"Very good," Ariel grinned ferally into the night, "because I do my homework Mr. Kaliya. If I were to fall, or not get what I want, I don’t mind dragging you down with me."

When the connection was terminated both of them were well aware that they were playing with fire. They knew each other’s secrets so well, that one falling meant the failure of the other as well.

Mr. Basu entered Mr. Kaliya’s quarters, bearing a basket of fruits, "A gift, Mr. Kaliya, for giving me the money for my wife’s operation."

There were no words of cordiality in reciprocation, for Mr. Kaliya knew had a powerful grace that made everyone aware he was above all rules of politeness. He was the kind of person who looked at life without any rose-colored glasses, the kind of man who knew for a fact that he would live a short time and then die. He was logical and proud, which made him the best kind of businessman.

Mr. Kaliya was facing the window in his favorite chair, fingers steeped, "Mr. Basu, you’ve worked with Ariel Yuy for a long time, what do you think of her?"

"I see." He rubbed a hand across his forehead in exhaustion, "And what of our hostage?"

"She’ll live."

She was cold. She hurt. Her shoulder and her leg had been grazed by two bullets. Relena lifted her hand in the gloom, and felt for her stomach. They didn’t even hit her there, but in the side near the ribs, a wound that caused a great deal of blood, but very little damage.

She had been part of a scam. They had used her to promote conflict. Even if she was not conscious of what she had been doing, she could have caused a war.

Oh God…what have I done? What have I done?

"What have you done to me?"

"Hush, hush, I’ve done nothing. They, on the other hand, have released your ‘death video’ all over the ESUN. The senators refuse to go to Geneva anymore, and Acropolis has completely succumbed to uproar. Riots have already started all over the Earth and the colonies." She placed Relena’s food before her. The politician realized then that she had been placed back in her cell, and a thin mat was all that separated her from the damp floor.

But the cold was not the cause of the chill that traveled up her spine, "How many dead?"

"Who knows."

"Why?"

"Why are they fighting?" Pigeon corrected absently. She put down the bowl of soup and looked Relena straight in the eye, "You have no idea what you are, do you? To almost everyone, you are the symbol of the peace that has been attained. Who did the Gundam pilots fight for? Who dared to speak up against Romafeller? Who came suddenly to the scene, spouting out ideals and toting a long pedigree of pacifist politician family members? You did, my dear. Despite whatever you say or do in the future, your image has come to symbolize all things good." She looked very self-satisfied, "People have become so used to connecting you to peace, that they can no longer tell the difference. If Relena is dead, then so is peace!"

Relena suddenly realized what she had to do, but she kept her face very controlled, with a firm image of fearful sadness fixed on her face.

Pigeon got up, satisfied with what she had done, "Sweet dreams."

Relena looked up carefully, "You too."

She no longer had to worry about her safety. She would attempt escape. It didn’t matter anymore if she had a plan or not, with luck, she would reach the town, if not, she would make sure they killed her in the forest so she could no longer be used as a puppet. She was in pain, yes, and still bleeding quite a lot, but that really didn’t matter. The only thing that was important was her world.

She listened as the door clicked behind her guard- still unlocked. They thought that a threat would keep Relena Darlain locked up.

They were wrong.

"Service! Don’t you people have service around here?! INJUSTICE!"

Sally Po massaged her temples, "Wufei, please stop banging on the desk bell. The people in the motel are trying to rest-"

"There are no other people here except ourselves, woman! These lame-brained camels of receptionists have no other place to go!" Wufei barked, leaning over the reception desk and banging even more on the bell, "The others in our group can snore through a tsunami. All they’ll do is wake up two hours later and say, ‘Oh my, I’m up to my ears in ocean water when I’m two miles inland! How odd!’" Wufei had turned his voice high and squeaky, flipping an imaginary braid over his shoulder like Sally did when she was upset. "So therefore, I will ring this bell until I get service, even if it hurts your ‘girlish fancies.’"

One of Sally’s eyes twitched dangerously, "Wufei, are you mocking me?"

"Why, no!" he said sarcastically.

"Good," she replied, stepping closer to him, eyes hooded seductively. She placed a hand on his abdomen, and he swallowed audibly, "because," she began to trace her fingers around his navel, "the last man who mocked me," she used her other hand to reach behind him, "was unable to walk for a month."

She drew away and then punched him in the stomach. When she pulled away again, she had the bell in her hand and Wufei was gasping for air.

"Have I made my point?"

"Ungh…"

A door slammed behind them, and the receptionist walked out, looking somewhat self-satisfied, "How may I help you?"

His English was really bad, but understandable. Sally smiled, using Wufei’s temporary silence to gain control of the conversation. "I’m sorry, Mr. Komar, but we asked for a double room, not a double bed and a radio."

He looked at her and then at her partner, who was beet red from his efforts to breathe. His numerous chins jiggled curiously. Despite the decay of his motel, he was very tidy, and smelled of cheap cologne, "Why, not your type?"

Sally grinned viciously, "No way."

"He scatched out something in his book and gave them a new pair of keys. He returned to looking at his books. Sally just stood there.

"What is it?" The manager finally asked in annoyance.

"Aren’t you going to show us to our rooms? I won’t be cheated again."

Wufei glanced over at Sally. She was wearing one of her determined expressions that meant she was not going anywhere until she got what she wanted. The Chinese boy knew far better than to cross her in this kind of mood.

The man looked…nervous, "I’m sorry, ma’am, but I have business I have to attend to outside of this establishment."

Sally’s eyes widened. She was in ‘dangerous to oppose’ mode. Wufei prayed the man had the common sense to fulfill her wishes, "Can’t you make the time for a paying customer?"

He glanced around tensely, "Look, there’s nothing personal, but I really, really have to get out of here."

Sally’s eyes blazed with anger. Suddenly the man found himself pressed against the wall, with her hands at his throat, "Look, pal, I’m having a really bad case of PMS. I can’t really be held responsible for my actions," her grip tightened, "Now, you are going to tell what the big rush is or I will string you up by your skinny little neck and beat the answer out of you!"

He whimpered in fear and terror, "Please, let me out, there’s a bomb…it’s going to explode in several minutes…you’ve got to let me out of here!"

Wufei dropped his keys and Sally almost loosened her grip, "What did you say?"