For we who grew up tall and proud
In the shadow of the mushroom cloud
Convinced our voices can be heard,
We just want to scream it louder and louder
-Lyrics to 'Hammer To Fall' performed by Queen
Crimson Ties Part 74
A very nervous Trent stayed a few paces behind Heero and Duo as they ascended the front porch of their estate. Swallowing roughly, he did his best to ignore how hard and fast his heart was pounding in his chest whilst keeping up an air of confidence.
This was the absolute last place that he had thought he would ever set foot again, especially under the pretenses of being an established Hunter that was about to be surrounded by Vampires. It was almost laughable, a lamb walking in to meet with a pack of wolves. No other mortal in his shoes would have ever gone along with this.
However, Greyson was well aware of the rock and hard place that he was caught between now that he was discovered.
Even more than protecting his clan to the best of his ability, what was the most important to Trent was learning what potential new information he could obtain on Dorothy's disappearance. It was very likely that he wouldn't believe a word that came from the Infecteds' mouths, but Duo sure as hell seemed convinced that he wanted to hear what they had to say.
Though they might have played for opposing teams, the Hunter had to admit that the Companion had convinced him to extend some bit of trust. Still, he couldn't help the building fears that were rising in him.
Heero held the door to his lover and their guest. While Duo stepped inside without pause, Trent stopped at the doorway for a brief moment to take a deep breath. "Don't worry," Yuy smirked beside him to bring their eyes to meet, "We don't bite... unless provoked."
Swallowing roughly, Greyson took the couple of steps needed to enter the estate. The Original was right behind him, checking for any weapons before he took his visitor's coat to hang it in the entryway's closet.
Very slowly, the Hunter walked towards the living room where the Infected were sitting together. Taking in the pale, unreadable faces and gold-ringed eyes, the living hesitated once more before crossing the room's threshold.
It was Khushrenada who greeted him first, rising to his feet and approaching with every bit as much uncertainty. Nodding firmly, the Councilman opened kindly enough, "Your coming to meet with us is appreciated, Trent." He gestured to the empty recliner at the other end of the room, suggesting, "You may want to take a seat as we have much to discuss."
No hand was offered, another clear sign that there was a very present line drawn between the two beings.
Returning the nod, Greyson headed for the chair and settled himself in it. As he made himself as comfortable as he could, he noticed the wide smiles and winks exchanged between Yuy, Maxwell and their siblings as they took up the long couch at his right.
In no mood to do anything but get to business, the junior crossed his arms across his chest, and focused back on Treize. Keeping his voice flat, he stated plainly, "Duo tells me that you have information on what happened to my sister that I want to hear. Is it true that her disappearance could be related to the recent outbreak of strange vanishings?"
The tall Vampire raised an eyebrow, smirking, "I wonder just how informed you are of those cases. Something of the nature of those missing persons reports likely drew the interest of your hunting clan and every other like it out there."
"We're not here to discuss what my fellow Hunters may or may not know," Trent snipped, only a taste of his frustration coming out in a brave show. Emboldened by that, he leaned forward in the recliner as the beings around watched and listened intently.
The corner of his lips curling up, the mortal snorted, "What has you so interested in what we would think of it, anyway? Scared that we might find evidence proving that your own are responsible? If that were the case, the public would have a very different opinion of Infected if that ever got out."
Silently, Greyson regretted letting his words fly that much when some of the eyes on him narrowed. Had there been any question on the Infecteds' parts to what the Hunters were looking into, he'd given away enough information to answer them.
For a brief second, he remembered Heero's words of how they wouldn't bite unless provoked. That was as far as he was willing to test the limits of their hospitality.
Remaining calm and collected, Treize's mouth slowly spread into a smile. "Actually, I was wondering because I thought that it might be interesting to compare notes." At that, he gave Chang a shallow nod.
Quickly rising to his feet, the scaly Vampire sat before his laptop at the tall table in the middle of the room. Trying a few commands, be brought the projector to life as images of mug shots appeared on the wall. Brown eyes widening with a sharp gasp, Trent looked on the familiar faces in shock.
Every one of those images had been on display at his clan's meetings... except that there were a lot more pictures of victims than what he had seen. A chill ran down his spine, tingling its way all the way down to the bottoms of his feet.
Beside him, Duo leaned over to mutter, "Told you." And he had, the Hunter had to admit. It seemed as though the Vampires actually were concerned for the humans displayed before him.
Lady Une stepped up beside her husband as she informed their visitor, "We're only a handful of agents of the organization that Treize and I co-founded called the Preventers. In many ways, you can consider us the police of our kind. We efficiently remove any potential threat to the livings not only to preserve the peace that we have created between our species, but because we do not want any human lost if there is something we can do about it."
Stunned as everything sank in, Greyson continued to stare slack-jawed and wide-eyed at the mug shots. "H-have you figured out the Infected that are responsible for taking them?" he questioned after swallowing to dampen his throat.
"We know the guilty party," Treize answered. "However, they are not Vampire nor are they a pure human. We're dealing with a new breed of creature, a hybrid crossbreed by both bloodlines." He gestured to the braided Companion to share, "Duo's twin to be more specific."
The air rushing from his lungs, the Hunter's head snapped to take in his classmate. Maxwell removed his contact lenses to reveal the silver rings that wrapped his violet irises and shrugged, "Surprise. Came as a hell of a shock to me when I found this all out only a few days ago."
Once again, Trent's jaw fell and he stammered, "Y-you're... but how... what does..." Unable to find a complete sentence, he shook his head in frustration and shouted exasperatedly, "What the fuck?!"
At long last, the tension that had filled the room was broken as the lot gathered around him to laugh with heads nodding in understanding over the sentiment.
When the group settled, Duo folded his hands on his bent knees as he kept his focus on the junior beside him. "Look," he drew out, "there's a shit load of stuff to get into, but the long and short of it is that it turns out the brother I didn't even know I had until recently is building an army that can take on Vampires. Somehow, he's gathering livings that are tied to Vampires before they meet up and he's changing them..."
Along with the help of his friends and family, the hybrid went on to explain the findings discovered through the hunts and investigating that they had all been a part of. Only briefly touching on what he was capable of, Maxwell sat back to allow the Vampires that his blood had turned to demonstrate their acquired abilities.
No matter was left unaddressed, including the attacks that had been set on the Maxwell church, Howard's base and the Infected's home. By the end of it all, Greyson's mind was reeling as he sunk deeply into the recliner with a hand over his mouth and enlarged eyes. "M-my God," he breathed, his voice muffled behind his fingers.
What with everything that had been shown to him, there was no argument that the Hunter could make against anything that was being entrusted with him. Stomach churning violently, he swallowed back the bile that had shot up into his throat.
Completely overwhelmed by everything that he had to take in, Trent remained completely silent as he came to terms with just how big the true picture was. ..
There was a war unfolding that could very well change the existences of human and Infected alike. And it was a small army of Vampires that was raging against the encroaching darkness that threatened to rule over all.
Wiping his face with a hand, the Hunter raised his head to look on the Preventer Commanders. With a deep breath, he asked in a hesitant whisper, "You really believe that my sister may be working with Solo? She may really be tied to a Vampire and is now working for that monster?"
Khushrenada and his wife exchanged a brief glance from the corner of their eyes. Peering back on their visitor, the Councilman frowned deeply, "We have very good reason to believe that she was one of his first victims, if not the first."
Slowly extending towards her cousin and redheaded friend, Lady Une went on, "Noin and Anna are two of our most talented trackers. They have been able to use their skills to show just what had taken place at the scenes of every disappearance. There was a picture of a stream that your sister would frequently go to that was included in her case file that they took particular interest in."
Biting her lip at the growing brown eyes that turned to her, Anna gathered up her nerve to inform gently, "Based on the marring in the terrain, every tiny trace left behind fits the same criteria of the other victims... with the only exception being that she only had one attacker."
As the Irish Infected glanced at her, Noin nodded in solemn agreement. Picking up on Greyson's thought out wish, the mind reader insisted aloud, "Believe me, you do not want those details. It would only make this all the more difficult for you. But I can tell you that it was bad, as it would have had to have been for your sister to despise our kind enough to side with Solo."
Completely numb, Trent nodded shallowly. Those words were true enough. Dorothy always had been very fond of Vampires. If she were working with the hybrid, she could only have experienced a nightmare like none other.
Shaking his head, the junior scanned the concerned expressions that were watching him. "W-why did you decide to trust me with all of this- the case, the Preventers and... you?" he inquired in a breath, settling on Duo at the end.
The braided Companion smiled, "I wanted to bring you in on this the moment we found out about Dorothy and what had happened to her."
Clearing his throat, he took Anna aback by looking on her before he smirked to his classmate, "Like you, I have a sister who I would be lost without." He paused to swallow past the lump that had formed and continued in a thick voice, "I came close to that, so I can relate to how you feel."
A mix of a gasp and whimper broke from the redhead as a light shimmer of tears filled her eyes. Reaching across Heero, she took her little brother's hand into her own and squeezed it tightly in appreciation for his sweet words. Duo chuckled softly, tightening his hold around her fingers while fighting his emotions.
Trent struggled with seeing the pair, how close they were. It only made him ache to see his own sister again.
Lightly rubbing his lover's back when he realized that Duo was unable to trust his voice, Yuy met the Hunter's gaze and told him, "We may have a way of proving beyond any doubt to whether or not Dorothy is with Solo."
Wrapping his free arm around his tearful sister's shoulders, the Original stated, "If our source confirms our suspicions, we only thought it right that you be present to hear it for yourself. You've been through enough and it's about time you had answers to what had become of her."
His eyes blinking, the young Hunter realized that they were dampening. These were the same creatures that he had once believed for the last couple of years to be his enemies... abominations that put on airs of civility as they preyed on the unsuspecting.
And now they were giving him the one thing that he wanted more than anything in a sense of closure and hope to his heartache, even while they knew what he was to them. Everything that Greyson had believed was in shambles, lying in haphazard waste in such a way that he didn't even know where to begin piecing it back together.
Suddenly, there was another presence that appeared in the doorway that caught the attention of the whole lot in the room to make their eyes widen and lungs fill with gasps. Most stunned of all was Trent, skin paling as he whispered, "Y-you... you're..."
Entering the room, Josh grinned to the living, "Yea. I take it by that reaction that your clan heard about me as one of the victims." As he looked on the Preventer Commanders, the newly born Companion bowed his head to them with a sincere, "I hope you don't mind my interrupting, but Noin has been sharing this meeting with me through her gift and I had to get involved."
Lucrezia shared a warm smile with the former Other when he met her gaze. Relena and Anthony walked into the doorway behind Morgan. Shrugging, Peacecraft smirked to her family, "He overpowered us." Snickers rose up at the half-hearted attempt to excuse their arrival with a reason that everyone knew to be impossible.
"I think I have the right to be involved," Morgan insisted to the Infected around. "And I can be of real help in bringing Solo down if you'd let me." Shuddering, he frowned, "I... I know that after what happened, I probably don't have the right to ask that you trust me, but I swear that I never would have-"
Shaking her head, Lady Une stepped forward to rest a hand on the blonde's shoulder at the same time that Anthony swooped to his partner's other side, squeezing his arm.
"No need for you to go back there, dear," the Commander smiled sadly. "No one here holds you at any fault over what happened. You were a victim in those attacks every bit as much as we were." The immortals throughout the room gave reassuring smiles and nods that backed the sentiment.
Josh physically relaxed as his Vampire pressed a kiss against his temple and chuckled softly, "See? I told you that there was nothing to fear, love." Leaning heavily against Anthony, the Companion grinned widely at him.
Head shaking, Trent finally returned to the world enough to ask, "As one of Solo's Others, did you... had you ever met...?" Any attempt to actually finish his inquiry was cut off by a hitch in his voice, the result of the lump that kept rising in his throat.
Quickly spinning towards the table where the scaly Infected sat, Josh requested, "I do know of a Dorothy who works close by the hybrid's side. Do you have an image of his sister from her police files so I can confirm if they're the same girl?"
Onyx-and-gold eyes growing, Wufei nodded and rushed to type a few more commands on his keyboard before the image of Catalonia's mug shot was displayed on the wall.
A rush of air escaping him, the newborn immortal nodded excitedly, "That's the Dorothy I know." Fully facing the distraught Hunter, he laughed in relief, "You have my word that I've seen your sister with my own eyes, and that she is still very much alive."
Thick tears were already rolling down Trent's face as his hands reached up to cover his nose and mouth. "Alive," he murmured brokenly, body shaking from the soft sobs that he was biting back as he stared at Dorothy's smiling face.
In a flash, Greyson's hands fell away and was up on unsteady legs as he pressed in a near blur of words, "How is she? Solo hasn't hurt her, has he? When was the last time you saw her?"
Patient and understanding towards the Hunter and his need for answers, Morgan replied, "As far as Solo's treatment, you don't have to worry. Dorothy's by far his favorite of all of his Others. He's rarely seen without her at his side. And even though I never had any one-on-one conversations with her, she's fine..." Wincing, he added, "At least as fine in her bliss as one could expect."
All but collapsing back into the recliner, Trent leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. Slowly drawing a few deep breaths, he took the information in and did his best to not fall apart from his relief. For years he had searched, hoped, prayed, schemed and all other acts in his power to find his sister.
Now having the confirmation that Dorothy was alive, it was all too overwhelming for the Hunter.
The former Other advised his hosts, "She's a Seer, finding anyone in the world that Solo wants. She only needs a name, or a description and she literally sees them wherever they are. Apparently, she's also able to detect the potential in a human that is linked to a Vampire and that's how the future Companions are being attacked."
Heero's eyes widened in alarm as he stated, "That's how they were always able to stay ten steps ahead of us with every hunt. If they can see us, then they could very well be watching all of us even now."
Raising a hand, Josh was fast to reassure, "Actually, Dorothy can't see us with Duo here." All focus turned to the surprised, braided Companion. With a soft snicker, the blonde said, "Her gift can't reach him, or anyone in his presence. It's like a wide shield that keeps him safe from any gift the Others have."
"Damn," Wufei murmured from the table where he remained. Folding his arms, he snickered softly, "Quatre's theories had it all pegged. He's going to be thrilled when he hears all of this."
Realization hitting her, Relena's mouth curled into a wicked smile. "And here I was at a loss over what ability I should take on," she commented. "Two can play at that game. If Dorothy can see us when we're away from Duo, then I would be able to see the Others when they're away from Solo."
"And we can get to their targets before they even know we're coming thanks to our teleporter who can get us anywhere in seconds," Zechs smirked as he turned to meet Barton's eyes.
Trowa grinned darkly, "There would be no time for a warning to be sent to them. Little by little, we could take out their numbers by bringing the Others in so that we can find their Vampires."
Excitement ran rampant throughout the room for the Infected as they looked to one another, their minds turning over the possibilities that their new gifts presented. Perhaps their wishes for a non-violent end to the war might turn out after all.
Just when their hopes began to rise, Maxwell's fellow Companion swallowed deeply as their gazes locked. "Solo is bent on killing you," he whispered. "He's made it known to all of us Others that the only way he'll be able to succeed in his takeover is by eliminating you. Now that he knows you're tied to a Vampire, he's even more determined that he needs to take you out."
Duo frowned deeply, a chill making him shiver as it ran down his back. "Quatre hit the nail on the head with that one, too," he sighed under his breath. Leaning heavily against his Vampire when Yuy's arms wrapped around him, he did his best to keep his emotions in check.
While he'd always believed that the scientist was right all along, it was even more troubling for Maxwell to hear from a direct source to his twin how much Solo wanted him dead. Enough of that message had been sent by the nature of the attacks on everyone important in his existence.
The rational part of Duo made it known that nothing about the attacks was his fault. But then there was also the emotional part of him that just couldn't help but make him feel responsible- it was his brother's trying to get to him, after all, that was the reason behind that night in the first place.
Noin's soothing voice filled his mind to urge, 'None of that now. You know all of the blame for this falls on Solo and Solo alone. I won't have you thinking badly of yourself when you have nothing to be sorry for. Every single one of us is thankful that you came into our existences. Wherever this journey takes all of us, we'll still be standing by you through it all."
Mentally chuckling, the hybrid replied through his thoughts, 'You're better than a conscience, Noin.' He made sure to make his appreciation for her words known with a sincere, 'Thank you. I need that once in a while.' Looking over at him, Lucrezia gave a warm smile and a wink.
As the arms around him tightened when his body shivered again, Maxwell leaned all the deeper against his Vampire's chest as Heero whispered by his ear, "I'm here. And I'm not about to let a damn thing happen to you."
With a small smile curling his lips, the braided Companion sighed and closed his eyes for a moment to take in every bit of love and strength from his Chosen that he could. Aside from whatever personal demons he might be battling, probably the most disturbing thing that Duo was coping with was having someone who actually wanted to kill him. Solo's being his brother only amplified how disturbing that lovely little bit of information was.
But he did have Heero. And he knew that his lover would protect him with everything in his being.
The quiet discussions that had been going on throughout the room were cut off when Trent got back up onto his unsteady legs, announcing, "I... have to get some air." Stumbling forward, he headed from the room and all but ran through the front door to step onto the front porch.
Greyson almost didn't make it down the steps before he fell to his knees and the contents of his stomach lurched from him in heaves. Shaking from both the cold and the horrific realizations that he had come to learn that night, he wiped his mouth with the back of a hand and remained kneeling on the frozen sidewalk as his arms wrapped around his chest beneath the glow of the street lamp that began to burn.
All this time the Hunter had had it all wrong when it came to the Vampires.
He'd had it wrong about everything.
Now he was faced with the knowledge of a war that the rest of the world, which was hanging in the balance, remained oblivious to. Dorothy was a chess piece in that struggle, pulled to the wrong side of the board by lies and violence that held her captive.
Suddenly, all of Trent's efforts over the last couple years came to catch up with him. And he was exhausted.
"You okay?" his classmate's voice asked gently, a sincere tinge of concern lacing it. Raising his head, the junior looked up to Heero and Duo as they approached slowly while the rest of their family stood back on the porch.
It was new eyes with which Greyson took the lot in. No longer did he see the Companion or the Vampires in his existence as enemies.
They were all soldiers of the same war that he only now was aware that he was a part of as well. For all of them, the gauntlet had been lowered in a most violent way and they needed to answer it in such a way that they were the last to deliver any blow in the fight.
Coming to his feet, Trent nodded firmly to the pair before him and declared, "I'm in on this. We end this together." And he already had a plan in mind. Focusing on the Original, the corner of his mouth tugged up as he drew a deep breath and extended a hand to him.
Blinking in surprise, the Infected on the porch exchanged glances. The message being sent by the gesture was not lost to anyone present. Duo snickered quietly as he watched his stunned lover stare at the offered hand with wide gold-and-cobalt eyes.
A Vampire, one of the first of their kind, and a Hunter truce. An understanding between the two sworn foes. Such a thing would have been believed impossible even hours before.
Heero met the living's gaze and smirked as he clasped the warm hand with his own cold one for a firm handshake to seal their pact.
"Well, I never thought that I would ever see this in my whole existence," Trowa smiled and turned towards his cousins. Wufei and Anna nodded, their own lips spreading into wide grins.
Their army was growing. And now they had a real plan of attack to make their presence known to Solo and his Others.
At long last, they had their silver lining in the darkness.
TBC...
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