You've got to show them that you're really not scared.
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you, then they beat you Then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it. Just beat it.
-Lyrics to 'Beat It' performed by Michael Jackson
Crimson Ties Part 76
It was with a deep sense of both duty and respect that Trowa paged through the journal that had been entrusted to him. Skimming over the handwritten words that neatly filled the lines in a beautiful cursive, he made sure to take in every syllable so as not to potentially miss what he was looking for.
By being that focused, the Latin Infected also grasped the powerful emotions that had been poured into each entry. There was fear of the unknown, as one could only expect given the author's unique position, but that was far outweighed by the excitement and intense joy of what she had to look forward to.
Shaking his head, Barton continued to read as he muttered, "Duo's parents were remarkable creatures. I do wish that we'd all had the chance to know them through a means other than reading about them in a diary like this."
Midi paused in her wiping down their large dining room table that had been emptied of its recent inhabitants. She approached the chair that her husband was seated in and squeezed his shoulder when she noted the sadness that screamed from his eyes and sagged posture.
"I wish that, too," the 'little mother' sighed softly. Biting her lip, she asked, "Do you think that there really might be enough in there that could help you pick out where the base that held them might be?"
Trowa continued to glance over the latest entry as he replied, "Not yet. I've only gotten as far as, Isabel learning that she was pregnant and Charles is growing concerned for her safety."
A deep frown marring his own face, he peered up to his wife and commented, "I'm not exactly comfortable with having to look through such a personal thing like this, but if there is a name of the base, or a description of the surroundings, I might be able to piece together a location that we can travel to."
Such was the hope of Duo, Treize and the other Infected. Before going toe-to-toe with Solo and his others, it was wisely decided by all that they needed to obtain as much information as they could on the hybrid. If there was a way that they might be able to understand his upbringing better, the knowledge could only help in their struggle.
For Barton, he would only need a good idea to where he needed to transport to. One name or a series of words that could clue into that, however insignificant or unimportant or might seem on paper, could be the very thing that would tip him off to the location of the base where Duo and Solo had been born and tested on.
Once there, the lot could pick up on a wealth of information that they could use to their benefit... and for Maxwell, he could have a better understanding of his own past. It was the last piece of that puzzle in his existence that yet remained to fall into place.
Though Duo was the one to offer having his mother's journal read, his suggestion did bear a bit of reluctance. Of course, that was only natural considering his attachment to the only link he had with his birth parents that had sacrificed themselves to protect him and his brother.
Recalling how the braided Companion had held the colorful book in the tight grasp of his hands as he clutched it against his chest before handing it over to him, Trowa swallowed roughly past the lump in his throat.
He turned his head to kiss his lover's hand on his shoulder and flashed her a small grin of appreciation. "Any word on the rest of their family?" he questioned. "Do you know if they're really going through with Trent's suggestion?"
The concern that filled Midi's gold-and-brown eyes before she lowered her head was answer enough. Grunting, the Original murmured, "I best get back to work, then," he stated. "At least I know that if they have to call for backup I can be there in seconds."
Had it not been for his promise to his cousin that he would take care of the journal, Barton would have taken more issue at not joining his family on their new venture. However, time was already working against them as it was. If his finding the base might help them get to the bottom of Solo, that was what he would do.
Lady Une, Zechs, Noin and Relena were also in his position of having to stay behind. Because Duo insisted on the upcoming meeting and as little attention needed to be drawn to whomever went with him, so it was decided that his family and Treize would be his main line of protection.
A forced smile broke from Midi as she shook her head, "Oh, what reason would there be for them to need backup? I mean they're only going to be interrupting a meeting between a clan of Hunters to try and sway them to help us." Her voice rose in a near squeak in her shrugged, "Nothing to be worried about."
Rubbing her hands together anxiously, the 'little mother' thought aloud, "I better see to cleaning the living room. It's been a whole two days since I've had the time to dust it from top to bottom." That said, she hurried off to gather her cleaning utensils. On her way from the room, she called back to her husband, "And I am not fretting!"
Trowa's head fell back with a fitful round of laughter. Shaking his head, he looked on after his bride in amusement. That bit of humor fading quickly at the return of his own unease over what was taking place on the outskirts of town, his smile also disappeared. Sighing, he worked to get himself to focus back on the journal and picked up where he left off.
'It's just a pack of Hunters,' he tried to convince himself. 'They couldn't be a match for a clan of enhanced Vampires.'
Fingers griping the book edges, he murmured, "...nothing to worry about."
* * * * * *
Anna peered down the long, deserted alley deep on the outer edge of the otherwise busy streets of the city. Looking back at the rest of her team, she smirked, "There's no way that a pack of Hunters is going to be a match for us. I don't see the need for full armor." To emphasize her point, she shifted her hips to shift ever so slightly within the body-hugging corset of metal beneath her sweater.
"They still have weapons," Trent warned, his voice low. Tearing his eyes away from the door down the stretch, he locking gazes with the redhead and shrugged, "It would only take one lucky hit for them to kill you. My suggestion would be for you to not take any chances."
With a low moan, the Irish Infected sighed, "Alright. You make a point."
Frowning, Wufei stepped up beside his wife as he commented, "You've been hinting to wanting to be out of that armor a couple times now, love. Is something wrong?" The group standing by all turned to look on the couple at the question.
Embarrassment flashed briefly over Anna's face. Biting her lip, she ducked her head as her accent slipped into her mumbled, "Cramps. I fergot how unpleasant they are over de centuries." Instantly, surprise and sympathy filled the expressions on her.
Waving a hand in the air, she snorted, "Oh, don't worry. Nothing I can't deal with. What I have to go through is still nothing compared to living women when it comes to their period. It's all just a little reminder of the change I've had." Her right arm raising against her chest so that the crossbow strapped there peeked out from the sleeve cuff of her sweater, she smirked, "Shall we?"
Josh stepped back towards the lot from the darkness that had claimed the alley behind them as he announced, "I'm ready whenever the rest of you are. I just checked the sidewalks and they're clear." Silently, Anthony appeared at his Companion's side, nodding at the assessment of their surroundings.
Taking a deep breath, Trent rolled his shoulders back to force his growing anxiety away. Within the confines of the base, he was certain the whole clan was already gathered in waiting for his arrival. Following the funeral services earlier that day, he contacted Doctor J for an emergency gathering of the clan under the pretense that he had made a discovery in the missing persons' cases.
Well, at least there actually was a significant discovery. It just happened to be something that the other Hunters would never have seen coming... along with the visit of a handful of Vampires.
Regardless of what Hilde or the people that he took to like a second family might think of him after tonight, Greyson was content with his suggestion for his part in it. If there was ever a chance to gain numbers, this was one of the few chances where his comrades might be able to do so.
Sensing his classmate's unease, Duo turned to face him fully as opposed to over his shoulder. "You still good with this?" he asked quietly. "You know it isn't too late for us to go back on this idea if you're not comfortable with exposing how we're working together."
At his lover's other side, Heero nodded firmly to the mortal, "No one here would think any less of you." The corner of his mouth sneering back, he admitted in a disgruntled rumble, "Frankly, I'm not thrilled over the prospect of having to be surrounded by Hunters unless there was a certainty that we could gain from it."
With that sentiment, the tension that had been mounting in the other Infected was all the more evident in their eyes and rigidness. They were all taking a real chance in this. And there were many possible outcomes for what they were about to do.
Simply knowing that there were livings out to kill them was disturbing enough for the Vampires. Now preparing to step into their territory came with a much more profound sense of apprehension on their parts.
Without hesitating to think over the matter, Trent shook his head, "No, I'm committed to this. Even if we can't get their backing in the fight, they need to know what's really going on with the disappearances before they go fabricating stuff for the public at large."
Looking to the Councilman, the junior grinned, "Plus, I think that they'll be sure to keep away from your clans once they get a load of who you're friends with. They won't be causing your family any trouble from here out."
Treize chuckled deeply, nodding, "You make an excellent point there. Good fences make good neighbors." No one was about to protest that argument, the smirks curling the lips on the faces around. Bowing his head to the scaly Infected, he addressed simply, "Chang."
"Only one guard at the door," Wufei informed with the aid of his seeing ability that was picked up from Relena. "He has a simple revolver on his holster, so he won't be hard to take." As he spoke, the remainder of his team brandished their weapons to have them at the ready as they fully understood what was about to come.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Khushrenada nodded, "Good. Were there more, I would say that we transport inside, but our sudden appearance out of thin air could bring on a most unpleasant immediate response."
Duo cringed over the mental image of a gun and blade fight breaking out in the middle of their arrival inside. Hands gripping the staff of his side, he swallowed roughly while forcing that dark thought back. In light of the risks that they were already taking, best to er on the side of caution... if there even was such a side in a situation like this.
Peering up at the star-lit heavens, Anna commented, "So, the less dramatic plan it is. We already have the dark working in our favor." She smiled to her Commander, "Got anything up your sleeve to help keep us hidden from our doorkeeper before we can take him?"
"Oh, I am way ahead of you there, Rose," Treize snickered softly. Closing his eyes, he called forth his gift to bring in a steadily growing fog.
As warm as that night was, the mist would have only been taken as the result of the remaining snow on the ground melting away. But it was still thick enough to completely cover the handful of creatures standing by.
For his own eyes, it was a challenge for Trent to see beyond his hand when he held it out before him. "Nice," he smirked in awe. Already well aware of what was expected of him, he lowered his arm and took a deep breath before heading down the long alley.
Moving along, the young Hunter could feel the light brushes of air from the Vampires as they bolted ahead of him for the door. In the silent comfort that came from knowing how close they were even though he could not see them, his steps fell more surely and steadily as he approached his destination.
Hand raised when he came to a stop, Greyson gave three firm knocks to the steel panel. Footsteps within could be heard nearing the other side of the door when the lookout grate slid open so that a pair of brown eyes could gaze on the visitor. Squinting to be able to see through the darkness and mist, recognition filled them after a hard study. "Hey, Don," the junior grinned to further set the guard at ease.
"We've been waiting on you, Trent," the other Hunter with sighed in relief. "Doctor J was beginning to think that something had happened to you." Closing the grate, the loud, metallic snap of the main lock followed by the rattle of chains and clicks of padlocks being undone filled the air just before the door was pulled back to grant entrance.
As he stepped into the large opening that he had made, the young man from within appeared with his revolver in his lowered hand. Though the night and fog was thick, the bit of moonlight that was able to break through brought the silver of the gun's long barrel to glimmer as a reminder of the threat that he posed.
Grinning, Don took a stepped forward and opened his mouth to say something in greeting when he suddenly felt the cold steel of a blade just touch the back of his neck. Eyes wide, his back straightened rigidly. "Do. Not. Move other than to lower your weapon," Wufei ordered slowly and calmly.
When Trent stepped forward to stretch his hand out to him, the guard's eyes grew all the wider with disbelief. "Traitor," he gritted through his teeth. The expression on his face melting quickly into one of rage, he glared heatedly at his former ally, snapping, "You sold us out to these bloodsuckers?!"
"Not without reason," Greyson replied, tone dripping with his own ice. "Just listen to what my friend told you and give over your weapon."
Only fueled all the more by his building ire, Don's hand shot up and moved to take aim at the stunned turncoat when the pistol in his hand was yanked from his hold as if an invisible hand had yanked it free. With a sharp gasp, he watched in fear as the gun floated into Trent's opened palm. Quickly spinning the guard, Wufei sent a swift fist flying across his pale face to render him unconscious.
Instantly, the rest of the team appeared through the fog. Assisting his scaly brother-in-law in lowering Don to the ground, Heero looked back as Anthony closed the door behind them once everyone was inside. Josh ran up to throw the heavy bolt, chains and padlocks back in place. Together, he breathed a sigh of relief with his lover when their eyes met.
Turning the pistol that only moments ago he had been staring down so that he could examine it, Trent's knees locked. The safety was off.
Nearly collapsing, the former Hunter was caught by Anna just in time and allowed her to ease him back against the wall so that he could steady himself. "Easy there. You're alright," the redhead urged softly as she carefully took the gun from his trembling hand. Quickly spotting what had shaken the human, her eyes grew and she clicked the safety back.
Running a trembling hand through his short hair, Greyson noted the sweat that was running down the sides of his face. "My God," he breathed as he stared down at his long-time friend on the ground. "He really would have shot me when I didn't have a single weapon on me. I... I thought of the guy like my brother."
Anna cupped the side of his face, forcing him to meet her gaze. "He's still fears and hates Vampires more than he cares about anyone," she said quietly. "You were like that too, once. Fear and hate make creatures do irrational things." Smiling warmly, she winked, "But you don't have to worry. We're not about to let anything bad happen to you."
Physically easing at that, Trent released a deep breath of a sigh and returned a small smile of appreciation. Nodding, he swallowed and regained his composure enough to push off the wall. With new eyes, he looked back down at Don while Duo and Heero finished checking his unconscious body for any other weapons on him before they bound the mortal's arms and legs.
The guard's immediate response to the revelation of what he had done only made Greyson all the more grounded in his decision. Such a strong, rash reaction was purely born out of prejudices and beliefs that needed to be stopped. Just as Anna had reminded him, were he in the guard's shoes, he likely would have acted much in the same way.
It truly was insanity, what the Hunters expected of their own by preaching the ways of intolerance to the point of violence.
Without making a sound, the team assembled into a tight unit once again once their first challenger was deemed as no longer a threat to them. Weapons drawn at their sides, they crept down the dark hallway into the main, candle-lit meeting room.
At the sight of the two young men flanking the doorway, Heero flashed behind the one on the right and Anna the Hunter on the left . Before the mortals even knew they were there, they gasped when they suddenly found themselves in strong strangleholds with weapons pressing at their other sides. Eyes wide, their gasps were cut off into raspy pulls for air.
Stepping between them, Duo smiled darkly, "Hey, folks! Sorry to come unannounced like this, but we weren't about to wait for an invitation."
Inside of the room, the dozens that were already present shot up to their feet to spin and look on their guests in surprise that was quickly replaced with intent. At the front of the space, Doctor J's brows lowered into a glower. Standing beside her grandfather, Hilde's face reddened with anger as she glared on her classmate.
"Trent," the old man growled at the living at the middle of the pack in the entrance. Despite the risk to their own lives and those of their own that were being held captive, those Hunters close enough reached for their rifles and guns strapped at their sides.
Raising his hand, Wufei brought every blade and gun to float from their possessors. What weapons remained on the walls followed suit so that no one could hurry and contain them. Once they were safe from harm, Heero and Anna released their panicked captives so that they could rush back into the safety of their ranks where they joined the others in staring up at their hovering equipment in shock.
His hand turning, the scaly Infected curled his finger towards himself and the weapons sailed away into the darkness behind them. The smirk that curled his lips sent the silent challenge for any of the livings to attempt getting through the pack of Vampire for them. Soon realizing how very serious their situation was, the Hunters began to fall back as their jaws slackened and skin paled.
Fists clenching at her sides, Hilde screamed at Trent, "You son of a bitch! I should have told everyone here how you were second-guessing us!" Tears of fury in her eyes, she shrieked, "Now you've completely turned on us by selling our lives to these monsters!"
"We can still take them!" one voice rose up. "They're outnumbered by all us!" A few others yelled in support of the cry and most of the lot prepared themselves to launch for the Infected when a most unexpected presence made itself known in the form of Treize Khushrenada stepping out into the open.
As quickly as the movement to try rise up had begun, it was halted as the mortals' renewed fear rendered them still as statues. Raising an eyebrow, the famous Infected looked on Doctor J and chided, "You would have allowed your followers here to actually try and take a handful of Vampires? Outnumbered as we may be, the whole of you combined would never be a match for us."
Closing his jaw, the old man sneered at the Councilman. Where he actually had been tempted to see what would come of his brethrens' spirited call to fight, he faced the other Hunters to order sharply, "Stand down, all of you." It was the regret and disappointment in his voice that really caught the attention of his pupils as they blinked at him.
Treize squeezed Trent's shoulder and moved deeper into the meeting room to scan the small army before him. On the walls, the framed images of the humans that had gone missing at Solo's hands hung like memorials. And where there were not pictures, there were emptied cases of nearly every type of weapon.
"Well, this is quite the operation you have," the Preventer Commander snorted, shaking his head. "I have to admit that I'm impressed you've managed to keep this establishment under wraps to being little more than the thing of rumors."
Shaking with his frustration, J snapped, "Clearly we were not good enough in who we brought into our group." He bent his head to glare at his granddaughter. "You knew that Trent was challenging us? And you never thought to mention something when you knew that he was the one who insisted on this meeting?" he gritted through his teeth.
Hilde frowned, sputtering as she, "G-grandfather, I'm s-so sorry. I never thought... this was never supposed to happen, I thought that he came back around-" At the disgust that ran all over the old man's face, she silenced herself and lowered her head in a deep bow.
Metallic and flesh arms folding behind his back, Doctor J stalked towards the displeased Councilman. "So, you have come to make arrests and put a stop to this band of Hunters?" Snorting, he stated, "Well, let me just assure you that there are far more like us out in the world. The lot that we make is hardly a drop in the bucket compared to what your kind is really up against in the big picture."
Taken aback by the old man's bold cockiness even in light of his grave situation, Duo bit down on his tongue hard enough that his teeth nearly cut through. All too aware of what a difficult time it would give Heero should he have to fight his urges for his blood when they already had enough to deal with, the braided Companion slackened the clench. Feeling the vibrations of fury that were wracking his Vampire, he reached over to squeeze his hand.
From the podium where he materialized, Wufei held up one of the laptops that had been sitting there. "You mean other Hunting clans that you may have been in communications with?" he asked. Chuckling at the horror that completely undid the pack leader's confidence, he said, "I promise if there was anything on your database, I'll be able to find it... and the names of everyone you have ever had any contact with."
Khushrenada raised a hand when J was just about to scream something in protest. "This is by no means an arrest," he reassured. "And we've actually been hopeful that we might be able to find more clans like yours, many more in fact, that we can come to an agreement and work together in bringing down the true enemy to both of our kinds."
Stunned, the Hunters' eyes grew as they eyed each other warily. Equally perplexed, J tilted his head. "Threat to both of our kinds?" he repeated with a deep frown. Folding his arms, he huffed, "What would make you possibly believe that we would want to ever work with you, the scourges of the Earth and humanity?"
Drawing a deep and calming breath, Treize gestured to the pictures on the wall. "The sole reason behind the organization of the Hunters is to eliminate any creature that threatens the lives of livings, correct?" he asked patiently.
"In other words; Vampires," the clan leader hissed. Nodding firmly, he declared, "That is our very purpose in our existences."
Pleased, the tall Infected grinned, "By your own words, then, your enemy actually involves a new breed of creature that you should shift your interest to." Nodding back to the victims' pictures on the walls, he informed, "It is not an Infected that is responsible for the disappearances of these humans."
His head falling back with a loud laugh that was echoed by his followers, J shook his head, "Of course you would say that! You would love nothing more than to have all of us believe that you blood-sucking vultures are no danger to mortals. Well, unlike the rest of our naïve species, we can see through the lies that the sad majority has fallen so easily for."
Shaking his head, the old man smirked, "There is not a damned thing that you could possibly say that would make us listen-" The sound of a throat clearing cut him off mid-sentence as all eyes fell on the young man that was stepping past the Vampires in the entrance.
Josh Morgan entered the room with Anthony who was carrying Don. "Nothing, huh?" the Companion inquired, an amused smile on his mouth at the disbelieving, wide eyes on him. Pointing at the unconscious Hunter that was slumped over his lover's shoulder, he said, "We're just going to set your guard, here, down before he wakes up with a nasty kink in his neck."
Like the rest of his pack, Doctor J slowly turned to stare at Morgan's image on the wall to the left of them and panned back to the young man in the flesh before them. "Yes, well, um," he stammered as he paced back for the chairs behind him. "I'll just, uh... have a seat, then."
TBC...
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