Run, live to fly,
Fly to live, do or die.
Won't you run, live to fly,
Fly to live... Aces high
-lyrics to 'Aces High' performed by Iron Maiden
Crimson Ties Part 95
Duo blinked a couple of times to clear his vision when the world returned again. Feeling the hands on his shoulders fall away, he heard his captor's voice command, "Leave us." At that, the presence of Celeste and the teleporter quickly disappeared from the room without a sound aside from the door that closed behind them.
There wasn't a whole lot for him to see other than the dark walls and ceiling that surrounded him. A cell, no doubt. Of course it would be a cell right away. Solo wasn't about to give Heero a chance to see through their bond the whole of the terrain where he was being kept. The advantage of that knowledge needed to stay exactly where it was- with the blonde hybrid and his Others for as long as that could stay the case.
Only when he was certain that he had a firm hold on Shinigami, Maxwell finally raised his head to have a good close look at the creature before him. Just as expected, the other hybrid already had a pleased smirk on his face. "Welcome to your new home, brother," he announced, opening his arms out to either side of himself. "Cozy, wouldn't you say?"
"Devine," Duo snorted shortly, not even bothering to play nice at the moment as he continued to glare at his twin. Those silver-and-violet eyes that were laughing at him were still unsettling in how true a match they were to his own.
Again, there was that maddening conflict of both wanting to tear Solo apart where he stood while denouncing that there was anything between them that they shared, whilst the other part of him still wanted to try and salvage any of the frightened being that he knew his brother to be deep down inside.
Chuckling, the blonde Reformer's smirk grew as he replied, "Good. You're going to be here for some time, so you might as well make yourself comfortable."
The grin on his face fell away as he matched the heated expression on his brother's face. Leaning close, he sneered, "I know it's only a matter of time before your little army gets here. You managed to pull together an impressive little force there, but it won't be nearly enough to save them against the army I've created."
Maxwell bit his tongue hard to keep himself from reacting in any way. Unbeknownst to his captor, the numbers that the Vampires had gathered was far greater than what was present at the estates moments ago.
That was his little advantage that the Companion intended to keep to himself until those masses were storming wherever this place was. Granted, he had no idea just how many Others there actually were, but he was fairly certain that the odds were closer to even than what his smug other half was anticipating.
Lightly patting the top of his sibling's braided head, Solo's lips curled up as he all but whispered, "Aw, don't worry. I'll make sure that you have a great view of the destruction of your precious Vampires... including your Original, Yuy. Maybe I'll have him spared so that I can have my own fun with him while you watch."
The tendrils of his control that Duo had wrapped around Shinigami were released at that and his violet irises glowed for the briefest of glimmers just before he flung himself forward in a near blur of himself. Gasping in surprise when his shoulders were suddenly gripped, the other hybrid's eyes widened and a loud grunt air rushed from his lungs when his back was slammed up against the stone wall behind him.
Dazed for only a second, he blinked and realized that his twin had brought them twenty feet across the room in the blink of an eye out of sheer force that could not be predicted. Most impressive, but he wasn't about to let onto that.
Locking onto the intense ire that was boring down on him from the eyes watching him and the low rumble of a growl that was anything but human, Solo laughed, "That's it! Shall we have it out now and just be finished with this, then?"
Slowly, his fangs grew in as he hissed, "I promise you that you won't be able to best me. I have been through far worse than having to handle my little brother who is only now coming to understand what he is when I have accepted what I was made into for a long time now. You're far out of your league when it comes to going toe-to-toe with me. Those insignificant Preventers couldn't possibly have had enough time to prepare you for what I can do to you."
'Not now,' Duo's mind ordered calmly, empty of any actual reprimand to his alter ego. He wanted to knock his brother off a bit, make it known how much he appreciated having his Heero threatened.
That was accomplished and there would be a time for more. Maybe there was still a chance. The fact that the other Reformer had opened a bit to his dark past meant that there was a chance he could still be won over.
For now, though, it was clear that this was not the time for blood and death. Reluctantly, but also willingly, Shinigami pulled back into the dark corner of his wielder's mind to be secured away once more.
Opening his clenched fingers to retract his hands from his counterpart's shoulders, Maxwell continued to glare at him while adjusting his red turtleneck. "What in the hell is it you're after, anyway?" he snapped. "You've been gathering all of these humans to turn them into your scared followers for what? Is this all over some wish for power? Money? Some vendetta against Vampires?"
With another deep chuckle, Solo retracted his fangs and smirked, "Oh, no. I actually want something much simpler than that. Using the Vampires as scapegoats for my minions was just a means of earning their complete loyalty. Fear is a wonderful motivator when it comes to assembly." As he stepped forward, he revealed the near perfect back-side shape of himself that had been imprinted into the wall behind him from the violent blow he'd received. Pieces of loose stone crumbled away to bounce off the floor.
Stalking towards his sibling, he stated quietly, "I want the world to know that in this existence, the only thing that matters is survival. I want it known that the lines between living and Vampire are insignificant when it comes to making it here. Chaos between the species will throw everything into ruin and it will be every creature for themselves. That is the only way of life that I have ever understood. It's home to me. And being the best of both mortal and Infected, I'll be the one to thrive."
A few large beads of sweat rolled down the back of Duo's neck at the end of that speech. Wide-eyed, he blinked and swallowed roughly. This was exactly the thing that Instructor H's dark predictions had anticipated.
The scientist knew exactly what Solo was capable of and had come to the conclusion that his missing twin was a Reformer for the Vampires as well. H knew that the brothers could literally destroy the way of life of the two existences as they knew it. That would bring world-wide panic to just what every living and Infected actually was. There would be a complete dissolution of political structure and civilization throughout the globe.
But through all of the devastation, the only hybrids to exist would be able to rise over all... thriving in the confusion, pain and panic of all others.
Such a thing might actually be home to Solo, considering his upbringing. Only instead of being the one experimented on and tormented, he would be the deliverer of those treatments. There was no personal hatred for one species or the other. He simply had no love or attachment for either... only a sense of supremacy over them.
And what was the scariest revelation of all was that he was right.
How many times had Duo seen in himself the advantages that both sides of life offered through his training with Vampires and the spars that he'd had against the Others? He was untouchable when dealt against their enhanced abilities and when it came to hand-to-hand combat, there was little challenge for him in that considering how naturally fighting came to him.
By God, if the two brothers ever were to work together, there would be literally no stopping them.
Solo's mouth curled up once again as he if were reading his other half's thoughts. "You know," he drew out slowly, "it's a shame that you happen to be tied to a Vampire. Think of the things that we could accomplish if we were to work together. Any and everything in this world would be ours for the taking."
'Right up to the point that I tire of sharing the joys of making other suffer with you before your own existence is forfeit,' Maxwell's mind supplied for his brother. Even if that smile came on as pleasant, those words sincere, he could see the darkness in those silvered eyes to know that was the train of thought the other Reformer had left out. Regardless, the suggestion fell on deaf ears even without that warning.
The braided Companion smirked, "Thanks, but no thanks. I actually like the world the way it is now." Just to add a cut of his own to repay the remark made over his lover, he sneered, "And the next time you threaten Heero or anyone in my family again, I promise you'll regret it."
Duo was pleased to see the slightest flash of almost pain that Solo tried to hide at the stress on the word 'family.' Blood did not make them more than clinical brothers and he wanted that to be perfectly clear. Had their past been at all different, they may have been close... even the best of friends. But the cards had fallen as such to bring them here- at each other throats.
Until there was a dramatic change in the other hybrid's thinking, this was how it would always be between them as far as Maxwell was concerned. Because he sure as hell was not about to change where he stood on the side of their differences.
Folding his arms across his chest, the Chosen went on, "You may have been used to being what we are longer than I have, but that doesn't mean you'd necessarily have the upper-hand in a fight against me. I did a hell of a lot of catching up in understanding what I can and can't do over the last few months." He raised an eyebrow before adding, "And I didn't have a base filled with scientists to help me figure that out over years of work."
His face reddening, Solo took in a sharp and deep breath through his nose. Purposely taking a few paces back before the shaking fists at his sides could be put into rash action, he forced himself to take a few more calming breaths. Haunting visions that came with physical pain from those early days in that prison came roaring back in an attempt to consume him.
When his complexion returned to its usual pale state, his scowl faded as he wiggled a finger at his brother, laughing, "Well put, Duo. Maybe some time soon we'll actually have the opportunity to see who is the stronger of the two of us."
Shinigami certainly hoped for that opportunity. He chuckled deeply in anticipation from the dark recesses of his wielder's mind... an animalistic purr of a sound.
"For now, however, I grow tired of this little reunion," the blonde Reformer announced. Moving for the door, he stated, "I must see that all is ready for the arrival of your would-be rescuers. Their welcome won't be nearly as hospitable as yours, of course... not to mention far shorter lived than your experience here."
Pausing just as he began to open the cell door, he peered over his shoulder to smile, "I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised by how unimpressed I am with you now that we've had the chance to finally meet. For just a moment, I had been worried that maybe you might actually be a real problem for me."
Sharp claws violently scratched away at the walls of that were containing Shinigami. He wanted out something fiercely, only to be held back by his Master.
Without showing so much as a hint to his rage, Duo just smiled at his brother, only to gasp sharply with wide eyes when the cell door was opened all the way to reveal a beautiful Other standing just outside beyond the guards that he never expected to see.
Her nervous pacing ending abruptly when she saw her creator, she looked wearily onto their prisoner. Recognizing her instantly from image after image that he had seen of her, Maxwell breathed, "Dorothy. Oh, thank God you're alright."
Catalonia straightened rigidly, silver-and-pale blue eyes blinking in surprise at the acknowledgment and heartfelt sentiment. At that same moment of her reaction, a threatening snarl directed at his prisoner ripped from Solo. In a blur of himself, he bolted from the room and slammed the door closed behind him.
Throwing an arm around the back of his Seer's waist, the blonde hybrid whispered harshly, "Let's go. We must see to the last preparations for the attack that's coming. It shouldn't belong before his little army arrives." Biting the inside of his cheek, he fended off the scream of frustration that wanted to break for his slip of allowing his brother to lay eyes on his most prized creature.
"I'm sorry for coming here unannounced like this," Dorothy frowned deeply as she all but ran to keep up with her Master. "But I was worried about you when Celeste and Stanley appeared without you. I wanted to make sure that you were alright since I could not see you with my gift when you were so close."
Solo sighed and looked on her from the corner of his eye. Keeping his voice as soft as he could, he said, "It's alright, sweetheart. I appreciate the concern, but there's really nothing to worry about when dealing with my brother. But he's every bit as manipulative as those damned Vampires that he had surrounded himself with, so I demand that you keep your distance from him."
Panic over what damage may have already been done in that instant of an exchange between his prisoner and beloved, the Reformer's resolve was shaking.
Coming to an immediate halt, he spun around to grip the Seer's shoulders in firm grips at the blink of an eye. To her growing irises, he spoke with authority as he insisted, "I want you to be perfectly clear on that. If you do not want to infuriate me, you'll stay as far away from Duo as you can. So help me, if I ever find out that you tried to see him..." The words trailed off, but his hands tightened all the harder to complete his train of thought for him.
"M-Master," Dorothy whimpered, pale-faced and on the verge of frantically fighting to free herself from the fingers that were digging into her flesh. Swallowing roughly, she murmured, "You're hurting me."
Instantly releasing his hold, Solo stepped back and ran a hand through his short hair with trembling fingers. "I'm sorry," he told her softly. "So sorry, Dorothy. I'm just... a little out of my skin over everything that's happening now. I know that we're more than ready to end whatever offensive may come, but I still can't help but be on edge. It's playing with my mind and making me irrational."
Quickly closing the distance between them, he wrapped his Other in a gentle embrace and kissed her temple. "You know that how much I love you," he whispered by her ear. "I would never purposely hurt you."
Catalonia held him back and nodded, "I know." And she did know all of those things. Of course her creator was under tremendous pressure over the events that were now unfolding at a rapid and dangerous pace...
...but she couldn't help but think of how Duo knew her name. She couldn't get past that sincere relief that came over him when he realized aloud that she was well. There was nothing put on about that reaction at all. All that he had for her was genuine joy at simply seeing her.
There was a reason for that just as there was more than one simple explanation behind Solo's behavior and desperation to keep her away. No matter what her orders were, she was going to get the bottom of all of it.
"I promise that I won't be anywhere near him again," Dorothy vowed, sure to keep the deceit from her tone. She even fought the relieved sigh that she wanted to make when the arms around her finally let go.
Meeting her gaze, the Reformer cupped the side of her face in a strong hand and smiled, "That's my girl. Thank you." He turned again to lead the way back down the rickety catwalks for his throne room as he said, "It's not going to be long, my dear. All of this is going to be behind us and there will be nothing to get in the way of wiping every vile Vampire from the face of the Earth."
Dorothy nodded shallowly, but never raised her voice in agreement. Biting her lip, she stole a subtle glance over her shoulder to look back on the closed off and heavily guarded cell down the stretch behind them.
* * * * * *
Releasing a deep sigh at the end of the peaceful song that had served its job to soothe him, Heero opened his eyes and raised his head to smile warmly at his sister, "Thank you, Anna. I needed that." Already, he was able to think more clearly now that his ire and fears had ebbed.
The redhead flashed a brilliant grin before she bent at the waist to brush his unruly bangs back and placed a soft kiss against his forehead. "Glad to have my gift be of service," she replied softly. She straightened herself and shrugged, "Had I remembered that anyone who drank directly from Duo usually gets a side benefit of a gift, I would have put my voice to a lot more use like that these last few months."
Had it not been for Duo's falling asleep when she had hummed a lullaby to him weeks before, no one would have put two and two together that anytime Anna sang it had an effect on her surroundings and the emotions of the creatures around her based on however she used it. For the little performer, there was no more fitting role than that of a Siren.
After all, what mother's voice did not have an effect on her little ones?
Chuckling, Heero rose from the edge of the bench that he had been sitting on and gave his sister an appreciative hug while the rest of their family got to their own feet as they eased back to reality. Without a word between them, the Preventers moved to open their personal lockers in their own private corners of the basement.
It didn't take long for the calm that had settled over Midi to subside as she nervously watched her loved ones open the doors to their tall storage units. Stripping down to their undergarments, the agents methodically strapped their weapons onto their exposed appendages and backs with experienced ease and proficiency.
From the corner of his eye, Wufei saw the fierceness in his bride's eyes in her work. Griping her solid bodice of silver, she wrapped its two halves around her torso and snapped it closed at the sides. Once it was set in place, she lowered her head and ran a hand over her protected lower abdomen.
Then the warrior in her returned and she turned her head to catch the scaly Infected's stare. Her narrowing eyes warned him to not even bother trying to suggest the obvious- that maybe she should sit this battle out. It was out of the question with Duo being in the danger that he was in. If her little brother needed her, nothing was going to keep the Irish Infected from being involved in getting to him.
Swallowing down the knot in his throat, Chang nodded firmly to her as a silent declaration that he understood. He would trust her. If the redhead was anything, it was very cautious when it came to the creatures she loved. No harm would come to them if she had any power or say in the matter. And that included their growing, tiny baby inside of her. There wouldn't be any unnecessary risks or measures taken that would endanger their little one.
On that Wufei would stake his existence. And so the matter was handled.
Anna gave him a brilliant smile and mouthed, 'I love you.' The sentiment was returned in kind before she turned back to remove her arm strapped crossbow from her locker. Carefully sliding the weapon into place, she announced to the rest of the group, "If you boys at all care for your hides, you'll leave Meiran to me. I think I reserve the right to personally thank her for her involvement with Solo and the attacks that fell on us."
"Knowing fully well just how thorough you'll be in expressing your 'appreciation,' I have no objection to that, cousin," Trowa snickered as he finished securing the strap of his ankle blade. He straightened and winked over his shoulder to the Irish immortal, smirking, "You have more than earned that honor."
Heero pulled a fresh, black T-shirt on once he finished hooking all of his weapons in place and huffed, "I personally would rather never see that sorry excise of an Infected's face again, myself. She's all yours, sister."
An amused grin on his scaly face, Wufei sighed dramatically, "It pains me to not have some part in her demise, I suppose I can go on existing in content so long as you're the one to snuff her out, love."
That settled, Anna's lips curled in a wicked smile as made a fist that pumped downward from the air with a whispered, "Yes!" Already mentally set to the task that she was now charged with, she snickered to herself in anticipation while replacing the outfit she had been wearing for a much more practical, athletic outfit to cover her tools.
Knuckles tapped against the closed door at the top of the basement stairs in a knock just before the soft creak of its hinges wheeling back filled the air. "Hello?" a familiar voice called, timid in its call. "Is it alright if I come down?"
Blinking in confusion, the Vampires shared glances to one another and they quickly finished dressing. "Come on down, Catherine," Heero called back as he peered up the stairs in a polite invitation. Of all of the creatures that had witnessed to Duo's capture, the young weapon's expert was the last one he, or any of his family, had expected to come see them.
Quickly closing the door behind her, Bloom descended the staircase and eyed her friends. To an untrained eye, there would have been no suspect of the dozens of dangerous weapons that were secured to the Vampires. However, having worked with her grandfather for as long as she had, the redheaded scientist was able to pick out every single one beneath the clothes that concealed them.
Anxiously chewing on the inside of her cheek, she met Yuy's gaze and told him, "I have something for you. If you're going to be ready to use it any time soon, we'll need to go to my home right away so that you can practice." There was a warm feeling in her gut when she realized that she was already calling Treize and Lady Une's estate her home now.
Not needing to be told twice, Heero gently pulled the girl onto his back and led the way from his mansion in a bolt with four other blurs right behind him.
* * * * * *
Shortly after...
"My God," Midi breathed, a hand raising to cover her gaping mouth.
Shaking his head in wide-eyed disbelief, Trowa breathed, "I've never seen anything like it."
Wufei smirked wistfully, "Damn. Howard must be smiling wherever he is now."
Lightly nudging her brother's arm, Anna giggled, "It's absolutely perfect for you, Heero." Finally blinking his enlarged eyes at her touch, Yuy slowly walked towards the display table where Catherine was rolling up the sheet that she had used to unveil her newest creation.
It was the first of its kind... something that her grandfather had only begun to dream up now that the technologies had caught up to his ingenious designing.
Simple in its general makeup, but intricate down to the finest of details, two massive wings spanned out from a plain looking case that was secured by two arm harnesses. Small jets at the bottom of the pack would provide more than enough lift to get that immense span to carry on the wind when it was high enough. And resting beside the unit was a suit of armor to protect the one to fly the weapon.
Tossing aside the sheet, Catherine ran a hand over the finely crafted feathers of the angel wing over her head, "I made this and the armor out of Gundanium. It's a newly manufactured metal that has been declared as indestructible." She smiled to her friends, "I've had a lot of fun here proving that theory. Flight is one thing, but I wanted to make sure that whoever is in the air won't be taken down easily."
With a nod to the Original before her, she informed, "It's also incredibly heavy." Shrugging, she grinned, "But with your enhanced strength, you probably won't even tell the difference when you're strapped into it."
For the first time since his lover was taken away, a wide smile spread across Heero's face. "Well, let's not waste any more time to test it out. Let's get it in the air."
TBC...
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