Don't tell me if I'm dying, cause I don't wanna know
If I can't see the sun, maybe I should go
Don't wake me cause I'm dreaming, of angels on the moon
Where everyone you know, never leaves too soon
-Lyrics to 'Angels On the Moon' performed by Thriving Ivory
Crimson Ties Part 98
"This is bad."
All gathered eyes at the round table shifted onto Wufei. Gripping the sides of his lowered scaly head, the Chinese warrior was staring at the large sketch of the island and massive oil refinery that sat atop a series of tall and ragged cliffs.
Shaking his head at the perfect drawing of the image that he had seen in Anthony's mind, his expression was even more grave than it had been when he first saw it. Somehow having it right out before him made it so much worse.
Between his comment and the clear distress in his gold-and-onyx eyes, the rest of the creatures sat in a tense silence.
Directly across from his dark-haired agent, Treize was the one to clear his throat in finding his voice first. "What do you see that has you so concerned, Wufei? And from your experience in warfare, is there any way that we can overcome it?" The Vampires and Hunters alike leaned over the table as their full attention returned to the immortal warrior.
Releasing a deep sigh, Chang continued to stare at the image. At the feel of Anna's reassuring hand on his arm, he stated in a business-like tone, "For one, it would be nice if we could materialize closer to the refinery so that we could avoid the beach and those ridges."
His frown deepening, he shook his head, "But because of Solo's presence there, Relena and I can't seen any closer than this... which means that this will be as far as our Teleporters can take us. The shore and everything beyond it will have to be crossed."
The captivated audience watched as he raised a scaly finger to run it along the black-and-white beach of the sketch as he said, "It's the lowest point of their whole damned island. It's long enough to carry all of our forces, but..."
With his voice trailing off, Wufei dragged his finger over the treacherous stretch of cliffs filled with caves and jagged ridges as he went on, "Solo could easily have hundreds of Others hidden for miles in these rocks. We have no way of knowing what more there is to the terrain that is not in plain sight like this and they can rain down whatever abilities they have on us. We would be little more than fish in a barrel for the picking."
A grim, unsettling air fell upon the room as the army representatives took the information in while they looked back on the picture to see what the scaly Infected saw. The island truly was as foreboding a location as one could imagine. It was bad enough that the terrain was as treacherous as it was... but as the former soldier had suggested, the odds of what they were facing had mounted considerably against them.
Yes, as Chang had said, this was bad. This was very bad.
Trowa leaned back heavily in his chair, murmuring, "This is all the more reason why Solo acted as he did, forcing us to go to him. He and his Others have the advantage of knowing the layout of their base. All of the players are probably moving into place as we speak, if they're not there and waiting for us already."
Low groans and mutterings ran through the lot gathered. Biting his lip, Heero propped his elbows on the table and held the lower half of his face in his hands as he lost his focus to the dark thoughts of what this might mean for not only Duo, but for all of them. Turning her head to watch him at her other side, Anna frowned and reached with her free hand to rub the small of her brother's back. He leaned into the touch, but the worry never left his eyes.
Suddenly, Wufei sat up as his eyes narrowed in his deep consideration. "Wait a minute," he muttered urgently to himself. Taking hold of the large sketch, he held it out before his eyes while the lot around blinked their widened eyes and sat on the edge of their chairs in anxious anticipation. His own eyes growing, the scaly Vampire smirked, "I think there might be something..."
Meeting his cousin's emerald-and-gold gaze, the Chinese Infected grinned, "You and I are going to have to make a few test runs to confirm my theory. Hopefully, you're up for a sight-seeing trip."
Barton replied with a mischievous smirk as he lowered the arms he had folded behind his head that bent in a firm nod.
* * * * * *
Solo smiled to himself as he made his way through the old refinery that he called his lair. Everything was in order for the arrival of his brother's army. It was going to be a great help that any Vampire transporter would not be able to land directly on in the facility so long as the Reformer was there. Which meant that from this point on, he would have to stay put for the duration of the battle.
When he was just a bend away from returning to his throne room, the hybrid's eyes widened when a sudden, rough gasp of air came out in a series of rasping coughs. Staggering in his steps as he slapped a hand over his mouth, he moved as quickly as he could into the nearest room before any of his Others heard him. Once he was alone, the coughs became almost violent before he was able to catch his breath.
Leaning heavily against the first wall that he had encountered, Solo let out a deep sigh and lowered his blood-covered hand. A deep, concerned frown marring his face at the sight of those dark crimson lines, he wiped them away. It took a couple of attempts to completely wipe his hand clean on account of how much it was shaking.
Those strange spells were getting worse... coming on more frequently and lasting longer every time while sapping his strength. Difficult as it was for the Reformer to admit it, he was scared. Every sign was there that something was terribly wrong. Those warnings couldn't be ignored any longer. It had to be a sudden problem in his makeup. And if that was the case, Duo was suffering in the same way.
Straightening himself, Solo rolled his shoulders back and resumed his return to the throne room. The moment he saw Dorothy, TJ and Rachel again, his mood brightened considerably. His little charges were playing amongst their pile of toys while his Seer gazed out through the large hole to watch the ocean. Pausing to take the picture in, the hybrid sighed as a smile spread across his face.
This was his family... or the closest thing to a family that he had ever known. Whether or not they had come together under false pretenses didn't matter in the slightest. They had each other now. And he was going to make sure that nothing separated them. This was all that he needed... not that Companion who was sitting in a dark cell now.
Just the thought of the other Reformer had Solo's blood boiling. But he was not about to upset his loved ones. Not now, when there was already so much on their minds with the encroaching fight to come. Clearing his throat, he announced, "I'm going to be spending some time with my dear brother. If there is any change that I need to be alerted of, have someone come get me straight away."
Dorothy turned around to look on him, slow on her movement to train her face into her usual quiet calmness. Before actually meeting his silver eyes, she took and slow and deep breath to collect herself. Smiling sweetly, she bowed her head and replied, "Very well, Master. We'll continue to stay here, as I am assuming that order stands?"
"Very good, love," the hybrid smirked. With a wink to the little ones watching him, he turned on his heels and stepped out of the room. As soon as he disappeared around the corner, his charges sagged heavily with soft sighs.
Raising a hand to rub the back of her dampened neck, Catalonia shivered at having to restrain herself. Simply being that few feet away from the monster that created her, lied to her and nearly killed her was enough to make her skin crawl. Instead of thinking about the things that she wished she could have said and done to Solo as he stood there unknowing of her hatred of him, she thought back on Rosshe to find peace.
TJ and Rachel set their toys aside and hurried to the Seer's sides. A sad smile on her face, the lovely Other knelt down to wrap her arms around them. "Nicely done, little ones," she praised in a soft whisper. "I know it's hard to have to act around him, but it shouldn't be long before Duo's army arrives." As they clung to her, the children nodded.
Swallowing roughly, Dorothy said a prayer of thanks that the guards standing to watch over Maxwell's cell had been relieved with another ten soldiers now that Solo was headed there. The last thing that they needed was Ryan, Patty or any of the Others that had allowed them to visit the Companion to slip up in their creator's presence.
In the back of her mind, the Seer couldn't help but have a very unsettling feeling in her gut that maybe too much time would pass before the reinforcements coming to save them arrived. The longer they took, the better the chance of something terrible happening. And Solo would not take well to knowing that there was not only deceit on her part, but that she had completely gone against his order to stay away from Duo.
The punishment for that insolence was sure to be severe... regardless of the fact that the crazed Reformer favored her so.
Slowly turning her head to peer out to the ocean, Dorothy sent her wishes to Rosshe, Heero and all of the brave creatures that were no doubt mounting their offensive. In a breath, she requested, "Please get here soon."
* * * * * *
Meanwhile, at the most southern edge of the island...
A handful of Others hidden in the ridges that rose from the beaches peered out to the ocean in wait for the arrival their enemies. "I don't like that they're taking so long getting here," one of the muscular young men of the group muttered under his breath. "Who knows what the hell they've been up to this whole time."
Just behind him, a slight teenage girl pushed herself from the wall of rock that the she had been leaning back against to stand beside him. "Whatever it is they might be trying, they won't be able to take us, Manuel," she smirked out to the sea, the salty air whipping her long brown hair behind her. "The whole stretch of these cliffs are crawling with our own, so they'll never get anywhere near the base."
No sooner had she spoken those words than a shape began to materialize out on the ledge of stone only a few feet away from them. Straightening, the lookouts watched in wide-eyed shock as a tall being appeared from the dissipating colorful light.
Facing the surprised Others, the creature blinked its visible emerald-and-gold eye at them before a pleased smirk curled the corner of his mouth as a second being stepped out into the open from a fold of rock he had hidden in. The second Vampire was a bit shorter than the first and his skin shimmered under the bright sun. Like his friend, that dark-haired being gave their onlookers a lopsided smile.
"W-what the-" was all that the girl could manage, not even thinking of attacking until their enemies faded out in another colorful display to vanish as quickly as they appeared. For a long moment, there was only the sound of the waves and wind as the Others stared in disbelief at the spot where the Infected had just been standing.
Breaking from his stupor, Manuel faced the smaller Other, frowning, "We need to get word about this to our Master. Now."
* * * * * *
Duo had his right hand wrapped around the coin and bulb of Vampire blood hanging from his neck when he heard the beam to his closed door screeching in its being lifted. Blinking his violet-and- silver eyes, he once again shifted to rise at the same time that his brother entered. Long dormant, Shinigami growled lowly at the back of his wielder's mind.
Releasing a long breath to center himself, the braided Companion commented, "Well this is an unpleasant surprise. Did you finally decide that we should just have it out and put an end to this whole thing one way or another?" The corner of his mouth curling up and an eyebrow rising, he asked, "Or are you still too scared that I might actually take you down?"
Solo snorted, eyes narrowing in contempt as he replied, "Big talk when you have no ground to stand on in proving that you actually are superior to me in any way. I just wanted to come and see how you've been holding up."
Confused by the sentiment, Maxwell remained tense where he stood. "Right," he huffed, "so I'm supposed to believe that you suddenly grew a soft spot for me? Just get to the point of why you're really here because I gotta tell you that my patience is running pretty thin with you."
"Oh, I think it's your precious Heero and that family of yours that you should be losing your patience over," the blonde hybrid smiled. "They're certainly taking their dear sweet time showing themselves to rescue you. It's been a whole day since your arrival and I was sure that they would have been storming the beaches here by now."
It was a attempt to shake him up and Duo knew that. he had been the one to give instruction to Heero and Wufei that they were not to move until they had everything and everyone that they needed to win. The longer they took the happier he was because that meant they had heeded his request.
Shrugging nonchalantly, the Companion grinned, "Maybe you should be the one worried over that. Obviously, they know that they don't need to be worried about me if they aren't in such a rush to get here." His smile grew at the slight flinch that Solo made at those words, clearly not having considered that possibility. But that bit of a jaunt was quickly replaced with frustration and a low snarl.
Practically shaking with his building rage, the maddened Reformer stalked towards his counterpart as he snapped, "You still have a lot of nerve making ridiculous suggestions like that when you're the one who-" Eyes growing, he took in a sharp gasp before falling into a fit of violent coughs. Stumbling to the closest wall, he supported himself with one hand against it as the other rose to cover his mouth.
Duo froze, skin paling at the smell of blood that he was so sensitive to now. When his brother lowered his hand from his lips to actually reveal the dark lines that ran over it, the braided hybrid swallowed roughly. "Maybe you should try and take it easy," he heard himself suggest in a whisper.
Flicking his palm to shed it of his blood, Solo spun to fix him with a fiery glare, bellowing, "Do. Not. Tell. Me what to do and what not to do! No one has that kind of power, nor the right, over my life anymore! Do you hear me?! No one!"
Suddenly, all of the anger and discontent that Maxwell had felt for his twin up to that moment was forgotten to his sincere regret and sadness over what the other Reformer had endured at the hands of those scientists. This longing to be the one in control over his existence was born out of the torment that had been endured for the whole of a life that he never really lived.
Nodding shallowly, Duo's shoulders slumped as he replied softly, "Yea. I got it. Won't happen again, I promise."
That sincerity in his voice gave his brother pause, bringing his own silver-and-violet eyes to blink. Even the redness of his face faded away as he cleared his throat and adjusted his black T-shirt. "Well, just don't forget it," he murmured. Really taking in that sympathetic expression on him, he grumbled, "Quit that. I can't stand pity."
If there was ever another creature who could appreciate that, it was Maxwell. Nodding once more, he tried to lose the concern in his eyes. But that brief shift was enough to tell Solo all that he needed. A cold chill running down his back, he shivered in the harsh realization of what he had feared since the early decline of his health.
"I'm dying," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone rather than asked.
With a sharp gasp, Duo's back straightened rigidly and he stammered, "I-I... I...." How was he to respond to that? Tell the truth? Act as though he didn't know? There was no way of knowing what kind of reaction there would be to any answer. However, at the fear that was growing in his brother's expression, he made his decision. Swallowing roughly, he breathed, "Yes."
Lowering his head, Solo sucked in a deep breath and nodded as his eyes closed. Fists clenching at his side, he took another deep breath. And another. Try as he might to process the information, it was impossible to grasp how a being as strong and incredible as himself could possibly be dying.
He was supposed to be invincible... the best of living and Vampire alike. Everything that he had been working towards was for naught if he wouldn't be around forever as he had assumed he would be to enjoy the fruits of his labor to send the world into peril.
Denial only went so far since the blonde hybrid could feel his own mortality. He had suspected for a while that there was a morbid reason behind his slowly declining health. Now knowing what awaited him, he dreaded thinking of how much worse his condition would become. This was likely to become a long, gruesome end to his existence.
The deep sense of loss gave way to intense rage. "Then, if this is going to be the beginning of my end..." he began in a quiet hiss through his clenched teeth. Raising his head, he looked on his brother, sneering, "Then I am going to make sure that I go out knowing that I brought down fire and brimstone on this world the likes of which it's never seen."
"Solo," Duo frowned deeply, his eyes growing. Wishes of vengeance were completely forgotten. In their wake, all that remained was the hope and desire to have this tragic war come to as peaceful a conclusion as possible. Shaking his braided head, he reasoned in a rush, "It's not too late to stop this. You can release your Others, let their Vampires complete the ties between them. What those scientists did to you was not your fault-"
When it seemed for a second that he may have gotten through, the Companion was brokenhearted in how his last words only seemed to harden his brother all the more. Glaring anew on his prisoner, Solo snapped, "You have no idea what I went through. Maybe your friends helped you piece together a picture, but you don't know the first thing about what that hell was actually like for me."
Stiff as his body was, he shook as that dead stare of his returned. "You were the one who got away while I suffered, screamed and nearly died time and time again at those bastards' hands," he breathed. "Don't you ever act like you can relate to me. All that we have in common is the blood that runs in us from our parents, and that's the end of it."
Once again, Maxwell fell silent. Any further argument would only push Solo into doing something rash. That had to be prevented for as long as it took for help to arrive. That glimmer of hope that maybe an understanding could have been reached was beginning to dim back into nonexistence.
At the sound of the door opening, the hybrids spun to see the Other that peeked his head in. "Forgive the interruption, sire," he requested with a deep bow of his head, "but a couple of our lookouts insist on seeing you."
Careful to not react in front of his brother, the blonde Reformer replied, "Very well." On his way for the door, he set his narrowing eyes back on the Companion until the door was closed behind him when he was back out in the hallway.
Fingers shaking as he reached up to run them through his bangs, Duo fell back a few paces from the door until his back met the wall behind him. A development. That could only mean time was quickly closing in for the battle.
* * * * * *
Back in Heero and Duo's living room at that same time...
A handful of very nervous Vampires were gathered together in silence. Pacing back and forth across the floor, Anna sighed and washed her face with her hands. Seated in the wooden rocking chair, Midi swayed forward and back as she hand-sewed a deep purple trim to the bottom of a white table linen. Hunched forward on the bench of his grand piano, Heero was quietly playing a Mozart for his own distraction.
Just beyond the doorway, Treize and his family stood by to watch their friends. Sighing, Khushrenada turned his head to take in Relena at his side. "You have not been able to see Wufei or Trowa yet?" he asked softly.
Shaking her head, the Councilwoman frowned up at him, "No. But that much of it was to be expected. The blocking shield that I have around our estates has not been disturbed in an attempt from Dorothy to look in on us through her gift, so that's reassuring. So long as I do not feel her trying to break through to watch us, it's very likely that our friends went undiscovered."
"Yes, that is good to hear," her cousin nodded.
Lightly patting the top of his cousin's head, co-Commander smirked, "And very nice work on your part in finding a way to make us blind to Solo for the time being, my dear. Now we can feel comfortable to discuss our strategy without the fear of being observed." Beaming at the compliment, Peacecraft leaned against a proudly smiling Quatre as he draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side.
Two forms shaped out of colorful light appeared in the center of the living room and all attention fell on the beings materializing from them. Barton and Chang stood, collected themselves in recognizing their surroundings then turned to face each other as they let out howling, elated cheers and laughter as their friends and family physically eased in seeing them.
Exchanging a hard high-five with the scaly Infected, Trowa wrapped an arm around his shoulders and smirked to their audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, I want it known that my ingenious cousin here just gave us a huge break in the siege on Solo's hideout." Were he able to blush, Wufei would have reddened at the praise. Instead, he snickered and ducked his head as he slapped the Original's back in appreciation.
Anna and Midi descended upon their husbands for fierce embraces and kisses as the remaining Vampires applauded and resumed the cheering. Over the accolade, Lady Une nodded firmly to Zechs, "Have Trent ready the troops for a conference on our plan of attack. We'll be patching communications to the camps throughout the world so that they can all be brought up to speed as well."
With a lopsided grin, Merquise raised an arm to give her a smart salute before he and Noin disappeared in blurs of themselves to carry out their orders.
* * * * * *
"You mean to tell me that there were two Vampires only a few yards away from the both of you... and neither one of you thought to attack them before they disappeared?!" Solo screamed at the end of his ranting fit directed at the Others that remained on bent knees before him. Pushing himself up from his throne, he walked towards his shivering soldiers.
Without raising her head, the slight girl whimpered, "W-we were too surprised to react before it was too late, Sire. We're so sorry!" Manuel nodded vehemently beside her, but was also unwilling to lift his eyes to their creator.
Growling, the Reformer's hands balled into tight fists. Fearing that he might actually strike either of her prone friends, Dorothy heard herself shout from her place next to his empty seat, "Solo! They only did as they could in the situation! They do not deserve to be reprimanded for that!" She gasped sharply, eyes wide at catching herself too late in calling him anything other than 'Master' or 'Sire.'
And the Seer was not the only one to be taken aback by her cry. It was the only time since their entering the room that Kristin and Manual actually looked up. Only their eyes were large and staring on her. For his part, Solo appeared to be too shocked to be particularly angry at his most cherished Other. At the same time, however, he was not very happy.
Catalonia's heart was hammering in her chest and she was the one to drop her head and close her eyes in a display of sincere apology. Biting down hard onto his bottom lip, the Reformer turned back to his lookouts. "Get out," he hissed through his teeth.
Not needing to be told twice, the pair were on their feet and all but running from the room. As the door to the room closed after them, Solo spun on his heels and moved for Dorothy with very purposeful steps that closed the distance between them in a near blink while Rachel and TJ huddled close in the far corner where they had been playing.
"My most sincere-" was as far as Dorothy got before her lowered head was struck from the right side, causing her face to snap in the other direction. Wide-eyed, she peered up at the fiery expression boring down on her as she reached up to rest a shaking hand on the already reddened mark on her cheek.
Roughly gripping her shoulders and pulling her against him, the hybrid whispered fiercely, "Disrespect me like that again, my love, and you will regret it." He pushed the cowering Seer back and spun on his heels to storm for the door. "I'm off to oversee our defense lines," he announced none-too-kindly and stepped away from sight.
Leaning heavily against the wall behind her, Catalonia's eyes spilled over with tears as she struggled to calm her short and ragged breaths. She had been lucky. She knew that. Solo was not in a very good place now, nor would he be from this point forward.
That brief visit from the Vampires had been a warning.
Duo's army was indeed coming. And soon.
TBC...
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