[Everything burns
Everyone screams
Burning down lies
Burning my dreams]
      --- Lyrics to 'Everything Burns' by Anastacia

A Silver Lining Part 27

"We would have been there by now if we didn't have to take these back roads," Noin frowned deeply in concern as she peered out of the passenger window. Beside her, Zechs gripped the steering wheel tightly, his own discontent plain on his face. His right hand moved to turn on the headlights, no longer able to utilize the fading sunlight as they passed through their wooded surroundings.

In the back seat, Wufei continued to examine their range of firearms with practiced precision. "Best not to slip and make our whereabouts known before we make any headway in taking out our enemy," he commented.

Finished with his inspection of their weapons, the Chinese Preventer passed a couple of pistols over to Noin as he added, "Besides, Lady Une managed to get a hold of three other Preventers that live closer to the apartment complex to scan the area before we get there. Angie should be pretty well guarded by the time we show up. If all goes as it should, it'll just be an easy-in, easy-out escort."

The young woman made a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, not sounding the least bit at ease and repeated, "'If' all goes as it should." Shaking her head, she sighed deeply, "I just have a bad feeling, that's all." Placed her two pistols in her holster, she mumbled, "Three agents may not be enough if Kent realized what he left behind before Angie did."

Reaching over to squeeze his wife's shoulder, Zechs peered out of the corner of his eye to meet her gaze. "Wufei is right about jumping in too soon. This was the best approach that we could take," he tried to reassure her. As he pulled his hand back, he went on quietly, "But for what it's worth, I am no more thrilled in this situation than you are."

Wufei glanced at his watch and stated, "We're less than a half hour off now. "I'm going to contact Agent Bolt and his team. They should be at the apartment complex soon." His two comrades gave nods of acknowledgement as the Chinese pilot removed his small transmitter.

In the car behind them, Anna smirked to herself as she cocked the last of the guns that she had inspected and prepared. "Locked and loaded," she announced, her left eye closed tight and her right peering through the small aiming ring of the pistol after shifting the loaded barrel home. Carefully, the redheaded Preventer took up two guns to reach over the front seats to place them on the center consol.

Silently watching the two pistols, Duo swallowed hard. It had been years since he held such a weapon... It had been years that he had stared up into the barrel of such a weapon as opposed to wielding it.

'Why was this so hard?' the American's mind screamed. For weeks now, he had been waiting for the opportunity to finally take a strike against the men who were responsible for his hellish imprisonment.

Duo was finally just starting to regain some of the muscle mass he had lost thanks to his regular visits to the gym, favoring the punching bag to release his frustration. It seemed only right that he join the others for this mission... but now...

Tentatively, the braided pilot reached over with his left hand. Before his fingers could even touch the cold steel, his hand began to tremble. Another hand seemed to come from nowhere to fall over his, stilling it with a tight squeeze. When Duo looked up, he met concerned emerald as his friend peered over at him briefly.

"You don't have to go through with this," Trowa offered quietly, pulling his hand away to focus on the road ahead of them again. "No one here would think any less of you if you sat this one out," he spoke sincerely.

A smoldering rage began to boil in the pit of Duo's stomach at the quiet words. While he knew that his friend was only trying to help, the words that were implied but not spoken were what screamed in the braided pilot's mind. 'You're still too weak. You're not ready for this yet.' It helped give him the resolve that he needed.

His violet eyes narrowed, Duo took up one of the pistols with a steady hand, cradling it with the other as he brought it towards him. When Trowa's green eye peered out of the corner to watch him, the American stated firmly, "I'm going in with the rest of you." There was no room for argument in his tone.

With that, Trowa's gaze turned back to the road with the hint of a smirk of satisfaction on his face. In the rearview mirror, the tall pilot noted that Anna had a similar expression. He was nearly taken aback to realize that his lover had caught on to his intention with his words to solidify Duo in their task. She seemed to understand him much more than he ever realized before.

The remainder of their trip was made in silence as the three Preventers set about mentally preparing themselves for anything that could be awaiting them.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Pacing anxiously in her large living room, Angie brought her hands back up to wash her face again. After waiting for what seemed an eternity, which could not have been two hours, it was difficult to keep her nerves in check. In her hands, she nervously fiddled with the data card that Kent had left behind. So insignificant at first glance, and now this small card held the balance of an untold number of lives.

Angie understood why she was ordered to sit and wait. If she was in danger and she went on the road, she could be followed, forced off the road and there would be no way of finding her. Lady Une had wanted to be certain that her teams would know exactly where she was.

In the end, the decision to make her sit and wait was the lesser of the two evils, Angie realized, even if it did make her a sitting duck should she suddenly have become a target. All that she could do now was hope and pray that should Kent have sent anyone after her, the other Preventers would get to her first.

When her cell phone rang, she jumped with a startled gasp. Placing a hand over her racing heart, Angie went to check the caller id. 'Unlisted' flashed on the small screen, a small icon of an eagle appearing in the bottom left corner. It was the icon that appeared when the id was made by a Preventer agent. "Oh thank God," she whimpered with small tears of relief building in her eyes.

Despite her elation in knowing that she would hear a friendly voice, Angie's hand still trembled as reached for the receiver. "Hello?" she greeted quietly, all but hugging the phone to her ear with both hands to steady it.

"Angie, this is Agent Bolt," a deep male voice answered. "I'm with Agent Night and Agent Torrent. We're scanning the surroundings now to see that all is clear by the time your escort arrives."

Escort? "Y-you mean you're not going to get me out of here now?" Angie nearly moaned. Gary, Agent Bolt, was one of her good friends, along with both Samantha and Robert who were assisting him.

It was killing her to see their friendly faces again, especially now knowing that they were so close. "I don't know how much longer I can just sit here waiting like this," she admitted with a trembling voice.

Gary's voice on the other end softened as he replied soothingly, "It's going to be all right, Angie. This is just for safety measures. We have another team moving in to get you out of there. They contacted us not long ago and they should be here in about fifteen minutes and we went to make sure the area is safe for them. Just hang tight a little longer, all right?"

Biting her lip, the young woman took a deep breath and answered with a firm nod, "All right." With that, she hesitantly disconnected the call.

Quickly, Angie went over to her window to peek pack the drawn curtains. There was nothing really to see beyond her secluded apartment. Surrounded by trees and nearly black darkness, the only thing that she could really see were the distant lights of the other apartments- spaced out throughout the wooded area.

Then she saw it, just off to the right back and in the woods about fifty yards, a car's low beam headlights turning off. Having to squint and use the pale moonlight for assistance, the young woman could just make out the shape of the car as three of its doors opened and closed while three shadowed shapes quickly moved to spread out across the area. Gary. Samantha. Robert.

With a deep sigh of relief I now knowing where her fiends were, Angie closed her curtains again. At least now she knew that help had arrived.

She could wait a while longer now, knowing that she was safe now.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Heero's head snapped up at the sound of the front door opening. Yuuki jumped from his lap to run off towards the entrance, barking excitedly. Quatre, Relena and Sally rose to their feet along with the Japanese pilot as they quickly left the living room. Scott made his way down the tall stairwell to wait along with the others as their unannounced visitor entered.

Stepping past the door, Lady Une met their surprised eyes with a weak grin. The strain of concern was clear on her brow as the Commander greeted her house guests with a firm nod and announced, "I just came back from seeing that the back roads to here had been closed. I already informed Zechs which way to take on the way back so that no one follows."

At the excited puppy at her feet, Lady Une smile warmed a bit as she bent down to pet her. Straightening again, she scanned the room, only for her brown eyes to blink in surprise. "Where is Duo?" she asked.

Worry filled the Japanese pilot's cobalt eyes and he swallowed hard before answering, "He went with the others in my place. He insisted." Beside him, Relena rested a hand on his shoulder for support. The last hour and a half had been a quiet struggle for Heero in fearing for the braided pilot.

Still standing on the stairway, Scott snorted, "It's an easy escort mission. They'll be right in and right out again." He held his tongue when the others shot fiery glares at him.

"There is no such thing as an 'easy' mission any longer," Heero commented quietly, his eyes unfocused as his head lowered. Haunting memories of the last 'easy mission' that he had flown with Duo filled his mind.

Rolling his eyes, Scott waved with a hand and turned to climb back up stairs with an exaggerated sigh, "Next, you'll be fretting over someone nicking a vein while cutting vegetables while we're stuck in this place. Being cooped up here has made you all uptight and skittish. For your sakes, I hope that we won't be stuck here together for much longer."

"One can only hope," Heero growled deeply, his narrowed eyes focused on the back of the white-haired Preventer as he disappeared upstairs.

With a quiet snort, Quatre muttered, "Even then, it wouldn't be soon enough."

*   *   *   *   *   *

It had been an easy kill. They were not counting on their enemies to have night vision, so he never saw him coming. It was almost disappointing to end it so quickly. He preferred to toy with his prey first. One of the perks of working for the President of the Earth, having some of the best equipment money had to offer. Taking up his transmitter, he called the remained of his team. "One down."

"There were only two others. They've been taken out as well," replied a young woman's voice from his team over the receiver of his earpiece. "No signs of any others."

As he thought to himself, he hummed quietly and licked the dead of the fallen body for something to give his feet to do. "Then there are more coming," he realized aloud. "Three Preventers this deep in the woods was merely to clear the way for another team to get the girl out of her place safely." That had to be it, he confirmed to himself.

Over the transmitter, the young assassin inquired, "Should we just kill the girl now and make off with the card before the other team arrives? You said that when Kent-" There was a brief pause before she grumbled, "If that is even his real name, called you earlier that his orders were to simply get rid of her and recover the data card he left."

Slowly, a smirk crossed his lips and he stated, "We have a team of ten. There will not be that many coming after her in the second team, thinking that this first ring was going to secure the area. If we're going to be disturbed to clean up after someone else, we best make some fun of it."

As he peered through the trees to the lighted windows of the house many yards off, he spotted the shadow of a slender woman pacing across the room. His smirk grew into an amused grin as he spoke in clear certainty, "She's not going anywhere."

He could hear the smirk in the other assassin's voice as she responded, "I was hoping that you would say that. I will pass the word to the others. A couple had spotted some trucks left behind carrying building tools for the new estate going up on the other edge of the grounds. We can make some use of the tools left there."

"Excellent," he chuckled deeply. "If the tide should turn on us, have some of our men blockade the house with the girl inside. Have the place burnt to the ground."

The smile in the young woman's voice grew when she answered, "With pleasure."

"Happy hunting, then." His deep chuckle returned as the call was disconnected.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Fifteen minutes later, the two black cars of the escort team began to very slowly pull into the grounds of the Glen Allen Estates. Peering out the front window, Noin asked quietly, "Which apartment is Angie's?"

With a gesture of his head, Zechs pointed ahead to the lone estate on the top of a wooded hill, its lights just peeking through the dense trees and darkness. "That would be it," he informed with a deep frown as he watched the eerie sight.

"Figures," Wufei snorted. "It couldn't be out in the open surrounded by other people, and in broad daylight, so anyone could spot that something was wrong," he groaned.

In the other car, Anna sighed deeply as her arms flung in the air, "No, it has to be secluded on a hill surrounded by hundreds of trees after dark, no less! It just figures." Duo couldn't help but smirk with a deep chuckle. The redheaded Preventer certainly reminded him of himself more and more.

Following Zechs' car, Trowa had a small smirk on his own face as he replied, "Relax, Anna. Agent Bolt and the others would have contacted us by now if there were any real danger. This should be just an easy pick up."

A shudder ran up Duo's spine at those words. The last mission that he and Heero had been on together was brushed off as an easy, routine fly-by that became a mouse trap set up for them to be handed over to the White Out organization. Ever since that day, he would never consider another mission 'easy' before it was carried out.

The two cars began to make their climb up the winding road at the side of the hill leading to Angie's residence and the three pilots took up their transmitters, placing the small receivers in their right ears. The first to place his transmitter in, Trowa spoke into the tiny microphone hanging down to his shoulder, announcing, "This is Barton. Test."

Without hesitance, an affirmative response came over the small earpieces from the remainder of the team, including those in the other car. In now knowing that their communication equipment worked, Duo asked, "Any ideas for a game plan, guys?"

Zechs' voice answered, "Our search team is spread at three opposite points of the house, deep in the woods to check for anything or anyone unwelcome. Four of us can make a smaller ring around the estate while the other two go in after Angie."

"I'll go in," Noin offered. "No offense, boys, but I think it would be a bit more disarming for her if there was at least one woman present. Besides, Zechs and I have made appearances in the data room over the last few months. She would recognize me."

Nodding, Duo agreed, "Good idea. I'll go in with you, stand guard at the door while you get her ready to leave." He wasn't aware of the silent sighs of relief from the others. His elected job would be the easiest one to handle.

Trowa tried not to show his concern. Perhaps Duo really wasn't up for the task, after all. His suggestion of such earlier was merely to help solidify his friend in what he knew the braided pilot wanted to prove to himself.

Try as he might, it was so hard not to think of the American as anything other than the self proclaimed Shinigami whenever he took on a mission. These changes in his friend just became more and more unnerving and Trowa found himself realizing that he no longer knew this Duo.

Over the receiver, Wufei's voice broke though his thoughts. "Considering the front of the house is north, I'll cover the northwest corner," the Chinese pilot proclaimed.

"I've got the northeast side," Anna stated soon after.

Turning his head slightly, Trowa peered through the rearview mirror. Normally, his bedmate waited until he called a position to make certain that she was close to him, whether he thought it was in their best interest or not. It was hard not to hide the stunned surprise from his face in hearing that she was making her own choices with or without him this time. Something about that... hurt.

In meeting his gaze in the mirror with her own blue pair, Anna turned off her transmitter for some kind of privacy from the team in the other car. "Just giving you some space in the missions that we're sent on together, as you always wanted," she glared heatedly.

Duo winced, trying to cover it up from his tall friend seeing it. He thought back to the conversation between Anna and Relena that he stumbled on not long ago. After more than a year of having to settle as Trowa's bed warmer and nothing more, it was finally wearing on the young woman.

There was a flash of shock, realization and pain in Trowa's widened eyes. In an instant, that reaction vanished and his eyes narrowed while he turned off his own transmitter. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped. "We agreed before getting involved that there were no guarantees that I would be ready for anything more than-"

"More than convenient fuck!? An easy lay!?" Anna shouted, finishing the sentence for him in much harsher words than he had intended. "At least I can relate to Angie in knowing how it feels to be treated like that!" Realization filled Duo's violet eyes. So that was the straw that broke her back, seeing someone else going through the same thing that she was.

Gripping the wheel, Trowa yelled, "Well, maybe you should have taken more consideration into this possibility before..."

His own violet eye narrowing, Duo turned to face the other pilots and shouted, "That's enough, both of you!"

Instantly, Zechs, Noin and Wufei's voices all cried out in protest and swearing at having the sudden outburst screaming in their ears. Wincing again, the braided pilot smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, guys. Forgot to turn my transmitter off." With that, he clicked the receiver off.

Running a hand through his long bangs, Duo sighed deeply. He truly hurt for both of his friends in this situation. Trowa always was like a brother to him, despite the rift that his time imprisoned had caused between them. Duo was the only person that the tall pilot had confided his past with, and so he understood Trowa's difficulty in committing.

On the other hand, while he did not know Anna for more than several months, she quickly had become a part of their family. She easily fit into a sister-like role for Duo. In hearing her heart-felt feelings for his friend, his heart ached for her position in this as well. He didn't want to see either of them upset like this.

"Look," the American frowned deeply as he eyed the young, confused couple. "I am not taking sides here, because neither of you have been very good at communicating with each other." Trowa swallowed hard and Anna lowered her head a bit.

They both cared for each other, Duo knew for certain now. If they didn't have sincere feelings for each other, they would have argued with him on that point. Instead, they had nothing to say in knowing that he was right.

A small, sad smile spread on the braided pilot's face. "Now I want you to know that I care for you both," Duo continued in a calm voice, "but you really need to talk this out between just yourselves, and preferably not when we're in the middle of a mission like this." He earned a small smirk from the other two Preventers for that, the tension in the air easing the slightest bit at last.

With a deep breath, Trowa turned his transmitter back on. "I'll take the southwest corner," he stated quietly while his teammates turned their own communicators back on.

Zechs nodded, "Southeast it is for me, then." He refrained from asking if everything was all right with the other pilots. It was quite a bit a dead air between them as they made their way up the hill. And Duo Maxwell did not yell at his friends without good reason. Silently, he hoped that the dust had settled for everyone to focus on their task.

The house was coming into view and the two cars came to a halt about thirty yards from the house, still well covered by the wooded area. As the cars were rumbled to a halt, the low beams of the headlights were turned off. Everyone sat in silence for a moment, waiting to hear that it was clear to move in further.

Opening his com to reach those Preventers' channels that were now in reach, Wufei began, "Agent Bolt, we are now in the area and facing the apartment's side facing the driveway. Where are the three of you stationed now?"

Silence lingered, the other end of the transmission fading in and out with static after a long pause. His dark eyes narrowing, Wufei tried again, "Agent Bolt, do you read me? Where are you stationed?"

Breaths were held in waiting for a response. There was none.

His voice growing in frustration, the Chinese pilot called quietly, "Agent Night? Agent Torrent?" Again, there was only a faint reading of static. "Fuck!" he hissed, moving to remove one of the revolvers from his holster.

As concerned as everyone was for the three Preventers who were not responding, they all took up their arms in grim determination. They were not alone. They were being hunted. And they had to get to that data card before their enemies did.

Quietly, Noin spoke, "Duo, we best get moving soon here."

"Right," the braided pilot replied with a firm nod. Squinting his violet eyes, he was just able to make out the dark shadow of someone on the first floor. "I think I still see someone inside the house."

Trowa reassured quietly, "We'll cover the both of you."

Zechs's voice took over, "Those four of us securing the area move out now."

No further exchange took place and the car door opened at the same time. Wufei, Trowa, Zechs and Anna ran though the wooded area, spreading out to reach their designated lookout posts. Being on the east side of the house, Wufei and Trowa reached their destinations first. When they were in place, both quietly announced that they were in place.

Having the most ground to cover, it took Zechs a bit of time to reach his place at the back of the house on the eastern side. "I'm in position," the long-haired pilot whispered into his transmitter. Eyeing his surroundings, he held his revolver out before him.

As she neared her destination, Anna's eyes narrowed when she thought she saw something moving in towards the house. With a startled gasp in seeing the movement again, only closer to the house's side entrance, her eyes narrowed and she sprinted out. Ignoring the sharp cuts that came from the twigs and branches that snagged on her, she pulled the safety from her revolver. Suddenly, she reached the edge of the woods, finding herself on the wide driveway that wrapped around the estate.

Frantically, Anna's widened eyes scanned where she could have sworn she saw someone running toward the house. A deep, bubbling chuckle came from back in the wooded area and a chill ran up the red-haired Preventer's spine. Even as she aimed her gun towards with both hands where she thought she heard the voice, the voice continued to laugh as it moved deeper into the wood. Slowly, Anna lowered her arms with grim realization in her eyes.

She just walked into a trap.

A flood of light suddenly engulfed the young pilot as an engine roared to life. Her blue eyes filled in shock as she turned into the source of the light, Anna didn't have time to cry out as a pickup truck's headlights neared her, tearing through where it was hidden between the trees.

In an instant, the world went black.

TBC...

 

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