[Uncle Sam taught him to shoot maybe a little too well
Finger on the trigger, loaded bullet
He hit the stage so full of rage
And let the whole world know it]
--- Lyrics to 'The Side of A Bullet' performed by Nickelback
A Silver Lining Part 44
Lost to him was the soft droning of the television as he cleaned one of his many rifles. As he worked away the tarnish, the long, black barrel shined in the fading lights of sunset shining through the windows of his otherwise dark and dingy apartment.
The ratty couch beneath him, the only piece of furniture in the small living room, creaked and moaned as he leaned forward to inspect his handiwork in the dim light. A steady, slow stream of smoke rose from the cigarette tucked tightly out of the corner of his mouth.
Outside, the sounds of people yelling and laughing filled the air. The occasional blaring of a car horn and squealing breaks would chime in. Life in the slums never was dull. He was almost going to miss his colorful surroundings when he would finally be able to leave... almost.
"Baby?" his companion for the evening called quietly as she stepped into the room. As she moved from the bedroom, she carried the smell of sex that lingered heavily there. Dressed back in her short, black dress, she pulled her long brown hair into a ponytail. She never even flinched at walking in on him cleaning the rifle in his hands. Such things were never out of the norm when living as they did.
As she sauntered towards him, her long legs slipping into the black heels waiting by the front door, he smirked. Without a word, he reached into the pocket of his jeans that he had left unbuttoned and unzipped. Removing the small wad of cash there, he held it out.
Her brown eyes brightening, she gave a smug smirk of her own. The pretty little thing took the money and gave him another glimpse of her breast as she secured her earnings in her bra strap, sealing it with a snap.
With their business arrangement at an end, the young woman walked from the room without looking back. The bolt clicked lightly into place as the door was closed after her. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he released a puff of smoke and admired her intelligence. No questions and no comments that would get her in trouble.
She certainly had been worth every penny.
Having spent the last four years in prison, the lack of female companionship had certainly left him... edgy. It was a risk to bring her to his place, but he would not have hesitated in killing the pretty little thing the moment he thought that she might be trouble. Fortunately, for her, that was not an issue.
As he snuffed the small butt that remained of his drag in the ashtray sitting on the arm of his couch, he looked up to the anchorwoman smiling on the television. In a small box beside her was the image of his latest client. "With his approval rating dropping over the last few months, all eyes will be on President Millard in his public address scheduled to take place in three days," she announced.
"Now, with the Presidential election around the corner, all eyes will be on him and all ears will be listening to him and how he will address his controversial four years in office as the leader of the Earth. It certainly would be a presentation that is not to be missed by those concerned for the future of the Galaxy Alliance, which had been created following the Eve Wars."
Chuckling deeply, he took up the opened bottle of beer waiting at his feet. With a long swig, he leaned back in his sofa. Wiping his mouth with his arm, he smirked at the screen, "Oh, it certainly will be quite the show."
The sudden, shrill ringing of his vidphone cut through the air. His blue eyes narrowing, he lowered his rifle before opening the small monitor on the coffee table before him. The screen came to life to reveal a young man with ice blue eyes that nearly blended in with his white eyeballs. The blonde young man nodded firmly and spoke formally, "Jack Collins, I must keep this brief as we have a situation."
"A situation?" Jack repeated with a deep, frustrated frown. Lowering the beer bottle to the floor, he ran a hand through his short, reddish hair. "What do you mean 'we have a situation?'" he gritted. "Who the hell are you and where is Isis?"
Slowly taking a deep breath as if his patience were being tried, the blonde-haired man on the screen replied simply, "Dead. We found her body just an hour ago."
Well that was certainly not what he had been expecting. Jack's blue eyes widened as he sank back in his couch. "Now," the clear-eyed man continued, "I have filled in her position of second in command. My name is Blake. I will be the one working directly with you from this point forward."
His throat dry at the graveness of the situation, the hired hit man swallowed hard. If Isis had been killed, how close were they getting to finding him? Suddenly, a wave of realization and rage flooded him. "What the fuck are you doing calling me here?!" Jack shouted as he rose to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. "There's no telling how deep they've breached your security! If they have any way of tracing this call-"
Blake cut him off by raising his hand and shaking his head, "I assure you that I would not have called without being certain the line was secure." His own eyes narrowing, he warned, "I would strongly suggest that you refrain from second guessing us. We could always find another 'assassin' should we find you... expendable. Don't give me a reason to have you taken out of the equation permanently."
Knowing the truth behind the threat, Jack dug his fingernails into his palm as he clenched his fists all the tighter. It seemed there were members of the White Out Organization everywhere. There was little doubt that there would be agents stationed throughout the slums that he had been hiding in. All it took was an order to have him removed.
No one would concern themselves with trying to find a missing convicted felon, even if he was pardoned.
Satisfied that his warning served its purpose in stilling the hired hand as Jack slowly took his seat on the couch once more, Blake smirked arrogantly, "Now, this was merely a call to advise you to keep your eyes open and be certain to keep low until I contact you with the orders for what we have planned. We are too close to reaching our goals now to afford anything further to go wrong."
"Do I have your word that the agreement Isis and I had will not be compromised?" Jack demanded to know. "No disrespect meant, but I did not agree to this arrangement just to be hung out to dry."
With a firm nod, Blake replied, "You have my word. Your arrest following the assassination attempt will only last a few days before you're broken out. The assisted breakout will serve to increase the speculations that one or more of the Colony leaders had hired you to kill the President. I will have your payment wired to your secured account, where it will wait for you to access it the moment you are safe to access it."
His nerves easing at that, the hit man nodded in returned, "Fine. I will be moving to L1 within the next forty-eight hours to scope out the arena where the President will be delivering his speech, then."
The blonde agent grinned, "Excellent. I am sending a team to secure your surroundings in the event you should have any unwanted company. You need not concern yourself with who they are, just be aware that they'll be watching."
In other words, they would be watching him as well, Jack thought to himself. Should he try to run for any reason, they would be ready to take whatever necessary action to see that he did not get far. One thing he did admire about these clients of his-they certainly knew how to cover their bases.
Blake took a deep and even breath before stating, "Within the next twenty-four hours, I will be forwarding you the laid out plan for the President's route to the arena. It does not matter where you try to take your hit, so long as it is before he makes it inside the stadium." His smirk returned as he commented, "And of course I do not need to tell you not to actually hit your mark, just make certain that it looks good."
Snorting, the red-haired man replied, "Don't worry. I wouldn't want to have everyone after my head by actually killing him."
"Well then," Blake smirked, "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Collins. Should anything come up, you know how to contact me. Otherwise, we best not keep in contact from this point forward. Best of luck to you."
At that, the monitor went black. With a deep sigh, Jack slumped in his couch. Gazing out of his living room windows, he listened to the noises that came with the night life of the dingy streets below. He smirked to himself in thinking of how things would be changed in a matter of days, and no one was any the wiser.
Bending at the waist, the hit mat took up his rifle once more as he returned to the task of cleaning it. Just as he worked the tarnish from his weapon, he knew that he was going to be rewriting history and life as everyone knew it.
What a glorious day that was going to be.
Suddenly, with a sharp gasp, Jack's blue eyes widened and the cloth in his hand fell quietly to the shaggy carpeted floor. The Preventers were going to be looking for him. And he had let a loose tie go freely. If the wrong person got to her...
Well that certainly would not do.
Lowering the rifle, his feet thumped heavily on the floor as he made his way to his room. A dark smirk tugged at his lips as he smelled the musty air and prepared himself for what he had to do. If anything, this would give him a taste of what he had missed even more than any female companionship-the hunt.
* * * * * *
Consciousness slowly tugged Duo from his deep slumber. Humming to himself as he tried to remain in the peaceful oblivion that he rarely got to enjoy, the long-haired pilot snuggled closer to the warmth wrapped around him. As his senses returned, he was aware of the sheet draped lightly around his thin, bare waist.
Even before his eyes opened, the ex-Deathscythe pilot was suddenly flooded by the events that happened prior to his falling into a restful sleep. Slowly blinking his violet eyes open, Duo looked up to find himself alone in the cot that Heero had opened in the center of their shared office. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he turned to the large windows that overlooked the city skyline.
His back facing the bed, Heero stood at the middle window as he looked down to the city far below. Dressed only in a pair of black boxers, the Japanese Preventer's broad back and shoulder muscles were etched in the colors of the sunset that poured into the room. Those muscles, normally tense in anticipation and preparation to be used in a moment's notice, were actually at ease.
Smiling as he silently watched his lover, Duo lowered his head onto his folded arms and recalled how they had just made love hours earlier. It still amazed him how one as strong as Heero could suddenly become so gentle and careful with another person.
The ex-Wing pilot had gone to great lengths to see that he did not cause any more pain than necessary. In the end, the slow and easy pace of their lovemaking had surprised both of them and left both of them breathless.
After all that he had endured at the hands of his captors, Duo had feared that he might never feel comfortable enough to be with another person sexually. But, after fearing that he had lost the only person he ever loved, he needed to experience that with Heero and he threw caution to the wind. He had not regretted his decision.
More than the enjoyment of finally knowing what it was to be intimate on such a level, the American was finally able to put his painful experience and the nightmares that came with it to rest. While he would never be able to forget the ordeal, what happened between the two of them certainly proved to be a step in the right direction to healing.
Looking down to himself, Duo noted that his chest had been cleaned of the remnants of his partner's semen. Thinking back to how sticky he had been and imagining Heero would have had to clean him as he slept, the long-haired pilot felt his cheeks burning. The emotional release that he experienced must have been as taxing as the physical for him to be able to be cleaned without stirring.
The blush deepened when he regretfully reminded himself of how he cried when they both found their release. While under normal circumstances Duo would have crawled in a hole and never see the light of day after enduring that embarrassment, he instead decided to go lightly on himself...
After all, considering the circumstances surrounding the event, it was understandable that he would be emotional. Heero had been more than understanding of the incident. Instead, he only whispered reassuringly to him as he held him tight until he fell asleep.
Despite how much he would have been content to just lie there and admire his partner forever, Heero turned at that moment to meet his violet eyes. His own cobalt eyes briefly widening before at seeing his lover awake, the Japanese Preventer smiled warmly as his shoulders eased once more. With a slight rasp in his deep voice, he whispered, "Hey."
Every inch of Duo ached at that moment to be back in his strong arms again, his wish to simply watch no longer enough to satisfy him. Quickly closing the distance between them as he sat on his side of the cot, Heero gently brushed away the long and loose hair from his best friend's shoulder to cup the side of his face.
Leaning into the touch, the American turned his face enough to place a kiss in his lover's palm. His smile growing at the gesture, the once deemed 'Perfect Soldier' asked quietly, "Are you all right?" Concern began to fill his cobalt eyes as he frowned, "I mean, you're not in any pain, are you? I didn't-?" Just the thought of causing any pain to the other pilot caused his voice to crack, leaving him unable to finish his question.
Duo sat up, shaking his head fervently as he reassured him, "No, I'm fine. Really." Biting his lip, he fought another blush as he grinned, "Actually, I'm better than just fine."
With a relieved sigh, Heero's smile returned as he leaned in and kissed his partner gently. Pulling back reluctantly, he breathed against the other Preventer's lips, "Duo, that was... that was wonderful. I've never..." Again, his voice trailed off as he searched for words that he could not find to express justly what he was feeling.
It was adorable to the American to see the slightly frustrated look on his lover's face whenever he was speechless like this. While their lovemaking was monumental to his own healing, he was reminded of just how significant it must have been for Heero, how it must had shaken him to the core with emotions that he had not been allowed to experience before. That realization sent a chill running down his spine.
Leaning in, Duo kissed his lover soundly as he poured everything that he had into it. His lungs filled with the air from the deep sigh of the other pilot as he returned the gesture while holding him close to his bare chest. They both panted heavily when they finally broke for air.
Their eyes locked on each other, Heero ran a hand through his partner's long hair and told him quietly, "You've given me a gift and I am forever grateful to you. I only hope that I continue to be worthy of you and all that you've shown me."
His eyes misting at the soft declaration, the American chuckled deeply, "Shit, Heero. You're going to have me crying like a little girl again if you keep that up." As he reached up to wipe at his eyes, Heero beat him to it as he lightly wiped at the small tears that rolled down his heart-shaped face.
Swallowing past the lump that had formed in his throat, Duo leaned into the touch once more and smiled lovingly, "I'm just as honored to be with you. Don't forget that that goes both ways." Gently kissing his partner's lips, he stated softly, "I love you, Heero Yuy."
It was the ex-Wing pilot's turn to get misty-eyed as he grinned back and breathed, "Ashiteru, Duo Maxwell." Sealing their declarations with another kiss, they were interrupted with a soft knock on the door.
Both moaning and sighing deeply when they parted, the pair quickly rose from the cot to throw on their clothes as Heero called, "One second." Being the first to throw his shirt on, he moved to the door to open it enough that only his top half was revealed.
Standing out in the hall, Wufei gave him a firm nod and stated simply, "We have to get moving. There is a lead on Jack Collins." That said, the Chinese pilot turned and made his way back down the hall, knowing better than dwelling on details at that moment.
* * * * * *
After learning that they had a break in their search, it only took a matter of minutes for Heero and Duo to throw themselves together. The American could not recall a time that he managed to braid his hair so quickly. Just as they were making their way to the conference room, they ran into a few of their friends along the way.
Everyone took their seats at the large, round table at the center of the room as Lady Une stepped in last and closed the door behind her. Lowering the large stack of papers that she was carrying on the center of the table, she announced, "I have a copy of the mug shot and everything that we have on record regarding our friend, Jack Collins, for each of you."
While she continued to speak, the agents took up their copies of stapled reports from the table, passing them around until everyone had one. "Thankfully for us, his pardon was granted less than a month ago. Even if he is acting under an alias as of now, he had to move on under his actual name. That was how Noin was able to find him."
The short-haired Agent Fire smirked as her friends all smiled in admiration for her efforts. "We now know that Collins had flown to L6 following his release," the Commander informed. "Every shuttle port has photo identifications of every passenger, regardless of their registered name and after searching through their records, we know for certain that he has not left the Colony since he arrived there.
"I have informed all of the shuttle ports since then and forwarded his image with the orders that he is not allowed to leave the Colony. Like it or not, he is going to be stuck on L6 while our teams comb the area for him," Lady Une smirked.
Looking through his thick stack of reports on the young man that was now their only tie to the White Out Organization, Zechs commented, "Even if he is suck there, it would take days for us to snuff him out. L6 is considerably small compared to the other Colonies, but it is still a lot of ground to cover."
At that, the Commander nodded, "That is why I am in the process of getting three different squads together to assist all of you in this as they are spread in the different counties. Obviously, I am going to have the lot of you working together. There is no sense in splitting all of you up with the risk of having another incident where someone could be taken in."
Quickly looking over her own stack of papers, the brunette young woman held up the map layout of L6. A large, red circle wrapped around a designated spot. "This," she began, "shows the area that you will be covering. This area covers the ten miles surrounding the shuttle port that Collins landed in.
"While it's just a hunch, I think it is safe to say believe that he would not have moved on further than that. This is where I am sending you. The other teams will be working out from the only other three shuttle ports located on the Colony. From there, you'll all spread out until you meet in the middle."
All around, heads were nodding their understanding and satisfaction with the plan of attack. Taking a deep breath, Lady Une frowned deeply in concern, "Now, I know for all of you that you're running on little to no sleep over the last few days. You've all been through a great deal and you're only going to be putting yourselves at more risk by committing yourself to this mission."
Slowly scanning the faces watching her, the Commander told them, "There would not be any shame if you wish to sit out of this. And I believe that I speak for everyone here when I say that no one would think less of anyone that wanted to back out now. But, speak up now or forever hold your peace."
The agents all looked to each other with smug looks in their eyes. Finally, after a long pause, Trowa turned to his head forward to the young woman standing at the front of the room and smirked, "Pardon my language, Lady Une, but I also think that I speak for everyone here when I say that we don't want to rest until we get these fuckers."
Everyone laughed loudly, nodding their agreement. Raising her hand, Sally grinned from ear-to-ear as she exclaimed, "Amen to that!"
One-by-one, the agents echoed their own agreement to the sentiment. With a pleased grin, Lady Une nodded firmly, "I figured as much." Her smile fading, she ordered, "I want you ready by the top of the hour. You will be the first team to arrive on L6 and your shuttle will be leaving at that time."
That said, the agents all rose to their feet, backs straight and arms up and in a salute to the Commander. With a small smile, Lady Une told them quietly, "Good luck, all of you." Turning on her heels, she headed out of the room.
As she picked up her stack of papers, Anna grinned widely to her friends, "Time to lock and load, y'all." That said, she walked carefully on her healing leg without a brace as she and Trowa led their tight-knit group from the conference room.
Biting his lip, Duo stayed in the back of the group and moved to the large windows. With the sun finally under the horizon, the street and building lights broke through the darkness. Far below, the headlights of hundreds of cars moved across the maze of streets, bridges and highways. It was almost surreal to the braided pilot to realize that despite the trials that they were dealing with, life still went on.
Heero quietly walked up beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it gently. "You all right?" he asked quietly, the concern drenched in his voice.
Slowly turning his head to meet his partner's eyes, Duo nodded, "Yea. I just hope that this turns out the way that we hope it will." Shuddering, he looked back out the window and whispered, "I want this to finally be over."
A small smile tugged at the ex-Wing pilot's lips. Placing a soft kiss on Duo's temple, he reassured him quietly, "Soon. I promise it'll be over soon." Silently hoping that his words would be some sort of condolence, he was rewarded with a sincere smile that met his lover's violet eyes. Hand-in-hand, the two agents left the empty room together to prepare for the long flight ahead of them.
* * * * * *
She certainly was a lot heavier than he remembered when she had been straddling him mere hours ago. It was a bit of a struggle for him to pull the plastic bag along the riverbank while avoiding trees and shrubbery along his way. Finally, he reached his destination in the thickest of the wooded area.
With a deep grunt, Jack hurled the bag over the grassy ledge. On its way down the side of the short hill, the body thumped and a few sickening cracks of bone filled the air before the bag splashed roughly into the river.
Removing his work gloves, the hit man watched from the ledge as the heavy remains drifted off before they finally sank below the water. As he placed a cigarette in his smirking lips, he lit up and strolled away from the bank. Along his way to his black car, he appraised the wad of cash that he had retrieved from her bra strap after slitting her pretty little neck.
She certainly had been worth every penny.
TBC...
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