Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 1 Blood on the Window ❯ A Slow Burn ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Wufei grinned at me as we moved through the doors, past the line. People were glowering at us, and Wufei was near laughing. He offered the passes to the bouncer, who looked at them, looked at us, then nodded and pointed at a set of stairs. The music was so loud that there was no way he would have heard us talking, and I doubted we'd have been able to hear him.

I followed Wufei, glancing over my shoulder to see the bouncer talking into his walkie-talkie, then turned as Wufei started up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I could see now, why he'd been so excited about this. Heero had pointed out that this was the king's palace of bar-tending, of the club scene, and Wufei was so entrenched in that, that this was probably one of his life's ambitions.

As we neared the top of the stairs, a bouncer was waiting for us, he grabbed Wufei by the arm and led him to a door off the side of the hall. He didn't comment to me when I followed, and I wondered what the hell was going on.

When the doors shut, the music was dropped to a quiet enough level that we could hear each other speak again.

"Martin wanted a word with you tonight," the man informed him, pointing up the stairs, "He told us to assure you it wouldn't take long."

Wufei froze in his tracks, focusing on the guy and then looking to me.

"We told him you'd arrived, so please…"

"I'd rather leave." Wufei replied, turning to start past me toward the door.

"Please, Mr. Chang." the bouncer impeded his path, "This will only take a few moments of your time."

I studied Wufei's manner a moment, wondering why he had such an aversion to meeting the guy. He'd said that he got tipped twenty-bucks at a time from the guy, the guy had given him these passes to get us in here, and…well, the guy creeped him out.

Wufei turned and met my eyes again, his expression troubled, "Fine," he muttered, thinking about it, "We'll see him."

The bouncer smiled, "I knew you would. There are three doors at the top of the stairs, he's in the furthest to the left."

Wufei nodded, not meeting his eyes and starting up the stairs. When the bouncer had disappeared, he reached back and grabbed my hand, "I'm worried." he informed me, not looking at me, "I thought it was odd of Jun to give me passes, but figured it was just another attempt at courting…this, though…"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, moving up to his side.

"For the most part, just sit-pretty," he replied, "I haven't mentioned this to anyone, because it's worth my head, but he's the leader of a syndicate. He's all sorts of twisted, so I only deal with him at the bar when I have to. I'm popular enough that the section I work is generally full, so it takes him some doing to get to me…but…" he flashed a worried glance at me, "Just don't act rashly, all right? He's bound to have goons in there with guns, and I don't know about you, but I don't have a weapon."

I smirked at him, patting my pocket. My hunting knife was in it.

"You're armed?" he demanded, stopping to stare at me.

I shrugged, "Heero and I were fucking with it earlier, I forgot I had it until just now."

He gave me a scared look a moment, then shook his head, starting up the stairs again.

.

Jun opened the door for Duo and I as we neared the top, and the look of pure pleasure on his face said to me that he was happy I'd consented to see him. The music was extremely muffled now, and the halls around us were opulent, "Mr. Chang!" he greeted, coming out of the room, "I'm so pleased you came!"

"My pleasure, Jun." I replied, studying him warily.

His eyes flicked to Duo and I saw a look of displeasure pass his face. He made a gesture and a man came out of the room with a wand. He waved it around me half-assed, then moved on to Duo.

My heart stopped.

Duo's expression completely nonplussed as the guy smacked his leg, indicating he needed to spread them, waving the wand around his body in a much more complete fashion than he had me.

Duo brushed his hair back, waiting impatiently while keeping his arms spread.

He and Heero had infiltrated places before, hadn't they?

I was waiting for the beeper to go off or for some sign to be shown to us that they knew Duo had his knife…

But nothing happened.

"Ya done yet?" Duo asked finally, meeting and holding the guy's eyes, "Why tha' hell'd I bring a gun ta a club?"

Jun smiled at both of us, "It's just a safety precaution, you understand?"

Duo nodded impatiently.

"Please," Jun muttered, giving me a searching look and gesturing me forward. When he fell into step behind me I was terrified they might make Duo wait in the hall. I could deal with Jun only so long as someone was with me who'd back me up. "Have a seat," the guy offered, his dark eyes covering my face again with that same pleased look. He gestured to a set of plush chairs across from a large and disgustingly opulent desk.

I sat slowly, staring at Jun…and realized that Duo was standing behind my chair.

"Please, sir…" Jun muttered, gesturing again.

"I'd rather stand."

I didn't know where Duo'd picked up that accent, but he sounded like some no-account punk.

"Very well." Jun nodded concession, pulling out a decanter and some glasses from a drawer, "You serve me very well, Mr. Chang…now allow me to serve you."

"I'm not thirsty, thank you." I replied politely. I didn't trust the guy as far as I could throw him.

He frowned at me, then offered the glass he'd poured to Duo-who stepped around me to take it.

I ignored that as Jun poured himself a glass, then smiled at me again, "Like I was saying," he muttered, sipping-I heard liquid hit the material of the chair behind my ear and the smell of cloying wine surrounded my head. "I'm glad you came," Jun took another sip, then filled his glass brim-full, "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

I smiled at him, "You gave me V.I.P. passes to the Burn, even if I had to come alone, I'd have come."

The smile in his eyes said he knew that, and I wondered how annoyed he was that I had Duo with me. His eyes rested on my left hand and Duo's ring, which I'd been playing with.

I'd never been so grateful that I'd done something stupid in my life. I'd slid the ring onto my ring-finger.

He smiled again, meeting my eyes, "I have a proposition for you, Mr. Chang."

He said my name so often that I wondered if he wanted me to give him leave to call me by my first name, "Oh really?" I asked, hearing more liquid hit the chair and wondering how Duo was managing his charade of drinking it.

"Yes." Jun sat forward slightly, "I was in your bar a month or two ago, and happened to overhear a conversation between you and some patrons…which I found very pleasant."

I gave him a curious look, thinking back to the times he'd been there and trying to figure out which he was referring to.

"I happened to hear that you are a dancer."

I laughed outright at that, remembering the prank some friends and I had played on Ragan, a straight friend who wanted a stripper for his birthday.

Jun looked politely puzzled, "Am I wrong?"

"I'm sorry, but you are." I replied, grinning at him more, "We were discussing a prank. I jumped out of a cake for a friend who was expecting a stripper, and we all had a good laugh before the real strippers showed up."

Jun's expression changed to considerate a moment, "I'm sorry, then…"

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him as a sick certainty started creeping into my stomach.

"I was going to offer you four-thousand to do a party I'm having in a week's time."

Duo choked and I turned to look at him with huge eyes, silently pleading with him to get us out of here now.

I'd never been so embarrassed in my life.

"You are bisexual, are you not?" Jun pressed, "I have seen you with men in the past."

I turned back to him, not wanting to explain.

"An' what makes you think I'd be comfortable with that?" Duo snapped at him, "Come on, Fei. let's go." he snatched my hand and drug me from the chair.

"Wait, please!" Jun said, standing and jogging after us as I noticed two men beside the wall, hands on their guns. Jun grabbed my arm, which caused both Duo and I to stop abruptly, "I hadn't realized, please forgive me." this was to Duo, "I'll give you both four-thousand."

Duo's hand tightened on mine.

"No thank you," I muttered, pulling away from him, "I'm not interested."

He grabbed me again, studying my eyes, "Then five thousand for tonight."

I yanked away from him, willing Duo to lead on again.

"Seven? Ten? Any price, anything at all!"

Duo pulled me with him to the door-and stopped abruptly.

I turned to look at him, and noticed that the man with the wand was standing in our path.

Jun looked extremely annoyed as he reached us-and shoved a gun into my back, "Just one night, Mr. Chang."

The click of the weapon was very audible.

Duo turned to meet my eyes, his own skimming the entire room.

"Sir, if you'd please have a seat." Jun added, meeting Duo's eyes, "This shouldn't take long. Not even the whole night."

Duo's eyes narrowed and the look of violent rage was slowly filling them.

Jun shoved the gun further into my back-a warning that if I didn't cooperate he'd kill Duo, "Just…Tailor, just…"

Duo stepped back from me, focusing on Jun.

"Thank you," Jun muttered.

I closed my eyes as the sick nausea crept up my spine slowly-Jun had reached around my waist and was messing with my belt.

"Fei," Duo whispered.

I met his eyes and shook my head, knowing that if I said a word to him…I clenched my teeth as Jun nuzzled my throat and the buckle came loose.

"Wufei." Duo's tone was warning this time.

"Just go sit down, all right?" I snapped at him, trying not to start shaking, "Just…go look out the window or something."

"I can't do that." Duo replied easily, catching Jun's hand before he could undo my pants.

"Tailor," I hissed at him, trying to portray with my eyes that there was a gun to my back, which was really meant at his head. I thought he'd have heard the click of the weapon.

"I know," he said evenly, his hand sinking out of my sight.

"If you'd like to watch, I don't mind." Jun muttered, nuzzling my hair.

Duo pressed himself against me and I felt something press into my stomach, taking the knife from him in dismay.

"He's got a knife!" the man at the door had spotted it somehow, but in the next instant there was the bang of one shot…two…three. How I made it onto the floor was beyond my comprehension, but the man who had shouted was now dead.

"I told you I couldn't do that." Duo muttered, and I focused on him. They were a good five feet away from me and the gun was still in Jun's hand. It was now pointing toward the ceiling with the help of Duo's hand, the other two men were dead across the room, and Duo was directly in Jun's face.

"Who the hell are you?" Jun snarled at him, "I know your name's not Tailor."

"I go by many names," Duo replied, forcing the man physically to walk toward me, "To you, I am Tailor."

"You're talking different." the man noted.

"I'm willing to let you keep your pride," Duo informed him, ignoring that, extending one hand toward me without drawing attention to it, "If you let us walk out of this room. Wufei will say you got a phone call, so we left." I pressed the knife into his palm, rising slowly to my feet, "I won't breath a word to the cops about the murders you've committed, and I'll tell anyone who asks that I thought I saw some men in black jackets heading this way."

Jun didn't say anything, studying Duo's eyes.

"Your other option is that I actually commit a murder." Duo purred at him, "A nice gory murder with blood and chunks of flesh." he raised the knife as he said this, studying the saw-tooth edge and meeting Jun's eyes, "Unfortunately, I don't know how to make quick-kills with it yet, so it may be a bit painful." he smiled, "I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

Jun still didn't move, and I backed slowly over the fallen body to the door.

There was another click, and a slow steely slide…before the clip of the gun in Jun's hand bounced on the floor.

Jun backed away instantly, dropping the gun and staring at Duo.

"I knew you'd be a good sport, Jun-old buddy." Duo said happily, turning and making a face at the blood on the floor before meeting Jun's eyes, "Damn First-Rite, they really don't like you here, do they?"

Jun looked utterly pissed.

Duo smiled at him and I opened the door-the music started pounding instantly, which explained why we hadn't been overrun with bouncers yet.

"Shall we, lover?" Duo purred at me, moving up to my side so Jun could see and kissing me, running the hilt of the knife over my ass as he pulled me flush against his body.

I didn't even know Duo could kiss like that.

He laughed, pulling away to meet Jun's eyes again, "You really should have turned off your phone." he slammed the door.

There was a bang and we both ducked as a bullet flew over our heads.

"We've got to run now," Duo informed me, sounding about to laugh, "Sorry you didn't get into the club."

"I think it's lost its novelty." I replied as he pulled me along after him, trying not to fall as he literally jumped down the stairs, righting me as we landed and grinning up at the top of the stairs…as Jun aimed the gun at us again.

We were out the door in an instant, and I was fairly certain Jun hadn't shot.

The bouncer at these doors was blinking at us in astonishment.

Duo shrugged, passing him a bill, "He got a phone call, told us just to call him later or something." he shoved me toward the door.

I didn't even question his decisions.

.

"You're already back?" I asked Duo and Wufei in shock, then noticed something odd.

Wufei was curled against Duo.

"Yeah," Duo replied, his eyes narrowing warningly.

Wufei choked back a sob.

"Um…" I started, not understanding anything I was seeing.

"I got to meet Jun," Duo informed Relena and I pleasantly, "I would have killed him, too, if I could have."

"Are you all right, Wufei?" Relena demanded, moving around me to sit next to them and pull Wufei into a hug-which he didn't seem so apt to accept.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"You can't kill him, Heero," Wufei snapped at me, wiping his eyes, "So don't worry about it."

I frowned at Relena, "Do I really seem that selfish?"

She shook her head at me, looking to Wufei again, "We're asking what happened, Wufei."

"Jun was waiting for us." Duo informed me, "He offered Wufei a job."

"What kind of job?" I snapped, not sure what to think of this.

"He wanted Wufei to dance at a party he's throwing," Duo explained, "He'd heard that Wufei was a stripper."

"That was just a prank," Relena said, blinking at me, "Wasn't it?"

"It was."

"He heard us plotting it." Wufei said, taking a deep shaking breath and straightening himself to sit normally again, "So when I told him no to that, he offered three grand for me to fuck him tonight."

My jaw dropped.

"Then seven…then ten. Anything." he swallowed, meeting my eyes for the first time of the night, "And then he pulled out his gun."

"Oh my god," Relena breathed, forcing Wufei's head so he looked at her, "He didn't…have you gone to the police?"

"Duo killed the guards before he could do more than undo my belt," Wufei explained, his voice getting thick again.

"Why can't I kill him, Wufei?" I snapped, crossing the room to stand in front of him, "Give me one good reason."

"He's the leader of Swathe." Wufei replied, not meeting my eyes.

My blood ran cold and I sat heavily next to Relena, running my hands over my eyes, "So what are we going to do?"

"We went up there," Wufei replied, "Before he could say anything, his phone rang. We left and saw members of First Rite heading toward the room."

I met Duo's eyes, realizing that he'd have been the one to arrange this, then looked to Relena.

"I want you to move back in here, Wufei." she informed him, meeting my eyes, "And maybe we should get the others back."

I nodded, rubbing my eyes again.

"Then he'll know where you live," Wufei muttered, not looking at anyone.

"Yes, but we live in the territory of Jaded." Relena replied, "They don't dare cross that border."

I thought about what Jesse might say to me about bringing Wufei back into the area. The man was scared enough of my skills that he treated me with respect-which reminded me that common courtesy stated I should introduce him to Duo.

Well, kill three birds with one stone, huh?

"Heero?" Relena muttered.

I realized she really wanted to know what I thought and nodded slowly, "Yeah," I agreed, rising to my feet, "And we need to get Hilde back over here."

"What about my brother?" Relena muttered, "Should we tell him?"

"No, he'll try and bring it to the legal-light and that would fuck everything up."

"But he could put more patrols this way."

"We don't need more cops this way, Relena."

"I don't know, Heero…" she started, "I think it would be better to at least tell him."

"No." I snapped at her, which caused Wufei to jump.

Relena narrowed her eyes at me.

"Come on, Wufei," Duo muttered, rising to his feet, "Let's go get your stuff and give your notice."

"We'll take my car," I muttered, digging out my keys and frowning slightly at Relena, "Could you call Quatre and Trowa for me?"

She nodded, still glaring.

"Thank you." I muttered, pulling the front door open, "We shouldn't be gone too long."