Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 1 Blood on the Window ❯ An Offer Not to Be Refused ( Chapter 24 )

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

I rubbed my eyes, sitting forward in my seat-Duo was taking too long. He'd said he was only going to run in and buy one knife that he'd seen in passing with Quatre. It'd been fifteen minutes now, though, and I was getting annoyed.

"Holy fuck!" I ducked down as the passenger side window of my car shattered, realizing suddenly that we weren't on Jesse's land and squealing from where I was waiting and turning sharply, praying for Duo to come out.

Two shots broke the silence and I looked up, seeing Duo at the door to the store, his eyes narrowed as he stared across the parking lot, gun in hand.

"Jesus," I muttered as he climbed in. His eyes were still on the spot where he'd evidently seen someone.

"I think Jesse was serious, Fei." he muttered pleasantly, "I suggest you accelerate and get us out of here before his backups show up."

"You didn't kill him?" I demanded, irritated before I thought of what I asked.

"No, I missed." he muttered, "I got his gun, but missed his head."

"That's bad aim," I muttered, gunning my engine and taking off across the parking lot.

"No, I meant to get the gun and hit his head, but it's windier than I realized."

"Do you see anyone?"

"Nada." he muttered, turning around in his seat.

I scanned in front of us, "Where's the technical boundary of Jesse's part of town?"

"Veta street." he replied, "That's his land. I'm not sure of the boundary other than that."

"Do they have gray areas?" I asked, slightly amused.

"Couple of them."

I snorted, realizing that I'd just been shot at, studying the hole in my door as cold wind tore into the shattered window, "You know?" I muttered, fingering the thing, "He was a bad shot."

Duo smirked, meeting my eyes, "That's the wind, Wufei. It's coming in gusts."

"I think there's a god I should be thanking," I muttered, "Any ideas?"

"Nope, I only know of one god."

I started to chuckle.

.

"Tio, what happened to your window?" Alex asked Wufei curiously as he and Duo piled out of Wufei's car. I'd been taking my daughter into the house with Miguel, and now we both were staring at the car. Only Alex had the mind to ask.

"I…hit something." Wufei lied easily, glancing at her before meeting my eyes, "Someone missed me, rather." he muttered in Chinese.

"What?" Alex and Miguel asked.

"Inside, please." Duo muttered, looking around behind them, "I'd rather not be out in the open. I don't know how far I trust Jun."

.

The room had fallen silent, though we could all hear Alex upstairs singing as she took her bath.

I paced in front of the television again, glancing to my friends.

"They were keeping you in the store?" Heero asked, disbelieving.

I nodded, "I could tell something was up, they were all nervous and keeping everyone in the office area. I didn't argue with their rep when he told me the price was double, but he rang it up for normal and ran off. When I got outside, Wufei was driving around the parking lot and I could see the guy with a fuckin' sniper rifle. We have to thank whatever god made today a blustery day." I looked out the window, where the trees were nearly bent double in the wind.

"You got another knife?" Heero asked, sounding pleased.

Okay. That was annoying.

I threw the new knife at him so it landed between his legs, causing him to jump and shout something that was a peculiar mixture of languages.

He stared at me.

I smirked at him, then paced to the window.

"That's a clever trick," Relena muttered in a tone of false sweetness, "Unfortunately, these couches are mine."

"I'll buy you new ones." I returned, not looking at her. I was not in the mood to be lectured. I turned back to them, "I was nearly to the door when I saw the window of his car shatter."

Relena, who'd been about to say more to me, stopped.

"I watched the window shatter, and him duck…and for a half a second I thought the shot had landed." that would have been my fault. On his own, Wufei'd had no reason to leave Jesse's domain. On his own, Wufei wouldn't have called in sick to work tonight.

"This is…a nice knife." Heero muttered into the silence, having pulled it carefully from the couch.

"Which is why I bought it." I returned, pacing back across the living room.

"You think that's your fault, don't you?" Wufei asked me, his expression knowing.

I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Duo…it's not your fault," Relena muttered, moving across the room to stand with me, "How could you have known…"

"I knew we were beyond Jesse's boundaries." I snapped cutting her off, "I know where Jun's land is."

"Is he having me watched?" Wufei asked, looking out the window.

Relena sighed, pulling the drapes closed, "We aren't going to worry about that."

"If he's having him watched…" I started.

"I think you and I should go practice shooting in high wind," Heero muttered thoughtfully as he joined Relena and I, passing my knife to me, "Anyone care to join us?"

The idea seemed very appealing to me-even though I knew he meant live-targets.

"No, Heero." Relena said, "You're not going to do that."

"Excuse me?" he muttered, turning to meet her eyes.

"If you start killing his men, then he'll get upset."

"I was planning on talking to Jesse first." Heero explained, "I want to know their treaties…and then point out to him that I'm not part of his gang."

"You're above gang affiliation." Relena snapped pointedly at him.

"I am." he agreed, "But when one of my brothers is only stopped from being shot in the head by a gust of wind, I do something about it."

I started for the door.

"This is a mistake." Relena muttered to us as Trowa suddenly darted upstairs.

Wufei followed Trowa.

"You're not all going?" she demanded in disbelief.

"Let it lie, my queen." I advised, meeting her eyes seriously, "You have to trust our judgment."

"Not when you're being…"

"Majesty," I cut her off pointedly, causing her to meet my eyes again, "You accepted us as your advisors, as leaders of your security team. Were we in fact in office, you would have nothing to say about our current venture."

"A pretty speech, Mr. Maxwell," she muttered darkly, "But pretty words will not sway my frame of mind."

I studied her a long moment as Heero moved past me and Trowa appeared, tucking a gun under his waistband, "Miguel?" he asked.

"Of course." Miguel replied easily, though he didn't stand.

"We'll be back." Wufei added to the guy as they filed past me.

"I think I must insist." Relena muttered.

I flashed her a grin, "Good thing we're not known for our obedience." I started to pull the door shut after me.

Relena caught it, "Duo!"

I turned and met her eyes, "This shouldn't take long."

.

Jesse stared at all of us as we filed into his living room, "What's up?" he asked, losing his dominant aire in an instant.

"Wufei was just shot at." I replied easily.

Jesse rose to his feet, his eyes flashing as the men around him stared at us in amazement, "They wouldn't dare!"

"Not on your land." I agreed, "Unfortunately, Duo and Wufei had left it."

Jesse's eyes flashed as he looked to Duo.

"Say it." Duo encouraged him, his new knife slipping slightly from his pocket, "Test my mood."

Jesse stepped back slightly-more a shift.

"So, we're going to go take care of this mess." I added, studying the guy's eyes, "What's the stipulation?"

"Not on my land, not on my time, not in my sight." he replied instantly, looking me over curiously, "Find a gray area if you can manage it," he pointed at Duo, "You know those."

"Where are they, Jesse?" Duo returned before I could say more, gesturing with his knife at the assorted lackeys, "They'd better vouch for you if this comes up some time between you lot." he looked to each person pointedly, "Because we are of no syndicate."

"I can't answer that, Duo…you know I can't answer that."

Duo went extremely still and cold, his eyes moving slowly back to Jesse's, "What?"

"I cannot answer that question."

"Because you don't know?" it was as much a question as a statement.

"Because I can't." Jesse replied.

Duo stepped forward so he and Jesse were eye to eye, his mannerisms still cold, "As my friend," he muttered, "I ask this of you."

.

"That wind is really blowing." I noted to Heero as we crouched on top of a building.

Duo had showed us the man he'd shot at-which marked him easily, since his hand was in a bandage.

"I've shot in wind like this." Heero reassured me, carefully taking his aim.

"It's been years since I shot." I muttered, fingering my firearm, "I went out a few times to plink with friends, but…"

"That might be a good thing, Tro."

"Yeah…but…"

"Don't worry at it."

"How come you're always on Duo to do shit like this?" I muttered, frowning. I'd had the feeling he'd say something to me about how sad that was. I was slightly offended.

"Because he used to do this all the time." Heero replied easily, "He and I would take out big-pins one at a time, counting to find out who got more." his finger squeezed the trigger slowly, "He's not really a church mouse. He's not even very godly." there was the hissing sound as his bullet moved through the silencer and I ducked.

"I think he never used to be," I protested in Duo's defense, "But he's changed."

"Which is why," Heero pulled the trigger again before joining me out of sight, "He's with Kayla nightly, he joins me on jobs, and he bought two knives."

"He's always admired knives, he loves Kayla, and you made him go out on jobs with you."

"Only a few." Heero returned, "He's been coming with me willingly for the last however many I got." he studied my eyes, "You'll see. He's really as nuts as they claim."

"That's not funny." I muttered, seeing Duo gesturing to us and scurrying low across the roof.

Heero only laughed.

.

Relena was pissed when we got back to the house. She had been pacing until we'd all come in, and for a long moment it looked like she'd say something condescending.

"Well?" she demanded finally of Heero.

"It's done." he replied, studying her.

"Good." she wasn't any less pissed as she stormed up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door, however.

"She's been worried." Miguel muttered from the kitchen, moving to the door.

I sighed, moving through my brethren to lean into his arms.

"So what happened?"

"We gave Jun something to think about." Duo replied with a smirk, "And I believe we all got a little shooting practice in." he looked us all over.

Miguel's arms froze around me.

I pulled away from him, blinking as I studied his eyes.

He looked shocked.

"Who wants cocoa?" Duo added, moving between us to get into the kitchen.

I stared at Miguel as he instantly turned to follow Duo.

"Easy," Trowa muttered quietly to me, "Let him digest it."

"What's his tweak?" I demanded in Chinese so I wouldn't have to keep my voice down.

"I don't think he actively realized you were a pilot." Trowa explained easily.

"What?" Duo asked us, blinking at Heero, then Miguel.

"I know you understand them." Miguel muttered darkly.

"I do. I'm just…startled." Duo replied, studying his eyes.

Miguel looked away.

Duo smirked at me, "You really need to do something about that, Wufei."

I shook my head, looking away from everyone, "I know."

.

Jesse was beaming as he came into the house, looking us all over. Hilde, who'd been berating Trowa, fell silent as she met his eyes. Relena gave him a narrow, pointed, look from where she was sitting on the couch.

"You look pleased." I noted.

He met Heero's eyes and inclined his head respectfully, "You have no idea." he pointed at Wufei, who was standing in the door to the kitchen, gesturing for him to follow as he started pushing me up the stairs.

"Hey!" I muttered, dodging his next shove and moving up the stairs as Wufei came around the bottom slowly.

"Come on." Jesse muttered to him, gesturing him up.

I sat on the bed, raising an eyebrow at Jesse as Kayla muttered petulantly to someone downstairs. When Wufei came in, Jesse shut the door and shoved Wufei onto the bed, "Oh my god…" he muttered, grinning more.

"Kinky, much?" Wufei asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Jesse gave him a vaguely disgusted look before meeting my eyes again, "Guess what?"

"What?" I asked.

"Jun is pissed."

Wufei and I exchanged a look.

Jesse laughed more, sitting at the end of the bed, "But he's pissed at me now, too."

"Oh?" I asked.

"Muchly." Jesse agreed, laughing happily, "I told him…don't kill me, Fei…but I told him you were under my protection now."

Wufei tilted his head to study the guy.

"That's why I had you two come up here…because I can repeal it."

Wufei looked to me, thinking about that.

"…You know I despise him." Jesse added, "I work with him as a matter of…well, people were leaving because our little war was getting out of hand. We made our treaty…and I can do this. I can claim you as one of mine…if you'll let me."

"So…you want me to join your gang?" Wufei was grinning slightly.

Jesse shrugged, looking away from our eyes, "You know you're already part of it…at least to most peoples minds. I wouldn't ask anything of you, of course…but…" he looked up to Fei, sincere concern in his eyes, "I want to help."

Wufei's smile drained slowly off his face and finally he sighed, shaking his head, "I can't do that." he muttered.

Jesse's elated expression fell.

Wufei shook his head slowly, not meeting my eyes, "I got myself into this mess, I don't need to drag you with me. I have no choice with the others," this was accompanied by a glance at me, "but…I don't want to take you down and restart that war."

"Jun's not stupid enough to restart the war," Jesse muttered, hurt feelings starting to show on his face.

Wufei thought about that a long moment, then met Jesse's eyes, "I know you put yourself out on a limb for me…and I appreciate it…but…I have to deal with Jun in my own way." he sighed, looking to me, "I need to start doing a lot of things…including taking care of myself. I know that Jun liked my helpless act, as well as many other people, but, Jesse," he sat forward seriously, "You know that I was a Gundam pilot, just like the rest…but what you didn't know was that I was the strongest warrior in my clan. I was married to a…woman…of another clan to be the heir. The leader."

Jesse was staring at him, "Married?" he asked blankly, then focused again, "Woman?"

Wufei drew himself up.

I couldn't help it, really, come on. If you heard a guy say something like that…it wasn't my fault I died laughing.

Wufei punched me in the arm.

I choked my laughter off, then cleared my throat, "You know he's bi, Jackass."

Jesse cleared his throat, looking away with a slight grin of embarrassment and amusement, "He's just…been fixating on men lately."

Wufei threw a pillow at the guy.

"Sorry!" he protested before Wufei could take my pillow and start beating him with it, "Sorry! But…come on…you're always hanging on Duo…and you've been with Miguel for a while now…and…"

"Fly, you fool," I muttered, choking back more laughter, "You know not your peril…"

.

"I told you," Jesse said darkly into his cell-phone, "He's a friend of mine. If you have him killed, I'll take out someone of equal importance to you. Do you really want to start that? We both only have so many true friends."

I was leaning against the fridge with a cup of juice in my hand, my legs crossed slightly in front of me. Relena and I believed in heat. We believed in paying a bit more on the electricity bill to keep comfortable in our home. I was wearing socks, a t-shirt, and boxers.

Of course, with the way the wind was blowing we probably wouldn't have electricity all night, but that was something else entirely.

Jesse was standing at the sink, staring out the window into the back yard-probably watching the trees as the wind ripped at them.

"I agree. He could have went about the entire thing differently, but Jun…you should have went about it another way instantly…don't give me that line. What would have happened the first time you smoked vrit when you two were together? He doesn't smoke the shit. You realize that he's also friends with the assassin, don't you?"

I grinned, sipping my drink.

"So let's think about this a moment," Jesse muttered, looking down, "He's the lover of one assassin who has proved himself against you…and the best friend of one of the other assassins of the city…and he's got two buddies that are street-fighters…" Jesse snorted, "Okay, let's speak plainly, Jun. Heero Yuy is a guerilla warrior who has been known to take out entire squadrons on his own…when he was still a boy. Duo Maxwell was a little orphan boy who has also been known to take out an entire squadron on his own…as a boy-you kill the lover…the friend…of these two powers…these two combined powers, and you think your guards would stand up to them? They don't always work from the shadow."

It had never really occurred to me that I would be considered a power. I'd always considered Duo as something of a power-he'd made quite the impression on me during the time we spent together, but myself? Of course, Duo and I together were pretty-much unstoppable, so it made sense…but still…

"I think they could knock down the gates of hell if they chose to," Jesse went on, "and the Satan himself would beg for mercy."

I always enjoyed flattery…but that was just shameless! I grinned.

"I know they killed ten of your guys," Jesse said in exasperation, "And if we got specific, I could tell you the break-up of the kills…" Jesse drew himself up, "Then we've reached the end of our discussion." he slammed his phone closed, swearing quietly as he turned-and focused on me, stopping completely.

The power flickered and died.

"Heero!" Relena's voice was completely whining.

I moved quietly across the room to stand in front of Jesse, leaning forward so we were eye to eye.

He was completely frozen, looking as terrified now as he had the night I'd held a gun to his head and introduced myself.

"Jesse?" I muttered quietly.

"Yeah?" he asked, his tone was worried and he was standing rigidly-as if waiting for a blow.

"You got a flashlight?"