Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 1 Blood on the Window ❯ Basic Essentials ( Chapter 25 )

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

A chill climbed up my spine as I stared straight ahead, in the mirror, meeting Jun's eyes. We were at the Burn again, though tonight it was only Duo, Jesse, and I. Jun looked for a moment like he'd speak, his lips parting very slightly before he forced himself to look away from me, turning and starting toward the bathrooms.

"You play a dangerous game."

I turned to blink at the man who'd just slid next to me at the bar. He was about Duo's height with piercing green eyes. His hair was a golden-blond and cropped short to his head. His mannerisms were completely easy, as if he knew me.

If I hadn't been with Miguel…

"I play many dangerous games." I returned evenly, "Some just draw more attention than others."

He chuckled slightly, "There's a fine line between dangerous and stupid, Mr. Chang."

I studied his eyes a moment longer, thinking over the various people who would know me.

The guy turned slowly so he was facing the club, sipping his drink, "This is a dangerous city to play these games in. One wrong word…one gesture…can bring demise on the care…"

…and Duo was there, stepping out of the crowd, his new knife at the man's throat, "Careless?" Duo asked him sweetly, pressing the knife against his throat, "You seem to be rather careless. You picked the wrong time to show up, Buddy."

"Uh…" I started, feeling like I should mention that the guy hadn't threatened me.

The man didn't move, studying Duo's eyes, "I mean no harm." he muttered.

"You're in the wrong profession," Duo informed him, his tone dripping of malice, "Talking to the wrong person. Why should I believe you?"

"I will not take a contract on him." the guy snapped, his green eyes not wavering from Duo's brown ones, "I'm not stupid, nor do I have a death wish."

And it clicked.

This was Ace, the lunatic.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"About to call the bouncers over." Ace snarled, "Let them deal with you."

"Tailor, please." Jesse appeared on his other side, resting one hand on Duo's arm.

Duo lowered the knife, then made it disappear, studying the man.

"I was only talking to Mr. Chang." Ace added, his tone defensive and annoyed-he wasn't really scared of Duo, was he? He looked to Jesse expectantly.

"It's fine, Tailor." I muttered, grabbing his wrist and pulling him to me, wrapping my legs around his thighs and staring into his eyes when he focused on me, "Jun is here." I added in a low voice.

"I saw him," Duo spat, then focused on Ace again, "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to offer you some cat-nip." he replied, narrowing his eyes and extending one hand.

Duo narrowed his own eyes and opened his palm, blinking at the purple pill Ace set carefully in it.

"Jesus!" I snapped, snatching the thing from him and focusing on the man, "Where the hell did you get that?"

"What was it?" Duo asked, blinking at me.

"Kaseen." I snapped, crushing the pill in my palm.

Duo turned to stare at Ace.

Ace popped his neck, studying me and watching as I dusted my hands over the floor-we did it at Pawn whenever we found the stuff, "I picked it up," he gestured to the club, "I knew you'd know how to dispose of it, Mr. Chang, so decided to take my chances."

"What is it with assassins and kaseen," Jesse muttered, looking away from us.

"You are not against the drug, Mr. Fallon?" Ace muttered, then blinked, meeting Duo's eyes, "I wasn't aware that you knew the cat."

"We're friends." Jesse replied easily, "How do you think I came up with the name for him? I know him."

Duo smirked slightly.

"I'm going to leave now." Ace muttered, pushing away from the bar, "You people set my nerves on edge."

Duo tilted his head slightly, running his hand through the guy's hair not letting him leave, "You want me to set your nerves on edge?"

Ace froze.

I chuckled, tightening my legs around my friend and pulling him to me, "No, I don't think you'll be doing that."

Ace took the offered out, dodging between Jesse and us before darting out the doors to the club, glancing back at us warily before he disappeared.

"You scared him off!" Jesse protested at us, "He's so much fun to talk to!"

We both gave him a level look.

He laughed evilly, gesturing to the bartender.

.

"Duo?"

"Yeah?" I muttered, opening my eyes slowly-I hadn't been awake enough to realize I was grabbing my phone, let alone answering it.

"Did I wake you up?" Kayla's tone was concerned.

"It's fine," I reassured her, "What's going on?"

"I'm gonna…stay here all week."

"All week?" I protested, sitting up as Wufei woke up and blinked at me.

"I know…but…well, it's gonna be Christmas…and I'll come home for New Year's…don't be mad at me, please?"

"I'm not mad," I started, trying to rearrange my thoughts, "Just…just…"

"Who the hell are you to tell my sister not to spend time with her family?" this woman's voice was slightly harsh and very much not Kayla, though there was something of the same quality to it.

"What?" I demanded, lost.

"Why the fuck are you making my sister worry…"

"I said I wasn't mad, just startled." I snapped back, "Who the hell is this?"

"This is Natalie." she snapped back, "And you'd better listen to me, Duo, because I'm only going to say this…"

"I'm sorry!" Kayla muttered suddenly, regaining control of her phone, "You're not mad, right?"

"I'm confused." I replied, trying to keep my nerves under control. I'd been high strung the entire time we'd been at the Burn, and coming home had been nerve-wracking because there was a gray area between our house and that club, and Jesse wasn't riding with us when we left.

"What's going on?" Wufei muttered.

"Tell Fei I'm sorry," Kayla added, then snapped something at her sister about shutting up and minding her own business.

"She says she's sorry for waking you." I informed him.

"Hm."

"So…how are we gonna do our Christmas?" she asked after a moment.

"When will you be back?" I returned, starting to feel sulky. I already had her present, and I'd wanted to give it to her on the holiday, the idea that she may not come back after the weekend hadn't even crossed my mind.

"I'm gonna come back Saturday," she said softly.

"Really?" I asked, perking up, "Can we go out? You want to go out with me?"

"I am." she teased, then giggled, "I think I do. That would be fun…will the others go?"

"Well…Wufei and I tend to go with Jesse every weekend…and sometimes the others do."

She giggled again, "You should bring Heero. I still owe him something."

"I don't think we should pursue that line of conversation," I muttered, my spirits dipping again. I didn't want to know what had gone on between Kayla and Heero before I came into the picture.

She giggled, "Okay…I love you."

"I love you too," I replied, then sighed, "All week? I wanted you for Christmas!"

She giggled more, "I've got to go, my sister seems to think you're a controlling bastard."

"What have you told her about me?"

Kayla giggled, "Nothing! I didn't say anything bad…I guess we just have it too good. She thinks I'm lying to cover things up."

I snorted, "Well, when I meet her we can clear that up."

"Yeah," she agreed with another giggle, then sighed, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too." I muttered, thinking about the week ahead of me.

"Shouldn't you guys be about ready to go? Isn't Quatre getting there in an hour or something?"

I sat up, looking to the clock, "Shit!"

"I'll call you later, baby." she informed me in an all too amused tone.

"Love you."

She giggled and hung up.

"What are you doing?" Wufei whined at me.

"It's ten!"

"Shit!"

.

Relena's hair was up in a bun, and water was dripping down her back slightly, and overall, the group looked rather…well, wet.

"Is it raining?" I asked, turning to find a window.

Heero chuckled, pulling me into a hug, "No, we just only woke up an hour ago."

"What?" I demanded, blinking at him.

He took Lea from me, who was sleeping.

Duo sighed, moving forward to hug me-he and Wufei looked the most tired of the lot, "We've had a long few days." he explained.

I looked at them all, frowning slightly.

"Jun's decided I'm better off dead." Wufei muttered quietly in Chinese as Alex gave him an annoyed look.

"What?" I asked again, shocked.

"He even had an attempt."

I looked at them all, feeling betrayed.

"It was Thursday," Trowa muttered in a reassuring tone, "We didn't want to bother you or rush you, so we took care of the issue."

"Jun was at Burn last night too…and the lunatic." Duo added.

"What?" this time, it was Heero.

"He was telling me I was playing a dangerous game," Wufei explained.

Everyone exchanged nervous looks.

I laughed slightly, "Can I hurt Jun?" I asked, thinking of the best way to really hurt him…

"As long as you don't go alone." Wufei conceded.

This got him a few looks.

"Good." I muttered, looking to Duo.

"So…how many presents did you bring and how much last-minute shopping do we have?" Relena asked, moving through the men to hug me. Her expression was vaguely annoyed.

"I'm having Zena ship them tomorrow." I replied, thinking of how willing my sister had been to help, "So we don't have to worry about it tonight, but I do need to get some stuff for Heero and Jesse."

Relena nodded, linking her arm in mine and starting to lead us toward the doors, gesturing over her shoulder for the others to follow, "I'm going to introduce Jesse to Zechs," she muttered with a little giggle.

"Are you, really?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the others. They'd all started following wordlessly; none of them even seemed to realize what Relena had just done.

She giggled more, "He swore something like fealty to me last week, you know?"

"What the hell has been going on around here?" I demanded in exasperation, stopping to look at everyone.

Duo chuckled, moving between Relena and I to stop a bit in front of me, displaying the knife he'd been looking at in a shop, "It's a long story, Q, why don't we save it until we're home and go get cocoa?"

"Or coffee," Heero countered, "I'm sure the girls are hungry, and I haven't had any caffeine yet today."

"Poor baby!" Relena muttered sarcastically.

"You were the last one of us to get up," Heero snapped at her in irritation, "You were the one who'd said she'd set her alarm, and you are the one who took a half-hour shower, so don't you start."

Relena broke into giggles, moving to stand by him and frown at Lea. He was holding her, so Relena couldn't move into his arms.

I stared at them all, then gave up. I'd get it all in the end, anyway.

"Coffee sounds good."

.

"Jesse!" Relena called across the diner happily, standing slightly in her seat to wave at the guy as he and a few others came in.

"Lindsay!" Jesse returned, blinking at the rest of us before his face split into a huge grin and he crossed with the men to stare at us, "Rob," he added, his tone less pleased and more wary.

I grinned at him.

Quatre tilted his head slightly to study the guy appreciatively, "Hi, Jesse."

"What are you all doing here?" Jesse added, looking us over before looking to the men behind him, "This is Justin Vaughn," he indicated a man with dusty black hair-it was…the color of dark ash, though not actually gray. The guy seemed to be about Jesse's own age, "And this is Blake Laun." the other man had plain brown hair and plain brown eyes, the only thing about him was that caught notice was the fact that he obviously worked out.

"This is Lindsay Darlian," Jesse went on, indicating Relena, "And Tony Vanderin," he indicated me, "Tailor Johnson," Duo actually got more than just a nod. The guys stared at him as he smirked, "Chang Wufei," Wufei also got a bit more attention, "Robert Lain," Quatre also got the sudden focus, "Chance Mier, and…Marcus." Jesse indicated Miguel with a confused look.

"Notable company," Justin muttered, extending a hand to Relena to kiss her knuckles.

If this fucker knew who she was, I was going to be pissed.

"I'm pleased to meet you all…but I was under the impression none of you were civilized."

Duo chuckled darkly, "Depends on our company."

Justin's eyes lit with amusement as he studied Duo a moment and nodded, "I'd ask to join you," he added, "But it seems your table is full-instead, might I invite you to visit me at my home? I have much respect for the Cheshire Cat."

Duo narrowed his eyes a moment, then focused on Jesse.

"Endgame." he replied easily, as if Duo's look had been a question.

Justin snapped his attention to the guy.

"As I recall, your lands would be in the south-western bit of the city." Duo muttered, "And with the current…situation, it would not benefit us to go to your home."

Justin frowned, "I could speak with Swathe, gain you free passage."

"Why don't you all just meet at my place?" Jesse muttered before Duo could snap anything-I myself had been about to ask him what the cost of that would be.

Justin looked at all of us in turn again before nodding slightly, "I'd enjoy that."

"Are you busy Monday?" Jesse asked him, flicking a glance at us.

"We're free until five," Wufei muttered, "I work then."

Jesse frowned, "I was thinking we could have…supper."

"I'm actually engaged on Monday evening," Justin replied, frowning slightly.

"We are free before-hand," Relena murmured pointedly, "We could have a luncheon."

Justin considered that, then focused on Jesse.

"That would be fine," Jesse muttered, smiling slightly at her.

"Wonderful!" Justin said happily, "I would be overjoyed to meet with you then!" he thought a moment, "Say…one?"

Relena nodded happily.

"I would enjoy that," I muttered, smiling slightly.

Jesse smiled at all of us, focusing on the waitress who'd neared us curiously, "That would be our call," he muttered, nodding to us all, "I'll drop by this evening," he added quietly as the other two men started away.

"Later." I muttered.

"Endgame?" Relena asked when they were out of earshot, "What the hell kind of name is that?"

"They deal in computer shit," Duo explained, shifting slightly in his seat, "I hear he was a gamer and built his empire from the net-up."

I snorted, "Clever way of doing business, but how did he get land?"

"You'd be amazed what a bunch of computer nerds can accomplish." Duo replied with a grin, "They also have their hand in just about every vrit shipment this side of China."

"Nice." Relena muttered sarcastically, "I was hoping I'd only have to deal with land-battles…those guys will try and kill my network, won't they?"

"You don't hare to worry about them," I muttered, shifting so we were shoulder to shoulder, meeting her eyes, "I'll keep your machines safe."

She smiled at me, kissing me, "I love you."

"I love you." I muttered back, kissing her again.

"At any rate," Duo continued, ignoring that she was rubbing her nose against mine, "He started out with a cult following of sorts, then got ahold of weapons. After that it was a normal build-up. He was financed by his rich mother until he started getting his own money."

Relena looked away from me finally to frown at him, "How…good…are they?"

"I don't know. I just got the basic lay of the land and a few back-stories. I asked Jesse the same thing you did when he told me what Endgame was about."

"How did you get the lay of the land?" Wufei asked finally.

"Jesse had a map out when I went over alone once." he explained further, "There was writing all over it with things crossed out." he smirked slightly, "I'd asked him to tell me before, of course, but he always refused. He was preoccupied enough, though, that he started answering my questions."

"You're evil." I muttered, grinning at him, "I love how evil you are."

"You love a lot of things lately," Wufei muttered with a grin.

I winked at him.

"You'd be amazed how your manner affects people," Duo added, focusing on Wufei suddenly, studying his lips when Wufei looked back to him, "How you can disarm someone…" he brushed his fingertips lightly down Wufei's exposed forearm.

I saw the goose bumps show up on Wufei's arm as he took a slow breath, his eyes moving back to Duo's in confusion.

"How you can…" Duo's hand disappeared below the table and Wufei tensed, sitting up slightly, "…manipulate people with simple actions…" comprehension took place of Wufei's confusion and he turned on Duo, starting to beat on him as Duo died laughing and tried to move away.

"I think it helps if you're not giving a verbal blow-by-blow," Trowa informed us, pulling Alex into his lap and Lea closer to him. The girls had been sitting next to the pair.

"Some day I'm gonna knock the shit out of you, Duo." Miguel muttered darkly.

Duo laughed more, winking at him before pouting at Wufei, rubbing his upper arm, "That hurt…"

"Fucker."

Lea and Alex gasped.

"Come on," Trowa muttered in a bit of irritation, "Watch your mouths."

.

"What did you do to Wufei?" Jesse asked me, passing me a cigarette, "We couldn't figure out why he suddenly started beating on you."

I laughed, allowing him to light it for me. Neither of us really smoked, but he'd appeared at our table not long after Miguel had threatened me. The fact that he asked me if I wanted to join him meant he'd wanted to talk, and had I realized what it was about, I'd have turned him down.

"Seriously, though." Jesse pressed.

"I was giving them an object lesson on manipulation." I returned, inhaling slowly as I studied his eyes, "He didn't like being the object."

Jesse sniggered, glancing toward the building as he lit his own cancer-stick, "What did you do?"

"I…" used his attraction to me against him, playing with his sexual frustration with me to embarrass him in front of our friends, "…manipulated…him." I returned, giving Jesse a look.

He chuckled, shaking his head, "Okay, now for my real interest," he muttered, moving closer, "About Monday."

"Yeah?" I flicked my coffin-nail so the ash fell to the ground.

"You guys really okay with that?"

I shrugged, "I don't mind. Playing the Cheshire Cat is fun-and I know for a fact that Quatre gets off on playing Rob."

"That's quite the character for him," Jesse muttered, flicking his own cigarette.

"It's fun, at least." I muttered, "I feel bad for cutting him, though."

"Really?" that was startled.

I met his eyes, slightly disbelieving, "Quatre is my friend. Do you like hurting your friends?"

"Good point." he agreed, taking another drag, "I don't mind Justin," he added thoughtfully, "I think we'd actually be friends if we didn't have other obligations, but his formality is cloying."

"You hang out with him much?"

"No, he hasn't even started calling me by name yet."

"That's probably why. He'd probably loosen up if he knew you."

"Yeah…all the same, this luncheon Relena suggested will be nerve-wracking."

"How?"

Jesse's face flashed in a brief grin as he looked past me at the street, "Justin annoys me, and Rob likes me, remember?"

"Oh yeah," I smirked at him, "But the cat can keep him under control-Rob enjoys the claws."

"You gonna bring both your knives?"

"I always have them on me anymore," I replied, shaking my right leg slightly. I had my hunting knife in the lower pocket of my cargo pants, and the new one in my right pocket. I also had my gun at my hip, but that was something else entirely.

"I still can't believe Jun actually took a shot at Wufei." he muttered, focusing on my pocket.

"If we kill him," I asked seriously, "What throw-backs are there? Would all order just…fall apart?"

He shook his head slowly, "I don't really want to think about it-but…" he sighed, meeting my eyes, "Leadership of Swathe would fall to Jun's generals. He has three. These men all have sects loyal to them…"

"So wouldn't it break into three groups?" I demanded, "Wouldn't that break his land up into thirds?"

"That's where it gets messy. They'd all feel they should keep the title of Swathe, and call in allies to them. The gray areas are littered with smaller gangs who are willing to kill, and these gangs would join with the new 'Swathe' to gain control over the rest-or at the very least, keep the name. One of these guys is the lover of a lady in Gray-day. She'd pull her people into it, which would make Donovan pissed at her. He'd order his people back…and it'd basically cause a ripple effect."

"Couldn't you just…suffocate that?" I asked, thinking over the various people in the city who respected him.

"Not without seeming like I wanted control of Swathe myself. Swathe and Jaded are considerable powers on their own. If Swathe fell to Jaded, Jaded would be bigger than any other syndicate. If I stepped in, even to help, everyone would have a finger in it. Do you realize how messy that would be?"

"So…taking out Jun would either cause a domino effect, or a mass-war." I sighed, dropping my coffin-nail and grinding it out under my foot, "Nice."

"Yeah. I'd rather have Jun dead as well. The fact that he's decided that if he can't have Wufei, no one can, drives me insane. We can't even talk to each other anymore. You realize that after you jackasses left my place to take out his guys he called me? He wanted to see if Fei was scared or not."

I snorted, "That's nice."

"Yeah. His calm questions degenerated into a bitch fest about you and Wufei, which degenerated into him whining that he was better for Wufei, even though he hates him, that he could provide Wufei with anything he wanted…"

I rolled my eyes.

"He's either very obsessed with our Chinese prince, or he's really in love."

"From what I've gathered, he couldn't really be in love with Wufei." I muttered, thinking over the stories Wufei had told me, "Though Jun is a powerful man, and powerful men generally have someone they want to protect."

"Who do you want to protect?" he asked suddenly.

I blinked up at him, Kayla flashing through my mind, "Huh?"

"Nothing, go on."

I shook my head slightly, thinking again, "And Wufei's been letting us take care of him since we were sixteen or so. He doesn't…act helpless with us, but he's let us fight his fights for him forever."

"Do you know why?" Jesse studied my eyes.

Because he confused himself by joining our enemy. When we attacked his judgment he stopped trusting it. When we remained confident in ourselves, he became confident in us. When he was attacked and we attacked back for him, he found a way that he didn't have to choose.

"It's nothing for me to talk about." I replied easily.

"Hm…" he thought a moment before grinding out his own cigarette, "I guess. What do you want to do tonight?"

"I need to finish shopping-without Fei. I haven't gotten him anything yet because he's always with me."

"Miguel must hate you." Jesse smirked slightly at me as he shoved the first set of doors to the restaurant open.

I shrugged, "I really don't care. Wufei has been mine since before I turned into a choir-boy." I shoved the second set open to let him pass.

"You realize what you just said, don't you?" he asked, meeting my eyes the entire way.

"What?"

He studied me a long moment, narrowing his eyes, "You really are something else, Mr. Johnson."

I grinned slightly at him, starting for my friends.

"So you deal with your end of it and we can go hit the malls." Jesse muttered, thinking, "I still have to find something for Relena."

"She's easy," I muttered, grinning, "Just try to think of something you think she'll like and give her hopeful puppy dog eyes when she opens it. It'll be her favorite present of the year."

Jesse laughed.

I moved back to our table and snapped my fingers at Miguel, who'd slid in to sit next to Wufei.

Miguel sighed, starting to slide from his seat.

"You really should talk to those two about that some time," Quatre muttered to Trowa, "Wufei's game either way…but Duo and Miguel need to get some priorities straight."

I gave the blond a look as I slid back to my plate, "Shut-up, Quatre."

Quatre grinned at me.