Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Devil's Due ❯ - 29 - ( Chapter 29 )

— 29 —

February 2, A.C. 205. Lower Angels. 3pm

"You're serious?" Jordan muttered into his cell phone. "You're not just fucking with me?"

"No," Jon muttered seriously. "I have them all sitting in here. That girlie is eyeballing me."

"What are you doing?" Jordan asked in amusement.

"I just called to tell you what was happening...the boys are sleeping."

"What are they doing? What have they said?"

"The brunette said the words to me," Jon returned. "Why do you sound so shocked about this? I thought this was what they were supposed to do."

"In a couple more days," Jordan agreed dryly, shaking his head. "Damn...that's crazy."

"You want me to let them sleep?"

"Yeah, for another hour. I'm wrapping up here. I want to be at the base before you bring them in."

"All right," Jon returned. "I'll head in at four, should get there before five."

"Okay, thanks, Jon."

"No problem, I like this game. You're nice to me when we're playing this game."

"Come on," Jor protested. "I apologized for that already...you can't really hold me accountable for when I'm tired."

Jon laughed a bit at that. "Later, Jor."

"Later," Jordan agreed, closing his phone.

"What, now?" Danielle asked from where she was sitting in the couch.

"They're at the bar," Jordan returned, meeting her eyes.

"Already?" she demanded in disbelief. "Did you go easy on them?"

He gave her a look.

"What's up?" Riley asked, moving into the room with papers in her hand.

"They're at the bar already," Jordan returned.

Riley blinked at him.

"Just as a note," Danielle muttered, grinning slightly at him, "you look really impressive when you stroll out of the guard hut with that smirk...it's the thing I remember most about our coming in...when you stopped on the other side of the gate to look us over."

Jordan blinked at that.

"I always remember you standing with your hands on the rail," Riley noted, passing him some paper. "Sign that before you go."

"What is it?"

"Getting a team to go look at the pipes of a complex over there," she gestured vaguely.

"You could so screw me over," Jordan muttered as he signed his name at the bottom of the page.

"I won't...any time soon," the female reassured him. "But considering that I could be helping Mouthy in China or Raul in Russia right now, I don't know how long that'll last."

"Good girl," he replied, moving past her.

"You can't put me off forever," she snapped after him as he started toward Chance's office.

He grinned, turning his head to meet her eye briefly. "What's one more day?"

She gave him a dirty look, but he pushed into the office.

Quatre blinked up at him from a chair as Chance also gave him an interested look.

"Sorry, putting the girl off," he explained his lack of warning. "My three are with Jon right now, so I'm heading back to base. My shit's covered...don't be out too late, huh?"

They both gave him looks.

He flashed them grins and moved back into the hall, heading for the entrance of the building.

Not much had really been happening since New Year's. He'd sent Raul to Russia, but Xane had gone back to China and Judas had gone back to Germany. Actually, though, he'd hooked up with Bauer and taken his group of friends along for the ride. They were moving around between Germany, Switzerland...all over, anyway, and Judas had actually started sending back information that he was gathering.

Xane, on the other hand, seemed to be stuck in a group of playboys. There was no question that the group was part of the syndicate, but they didn't want to trouble their toy with the details.

He was getting annoyed.

Raul's progress was being stunted by the fact that he didn't know Russian when he'd first gone in. For some reason, Danielle's success in Italy had put the group on its guard...for foreigners.

Evidently, the fact that Danielle had been acting Italian didn't mean anything. The part that mattered was that when they were in Manoi, they didn't speak Vietnamese.

Jordan wanted to send Xane on in Russia, but he wasn't sure if he could pull it off. He wanted the second hit of the country to happen soon, but Xane was mired down where he was...which led him back to the crap happening between Tanzania and Mozambique. They were mired down at who was causing the issue, both claiming it was the other country, so that country should step up their patrols and such things.

It all came down to the fact that the Tanzanian government didn't want the I.E.C. officers on their land or across their borders. They were a little too un-trusting to be trusted, and the situation was spiraling down from there.

But they did know the smuggling ring had started in Chile for a certainty. It turned out to be that a former military man, someone who was supposed to be disposing of the mecha and weaponry, had...well, disposed of it, but not in the way that was approved by any government.

That man, of course, was the suspected leader, but he'd disappeared along with the weaponry.

Jordan shook his head as he pulled into the drive for the base, focusing back on his three new recruits.

He'd expected the game to take them a few days longer to play out, but the three together could probably outwit the devil himself.

"Hey, Maxwell," Duty greeted him happily, giving him an interested look. "Long time no see...what do you need now?"

"A place to sit while my team comes in," Jordan returned happily, dropping into the free chair. "How you been livin'?"

"Like a king, of course," Duty replied, grinning openly at him. "Is there any other way?"

Jor smirked in return, considering that a moment before grinning at the man. "Like a god, huh?"

- -

February 3, A.C. 205. Fuzhou, China. 8am

"Good morning," Chaoxiang muttered, smiling slightly at Xane as he started to stretch. "It's so nice waking up with you here..."

It's a good thing I didn't leave, then. Xane smiled slightly in response, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes.

Chao's cell started ringing and his happy expression evaporated. He grabbed the thing and his eyes showed concern.

Xane didn't open his mouth.

"Hello?" Chao muttered, running a hand through his blond hair–naturally blond hair.

"It's fucked," Wei said in annoyance. "It's completely fucked, Chao. You need to get down here...now. He's refusing to talk to us."

"I have Chris," Chao protested.

"What? Again? You're a bastard...leave him there and get here."

"Chao, I have to get to my apartment," Xane said quickly, hopping up as if it had just occurred to him. Chao didn't realize the volume of his phone was loud enough to be heard.

"What? Why?" Chao asked blankly.

"What?" Wei demanded in annoyance.

"I'm coming," Chao retorted, closing his phone and giving Xane a confused look.

"I have that interview today," Xane said quickly, scrambling around for his clothes. "I have to go renew my visa or I have to leave..."

Chao's expression became even more alarmed at that.

That probably wasn't a good thing.

"I have to shower! I can't wear this," he added, looking to his outfit and meeting the man's eyes with very wide ones.

"Shit, I have to go to cross the river....and I have to go now," Chao noted, moving around to gather up his own clothing. "I don't know how long this will take."

Xane stared at him with wide eyes, noting him glance back at him a moment, then start thinking hard, the sheath for his one-inch pinky-nail pressed at his lips.

It was probably bad that Xane had that much of an in with the man. He didn't mind Chao, really, but he wasn't as attached to him as the guy was to him. Chao was usually disappointed if he found his way with one of the others in the group, and he usually had some comment about being happy to wake up with him.

He'd probably do nearly anything for Xane, and that suggested a dangerous level of attachment.

"Let's go," Chao decided, grabbing his phone and moving into the bathroom to rinse off his face. "I'll do this, then run you home...it shouldn't take long. What time is that appointment?"

"Nine," Xane returned easily, moving to the sink himself when the guy moved to rinse his mouth out with mouthwash.

Chao wrapped his arms around Xane's waist until the spy straightened, then kissed his ear with an affectionate nuzzle...and turned back into the room to gather shoes and socks.

Xane considered his own reflection in the mirror as he rinsed his own mouth out.

He'd probably fucked up in allowing that affection to develop. He'd only intended to be a plaything, an interesting toy. Pillow talk could reveal all sorts of lovely secrets, but unfortunately, it didn't seem like Chao'd ever had anyone who gave a damn about what had happened in his day, or who was curious to know what else he was planning to do.

"Chris?" Chao asked, moving to the bathroom door.

Xane leaned forward and spit into the sink, rinsing his mouth out to smile at the guy and wipe his mouth with the towel. "Sorry."

"Come on," Chao suggested, and headed for the door.

Dangerous relationship or no, Xane was hoping something would come of this outing.

He followed the guy from his very nice apartment into his very nice car. Chao was quiet for a long time after they'd started driving, and Xane started to wonder what to say...

"You seem tired," the guy suggested after a while.

"We were up late," Xane reminded him, smiling slightly at him. "I know you remember that."

"But other than that...I mean, you were tired when you first came over."

"I haven't gotten much sleep lately," the spy noted, considering the previous few nights. This seemed a damn lot like any number of conversations he'd had with James.

"People in your complex noisy?" Chao asked in concern as he sped along the road-ways.

"No...but..." Xane trailed off. "I haven't slept in my apartment in the last four or five days."

The stop, which was required because a red stoplight, was much more abrupt than Chao's normal driving. He didn't say anything as he digested that information, then he glanced sidelong at his passenger. "Where've you been sleeping?"

Xane really didn't want to say that, but Chao'd never let on anything about a serious relationship, and he had any number of males and females who died to follow him home.

"I was at Junjie's the night before last...and then Alvaro."

"And Bryn? Is that why Wei called me a bastard?" he looked to Xane again, his expression in that expressionless state that meant he wasn't happy but he knew he didn't have the right to complain.

"No," Xane looked out his window. "Well, I haven't spent much time with Wei in a week or better...and Bryn doesn't pursue me much."

"So...it's been three nights since you were home?" the guy's tone had an edge.

"I think it's five," Xane noted.

"So what? I'm just a last resort?" the guy snapped, looking back to him.

"What?" Xane protested. "No...what are you talking about?"

"Going back and forth between Alvaro and Junjie for a few nights and then come to me and have to go home?"

"No," Xane noted, frowning more at him. "I was just with Alvaro a couple times."

That made that silence fall as Chao focused back on the road.

"Chao?" Xane asked after a few minutes of that.

"What?" the guy snapped.

"Are you picking me up after the appointment?"

The guy lost a bit of his irritation, glancing back to Xane before shrugging almost indifferently and focusing back on the road.

Xane looked back out the window, keeping his posture slightly disappointed. He knew that the rest of the drive and their meeting with the others would probably decide the man on pursuing the relationship or giving it up as a lost cause. Xane didn't really care for the idea of starting a relationship with the guy, but he'd realized fairly early on that this was the only way to get anything.

Complete betrayal.

Actually, if Xane wasn't careful he could end up getting Chao killed. With his wavy blond hair and the newly revived trend of long pinky-nails showing lives of leisure, Chao's business ventures were a lot more on the black side. He and the others were drug dealers and soothsayers. They lived a life of idle luxury and made thousands trading in illicit drugs. They could talk themselves out of any trouble with the devil's own charm, and if you fucked one of them over, they would all hunt you down and make sure you paid.

It wasn't exactly the best group to get mired down in, but it had been the only opening Xane could find for the China connection.

Chao had the protective sheath for his pinky-nail at his mouth again as they pulled onto the bridge. It was his one slip. Every time he got nervous and was thinking, that was what he did.

Xane slumped slightly lower in his seat.

"What...what time?" Chao asked, glancing sidelong at him with the pursed lips that showed he wasn't sure how the conversation would play out.

"I should be done by three," Xane noted, looking back to him. "I...I can call?"

"At three?" Chao muttered, considering that more as they moved off the far end of the bridge. "I'll be busy at three."

"With what?"

Chao shrugged, not looking at him. "Just some shit I have to do..."

"Will you be over here?" Xane asked as they turned into a crowded parking lot.

Chao made a noncommittal noise, pulling into a parking spot. "Stay with me and don't say anything," he ordered as he slid from the vehicle.

"All right," Xane agreed, moving to follow him making a show of nervousness.

"If I leave you out here the guards will chase you away," the man noted...pulling a handgun from below his seat. He slid that down the back of his pants, and pulled out a second. It disappeared in the same area, and Xane shut the car door.

He didn't have his weapon. It wasn't something he carried when he was with the boys. Those were the sorts of things that had severely bothered them when he'd first shown up, and he'd discarded it because...well, Wufei had taught him some hand-to-hand. Actually, a fair bit of hand-to-hand.

They moved along the sidewalk and up along the inner parking area. The area had more vans than other vehicles, and if the way of the painting on those vehicles suggested anything, they were all bulletproofed. Chance's SUV had the same look to it...a kind of matte painting job, though it was glossy, too.

Chao grabbed his hand pointedly as they moved through the turn-style door into a busy area. Everyone in the room seemed to turn and look at Xane as he followed. He wasn't going to meet eyes and make enemies, so he had his head partially down. It cut down on the details he could actually gather, but he figured Chao being stopped would be even worse.

"Keep your mouth shut," Chao ordered him as he pushed through a door at the end of the hall...and pulled out his weapon.

"God damn it, Chao," Wei snapped in complete irritation as he focused on Xane. "This isn't a fucking dance."

Chao cocked the weapon, aiming it directly at the man in front of him's head. He smiled coldly at the man as he moved around to study his eyes. "You fucked us over."

"No...no, I didn't," the guy protested. "I wouldn't...I told him...I said..."

Chao's smile went even more cold...and he pulled the trigger.

Xane's stomach dropped as almost everyone else in the room jumped...

The man he'd been talking to was completely frozen in his seat...but not dead.

"Damn it," Chao snapped, raising the weapon to open the slide. "Piece of shit," he added...and tossed it to Xane. "Hold that for me."

Xane kept himself from emptying the chamber of the dud shot, keeping his calm as Wei looked him over with amused interest.

"Anything," the guy he'd nearly shot whispered. "Anything, Chaoxiang."

"And what could you do that'd be worth tolerating you?" the man asked, he'd pulled his second weapon out and was holding it negligently.

"You can't ask us that much for the delivery!" a more authoritative man protested, sitting up in his chair. He didn't look like he wanted any attention at all.

Chao aimed his weapon at that man, considering his sites a moment before lowering the thing and shrugging in his charmingly cordial way. "Then you can find yourself another company."

"We've tried every other company in town," the man snapped. "If you don't lower the price..."

"Any outside entities are at the mercy of the wolves, Shire," he said sweetly. "And the lone wolves starve and feed on one another."

Xane committed that name to memory, hoping that somehow he'd get something useful out of this.

"You can't scalp them," the man protested, sitting up straighter.

"No," Wei agreed, sliding into a chair comfortably, "but I bet none will consent...without consulting us first."

Shire looked between them in dismay.

Xane's heart skipped a beat as he wondered how powerful the group was. He'd heard stories about people who'd crossed them, but...

"Would you like a pastry, Chris?"

Xane turned his focus onto Junjie, blinking slightly as the man offered him a plate of sweets.

"He's not hungry," Chao snapped over his shoulder at the guy.

Actually, Xane's stomach was growling, but he wasn't going to move until the power play had been made.

"Nonsense, we know we woke you up," he smiled at Shire sweetly. "Chris stayed the night with Chao last night. Chao doesn't like being woken up when he's had a guest, but you were insisting on speaking with him...have a pastry, Chris."

Xane looked to Chao for a final verdict...which seemed to settle Chao's hackles some. He nodded very slightly.

"Thanks," Xane muttered, taking one from the plate.

"Have to keep your stamina up, huh?" Junjie flashed him a truly wicked grin before moving back toward the table. "Chao, have some orange juice?"

"I'm not thirsty," Chao retorted irritably, crossing his arms.

"I just thought I'd offer," the man protested, making a soothing gesture.

"Don't you have an appointment today?" Alvaro asked Xane curiously. "Why are you here?"

Chao tsked, looking daggers at the man.

"I can't...how am I supposed to make a profit with that?" Shire protested at Chao.

"Then deliver it yourself," Chao suggested, focusing back on him.

Xane avoided Alvaro's eyes, which seemed to amuse the man. He studied Xane before raising his own pinky-sheath to his mouth, pressing it to his lips.

The spy ignored that as well, looking toward the opposite side of the room. When he attempted to let his attention move back to the table, Alvaro slid down in his chair, still eyeing him.

Xane shifted uncomfortably. Alvaro hadn't been happy when he'd left with Junjie, and he'd probably been annoyed when Xane had left with Chaoxiang. Chances were he was pissed enough at Chao to use Xane as a pawn for revenge.

Chao frowned, looking back at Xane before glancing at his watch and shaking his head. "I don't have time for this...decide now, Shire."

"I can't just..."

Chao stepped away from the table, looking the rest of the men over before focusing on the man in front of him. "Are we delivering your guns or not?"

Xane's heart soared.

"Decide," Chao added, "the moment I step out this door, our deals are suspended for six months." He turned, extending a hand to Xane.

Xane moved obediently to grab that, wishing to get the first name of the man...

"David," someone whispered from behind the guy urgently. "We can just..."

David Shire.

Xane knew it wasn't much, but it was a start. That was one more name than he'd started with.

Chao started for the door.

"All right!" Shire conceded before Chao could open it. "All right, fine..."

"Good," Chao smiled sweetly at him, then looked to Alvaro. He focused finally on Junjie and nodded his head once.

The man looked startled, but Alvaro had focused on the ceiling with heavy lidded eyes.

Chao snorted slightly, and led Xane from the room, taking the weapon and flipping the dud round out onto the floor before tucking the weapon away. "Remind me to take that in with me when we get back to the house," he suggested sweetly to the spy.

"All right," Xane agreed, leaning up to kiss him.

"Mm, adrenaline, huh?" the guy asked, kissing him again.

. . . he had no idea.

"I need to get to my apartment," Xane reminded him as they started across the lobby area.

Chao smirked at him, then turned to a woman who was glaring gat Xane. "Clean that up," he ordered, pointing at the round on the floor...then grabbed Xane's hand again and started from the building.

David Shire...David Shire...

Xane repeated the name to himself, wondering if Jordan would have heard of him or not. It would be lovely if he was on the webbing chart they'd made of people Judas knew...

"Go ahead and call me when you get done," Chao added as they slid into the car, leaning over to kiss him. "I will be here, but you can come back with me, huh?"

"All right," Xane agreed almost dreamily.

"Mm, I wasn't really going to kill that man," Chao added, touching his cheek as he studied his eyes. "I knew it was a dud round."

Xane smiled slightly at him, locking his seat belt into place.

He didn't think anything could go wrong for the rest of his day...he wasn't going to count on it, but his check-in time with Jor would be pleasant.

He wanted to hurry up and get to the embassy so he could call...

"Chris?"

"Hm?" Xane looked back to Chao.

"Alvaro bothers me."

Xane blinked at him.

"And Junjie." Chao studied his expression a moment. "Can you...not?"

Xane blinked even more.

"Maybe...move in with me?" Chao asked quietly.

Xane was stunned, not sure how to respond. Moving in with Chao would definitely help him in the long run, but where would he put the scrambler?

"Don't...don't say anything now," Chao suggested quickly, reassuringly. "Just...just think about it, huh?"

"Do you mean..."

"I like you," the guy agreed, turning onto the bridge again. "I like waking up with you...the idea of the others with you...it really bothers me. Even if you don't want to move in with me..."

"I never said that," Xane noted...and wished he hadn't.

Chao looked to him, studying his eyes.

Xane smiled slightly, raising his own nail to his lip as he thought. He'd made it his thoughtful gesture, and had to remind himself to do it...but anyway. "I'll...I'll think about it."

Chao beamed at him, focusing back on the road. "Be really convincing, huh?"

"Yeah," Xane agreed, looking out the far window with a grin. He understood that to mean talking with the people to 'extend his visa'.

He seemed to be having a damn good day.