A dark figure looming in the shadows finally emerged from his hiding place in the half-open utility closet of the fourth floor of the hotel. He walked down the hall formally, smiling at and greeting people he meets in such business-like manner.
He walked to a corner, watching warily at every angle open to passers-by. He slid into another hallway, a much smaller and narrower one, just close to his target’s room. "One minute should be okay." He mumbled with an evil sneer, his eyes glowing in anticipation as he pushed the buttons and connected the cables. He planted it on the fuse, pressing the red button to start the countdown, and made his way smoothly out of his place and down, out the hotel.
"So tell me," Sally said as she bent low towards the center table to pull out a wedding gown magazine. "Have you prepared anything yet?"
Noin looked at Zechs and shook her head, "Um, not really. We’re still canvassing the expenses."
"Ooh...This one’s pretty!" Sally mused at the page, wrinkled with folds and marks, with an exquisite white and powder blue gown with a double thin strap for the right shoulder, and a single for the other. The gown has embroideries of roses in powder blue. "Lemme guess." She said as she looked up at Noin, "Zechs’ pick?"
Zechs looked at Noin who laughed softly. "Yes. Pretty isn’t it?"
"Yes, of course." Sally replied, and Hilde moved beside her to see what gown she was talking about. "It really is."
"We’re already making arrangements with the designers downtown. We’re scheduled to go there today..."
"Oh, that’s so cool!" Hilde exclaimed. "Um, but that doesn’t mean now, right?"
"Uh..." Noin murmured as she looked up at the ceiling. "What time is it, sweet?"
"It’s fifteen minutes to four." Zechs replied as he took a quick glance at his watch. "Which reminds me..."
"Yeah I know." Noin made made a ‘tsk’ sound and sighed. "I’m really sorry, but we have to go now."
"I shouldn’t have said that." Hilde muttered as she stood up.
"I’m really sorry. But if it weren’t important---"
"Nah. It’s okay. We understand." Sally said as she stood up as well and followed Hilde to the door. "We have work to do still, anyway." She motioned to Duo and the boy ran up to them.
Noin stood up and ushered them to the door and ran a hand through her hair. "Zechs and I will visit the HQ maybe tomorrow."
"You’d better." Duo replied jokingly, and got a playful jab on his shoulder as response from Noin. "We’ll try."
Just as Sally was to turn the knob, Zechs spoke up from the sofa, "Uh, Sally, any news from Relena?"
Sally smiled thoughtfully and replied, "Oh, your sister’s fine. I heard there was a social function she attended to this morning."
Zechs nodded. His poor sister...If only he could do those things for her so she would have had a normal teenage life. But he couldn’t help it. Who would want a traitor and a murderer as a peace leader, anyway?
The trio bid their good-byes and Sally opened the door. But as she went on to twist the knob, a deafening sound erupted from somewhere in the building.
The Preventers looked at each other.
Not now...
"I can’t believe your brother, Relena." Dorothy yawned as she reached for the magazine lying on the empty seat beside the driver. "He lets you believe he’s dead for what? Like 5 years? Some brother..." she muttered, shaking her head.
"Dorothy." Relena glared at her. "I know he has a lot to explain, and let’s leave it that way?"
Dorothy waved her hand at her, "As you say so."
Relena shook her head and looked out the window. Sometimes she wonders how she gets to keep up with Dorothy. "I can’t wait to see him..." she murmured into the air, resting her chin on her folded arms propped on the rolled-down window.
"Shit." Noin muttered under hear breath as she barged out the door, fitting her arms hurriedly in her jacket. Zechs followed behind her. The halls were filled with black smoke, almost engulfing them. Everywhere, people ran about, rushing down the stairs, shoving each other to get out.
"Please don’t panic!" Sally shouted as she rushed down to give aid. She looked back at them and said, "Duo, Hilde! Please check if there’s anyone left." She looked at Zechs and Noin and raised an eyebrow and grinned, "And you two, too."
Then she disappeared in a mixture of smoke and running bodies.
Noin turned to Zechs and rolled her eyes. Duo and Hilde had already run off already to the other side. "I guess we’d never escape from wanting our old work back," she muttered as they both hurried to the left.
She just can’t believe this. After three years of not having any word from her brother, he comes back and she was more than excited to see him. But now what?
Relena rubbed at her eyes. The smoke was thick and the heat hurt her eyes. But she pressed on. While others were trying to get down, she was making her way in and up to find her brother. It had been long since they have seen each other, and she is not going to let the chance to see him pass. Even if she had to go through this.
She saw several people running around. A lady, holding her precious Chihuahua as close as she could as they rushed down the stairs. A father hushing his little girl. A man carrying his faint wife...
But no sign of her brother.
"Milliardo!" she screamed, then coughed as she inhaled the black smoke. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, and successfully dodged away from a small piece of burning wood that came off from the ceiling.
She was making her way up to the second floor when she heard somebody call her, but before she knew it, she was yanked down away from the collapsing ceiling. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the arms of a grinning Duo. "You owe me that second one, princess." He said, in reference to the first time he had saved her from being shot by her Heero.
Relena coughed and smiled as the American lad helped her up as she thanked him. Duo gestured at Hilde who was scouting half of the area.
"Come on!" Duo shouted at the two girls, making his way out of the burning hotel. "No!" Relena cried out and the two looked at her askance.
"I’ve got to find my brother!"
Duo slapped his forehead. How could he have forgotten that the main purpose of the Vice Minister to be there is to see her brother. "He’s gonna be okay." He said as Hilde tugged on her friend’s hand.
"Let’s go, Relena." She said, and even though hesitant, Relena nodded and let the two lead her to safety.
