Written by: Talon Harvilicz
Chapter Four: The New Road
"The Police Department estimated over five hundred in Third deaths in the state alone," Relena read from the newspaper. "There are many suspicions for the cause of the riots, yet it remains clear the start of it was due to Une's speech on the Thirds. Pro-Thirds are rallying for the Third's rights despite the pressure. The police will be putting a curfew for the state to prevent another night of rioting." She sighed. "That's five states in total, Heero," she said to the Third sitting by her feet. The workers at the high-rise mansion where she stayed called him a dog.
Both of them were Thirds. It looked like a Third owning a Third, but Heero was her bodyguard. Relena was hidden as a Third from the public by her last owner. He and his followers disguised her as a human, always giving her a garment to wear around her neck to hide her collar. They called her the daughter of President Darlin, and in return the Third was given a last name.
"If only father were still alive," she said. "Then we wouldn't have to worry." Heero said nothing. "I think the best thing to do is hope for the best."
Heero grunted, suggesting an agreement.
"Relena," he eventually said. "I'm going to meet with a friend. I'll have to leave you for a moment, will you be alright without me?"
"A friend?" she said. "Of course, Heero."
"I'll try not to be long," he said. He stood, then. The beautiful human-like Third smiled gently at him. She didn't even know he had friends, so it gave her pride to know that he did.
Quatre carefully made his way into the dead subway of the abandoned street that was long forgotten. Usually, in his city, there would be gangs and drug addicted humans prowling, but not here. This city was too clean, and the police would sweep people out who meant to do harm to themselves or someone else.
He stepped down the cracked stairway, down the walkway, and followed the empty tracks. He had a feeling his old friend, Duo would be here. He was here when he visited him three years ago. Duo was an abused Third. He had the damage to prove it. From the beginning, his original owners were killed, and this left him on his own, without guidance. So, he had no choice but to roam. He of course, in the midsts of the liberty of the Thirds was attacked, abused, and used when approached by bigot humans. No one wanted him, so he could do nothing else but to avoid humans all together.
"Duo," he called. "Duo, are you here?"
No answer yet. He walked on until he got to the entrance of his hideout. It was the same way he left it, with the junk, and the collection of things he made for the living room section. Duo was the worst Third pack-rat.
"Duo---"
"Who's there?" Duo popped up from the old couch he had, and aimed a hand gun at him.
"Duo, it's me, Quatre."
Duo raised up a bit, and lowered the gun. "Quatre? Quat-man?"
Quatre grinned. "Yeah."
Duo climbed off of the couch and ran up to him. As he came up to him, Quatre could still see the plate of raw metal on Duo's right cheek. It was one of his physical damages of his past. Most Thirds would fix it, get some artificial skin over it, but Duo didn't care anymore. Quatre thought that if he got it repaired, then Duo would count for a convincing human, since he had his collar covered most of the time.
Duo smiled at him. "Man, I haven't seen you since---what, three years? What brings you here?"
"I had to leave," Quatre said. "It's so bad down there."
"What," he said. "What happened?"
"You havent heard? Because of Une, South City went all to hell. Duo, they killed my friend, Rashid. I hadn't seen him since I was taken in by the Criminal Justice Bureau. Hundreds of Thirds were killed."
"Damn," Duo said. "I'm sorry. Where are you going now?"
"I was thinking about staying here, where I have friends. How are the locals?"
He shrugged. "Well, not as bad as your city. They hadn't gone for enough as to kill Thirds. The really bad spots they beat them, but not mass killings. Man, you weren't hurt were you?"
"No, not physically."
"Come on," Duo said. "Why don't you come inside and sit down. It must have been a long ride." He put his arm around him and led him to the old beaten couch. "Hey, do you still have that motorcycle?"
"Yeah."
Duo grinned. "Oooh! I love that thing. Do you think we could go for a ride somewhere?"
Quatre smiled. "Sure."
Quatre sat down, giving some relief to his body. "Hey Duo?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know if there are some apartments for rent?"
"I don't know," he said. "You're looking for a place?"
"I might," he said. "I'll look around later."
"You know, you could always stay here with me."
Quatre grinned. "Thanks anyway, but what am I going to say to people when they ask me my address? Say, I live underground?"
Duo snickered. "Thanks for putting down my living habits."
Quatre chuckled politely. "So, how have you been?" he asked later.
"Same old," Duo said. "Steal stuff, sell my junk. Big surprise, huh?"
He smiled. "And Heero?"
"Still a pet Third."
"Duo."
He grinned. "I've been talking to him once in a while, but not as much when you were around. I think we were fading ever since you left."
"Well, I hope we can get together again. I invited Heero over."
"Oh thanks." He had a crooked grin.
"What."
He mumbled: "Pet Third."
Quatre looked at him hard. "Why Duo, you never sounded like this before."
He sighed and stood up. "Everyone's got a place. You're an agent, Heero's Relena's pet Third. Nobody wants me. I'm a Third. I'm supposed to have a purpose. I don't have any thing important. I don't have an owner. You two do. It's not fair. I'm starting to think---I want one of those nice owners, you know a lady that doesn't ask much, but makes me feel like I got a purpose. Why did they have to make me when nobody wants me? What's wrong with me?"
"Maybe it's because you're so fucking annoying," they heard from the shadows. They looked over to see Heero leaning against the giant archway.
"Hey Heero," Duo said. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long," he said. "It's been a while Quatre."
"It has."
"It's good to see that you're alright," Heero said. "Relena read about the murders. Your city wasn't the only one."
Quatre looked down. "What's happening to this world? First they create us so we can be slaves, now they want to kill us." He shook his head. "It makes no sense."
"I don't think it's suppose to," Duo said. "We were made for them, and if they want to destroy us they'll do it. We belong to them." He looked at Quatre. "You're a house Third." Then to Heero. "You're a pet Third, and I'm completely worthless."
"I am not a house Third," Quatre said.
"Well them," Duo said. "You're a pet Third like Heero. Hell, you even have three names. I haven't heard of any other Third with three names other than yourself. You were really important."
"Stop it!" Quatre snapped. It was true. He was a pet Third. His father, (so he referred to him) Mr. Winner favored him over his creations, and kept him like a son.
"It's only the truth," Duo said. "You know, you wouldn't be in all this mess if you hadn't flipped out. You could have stayed home with daddy and been a good little Third."
Quatre sneered.
"No wonder nobody wants you," Heero said to Duo. "Listen to yourself. You're an idiot, Duo. You could have ended up in a much better place, but you chose not to. You are worthless. You should be ashamed of being a Third. Quatre, I'm leaving. I'll meet you at the pub if you want to talk. But I'm leaving this fool here." He turned and walked off.
Duo shook his head, and returned to the couch, laying down. He was upset, and so was Quatre. He forced himself to calm down---and forgive Duo for his words. This wasn't like them, or any Third to fight like this. This is what humans did. They weren't human, they were friends, and they relied on each other for comfort in this horrible world.
Quatre let Duo by himself for a while, then walked over to him when he felt things had settled down. He crouched down and put a hand on Duo's back.
"He doesn't mean those things you know," Quatre said. "It's just...the humans are making us tense. We hadn't seen each other in a while, so I guess we didn't know what to say. We ought to start over again and watch what we say next time."
Duo turned a portion of his face towards him. "I know," he said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things to you and Heero. I don't know what I was saying. I was mad, that's all. These humans have me steamed."
Quatre grinned. "Me too." He sat down on the ground with his back resting against the couch. "So, are you going to stay in for the night?"
"Nope," he said. "I got a date."
"A date?"
"Yep." He turned around and sat up some. "With a girl named Hilde?"
Quatre twisted his brow a bit. "I hope she's a Third."
"Of course!" He raised a brow at him. "There's no way I'll get with a human."
Quatre chuckled lightly. He blinked after a while. "How about if we go apartment searching tomorrow?"
"Hey, sure." He knew that meant riding on that motorcycle of Quatre's.
Quatre stood up. "I better catch up with Heero. There's a few things I want to talk to him about. I'll see you later, Duo. Bye." He walked off.
Quatre found Heero waiting where he said he would be. He found him sitting at the bar, alone on a stool. He was tossing a loose peanut from finger to finger to entertain himself. Quatre walked to him.
"I'm here Heero," he said. "I'm sorry what happened back there. I think we lost our connection because of our separation." He sat down. "We need to build it back up again."
He stopped playing with the peanut. "I agree. You must have meant something to our team. Somehow, you kept the peace."
Quatre tried to grin. "Well, I'm here now. For good, I hope. I'm glad to see both of you, despite the ugly conflict back there. Duo says he's sorry."
"Tell him I forgive him," Heero said. "Are you staying here?"
"I think so," Quatre said. "I'm going to try to find an apartment tomorrow. I hope they'll accept Thirds. I had some trouble getting my apartment at South City. My boss had to straighten things out." He picked his head up. "Oh! That reminds me. Heero, don't you remember Kyle Murdock?"
Heero looked at him. "Of course. Who can forget him? He's the assassin of President Darlin."
"He's a Third."
"What?"
Quatre nodded. "I found him. I found out afterwards he was a Third."
"Why would a Third want to kill the very man who was for our independence?"
"That's a good question," Quatre said. "I began thinking that his owner put him up to it. He must have disguised him as a human and programed him to kill the President."
"Do you know who his owner is?"
"No, I hadn't gotten to that. I took the time after the fight to take some repairs." He sighed. "There was a human there." He frowned. "If he wasn't there, it would have been easier. He's following me around. Ever since I got these three drug smugglers, he's been following me around. He was even there before I decided to leave the city. He said he wanted to know if I was alright."
"Don't trust him," Heero said with his head down.
Quatre turned his head away. "Who said I was?" He shook his head. "He's giving me the creeps. At least out here, I won't have to deal with him. He doesn't know I'm here." He bounced his fist on the counter. "Damn, I should have told my boss I was going here. Oh well, I'll tell him later. He'll understand."
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