Tears of Despair
Chapter 15: Minor Complications
Standard disclaimers apply, I only own the wonderful Une brothers, so hands off them *g* but the rest of the cast and crew I'm afraid belong to Sunrise and Bandai.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Soon, very soon.

“Get ready to attack.”

“But sir, how can we attack them, our force is so small!”

Bang.

“Questions?”

“No sir.”

“We will be met at Preventer HQ by another force of mine.  You need to distract them while I get inside.”

LeFave smiled as his soldiers blanched.  Of course, hardly any of them were expected to survive, but that was the price of revolution.

“The girl is on her way,” Allan spoke up as he watched the emotions crawl across his employers face.  He tried to ignore the fallen body at his feet.  Surely everyone knew that to talk back was death? Only Ariane had ever accomplished that feat and remained alive, bruised but alive.

“Good, when they arrive bring them to me.”

“Yes, sir!” Allan said as he saluted LeFave and beat a hasty retreat, already in the distance he could see the form of Kalie bringing her precious cargo.

~*~*~*~*~

Catherine shifted, her body screaming in pain, a pain that for the moment she needed to ignore.

“Are you all right,” Kalie asked softly, noting the sweat beading on Catherine’s forehead.

“Leave me alone,” Catherine bit out through clenched teeth.

“Take this, hide it.”

“What?” Catherine stared in horrified fascination at the gun, which had been thrust, into her hands.  What was Kalie playing at?

Kalie smiled devilishly, her expression mirroring the one Dorothy used to wear when she was playing around with one of her schemes.

“You were right.  Now hide that, we’re almost there.  Do you want LeFave knowing you’re armed?”

“No,” Catherine said softly.  “Dorothy would be proud of you.”

“She would be angry first though.”

Kalie turned the wheel, glancing back in the rear view to check on her passenger. Maybe Catherine was right, maybe Dorothy would be proud of her.  But she knew she was right as well, first Dorothy would be angry.  How had LeFave warped her mind? Had grandfather left her so vulnerable?

“Probably,” Catherine answered wryly.

“An understatement. We’re here, by the way.”

Catherine gasped as the door was roughly flung open by Kalie, the woman she had just been speaking so calmly with.  She sighed as Kalie winked at her.  It was an act.

“LeFave wishes to see you both.”

“Naturally. Come,” Kalie said coldly, pulling Catherine to her feet, a hand shooting out to steady the pregnant woman.

~*~*~*~*~

Lady Une glanced out of her wall like office window, her long hair cascading forward to hide her face from view.  Outside the office she could hear the tearful yet happy sounds of a reunion.  She smiled ever so slightly.

"Lady Une?"

She turned, startled at the sudden intrusion, the mask falling back into place as her secretary stepped into the light.

"Lady Une, ma'am," the secretary began again clearing her voice as her eyes darted around the room nervously.

"Yes," was the clear reply.  Lady Une regarded the woman coldly as she regained her seat.  Her orders were clear, never interrupt her.

"There's an anomaly on the scanners ma'am.  This morning an unidentified aircraft landed a few hours from the city, and now there seems to be a group of people amassing nearby."

"Why wasn't I alerted sooner," Lady Une asked coolly, as her fingers flew over the keyboard of her computer, her gaze completely focused on the screen, as she double-checked the information her secretary had brought her.

"You didn't want to be disturbed," the secretary replied meekly.

"You need to learn judgment, you are dismissed."

"But ma'am, I need this job," the secretary sputtered.

"I didn't fire you, yet, now leave!" Lady Une sighed in exasperation as the door slammed shut, trails of conversation making their way to her ears.

The plush carpet muffled her pacing, her heels digging into the deep black strands.  Her hair brushed against her back, as she stopped to take stock of the situation.  In the building she had the Gundam Pilots, her former OZ comrades, Sally Po and Midii Une, as well as Damien and Christof.  But there was also her adopted daughter.  Would Mariemaia be safe?

"Code Red Alert," Lady Une said into her intercom, her voice resigned as the sirens began to wail, and the silence was shattered.

She turned as the door opened, her face hidden from view.  "Prepare for attack," she said softly to the intruder.  "He's here."

"LeFave," an emotionless feminine voice asked, and Lady Une turned to stare at her niece.  The child looked so cold, war had ravaged her soul, and the crimes of the past had yet to leave her, but still Midii was beautiful, like an avenging angel.

"Yes, LeFave."

Midii turned, her face blank, as she marched from the room, a hand moving to bring her pistol into the light. Damien moved to follow her, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Christof, Damien, don't, she needs to do this.  You'll both only get in the way, plus I have an assignment for you two.  Protect Mariemaia."

Midii, I hope you get your revenge. He’s hurt you enough, Lady Une thought as she turned to the screen, watching the progress of her niece the avenging angel with anxious eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

The conference room was alive with activity as the former Gundam pilots moved into action.  The constant tapping of computer keys filled the room as Heero researched this latest threat.  Duo's voice filtered through each corner of the room as he spoke a mile a minute of his impending victory.

"We have a problem," Heero said emotionlessly, as the assault on Preventer HQ began.  "He has a hostage."

Quatre's blood ran cold as his mind became awash with possibilities.  Cathy?

"It's Catherine."

Quatre's scream echoed through the building, as he collapsed to his knees his body shaking with repressed anger and grief.

"Midii's also loose in the building."

Trowa groaned, he knew what was coming.  She wanted revenge, and she didn't know about Catherine.  All hell was breaking loose.

~*~*~*~

~To Be Continued...

AN: It's coming along nicely don't ya think?