Categories > Anime/Manga > Gundam Wing > Darkening of the Light
Part 5
“That’s some good vodka, Barton. Every good Communist drinks this brand. Thank you,” Nikol said, ushering Trowa in after accepting the housewarming gift. Trowa looked around the small mill house with a hardwood floor. It was done in a Bauhaus, industrial style Trowa appreciated.
“Please, this way,” Nikol said. Trowa followed Nikol to the living room where a chessboard was already set up. Trowa took the place behind the white pieces at Nikol’s behest. Nikol went to the kitchen and came back moments later with four shots of vodka and the makings for coffee.
“Thank you,” Trowa said, accepting one of the shots as Nikol settled behind the black pieces.
“I must warn you. I’m a tournament player,” Nikol said, taking his own drink and looking over at Trowa.
“I’ll give you a run for your money,” he said, moving his king’s knight out.
*
“Anything yet, Mister Kazanski? I’m getting impatient,” Wing said, turning the page of her Cosmo mag after she hunkered down in the back seat of their sedan.
“You always get impatient when we get close,” Kulfe said, looking through his binoculars at the small, boxy house across the street. “Miss Wing, I think that we should have told Mister Barton that we suspect this man. He just went in.”
“Can you still see them?”
“Yes, but if our instincts pan out, he could be in danger. Get ready to move,” Kazanski said.
“Of course, Mister Kazanski,” Li said, flipping another page. “Pink seems to be the color this year. We need to go shopping tomorrow.” He gave an apathetic grunt and refocused the lens to see through the front window.
*
“Thank you for a nice evening,” Trowa said, shaking Nikol’s hand. He headed towards the door.
“My pleasure. You were right about giving me a run for my money,” Nikol said, escorting him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Comrade.”
He shut the door behind Trowa and leaned against it. His hands began to tremble. He had fooled Barton-warlock. Cathrine was lying in the basement right below Trowa, and he didn’t acknowledge anything. Nikol had won! He had almost giggled when Trowa took his first sip of coffee.
“It won’t be long now,” he murmured, locking the door and heading towards the basement. He hoped Barton got into a traffic accident on the way back to the base. Even if Barton made it to the base, the poison would take him by morning. He unlocked the cellar door and entered the chilly room.
*
She fell into a dreamlike state and wondered if killing yourself was so wrong. Suicide surely was permissible in this situation. Maybe if she made the man angry enough, he would kill her. There was no hope any more. Even if she did get free, the man was murdering Trowa right now.
Plus, he had told her days ago how the ringmaster was arrested for her disappearance and was being prosecuted. He had even read the newspaper article to her. She had screamed herself hoarse and tried to free herself until her wrists were no more than hamburger.
Cathrine sank further away from herself as a vision solidified around him. She was in her costume and sitting in Heavyarms as several mobile suits were bowing up. She saw Trowa in his clown outfit on a small hill below her as she brought the Gundam to rest. She told him to run off; that she was going to self detonate. He jumped up on the Gundam's platform and slapped her.
“You selfish girl! How could you waste your life on such a hasty decision? Don’t you think your life is a little too valuable? What would your parents say? You didn’t think about the people who you would leave behind! We would have to go on living in sorrow. You didn’t think about us, did you?” Then he began to cry. She patted his shoulder and got down from the Gundam. She jerked awake at the door rattling.
“Cathrine.” She shivered at his voice and took a shaky breath. “It’s done. Almost. Right now he’s dying on some dark highway between here and the OZ base.”
“No! I hate you so much,” Cathrine murmured, twisting her head away. He sat beside her and laid a hand on her forehead.
“You’re not feeling well. You’re getting a fever. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you,” he said, jumping up and leaving her. She hadn’t realized how sick she really was until now. Was she dying? She couldn’t care about it anymore.
*
Trowa’s head swirled painfully as he fought to focus his blurring vision. He pulled the OZ jeep over to the side of the road and opened up the door. Something was wrong. He pulled at his collar and tried to breath as sweat rolled off of him. Headlights pulled up beside him as he slumped towards the ground and blacked out.
*
He awoke in the hospital bed and looked around to see Saunders sitting at his bedside. Saunders jerked up and moved his chair closer. Trowa’s vision blurred in and out.
“Boy, you sure scared the hell out of everyone.”
“Where am I?” Trowa asked, noticing his I.V. and the dull, thudding pain in his stomach.
“Base hospital. Some big Polish guy from the Earth Sphere Alliance brought you here. It looks like you drank some strychnine last night. He left muttering that your sister was as good as found. Isn’t that great? What happened anyway?” Saunders asked.
“Alan, do me a favor. Call 555-1082 and ask for Heero. Tell him to go to Ivan Nikol’s house and carefully poke around. Please hurry. It’s a matter of life or death,” Trowa said, realizing he was entirely too weak. Saunders turned to leave. “Saunders, stay away from the Captain no matter what.”
The OZ mobile suit pilot jogged out of the room, leaving Trowa alone. He glared up at the ceiling and said, “If you’ve harmed her... I’ll kill you.”
*
Cathrine listened to the door creek open. She smelled sausage and bell peppers along with jasmine. Her heart pounded again as she heard two sets of footsteps. Was she hallucinating now? A blanket was draped over her as she felt the handcuffs come off for the first time in almost two weeks.
“Just be very still, Miss Bloom. We’ve found you,” a sweet childlike voice whispered. “We’ll get you to the hospital.”
“Trowa?” she asked.
“Safe. Barely,” a craggy voice relayed. She herd a third set of steps and screamed. “Who are you?” the craggy voice shouted out.
“A friend of hers.” Heero’s low, melodic voice was the sweetest thing she had heard in forever. She knew she was truly rescued now.
“Heero! Please help me! He’ll be back soon. He might try to kill Trowa,” she pleaded, hearing him walk up. She let Heero sit her up and wrap the blanket tightly around her.
“How long has he kept you blindfolded?” the gruff man asked as Heero gingerly picked her up.
“The whole time.” She ached all over in spite of how carefully Heero was carrying her.
“Leave her blindfolded until we get to the hospital,” the strange man ordered. “We haven’t caught the perpetrator yet, but we know who he is.”
“Ivan Nikol? Heero asked, shifting Cathrine so she could lay her head on his shoulder.
“Yes,” the rescuer girl replied; Cathrine could hear the door open again. Cathrine grappled Heero’s neck as she realized he was taking her outside.
“No, Heero! I don’t want to go out there. He’ll hurt me if he knows I’m out here. Please take me back. He’ll beat me,” she pleaded in a whisper.
“Let him try,” Heero growled, marching on. She heard a car door open. Heero placed her in the car and got in beside her. The other two people got in and the car started it. Cathrine snuggled under Heero’s arm. He pulled her over to him. “Don’t worry Cathrine. He’ll be found. You two just make sure you find him before me.”
“I don’t think we’ll try very hard,” the man rumbled.
*
Nikol gnashed his teeth as he watched a Japanese boy steal his Cathrine-angel along with an old man and a little girl. How could this happen when he was on the verge of killing Barton and possessing her totally? He clutched the vial of penicillin he had stolen from the medical lab and hid behind a tree.
He had to stay hidden and pray his Lady Une-Deity would guide him. After the people left, he hurried to his home and packed a bag quickly. He had to hurry and run before they came for him. Afterwards, he could regroup and rescue his Cathrine-angel from those bastards.
*
“Colonel?” Trowa asked as Lady Une walked in, pushing an empty wheelchair.
“I thought you might like to see your sister,” she answered, helping him sit up.
“She’s here?”
“I gave special permission and listed her as your dependent so she could get OZ medical benefits. Careful,” she said, helping him sit down. “The detectives are finished with her for now. They confirmed that it was Nikol.” She started to push him down the hall.
“What happened?”
“Trowa, I’m so very sorry about this. In a way, I’m to blame.” Trowa twisted around and looked up at her solemn tone. “His place was investigated and his journal was found. He was a very disturbed man who was under the delusion that he was making me happy by kidnapping her. He thought that by her disappearance he would distract you so much that I would punish you for dereliction of duty. I never realized he was that ill. I should have seen it!”
“Then it would seem I’m to blame as well. How is she?”
She replied by not meeting his eyes. The worst scenarios played through his mind as they traveled down the hall they came over to a door with Heero Yuy beside it.
“Colonel Une, this is my friend Heero Yuy. Heero, please meet the Colonel,” Trowa said. Heero's Persian blue eyes snapped open.
“Those two detectives have some questions for you, Colonel. They think the sabotage to your mobile suits last weekend can be attributed to Nikol as well. They wanted me to tell you that, and ask if you would see them in your office.”
“Thank you, Mister Yuy. I’ll let you have some privacy. I need to rearrange some things in my command. Expect a promotion, Trowa.” She walked away with her arms crossed and slumped shoulders. Trowa could tell she was taking it hard. After all, it could have been her if Nikol had been pushed a little more.
“You okay?” Heero asked.
“Fine. He tried to poison me with strychnine.”
“That had to hurt,” Heero said blandly. “I called Quatre. I told him to stay put.”
“Good. I don't think he needs to be this close to my activities.”
“By the way, nice work on blowing up those mobile suits. Nikol going mad actually helped your espionage activities. The man didn’t realize you were a spy, so you're scott free.”
Trowa nodded and asked, “How’s Cathrine?”
“Bad off. He raped and tortured her the whole time. He kept her restrained so it caused lots of sores that are infected. She’s very afraid. I had to hold her hand the entire time. She only let me go a few minutes back because I promised you were coming.” Heero opened the door and let Trowa in the darkened room.
He stood from the wheelchair and made his way over to her bed. She squinted up at him and smiled.
“I was so afraid he killed you. He told me he was going to and I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I’m so sorry,” she said before she started to cry. He was shocked at her emaciated appearance. Bruises and cuts covered her arms and face. He felt murderous rage surge up. He repressed it for her sake.
“Don’t hurt yourself anymore over him. You have nothing to feel sorry for. It was all my fault. He was jealous of me so he took you to get at me. I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would take it so far,” Trowa said, sitting by her and taking her hand. “How can you ever forgive me?”
“I don't want to go home. I don’t want to be here. He’ll just come back.”
“If he does, we’ll get him, Cathy. I’ll be down the hall and Heero will stay outside,” Trowa said, squeezing her hand gently.
“Stay here. I want to make sure he won’t get you,” she said, squeezing his hand back. He nodded and rose up. He fumbled to the empty hospital bed beside hers and flopped on it. He took her hand again across the gulf and watched her submit to the tranquilizers they had given her.
To be continued.
“That’s some good vodka, Barton. Every good Communist drinks this brand. Thank you,” Nikol said, ushering Trowa in after accepting the housewarming gift. Trowa looked around the small mill house with a hardwood floor. It was done in a Bauhaus, industrial style Trowa appreciated.
“Please, this way,” Nikol said. Trowa followed Nikol to the living room where a chessboard was already set up. Trowa took the place behind the white pieces at Nikol’s behest. Nikol went to the kitchen and came back moments later with four shots of vodka and the makings for coffee.
“Thank you,” Trowa said, accepting one of the shots as Nikol settled behind the black pieces.
“I must warn you. I’m a tournament player,” Nikol said, taking his own drink and looking over at Trowa.
“I’ll give you a run for your money,” he said, moving his king’s knight out.
*
“Anything yet, Mister Kazanski? I’m getting impatient,” Wing said, turning the page of her Cosmo mag after she hunkered down in the back seat of their sedan.
“You always get impatient when we get close,” Kulfe said, looking through his binoculars at the small, boxy house across the street. “Miss Wing, I think that we should have told Mister Barton that we suspect this man. He just went in.”
“Can you still see them?”
“Yes, but if our instincts pan out, he could be in danger. Get ready to move,” Kazanski said.
“Of course, Mister Kazanski,” Li said, flipping another page. “Pink seems to be the color this year. We need to go shopping tomorrow.” He gave an apathetic grunt and refocused the lens to see through the front window.
*
“Thank you for a nice evening,” Trowa said, shaking Nikol’s hand. He headed towards the door.
“My pleasure. You were right about giving me a run for my money,” Nikol said, escorting him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Comrade.”
He shut the door behind Trowa and leaned against it. His hands began to tremble. He had fooled Barton-warlock. Cathrine was lying in the basement right below Trowa, and he didn’t acknowledge anything. Nikol had won! He had almost giggled when Trowa took his first sip of coffee.
“It won’t be long now,” he murmured, locking the door and heading towards the basement. He hoped Barton got into a traffic accident on the way back to the base. Even if Barton made it to the base, the poison would take him by morning. He unlocked the cellar door and entered the chilly room.
*
She fell into a dreamlike state and wondered if killing yourself was so wrong. Suicide surely was permissible in this situation. Maybe if she made the man angry enough, he would kill her. There was no hope any more. Even if she did get free, the man was murdering Trowa right now.
Plus, he had told her days ago how the ringmaster was arrested for her disappearance and was being prosecuted. He had even read the newspaper article to her. She had screamed herself hoarse and tried to free herself until her wrists were no more than hamburger.
Cathrine sank further away from herself as a vision solidified around him. She was in her costume and sitting in Heavyarms as several mobile suits were bowing up. She saw Trowa in his clown outfit on a small hill below her as she brought the Gundam to rest. She told him to run off; that she was going to self detonate. He jumped up on the Gundam's platform and slapped her.
“You selfish girl! How could you waste your life on such a hasty decision? Don’t you think your life is a little too valuable? What would your parents say? You didn’t think about the people who you would leave behind! We would have to go on living in sorrow. You didn’t think about us, did you?” Then he began to cry. She patted his shoulder and got down from the Gundam. She jerked awake at the door rattling.
“Cathrine.” She shivered at his voice and took a shaky breath. “It’s done. Almost. Right now he’s dying on some dark highway between here and the OZ base.”
“No! I hate you so much,” Cathrine murmured, twisting her head away. He sat beside her and laid a hand on her forehead.
“You’re not feeling well. You’re getting a fever. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you,” he said, jumping up and leaving her. She hadn’t realized how sick she really was until now. Was she dying? She couldn’t care about it anymore.
*
Trowa’s head swirled painfully as he fought to focus his blurring vision. He pulled the OZ jeep over to the side of the road and opened up the door. Something was wrong. He pulled at his collar and tried to breath as sweat rolled off of him. Headlights pulled up beside him as he slumped towards the ground and blacked out.
*
He awoke in the hospital bed and looked around to see Saunders sitting at his bedside. Saunders jerked up and moved his chair closer. Trowa’s vision blurred in and out.
“Boy, you sure scared the hell out of everyone.”
“Where am I?” Trowa asked, noticing his I.V. and the dull, thudding pain in his stomach.
“Base hospital. Some big Polish guy from the Earth Sphere Alliance brought you here. It looks like you drank some strychnine last night. He left muttering that your sister was as good as found. Isn’t that great? What happened anyway?” Saunders asked.
“Alan, do me a favor. Call 555-1082 and ask for Heero. Tell him to go to Ivan Nikol’s house and carefully poke around. Please hurry. It’s a matter of life or death,” Trowa said, realizing he was entirely too weak. Saunders turned to leave. “Saunders, stay away from the Captain no matter what.”
The OZ mobile suit pilot jogged out of the room, leaving Trowa alone. He glared up at the ceiling and said, “If you’ve harmed her... I’ll kill you.”
*
Cathrine listened to the door creek open. She smelled sausage and bell peppers along with jasmine. Her heart pounded again as she heard two sets of footsteps. Was she hallucinating now? A blanket was draped over her as she felt the handcuffs come off for the first time in almost two weeks.
“Just be very still, Miss Bloom. We’ve found you,” a sweet childlike voice whispered. “We’ll get you to the hospital.”
“Trowa?” she asked.
“Safe. Barely,” a craggy voice relayed. She herd a third set of steps and screamed. “Who are you?” the craggy voice shouted out.
“A friend of hers.” Heero’s low, melodic voice was the sweetest thing she had heard in forever. She knew she was truly rescued now.
“Heero! Please help me! He’ll be back soon. He might try to kill Trowa,” she pleaded, hearing him walk up. She let Heero sit her up and wrap the blanket tightly around her.
“How long has he kept you blindfolded?” the gruff man asked as Heero gingerly picked her up.
“The whole time.” She ached all over in spite of how carefully Heero was carrying her.
“Leave her blindfolded until we get to the hospital,” the strange man ordered. “We haven’t caught the perpetrator yet, but we know who he is.”
“Ivan Nikol? Heero asked, shifting Cathrine so she could lay her head on his shoulder.
“Yes,” the rescuer girl replied; Cathrine could hear the door open again. Cathrine grappled Heero’s neck as she realized he was taking her outside.
“No, Heero! I don’t want to go out there. He’ll hurt me if he knows I’m out here. Please take me back. He’ll beat me,” she pleaded in a whisper.
“Let him try,” Heero growled, marching on. She heard a car door open. Heero placed her in the car and got in beside her. The other two people got in and the car started it. Cathrine snuggled under Heero’s arm. He pulled her over to him. “Don’t worry Cathrine. He’ll be found. You two just make sure you find him before me.”
“I don’t think we’ll try very hard,” the man rumbled.
*
Nikol gnashed his teeth as he watched a Japanese boy steal his Cathrine-angel along with an old man and a little girl. How could this happen when he was on the verge of killing Barton and possessing her totally? He clutched the vial of penicillin he had stolen from the medical lab and hid behind a tree.
He had to stay hidden and pray his Lady Une-Deity would guide him. After the people left, he hurried to his home and packed a bag quickly. He had to hurry and run before they came for him. Afterwards, he could regroup and rescue his Cathrine-angel from those bastards.
*
“Colonel?” Trowa asked as Lady Une walked in, pushing an empty wheelchair.
“I thought you might like to see your sister,” she answered, helping him sit up.
“She’s here?”
“I gave special permission and listed her as your dependent so she could get OZ medical benefits. Careful,” she said, helping him sit down. “The detectives are finished with her for now. They confirmed that it was Nikol.” She started to push him down the hall.
“What happened?”
“Trowa, I’m so very sorry about this. In a way, I’m to blame.” Trowa twisted around and looked up at her solemn tone. “His place was investigated and his journal was found. He was a very disturbed man who was under the delusion that he was making me happy by kidnapping her. He thought that by her disappearance he would distract you so much that I would punish you for dereliction of duty. I never realized he was that ill. I should have seen it!”
“Then it would seem I’m to blame as well. How is she?”
She replied by not meeting his eyes. The worst scenarios played through his mind as they traveled down the hall they came over to a door with Heero Yuy beside it.
“Colonel Une, this is my friend Heero Yuy. Heero, please meet the Colonel,” Trowa said. Heero's Persian blue eyes snapped open.
“Those two detectives have some questions for you, Colonel. They think the sabotage to your mobile suits last weekend can be attributed to Nikol as well. They wanted me to tell you that, and ask if you would see them in your office.”
“Thank you, Mister Yuy. I’ll let you have some privacy. I need to rearrange some things in my command. Expect a promotion, Trowa.” She walked away with her arms crossed and slumped shoulders. Trowa could tell she was taking it hard. After all, it could have been her if Nikol had been pushed a little more.
“You okay?” Heero asked.
“Fine. He tried to poison me with strychnine.”
“That had to hurt,” Heero said blandly. “I called Quatre. I told him to stay put.”
“Good. I don't think he needs to be this close to my activities.”
“By the way, nice work on blowing up those mobile suits. Nikol going mad actually helped your espionage activities. The man didn’t realize you were a spy, so you're scott free.”
Trowa nodded and asked, “How’s Cathrine?”
“Bad off. He raped and tortured her the whole time. He kept her restrained so it caused lots of sores that are infected. She’s very afraid. I had to hold her hand the entire time. She only let me go a few minutes back because I promised you were coming.” Heero opened the door and let Trowa in the darkened room.
He stood from the wheelchair and made his way over to her bed. She squinted up at him and smiled.
“I was so afraid he killed you. He told me he was going to and I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I’m so sorry,” she said before she started to cry. He was shocked at her emaciated appearance. Bruises and cuts covered her arms and face. He felt murderous rage surge up. He repressed it for her sake.
“Don’t hurt yourself anymore over him. You have nothing to feel sorry for. It was all my fault. He was jealous of me so he took you to get at me. I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would take it so far,” Trowa said, sitting by her and taking her hand. “How can you ever forgive me?”
“I don't want to go home. I don’t want to be here. He’ll just come back.”
“If he does, we’ll get him, Cathy. I’ll be down the hall and Heero will stay outside,” Trowa said, squeezing her hand gently.
“Stay here. I want to make sure he won’t get you,” she said, squeezing his hand back. He nodded and rose up. He fumbled to the empty hospital bed beside hers and flopped on it. He took her hand again across the gulf and watched her submit to the tranquilizers they had given her.
To be continued.
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