The Devil's Symphony
Written by: Jon Hall
And Greg Housley
Comments are appreciated!
Chapter 3
The night air… It was soft and sweet up against Wufei’s sweat covered
skin as he sat crouched outside the Virazen labs security fence. It was almost
melodic in its chilling whispers, speaking softly of the greater dangers that
lay ahead. He smiled as the breeze ran across his face, and silently wondered
how Duo was faring with his mission. Their missions were virtually the same,
break into Virazen labs and gather as much information as you can on their
latest ventures, then get out. Only difference was Duo was assigned to the
head colony branch while he was assigned to its earth base.
He watched silently, concealed within the shadows of night as a passing patrol made his round and circled back. This was Wufei’s opportunity. He quickly produced a small cutting laser and began to work his way through the electrified fence with accurate precision. Moments later a hole twice his width was cut in the chain linked fence and he had squirmed his way unscathed through it’s new opening.
Quickly he regained his footing and did a quick survey of his surroundings making sure he hadn’t been spotted. “Preventer water this is preventer justice, I am inside the Virazen inner security sector B, proceeding to sector X as instructed.”
“Good work justice, be on alert, patrol one is two hundred and eight seconds from your designated point on your left, patrol seven is one hundred fifty two seconds on your right.”
“Roger water, justice out.”
“Good luck, justice.”
Sally Po wiped at her brow as she monitored Wufei’s progress on the several monitors’ she had within the van. The whole base would be on alert in moments to trespassing activity, as preventer covert procedure, called for hacking into any given security system and transferring operation to them, thus leaving nothing but static on any security monitors. Though flawed as it might be it was the only way to accurately break into a high security installation such as this.
Wufei finally approached his destination and carefully checked about for pursuers. It wouldn’t be long now, he thought. The base would be put on alert in several more moments so he had to act fast. He hoped Sally had managed to gain control over the internal alarms and wished he had thought to ask her earlier. He figured she probably had considering she hadn’t mentioned otherwise. Still, a nagging doubt persisted.
He reached up to the access panel and input the eight-digit code they had received earlier from an anonymous tip and waited patiently for the control panel to process the code.
“Access denied.” The digital screen flashed in red letters. His heart sank. Why had they accepted a code at face value from an anonymous tipper? He felt disgust at the thought. Somehow it had the stench of a trap. Sally had seemed so sure at the codes validity. “Water this is justice, code is invalid!” He hissed in his watches built in communication’s system.
“Justice your violating regulations by breaking radio…” Sally paused. “Invalid?”
“That’s what I said, this is a bogus access code.”
“Lemme do a systems security check.” Sally began rapidly searching through the computer database and silently berated herself for not catching it earlier. “Justice, the silent alarm has been triggered. All access codes are changed in such cases.”
“I thought you were supposed to take care of that!” Wufei was incredulous.
“I thought I had!” Sally spoke in a defending tone. A moment of indecision passed between the two before Sally finally spoke up, “Use the C.H.E.” She ordered.
“Wufei pat at his pockets before finally producing the small plastic box known as C.H.E. Condensed Heat Emitter, he read looking at the box. It was something that Howard had given him and Duo before departing for space. He smiled and was about to apply the device to the control panel when the door to sector X opened in front of him. He stood frozen staring into the eyes of a patrol as equally surprised to see him. The man grabbed for his sidearm but was too slow. Wufei punched the C.H.E. into the man’s chest, the adhesive instantly sticking to his clothing. The man ripped at it uselessly not even sure what it was that the boy had attached to him, but before he could successfully remove it Wufei produced the igniter switch and vaporized a section of the mans chest. The man instantly slumped to the ground, lifeless, catching the door with his body before it closed.
Wufei felt a small shudder at the sight. He was a trained warrior, but he was used to battling mobile suits, you never actually get to see somebody die only their mobile suits explode. Pushing the matter to the back of his mind he hopped over the body and through the door.
The hallway he entered into was long and lit by a string of fluorescent lights giving it a very clinical look. He checked at his watch and flipped through an access menu until he finally pulled up the building’s blueprints. He checked his location again and found the terminal he was looking for to be in the central sector H, It was a risk, he had known from the start. Sector H was located right beside sector K, which served as Virazen’s security bunker. He would have to be careful if he wanted to make it out again. He took a left at a hallway marked 35X and continued on unchallenged for its duration. It wasn’t long before he encountered another access panel, and without even attempting the earlier provided code he applied another C.H.E. box to the panel and pressed the igniter. The circuitry disrupted, the door slid open allowing him access to hallway sector 4G, past this he would find the sector he was after, and the terminal with it. It was from this point that security got a little more difficult. That was why Howard had also supplied him with a device that could override maximum-security devices such as voice access and iris scanners. The code panels were easy compared to those, a simply destroying them would short their circuitry and the doors would open. It was the more advanced security panels that were going to prove more difficult. He made his way down several hallways before finally locating a sign reading 8H, his heart began to pound harder at the realization that he probably should have encountered more opposition than he was currently receiving. He made a turn down a hallway marked 7H and realized this was where central H was located. He passed by several rooms none of which he had any interest in before finally locating the large double-doors leading into central H. He held his breath as he linked the security breaching apparatuses cables to the voice access panel and tapped at it’s button to begin the process.
“Please speak your name and access code clearly for security clearance”, the panel spoke.
“Harold Duvallen, SLRIG44YHS99087EKIL29874I.” Wufei breathed heavily as he spoke the information given earlier. He didn’t see how this code would be any different than the access panels, but figured it worth a try since Howard had been pretty confident in his machines capabilities.
“Access granted, welcome Harold Duvallen.” The security panel greeted in an emotionless tone. The door to central H opened and he stepped into the small room inside. The door behind him slid closed and he stood in the dark awaiting the prompting of the next security device.
“Please wait while we process a scan of your genetic structure.” The computer announced.
Wufei tensed at this new turn of events. Genetic structure? He wondered incredulously. Nobody had said anything about genetic structure! He pressed at the button of the small machine within his hands anyway, hoping that Howard had somehow anticipated this.
A strange light swirling with an odd mix of colors, almost like a bubble in bright light, washed over Wufei as he stood hoping his little device knew what to do about this situation. As the light retracted he stood once again in darkness.
“Welcome Dr. Duvallen, have a nice day!” The machine announced suddenly. “A lighter work load is recommended doctor, your vital signs show signs of increased stress.” Not knowing whether to reply Wufei simply stood there as the door to the lab opened before him. He entered into the circular room glancing about cautiously as he did, hoping he wasn’t just digging himself deeper into a trap. The computer he was seeking was located in the center of the otherwise empty room.
His had been the more dangerous of the two missions assigned to him and Duo. While Duo’s was to infiltrate at the head colony’s base, he had to break into the main base of operations for all of Virazen labs. All of their operations were recorded here where as only the operations of each individual lab was located in the others. Security was at it’s tightest here, and the stakes were of course higher.
He sat down at the computer terminal and stuck a minidisk in its drive. He began to sift through all of the more recent data, gathering what he could and saving it as he went.
What he discovered surprised him. The machine made reference to a project designated OM3 several times, and even detailed some of the specifics. What he found most difficult to absorb was the fact that most of the data seemed incomplete. Almost like the information provided was more appeasement than actual procedure data. His mind began racing at the implications but by the time he had figured it out the door busted open.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sally watched Wufei enter into central H and sighed. From here on out he was on his own, there could be a battalion of troops waiting in there and she had no way of knowing. Past this point not even the security cameras could reach. She reached down and grabbed a beverage out of the cooler and snapped it open, she hoped this would be over soon, she hated making anybody taking this sort of risk. Course she wasn’t forcing him she mused. He had volunteered in her stead insisting that he could get in and out quicker than her having more experience in such fields. She had agreed grudgingly not wanting to put Wufei in such a situation but knowing he was right. She sipped at her drink, waiting in anticipation for Wufei to appear in her vid-screen. What made this mission such a risk was the rumors circulating about Virazen were of the particularly foul sort and she had a feeling that if caught Wufei would be executed without trial.
Suddenly Sally’s screen turned static and she spit her drink out onto the console. She worked fervently at the controls trying to locate the problem and found she had been cut out. They were caught! She realized in horror.
“Justice, come in! Come in justice, do you read me?”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Stop!” A commanding voice shouted as Wufei whipped around to see a handful of soldiers, with weapons withdrawn and pointing directly at him. Doing as he was told, Wufei halted all motion. “Get on your knees boy, and cross those legs!” Slowly Wufei once again did as instructed and knelt down to the cold floor, crossing his legs behind him as he did so. “Put those hands behind your head and keep em there!” The voice instructed.
“Justice, come in! Come in justice, do you read me?”
Wufei slowly reached behind his head snagging his watch in the process and pressing a button to erase all functions. The apparent leader of the group of soldiers hearing the voice reached for Wufei’s wrist and with a swift pull from his knife severed the watch from his arm. “What’s this boy?” The man asked peering at the now useless watch. “A communicator?” Wufei noticed the mans guard drop momentarily while inspecting the watch and chose that time to act. He pounced upon the man with lightning reflexes, smashing his nose into his face and grabbing for his knife. The group of soldiers was quick to react. Firing their guns at Wufei as he charged through them slicing two of them at the throat as he did so. It wasn’t till he managed to break through the group that they began to stop firing and back away.
Standing in front of Wufei was what he considered the most peculiar looking man he had ever seen. He could see the exit from the hallway in which they now stood directly behind the man. From the corner of his eye he could see the men and women who had earlier been anxious to kill him grab at their dead comrades and filter into the hall behind him.
“I’ll handle this!” The man commanded. “Tend to the dead.”
“Yes, sir!” A female voice answered. “Alright men, you heard em, move it!”
Wufei heard the small groups footsteps fade behind him until the sound of a door sliding open, then close, cut off further noise.
He studied his new opponent with increasing interest. The man stood at least half a foot taller, and was an obvious couple of years older. But what struck Wufei as most bizarre about the soldier were his features. Cat almost in appearance, his golden eyes were almost identical to any feline he’d ever encountered, while his ears pointed at the tip rather than curving like they should. His long hair was dark blue with a solid white streak off centered to the left.
“So you’re the famed gundam pilot, Wufei Chang.” The man appraised with a confident smirk.
“The name is Justice.” Wufei responded.
“Ah yes, a preventer now if I recall, right? And just what exact “justice” do you stand for, Wufei?”
“I stand for the justice of strength.”
“Oh? Then I guess you wouldn’t mind testing this justice of yours up against me, now would you? After all in order to reach that exit, your going to have to go through me anyway.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Wufei commented, taking a fighting stance.
“Shall we begin then?”
“Is it not proper to give ones name before a duel?” Wufei answered.
“Perhaps if I considered this a duel.” The man smiled
“You mock me.”
“None intended I assure you, however since you deem it necessary, my name is Dane. Now shall we begin?”
“Lets.” Wufei agreed.
Whether the fight had actually started wouldn’t really be quite apparent as one stood facing the other willing him to make the first move. Time seemed to slow as the two stood frozen in place locked in an invisible dance of tactics. Wufei still couldn’t shake the feeling that the overconfident soldier was simply mocking him. But as he watched the motionless fighter maintain a perfect poise he realized the other would wait till the ends of time awaiting the first move so it would be up to him to oblige.
Wasting no more time Wufei leapt into action charging with awesome speed crashing into the fighter, or at least where the fighter had been. Wufei glanced back too late as he found his assailant behind him. The man knocked him into the wall with such force that all the air was forced from his lungs. Wufei staggered around to glance into the cat eyes of the soldier and found that mocking stare grinning at Wufei’s own seeming foolishness. Angry, but in control Wufei charged once again, making sure not to repeat his previous error, but his opponent dodge each attack with inhuman ease.
He’s too fast, Wufei thought in anger as he panted from the exertion. I can barely follow his moves!
“The man chuckled at Wufei’s display. “I want you to know… I’m only using a tenth of my strength.”
Wufei could feel the heat of his rage build. “LIAR!!” He cried as he swept up into a upward arch, but the man sidestepped easily. Wufei had seen this evade more than once now, he knew what to expect. Guessing at where the man would be next he slung his knife out in a fast swipe. The man caught off-guard, only barely managed to pull himself out of Wufei’s attack, the knife slicing a scratch across the man’s face as he did.
“INFIDEL!” The man cried in rage as he blew what seemed to Wufei like a truck at him and smashed him once again at the wall.
Wufei could feel his consciousness begin to seep as he caught a last glimpse of the man, hand outstretched from his body. Was that raw chi? Wufei wondered.
“The is no “justice”, Wufei Chang. You know that.” Was the last thing Wufei heard.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Alone on a park bench a man sat beneath a large oak tree wondering at the
events of his life, once again questioning his own self worth. A handful of
small children were playing gleefully several yards off in the snow that littered
the ground about. He watched in contemplation as they kicked at the snow and
picked patches of it up and tossed it at each other. Over from them was another
group of children working on a snowman. He smiled in approval at the two groups.
He wished things were as simple as they once were, though unfortunately he
had been forced to grow up a lot faster than most children.
He wondered silently what the future held for him, if anything. Would he wonder
the world from one end to the other only to wither away, a relic of another
age? He smiled sardonically at the question. And what better fate for the
man who had tried to literally destroy the world? He clenched his fist in
frustration. “Treize, where the hell are you?” His words were barely
a whisper. He wordlessly berated himself as he wondered what the former OZ
leader would be doing in times such as these. What did it matter even if he
were alive? They had been bitter enemies in the end. But why did such a thought
seem so empty and hollow.
He stood from his place at the bench and tightened the long brown duster he
wore about himself. His platinum blonde hair blowing in the chilling breeze
as he began to walk and regain some circulation.
He had found a little salvation in the southern areas of the northern American
regions. It had been a little more than a year since the Mariemaia invasion,
and it wasn’t long after that his Tallgeese III had been destroyed. The
last tribute to Treize Khushrenada gone. He smiled t the thought. Well, not
the “last”. His dark mistress still existed and only he knew where.
Though he had already promised himself he would never pilot it again. Its
Zero system was slightly different than the one he had experienced in Wing
Zero. It was corrupting; it left a lasting impression on the pilot long after
he had left its
influence. No, best to let her rest forever.
Lost in thought, Milliardo Peacecraft pulled his duster even closer against
his body and faded into the snowy background of the quaint little town.