White | Silver | Black
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Sotsu, Sunrise, Bandai Entertainment, I neither claim them nor certainly make any money off them!
Pairing: 6x2
Rating: Lemony in places
Time Setting: Post-series, three years later (minus events in Ground Zero, Blind Target, Endless Waltz as when I started this, I hadn't seen or read about these yet)
Summary: A chance meeting leads to the recovery of a wounded heart.
A week later on Earth, a man received a phone call from an office in Brussels. "Yes?" was his only greeting. He expected the other party would know his voice or ask if they needed to know who had answered.
"I have need of an investigation to be performed in the colonies," a woman replied on the other end. No introduction, no preamble. She, too, expected her voice to be recognized, and it was. "Nothing very deep, just a verification that no wrong-doing is occurring within a certain enterprise. Can you do it?"
"I'll do it," the man replied. "If wrong-doing is discovered - what do you want me to do about it?" Knowing the person with whom he spoke, he understood that this was more than a fact-finding mission.
"I completely trust your ability to handle it as you see fit," she replied seriously. "You're the only one I can trust with this particular investigation."
A glimmering of a warning sounded in his head. There wasn't much that his considerable talents were needed for in these days of peace. "What is the enterprise?"
"Is this a secure line?"
"Yes, of course. You shouldn't have to ask."
"I'm sorry... I forgot for a moment with whom I was speaking," she replied, contrite. "Very well. The enterprise is a non-profit organization with five locations in the colonies. The name is the Peacegarden Foundation. It maintains orphanages and shelters for war-displaced homeless."
Another bell went off. [Peculiar name. No...] "Peacegarden... a front for something else? Is that what you suspect?" [If this is what I'm guessing, it could be huge... a return of a particularly nasty colonial terrorist group that nearly...]
"I suspect nothing," she was answering. "The name was forwarded to me. Of course I have the highest hopes that it is exactly what it sounds like - that would be wonderful! But you and I know that things are not always as they seem. Even now. I would be foolish to ignore this. Even if I encounter painful things from the past as a result."
"Yes," he muttered firmly. "Some things should remain dead. As well as some people."
"What if..." She stopped herself. "No, never mind. I do trust you. You're the only one I can trust with this."
[He's dead,] the man told himself firmly, understanding of whom she was thinking. [He has to be.] "I'll be in touch..."
"Wait..." The woman's voice called out, a note of anguish to her voice. "If my worst suspicions are true... I want you to take care of it. I don't care what you have to do. And please... tell me no details. Please."
He could not help but feel a twinge at the pain in her voice. "I understand. Good-bye."
The second Heero Yuy hung up the phone and went to check out his equipment and pack.
The director of Children's Services for the local governing body of Colony C-152 looked over the impressive portfolio in front of her before glancing back up at the man who had presented it to her across her desk. He sat gravely as she gestured for him to sit down. All in all, he'd only said about two sentences worth so far.
[This is amazing,] she thought, looking through the photographs and the testimonials. [I'm surprised this isn't more publicly known, but perhaps his money has taken care of that, too. Not that it matters...] "And your references?"
A folder was handed over. These, too, seemed to be in order. "Well, Mr. Peacecraft..." She tried not to wince, saying the name. "It's true that our shelters for homeless families and our homes for orphans are overcrowded and understaffed, and that there is a great need for what you're offering. However, I'm sure you understand that we will have to check into your references and check out your other facilities."
"Of course," the man with the long, platinum hair murmured with a nod. The deep, resonant voice was unusually gentle, not at all chilling like she remembered from the public broadcasts of the White Fang from three years ago. "I invite your investigation. I have no illusions about how trustworthy you may find me."
[Huh,] she thought. [Okay, humility is good...] "I see," she said noncommittally. "I will set my staff into checking your references, then perhaps later this week I and a couple of our inspectors could travel with you to visit one of your orphanages?" She looked through the portfolio. "This is closest - on C-241?"
[Already,] he thought, recalling with dismay the circumstances of his departure. [Well, at least he won't be there to torture me with his purity and zest for life... and that lithe little body...] "Yes," he answered abruptly. "I would be honored to have you visit there."
She nodded, impressed. [I never would have dreamed... but if he's sincere...] "I'll make the arrangements. Good day, Mr. Peacecraft."
Heero Yuy waited in the reception area of the Peacegarden Orphanage on Colony C-125, looking around without meaning to study the place. [At least it appears to be an orphanage,] he mused, though he relaxed only minutely. [If this gentle place of caring is a front for something more sinister... if Zechs really is alive and is behind it... I'll end his miserable life before he can gasp my name,] he thought morosely.
"Mr. Maxwell?" a woman's voice said from behind him. Smoothly he stood in one motion to face her. "Hi, my name is Ginger Lyons," a tall, slender woman with long blond hair said with a relaxed smile. "I'm the administrator of Peacegarden here on C-125, Mr. Maxwell." She held out her hand.
Heero shook it tersely, unsmiling. "Miss Lyons," he began, "I'm from the EarthSphere Unified Nation Justice Department. I've been asked to perform an audit on your facility as well as a full investigation. Just routine..."
He was stunned when she broke out laughing. "Excuse me?" he demanded of her, peering at the taller woman from under the dark, shaggy bangs.
"Oh, forgive me, Mr. Maxwell or whatever your name is," Ginger said merrily, "but your naivete is simply charming. Could it be that you don't think we simple colonists here at Peacegarden have any idea who pays our bills?"
"I don't see where..."
"Of course you don't, sir," she cut in, looking at him more shrewdly. "Come, let me show you something."
They walked through bright, airy corridors until they came to an open court full of flowering bushes and plants. "This is the Peacegarden, Mr. Maxwell," Ginger stated, then gestured toward a group of children toward the far end of it. "Do you see what those children are doing?"
Heero watched for a moment. "They're pruning that plum tree."
"Yes, Mr. Maxwell," Ginger replied with a hint of sharpness. "The tree was planted by Milliardo Peacecraft three years ago, not two months after the war. He was still on crutches then, but he managed a shovel well enough for the ground-breaking ceremony for the orphanage and to plant that tree. But what is more significant is what the children are doing." She turned to face him. "What are they really doing?"
[Where did the Vice Foreign Minister get her information?] Heero wondered to himself. He was trying to hide his own shock. "They're... tending the tree."
"Yes, Maxwell, tending as in caring for the tree." She pointed to a boy with a brace on one leg. "That's Hydie - soldiers brought him here when he was discovered alone in a house, both his parents having disappeared in one of the OZ maneuvers. I don't know what kind of soldiers; it didn't matter. But there was nowhere else for the boy to go except here. Do you know how healing it is for abandoned, orphaned children to learn how to take care of a pet or even plants, Maxwell?"
Heero narrowed his eyes, and studied her calm, confident gaze. There was no anger toward him, just a firm resolve in what her facility was about. And an unquestionable loyalty toward the orphanage's founder. "Does he come here very often? Peacecraft?"
Ginger narrowed her eyes right back at him. "I thought so - the Earth is checking to make sure the fallen angel hasn't slipped further. Yes, of course, he does, about every other month. He has other facilities, but of course you would know that..." She turned and walked on, expecting him to follow.
He did. [Fallen angel... interesting comparison,] Heero thought. He fought an urge to excuse himself to call one of his associates, but settled for continuing the tour for now, though his prodigious mind was already making plans and sorting through ways to proceed. He owed the one who gave him this mission to be thorough; he would have been thorough anyway. It was his way.
They came to a child's room. Beyond the open door they could see a boy sitting at a desk, typing away at a computer keyboard. At Ginger's knock, the boy stopped and turned around.
Heero Yuy could have been looking at himself at about age ten. A shock of unruly dark brown hair topped a gamin face with predominant deep blue eyes, cool and piercing. "Ma'am," the boy greeted Ginger, unsmiling. "Sir..."
"Judo, Mr. Maxwell is a visitor from the EarthSphere government. He is doing an investigation into the Peacegarden Orphanages here in the colonies," Ginger explained.
The child, Judo, regarded Heero as something poisonous. "Let me guess. You just discovered that Milliardo Peacecraft is alive, didn't you?"
Heero decided he wasn't going to be out-Heeroed by a ten-year-old. He came over and sat down in a chair facing the boy. "He doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation. If you were in my position, would you trust - after a ten minute visit - everything you see around you, knowing Milliardo Peacecraft's history?"
The boy's eyes got wider. "No," he murmured. "You're right. I would check it out thoroughly." His glance slid back over to his counselor, who stood leaning on the doorjamb, listening with interest. "Did you tell him about me?"
Ginger smiled. [Thought these two would get along... they both have a wild look in their eyes. I wonder what Maxwell's story is?] "Not yet. Shall I?"
Judo gestured assent. "Well," Ginger began, "this little devil stole a mobile suit at the age of seven and got it out to space, hoping to join up with the White Fang to fight for the colonies' independence from OZ. How about that for boldness?" She grinned affectionately at the boy. "His father had joined the rebels, and he decided he had to, too. Unfortunately, OZ had no idea a child was piloting the suit and they didn't think anything of firing at it. But fortunately, Judo got it back to the colony, escaping complete annihilation."
"I know I'm lucky," Judo murmured, nodding. "Ever see a mobile suit?" he asked Heero.
"Yes," was all Heero would say. [Probably a Taurus which is astounding in itself,] he was thinking. [All the Virgos would have been at Libra.]
Judo looked at him with interest, but then sighed, figuring the man had seen pictures like anyone else. [He's a desk jockey, what does he know?] "Well, it's not like air or spacecraft. There's an awful lot of stuff to pay attention to. I was lucky."
[And gifted,] Heero wondered. "How do you feel now about what the White Fang was trying to do?" he asked. [Might as well get right to it.]
Again the boy's glance flickered over to the woman. "They... were wrong, of course." He turned back to his computer abruptly.
[I see,] Heero noted, reading much in the little display of body language. [He's still a patriot, then. Such a waste, now that the colonies are free from OZ's military domination.] "Not that the colonies weren't worth fighting for," Heero replied, deciding to throw him a concession.
Judo looked back at the man again, his gaze piercing and intent. "You were in the war, weren't you? On the side of OZ, obviously."
Heero just looked at him, not giving him an answer one way or another.
[There's something about this guy,] Ginger wondered. "Judo, that's getting a little personal. The war is over and there are no more sides."
"Right," the boy answered, letting his gaze slide away. Then he asked, surprising both of the adults, "Mr. Maxwell, have you ever met Milliardo Peacecraft in person?"
Heero hesitated. He was officially undercover, and it wasn't very likely that an agent in the Justice Department would have met Zechs Merquise or Milliardo Peacecraft. On the other hand, an admission here, even to mention that he himself had been a colonist, could gain him access that his front might never. He chose to admit at least part of it. "Yes," he replied, and from the look on their faces, it clearly wasn't the expected answer. "I have met and talked to Milliardo Peacecraft in person."
"Then you know what manner of man he is," Ginger said, surprised.
[I really need to talk to Zechs,] Heero considered, feeling that necessity grow stronger and stronger. "Let me say that I respect the man a great deal. I also reject strongly decisions he has made in the past." [Although actually what I respect is his ability to inspire devotion in others, as well as his many other skills...]
"That's a fair statement," she murmured. "At least I hope it means that you can acknowledge that people change... that at one time in their life they may make decisions that go against their basic nature, then later they return to their truer selves."
Heero glanced at her, then looked back at the boy again, so like himself. "I might. What I hear you implying is that Peacecraft has indeed reformed and is genuinely devoted to good works now. Is this what you think of him?"
"He's a good man," Ginger murmured.
"He's a Peacecraft," Judo muttered as if that explained everything. Heero supposed that it did, ultimately. Or at least he hoped so.
"Miss Lyons, I am a thorough investigator. I would like to conduct a series of interviews of your staff personnel and a selection of children in addition to my audits," Heero stated, standing then replacing the chair.
"Of course, I'll arrange them," Ginger replied, nodding.
"And one more thing," Heero added. "I do need to contact Mr. Peacecraft directly. I will be visiting all of the orphanages and shelters, but it is critical that I meet with him as well."
[Hmmm,] she wondered. [I have a couple phone calls I need to make before I can arrange that... this young man is no fool and has a sharp mind.] "Certainly. The last I heard, he was on C-241, so I'll check with them first."
"Thank you," Heero replied. He turned to the boy and held out his hand. "It was good to meet you, Judo."
The boy looked at his hand. "Yes," was all he said, nodding before he turned back to his computer.
[And that's exactly how I would have responded,] Heero thought as he left with the woman to return to her offices.