In an Era of Peace: An Uncertain Future

Chapter XII: Confrontation

Dearka rolled over in his bed. He was sick and tired of not being able to get out of it. He had tried many times before but the poison was still flowing through his body. He felt like a useless sack of flesh lying it that bed all the time. It had been six weeks since Bree disappeared with Cagalli, Shiho and most importantly Miriallia. He couldn't believe she had played him for so long. That she had poisoned him. He had once thought of her as a good friend, now the thought of her disgusted him. He couldn't believe she could do something like that, to him… to all of them.

To make matters worst tensions were growing between the PLANTs and Orb. Athrun was doing his best to keep the representatives of Orb from wanting to lash out, but it was difficult. With Cagalli missing and a ZAFT soldier being the one who took her it seemed only a matter of time before fighting would break out. His only hope was to keep reminding them of Orb ideals. They were neutral. They had a peace treaty to uphold, and that this was an isolated incident that would be handled by both the PLANTs and Orb together.

Yzak was equally in distress as the others. The two people he cared most about were ripped away from him all in one day, and he could do nothing to stop it. When he woke up and Shiho was nowhere to be found he was distrot. If he wasn't already in the hospital when he did wake he would have refused medical attention just to search for her. Then there was Dearka. It was over a week before there was enough poison out of his system to wake. Yzak didn't know if he should stay by his friend's side, or search for his girl.

Dearka was now the only one remaining bed ridden. He hated it. But not as much as he hated seeing Davis's face every few days. Yzak and Athrun made sure to keep Dearka up to date on the search for the girls. Unfortunately since Davis was cleared as a suspect he was updated as well. Dearka despised every second of sharing a room with that guy. He knew there was something not right with him. He was hiding something, he just didn't know what yet.

"Elsman are you listening?" Yzak asked angry.

"Yeah… sorry" He replied sitting up. He preferred being on his side so that he didn't have to look at Davis, but seeing how it just pissed Yzak off he sat up.

"Like I was saying… we've done a complete sweep of Orb. There has been no signs of the girls. Bree is resourceful. She graduated top in her class for outdoor survival. If she was smart she took them far away from here."

"What the hell is she even trying to accomplish?" Dearka asked angry, balling up the blanket in his fist.

"That is what we are trying to figure out" Athrun explained. "Kira informed me they took her family into custody yesterday."

"What good will that do?" Davis asked confused.

"They might have information on her accomplice. Bree wasn't working alone, we know that for sure. Multiple witnesses saw her during the shooting. She may have inserted the poison into Dearka but the rest was someone else."

"I should have never let Bree be my date that night. If she wasn't there… maybe none of this would have happened." Dearka said sadly. "I just hope Miriallia and the others are okay."

"There is no point in worrying about that." Yzak said. "For now we need to focus on find leads to why Bree did this. Find the reason and we find the cracks in her plan. She wouldn't get away with this forever."

"And if she's already killed them" Davis asked, trying to sound like a distorted boyfriend.

"We can't think like that. Shiho is twice the soldier that woman could ever be, same goes for Cagalli. From what I hear the natural can hold her own as well. Bree makes one mistake, one wrong move, and they could get the upper hand. We just need to trust she hasn't done anything rash."

"For now though, you need to take it easy Dearka. The doctor said the poison should be completely out of you system in the next few days. The movement in your legs should come back soon too." Athrun said reassuringly. "Once you do we'll start searching outside Orb… together."

Dearka watched as Yzak and Athrun left the room. Davis stood up ready to leave too. As he took his first step Dearka reached out and took hold of his arm. He squeezed as hard as he could causing Davis to flinch in pain. They looked into each other's eyes, anger filling both of them. "I know you had something to do with this..." Dearka stated through gritted teeth. "...and once I'm out of this bed I will spend every waking moment trying to prove that."

"Your friends seem to think I'm innocent."

"They are too preoccupied trying to find Bree. But I know her. She would never do something like this, not without proper motivation. You however, I know nothing about. Athrun tells me Cagalli doesn't trust you. That is reason enough for me for you to be my prime suspect."

"Good luck with that… " He said prying Dearka hand off himself. "... but I'm afraid you have it all wrong. I can assure you I never pulled a trigger in my life. I'm sorry for what happened to all you, I really am, especially since Miriallia go caught up in all this. She doesn't deserve this."

"No she doesn't. So let her go" Dearka insisted.

"If I was the one responsible I would. But it's your date that seems to be the culprit. Obviously her motivation was jealousy. You were in love with another and she couldn't take it. Who knows who she convinced to help her with this crazy plan of hers. She smart and resourceful woman going down a dark path. There is no telling what she will do. Mir and the others maybe already dead. And I can't help but think it is all your fault. You should have stayed away from her, never accepted that job as her bodyguard."

"Get out of here. I sick of looking at you damn face Vanhorn!" He said.

Davis walked towards the exit, stopping in the doorway. "Tell me something Dearka. Do you enjoy it?"

"Enjoy what?" He asked.

"Being a soldier? Having the power to end hundreds of lives at tip of your fingers."

"I never enjoy taking lives, but I did what I had to do to protect those I cared about." He replied ticked off. "Being a soldier is part of who I am. My time with Miriallia taught me that. It is in my blood, and I can't run away from it."

"Blood… it's a powerful thing. It can really drive a person mad." He said cryptically. "I do hope you are able to find Bree's accomplice before she takes any lives. Those poor girls don't deserve the pain and suffering they are enduring now."

Dearka watched the guy walk out the door. He was more suspicious of him now more than ever. The things he said didn't sit right with him. The way he spoke it was like he was choosing each and every word carefully. He was bound and determined he was going to find out just exactly how Davis Vanhorn really was.