Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chupacabras Synchronicity ❯ Nine ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter Nine

Duo looked at Quatre and whimpered. Why couldn't it all just stop for a day? All he wanted was one day to let everything calm down, to get his head into gear and feel like he had no obligations. Then he would happily kick butt. But right now, Heero was poisoned, Quatre was unconscious and Duo himself felt like shit. Whether that was from mentally chasing the damned Chupacabra around his room, climbing down the dorm wall, or the fact that he honestly could not remember what had happened since Wufei stopped threatening to stick him with a needle, he did not know, nor did he have any intention of trying to find out. He felt like shit. That was all he needed to know.

"What's wrong with him?" Duo pointed to Quatre where Trowa laid him out on the couch. Duo would have laughed at any other time, seeing the little yellow bunny on Wufei's couch, but it was not the time.

Trowa was looking at him strangely. In fact, everyone seemed to be looking at him. Duo swallowed dryly and wondered what he had done wrong this time. He looked at the kitchen just to make sure Wufei's microwave was fine before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Duo, you were the one who called…you knew where it was hiding…" Trowa's voice trailed off at the pained look in Duo's eyes.

Duo felt Heero's hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him, but it did nothing to calm Duo's inner turmoil. He didn't understand what was happening. He knew time had passed, only five or ten minutes but time nonetheless. He knew he had done something during that time, but memory beyond that point was non-existent. Luckily he was saved from having to comment when the door crashed open.

Sally strode straight to Heero's side, taking his ankle in her hard hands and inspecting it critically. Duo faintly recalled she was training to be a nurse. Iria was at Quatre's side, mumbling comforting words the small blonde could not hear.

"School has been cancelled until further notice. Students are confined to their rooms while the teachers let exterminators in. They're treating it as a rabid rat infestation or some such. Everyone's raving about it." Sally was watching Heero's face as she spoke, hoping to catch some reaction. There wasn't one. Duo had not expected there to be, knowing that even though Heero was hiding it admirably, his ankle was damned near killing him.

"When will they arrive?" Duo asked, head clearing and finally kicking into gear. If they let anyone near those things someone was going to die. He would not allow it to go that far.

"First thing in the morning. Around 9am," Sally replied, brows slightly raised in surprise. She had not expected Duo to take control.

Duo barely noticed, nodding firmly as his mind processed the information it considered relevant, discarding what wasn't, and creating a plan.

"Trowa?"

"Just tell me what to do," Trowa interrupted, eyes flashing angrily as they slid over Quatre's form on the bed. Duo grinned. Anger was good.

"Duo?" Heero's hand tightened on his shoulder and Duo finally met his eyes.

"You aren't coming. You will only slow us down." It was harsh but true. "I want you to wake us up again. Use all the strength you have left to make us strong."

Heero was studying Duo's face, looking beyond to see who he was really speaking to, but there was no sign of Shinigamil. No sign of whatever had taken over Duo's body before. There was only Duo with a plan that he could not partake in, but could ensure success in. Nodding firmly, Heero reached out to lay a palm on Duo's forehead.

The connection was instant, much stronger than it had been with any other Psionicist, the odd connection between life and death joining them, melding their souls into one. Heero smiled as they touched core's, felt the magnetic fields swirling through his koi. Drawing on his inner strength, Heero let it pump into Duo, felt old broken links reforming and dead energies re-awakening. Duo's eyes had slid shut and the lids were fluttering wildly, a light sheen of sweat forming on the forehead.

"Stop!" Duo breathed out heavily, stepping away from the touch. Heero was not sure why and it slightly worried him, but Duo waved his hand away. "I'm fine Heero. Just don't make it any stronger, please."

And he knew Heero would understand. Duo was afraid of giving Shinigami strength. Afraid he would simply cease to care. Duo wanted to try to reassure Heero that he had done the right thing, that he was fine, but Heero had already moved on to Sally.

Duo grinned as the floor shook a little while Sally's eyelids fluttered, the power growing until she too pulled away. They were not going to make themselves any stronger than they had been during the Psionic saga. They all had fears concerning what they were capable of.

Trowa was flinching as sound returned in volumes no one would ever understand. Wufei was holding his hands firmly palm down, the carpet smouldering but the fire contained. Treize…Duo studied Treize carefully as the man shuddered. There was no sign of what his gift was. Duo just knew he had one. It irritated him a little that Treize had not once mentioned what his gift was. Still, Duo knew if he thought hard enough about that day in the clearing with Treize and Hilde he would remember. Not that he was about to think about that at all!

They were looking at him again. Heero was falling onto the couch beside Quatre, one of his hands wrapped in Iria's. He looked exhausted, and extremely pleased with himself. Duo took a deep breath and headed for the door in silence. No words were needed; they all knew what they were doing. They were hunting.

There were students in the halls, hurrying to the rooms of friends to pass the news that school was cancelled. Duo was glad; they could move without the need for discretion. They blended in perfectly. Moving quickly, they reached the doors. Duo was not surprised to find Une on duty. She waved them through, face unreadable. Duo didn't wait for an invitation, hurrying into the night and the trap he knew was waiting.

As soon as the breeze hit his skin he had his senses out, stretching energies he had missed over the past months. He felt as if someone had just returned half his soul to him, so completely were his gifts attached to who he was. It made him worry what he had done when he had destroyed so many frequencies. He feared what he had done to the professors when he completely destroyed their ability to possess Psionic gifts.

Shoving his fears into the back of his mind, Duo caught hold of the strange frequency he now identified as Chupacabra and began running in the direction he felt them moving. They were still in the central male dorms. Duo wanted to know why. What were they doing and why? What were they after? What did they want? Why now?

Why now when everything was perfect?

Scowling, Duo let his legs unwind. It had been forever since he had last actually let himself go and just run. It felt good, all the muscles straining. He decided to do it more often…when he was calmer.

"Duo, we can't do this without a plan."

Always straight to the point. That was why Duo loved Wufei. It was the reason Duo had become friends with him, why he put up with the ranting and raving, the rather bemusing sense of right and wrong. Because Wufei was straight with you; there was not bullshit.

"Any ideas?" Duo asked hopefully, knowing this had been his idea and they were counting on him.

"Can't you just blow them up?" Treize asked casually from his other side. Duo wondered when he had become sandwiched between the two, then decided it didn't really matter.

"No. Once they're on me and not moving, yes, but while they're on the run….not a chance."

"Then I will just have to stop them from going anywhere…" Treize mused. That certainly got Duo's attention, recalling how Treize had held him still so Hilde could…

I will not think about that!

Duo nodded, indicating Treize should certainly try. It was enough. They had their mission; extermination. They had a rough plan and it was time to go.

"Sally and Trowa with me. Treize and Wufei, climb to the top and work your way down through the dorm. We'll meet you halfway. Kill anything you come across."

Duo liked his plan. Simple but effective, direct with no bullshit. The others seemed to agree. Treize and Wufei were already scaling the massive wall, swords on their backs, palms glowing eerily in the night where they touched the hard brick, ready to strike at any moment.

Duo forgot them, moving on to his own part of the mission, smashing through the dorm doors and waving to Milliard, who was sitting behind the RA's window, laughing as if this were the funniest joke. In a way Duo guessed it was. But those things had hurt Heero…

"Duo!" Sally snapped loudly and Duo had felt it too. They were everywhere, coming straight for them!

Duo didn't hesitate, lifting his arms and drawing on that sweet centre that was what he imagined a soul to be. Power flooded every part of him and he flicked his palms up so they faces outward. There was a blinding flash of light as he released the gift of Shinigami, and then he seemed to weigh nothing. Unlike everything else in the dorms though, Duo's feet remained grounded. He looked at Sally and Trowa floating nearby and waved, sporting a manic grin. Not far away were the struggling forms of three Chupacabra. They were trying to swim through the air, fighting to reach their prey, their eyes a luminous green in their desperation.

Duo snarled at them and lifted his hand again. Defying gravity was costing him, and this would tip the scales on his own equilibrium, but it would be worth it. Aiming straight for the Chupacabra's, Duo let fly another round of energy, this time focussing on the core of his abilities.

It was not what he had expected.

The scales fell from the bodies first, leaving a smooth yellow-grey skin that seemed suddenly pale. The purplish veins beneath the skin began to glow then Duo could see them burst beneath the surface, the blood leaking through the body as the creatures screamed in agony. Then the skin began to slough from the bodies and the muscles beneath unwound from the slim bones. Then the bones broke apart, crumbled, the eyes melting into the puddle of skin…

Duo screamed at the sight, knowing what was happening but not wanting to believe it.

He had un-made them.

"Heero, you made me too strong!" He gasped, tears running down his cheeks as the last cries died.

There was a loud thunk and a hand was on his arm, pulling him forward toward the stairs. Duo let it take him, too numb to do anything. He couldn't get the image of the slaughtered creatures from his mind. What if he did that to a person? What if he did it accidentally? If he lost control in his sleep, with Heero?

They reached the third floor without further incident, but their luck didn't hold. The Chupacabra had made a barricade on there. Trowa, who had been hauling Duo through the dorm, pushed him back to the stairs and stood before the Chupacabras, arms raised and ready.

Duo covered his ears instinctively a moment before he felt the release of Trowa's energy. He turned away in reflex and came face to face with the last person he had expected.

Eyes wide, Duo gaped at the old lady from the bus. What was SHE doing here?

"Do not comply!"

The words were clear as day, as if Trowa weren't filling the dorm with a sound that could deafen the deaf. Even if Duo had not had his ears covered. It was if she had spoken directly to his mind. Then Duo blinked and the woman was gone.

"Where the fuck did she go?" Duo bellowed, uncovering his ears as Trowa's power ground to a halt. The Chupacabra's had fled, not that Duo would have noticed. He was too busy staring at the empty stairwell.

"Language Mr. Maxwell!"

Sally seemed too calm as they turned to face the science professors standing calmly in the hallway. They were wearing their lab coats, hands in their pockets, looking far too smug.

Trowa raised his arms, ready to blast them there and then but J pulled his hands from his pockets and rolled up one sleeve. Duo gasped, Trowa grunted and Sally continued to stare as if nothing were happening.

"They're ingenious devices, Maxwell, you should be pleased with yourself."

Duo couldn't tear his gaze from the flashing glint of metal wrapped about the professor's arm. It had been six months since Duo had even vaguely thought of that band. He was proud of it, of what he had made it do. But…he was not proud he had left it behind. At the beginning of the Psionic Saga Duo had crafted two sets of Psion bands, able to pick out the body's bio-electricity and manipulate it, training the Psionic core to handle its own abilities while giving the body itself a taste of what was to come. They worked; perfectly. Weaker than normal Psionic powers, but effective and often more accurate.

Duo noticed the small purple light on the band was flashing, aware of the Psionic presence he himself now was to the bands he had crafted. Duo realised his own devices now saw him as the enemy; they belonged to the professors now. The blue switch was also down, indicating the second set of the bands, which Duo assumed G was wearing, were feeding the original set making them twice as strong. Then the green light was on, meaning the bands were ready to let loose at any moment.

Before Duo could think of a way to escape the floor was shaking, the walls grumbling, the world rumbling. Duo saw Sally step forward, arms outstretched. Immediately the Psionic bands struck and Sally was thrown backward. Duo saw her head snap hard against the wall and yelped at the smear of blood on the wall.

Lifting his hands Duo let fly, hoping he was using the lesser of his gifts. Light exploded in all directions, coming not only from Duo but from the bands he had created. Too late Duo realised he had stepped into a trap. G's bands, the set he had originally made for himself, still recognised Duo, not G, and were feeding off the energy he had released, pumping it into J's bands and throwing it straight back at Duo. Duo felt the feathery sensation run through his body before he was thrown down the stairs, arms flailing for a purchase and finding none.

"Duo!"

Duo wanted to answer Trowa, but he couldn't speak. He was falling and all he could see was Sally's blood on the wall above.

He stopped a slit second before he hit the ground, caught in the gravity field. Duo sighed heavily in relief, but high above he saw Trowa fall to the professors and was vaguely aware of the old men hauling his friends away. Duo screamed, trying to swim through the gravity field to reach them but it was useless.

That was when he heard it, that strange scratching on the edge of his consciousness. He turned at the same time the Chupacabra sunk its teeth into his spine. Fire ran down his back and Duo screamed. He saw Milliard running toward him, a knife in one hand, syringe in the other. It was the first time in his life that Duo had been glad to see the blonde.

Ice cold fingers brushed his forehead and Duo sighed into the numbing embrace aware of the screams of dying monsters and the muffled cries of friends he couldn't hope to help.