Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonfly ❯ Chapter 03 ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: siberianknight 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 12.13.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 270 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 12.13.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.8K | Visits: 270 | Status: Completed
Author's Notes: I got busier than I thought I would, so this took a while to get out. However, I'm going to place myself back on a schedule starting next month. Dragonfly will be updated on the third Friday of every month. That gives me plenty of time to work on not only this story, but any other ones as well.
Warnings: None
Chapter Status: COMPLETE
Duo stood impatiently at the door to Quatre’s dorm room his foot tapping with a rhythmical sound on the tiled surface. “Aren’t you done yet?”
Quatre ignored his snidely stated query as he continued to buzz around his room. “Crap … can’t forget this,” the blonde mumbled to himself as he dragged a small box out from beneath his bed. Duo sighed wearily. It had already been over an hour since they had both regained consciousness, but his ward was still packing.
“I would have thought that since you made contact with Sky that all of this would have already been done.” To Duo’s frustration, Quatre had the nerve to look innocent. He didn’t have the time or patience for this. They needed to get going soon, otherwise WuFei would owe them much more than he had originally agreed to, and odds were that he wouldn’t pay.
“Sorry, but I had several last minute things I needed to discus with my teachers – I didn’t have the time to pack everything.”
“I already told you that you were coming back in just a month and a half … it’s not necessary to take everything.” He rolled his deep blue eyes in agitation as he readjusted the heavy bag which was casually slung over his shoulder.
“I’m done!” Quatre growled as he lifted his last bag. Just like a young child throwing a fit, he stomped past Duo and presented him with a furious glare intended to let all of his feelings be known; however his guardian merely chuckled softly and patted him on the back.
“We need to work on your temper.” The door closed softly behind the pair as they left in silence. In fact, Quatre was so agitated with Duo that he refused to speak one word the whole trip to the shuttle station. As they walked, Duo continually spared curious glances at his ward concerned about the lack of speech coming from him. It wasn’t like Quatre to stay silent for so long, but then Duo hadn’t been very understanding about his desire to make sure he had everything he would need or want during his holiday.
It was at the shuttle that Quatre chose to finally brake his silence. “You could say that your sorry once in a while, you know.” He stepped onto the shuttle ahead of Duo and glanced angrily over his shoulder at the taller man.
“Why should I? It’s not like I did anything wrong.” Duo’s grin was filled with mischief as Quatre sighed heavily. It was truly impossible to try and argue with the man, he had to be the most frustrating person alive; however, on the rare occasion, there were times which Quatre would forget and try to point out reason to Duo, and naturally he chose the middle of the crowded entrance to do just that.
“‘Why?’” Quatre turned, one fist upon his hip, the other holding onto the bag slung over his shoulder. His blue eyes were flashing with fury and Duo was having a hard time not bursting out with laughter. Quatre was probably the last person whom anyone needed to fear when he got angry. “I’ll tell you why, because you stood there and harassed me the entire time!” Duo couldn’t take it any longer, a chuckle escaped his mouth and Quatre erupted with a loud frustrated groan. The blonde turned on his heel and marched in an exaggerated manner down the corridor, Duo slowly following behind.
“It wasn’t harassment,” Duo stated calmly once he had caught up with Quatre. The two entered an empty compartment and began to put away their carry-on bags. “I was just bugging you so you’d move faster.” He grinned in the face of his ward’s obvious annoyance. He had always enjoyed provoking him, and the fit he was throwing this time was well worth the effort.
“I will get you back.”
“Ooo, I’m shaking.” Quatre swung his arm in an attempt to hit Duo, but his guardian leapt into a nearby seat to escape. “Ha!” He smiled brightly as the blonde came after him once more.
“Asshole!”
Duo whistled softly as he stared with mock surprise at the usually clean-mouthed blonde. “You actually cussed! I guess bein’ around me’s finally worn off on you.”
“Shut up, jerk.” A rich laugh emanated from the open doorway putting an immediate stop to the fighting within the compartment. Duo’s blood turned to ice in his veins as recognition shot through him. Slowly and apprehensively, he raised his eyes to meet the intruder’s. Just as before they were a rich vibrant brown-green hazel, his light blondish-brown hair fell over them in a messy manner, and his smile was warm and inviting as always.
“Cloud,” Duo whispered, stunned to see him once more. The last time they had seen one another, he and Duo had exchanged hurtful words that neither had meant; however, that fact didn’t change the raw intensity of the sadness which still lingered within each of their beings. Duo’s heart constricted as old feelings washed over him and began to take control of his thoughts. He stared at Cloud, calm and collected, he was standing before him as if nothing had ever happened. Anger began to race through Duo’s veins as he rose from his seat to face his old friend.
“Duo, I know that – no,” he sighed, his smile vanishing instantly. Duo watched him closely trying to determine exactly why Cloud would have chosen now to speak with him. He could see the sadness within the other man’s eyes, but part of him still screamed out that this was the man who had let his sister die.
“I think you should leave.” Duo’s softly spoken command held no room for argument, yet Cloud remained where he stood.
“I didn’t come to talk to you about Honor. It’s something else – something very important. Something that you need to hear.”
“There isn’t anything that I want or need from you,” Duo sneered as he turned away from Cloud in a fit of anger. He was utterly amazed that the man had the guts to show up before him like this and so close to the anniversary of Honor’s death.
“Duo, someone broke into and ransacked my office … I can only think that it’s the same ones as before, and that they’re looking for it again. But if you don’t care, then I’ll just leave.” Captain Maxwell paused in his action of gathering his belongings as the meaning of Cloud’s words sunk in. He turned expecting to find an empty doorway, but Cloud was still there gazing at him with a concerned glow in his eyes. “It’s my belief that Honor died because of it. I don’t doubt that they’ll be after you next.”
“So,” Duo raised his broad shoulders in a lazy shrug. “Let them. I’ll give them the fight of their lives.” His blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he thought of the revenge he would have on his family’s murderers. Worry creased Cloud’s youthful face as he gazed upon his friend. The game Duo was playing was a dangerous one. Whoever it was that had killed both Duo’s parents and sister were well trained and Cloud doubted that he would be able to come out victoriously in a fight.
“Duo, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I was there when they attacked Honor. The only reason I lived was because of her.” Duo reluctantly noticed how Cloud’s voice had nearly died in his throat as he had spoken. He didn’t want to see or hear the pain in this other man; if he did, then he would have to try and forgive ... something he wasn’t quite ready to do yet. He turned his head and stared at a stain which was beginning to fade. Having seen the raw emotions in his friend had caused his own feelings to start to rise dangerously close to the surface. His hands fisted at his sides as he desperately tried to rein in his sorrow. He closed his eyes drawing strength from the small bit of anger which was still present within him and turned to face Cloud once more.
“Do you really think that I’ve forgotten?!” Duo’s voice was slightly restricted by the lump that was lodged in his throat. He wanted to lash out at Cloud, to throttle him just to appease the pain buried so deep within his heart. It was a sheer relief to Duo when Cloud retaliated with an equal amount of pain in his own voice.
“No, but if you’re still blaming me, then you’re being childish!” The two faced one another, their eyes flashing with anger. Quatre sat quietly away from the two men and watched as their Scottish tempers got the better of them. It was the same as that day five years prior when Cloud had been released from the hospital. He had decided to come and see Duo in an act of compassion and penitence. Instead of working through their grief, they had yelled at each other until they were both horse from the strain. It hadn’t been and still wasn’t as if Duo believed that Cloud was to blame, but the intensity of his grief had been too much for him to contain and he had lashed out at the closet person. It was for that reason that he still wanted to hurt Cloud in some way and make him pay for the loss of his sister, despite the fact that the man had loved Honor very deeply.
More angry with himself than with Cloud, Duo slowly closed the distance which separated one from the other and studied the slightly taller man for a few moments. Even though he had not trusted him in the beginning, Duo had come to call him ‘friend,’ and if pressed he would admit that no one else would have been good enough for his sister in his eyes. However, he couldn’t stop blaming himself for Honor’s death. “If you hadn’t married her then she’d still be alive.”
Cloud’s sardonic laughter filled the room as he plopped down in one of the seats. “You still think that, huh? How do you know that? Can you prove it?” Duo glared down at the other man, but said nothing. How could he when he knew that Cloud was right? It could have just as easily happened on-board Dragonfly as it did on Sonas. “No, I didn’t think so. You never once stopped to think how it affected me, did you? She was my wife. I loved her more than anything – I still do.” Cloud ran his large hand down his face trying to mask the tears forming in his eyes. There upon his ring finger sat his simple silver wedding band with Gaelic lettering upon its surface. A light glistened off of the engraving which forced Duo’s eyes to fall upon it and to remember the inscription’s meaning, “My heart is with you always.”
The anger rushed out of him as he remembered Honor’s joy filled face when she had first shown him the ring. “You still wear her ring?”
“I’ve never taken it off.” Their eyes met for a brief moment until Duo was forced to turn his head for fear of crying. Cloud was no longer hiding the tears in his eyes nor the anguish upon his face. “It’s amazing to think that it’s been five years since she was killed.”
“Yeah.” Duo choked back the tears as he focused on trying to dislodge the lump which now threatened to close off his throat. As he stood there, Cloud’s arm came around his shoulders causing him to jerk slightly from the unexpected touch. The two hugged tightly as two brothers would, giving comfort to one another. Quatre smiled at the sight, glad to see them together once more. “So,” Duo began once they had been able to stop their tears and had once again resumed their seats. “You said that they were after it. How’d they find you?”
“How did they find me the first time? I honestly have no idea.” Cloud paused briefly before adding, “Maybe you should’ve taken it.”
“It wasn’t mine to have – it was Honor’s. Dad gave it to her. Besides it would’ve been stupid to have both of them in the same place.” Cloud stretched out his long legs and gazed across at Quatre as if seeing him for the first time. “Hey Quatre. Good to see you again.”
“What are you guys talking about? What’s the ‘it’ to which you’re referring?” His gaze slid from one man to the other who in turn gave each other uncertain looks.
“We’ll tell you on Dragonfly. It could be dangerous to say too much here in the open.” Duo reached out and ruffled Quatre’s blonde locks in the hopes that it would appease him. Unfortunately it took more than that to put a stop to his questions. He had learned that if he wanted to find something out he would have to be persistent.
“I will bug you until you tell me if you don’t the moment we step foot on-board.”
“It’s a promise.” Duo held his breath until Quatre smiled at him. He knew that the boy trusted his word and of course he would never break it, he just wasn’t that type of person. “Did you bring it with you?” He asked Cloud in a lowered voice.
“What do you think!? I’m not stupid.”
“I wonder sometimes.”
“Pot calling the kettle black.” The two men glared at each other for a moment and then chuckled lightly as the temporary tension broke. “Do you need a doctor?”
“Yeah, we’ve been short one since I kicked you off.”
“Mind if I rejoin?” Duo gazed at Cloud. From the very first moment he had met him, Angus McLeod had never struck him as the son of a wealthy business owner nor a prodigy doctor. Tall and handsome, he had a laid back personality that seemed to draw everyone to him. As always, his clothes were a bit worn, a faded dark green field jacket and jeans which had the beginnings of a small hole over one knee. He looked more like a hiker than a genius doctor. Even his shoulder length hair had little order to it. All in all, Cloud was the perfect doctor for a misfit group like the crew of Dragonfly.
“How could I say no? Especially now that things are going to get a bit messy.” Cloud raised a delicate eyebrow in silent question. “We ran into some trouble on Spring Valley. This guy attacked us and stole the key.”
Cloud nearly jumped out of his seat at the hearing of this news. “What!? He got the key? Duo, you know how important that is!” Duo held his hand up and shrugged trying to set the other’s fears at ease.
“Yeah, I know, but there’s not much we can do about it now. We got knocked out – he was a bit scary as far as strength goes. Relax, the key is nothing without the other two items.”
“I’m aware of that it’s just … you faced one of them and lived?” Cloud’s voice was filled with awe at the sheer unlikeliness of the escape.
“Well, I’d met him once before. He saved both my life and Honor’s.” Duo’s gaze fell upon the floor as he thought back to the intense look of the boy’s deep blue eyes. When he had first been caught in them, they had been cold and calculating, but then something had changed. Perhaps that had been the moment the boy had recognized Duo, but then again, maybe it was just that he couldn’t bring himself to kill someone that had done nothing. He found part of himself wanting to meet the boy once more so that he could ask him that very question, but then the reasonable part of his mind told him that would be stupid because the odds were good that the boy would kill him this time around.
“Duo, I think that it’s time we actually look at it.”
Pulled from his thoughts, Duo glanced at Cloud with a slightly dazed expression. Look at it? Was it wise to finally open the book which his father had pressed into his small hand just before he took his final breath? Everyone who had been connected to these three items had died. That is, everyone except for himself and Quatre. It was thanks to the young man’s reluctance to kill them that they were still alive and well. “Cloud, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Aren’t you the least bit curious? I know I am … I have been for quite some time.”
“Did you and Honor look?” Cloud glanced away, a light dusting of pink glowed across his high cheekbones. “You did!”
“She told me not to, but I wanted to know what was in it. And then she …” His voice trailed off as a heaviness filled the surrounding air. Quatre cleared his throat quietly hoping to pull the men from their sad thoughts.
“Could the items be cursed?” Cloud and Duo turned to look quizzically at the blonde. Quatre wasn’t typically given to flights of fancy so it was rather unusual to hear him talk about something as abstract as a curse.
“If Honor were here she’d agree,” Cloud allowed himself to chuckle softly at the thought.
“They’re not cursed,” Duo sighed a bit agitated with Quatre’s suggestion. “If anything, they hold information which this group either wants to see or wants to prevent everyone else from seein’. So, it’s not a curse.” Duo glared down at his feet, wishing that they would just drop this whole conversation. As much as he hated it, part of him was thinking along the same lines, but he knew that it was ridiculous to believe that two books and a key were all cursed. He was a realistic thinking man and there were no such things as curses, at least he’d never actually witnessed a curse which made them unreal in his mind.
“Cloud, what was in the book?” Quatre asked quietly as he spared a cautious glance in Duo’s direction.
“I’ll tell you when we get on-board. We best just sit here quietly until we reach Dragonfly.” Quatre nodded and leaned back in his seat. It was going to be a long three hours.
The darkness had long ago fallen and yet Heero still lay wide awake. He had been attempting to fall asleep for the past few hours and had finally given into staring blankly at the wall next to his cot as a pair of shining blue eyes danced before his mind’s eye. It had been a week since he had met Duo Maxwell, so why was it that he couldn’t stop thinking about him?
He had tried to not think about those eyes by exercising, during which he had successfully destroyed the equipment and had been told that it would be at least a month before the replacements arrived. The man’s face had also entered into his mind unbidden while Heero had been running through his training, which had resulted in several injuries to his legs and back. Then every night just as he was falling asleep, he could here the brunette’s rich voice in his head. Why? Why was it during all activities of his daily routine did he see that man!? There was only one solution which Heero could come up with and that was to hunt him down. Not to kill him, but to confront him. He needed answers and there was little to no chance that W would cooperate.
It wouldn’t be hard for him to sneak out, he knew the place inside and out. No, the difficulty would come when they would find him gone. Heero knew without a doubt that Lion would be very upset with his disappearance, but he didn’t care. There was no way that he could be a successful assassin or fighter with this weakness hanging over him. He rose from his bed and crossed his small room to his computer, where he began to type out a note explaining his reasons for leaving and that he would return as soon as possible. With that finished, Heero turned and proceeded to leave the research compound.
Attempting to find someone who normally doesn’t wish to be found was a daunting prospect to Heero, but only for a second. He couldn’t let the task ahead of him overwhelm his senses. The Dragonfly was a unique ship because she was quite old and now very obsolete as far as dealers were concerned; so therefore, finding it shouldn’t be that hard, it was just a matter of finding someone who was willing to talk. Sadly, that was easier said than done, for Heero soon found that whenever he would bring the subject up, everyone around him would fall silent. Just what was it about the young Duo Maxwell that caused such loyalty in these people?
Heero leaned against the rough bricks which covered the walls of the last place which he had discovered to be frequently visited by Duo, The Tipsy Tumbler, a bar and refueling station on Silver Valley’s surface. The Tipsy Tumbler was a quiet underground spot that few people knew about, and with his luck, probably the most loyal of any of the places which Heero had made any queries. He pushed himself away from the wall and squared his shoulders, as he mentally prepared himself for anything that may happen once inside.
The pub was dark and a thick layer of smoke hung in the air making it hard for Heero to breathe. A buxom sauntered up to Heero and leaned against one of the tar stained wooden columns which were scattered throughout the crowded room. “What’ll ya have boy? Somethin’ fer yer belly? Or yer bed?”
“I’m looking for information. There was a ship that came through here not too long ago, the Dragonfly.”
She straightened herself and pulled angrily at her top to cover her cleavage. “Never heard of it. You’ll not get no information here boy. Go elsewhere.” Heero watched as she disappeared into the fog of smoke her high heels clicking softly on the ancient wooden floor. He peered through the haze trying to find someone else to ask. The crowd looked rough and he seriously doubted that asking them individually would be of any use. Deciding that he had wasted enough time upon Silver Valley’s surface, Heero took a deep breath and addressed the room at large. “Does anyone have any information on the Dragonfly and where she’s heading?” The room fell silent instantly, save for a few scraping noises as chairs were pushed away from tables.
A tall heavy set man with a thick layer of scarring on his face pushed his way through the crowd to stand before Heero. “You’ve got a lot of nerve boy. Comin’ in here and askin’ ‘bout stuff ya shouldn’t ought. If ya value yer life I’d turn and leave. Now. But … if it’s a fight ya want. I can give ya that.”
“I know that he was in here a few days ago. If you cooperate – I won’t hurt you.” The entire pub erupted with laughter. Heero was still small even though his height was relatively equal to that of the other men present, yet the patrons obviously had never learned that you should never make assumptions.
“Hurt us? Boy I think ya fail to realize just who yer messin’ with.”
Heero grunted softly, which the other man did not take too kindly. He swung a meaty fist straight for Heero’s face who dodged and plunged his own large fist into the man’s stomach. The patron doubled over in excruciating pain, desperately trying to draw a breath of air into his burning lungs. Heero turned from the man and gazed at the other people around him. They had all, except for two brave men, had backed cautiously away from him. The two brave souls were helping their comrade up from the floor and away from a possible second attack. “Please, someone tell me where I can find them.” A series of muttered cursing and negative responses followed Heero’s question. He closed his eyes briefly to calm himself and then turned to leave the pub. A beer bottle was thrown at his head, but he sidestepped it and crashed against the wall just near the door. He turned and glared at the crowd before finally exiting the building.
He walked a few steps away from the entrance and then tilted his head up to stare into the starless night sky. There had to be some clue, some way to find him because asking around was getting him nowhere. As he turned to retrace his steps back to his ship, a prickling sensation on the back of his neck made him glance back at the pub once more just in time to notice a quick movement near the far corner of the building. Was someone following him? Worry started to rise slowly within him. Was it possible that Lion had already sent someone to fetch him?
Cautiously, Heero peered into the alleyway, but saw nothing. The narrow space was dimly lit by an ancient lamppost whose pale yellow light barely reached the ground beneath its rusty base. That coupled with the fact that the sky was hazy and blocked out any light offered by the nearby moon, Spring Valley, destroyed any chances of Heero being able to see down the length of the alley. Deciding that advancing slowly was the best course of action, Heero proceeded, his hand loosely gripping the handle of his gun which was jammed in the back of his jeans. As he crept down the path, the more his ears became alert to every noise behind him and before him. He may have been turned into the perfect assassin, but his eyesight was that of a normal human’s. Even as his eyes adjusted it was still hard to see any further than a few feet around him.
Heero peered behind every stack of crates and boxes, tested each door to see if any were unlocked, and checked behind the large dumpster which was located at the end of the alley; however, there was no sign that anyone was there or had been recently. He turned around and glared at the empty space of the walkway as his brain calculated all the possible escape paths which the person could have taken. Unless someone had been waiting with one of the doors open for them, the only way out was to fly and that was impossible. “People can’t fly,” Heero mumbled aggravated that he had even thought of such a ridiculous idea. He jammed his gun back into the back of his pants and began to walk down the narrow alley.
Heero decided that obviously someone inside the pub had to have been helping the person, it was the only logical explanation. Since he hadn’t recognized anyone while he had been inside, it was a good sign that as of that moment Lion still wasn’t after him. However, Lion wasn’t one to let something which he saw belonging to himself get away so easily, and that soon he would be relentlessly tracking him down. There would be some sort of punishment for this, but Heero didn’t care. Finding Duo was vitally important to him and whatever Lion did to him afterwards wouldn’t matter because Heero knew in his mind that he would be better for going through with this mission.
As he walked past the entrance to the pub, the cow bell attached to the door clanked as it was thrown open and several very drunken patrons stumbled out. Not sparing them a single glance he continued forward until a tall man with long silvery-wheat blonde hair stepped into his path. He was smiling at him as if he knew some secret joke and wasn’t telling; it was insincere smile and Heero returned it with a glare. As he attempted to side-step around the taller man, his arm was grabbed by one of the blonde’s slender hands. “I hear that you’re looking for Captain Maxwell and the Dragonfly.” Heero tilted his head back, just slightly, so that he could peer into the other man’s face. He would humor him for a moment or two, just to see what type of information he had. “If I may, I’m looking for them as well. I believe I might be of some u—”
“I don’t need your help.” Heero freed his arm with one swift angry jerk and began to walk away from the blonde.
“He’s not an easy one to find. Believe me, if you’re looking for him on your own – you won’t find him.”
The other man’s words caused Heero to pause and turn back to face him once more with his brows furrowed in annoyance. “What makes you think I can’t do it on my own?”
“You haven’t spent the past seven years of your life chasing after him. Of course – I’m sure you’ve already noticed how impossible it is to gather information about him. How people clam up and become quite rude and stubborn when you ask any questions concerning Duo Maxwell or the Dragonfly.” Heero grunted softly as he inclined his head in quiet agreement with the man’s statements. “His father was a hero to these people. He vocally opposed the Alliance and therefore won their trust. I’m sure though that his son’s behavior has caused him to turn quiet a few times in his grave.”
“Behavior?” The blonde smirked as he realized that he had successfully reeled Heero into listening to him.
“Yes. The man is a criminal. He’s a thief and a fraud. He was the mastermind behind several of the largest heists ever pulled in this galaxy as well as being a pain in the ass to the Alliance. Of course he’s never done anything such as kill another man, but he’s injured quiet a few.” Heero’s brow furrowed further as he listened. This was not anything that he cared about, if the man was a thief then it was fine with him. He just wanted to know why Duo was so familiar to him. “I see this concerns you.” To the blonde’s surprise, Heero turned and began to walk away once more. “Wait!” The blonde ran after him and as he reached out to place a hand on the other’s shoulder, Heero stopped.
“I know who you are and why you’re hoping that I’ll play along. My apologies, Lieutenant Zechs, but I like to work alone. You’ll have to find another way to get to Duo Maxwell, because I won’t help you.” With that Heero walked away for good, leaving Zechs staring after him with a stunned expression upon his handsome face.
Heero rounded the darkened corner of the dilapidated building. He had chosen that spot because the surrounding buildings were all abandoned and there was little to no light in the area. Perfect for protecting himself and his ship. As he walked toward his vessel, his mind was busy working out the path to his next destination and exactly what he would do when he finally confronted Duo. Just like at the pub, the back of his neck began to prickle with awareness. There was someone close by.
He spun quickly on his heel and pointed his gun into the face of an old man. The man was stoop shouldered and had a mane of bright white hair. He was leaning heavily on a cane and upon further inspection, Heero discovered that he was also missing his left hand. “I hear you’re looking for that little rascal Duo Maxwell.” Heero stared at him. “I understand why you won’t answer, it’s probably best if you don’t. But please hear me out … I knew the lad’s father, in fact I worked with him and several other young men. But now is not the time for me to tell you of that. He’s in grave danger, and I have complete faith that only you can save him.” Upon witnessing Heero’s puzzled look, the old man’s skin crinkled around his oddly made black-tinted glasses. He let out a loud cackled of laughter and then began to move past Heero. “We best get going if you’re to catch up with him. He left here a little over a week ago. C’mon, don’t be such a scaredy cat.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?” He turned and gifted Heero with a lopsided grin full of mischievousness. “You may call me Doctor J.”
“Why should I trust you anymore than Zechs?”
“Because son, I – unlike the pretty lieutenant – have nothing to gain. Except to see the son that my friend and pupil was so crazy about once more. Plus I want to make certain that the Maxwell family is not completely wiped out. Plus, I unfortunately can’t fly anymore, so you’ll have to do the honors of getting us off this rock.” Heero’s brow creased as he peered curiously at the old man. He didn’t look dangerous, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t. However, Heero could see the benefit in brining the doctor along, if not just to simply get more information out of the people connected with Duo. “Well, boy are we going or not?” Heero’s face scrunched into an angry glare which the old man merely smiled at. With a sigh, the younger man opened the hatch on his ship and allowed the doctor on-board.
Doctor J gazed with a sharp eye at the inside of the ship. It was obvious to whom the vessel belonged, but he said nothing as he watched Heero walk into the cockpit area. He followed closely and then awkwardly lowered himself into the navigator’s chair. “Don’t touch anything,” Heero’s statement was softly spoken yet stern. The doctor nodded as he hid his smile behind a worn handkerchief. The small ship rumbled as the engine sprung to life and then a few moments later, shot upward into the dark sky.
“I would head for the planet where a man named Sky lives. That would also be where young Cloud has been residing for the past few years – since his wife was killed.” At Heero’s silence Doctor J continued on, “That would be Palin. It’s about a week’s journey from here. I would imagine that he would need to stay there for some time to gather resources and the like. But that’s just a guess – if you don’t hurry we’ll miss him,” the doctor ended with a slight lilt in his gruff voice.
Heero’s eyebrows drew together in aggravation. He knew he had to hurry, that’s what he had been doing for the past week! It was going to be a long trip with this guy jabbering constantly. Maybe he should have left the good doctor back on Silver Valley and gone alone, but then he’d not know where to go next. As long as he got see Duo once more, putting up with Doctor J would be worth it – maybe.
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TBC
Gundam Wing belongs to Hajime Yadate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Bandai
geovisit();
Warnings: None
Chapter Status: COMPLETE
Duo stood impatiently at the door to Quatre’s dorm room his foot tapping with a rhythmical sound on the tiled surface. “Aren’t you done yet?”
Quatre ignored his snidely stated query as he continued to buzz around his room. “Crap … can’t forget this,” the blonde mumbled to himself as he dragged a small box out from beneath his bed. Duo sighed wearily. It had already been over an hour since they had both regained consciousness, but his ward was still packing.
“I would have thought that since you made contact with Sky that all of this would have already been done.” To Duo’s frustration, Quatre had the nerve to look innocent. He didn’t have the time or patience for this. They needed to get going soon, otherwise WuFei would owe them much more than he had originally agreed to, and odds were that he wouldn’t pay.
“Sorry, but I had several last minute things I needed to discus with my teachers – I didn’t have the time to pack everything.”
“I already told you that you were coming back in just a month and a half … it’s not necessary to take everything.” He rolled his deep blue eyes in agitation as he readjusted the heavy bag which was casually slung over his shoulder.
“I’m done!” Quatre growled as he lifted his last bag. Just like a young child throwing a fit, he stomped past Duo and presented him with a furious glare intended to let all of his feelings be known; however his guardian merely chuckled softly and patted him on the back.
“We need to work on your temper.” The door closed softly behind the pair as they left in silence. In fact, Quatre was so agitated with Duo that he refused to speak one word the whole trip to the shuttle station. As they walked, Duo continually spared curious glances at his ward concerned about the lack of speech coming from him. It wasn’t like Quatre to stay silent for so long, but then Duo hadn’t been very understanding about his desire to make sure he had everything he would need or want during his holiday.
It was at the shuttle that Quatre chose to finally brake his silence. “You could say that your sorry once in a while, you know.” He stepped onto the shuttle ahead of Duo and glanced angrily over his shoulder at the taller man.
“Why should I? It’s not like I did anything wrong.” Duo’s grin was filled with mischief as Quatre sighed heavily. It was truly impossible to try and argue with the man, he had to be the most frustrating person alive; however, on the rare occasion, there were times which Quatre would forget and try to point out reason to Duo, and naturally he chose the middle of the crowded entrance to do just that.
“‘Why?’” Quatre turned, one fist upon his hip, the other holding onto the bag slung over his shoulder. His blue eyes were flashing with fury and Duo was having a hard time not bursting out with laughter. Quatre was probably the last person whom anyone needed to fear when he got angry. “I’ll tell you why, because you stood there and harassed me the entire time!” Duo couldn’t take it any longer, a chuckle escaped his mouth and Quatre erupted with a loud frustrated groan. The blonde turned on his heel and marched in an exaggerated manner down the corridor, Duo slowly following behind.
“It wasn’t harassment,” Duo stated calmly once he had caught up with Quatre. The two entered an empty compartment and began to put away their carry-on bags. “I was just bugging you so you’d move faster.” He grinned in the face of his ward’s obvious annoyance. He had always enjoyed provoking him, and the fit he was throwing this time was well worth the effort.
“I will get you back.”
“Ooo, I’m shaking.” Quatre swung his arm in an attempt to hit Duo, but his guardian leapt into a nearby seat to escape. “Ha!” He smiled brightly as the blonde came after him once more.
“Asshole!”
Duo whistled softly as he stared with mock surprise at the usually clean-mouthed blonde. “You actually cussed! I guess bein’ around me’s finally worn off on you.”
“Shut up, jerk.” A rich laugh emanated from the open doorway putting an immediate stop to the fighting within the compartment. Duo’s blood turned to ice in his veins as recognition shot through him. Slowly and apprehensively, he raised his eyes to meet the intruder’s. Just as before they were a rich vibrant brown-green hazel, his light blondish-brown hair fell over them in a messy manner, and his smile was warm and inviting as always.
“Cloud,” Duo whispered, stunned to see him once more. The last time they had seen one another, he and Duo had exchanged hurtful words that neither had meant; however, that fact didn’t change the raw intensity of the sadness which still lingered within each of their beings. Duo’s heart constricted as old feelings washed over him and began to take control of his thoughts. He stared at Cloud, calm and collected, he was standing before him as if nothing had ever happened. Anger began to race through Duo’s veins as he rose from his seat to face his old friend.
“Duo, I know that – no,” he sighed, his smile vanishing instantly. Duo watched him closely trying to determine exactly why Cloud would have chosen now to speak with him. He could see the sadness within the other man’s eyes, but part of him still screamed out that this was the man who had let his sister die.
“I think you should leave.” Duo’s softly spoken command held no room for argument, yet Cloud remained where he stood.
“I didn’t come to talk to you about Honor. It’s something else – something very important. Something that you need to hear.”
“There isn’t anything that I want or need from you,” Duo sneered as he turned away from Cloud in a fit of anger. He was utterly amazed that the man had the guts to show up before him like this and so close to the anniversary of Honor’s death.
“Duo, someone broke into and ransacked my office … I can only think that it’s the same ones as before, and that they’re looking for it again. But if you don’t care, then I’ll just leave.” Captain Maxwell paused in his action of gathering his belongings as the meaning of Cloud’s words sunk in. He turned expecting to find an empty doorway, but Cloud was still there gazing at him with a concerned glow in his eyes. “It’s my belief that Honor died because of it. I don’t doubt that they’ll be after you next.”
“So,” Duo raised his broad shoulders in a lazy shrug. “Let them. I’ll give them the fight of their lives.” His blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he thought of the revenge he would have on his family’s murderers. Worry creased Cloud’s youthful face as he gazed upon his friend. The game Duo was playing was a dangerous one. Whoever it was that had killed both Duo’s parents and sister were well trained and Cloud doubted that he would be able to come out victoriously in a fight.
“Duo, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I was there when they attacked Honor. The only reason I lived was because of her.” Duo reluctantly noticed how Cloud’s voice had nearly died in his throat as he had spoken. He didn’t want to see or hear the pain in this other man; if he did, then he would have to try and forgive ... something he wasn’t quite ready to do yet. He turned his head and stared at a stain which was beginning to fade. Having seen the raw emotions in his friend had caused his own feelings to start to rise dangerously close to the surface. His hands fisted at his sides as he desperately tried to rein in his sorrow. He closed his eyes drawing strength from the small bit of anger which was still present within him and turned to face Cloud once more.
“Do you really think that I’ve forgotten?!” Duo’s voice was slightly restricted by the lump that was lodged in his throat. He wanted to lash out at Cloud, to throttle him just to appease the pain buried so deep within his heart. It was a sheer relief to Duo when Cloud retaliated with an equal amount of pain in his own voice.
“No, but if you’re still blaming me, then you’re being childish!” The two faced one another, their eyes flashing with anger. Quatre sat quietly away from the two men and watched as their Scottish tempers got the better of them. It was the same as that day five years prior when Cloud had been released from the hospital. He had decided to come and see Duo in an act of compassion and penitence. Instead of working through their grief, they had yelled at each other until they were both horse from the strain. It hadn’t been and still wasn’t as if Duo believed that Cloud was to blame, but the intensity of his grief had been too much for him to contain and he had lashed out at the closet person. It was for that reason that he still wanted to hurt Cloud in some way and make him pay for the loss of his sister, despite the fact that the man had loved Honor very deeply.
More angry with himself than with Cloud, Duo slowly closed the distance which separated one from the other and studied the slightly taller man for a few moments. Even though he had not trusted him in the beginning, Duo had come to call him ‘friend,’ and if pressed he would admit that no one else would have been good enough for his sister in his eyes. However, he couldn’t stop blaming himself for Honor’s death. “If you hadn’t married her then she’d still be alive.”
Cloud’s sardonic laughter filled the room as he plopped down in one of the seats. “You still think that, huh? How do you know that? Can you prove it?” Duo glared down at the other man, but said nothing. How could he when he knew that Cloud was right? It could have just as easily happened on-board Dragonfly as it did on Sonas. “No, I didn’t think so. You never once stopped to think how it affected me, did you? She was my wife. I loved her more than anything – I still do.” Cloud ran his large hand down his face trying to mask the tears forming in his eyes. There upon his ring finger sat his simple silver wedding band with Gaelic lettering upon its surface. A light glistened off of the engraving which forced Duo’s eyes to fall upon it and to remember the inscription’s meaning, “My heart is with you always.”
The anger rushed out of him as he remembered Honor’s joy filled face when she had first shown him the ring. “You still wear her ring?”
“I’ve never taken it off.” Their eyes met for a brief moment until Duo was forced to turn his head for fear of crying. Cloud was no longer hiding the tears in his eyes nor the anguish upon his face. “It’s amazing to think that it’s been five years since she was killed.”
“Yeah.” Duo choked back the tears as he focused on trying to dislodge the lump which now threatened to close off his throat. As he stood there, Cloud’s arm came around his shoulders causing him to jerk slightly from the unexpected touch. The two hugged tightly as two brothers would, giving comfort to one another. Quatre smiled at the sight, glad to see them together once more. “So,” Duo began once they had been able to stop their tears and had once again resumed their seats. “You said that they were after it. How’d they find you?”
“How did they find me the first time? I honestly have no idea.” Cloud paused briefly before adding, “Maybe you should’ve taken it.”
“It wasn’t mine to have – it was Honor’s. Dad gave it to her. Besides it would’ve been stupid to have both of them in the same place.” Cloud stretched out his long legs and gazed across at Quatre as if seeing him for the first time. “Hey Quatre. Good to see you again.”
“What are you guys talking about? What’s the ‘it’ to which you’re referring?” His gaze slid from one man to the other who in turn gave each other uncertain looks.
“We’ll tell you on Dragonfly. It could be dangerous to say too much here in the open.” Duo reached out and ruffled Quatre’s blonde locks in the hopes that it would appease him. Unfortunately it took more than that to put a stop to his questions. He had learned that if he wanted to find something out he would have to be persistent.
“I will bug you until you tell me if you don’t the moment we step foot on-board.”
“It’s a promise.” Duo held his breath until Quatre smiled at him. He knew that the boy trusted his word and of course he would never break it, he just wasn’t that type of person. “Did you bring it with you?” He asked Cloud in a lowered voice.
“What do you think!? I’m not stupid.”
“I wonder sometimes.”
“Pot calling the kettle black.” The two men glared at each other for a moment and then chuckled lightly as the temporary tension broke. “Do you need a doctor?”
“Yeah, we’ve been short one since I kicked you off.”
“Mind if I rejoin?” Duo gazed at Cloud. From the very first moment he had met him, Angus McLeod had never struck him as the son of a wealthy business owner nor a prodigy doctor. Tall and handsome, he had a laid back personality that seemed to draw everyone to him. As always, his clothes were a bit worn, a faded dark green field jacket and jeans which had the beginnings of a small hole over one knee. He looked more like a hiker than a genius doctor. Even his shoulder length hair had little order to it. All in all, Cloud was the perfect doctor for a misfit group like the crew of Dragonfly.
“How could I say no? Especially now that things are going to get a bit messy.” Cloud raised a delicate eyebrow in silent question. “We ran into some trouble on Spring Valley. This guy attacked us and stole the key.”
Cloud nearly jumped out of his seat at the hearing of this news. “What!? He got the key? Duo, you know how important that is!” Duo held his hand up and shrugged trying to set the other’s fears at ease.
“Yeah, I know, but there’s not much we can do about it now. We got knocked out – he was a bit scary as far as strength goes. Relax, the key is nothing without the other two items.”
“I’m aware of that it’s just … you faced one of them and lived?” Cloud’s voice was filled with awe at the sheer unlikeliness of the escape.
“Well, I’d met him once before. He saved both my life and Honor’s.” Duo’s gaze fell upon the floor as he thought back to the intense look of the boy’s deep blue eyes. When he had first been caught in them, they had been cold and calculating, but then something had changed. Perhaps that had been the moment the boy had recognized Duo, but then again, maybe it was just that he couldn’t bring himself to kill someone that had done nothing. He found part of himself wanting to meet the boy once more so that he could ask him that very question, but then the reasonable part of his mind told him that would be stupid because the odds were good that the boy would kill him this time around.
“Duo, I think that it’s time we actually look at it.”
Pulled from his thoughts, Duo glanced at Cloud with a slightly dazed expression. Look at it? Was it wise to finally open the book which his father had pressed into his small hand just before he took his final breath? Everyone who had been connected to these three items had died. That is, everyone except for himself and Quatre. It was thanks to the young man’s reluctance to kill them that they were still alive and well. “Cloud, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Aren’t you the least bit curious? I know I am … I have been for quite some time.”
“Did you and Honor look?” Cloud glanced away, a light dusting of pink glowed across his high cheekbones. “You did!”
“She told me not to, but I wanted to know what was in it. And then she …” His voice trailed off as a heaviness filled the surrounding air. Quatre cleared his throat quietly hoping to pull the men from their sad thoughts.
“Could the items be cursed?” Cloud and Duo turned to look quizzically at the blonde. Quatre wasn’t typically given to flights of fancy so it was rather unusual to hear him talk about something as abstract as a curse.
“If Honor were here she’d agree,” Cloud allowed himself to chuckle softly at the thought.
“They’re not cursed,” Duo sighed a bit agitated with Quatre’s suggestion. “If anything, they hold information which this group either wants to see or wants to prevent everyone else from seein’. So, it’s not a curse.” Duo glared down at his feet, wishing that they would just drop this whole conversation. As much as he hated it, part of him was thinking along the same lines, but he knew that it was ridiculous to believe that two books and a key were all cursed. He was a realistic thinking man and there were no such things as curses, at least he’d never actually witnessed a curse which made them unreal in his mind.
“Cloud, what was in the book?” Quatre asked quietly as he spared a cautious glance in Duo’s direction.
“I’ll tell you when we get on-board. We best just sit here quietly until we reach Dragonfly.” Quatre nodded and leaned back in his seat. It was going to be a long three hours.
The darkness had long ago fallen and yet Heero still lay wide awake. He had been attempting to fall asleep for the past few hours and had finally given into staring blankly at the wall next to his cot as a pair of shining blue eyes danced before his mind’s eye. It had been a week since he had met Duo Maxwell, so why was it that he couldn’t stop thinking about him?
He had tried to not think about those eyes by exercising, during which he had successfully destroyed the equipment and had been told that it would be at least a month before the replacements arrived. The man’s face had also entered into his mind unbidden while Heero had been running through his training, which had resulted in several injuries to his legs and back. Then every night just as he was falling asleep, he could here the brunette’s rich voice in his head. Why? Why was it during all activities of his daily routine did he see that man!? There was only one solution which Heero could come up with and that was to hunt him down. Not to kill him, but to confront him. He needed answers and there was little to no chance that W would cooperate.
It wouldn’t be hard for him to sneak out, he knew the place inside and out. No, the difficulty would come when they would find him gone. Heero knew without a doubt that Lion would be very upset with his disappearance, but he didn’t care. There was no way that he could be a successful assassin or fighter with this weakness hanging over him. He rose from his bed and crossed his small room to his computer, where he began to type out a note explaining his reasons for leaving and that he would return as soon as possible. With that finished, Heero turned and proceeded to leave the research compound.
Attempting to find someone who normally doesn’t wish to be found was a daunting prospect to Heero, but only for a second. He couldn’t let the task ahead of him overwhelm his senses. The Dragonfly was a unique ship because she was quite old and now very obsolete as far as dealers were concerned; so therefore, finding it shouldn’t be that hard, it was just a matter of finding someone who was willing to talk. Sadly, that was easier said than done, for Heero soon found that whenever he would bring the subject up, everyone around him would fall silent. Just what was it about the young Duo Maxwell that caused such loyalty in these people?
Heero leaned against the rough bricks which covered the walls of the last place which he had discovered to be frequently visited by Duo, The Tipsy Tumbler, a bar and refueling station on Silver Valley’s surface. The Tipsy Tumbler was a quiet underground spot that few people knew about, and with his luck, probably the most loyal of any of the places which Heero had made any queries. He pushed himself away from the wall and squared his shoulders, as he mentally prepared himself for anything that may happen once inside.
The pub was dark and a thick layer of smoke hung in the air making it hard for Heero to breathe. A buxom sauntered up to Heero and leaned against one of the tar stained wooden columns which were scattered throughout the crowded room. “What’ll ya have boy? Somethin’ fer yer belly? Or yer bed?”
“I’m looking for information. There was a ship that came through here not too long ago, the Dragonfly.”
She straightened herself and pulled angrily at her top to cover her cleavage. “Never heard of it. You’ll not get no information here boy. Go elsewhere.” Heero watched as she disappeared into the fog of smoke her high heels clicking softly on the ancient wooden floor. He peered through the haze trying to find someone else to ask. The crowd looked rough and he seriously doubted that asking them individually would be of any use. Deciding that he had wasted enough time upon Silver Valley’s surface, Heero took a deep breath and addressed the room at large. “Does anyone have any information on the Dragonfly and where she’s heading?” The room fell silent instantly, save for a few scraping noises as chairs were pushed away from tables.
A tall heavy set man with a thick layer of scarring on his face pushed his way through the crowd to stand before Heero. “You’ve got a lot of nerve boy. Comin’ in here and askin’ ‘bout stuff ya shouldn’t ought. If ya value yer life I’d turn and leave. Now. But … if it’s a fight ya want. I can give ya that.”
“I know that he was in here a few days ago. If you cooperate – I won’t hurt you.” The entire pub erupted with laughter. Heero was still small even though his height was relatively equal to that of the other men present, yet the patrons obviously had never learned that you should never make assumptions.
“Hurt us? Boy I think ya fail to realize just who yer messin’ with.”
Heero grunted softly, which the other man did not take too kindly. He swung a meaty fist straight for Heero’s face who dodged and plunged his own large fist into the man’s stomach. The patron doubled over in excruciating pain, desperately trying to draw a breath of air into his burning lungs. Heero turned from the man and gazed at the other people around him. They had all, except for two brave men, had backed cautiously away from him. The two brave souls were helping their comrade up from the floor and away from a possible second attack. “Please, someone tell me where I can find them.” A series of muttered cursing and negative responses followed Heero’s question. He closed his eyes briefly to calm himself and then turned to leave the pub. A beer bottle was thrown at his head, but he sidestepped it and crashed against the wall just near the door. He turned and glared at the crowd before finally exiting the building.
He walked a few steps away from the entrance and then tilted his head up to stare into the starless night sky. There had to be some clue, some way to find him because asking around was getting him nowhere. As he turned to retrace his steps back to his ship, a prickling sensation on the back of his neck made him glance back at the pub once more just in time to notice a quick movement near the far corner of the building. Was someone following him? Worry started to rise slowly within him. Was it possible that Lion had already sent someone to fetch him?
Cautiously, Heero peered into the alleyway, but saw nothing. The narrow space was dimly lit by an ancient lamppost whose pale yellow light barely reached the ground beneath its rusty base. That coupled with the fact that the sky was hazy and blocked out any light offered by the nearby moon, Spring Valley, destroyed any chances of Heero being able to see down the length of the alley. Deciding that advancing slowly was the best course of action, Heero proceeded, his hand loosely gripping the handle of his gun which was jammed in the back of his jeans. As he crept down the path, the more his ears became alert to every noise behind him and before him. He may have been turned into the perfect assassin, but his eyesight was that of a normal human’s. Even as his eyes adjusted it was still hard to see any further than a few feet around him.
Heero peered behind every stack of crates and boxes, tested each door to see if any were unlocked, and checked behind the large dumpster which was located at the end of the alley; however, there was no sign that anyone was there or had been recently. He turned around and glared at the empty space of the walkway as his brain calculated all the possible escape paths which the person could have taken. Unless someone had been waiting with one of the doors open for them, the only way out was to fly and that was impossible. “People can’t fly,” Heero mumbled aggravated that he had even thought of such a ridiculous idea. He jammed his gun back into the back of his pants and began to walk down the narrow alley.
Heero decided that obviously someone inside the pub had to have been helping the person, it was the only logical explanation. Since he hadn’t recognized anyone while he had been inside, it was a good sign that as of that moment Lion still wasn’t after him. However, Lion wasn’t one to let something which he saw belonging to himself get away so easily, and that soon he would be relentlessly tracking him down. There would be some sort of punishment for this, but Heero didn’t care. Finding Duo was vitally important to him and whatever Lion did to him afterwards wouldn’t matter because Heero knew in his mind that he would be better for going through with this mission.
As he walked past the entrance to the pub, the cow bell attached to the door clanked as it was thrown open and several very drunken patrons stumbled out. Not sparing them a single glance he continued forward until a tall man with long silvery-wheat blonde hair stepped into his path. He was smiling at him as if he knew some secret joke and wasn’t telling; it was insincere smile and Heero returned it with a glare. As he attempted to side-step around the taller man, his arm was grabbed by one of the blonde’s slender hands. “I hear that you’re looking for Captain Maxwell and the Dragonfly.” Heero tilted his head back, just slightly, so that he could peer into the other man’s face. He would humor him for a moment or two, just to see what type of information he had. “If I may, I’m looking for them as well. I believe I might be of some u—”
“I don’t need your help.” Heero freed his arm with one swift angry jerk and began to walk away from the blonde.
“He’s not an easy one to find. Believe me, if you’re looking for him on your own – you won’t find him.”
The other man’s words caused Heero to pause and turn back to face him once more with his brows furrowed in annoyance. “What makes you think I can’t do it on my own?”
“You haven’t spent the past seven years of your life chasing after him. Of course – I’m sure you’ve already noticed how impossible it is to gather information about him. How people clam up and become quite rude and stubborn when you ask any questions concerning Duo Maxwell or the Dragonfly.” Heero grunted softly as he inclined his head in quiet agreement with the man’s statements. “His father was a hero to these people. He vocally opposed the Alliance and therefore won their trust. I’m sure though that his son’s behavior has caused him to turn quiet a few times in his grave.”
“Behavior?” The blonde smirked as he realized that he had successfully reeled Heero into listening to him.
“Yes. The man is a criminal. He’s a thief and a fraud. He was the mastermind behind several of the largest heists ever pulled in this galaxy as well as being a pain in the ass to the Alliance. Of course he’s never done anything such as kill another man, but he’s injured quiet a few.” Heero’s brow furrowed further as he listened. This was not anything that he cared about, if the man was a thief then it was fine with him. He just wanted to know why Duo was so familiar to him. “I see this concerns you.” To the blonde’s surprise, Heero turned and began to walk away once more. “Wait!” The blonde ran after him and as he reached out to place a hand on the other’s shoulder, Heero stopped.
“I know who you are and why you’re hoping that I’ll play along. My apologies, Lieutenant Zechs, but I like to work alone. You’ll have to find another way to get to Duo Maxwell, because I won’t help you.” With that Heero walked away for good, leaving Zechs staring after him with a stunned expression upon his handsome face.
Heero rounded the darkened corner of the dilapidated building. He had chosen that spot because the surrounding buildings were all abandoned and there was little to no light in the area. Perfect for protecting himself and his ship. As he walked toward his vessel, his mind was busy working out the path to his next destination and exactly what he would do when he finally confronted Duo. Just like at the pub, the back of his neck began to prickle with awareness. There was someone close by.
He spun quickly on his heel and pointed his gun into the face of an old man. The man was stoop shouldered and had a mane of bright white hair. He was leaning heavily on a cane and upon further inspection, Heero discovered that he was also missing his left hand. “I hear you’re looking for that little rascal Duo Maxwell.” Heero stared at him. “I understand why you won’t answer, it’s probably best if you don’t. But please hear me out … I knew the lad’s father, in fact I worked with him and several other young men. But now is not the time for me to tell you of that. He’s in grave danger, and I have complete faith that only you can save him.” Upon witnessing Heero’s puzzled look, the old man’s skin crinkled around his oddly made black-tinted glasses. He let out a loud cackled of laughter and then began to move past Heero. “We best get going if you’re to catch up with him. He left here a little over a week ago. C’mon, don’t be such a scaredy cat.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?” He turned and gifted Heero with a lopsided grin full of mischievousness. “You may call me Doctor J.”
“Why should I trust you anymore than Zechs?”
“Because son, I – unlike the pretty lieutenant – have nothing to gain. Except to see the son that my friend and pupil was so crazy about once more. Plus I want to make certain that the Maxwell family is not completely wiped out. Plus, I unfortunately can’t fly anymore, so you’ll have to do the honors of getting us off this rock.” Heero’s brow creased as he peered curiously at the old man. He didn’t look dangerous, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t. However, Heero could see the benefit in brining the doctor along, if not just to simply get more information out of the people connected with Duo. “Well, boy are we going or not?” Heero’s face scrunched into an angry glare which the old man merely smiled at. With a sigh, the younger man opened the hatch on his ship and allowed the doctor on-board.
Doctor J gazed with a sharp eye at the inside of the ship. It was obvious to whom the vessel belonged, but he said nothing as he watched Heero walk into the cockpit area. He followed closely and then awkwardly lowered himself into the navigator’s chair. “Don’t touch anything,” Heero’s statement was softly spoken yet stern. The doctor nodded as he hid his smile behind a worn handkerchief. The small ship rumbled as the engine sprung to life and then a few moments later, shot upward into the dark sky.
“I would head for the planet where a man named Sky lives. That would also be where young Cloud has been residing for the past few years – since his wife was killed.” At Heero’s silence Doctor J continued on, “That would be Palin. It’s about a week’s journey from here. I would imagine that he would need to stay there for some time to gather resources and the like. But that’s just a guess – if you don’t hurry we’ll miss him,” the doctor ended with a slight lilt in his gruff voice.
Heero’s eyebrows drew together in aggravation. He knew he had to hurry, that’s what he had been doing for the past week! It was going to be a long trip with this guy jabbering constantly. Maybe he should have left the good doctor back on Silver Valley and gone alone, but then he’d not know where to go next. As long as he got see Duo once more, putting up with Doctor J would be worth it – maybe.
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TBC
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