Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Perfection Breakdown ❯ Urgency ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Perfection Breakdown- by masamune- MasamuneEHS@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Don't own GW and will never unless Bandai gives me the boys as a belated birthday gift… Well, I can dream at least, and write about them too.

Archive: If you want this fic or any of my others, feel free to grab it.

Part 8- Urgency

"Treize-sama will see you now," The secretary said, voice empty and bored.

Maxim stood up, leaving the comfort of the plush red chair, and straightened out any creases in his uniform. Adjusting his holster he walked towards the large oak doors. His mind shuddered at the thought of the reprieve he was about to receive from his commanding officer. It was just his luck that Treize was visiting the base to observe the mobile doll tests.

/Everything is blown to hell/ He thought to himself darkly. /Not only does 05 escape, but those two nimrod Arabs do too! I should have been able to see through their guise, and I most certainly should have taken down 05. He stole a mobile suit, made a wreck in the number 2 hangar bay, and its all my fault/

Opening the doors Maxim stepped into the grand office. It was elaborately decorated and adorned everywhere with the OZ commander's most beloved flower, roses. Soft, soothing, classical music floated off of an antique record player. The carpeted stretch from the entrance to the desk seemed to lengthen as Maxim walked it. Treize sat, hunched over a paper, writing furiously.

Stopping just in front of the desk Maxim stood sharply at attention. He was nervous. As calm and reserved as the sniper normally was, he was nothing more then another petty soldier now, in front of Treize he was just another young man. And behind his respect for the strong, genteel OZ leader there also lingered a wretched premonition; stalking like a wolf it preyed on Maxim's mind but remained masked and hidden.

"At ease. Permission to speak freely is granted and encouraged," Treize said quickly, not breaking to even look up from his paper.

Silence loomed for all except that sound of Treize's scribbling pen and the soft Baroque music.

"Ahh," Treize sighed and set down his pen. "What I need is a good stiff drink," He mused, making eye contact with Maxim for the first time.

"Shall I give my report on the prisoner escape Treize-sama?" Maxim asked, his voice flat save a sliver of forced respect and regard.

"Iie, iie, that's fine Sergeant Andalsaar," Treize shook his head. "Maxim Andalsaar correct? Come, let's not be so stiff and formal, relax. May I simply call you Max?"

/Grr… I hate that name/ Maxim thought but managed a smile.

"Special assignment is rare," Treize began, almost as if reciting a lesson, no emotion or passion at all. Indeed Treize's entire atmosphere seemed to have been changed by something. "Hearing of your valiant performance in the capture of the two Gundam pilots I accepted your request to be assigned to pilot 02."

"It wasn't his fault that 05 escaped sir," Maxim said quickly, not meaning to interrupt but very much wanting to protect Duo. "I take all of the blame for that incident. I…"

"No need to blame yourself. I've already seen the video tape… and so has Romafeller," Treize cut in. "To be perfectly honest Max, you are lucky to be alive. You're lucky that 02 did not take the opportunity to kill you and escape."

"What would you have me do now sir?" Maxim asked, totally ashamed of his failure.

Treize sighed and turned his chair around to look outside. The cold night was crisp and clean. The lights of the base marred a view of the stars. Maxim followed Treize's gaze into the outside, landing on the facility that housed the mobile doll research program and engineers.

"I hate them," Treize said suddenly, hardly whispering but speaking loud enough for Maxim to hear. The startled young soldier had absolutely no clue what to say. "I hate them and I hate what they stand for. I hate what I've become to stand for…But, may I ask, what is your position on the mobile doll system, Max?"

/That's what's bothering him? Hate himself? What could he possibly be talking about? / Maxim wondered, putting curiosity away and racking his brain for a suitable answer.

"I've never seen them in action sir. But I am not fond of the idea," He replied at last.

"At this rate…OZ will change completely," Treize sighed. "I've often thought as of late that I should leave OZ before my morals and ideals are directly opposed to the Foundation's. Now that I've carried out the coup d'etat where is there need for me? Romafeller wants a puppet, and I won't be one for them."

The room stood in broken silence even as Maxim tried to absorb all he had just heard. Then, as if just noticing the tall sniper for the first time, as if he'd been speaking entirely to himself, Treize turned and addressed Maxim.

"Max, I'm very sorry to have to do this but I must remove 02 from your watch. I am officially abolishing your assignment to him tomorrow at 0900 hours."

It came like a tornado, landing seemingly from nowhere and tearing al it hit to bits. Maxim physically reeled from the frank words, more so then if he had been actually struck. His mind was now a mess, everything out of order and impossible to shift through the rubble. Thoughts flew and crashed into each other and nothing made sense.

/Iie! I can't let this happen! What the hell is going on! Why?/

"Why?" The sniper cried out, his face twisted in agony.

"The Gundam pilots are a threat, even after being captured," Treize replied, keeping his voice even. "05 proved that. Something needs to be done to show that we're actually winning this fight. Since neither pilot has given us any information they can only pose a threat to us. 02 is to be publicly executed tomorrow."

/This can't be happening! This can't be real! I'm going to lose Duo/ But the power and sincerity in Treize's voice made him realize that it was going to happen. /What can I do? Will I tell Duo? How can I tell him? Kuso! I feel so helpless and weak now. I can't even protect the one I care about the most/

The idea hit him then like a thunderclap. Maxim considered this dangerous proposal he was already forming out in is head, checking over to make sure it was feasible. It was ludicrous of course but at this point the tall, OZ gunman had no choice, and only firm resolve to carry through with his newly hatched plot.

"At what time would you like 02ready for execution sir?" Maxim asked crisply, a sudden need to get out of the room overtaking him.

Treize turned away towards the window again and stood a while before he responded, "Soldiers will remove him from your custody at 0900 hours. I'm truly sorry to have to do this Max."

"Very well. It's all for the glory and honor of OZ and yourself, Treize-sama. Is there anything else I can do to assist you, Treize-sama?" The cool, expressionless mask slipped back on Maxim rather easily.

"Actually yes," Maxim stopped in his tracks. "Lady Une wishes to speak to you, she will be on phone line D3 in 20 minutes. The password is "Mason". She'll talk to you for a while but other then that, there is nothing."

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Quatre sat at his computer screen, finishing off the repair estimates for Sandrock and the few other Maganacs that had been damaged in a recent skirmish with OZ Leos. The light attack had been nothing, but Quatre, seeing that OZ could very possibly be close to finding this safehouse had ordered yet another move. The whines and roars of machinery could be heard below him, as Rashid and his crew were busy readying the 4 Gundams, that had sat unoccupied for over a week, for the departure.

Quatre looked up as his door opened and a rather tired and tattered Wufei entered.

/Thank God!/ The Arab boy thought jubilantly. A broad smile broke across his face but was disrupted as he also thought, /Where's Duo? Trowa and Heero are still lost somewhere out there… maybe dead/

"Quatre," Wufei grunted in greeting, the words barely able to escape his parched lips. The Shenlong pilot collapsed into a chair.

Quatre couldn't stop staring at Wufei. If the proud Chinese noble could have seen himself he would have been outraged. His hair was loose, falling messily past his shoulders, grime and dirt spots covered his body He had lost weight, practically swimming in the janitor's uniform he had escaped in, it was huge on him. Quatre could immediately tell something terrible had happened to Wufei, but as he looked into his friend's dark, onyx eyes he knew it was worse than he could ever know.

"Are you Ok? Do you want to rest?" Quatre asked, care for his friend holding strong over the urge to riddle Wufei with questions that had tormented his heart for days.

"Iie, I'm fine," Wufei said coldly, almost snapping back at the timid blonde.

He sat there for a minute, breathing heavily and staring off at nothing. Quatre immediately went to his friend's side, worry and fear shaking him. Quatre's aquamarine gaze locked with Wufei's and something was silently exchanged between the two that absolutely confirmed the blonde's fear that physical harm had come to his friend.

"What happened?" Quatre finally managed to ask.

"The mission was going well," Wufei began, pausing momentarily to think back to the night of his capture. It seemed so long ago. "Maxwell and I were waiting for Heero to unlock one of the doors, it never opened. A sniper shot Maxwell, and both of us were captured." As he finished Wufei bowed his head.

/Trowa! I need to know what happened to Trowa/ Quatre wanted to scream aloud. /How the hell could this mission have gone so wrong? What the hell happened to cause all this?/

"Why did the mission fail? Where's Duo? Didn't he come back with you?" Quatre asked, all in a rush.

Wufei remained silent, but cocked his head as if thinking deeply about something. The image of Duo, dressed in an OZ uniform, that red eyed soldier so close to him. The scene in the prison block took place again, all in fast forward. It did not end, however, with Maxim firing a stray shot at Wufei, who had not looked back to see Duo throw himself at the sniper, the only reason that Wufei was still alive. The nightmare went on as Wufei hid, sweat pouring down his brow, afraid to move or breathe while OZ soldiers patrolled. Wufei had never been so scared of being captured by the enemy.

"Maxwell betrayed us," Wufei said finally.

"No way! That's impossible, that couldn't really have happened!" Quatre exclaimed, jumping up.

/Duo… I thought I knew you. I trusted you, you were my friend…/ Quatre thought, shaking his head.

"Hai, it's the truth," Wufei insisted, the idea forming more solidly in his mind. He'd had his doubts but there couldn't be any other possible explanation. "Maxwell betrayed us."

Quatre thought for only a minute longer. Wufei's tone was undeniable, it had to be true. And if Duo really had betrayed them, then all of their safehouses would be attacked one by one… If Duo had betrayed them, all was lost.

Heero woke from his deep sleep suddenly, almost throwing the bed sheets to the ground as he sat up with a start. Wisps of the dream he just had echoed in his mind. Heero furrowed his brow and tried to remember what he had been dreaming of, but the dream simply vanished and the echo died away, leaving him without answer. Heero looked around him, surveying the surroundings that seemed so strange to him.

/Where am I? This place… so familiar… How long have I been asleep? /

Heero tried to stand to push away the curtains. His head swam as he started and he fell back on the pillow. His body was still weary but at least his mind was finally clear. It was almost like a fog had been lifted and Heero could finally see and hear and decipher all that was around him, it was a thing that he expressed a sigh of relief at. But even through all that a lingering feeling pressed at him.

/Trowa…/ Heero almost sighed aloud. /He took care of me… again…for all this time/

The memory of what had only been a few hours ago came back to Heero. His soft cries, Trowa's gentle, calming touch, the warmth that had surrounded and filled him when Trowa held him to his chest, the feelings sparked when Trowa had kissed him….

/He kissed me. Does that mean, maybe, that he loves me? /

A soft stirring in the corner of the room attracted Heero's attention. Glancing over, Heero's soldiering instincts made his hand go for his gun, which of course hadn't been at his side in a long time. But it was only Trowa, sitting, curled up in a chair, his head lolling on his shoulder.

/Poor Trowa. He must have be so tired from watching over me all this time…/ Heero thought, surprising himself at the raw emotion. But nothing could ready him for the next thought that came to his mind. /He's so handsome, he looks like an angel, sitting like that/

/Iie! I…I can't think like that about him! He's my partner, my comrade, nothing more! There is only the mission; there is only the mission. A soldier has no time to experience and reflect on emotions of his own/

Heero had never felt emotions like this before. His whole life in fact, he'd been taught that his emotions were only nuisances and obstacles, things to be ignored and stifled. But since the war he'd brought his own philosophy to light. Act on your emotions.

It sounded very deep and meaningful, but deep down the only reason Heero gave any regard to his emotions was the fact that he knew what they were. He knew how to control them, how to interpret the tension or the fear or the pain. All these emotions were ones familiar to the Perfect Soldier. But the emotion and feeling running throughout his whole, brought on by simply looking at Trowa, was new.

It was new and powerful. Heero was scared by the idea of not knowing what it was he was feeling. It scared him, because he wasn't sure what it was. But on the other hand, Heero couldn't help but relish in the good that it filled inside.

/Not even Heero kept his room this neat/ Duo thought to himself, sitting on his bed, looking at the stark comparison between his side and Maxim's. /It's only been one day but I've at least managed to make this place look "lived in"/

He smiled as he spied an empty bag of potato chips that he'd left by the bathroom trashcan. Things like that always infuriated Maxim. Duo's smile disappeared though, as he thought about it. He really didn't want to irritate Maxim, the way he'd done so often to Heero. Although the two had many similar ways they were entirely different people in Duo's mind. Maxim seemed so much nicer and humane than Heero.

/He didn't even yell at me/ Duo thought, recalling the night of Wufei's escape. /His loyalty to OZ is so strong. I must have gotten him into a whole shit load of trouble… Why do I always mess things up for the people I care about the most? /

Duo stood up and walked over to pick up the plastic bag. Throwing it into the trashcan, Duo wondered how he really felt about Maxim, and how the tall, strong sniper felt about him. It was then that the gunman entered the dormitory, his red colored eyes filled with an angry, but saddened light.

"Why're you looking so glum?" Duo asked, flashing his award-winning smile. The only effect it brought was a sideways glance in his direction. Maxim sat down on Duo's bed, staring off at nothing. Quickly, Duo came to his side and sat beside him, knowing something was dreadfully wrong.

"I hope they aren't going to demote you on account of ol' baka me!" Duo joked, giving anything to lighten the mood. "You're not being demoted are you? That'd be terrible. I've been nothing but trouble for you and…"

"Shut up," Maxim whispered, turning and grabbing Duo, pulling the braided boy to his chest. "Just shut up Duo. You don't know how great you really are. Don't…"

Maxim's words died away as he caressed Duo's long, thick braid, something he'd often dream of doing lately. Even though there was so much pain and suffering in his heart, Maxim couldn't allow himself to cry. He had to remain strong; he had to for Duo's sake.

"What is it Maxim?" Duo asked, concern for the man he had once known as an enemy ran through him.

/But it feels so good to be in his arms/ Duo couldn't help but think, oblivious to his declared fate. /I've dreamed of this ever since I first met him. Our situations make us enemies but I think I'm falling in love with him. How do I know? Maybe it's because I want to kiss him and stay in his arms forever/

"I don't ever want to let you go," Maxim said, burying his head in Duo's thick chestnut hair. "I don't want to lose you. I can't let them take you away but I don't know what to do. Onegai, this can't be happening. I've never felt this way about anyone, anyone!"

"What exactly are you saying?" Duo said, pulling away sharply.

It was selfish but Duo wanted to hear Maxim confess his love. All his life, living on the streets and being just a dirty street urchin he'd never felt it. Never once had Duo heard anyone say to him 'I love you' and this was the one he wanted to hear it from the most.

/Does he love me? /

"I…I…" Maxim was at a loss of words.

The handsome sniper was so caught up and filled in emotions that words didn't seem to mean anything. Words could never do justice to the feelings in his heart, feelings that only Duo caused. Maxim wondered for a moment if this was what love was like. He stared forward and found the answer in Duo's gorgeous violet eyes.

"It's alright," Duo conceded, seeing the emotion radiate from Maxim's light red eyes, gazing at him as if observing a dream. "Some things are just so hard to express in words."

An ineffable light flared in Maxim's eyes and throughout him. Slowly, tentatively, never breaking his gaze from Duo's, he leaned forward. His lips found Duo's and the shorter Gundam pilot wrapped his arms around the soldier's back, leaning into the kiss.

Eternity seemed to pass before the kiss was broken. The two separated and breathed, looking deep into the other's soul. It would be impossible to record what passed between them, but neither had ever felt anything so wonderful. Again they moved closer and kissed.

Maxim did not sleep that night. Even after Duo had long dropped to sleep and Shinigami's snores filed the room rest wouldn't come. He still hadn't told Duo about the execution tomorrow, how could he? He couldn't after the tender, intimate moment the two had shared.

Thinking in the darkness Maxim finally came up with an idea. He carefully untangled himself from Duo and walked over to where the phone was. Standing for a minute he pondered and thought on his reflection. Then with firm resolve he picked up phone and dialed a number.

"Oi Justin? Sorry to wake you so late but I need to ask you a favor…"

-end part 8

Note: Shorter then the other parts, yay! I've finally got the whole image for this fic in my head. I think that the last scene with Duo and Maxim wasn't good enough though, and I'd been building towards it for 7 chapters already… Oh well, I'll be getting to work on part 9 now!

masamune