Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Pinball ❯ Research ( Chapter 7 )

Series: Pinball

Chapter 7: Research

Author: Niere

Rating: PG

DISCLAIMER: The series Gundam Wing and the characters therein do not belong to me. I'm just putting them in different situations to see how they react.

Summary: It's a world where everyone has psionic abilities…well, most everyone. Another contest is coming up and the undefeated Duo notices a new player, a null, a person with no psionic abilities. Just what is it about this boy and why can't Duo get him off his mind?

Author's Note: Have you ever heard the song Pinball Wizard by Elton John? I love the song. I was listening to it and was bitten by yet another plot bunny. This is based, loosely, on that song.

**indicates "conversation" via manual alphabet, the system Duo is using to communicate with Heero**

TK=telekinesis, the ability to move things with one's mind. TP=telepathy, the ability to send/receive thoughts. Empathy=the ability to send/receive emotions or feelings. Pyrokinesis=the ability to create/control fire. Pre-cog=the ability to "see" the future.

* * *

The boys returned from lunch and were surprised to find Duo sitting alone in Heero's chair. He was slumped over with his elbows on his knees and his hands dangling between.

"Hey, Duo, where's Heero?" Quatre questioned, concerned when he couldn't "read" his friend.

Duo didn't answer.

"Duo?" Wufei placed a hand on the braided boy's shoulder to get his attention.

"Huh?"

"What happened, where's Heero?" Trowa asked, kneeling beside the chair.

"J already came for him."

Duo still hadn't moved. His responses to their questioning was appropriate, but minimal. This was not like Duo. He seemed…distracted or something. Trowa and Wufei looked at Quatre who shrugged. Duo was either blocking his friend or extremely deep in thought.

'Enough,' Wufei thought as he hauled his friend to his feet.

"What the…" Duo sputtered.

"Heero has gone for the day and the younger ones are competing this afternoon. Is there any reason for us to remain here?" Wufei put his hands on his hips and cocked his head. "Well, is there?"

Duo shook his head as if coming out of a trance. He looked surprised to see his friends standing in front of him. Suddenly, he focused on Quatre. "Q, do you remember that report you did on Dr. J?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Do you still have the information you compiled?"

Trowa grinned, knowing what a pack-rat his boyfriend was. "I'm sure he still has the discs somewhere. Why?"

"There's something very strange going on between Dr. J and Heero. I want to find out what it is." He waved for his friends to follow him. "Come on, I'll explain while we grab out laptops and go to Quatre's. It will probably take all of us to dig out what I'm looking for."

As they left the stadium, Duo quickly told them about his lunch with Heero, the neglect the boy had suffered during the competition, his denial when asked about being a null, and the words that had echoed in Duo's head. "Remember how Heero couldn't receive what you projected without you touching him when we first met?" he asked Quatre.

"It was like he was blocked or something," the blonde said, remembering.

Duo nodded. "Exactly. But he was able to sense it when you set off all the machines."

Quatre blushed at the memory. "I wasn't projecting that much stronger then."

"I didn't think so."

"You're suspecting that Dr. J has blocked his talent somehow," Wufei stated, "even though it's illegal?"

Trowa eyed Duo. "And your own talent might be starting to break down that barrier."

"Duo, that might not be such a good idea," Wufei pointed out. "You don't know what doing such a thing will do to him."

"I haven't been doing anything!"

"Yet," Quatre snickered.

Duo just glared at his hentai friend and turned back to Wufei. "Any progress made has been entirely instinct on a subconscious level."

"If he is telepathic," Trowa mused, "maybe he's fighting it also, from the inside."

"Go get your laptops and meet me at my house," Quatre told them. "I'll try to find those discs."

The boys split up, each heading for their own home. They now had a mission: Find out what was going on with Heero.

* * *

"Geez, Quatre," Duo sighed, looking up from his screen, "is there anything you didn't download?"

"Well, I did want to be thorough." The blond glanced at his boyfriend. Trowa was using Quatre's home computer while Quatre used Trowa's laptop, since the other boy was the fastest at searching through the information. "Showoff," Quatre muttered with a grin.

The information was flying over the screen, the computer keys clicking frantically…faster than any fingers could possibly move. Trowa wasn't even touching the keyboard. He had his hands hovered over the keys, using his talent to manipulate them.

Duo glanced over and grinned. "I guess all that practice really paid off, huh?"

Suddenly, the information flying across the screen stopped. "I may have found something," Trowa said, flexing his fingers and stretching.

The others gathered around the computer. Trowa had found an article citing the research that had been done by Dr. J which had set off the new laws protecting the 'abuse of talents'.

"He was studying the effects of sensory deprivation on talents," Duo read.

"With some pretty nasty effects it seems," Quatre stated with a shudder.

"That series of experiments set off an entire set of laws regarding talents," Wufei told his friends. "We're talking about just that in the Explorer group I'm in. It spawned the protection from exploitation of talent as well as making 'reading' by telepaths acceptable in court."

Duo looked over at Wufei. "What do you mean by 'reading'?"

"When the victims…er, subjects, were blocked, it messed up their talents. A telepath could 'read' their memories and use it as evidence. It is now possible to record those memories for use in court so the subject doesn't have to be there personally. Such readings can be extremely traumatic and take many sessions to get the entire event."

"Ok, that sort of explains what J could be doing to Heero, but how do we prove it?" Duo mused. "Print that out, will you Tro? Just in case." Trowa started printing the article while Duo and the others went back to their searching.

After about another hour of searching through what seemed an endless supply of trivia, Quatre came across another interesting article. This one was about Dr. J taking in the orphaned son of an employee that was killed in an accident. "That last one made him out to be such a monster, even though he was acquitted of any wrong-doing. This seems to show that he really cares. It says that he was so upset by the death of his employee, that he took the boy as his own ward to see that he would be well taken care of."

"Does it mention the boy's name?" Duo asked.

"No, but there's a picture." The picture showed a small boy of about eight years old. The child was standing next to Dr. J, eyes downcast. The only really distinctive feature the boy had was the mop of messy hair."

Duo's eyes widened. "That's Heero, it has to be."

Wufei looked closer at the article. "Trowa, where's the hardcopy of that last article?" Trowa handed the papers to him. "Look at the dates. J is acquitted for his experiments, and just three months later takes in an orphan as his ward."

"There's no mention of the boy being blind or deaf," Quatre pointed out. "Wouldn't they mention that since the article is about what a great person Dr. J was supposed to be? After all, taking in a handicapped child, as well as a null one, should really make him out to be a real humanitarian."

"That's because he wasn't that way when J took him in," Duo growled.

"There's no proof of that," Wufei argued. "What we have is only suspicion and circumstantial evidence."

"So he can keep abusing Heero and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it?" Duo all but yelled.

"Duo, calm down," Wufei insisted. "We can do nothing, true, but I know who to take this information to that just might be able to help Heero. If nothing else, they would be able to tell us if there is enough information to even start an investigation." He gave Duo a concerned look. "It would really be up to you."

"Up to me?" Duo looked shocked. "Of course I'll do everything I can to help!"

"What about having your memories recorded? From what you've told us, there might be enough in what Heero has told you to make a case, or at least start looking into his situation."

Duo stood and gathered up the printouts. "Well, let's go. There's only a couple more days of the competition and I want to let Heero know what is going on while I can."

"Keep us posted on what happens, won't you?" Trowa asked.

"Of course," Duo assured his friends. "I'll call you two later and let you know."

The two boys left for the law enforcement station to see if there was anything that could be done to help Heero.

* * *

It was getting late when the boys reached the station. "I hope he's still here," Wufei stated.

"Who," Duo asked, "the leader of your Explorer group?"

"Yes, that's who I want you to talk to. He's a detective on the force, so he should be able to answer some of our questions at least."

"Hello Wufei," welcomed a tall man just leaving the station. "What brings you here?"

"Could we talk to you? It's rather important."

"Well, it could be, anyway," Duo added.

"I was just leaving…" the man started to say, then he noticed the pleading expression on Duo's face and the one of determination on Wufei's and sighed. "Ok, come on in." He motioned the boys into the station.

"Thanks Officer…" Duo read the man's name badge, "Peacecraft. Or is it Detective Peacecraft?"

The man flinched slightly and Wufei smirked. "Just call me Zechs, ok?"

"Sure, Zechs." Duo stuck out his hand. "Duo Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you Duo," Zechs shook his hand briefly then led them to an office. "What's so important that you had to come all the way here at dinner time?"

Wufei nodded at Duo to explain. Duo told Zechs all about the competition and how Heero was ostracized by his null status and the way he had refuted that label. He mentioned the way his basic needs had been neglected due to his handicap. He explained how quickly Heero had picked up the manual alphabet, how he had been unable to sense Quatre's projecting at first, but was able to pick it up later. He revealed everything that Heero had told him and the things he had suspected. He also told about the phrase that rang in his head the last time he'd seen the boy.

As Zechs listened to Duo's tale, his interest increased. Very soon into the story, he picked up a pen and started to take notes on the things Duo was telling him. "It sounds like it's possible that this friend of yours is being abused."

Wufei offered the printouts they had made and pointed out the dates. He described their theory of what was possibly being done to Heero and the motive they suspected.

"This is all circumstantial, you know," Zechs pointed out. "It would be your word against his, and you know how influential Dr. J is."

Duo's face fell. "So there's nothing that can be done? Heero is terrified of that man. He's doing something to him, something awful I'm sure of it. Isn't there anything that you can do to help him?"

"You're sure that this boy is terrified of the man that took him in?"

"You didn't see how he reacted when he thought J might find out that he'd made a friend," Duo pointed out emphatically. "That's all I was trying to be…his friend. He said that he's not allowed to have friends. He's not allowed to have contact with anyone."

Zechs' eyes widened at that, then he looked thoughtful. "It would take more than your say-so to even begin an investigation." He saw the look of despair on Duo's face. "But there may be something that we can do," he added quickly. "Would you consider being 'read'? Your memories of his reactions might be enough to have his situation looked into."

"I'll do anything I have to if it will help Heero," Duo responded.

"How old are you?" Zechs asked.

"I'll be seventeen in two months."

Zechs eyed Duo thoughtfully. "How much longer will the competition be going on?"

"Just a couple more days," Wufei said. "And if Heero doesn't keep winning, he may be out even sooner."

The man nodded and picked up the phone, dialing quickly. "Treize, it's Zechs. I need you to do a reading." He listened for a moment. "Yes, now. It could be extremely important." Another pause. "Thanks. We'll meet you in the reading room." He hung up the phone and stood. He went to a filing cabinet and removed a form. "He's agreed to read you tonight. Then we will see what can be done. I just need you to sign this form permitting the reading." Duo signed his name in the indicated place. "Come on, let's get this done."

* * *

The 'reading room' was nothing more than a small room with a table and three chairs. On the table was some equipment along with a monitor. There seemed to be a lot of wires involved with the equipment. Sitting in one of the chairs attaching some of the wires to his head was an auburn-haired man with an aristocratic bearing. He looked up as the group entered.

"Thanks Treize, I owe you one," Zechs stated, taking one of the chairs and motioning for Duo to take the last one.

"I'll add it to the list," Treize said with a smirk. "So, who do we have here?"

"This is Wufei, one of the boys in my Explorer group and his friend Duo, the one I want you to read."

Treize nodded to the boys in acknowledgement, then returned to his preparations. He began applying similar wires to Duo. "What am I looking for?"

"Possible child abuse." Treize eyed Duo, noting the lack of bruises or any other signs of abuse. "Not him, a friend of his. He's the only one who has had contact with the possible victim. The reading is to find out if there is enough to open a case."

"How long have you known the possible victim?" Treize asked.

"A couple of days," Duo answered.

"Good, then this won't take long."

"What do you want me to do?" Wufei asked from where he was hovering near the wall.

"We'll need you to wait outside," Zechs told him.

Duo started. He wanted to help Heero, but this was beyond his experience and he was getting a bit frightened. Treize noticed and took pity on the boy. "Nothing will cause you any discomfort. I'm going to have you think about your friend is all. While you do that, I'm going to pull out any memories you have regarding this friend and the machine will record everything."

"What do you mean 'everything'?" Duo asked.

"It records what you saw and heard as well as your thoughts and feelings regarding those memories," Treize explained.

Duo remembered just how he was going to 'prove' that he was a boy to Heero and the dreams that action inspired that night. He blushed. "Just how much are you going to pull out? Who has to see this recording?"

Zechs and Treize kept professional expressions at the reaction Duo was having. "Only the two of us will see everything that is recorded," Zechs reassured him. "Treize is a telepath, that is why he is able to pull your memories for the machine to record. I'm an empath. I'm involved to make sure that the memories are not too much for you to handle. The two of us will edit the tape for court purposes if needed. Only 'pertinent' information will be shown to anyone else."

Wufei also noticed Duo's blush. He had noticed how his friend had become rather fixated on Heero and had a feeling of what just might be bothering him. "Don't worry, Duo. You can trust them both. They have done this hundreds of times and I'm sure there is nothing in your memory that they haven't seen before. I'll wait outside until you're finished to give you privacy, ok? Just remember that it's for Heero."

"Shit," Duo muttered, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "It's for Heero," he echoed. He sat back in the chair in semi-resignation. "Ok, let's get this over with."

* * *

About a half an hour later, a very red-faced Duo emerged from the 'reading room'. Wufei placed the magazine he had been looking at back on the table and stood. "Well, how did it go?"

"They are reviewing the tape, editing onto another cassette the parts they need to show to a judge."

"And the rest?"

"The original stays in a confidential file, they said." Duo grinned. "Although I do wish I could have a copy of some parts of it for myself."

"Oh?" Wufei smirked slightly.

"Let's just say that my imagination is better than my memory and leave it at that."

Wufei grinned knowingly and nodded. "Right. Come on, let's let the others know what's happening."

The boys left the station to call Trowa and Quatre.

TBC

Author's Note:

I apologize for the shortness of my chapters, but making them longer would blend some together and take longer between postings. That would only confuse everyone (more so than I already do *grin*). Thanks to all of you that have responded. Your remarks really make my day. In answer to a question that was asked: There is really nothing "special" about the pinball competition. It was just what was in the song. Also, it would be strange for a blind/deaf boy to be able to play. The Pinball competition is no more "special" than the Yu Gi Oh tournaments I see held occasionally. It's just something for the kids to do.

Niere