Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Some Way Back ❯ One down... ( Chapter 11 )

Please I need a favour I have been looking everywhere for Duo's birthday…at the moment I am leaning towards 29th of February because I like the irony of a leap year baby and because its one of the 5 different dates I found for his birthday. Please if anyone has a link to a site that actually has that as his birthday, send it to me…or has his birthday as a definite. Otherwise I will just use that one. Thanks

Ok this is the longest chapter so far…please review, because I haven't written many action sequences before and I have no idea if this one has come over well at all or not. Hope you enjoy it.

#*# = scene change

~ words in direct thought to oneself

~~**~~ end of chapter

Some Way Back: One Down…

Duo felt energized as he opened the door to the room to reveal the four others already following any leads they could find. His voice flowed easily…the cheeriness almost genuine…so close in fact he knew no one else would be able to tell the difference…not even Quatre. "So, digging anything nice up? I want skeletons in closets… I want everything!" He smiled at them and moved over to his desk, glancing at the screens on his way past the others.

Quatre flashed a smile, his outburst from before pushed to the back of his mind. He had to concentrate on being there for his friend now. Duo needed them all to be people he could rely on…so that was what the blond had decided to be.

"Finding as much as we possibly can… I for one…" He flexed his biceps with a wink over his shoulder…"could do with a little exericise."

Duo deigned a laugh, almost full of his usual cheerfulness. "Yeah Quat… me too… me too…" Seating himself at his systems Duo dropped yet again into the uncharacteristic silence that accompanied him when he concentrated fully on his task. The serious side of Duo Maxwell was a force to be reckoned with, as his friends were only just finding out.

Time passed quickly as Duo and his team worked at the rather daunting task in front of them. All that could be heard was the clicking of the keys as hands flew over keyboards; and the gentle hum of the printers as they pumped out a forest full of paper onto the floor. It was going to be a long process, but at least they had somewhere to start.

A rather embarrassing, loud noise emerged from the area where Duo was and he grinned a wide large grin.

"Oops." He laughed. "I think we forgot to keep an eye on the time, cause that would be my personal alarm clock telling me I need to eat a hell of a lot of food." He was still grinning as he picked up the phone and called the cafeteria downstairs, ordering their food to be brought up to his offices.

Quatre watched his friend…happy to see that he was obviously feeling better…and happy to have been able to do something to make his friend smile. They were getting somewhere and Duo would be able to bring this whole incident behind him and maybe get some of what he had lost back. Maybe… if everything went well…Duo would be able to become the person he had been before Heero had been taken from him…maybe he could regain some of the half of himself that he lost.

Putting down the phone Duo bounced up and stretched. "Wow do you have any idea what sitting in one position for a few hours does to me! I mean come on guys…how long have you ever seen me sit still… or shut up for that matter." He rolled his eyes, in that typical Duo comical way. "I mean you've all told me to shut up at least once and everyone knows I rave like a lunatic sometimes…but wow… this work shit is going to be the death of me. It's going to drive me insane, probably kill me or at least make my life a living hell for the duration. And the silly thing is…that I have to do this ne?" He flopped back in his chair and grinned around the room. "Ahhh the irony of it all." He paused dramatically. "So I suggest we take a break now and wait for the food."

Wufei actually laughed. As difficult as it might seem to believe, he laughed. "It is good to have you back among us Maxwell…if there is anything you need…I hope you know I am here for you."

Duo was a little shocked but covered it well. "Why… thanks `fei. Gee… careful… you're gonna make me blush… and then well… Quat and Trowa might get a little jealous." He winked and tried to escape as Cat tackled him to the ground and started to tickle him. He didn't notice that Duo flinched at the touch, all he could see was the smile on his face.

Zechs watched the gundam pilots…wishing he could be a part of the closeness that they shared. Wishing he could find a way to help Duo relieve the tension like it appeared Quatre was doing. Trowa and Wufei were looking on, smile's creasing their usually less expressive features. It made Zechs feel a little sad, and a little out of place…so when the knock on the door came he stood to get it, failing to notice the bouncing Duo that sprung up off the ground pushing Quatre off him, and bounded to the door, colliding on the way with the platinum haired blonde.

Zechs felt himself turn a shade of red as he the chestnut haired boy fell into him. He could feel those taught muscles underneath his hands as he steadied himself against the younger man, he could also feel just how little weight there was on him. He was almost skin and bone…but still…Duo felt amazing pushed against him like that. Disentangling himself from Shinigami, Zechs looked down into amethyst orbs, and had to steady himself.

Duo just grinned, oblivious to the affect he was having on the taller man. "Oops sorry Zechs…guess I am just in typical me mode today." He laughed as he stepped and opened the door, allowing the food to be wheeled into the room. Duo descended on the food almost ecstatically, devouring almost everything he could put his hands on. It was a relaxed atmosphere that ensued after lunch, and as the others moved to continue their research, Duo walked over to the sound system in the room and threw on a cd.

"Sorry guys but I need something. Some sort of background noise that isn't the hum of a printer or the clacking of keys. So you just have to put up with some music. Trust me… it's great stuff!"

A few groans but no outright protests convinced the braided baka that he could do just what he had told them.

The rest of the afternoon passed in music backed silence, Duo lightly humming to the given tune of the moment.

A happy little exclamation emerged from Quatre's lips as he sat back with his latest findings printed out in his lap. "Got another one Duo."

Duo smiled…he was greatful…it was harder than he had thought to concentrate for so long. "Thanks Cat… Name?"

"Windthorpe Corporations…" the blond frowned. " I will have to get Rashid to have a look into this…that names rings a distinct bell…"

"Shit… "

They all turned to look at Zechs, eyebrows raised in question.

Feeling four other pairs of eyes on him, Zechs felt a little flustered, but didn't let it bother him too much. "I feel so stupid… Relena has dealings with GHD. I just hope she hasn't given into her naivety and taken them at their word. If she has, then they could be weaved through the entire government and we are in for a lot of trouble."

Duo looked at him. "You know Zechs…I am beginning to wonder if you've been looking at those files I have been giving you at all?"

Zechs sighed. "I have… but I only just clicked…"

"It's a little late…most of these companies are involved somehow with our new `peaceful' government. This is going to be one hell of an operation. But considering how deep it already seems to run… I get the feeling this is an operation we really need to undertake…no matter how long I have to sit still and shut up for." He finished with a grin.

"Ok… if any of you are up to it, I want us to try and find a location tonight…my fingers are kinda itching for action and I need to plan something"

"We all do Duo…" Trowa spoke his silent support for his friend.

A brief shadow passed over Duo's face before he reverted to a sheepish look an d a voice full of sincerity. "Sorry guys…guess I keep forgetting that you three lost a friend."

"Yes Maxwell, stop being so selfish…its dishonourable." There was definite laughter in Wufei's voice and the slight tension dissipated before it could set in properly.

"Yeah…" Duo grinned "I think we're all as stupid as each other ne?"

Quatre laughed…"Only almost Du…only almost!"

"To the bat cave…" Duo cried out stopping at the blank looks on his friends faces. "Um…you don't ever watch the old American TV series channel…do you?" Lots of shakes of heads. "Ok…then let's just say…um…back to work then…"

"That was a lame save…even for you Duo…" Quatre teased him.

"Hey give a guy a break…I have minimal props to work with here."

Laughing, they all turned back to the task at hand.

It was hours later when Trowa gave a whoop of joy, though for someone else it probably would have equated something in the vicinity of a loud smile, and turned to face his now attentive audience.

"Introspection Corporation…387 Chireug Drive, Old Paris, Business District. And you have no idea how hard it was to find that address…"

Wufei raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Um…slight exaggeration there Trowa…addresses are what all of us have been looking for today."

"Yeah…well you know what I mean…"

Duo suddenly jumped up…"No way… its tonight!"

Inquisitive eyes focused on him and the question hung in the air.

"Its tonight…as in it's no longer day…as in I am so hungry. I think my stomach moved on and started devouring my lungs, cause it sure has kept quiet."

Quatre laughed. "How about we go out for dinner…it's not that late is it?"

Duo gestured wildly at the clock…it was almost 9 pm, somehow they had worked a lot longer than any of them had realized.

"Oh…that late…hmmm…well I guess we should get going and grab some food at home. Duo you should come home…you've been here for a week."

Duo shifted a little…"Na Cat… not quite that comfortable yet…but its ok…I am really beat…I'll grab something to eat and collapse. You guys have no idea how much effort it takes for me to concentrate…I think my brain is going to explode." He grinned that big cheesy Duo grin.

The others stood up to leave.

"So we work on the rest tomorrow?" Zechs reached the door first.

"Yeah…" Duo ran a hand through his bangs. "Yeah…We need to trace some more names…I have a list of possible links here that need correlating if you could start with that tomorrow when you get in Zechs…Same time guys?"

"Yeah Duo…early…" Cat winked as they walked out of the door.

He closed the door behind his friends, smile still firmly fixed in place. He walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, smiling back at himself. The thing was…the smile didn't bother him…the void he was feeling helped him to be who everyone expected to see. It was so much easier than trying to deal with things, though he shuddered remembering Quatre tickling him. He would have to try and avoid situations that called for bodily contact from his three closest friends, because that had almost cracked his void. He was proud of himself. His thoughts turned to the events of the day and what they had gotten out of it. He knew they needed to find these subsidiaries and put them out of action before they could have a hope of tackling GHD. If they didn't, then GHD would be able to regroup and come back at them…and there was no way in hell Duo was going to let that happen. Take out the supports and the house falls down around you. An amused chuckle escaped Duo's lips as he turned of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry himself with. Slipping into his black satin boxer shorts, Duo didn't bother to put anything on his upper body. Instead he just fell into bed and let sleep claim him…forgetting to eat…as he had been prone to do lately.

#*#

He was walking through a forest. It was dark and the trees reached up to the sky, branches and leaves blowing in the wind. Duo shivered and drew, what he at first thought was, a cloak around him but when he felt it, it was his hair…out of its braid and wrapped around him, keeping him warm.

He saw a cabin up ahead a light glow warming the windows. Hurrying to it, he wanted to get out of the cold wind and near the fire that he could only assume was causing the soft glow through the curtains.

Pushing open the doors Duo saw that the large living area of the cabin was indeed lit with the soft flickering glow of a fire. He approached the large fire place, creeping around the sofa, to warm his cold hands.

Something grabbed onto his wrist…a hand, at least it felt like it should be a hand. He looked behind him to see who the hand belonged to and saw Heero sitting on the sofa…in his birthday suit. In the back of his mind something screamed at him, telling him something was very wrong, something was missing, something wasn't right, but Duo being Duo pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and smiled at his lover.

Heero rose off the couch, not saying a word…and led him over to the fire place.

Duo stroked the hand that held his absently…it was cool to the touch…almost rubbery…not really like skin at all.

He was pushed to the floor and felt that cool body pushing against his own. Even the cool uncomfortable feel of the touching of their flesh was drowned out by the kiss. It set Duo's nerves on fire. He hadn't been kissed like that in so long he just wanted to melt into it; to lose himself to that kiss, to the man climbing on top of him.

Finally breaking through the surprise that had held him, he found he could move again. He pushed his hands up through his lovers dark locks and gripped the hair hard. Heero's cool kisses deepened and Duo found himself finding it hard to breath. He managed to break the kiss momentarily, gasping for air…looking into Prussian blue eyes, void of all warmth and expression, and only then realizing that there were tendrils of skin stretching from Heero's mouth to his own; that his hands had sunken into the rubberized skull of his lover and he couldn't disentangle himself. As the realization hit him, Heero devoured his mouth once more, swallowing the scream that tore from Duo's throat as he felt himself submerging more with the body of his lover.

#*#

Duo sat bolt upright in bed, sweat dripping from his body, sheets wrapped around him tightly. He stared at his hands…and then clutched at his mouth…just to be sure.

"Fucking nightmares…" He was hard…and no Heero there to relieve him. Duo had never much been a do it yourself guy, he always preferred to have someone to …well to do it for him.

Climbing out of bed he stripped from his boxers and climbed into a cool shower, trying not to focus on the dream, and that his hair was actually free from its braid. It had been a strange dream, a very strange dream. He would dwell on it when he had the time…right then he just needed the cool water to work its magic… he didn't have time for his body to have wants…not right then.

Towelling dry, mission accomplished, Duo climbed back into bed, not bothering to pull his boxers back on. Sleep claimed him fast as he cuddled one of the pillows to his body…and he fell into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

#*#

Duo was pulled out of his sleep by the sound of his door opening. Sitting up he smoothly pulled the gun from the table next to his bed and aimed it at the figure now closing the door. As he recognized the intruder he raised the gun back to his own shoulder, seeing the surprise in those ice blue eyes.

"You should really learn to knock Zechs."

Zechs couldn't tear his eyes away from the man in the bed. The sheet was low enough that it was obvious to the platinum blond that the chestnut haired man was completely naked. Hair fell in long caressing waves over his body, and violet eyes still a little misted from sleep made him look like a wet dream…a dangerous wet dream…but a definite wet dream all the same. Zechs shifted a little, feeling his pants grow uncomfortably tight, suppressing a groan. "Yeah…sorry Duo… it's just that we said early and well…it's um early.

Duo looked at his watch, startled. "Shit…its almost 7am…how the hell could I have slept so long. Give me a few." He jumped out of bed, flicking it back into the couch it was, totally oblivious to the effect that his naked form was having on Zechs. "I wont be long…" He called out as he dashed into the bathroom. "Take a seat and order some breakfast…I am starving."

Zechs shook himself, trying to stop his mouth from gaping. He wondered if Duo had any idea how gorgeous he was. Sure he was a little thin, pure muscle and sinew covered his body, but that didn't make it any less gorgeous. Of course the nipple ring and tattoos had caught Zechs attention. The tattoos looked to be amazing quality, and all Zechs wanted to do was get a closer look at them, of course that would lead him to needing to give another part of Duo a look over…of course he hadn't overlooked that part either, but that made him blush too much if he thought about it.

Breakfast…he was sure Duo had said breakfast…so he called the cafeteria, knowing that there would be staff there to cover for the nightshift, and ordered bacon, eggs, hotcakes, syrup, toast and some spreads. He thought the others would be arriving soon and walked over to put some coffee on, besides he needed some himself and was fairly sure that Duo would need some when he got out of the bathroom.

Speak of the devil, the door opened and Duo stepped out, towel wrapped loosely around his hips, hair already fastened back in a braid. He smiled at Zechs. "Gee thanks man…can you make me a coffee…milk and coffee…no sugar for me…Heero always said I didn't need the sugar. Apparently caffeine and me are a bad enough mix as it is…he said if I added sugar to it anymore and he had to keep pulling me down from the walls, he would probably go insane. Heh…guess he underestimated himself ne? He proved he was insane five weeks ago." Duo laughed as he pulled out some clothes to put on. Frowning he realized he would have to send some down to the laundry. He wondered if they were going to get any official work done today.

He stood up, a few garments in each hand…and noticed Zechs looking at him. Mistaking the reason for the look Duo smiled. "Yeah I know… I cant decide what to wear…he always said I was worse than a female, but at least I wasn't an arrogant fuck ne? So what do you think? We going to get any official business done today?" He didn't wait for an answer…" No you're right…I'll pop something comfortable on till we know. Cause I mean its not like I cant get changed again is it?" He grinned and turned as he heard the door open again.

Quatre, Wufei and Trowa filed into the room…all fairly glowing. Duo laughed…seeming to forget that he was standing in front of everyone with just a towel wrapped around his thin hips and cloths in his hands. "Hey guys…some bodies look like they got laid this morning…" He grinned at the blushes crossing Trowa and Quatre's faces and the glower he received from Wufei.

Duo laughed. "You guys should really work on your facial expressions…I was joking…but I see I wasn't far off the mark…" He teased them.

Wufei looked like he was going to sink through the floor and probably pull Duo with him so he would leave his other two lovers in peace. But then he noticed something.

"Maxwell…what…are those things on you?"

Duo looked confused…"Things?" Duo looked down at his body… "Oh…" He smiled sheepishly…"My tats?"

Quatre perked up and walked over…"You told me you were getting tat's but I haven't seen them yet…oh wow…are they gundam's? Oh my god…Duo pull the towel away I wanna see them properly."

Duo laughed. He wasn't self conscious around his three closest friends. They had seen each other through so much in the wars…they had rescued each other after torture, they had nursed each other through the after effects. They knew just how ugly his body was, so Duo had no problem in dropping the towel. "Sheesh guys I thought you saw them last summer…I wasn't exactly walking around in much clothing. I think I was the only on in swim briefs…you should have been able to see them easily."

Trowa raised his eyes briefly from studying the amazingly detailed work on Duo's hips, to meet those violet eyes. "You um…kind of had a permanent attachment to you last summer Duo…you've always had a permanent attachment to you…that didn't exactly allow anyone, friend or foe, to take a second look at you."

Duo pushed a hand through his bangs…well when his friend was right, he was right, Heero had been extremely possessive. "Yeah…I guess you're right Trow." He laughed at his friends faces. "If you like them so much guys…I can give you the name of the artist that did them. She is great."

"Ahhh there is the catch… I was trying to think how the hell any man was allowed to touch you there with Heero watching." Wufei smirked at his friend.

Again Duo didn't even flinch at the mention of the name…it was like he was a distant memory…like nothing about the man could hurt him anymore than it already had. "Yeah well…it was a she and she is extremely good, as you can see, at capturing the detail needed, we had matching sets."

"No way…" Cat shuddered…"I could never put up with the pain"

"It really isn't that bad Cat…you've been through much worse…trust me…" Duo shivered a little. "Anyway guys, if you have finished gawking at my lovely tattoos, I am getting cold and am going to pull on some pants if you don't mind." He reached over and grabbed his leather pants off the floor. As he did so Quatre flicked the nipple ring attached to Duo's chest.

"Hey!"

The blond giggled. "Why Duo…sensitive is it?"

Duo blushed this time and swatted at his friend after he finished zipping up his pants. "Work boys…no more displays from me…" He fished out a loose shirt to slip over his head as the others made their way to the computers. "Um Zechs did you…?

Zechs nodded…trying to keep the naked Duo image out of his mind. "Yeah they should be here, …" A knock sounded at the door and Duo's face lit up. "Fooooooooood" The others laughed at him as he bounded over to the door, pulling the food trolley into the room and depositing the contents onto the table. The cafeteria member exited the room with the trolley as Duo and the others gathered around the table.

"Mmmm smells nice." Duo really did feel hungry and they all devoured the food easily.

"Ok men…lets get to work…" Once again Duo placed a mini disk in his player, setting it on a low volume setting, before walking over to his station and beginning his work.

Hours passed as the occupants of the room worked away, each at their own tasks. Duo bent over schematics of the Headquarters of Introspection Corp…frowning while he figured out ways to infiltrate what appeared to be a fairly secure complex. But he wasn't known as the specialist of infiltration for nothing…Duo Maxwell would find a way. So engrossed was Duo in what he was doing that he didn't notice one of the keyboards had stopped.

Zechs found his eyes drawn towards the braided boy yet again. He just couldn't, try as he might; get that vision of the naked Duo that morning out of his head. The platinum haired man wondered for the umpteenth time if Duo was even aware of the amazing affect he had on people. Everything about the man was pure sex appeal; his body, his hair, his face and those eyes…even those beautiful slender fingers…those tattoos and that damn nipple ring. Zechs suppressed yet another groan as he felt his pants get tight once more…he turned back to his computer, trying to get his mind to focus on the task at hand.

Somewhat in the vicinity of lunchtime Duo jumped up triumphantly. "First we go have food…then we go through this adorable little infiltration plan I just worked through and then we go tell Une I need to requisition one of the preventer stealth shuttles."

Quatre raised an eyebrow…"Go and eat food?"

"Yep… I need a hamburger…a proper Hamburger…"

"Oooo Jimmy's?"

"Ow Ya"

Zechs followed the four ex-gundam pilots out of the room to the snackbar down the road.

#*#

Gathered back in the systems room Duo paced back and forth a little while the others sat on. "Basically we are going to sneak up and walk in and well… in true gundam style…take them out."

Quatre blinked as did the others. "That's it?" His voice was almost incredulous.

"Um yeah… oh its ok Quat… I know where everything is…I will give you all directions on the shuttle since I don't want to run the danger of us being overheard here."

"You … you think us four will be enough…"

"How many times did we complete single missions or dual missions during the wars that seemed near to impossible Cat?"

"Ok ok you have a valid point Duo…"

"Of course I do…" Duo laughed and pulled his smaller friend up from his seat motioning the others to rise as well. "Come on, lets go surprise Une-baby" He snickered as they walked out of the room.

#*#

Une looked up as her door opened and the five men walked into her room. Zechs was giving her a nasty glare while Duo was well… he was bouncing around the room. A little unsettled by the change that had apparently overcome the longhaired boy since the day before she forgot to reprimand them for not knocking and simply barging in.

"What can I do for you all today?" She decided to simply cut to the chase.

Bouncing Duo stopped moving long enough to answer her. "Une-baby…I need one of our stealth shuttles thank you very much…and if ya don't give it to me freely I'll just take one anyway… and you know I will don't you?" Duo chuckled.

Une sighed in resignation knowing that Duo would do exactly that and that she could do nothing to stop him anyway. "Fine Duo… just tell me what you're going to do with it please."

"Nice change Une… someone actually being informed about what is going on…what makes you think I owe you something like that ne?" Duo laughed and his eyes sparkled…though whether it was with mirth or not, Une couldn't tell. He almost scared her like this. But he relented. "Time to start taking out the supports of the large house that is GHD Une. It has subsidiaries…we need to take out the legs it stands on to make the rest of it topple. So we have started locating those subsidiaries. Of course each of those subsidiaries also need to have its supports knocked out first…so that is what we are going to start doing. I want to hit it tonight. If we hit at night there will be less people present and therefore less innocents injured. I will give them the benefit of the doubt, not everyone who works for the company can be evil. Besides I don't need to kill everyone…I just want to make the leaders pay. An organization is nothing without its leaders."

Une nodded. "What about the press that is going to come off of a corporation being blown in the air…terrorized?"

Quatre smiled. "Oh that's the beauty of it Une…GHD may be an organization that fronts its self as pacifist, but the companies that are well, hidden subsidiaries to it…are anything but that. So we will be…shall we say… praised for our work. Though I promise we wont leave a calling card." Quatre winked at Une.

Une smiled… for the first time in days. "Good…take your pick Duo…you have as much leeway as you need to do what we know needs to be done."

"Just what I was thinking Une-baby." Duo grinned.

Une frowned…"Just one thing…wont we have the government crashing down on us?"

This time Zechs spoke. "GHD has a pacifist front. They are supposed to be against absolutely everything that is violent…which is why no one would ever link it to its subsidiaries. So basically they have to sit back and publicly praise the work that is taking out these corporations, while steaming and trying to recuperate inside their walls. My sister may have dealings with GHD but she knows nothing about their…connections." Zechs smiled. "So basically if GHD still wants to keep on her and the governments good side…they can't do anything but praise the downfall of such companies. And we gain the information to bring GHD down in the end."

"Well thought out gentlemen… I leave you to it…though I do ask…will you be wearing preventers uniforms?" Une didn't know if they should or not…she couldn't decide.

"Camera's will be taken out Une…no one will see us anyway… I was going to wear mine simply because…well the information we get out of there is for official preventer crap and to be perfectly honest… if I am wearing the uniform it will hold me back a little." Duo shrugged. "I'm going to get changed…meet you all back at my place in an hour and a half… we leave at 1500." Duo waved at Une and was followed out of the office by his three comrades. Zechs remained.

Une looked up at the tall man when the door closed. "Well?"

Zechs sighed. "He seems to be just like the old Duo…almost too like the old Duo… Don't worry… I will keep an eye on him… I promised remember?"

"But you're not going with him on the mission Zechs…"

"I know… I'm not a Gundam pilot… I am not trusted Une…but it's a mission and Duo doesn't fuck missions up. Count on him…we've taken too much away from him to be having second thoughts now…" He turned to leave the room.

As the man closed the door behind him Une lowered her head into her hands…"I know Zechs… I know…"

#*#

Duo was ready when the others arrived at the room. He was in fact waiting outside it. "Nice guys…you're punctual…early even…"

Wufei frowned at the inference that he was ever anything less than punctual. "Yes Maxwell…we are not you."

Duo just grinned and was about to push himself away from the wall when Zechs walked up to the group. A frown creased the braided boy's heart shaped face. "Zechs you're not coming…"

"I know Duo…I came to continue the work we were doing today if that's ok…"

Duo's face brightened a little… "Oh sure…computers are still on…we should be back tomorrow sometime. Just don't interfere if you're still here when the downloads of the files start pouring in to my mainframe. Have fun!" He clapped Zechs on the back and led the others to the Preventers hanger.

#*#

"Hmmm um…who wants to pilot?" Duo seriously hadn't thought about that yet…he was so used to just leaving the piloting to Heero that it just hadn't crossed his mind. Usually he would pilot if Heero wasn't on the mission with him, but he didn't particularly feel like doing it at that moment.

Wufei huffed a little. "I will…" He climed into the seat setting things to his requirements before asking Duo, who sat in the co pilots seat where they were headed.

"Here…" Duo pointed the co-ordinates out as he punched them into the guidance system.

"Okay…'Fei…I need you an Quatre to be a team…Trowa I need to take you with me…Where I am going we are going to need your agility and besides I am used to working with someone a little taller than myself." Duo smiled a little wistfully. "Our objective is to get in and take as many of their files as we can…we need to do this because it is still hard to get into their mainframe, and well in the long run if we can get their files downloaded to my system…then we actually save a shitload of time." He looked down at notes he had made. "There will be four guards on the front door as well as two pairs patrolling each floor at regular intervals. They only use the lifts at shift changes…so Trowa and I will use the lift shafts. We will disable them for the duration of our climb. Shift changes occur every hour…and a shift involves two rounds of the rather extensive floors. We have a window of five minutes at 05, 20, 35, and 50 every hour to get out or into the lifts and into the air conditioning shafts of that floor. Each floor has separate air conditioning, which is why we need to do it this way. Cat, you and `fei need to make your way to the warehouse that borders the building…I need bombs and timers set. That is where they store their arms shipments. The building is cleared by 2000 every night. We will be going in just after the shift change at 2200. Give me two hours…the bombs are to be set for 000. That will give me enough time to complete the hack and the download. The police in the area will be notified as soon as we have cleared the area, therefore there will not be enough time for them to organize a cover up." Duo took a deep breath.

"Clear enough or have I fumbled it?" He grinned a little.

Wufei was impressed…He had assumed that Duo rarely took charge because he wasn't good at it…but he had to admit it was probably to avoid competing with Heero. "Actually amazingly well planned out Maxwell…"

Duo hid a blush and corrected a few things on the flight control panel. "Aww shux Wu-man…shut up and fly." Duo grinned when the Chinese boy raised an eyebrow and the rest of the flight was filled with light bantering between the two.

#*#

Leaving the shuttle in a clearing, the four young men made their way to the headquarters. Since all of them were fit, the jog didn't take too much out of them. They approached the large building and synchronized watches.

"Ok on the bleep of 2200…" Despite the grimness of the situation Duo was grinning, as usual. "Kill only if absolutely necessary. Just make sure those arms are no longer usable when you're done with them." The other three nodded and all of them watched their watches. As 2200 hit they nodded once and moved out with fluid grace.

Trowa followed Duo closely, a little worried that the boy had chosen to do the hacking and infiltration himself, knowing that the strength in his left arm wasn't very good. He was going to be undertaking all of this with a decided handicap and Trowa couldn't help but be a little concerned.

Getting into the bottom of the elevator shaft was decidedly easy, as was shutting down the elevator system. Duo snorted as he quietly criticized the security or lack of that the base had for its electronic measures. Typing away at the tiny portable laptop he had with him he set the camera's in the building on loop and with that accomplished he stood up.

"Okay Trow…you ready?"

Trowa nodded pulling out the scaling materials they had brought with them and hooking himself up, fixing the harness around Duo. Duo noticed the frown on his friends face.

"Trow?"

"Just make sure you secure yourself Duo…your arm isn't strong enough for this…I didn't think about it before."

Duo just smiled…"We'll be fine…fourth floor…on three okay?"

Trowa just nodded.

Scaling the shaft took almost no time at all…both of the boys were limber and flexible. It was the waiting at the top for the time to tick past that was agonizing. Duo didn't want to let on but the strain was starting to show on his left arm. The minutes seemed to go agonizingly slow. They needed to wait for the 2220 window and his arm was already starting to go numb. As 2220 approached he re-enabled the lift for the shift change that would come while they were hacking the system. Trowa seemed to notice the braided boy's predicament and spot on 2220 he forced the doors open and rolled through them…reaching out a hand to Duo knowing the other needed it. Duo accepted the help gratefully. Once on the floor they glanced around…three minutes left to get up in the air conditioning shaft. Trowa balanced on Duo's shoulders to open the vent, knowing that the shorter boy wasn't up to removing the vent at that moment. Pushing the vent silently in Trowa swung himself up and into the vent, bracing himself against the vent he reached down his hands to swing Duo up. The Braided boy jumped the little distance to reach Trowa's long arms and grimaced as his arm stung painfully. 35 seconds left and they would round those corners and see him…he began to pull himself up and reached out his left arm to grab onto the vent opening. As Trowa hauled him up into the vent one of Duo's stitches caught on a small sliver of metal sticking out of the vent. He had to bite his lip as he pulled his legs finally up into the vent, he felt like he needed to scream. Trow saw this and clamped a hand down over Duo's mouth as he lowered the vent back into place. 5…4…3…2…1… The patrol guards were good…they appeared at the far end of the hall directly on cue.

Trowa looked over at his teammate and slowly withdrew a now thoroughly bitten hand.

"Sorry T-man…Duo whispered wiggling around to get in the direction they needed to go as he bound a small white bandage around his arm. Trowa was immediately concerned.

"It opened?" He was referring to the wound.

Duo grimaced… "No…one of the stitches just got ripped out…it really isn't that bad Trowa."

"Just hurts like hell?"

"Yeah"

"That was a close one Duo…next time we need larger windows…"

"Hey I can't help it if they are good guards. But then this place would be a sitting duck if all their security was as pathetic as the electronic side here." Duo grinned and crawled silently to the office they needed to drop into.

Once inside the office Duo faced the computer screen to the floor and grabbed the mouse and keyboard so that the desk would hide him when the guards walked by. Trowa was to stand guard incase someone should want to come into the room.

Duo knew that this was going to be the easiest of their missions. The corporations wouldn't be expecting them to do something like this yet. But after tonight they would all be on alert. It wasn't hard for him to get passed the simplest of passwords, he almost laughed at the pathetic inner security they had. They were pretty stuck up to believe no one would ever question them. He leafed through files, sending anything he could think that might be of relevance before linking the computer to his own mainframe. Once the download was complete, his system would send a darling little virus and destroy everything that was in these systems.

Duo glanced at his watch. 2315. He frowned. They needed to be back at the elevator for the 23 35 window. He finished off and quickly packed up his stuff covering his trail and motioning to Trowa.

Trowa moved back to the point of entrance to the room. They made it back through the vents without incidence…and waited for the guards to finish their checks with each other before moving on to the opposite side they had just come from. As soon as they rounded the corner the two young men slipped out of the vent and reactivated the doors. Duo frowned as he tapped into the elevator system pushing the elevator down to the bottom floor, he then shut off the system so no one could surprise them and crush them with the elevator. Both boys slipped the harnesses on with ease and lowered themselves smoothly to the top of the elvator, slipping down the side of it and out the way they had come. Time 2348.

Reaching where they had left the others they were joined shortly by them.

"Now we have what we need…lets get out of here." Duo grinned and set out at an easy lope towards where they had left the shuttle.

The bandage around his arm had not escaped Quatre's notice and he glanced at Trowa, who just gave the blond that look of; will tell you later.

As they rounded onto the path that would take them to their shuttle, the four ex- terrorists heard the explosions begin behind them.

Duo grinned and called to his friends… "One down…the rest of the fucking nest to go!"

~~**~~

To be continued

Well how was it? Good, bad, ugly? Next chapter shouldn't take long!

~ Arith