Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Psionic Saga ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

Trowa didn't need to follow Heero. The moment they left the main paths around the school he knew where they were headed. Quatre had told him about Duo's secret place. In fact, the small Arabian had often asked Trowa if he would like to go. He had turned the blonde down every time, because he didn't want to invade the one place Duo seemed to have found and kept for himself. Until Duo himself invited him, Trowa had decided he would not go. That was, until he decided Duo was in danger. In that case there were no rules, no niceties to be observed. Trowa intended to go and that was that.

Subsequently he found himself running into a small clearing that was rather full. Instead of just Duo there were a group of hooded figures, all facing inwards in a tight circle, intent on something quite large one of them was holding. The screams registered on Trowa first. He ran forward, determined to stop those screams when he realised he could not see where he was going. A blinding flash of light had enveloped the clearing. Covering his eyes and glancing in Heero's direction he looked straight into sapphire depths. They nodded in agreement. Both had seen that kind of light far too many times not to recognise Duo's handiwork. He sold similar devices to younger boarders so that if they were ever caught stealing from the kitchens or other places they could momentarily blind they captor and flee. It had for years provided them all with a healthy income.

As soon as the light faded Trowa was on his feet, aware of Heero doing the same; running flat out for the ring of people. But they were dispersing, fleeing the clearing in a swirl of black cloaks only barely discernible in the sudden darkness. Trowa wanted to follow them, but he knew it was stupidity to go alone. Instead, he turned back to Heero and realised his friend was kneeling on the ground, holding something.

"Duo!" Trowa gasped, hurrying to kneel on his other side. Heero was checking his vitals. Trowa paid no attention. Even in the near darkness the vivid lines on the pale alabaster skin were easily discernible. Unlike Wufei's random markings these were like a road map of Duo's biological make-up. Every vein was burned into his skin, a myriad of red markings as if they could see the blood pumping.

"His heartbeat is faint, breathing weak, but he's alive."

Trowa nodded, grabbing a branch from a nearby tree and pulling off the leaves. It was the quickest weapon he could find. Heero picked up Duo easily, which didn't surprise Trowa as Duo was not exactly the largest person he knew. In fact, hanging limp, pale and unconscious in Heero's dark arms he looked positively tiny.

They moved quickly, from a mixture of need and fear. Wufei was injured, Duo out of commission and neither boy was silly enough to underestimate the power of whatever they were up against. However, there was no sign of Duo's attackers as they hurried back to the dorm and Trowa wondered if it was perhaps a safe zone. If it was, he intended to keep Quatre locked within no matter what the Arabian thought.

They came across a problem when they reached the buildings. Duo and Heero's room was on the fifth floor. Trowa and Quatre slept on the third. They always used the windows rather than the doors because it allowed them their privacy, which they needed now more than ever, but Trowa was well aware not even Heero would risk dragging an unconscious Duo to those heights.

They shared a knowing glance and headed for the doors.

"No. Wait here." Trowa stopped Heero from following. "I'll go to my room and set up a sling to lower out the window. We can't afford to let anyone see this. It would cause a riot, and there would be far too much attention on us."

Heero nodded in agreement and blended into the shadows to wait. Trowa didn't wait any longer, rushing for the dorm doors. Once inside he slowed to a casual walk, nodding politely to the few people who deemed him worthy of a hello.

When he reached the door he knocked out an old code and was quickly rewarded with Quatre's relieved face as the small blonde swung the door open. Trowa said nothing, grabbing the door and locking it once more. Quatre looked from Trowa to the shut door and waited, questioningly.

"Where's Heero?"

Trowa did not answer. He hurried to the window and grabbed the sheets off his bed and a rope from under his bed. He could not count the amount of times he had used the rope to climb out of the dorm window. This was the first time he was going to use it to pull something up. That, to Trowa, indicated change, and Trowa did not like change. Change was dangerous.

Hooking up the sling, Trowa tested it as best he could before tossing it out the window. There was a vague hint of tugging on the end; the only hint Heero was doing his part below.

Quatre appeared at Trowa's side and looked out the window. He gasped when he realised Heero was putting something else in the sheets, immediately knowing what it would be. Trowa let his curiosity get the better of him. He looked out the window and saw Heero climbing onto a first level window sill and wrapping his hand around one of the knots. Evidently one of the corners was not taking the weight well and Heero would take no chances.

A sharp pull on the rope and Trowa began hauling them up. Quatre realised what they were doing and grabbed hold, adding his strength which was greater than Trowa would have thought but still not great.

It took almost twenty minutes to get them through the third floor window. Trowa unwrapped the sheets from around Duo's still form and lay him on his bed. He checked his vitals, but they were no different from what Heero had reported. Trowa satisfied himself with the knowledge that he wasn't getting any worse.

Heero leapt over the bed and checked Duo's vitals a second time. Trowa barely suppressed a grin at the way Heero avoided any painful jabbing and jarring. He had been nowhere near as gentle when dealing with Wufei!

Quatre switched on the bedside light and they all fell back in surprise. It had been bad enough seeing Duo's skin in the dark, but now he could see it clearly Trowa almost wished he were anywhere but in the room. The colour of blood, Duo's veins had been traced on his skin in vivid streaking lines. Trowa had no idea how to even begin treating them. He was not even sure what they were.

"Do something!" Quatre suddenly wailed and Trowa physically held him back from the bed as Heero placed a palm on Duo's lower arm.

"His skin is freezing...but the lines are burning hot..." Heero marvelled. One of his bronze fingers traced the red marking from elbow to wrist in fascination before Duo's body shuddered violently and he snatched his hand away.

Not knowing what else to do, Trowa grabbed a blanket from under his bed and swept it over Duo's lithe form. Heero looked up, slightly surprised, but he could think of nothing better to do. Trowa sat down at his desk. Quatre grabbed his own chair and pulled it over to sit beside him, leaning his head on Trowa's shoulder. He was shaking. Trowa thought it would be better to wait until Wufei woke before they discussed anything.

Heero sat on the floor between the two beds, leaning against the wall. Trowa knew he was listening to Duo breathe, making sure the braided boy didn't suddenly stop. Trowa decided it was a good idea and tuned into Wufei's breath. It was clean and steady.

Morning came quickly. Just as the sun was smudging the horizon Wufei suddenly shot upright in the bed surprising them all. Quatre fell off the side of his chair. Trowa raised an eyebrow. Heero just grunted.

"Good morning Wufei!" Quatre bounded to Wufei's bed, his smile dazzling. He was pleased to see one of his friends awake.

Trowa studied Wufei's face. The lines that had been faint the night before were fading quickly. They were easily discernible in the light flooding through the window, but in artificial light they would be almost invisible.

Evidently they didn't feel that way.

"God, but they burn!" Wufei scratched at his cheek and arms before slapping his hands against his chest. He barely managed to pull himself under control, finally looking sternly at his hands.

"What happened?"

Wufei looked at Heero, then noticed Duo. His face went white. He looked from the pinkish lines on his own skin to the welting red markings all over Duo and fell back against the wall. That was enough for Trowa. He decided if those people came anywhere near him he would run.

"They had magic of some kind."

"Explain."

Wufei nodded at Heero's demand, his eyes still glued on Duo.

"I thought it was Duo coming back to get his book. He had left one on the table. I didn't realise it wasn't until this black-robed person had hold of my wrist. I could tell it was a woman because of the size of her hand and the way she held me. Her touch was like ice. It went straight into me and took away all my strength so I couldn't move. Then another one came and grabbed my face, but this one's touch burned. That was when it felt like..."

Like his blood was boiling, Trowa finished off the sentence in his head. And if that was how it had felt for Wufei he didn't want to think what Duo had felt.

"How did you get away?"

Wufei looked at Heero and seriously considered the question.

"There was a loud bang and the microwave burst open. I think...that was why Duo left in such a hurry. He must have booby-trapped it. One of his little devices went off in there and the whole thing exploded. The women screeched ad let me go. They were furious and told me they would get me, that they would get us all, then they ran."

Trowa thought about this, knowing Heero was doing the same, comparing Wufei's escape to what had happened in the clearing. In both cases a devices made by Duo had scared them off. Small machinery designed for school pranks seemed to have an effect on them, but why? What was in both things that had caused them to flee? Heero and Trowa looked at Duo at the same time. He was the only one who might know the answer.

"You should tie him down."

Quatre looked at Wufei, aghast but the Chinaman just shrugged.

"It's taking all my self control not to skin myself Quatre. Imagine what that's going to be like." He pointed at Duo.

Heero seemed reluctant to touch Duo in any way that might cause him harm so Trowa grabbed some old shirts and tore them up to tie Duo's wrists and ankles to the bed. He could see the sense in what Wufei was saying. In the end, this would be better for Duo.

"Get some morphine," Wufei added as an after thought. "We're going to need it."

Nodding in agreement, Trowa stood up and headed for the door. The question running through his mind was not when they would need it, but for who.

End Chapter Three