Trowa frowned at the computer screen and then struck another combination of keys. Again the laptop beeped uncooperatively at him. Gah, this coding was going to drive him mad. Flopping back against the large leather chair he resigned himself to sending the codes to Heero to work on. Whoever had come up with the code had certainly known what they were doing with the encryption.
Rubbing at his screen strained eyes he looked up at the large television that stood across the room quietly flickering with images. He'd commandeered Quatre's study for the day since the Winner heir was out at some conference or other. Quatre had looked rather hopefully at Trowa while he'd been getting ready that morning but Trowa had legitimate work to deal with.
So the two had parted on a kiss and a wave. Quatre off to attend some sort of public meetings and Trowa into the study to fight with encrypted codes.
Stretching a little, Trowa reached over and typed on the keyboard built into the desk. Across the room the large screen burst into surround sound life. Some commentator or another was covering the event for the Colony news bands. Trowa lifted an elegant brow. He hadn't realized it was such a big deal, really.
"And here comes Prime Minister of L3 Gregory Kelworth. As you all know Prime Minister Kelworth has been a strong supporter of this whole project from the very beginning." The reporter's ultra cheery voice chirped.
"Indeed Margo. In fact Prime Minister Kelworth was one of the founding legs that this project began on." Another overly trained voice answered the perky brunette who dominated the screen.
"Oh and here is another of the projects major supporters. Young Quatre Raberba Winner, head of Winner Enterprises Incorporated, pulling up now." The cameras zoomed in from their bird's eye view to the silver limo Quatre used for daytime appearances. Sure enough the back door open and Quatre and his entourage of assistances poured out.
Trowa caught himself smiling a little. The camera was sharp enough to pick up Quatre's expression of polite disinterest in something his assistant Paul was saying. Paul had been a high level manager in WEI since the time of Quatre's father and Quatre kept the man on out of feelings of loyalty. However, Trowa knew just how much the man drove the young Winner heir up the drapes.
"Trowa! The man's ideas are antiquated! He still thinks we should be refunneling all our profits back into the company. I keep trying to tell him that we need to expand and support other ventures but he won't listen!!!"
"Fire him." Seemed the simple enough solution to Trowa.
Quatre had looked at him aghast. "But Trowa, I can't do that. He's been with WEI since my father's time."
Trowa had suddenly found the mushrooms he was chopping utterly fascinating. Mushrooms made infinitely more sense.
Now, he just chuckled. Not even into the actual discussions themselves and Quatre was already looking like he'd rather be elsewhere. Ah the trials and tribulations of the privileged life. The cameras pulled back off Quatre and focused on Margo who was chattering away about something. The woman's voice was going in one ear and out the other. Trowa had just turned back to the small screen of his laptop when he heard a slight sound in the background behind Margo's patter.
Pat.
Pat
Pat
Trowa's head snapped back towards the large screen. Margo continued to talk but suddenly the screams from the streets below her perch caught the attention of her camera man who was obviously motioning at her to turn her attention towards the street even as he focused the camera back down towards the front of the building.
"Margo, Margo what is it?!?" Inquired her studio partner in a voice raising in pitch.
"I don't know Hank, it seems something happened down there... Charlie get a closer view of the street."
The camera focused closer.
"Oh my gods Hank, there were gun shots! Someone's shooting down into the crowd!" Margo's annoying voice had risen to an almost unbearable whine.
But Trowa wasn't paying attention to her. In fact he couldn't hear her over the sound of his heart pounding in his chest. As the camera focused in on the scene behind the silver Winner limo Trowa could see Quatre laying on the ground. The force of the shot had flung him about and thrown him face up onto the concrete, his limbs twisted in an unnatural angle. His blue eyes were open and fixed up at the sky above him. He looked like a broken doll.
The camera was sharp enough that Trowa could see the blossoming stain of dark red as it spread across the front of Quatre's chest. The tie Trowa himself had helped straighten just a few hours ago, slowly became discolored as the stain spread.
Trowa burst out of the elevator onto the Critical Care/Intensive Care unit of the L4 Medical General. He looked about quickly trying to locate the nurses' station. He felt like he'd been all over this damn hospital and right now all he wanted was answers and he was going to start holding people at gun point to get them if he had to.
"Trowa!"
Noin's familiar voice called across the open expanse, breaking the erie quiet of the floor. Turning about Trowa fixed on the slender brunette standing just a little bit away from a small knot of familiar looking people. A part of Trowa's mind put names with the forms, Sally Po, Lady Une, Zechs Marquise but the tall pilot really wasn't thinking about anything or anyone except the small blonde that people in the hospital seemed to be conspiring to keep him from.
"Where is he Noin?" Trowa's voice was ice cold and sliced through any pretense of politeness. Noin stepped forward and reached up, catching the young man by the shoulders, trying to slow him down.
"He's in surgery Trowa..."
Noin didn't get any further; Trowa was brushing by her roughly and heading... well he didn't know where he was heading but he just had to keep moving. If he kept moving then he'd find Quatre and everything would be all right. If he kept moving the void in his chest wouldn't get a chance to settle and sink it's tendrils into his soul.
Noin made a small noise as she practically bounced off one of the eggshell colored walls. A part of Trowa winced. He hadn't meant to push her so hard but she was trying to hold him back. He'd quickly locked onto a sign that seemed to be pointing the way towards the surgical rooms and was turning in that direction when a pair of strong hands caught him by the upper arms.
"Barton, you've got to wait. They don't know anything yet." Zech's low voice was uncompromising yet at the same time the rumbling timber was soothing. When Trowa didn't automatically try to send him flying Zech's continued. "Sit down, we'll tell you what we know." Zech's was used to commanding men in the heat of battle and he used that same tone now with Trowa.
The solider in Trowa responded to the tone and the violence with which he'd pushed Noin aside leaked out of him. Zech's hands guided Trowa to one of the institutional chairs that were meant to be comfortable but were anything but. Even once he had Trowa seated, Marquise didn't take his hands off the young man's arms. Trowa's green eyes never left the corridor he'd been about to head down, it was as if he was trying to will Quatre to appear out of the shadows.
Sally Po had watched the whole entrance with her heart in her throat. She had called Heero, Duo and Wufei but the three other boys were too far away to have arrived yet. Zechs, Noin and Lady Une had been at Preventer headquarters when the call had come in and right now Sally was grateful for their presence. Zechs and Noin spoke Trowa's language: the warrior language. Until the other three boys could get here she and Lady Une would have to rely on Noin and Zechs to keep Trowa calm.
Sally mentally kicked herself. She was already bracing for the worst case scenario. Taking a couple steps away, so as to keep her own fear from transmitting itself to Trowa she heard Lady Une calmly letting the tall boy know what the doctors had told them so far.
"He survived the trip in, which is a positive note. The bullet entered just behind his left shoulderblade and exited in one trip. However, it hit bone on it's way through and splintered. One of those splinters nicked close to the heart. Now, he did regain consciousness before they took him into surgery which the doctor said was a very good sign but he'd already lost a lot of blood."
"How long." Sally gritted her teeth, hearing the almost toneless quality to Trowa's voice.
"They've been in there for an hour now, the doctor said it wouldn't be unusual if it took them 5-8 hours to repair everything." Une kept her voice low and calming.
Turning slightly Sally saw Zech's still holding onto Trowa's arms. Trowa was slouched into the chair looking at Une from under his bangs, his eyes burning with intensity. The emerald of his eyes seemed much sharper in his drawn, pale features. A part of Sally wanted to throw her arms around him as much for his comfort as for her own but she was enough of a solider herself to know that such an action would shattered what little control Trowa was hanging onto.
For the hundredth time that afternoon Sally found herself praying. Both for Quatre's life and for Trowa's sanity.
The fifth hour had come and gone. Trowa had given up pacing and at the moment sat still as a statue in one of the chairs watching the second hand make it's stately way around the clock face. Zechs and Noin stood together by the corridor entrance way. Every so often Zech's keen blue eyes would flicker towards Trowa, watching him for something, then he'd turn back to Noin. Sally Po stood next to the wall beside Lady Une's chair. No one seemed to be in the mood to converse.
The ding of the elevator was almost deafening in the self imposed silence. Sally jerked her head towards the opening doors. Duo came careening out before the elevator doors had completely opened. His braid flipped back and forth as his head jerked too and fro.
"Where is he? Is he out of surgery yet? Where's Trowa?" The questions came out more like commands. The American pilot's violet eyes were lit with an unholy fury as he swept his gaze around the waiting room.
Following at a clipped pace were Heero and Wufei. Heero made a beeline for the nurses station, while Wufei's keen black eyes flickered across the gathered group and he moved towards Zechs and Noin. By now Duo had honed in on Trowa and was moving over towards the still form of his friend.
Sally watched the three boys with something akin to relief. It was as if Trowa and Quatre's support group had gotten here. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, helping to choke back the tears she had not yet allowed loose as she watched Duo, undeterred by Trowa's stillness, throw his arm around the seated pilot. Sally didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. Nothing seemed to hold Duo back. Not Heero's chilly blue eyes and not the grief pouring off Trowa.
Heero, having gotten the information he wanted, moved towards his lover and Trowa. Taking up a quiet position behind Trowa's chair, Heero crossed his arms, braced one foot against the wall and leaned back, settling his shoulders against the wall. Getting comfortable for the duration.
Wufei stood, in quiet conversation with Zechs. After a time he nodded and stepped away from Zechs and Noin. Instead of moving over to the others, he drifted to the archway that lead to the bank of elevators. In the past five hours Zechs and Noin had, had to shoo away a couple inquisitive reporters. Now it seemed that Wufei was taking that duty unto himself.
Sally hid a quiet smile behind her hand as she took in the positioning. Trowa, even though physically separated, holding onto Quatre's spirit through sheer force of will. Duo supporting Trowa, giving the taller boy the strength from his seemingly inexhaustible supplies of energy. Heero quietly watching over Duo and Trowa, while Wufei stood guard over them all.
Sally felt a breath leave her body and she looked down, exchanging a glance with Lady Une. The two women seemed to understand each other perfectly. There was little that these five young men couldn't accomplish when working as a unit. Even when one of their own was fallen.
Another two hours passed like this. Sally was close to going up to the nurses station and asking for an update when someone gently cleared their throat. Trowa and Duo bolted up to their feet wheeling to face the middle aged surgeon as he stepped into the waiting area. Heero straightened from his lean against the wall. Wufei opened his eyes and fixed the surgeon with a hard but attentive stare.
"Given the circumstances, Quatre is doing very well. We were able to remove all the fragments and repair the damage. We're still a little worried about the amount of blood loss suffered but the fact that he stabilized on the table while we were working on him gives us good cause to be completely optimistic." The doctor's voice was soft and soothing, Sally almost had to strain to hear the unpretentious man.
Trowa's shoulders seemed to droop a little as if some of the weight he carried there became less. Duo stood close beside his friend, a steady bolster. Supportive without being intrusive.
"Can we see him?" It was Duo who asked for all of them.
The doctor looked over at the young men with a kind expression in his hazel eyes. "We're getting him settled into the Critical Care Unit, then I can allow one visitor. I'll leave word at the nurses' station."
Duo looked a little disappointed but nodded. The doctor looked from face to face to see if there were anymore questions, then he looked towards Sally Po.
"Ms. Po. You asked to speak with me about what we found..." The doctor tried to be tactful but Sally felt her heart slam into her throat.
She'd forgotten demanding to be briefed on the details of the wound. Somehow it now seemed.. heartless, as if she were treating Quatre like evidence but they needed to know how and by what caliber weapon he was shot. Still, Sally couldn't bring herself to look anyone but Wufei in the eyes. >From that fathomless dark gaze she read understanding. It gave her the support needed to straighten her shoulders and nod to the doctor.
"Yes Dr. Ashworn. If you have the time?"
The older man nodded and gestured her down the hall.
There was no question in anyone's' mind who would go and see Quatre. Duo had strafed the nurses station nearly every five minutes until he'd gotten the answer he wanted. Trowa walked towards the double doors that lead to the Critical Care Unit. He pushed against the door and frowned in confusion when it didn't budge. Giving it another hard push Trowa nearly stumbled through the doors as Duo toggled the palm switch that released the magnetic locks.
Trowa looked behind himself as the doors swung shut, then ran his hand through his hair. For some reason he'd thought the Critical Care Unit would be quiet, silent and still. It was anything but. Nurses sat behind a large consol to the left, to the right were the doors that lead into the rooms. A part of Trowa made note of the fact that there was an equal number of nurses to rooms.
Realizing he didn't know which room Quatre was in Trowa stepped to the desk and cleared his throat. Used to handling shocked family members, the nurses looked up with kind expressions. One nurse, an older gentleman with kind blue eyes smiled a bit wider.
"Good evening. You're here to see Quatre aren't you? My name is Thom I'm going to be his nurse for the next 12 hours, then I'll be relieved by Mattie. Don't worry, we've got cameras on him all the time. We won't leave him alone."
Trowa nodded sort of blankly. He wasn't used to such attentive medical care. Thom smiled, unoffended by Trowa's silence. Leaning slightly over the desk he pointed down towards the end of the short hall.
"He's there, in room 303. He's not awake yet, we don't expect him to regain consciousness for at least another 8-10 hours so there is nothing to worry about."
Again Trowa gave a little nod, then moved down along the hall towards 303. The blinds were drawn on the door but Trowa could tell it was dark before he stepped into the room. Even in here it wasn't quiet. A heart monitor quietly beeped, while a respirator took noisy breaths. For a moment Trowa couldn't even see Quatre on the bed, there were so many tubes and wires.
Closing the door behind him, Trowa walked to the bed. It was hard to look at Quatre. A respiration tube was still down the small blonde's throat helping him breath. The plastic was taped to Quatre's mouth. Quatre's eyes looked sunken and black in skin that was too pale. IV lines ran into both his arms and more wires ran from his chest to the monitors, keeping track of his heart-rate as well as his respiration.
~He still looks like a doll, only a doll someone's plugged a bunch of pins in.~
Trowa thought to himself as he came closer. The steady beeping of the heart monitor made him nervous, as did the rasping sound of the respirator. Trowa reached for Quatre's hand, but found his way blocked by more needles and taping. Reaching higher he brushed his fingers along his lover's small arm.
"Hey." Trowa's voice helped chase away the disquieting sounds of the medical equipment breathing for Quatre.
"Umm... you know. Duo and Heero and Wufei are here." Trowa started and stopped. "Lady Une's here... Zechs and Noin look well..."
Trowa pulled his hand away from Quatre and turned his back on the bed. Leaning back against the edge he lifted his hand to his face, covering his dry eyes. He took a couple of shaky breaths and then turned back to look at the still figure almost lost in the sheets.
"This isn't right damn it." Trowa's whisper was strained, drawn tight by tears that couldn't make it out of his eyes. "You talk. You talk and I listen. That's the way it is."
Trowa again scrubbed hard at his face, forcing the tears he refused to shed back as he choked on unreleased sobs. " Damn it Quatre... wake up and talk to me. I need you to talk to me. I need you to talk for me."
Only the sounds of the heart monitor and the respirator answered him. Trowa swallowed around the load of stones that were wedged in his throat, looking up at the white ceiling. "I... I should have been there Quatre. Oh, skies above why wasn't I there."
Trowa clenched his eyes shut. One lone tear got past his guard and trailed softly down the side of his cheeks. Trowa's shoulders shuddered as he quietly folded his legs and slide down till his back rested against the cold metal frame of the bed. Almost soundlessly he simply repeated the word "why" over and over again.
Duo paced back and forth in front of the doors that lead to the CCU. Every so often he would stand on the tips of his toes and peer through the small windows, only to heave a frustrated sigh and take up his pacing once again. The sound of one of the Preventer Communicators going off made everyone jump.
Heero looked up from his lean against the wall and even though his eyes never opened Wufei's shoulders became tense. Noin looked around guiltily as she realized it was her communicator that was signaling. Fumbling for it, she quickly toggled it quiet and took a few long steps away from the group to talk quietly into the mouth piece.
Duo watched her walk off, then checked over his shoulder towards the CCU doors. Folding his hands behind his back the American pilot paced till he stood somewhat between Heero and Wufei.
"Alright. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm stumped. Why Quatre?" Duo kept his normally vibrant voice pitched soft as if afraid that Trowa might hear him even through the sealed doors.
"Because he's the head of the Winner family?" Wufei answered almost immediately, showing that Duo hadn't been the only one pondering this point.
"Because he's the most visible of all of us?" By "us" it was obvious that Heero meant Gundam Pilots. It would not have been the first time they had been targeted for such a reason.
"Maybe he was in the wrong place. There were a lot of powerful leaders on that sidewalk. One of them could have been the target." Even Zechs joined in with his thoughts.
Duo shook his head. "Why wasn't anyone else hit then? I think Quatre was the target."
"The shooter was sloppy then." Wufei intoned.
"Yes. An amateur. The shot was a clear one." Heero concurred.
Duo flashed both of them a heated look. "Really?!?! Well it's a damn good thing the shooter was "sloppy" or an "amateur." " Duo glared at the two before turning and storming back towards the CCU doors.
Wufei opened one dark eye and lifted a brow in a curious expression. Heero heaved a deep breath, following his lover with his eyes but leaving Duo alone for the moment. Zechs shifted and looked towards where Noin had disappeared too.
Duo quietly seethed. Sometimes Wufei and Heero's icy calm could just drive him nuts. For that matter Trowa's stoic acceptance of everything that came his way could get a little old as well. Duo sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He missed having Quatre there as a buffer. The small blonde had a way smoothing the sharp edges of the other three.
Duo lowered his hands and scuffed at the highly waxed floor with his toe. He hadn't realized until this moment how much he relied upon Quatre to keep the lines of communication open between the four of them. Duo almost laughed. He himself was not exactly known to be the strong and silent type, yet Duo knew he could talk up a storm without saying anything at all. That wasn't communication, that was just making noise for the hell of it.
Something was going on here. In a very short time they were going to have to turn their attention towards finding out who had done this to Quatre and why. If they were going to succeed they were going to need to work together as a team. Duo looked up at the other two in the waiting area. Both Heero and Wufei were too used to working as loners and Trowa, well Trowa had enough on his mind. If they were going to keep operating as a team, Duo realized he was going to have to step up to the plate and bridge the communication gap left by Quatre's absence.
Taking a calming breath, Duo stepped away from the CCU doors and moved back to the rest of the group. He was about to open the conversation back up when Noin saved him the trouble. Stepping back into their circle with a worried expression on her pretty face she stared at the floor for a long moment, then looked up at them all.
"That was headquarters. We were so busy being worried about Quatre that we almost missed two other questionable deaths. Shortly after Quatre was shot, a scientist was killed when his personal shuttle left L4 and blew up on it's way to L5. Then a woman named Celia Barnhart was killed on her way to her offices, by a hit and run driver."
"Celia Barnhart... I know that name." Wufei had moved from his spot in the archway closer to Noin. Heero also had moved into the circle.
"Well, yes. The Barnhart family is a lot like the Winner family. Not as well established, but they are a banker family. Lots of money. They fund a lot of projects."
Noin seemed to be hedging along something. Heero fixed her with a hard stare.
"What's the connection."
"At first we didn't think there was any but someone in Research did a little digging. The scientist was a top security clearance propulsion research man. He was working on a propulsion system for something called Operation Comet's Tail. Operation Comet's Tail is being funded by, among others.. the Barnharts and Winner Enterprises Incorporated."
"That was the project meeting that Quatre was going to attend today." Trowa's voice made them all start and spin around.
Duo took a couple of quick steps towards his friend but pulled up just shy of Trowa." How is he, is he awake?"
Trowa shook his head. "No, they don't expect him to wake up for at least another 8-10 hours."
"They wouldn't let you stay?" Duo was already looking around for someone to take the issue up with. Trowa reached out and caught Duo's shoulder before the American cornered a hapless member of the hospital staff.
" I'm staying till he wakes up. But I want to be kept appraised of what's going on. " There was a command in Trowa's voice that hardened his green eyes.
Trowa exchanged a glance with all three young men, receiving nods of acknowledgment from Heero and Wufei as well as Duo. Noin cleared her throat gently.
"We don't know for certain that this is the connection. It's just an assumption."
"An accurate one Ms. Noin. Quatre wouldn't talk about Operation Comet's Tail with me but I know he was keeping personal files on the whole project. I can contact his assistant Gian and get her to download everything we know about it to the Preventer mainframe." Trowa answered, already reaching into his hip pocket for the small communicator he kept on his person at all time.
Duo looked a little startled. He didn't think Quatre kept anything from Trowa but from the set of Trowa's lips it looked like Operation Comet's Tail was a sticking point between the two lovers. Duo had stayed behind with Trowa while Wufei and Heero shuttled with Noin, Zechs and Sally to Preventer Headquarters to go over the information Quatre's assistant had downloaded to them. Sally collected hardcopy reports as she and the other's headed directly towards her secured office. Looking over them as they walked along, she was already frowning by the time they entered the spacious room.
"Zechs, close and secure the door." Sally's voice sounded tense.
Heero and Wufei exchanged a glance and the two boys moved to take seats close to Sally's desk. Noin walked over to a terminal and began to call up information while Zechs closed the door and palmed the lock and scrambler. Sally stood behind her desk, flipping back and forth through some of the folders before slapping them all down onto the blotter. Biting her lower lip she paced a little before turning and leaning her hip against the edge of the desk.
"There have been two other murders. Both victims also had ties to Operation Comet's Tail. That brings us up to five attempts with only one survivor... Quatre."
"Then there is little reason to doubt that Operation Comet's Tail is the common link." Heero's voice was a cool monotone.
"What is Operation Comet's Tail. I know we haven't heard of it here." Wufei joined the discussion, leaning forward and resting his arms along his thighs.
Sally squirmed a little and looked over at Zechs. The tall young man stepped forward till he stood beside the desk, facing both Heero and Wufei.
"Actually, we have. Operation Comet's Tail is a top secret project. The Preventers weren't even supposed to be in the "need to know" circle but Quatre insisted that at least Sally be told. Operation Comet's Tail is a new ship design. It's purpose is to propel us further out into space. To make deep space travel possible."
Wufei frowned.
Heero looked intrigued. "How close were they to getting anything that worked?"
Sally motioned to Zechs and took over. "Close. Close enough to have the project's detractors nervous. Operation Comet's Tail, while highly secretive, was still known in some circles and highly debated. There is a strong feeling that man kind should not push further out into space. That we should solve the problems we have here instead of looking to expand further. They believe the integrity of humans as a race, is at risk."
Heero and Wufei exchanged confused glances. Both boys had been born in the Colonies. Both had benefited from cutting edge technology. Sally could see that it was hard for them to believe that anyone would want to slow down man's advance into space travel.
"It is a legitimate concern. You need a stable foundation upon which to build. If we go pushing out into space, while back here at the colonies and at Earth things are still shaky, well the whole situation could crumble."
"Why did Quatre back the project?" Heero asked bluntly.
"He never actually said." The puzzlement in Sally's voice was evident. Quatre was usually quite forthcoming with anything that caught his interest. Not at all shy about sharing his thoughts and opinions.
Heero stood up suddenly and walked over to where Noin stood. Without looking back at Sally he asked.
"Can I trigger a direct line to Duo from here?"
"Certainly Heero."
Nodding, the Japanese boy punched in the proper codes.
Back at the hospital Duo listened to Heero, a frown growing on his face.
"Aw man Heero, couldn't you just ask me to like... turn water into gold or something simple?" Duo just nodded and groaned. "Alright alright, mission accepted."
Snapping the communicator shut he slide it into his pocket and looked over to where Trowa was slumped in a chair waiting till he could visit Quatre again. Duo rubbed at his temple trying to figure out how he was going to pull this one out. Taking a deep breath he roamed back over to the taller pilot and flopped down onto the uncomfortable couch looking at him.
"Um... so."
"Heero wants you to ask me about Operation Comet's Tail."
Duo blinked. Then pursed his lips and leaned forward swinging his arms between his legs. "Well... yeah basically... in a nutshell."
Trowa shifted and hooked one ankle up over the opposite knee turning in the chair to look over at Duo.
"Quatre wouldn't talk about it. He'd redirect the conversation whenever I asked him about the project. I knew he was involved, the amount of time he had to spend on the finance end of it was hard to miss. Also he usually came back from those meetings more strained then usual. I got curious and since he wouldn't give me any answers, I went looking for some."
Duo wrinkled his nose down at the linoleum floor he was staring at.
"Most of the information I got came from its detractors. I... well, what they have to say made sense Duo. We have problems right here in our own back yards to take care of before we go looking for more. Anyway, I was a little... confrontational when I finally cornered him and expressed my views. Both on the project and on his keeping it a secret from me."
Duo's head snapped up, making the braid along his back bounce. Whistling softly he shook his head a bit. "Whoa."
Trowa shifted a little and shrugged. "It was a rather heated conversation all the way around. I didn't realize it at the time but he was stressed from a day of deflecting the very arguments I was throwing back into his face once again. I also... well I didn't know that the people I'd been getting information from were getting more.. aggressive in their opposition. Quatre told me to leave well enough alone and given the problems it was causing between us I decided that was the best course of action at the time."
Trowa unfolded his legs and stood, tucking his hands into his pockets before continuing silently. "If I'd known that the people I spoke with meant it when they said they'd stop at nothing..." The taller boy's voice caught and he turned away from Duo, walking a few paces towards the silent comfort of a potted palm.
Duo remained in his seat looking a little stunned. It hadn't fully hit home to him just how broad in scale that Quatre worked at times. Quatre seemed too slight to carry that amount of weight on his slender shoulders. Yet, at every turn Duo found himself learning something new. It was also a bit shocking to learn that Quatre and Trowa had differences of opinion. Duo was used to himself and Heero squabbling over something as simple as not squeezing the toothpaste tube in the center but he never imagined Trowa and Quatre on opposite sides of an issue.
Grinning inwardly for the first time since he'd heard about the shooting Duo wished he could have been a fly on the wall for that "discussion."
~It must have been a doozie.~
Duo thought to himself. The American was so wrapped up in his own thoughts he barely noticed when Thom stuck his head out of the CCU doors.
"Trowa? He's awake. Do you want to come see him?" The nurse's soothing baritone penetrated Duo's mental picture of Trowa and Quatre aiming crockery at each other and he looked over towards Trowa.
Trowa stood looking at Thom as if the man had been speaking another language. It was as if Trowa had never expected to hear those words. With a wordless nod the taller boy was striding towards the doors. His gait breaking into a quick lope as he hurried towards room 303.
Thom put a hand on Trowa's arm, halting him just before the young man would have entered the room. With a kindly smile the nurse cautioned Trowa gently.
"He's still groggy heavily medicated and we haven't removed the respiration tube. Don't expect much sense out of him and don't tire him out."
Trowa nodded quickly. He was no stranger to post op grogginess. Thom smiled back and pushed the door open for Trowa, stepping aside to let the young man pass.
It still seemed too dark in the room but the heart monitor and respirator had finally faded to background noise for Trowa. Stepping quickly to the bed Trowa felt a quick hitch in his chest as he saw that Quatre's eyes were closed. Thinking he had missed the small window of consciousness he little love had enjoyed, Trowa sighed deeply and reached for Quatre's hand.
Small fingers reached out and closed around Trowa's own making the taller boy jump a little. Looking up quickly, Trowa smiled broadly as he glanced into sleepy blue eyes. Quatre seemed only able to open his eyes about half way and he couldn't talk since he still had the respirator tube tucked down his throat helping him breath. Trowa didn't mind though. He was ecstatic just to see those disoriented blue eyes blinking up at him.
Settling on the edge of the bed, Trowa shook his head gently, stilling an agitated Quatre when the smaller boy tried to say something and found himself unable to speak. Reaching up with his free hand, Trowa brushed aside disheveled, blonde bangs, stroking his fingers tenderly down along the side of his lover's face. The untaped side of Quatre's mouth lifted in a fraction of his usual beaming smile. Trowa smiled back lovingly and leaned forward bushing his lips lightly along that little grin.
Straightening back up Trowa ran his hand soothingly along Quatre's unbandaged collarbone and down along his other arm. Leaning over Quatre in a protective manner Trowa gave his lover a stern look. A spark of humor brightened drugged blue eyes for a moment, helping to make them look crystal clear, then Quatre made a little production out settling his head against the pillow. Trowa watched over him as Quatre slipped back into the drug induced oblivion.
Only once he was certain that Quatre was back asleep did Trowa move. Settling Quatre's hand back down in a comfortable position, Trowa stood and leaned over the side of the bed. Brushing his lips once more along the untaped side of his lover's mouth, Trowa whispered softly.
"I love you."
Outside the CCU, Duo paced anxiously back and forth. He was more keyed up now then he had been when they'd first gotten there. Wheeling at the sound of the doors opening Duo moved quickly towards Trowa, only to have the taller boy stride past him, heading towards the elevators.
"Trowa??" Duo asked in confusion, taking a couple quick steps to catch up with the other young man.
"He was awake for a few minutes. He looks... better. Now I can go and find who did this to him." Trowa's voice was ice cold. A level of suppressed rage in the tone that outstripped anything Duo had ever heard, even from Heero.
Looking back towards the CCU for a moment, Duo nodded as the elevator door slide open and Trowa stepped within.
"Right. Time for someone to die. I'm up for that."
"Alright, that narrows it down to three possible places they could be right Heero?" Sally stood at the head of the table looking to where Heero and Wufei stood by a large map of one of the L4 colonies.
"Right. Given the nature of the five attacks, if they were coordinated from one base of operation it could be here, here or here."
Wufei stepped up and tapped his finger firmly on one of the marks Heero had just pointed to. "I believe that this is our most likely spot Sally. It's a group of renovated warehouses. Right in the middle of everything, yet pretty deserted. They'd be able to move around without causing suspicion or being watched closely."
Sally nodded and was opening her mouth to ask Heero for his thoughts when a clear voice called out across the room.
"Bring us up to speed."
Heero and Wufei snapped their heads around looking towards where Trowa came walking towards them. Duo trailed in his wake unable to keep up with the taller boy's purposefully stride and no longer trying. Trowa's features were set in an impassive mask but as he got closer, Heero could see the burning intensity in Trowa's emerald eyes.
"We've narrowed down three possible locations where these people could have attacked from. Each location is within strategic planning distance of each of the attacks. Here, here and here." Heero wasted no time in cutting straight to the matter. He knew that if Quatre wasn't doing well, Trowa wouldn't be here. Trowa's presence was silent testimony to Quatre's recovery.
Trowa drew to a halt next to the map, studying it for a moment, then he looked to the pile of reports sitting on the metal table. Crossing to it he began to shift through them. Sally made a small noise and moved as if to intercept him but Trowa's hand had already landed on the report marked "Quatre Raberba Winner". Trowa seemed to freeze for a moment, then he lifted up the top sheet and began to read.
Duo exchanged a quick glance with Heero, then perched on a chair near the stack of reports. Taking up one he also began to flip through them. Heero watched the top of Duo's head for a long moment, something swimming in his dark blue eyes.
"It will take you both a moment to read those. I'm going to get a drink."
With that Heero walked away from the gathering and headed into the small room that stood off to the side of the conference room. The coffee sitting in the pot was resembling sludge, so Heero poured it out and began to reload the machine. He heard someone enter the lounge behind him but didn't bother to turn around.
"It's understandable."
Wufei's voice startled Heero a little but the other boy still didn't turn around. Taking a salt shaker he dashed a little of the spice onto the coffee grounds before answering the Chinese pilot.
"What's understandable?"
"You're feeling guilty. Because you're glad it wasn't Duo." Wufei's calm logic was delivered in a non judgmental tone. A simple fact.
Heero finished loading water into the coffee maker then turned about and fixed Wufei with an icy stare. Wufei's dark eyes lifted and returned the look directly. Heero sighed and spun a chair around straddling it and leaning along the back.
"Quatre has taken a very public position. In a lot of ways his birthright demands it but he also uses it to protect the four of us. Our identities are probable one of the best, worst kept secrets in the colonies but Quatre is the most accessible." Heero watched a spot on the linoleum floor as he spoke.
"This has nothing to do with Quatre being an ex-Gundam pilot Heero. This was an attack on Winner business." Wufei pointed out.
"I know. Still. I hadn't really thought about how much time Quatre spends running interference for us until now. We let him down. Failed in our mission to return that protection. Now all I can think is how glad I am that my failure didn't get Duo hurt."
"A hard thing to resolve with one's honor."
"Yes."
Both boys fell silent at that point listening to the sick gurgle of the coffee pot as it ground out it's liquid energy. Wufei turned then and headed back out towards the small conference area while Heero gathered up a cup for himself and one for Trowa, he knew better then to give Duo coffee. The results of Duo on coffee were just frightening.
"I agree with Wufei. These warehouses are the best place to start looking. They are in a prime location." Trowa and Sally were arguing back and forth across the table.
"But we have information that says this apartment building is owned by one of the men who has been very vocal about his reservations on the project."
"All the more reason it would be stupid of him to launch an attack in his own backyard. You don't shit where you sleep."
Sally drew back a little surprised at the crude language Trowa was using. Heero walked up beside Trowa and handed him the coffee mug. Trowa took it automatically.
"Sometimes if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck Trowa." Heero pointed out.
Trowa swung his stony gaze towards Heero. "So you think it's the apartment as well?"
Heero shruged. "I don't know. I just don't think we should rule it out. Sally can we split the Preventers into three groups and take all three spots at once? So no one gets alerted ahead of time?"
Sally frowned. "That's a lot of man power Heero."
"People are going to want answers about these attacks and four murders Sally. Surely that will support the use of Preventer people." Wufei spoke up.
"I'd have to clear it through chain of command. I'm not sure how General Yurst will feel about this. "
Trowa looked at her incredulously. "You mean to tell me we've got to go through a committee?" The tall boy looked ready go through a committee with a chainsaw.
Sally's eyes blazed a little at Trowa's tone. "Things in the Preventers move a little differently then individual strike missions Barton. We've got to respect the order of things."
Trowa slammed the file he was holding down. "Respect the order of things?? Why the hell aren't the order of things respecting us? We should already have clearance for anything we need for this. My gods Sally, Quatre is a Preventer. Are you telling me this General Yurst is going to stand in the way of finding out who shot him?"
Wufei stepped up to Sally's defense. "Trowa, the Chain of Command has been alerted to the situation and kept up to date. Once we have a workable plan it shouldn't take long to get it approved."
"Get it approved..." Trowa took a breath winding up for another tirade.
Duo's eyes looked up from the folder he was studying and flickered from Sally, to Wufei, to Heero to Trowa and back. Quatre's absence was again being sorely felt. The small blonde's natural leadership ability usually deflected these sort of circular arguments. Looking back down at what he'd found in one file, Duo stood up slowly and interrupted before Trowa could catch his breath.
"Guys listen for a moment. I think we've got something here that bumps the warehouses up to primary target. Sally, will General Yurst have any problem with the four of us going in and seeing if anyone is left? We don't have much time, these people are probably packing up and moving out as fast as they can."
Sally looked at Duo and blinked. Then she nodded slowly. "Yes, I think I can get clearance for the four of you to go out. Then I'll get a second team pulled together to back you up if needed." She looked back at Trowa who stood, white faced a little away from the rest of the group watching them all warily. Nodding to him gently she turned and headed towards a consol.
Duo, looked at Wufei and Heero. "The plans for the warehouses are here. It's a pretty standard set up. Why don't.... " Duo stopped himself, cleared his throat and started again. "Trowa and I can take the back entrance. Heero, you and Wufei each take these side entrances here, and here. You'll both have clear views of the loading docks. Between the four of us we can canvass the whole warehouse in a matter of minutes."
Heero and Wufei both stepped forward to look at the plans. Heero's dark blue eyes peered up through his dark lashes at his lover. Duo was full of surprises. The plan was a solid one. Heero nodded his agreement to his lover.
"I agree as well." Wufei concurred before stepped back.
Duo looked over at Trowa who, exhaled a taut breath looking down at the blueprints as well. Then he added his consent as well. "I agree."
Duo let go of the breath he was holding. "Great!"
"Duo, what extra bit of evidence did you find, about the warehouses?"
"Hmm? Oh. They're owned by some guy who's been tired to previous radical groups. It took a little cross-referencing but he's also an arms dealer and supplier."
Heero's brow furrowed.
Wufei blinked
Trowa's gaze became stormy. "What's his name Duo."
"Name? Oh.. here.. Ralph Goines."
Trowa rocked back on his heels.
Ralph.
"It is our feeling that young Barton should be removed from this mission." The booming, arrogant baritone belonged to a large man who's musculature was beginning to sag with age and desk work.
Sally stood facing the man who's ruddy face and heavy jowls swung when he spoke. His blue eyes were bright despite being bloodshot. General Yurst had at one time been a great man but bitterness at being tied to a desk was taking it's toll on his arrogance making him a difficult bureaucrat to work with. But Sally was up to the mission.
"Your concerns are noted General, but Barton is one of our strongest infiltration experts. His presence on this mission is vital." What Sally left out was the fact that short of duct taping Trowa down there was little chance of holding him back.
Yurst snorted and turned towards the locker room where the four boys were getting equipped. The man's blue eyes narrowed down as he fixed his gaze on Trowa. If Trowa was aware of the regard he gave no indication. Fixing a weapon to his hip the tall boy reached into his locker and took out a second weapon which he strapped to his ankle. Yurst walked over to the four young men.
"I'd like to remind you boys that we want these people taken alive. They will have information about other factions that we will need to clean up before this project can continue." Yurst used his most commanding tone.
Heero didn't look up from where he was tying a knife to his upper arm. Duo did look towards the General but his expression was less then obedient. Luckily Wufei's open sneer was blocked when Trowa straightened and reached for his jacket fixing the General with a glacial, green glance.
Yurst twitched beneath the lack of response he got from the boys. Flaring his nostrils he tried to salvage his dignity.
"I'll expect you four to remember that directive."
Nodding to them as if dismissing them, he turned and walked back to Sally.
"I'll expect a full report on their findings on my desk in the morning."
Sally snapped out a sharp salute as she had been trained to do. Sometimes it was easier to play into the man's power trip. Satisfied Yurst strode off.
Trowa's long stride carried him from the locker room ahead of the others. Duo and Heero had matched paces and Wufei was bringing up the rear. Sally turned neatly on her heels and matched her pace to Trowa. Sally nearly had to trot to keep up with Trowa's walk.
~He's usually matching his pace to Quatre.~ Sally realized with something of a start.
"The transport will take you back to L4 and drop you off close to the warehouse district. I know that none of you wish to listen to Yurst at the moment but he is correct on the mission objective. If they are in fact at the warehouse we'll need them alive." Sally's tone was commanding and understanding at the same time.
"We understand Sally." It was Duo who answered.
Looking over her shoulder she nodded to the young man. With one last look at Trowa's fixed countenance, she sheered away from the small group allowing them to board onto the transport. She couldn't quite shake the feeling of wrongness she felt as she watched only four boys enter the transport. She'd gotten so used to watching them work as a team of five, now it was as if she was sending out a wounded unit. Though Heero, Duo, Trowa and Wufei were all physically sound, they were all missing a vital piece.
A member of the ground crew touched Sally's elbow to steer her towards a blast shield. Giving herself a shake, Sally snapped a smart salute to the closed door of the transport then stepped behind the blast shield. The transport wasted no time in launching away from the station. As she watched it disappear into the stars, Sally again felt a sense of foreboding. Reaching for her communication device she quickly toggled it on. A tech answered immediately.
"Yes Commander Po?"
"Get me Zechs."
Trowa ghosted silently from shadow to shadow, through the small warren of warehouses. He was with in eyesight of the warehouse they were all converging on and though his body sang with the urge to rush the warehouse and lay waste to any he found inside, his mercenary instincts screamed caution.
The four of them had seperated upon landing and each was coming at the warehouse from a different angle. They were maintaining radio silence for the moment. It was a known strength of their team that they could work as a unit beneath communication blackouts. They were keenly aware of each other's individual styles. That awareness allowed them work to compliment the their teammates without needing to be in constant verbal or visual contact.
Trowa broke cover and trotted silently across the open expanse between warehouses. He moved quickly, feeling a touch of relief as he disappeared into the cover provided by a couple crates. Taking a quick stock of his situation he judged the window about 10 feet up along the wall to be his best entrance point. Holstering his weapon he climbed gracefully up one of the crates. Measuring the distance from the crate to the window ledge, Trowa gave a powerful spring managing to catch the edge of the ledge with his fingertips.
Quelling the urge to scrabbling with his hanging feet, Trowa's shoulders bunched with the effort it took to lever himself upwards into a more secure hold on the window ledge. Twisting about neatly he braced his hip on the small ledge and peered into the grimy window. Unable to see much, Trowa ran his finger along the edge of the window checking for any sort of alarm triggers. Finding none he broke the lock with a quick twists of his knife blade and pushed the small window in.
Luck was with him today as the window let out onto a small catwalk that seemed to run all along the western wall of the warehouse. Checking to make certain the coast was clear, Trowa weaseled through the small window and dropped silently onto the metal catwalk. Taking a moment to check for any evidence of guards, Trowa turned and carefully closed the window. Putting the small knife back in it's sheath he began to move along the catwalk, canvassing the area with his eyes.
The warehouse was not overly large. It only took all four boys about an hour of creeping about to pinpoint the answers to their questions. Trowa and Duo met up first with Heero and Wufei quickly joining them. Hunkered behind a stack of crates just beneath the small office the warehouse sported, they quickly went over what they'd learned.
"There aren't too many people here. There are about 3 men up in that office and I saw a couple other's standing guard by the transports when I came in." Duo started out.
"I didn't see anybody, but there is a whole stockpile of automatic weapons and explosive material standing at the loading doors." Wufei balanced lightly on his heels as he spoke.
"They must be moving the stuff to another location." Duo looked thoughtful.
Heero and Trowa looked at each other and then to the office.
"We can take them now but we don't know if they already moved a lot of what they had stored here and if so where they moved it to." Duo mused.
"Or mission is to take these people alive so that we can squeeze them for information about all their activities." Trowa positively vibrated with the need to get his hands around someone's throat.
Duo looked up towards Trowa then towards Heero and Wufei. An instinct in Duo told him to lay low and follow these people but the mission was stated in other terms. Squashing the instinct, Duo nodded.
"Trowa, you and I will take the three in the office. Heero, you and Wufei secure the loading dock and the transports."
With those words Duo slipped his weapon free of his holster and began to move towards the stairs that would lead up to the office. He felt Trowa drop in behind him and didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that Heero and Wufei were moving off towards their objectives. Keeping low, Duo mounted the sparse metal staircase to the makeshift office. Flanking the door he waited for Trowa to get into position then counted to three on his fingers before he reached up and yanked the door open.
Trowa sprang into the open doorway his weapon drawn. Duo ducked in behind Trowa, drawing a bead on a man who was moving towards a large automatic pistol off to the side. Squeezing off a quick shot, Duo put a neat bullet hole through the man's wrist.
"I'd say freeze but it's so cliche'."
Two of the men were rough looking sorts who faced the two young Preventers with matching sneers on their features. The third man was actually quite handsome and urbane looking. Ralph Goines's brandy colored eyes were fixed on Trowa and a sensual smile curled his thin lips.
"Well, good afternoon Trowa, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Sensing a high level of tension between the man calling himself Ralph Goines and Trowa, Duo moved quickly, trussing up the other two men and getting them out of the office. He wanted to get them secured with the others and get back to the office.
As he marched his large captives to where he could see Heero and Wufei mopping up their objective Duo kept checking over his shoulder. His distraction did not go unnoticed by Heero who frowned.
"Keep your attention on your captives baka."
"Huh? Don't worry they're not going anywhere. Come on Heero, we need to get back there." Duo nodded towards the office as he shoved the two large men towards Wufei.
Heero didn't question his lover's tone, falling into step beside him as Duo began to jog back towards the office.
Trowa's gun hadn't wavered from it's aim. Ralph had moved no more then to turn and face the younger man. Trowa felt a chill race along his spine as Ralph's eyes trailed slowly up along his body.
"You look good Trowa. Growing nicely into a handsome man while keeping a lot of your boyish trim." Ralph ran his tongue along his lips and his warm eyes landed on Trowa's icy green glance. "Very handsome indeed."
Trowa didn't bother to respond verbally. Instead he pulled the hammer back on the automatic weapon in his hand. Ralph seemed almost amused by the silent threat.
"Tsk. I know that you can't be here to kill me. You need me Trowa cause you see, we've already moved over three quarters of what we had stock piled here. You're going to need to know where we moved it to and also who's supplying these people. I'm not their only source you see."
Trowa ground his teeth in frustration. Ralph was correct but it didn't help to loosen the knot of hapless rage burning in Trowa's chest. Ralph's smile grew almost predatory as he could see the war raging in Trowa's eyes. Trowa had forgotten how keenly Ralph loved the game of control. He could hear Duo and Heero's footsteps climbing the metal staircase at his back.
"It really has been a profitable mission for me Trowa. Not only have I made a hell of a lot of money off the venture but I also nearly succeeded in a personal gain as well."
Trowa felt a bolt of ice lance through his heart at Ralph's words. The other man's eyes were beginning to glitter with an almost hateful intensity.
"I always expected you to come to my bed Barton. I was extremely upset when you went to Winner's instead."
The bolt of ice exploded filling Trowa's limbs with a tingling sensation and numbing his brain.
"It was with pleasure that I pulled the trigger." Ralph hissed through a nasty smile.
Duo came wheeling around the corner of the landing just in time to hear Ralph's words. His hands came up automatically and he caught Trowa's gun as the taller boy threw it behind him and launched towards the larger man. Duo took a step back into Heero as he watched in a moment of shock as Trowa threw a powerful roundhouse straight into Ralph's smiling face.
The taller man moved to block but he was no match for the highly trained bundle of enraged power that defined Trowa at the moment. Duo watching as Trowa quickly knocked Goines down onto the floor of the office and fell upon him. Trowa didn't bother with reaching for his knife, or even trying to throttle Goines. Instead he pulled his fist back and cut loose with blow after blow aimed into the man's handsome face.
Heero tugged sharply on Duo, pulling his lover back out of the doorway. Catching the door he quickly swung it shut and turned to guard the top of the stairs. Blinking at the closed door, Duo could still hear the sickening thud of a fist hitting flesh, followed by the tell tale hollow crunch of bones breaking and then a wet sucking sound. Giving himself a quick shake Duo turned away from the door and took up a guarding position along with Heero.
Alerted by Wufei, Zechs lead the second unit of Preventer troops to the warehouse. A small group of about 15 men, they closed rapidly in on the property with weapons drawn but found everything already secured. Zechs took in the trussed up men sitting on the edge of the loading dock, Wufei standing guard over them.
"Where are the others?"
Wufei made a jerking motion with his head. "Inside. Second floor office."
Zechs nodded and motioned for two men to accompany him as he headed into the warehouse, Wufei's voice stopped him cold.
"Zechs, I need those men to help me move these prisoners and the equipment we've captured into the transports."
Zechs looked at Wufei for a moment. He knew damn good and well that Wufei needed no such assistance, yet something in the young man's still black eyes spoke to him. Giving a curt nod he motioned the two men who were following him back towards the loading dock. This done, he began to jog towards the stairs. His long stride eating up the distance with ease. Grabbing the handhold, Zechs swung himself about and leapt nimbly up the stairs taking them two at a time. As he reached the top a hand pressed into the middle of his chest, keeping him from gaining the landing. Looking up into Heero Yue's dark blue eyes Zechs quirked an eyebrow.
"Let me pass Heero."
Heero shook his head and out of the corner of his eye Zechs could see Duo stepping forward to flank his partner; gun drawn. Despite their shaky past, Zechs felt no concern at having a gun pulled on him. They were protecting their own. As the rattling of the stairs stilled Zechs could hear what was happening behind the closed door. Meeting Duo's still violet eyes for a moment, he swung his gaze back to Heero.
"Neither Sally nor I are surprised by this Heero. We don't have much time to make it look like an accident. Let me pass. You and Duo go down stairs and find a solid object with a sharp edge, place it at the foot of these steps."
Heero stood in his path for a moment longer, searching Zechs' ice blue eyes. He could hear the movement of the other Preventer troops at the doorway. Wufei wouldn't be able to keep them busy much longer. Stepping aside, Heero motioned to Duo. The American tucked the handgun into his belt and the two boys snaked past Zechs heading quickly down the stairs.
Exhaling, Zechs stepped on up to the landing. Taking the doorlatch in his hand he pressed the door open. Zechs was a warrior. His hands had been stained with blood most of his young life, yet even he flinched at the carnage in the room. Perhaps it wasn't so much the physical damage that he witnessed but the emotional pain that was being expelled by the young man systematically pounding the destroyed head of his enemy.
Trowa's jacket, face, arms and torso were covered with gore. His long hair was matted with blood and other matter making it almost impossible to see his eyes. Zechs didn't need to see those eyes to know that Trowa's gaze would be little more then death itself. Stepping forward, Zechs didn't even try to reach for the tall boy, least that rage turn itself on him.
"Barton!" Zechs snapped throwing the full weight of his command tone into the one word. It had worked at the hospital.
There was no response.
Zechs opened his mouth to shout the command again then he stopped. Taking a moment he sought out the memory of a tone he hadn't used since he was a child.
"Trowa, enough." Zechs smooth baritone had leveled out to a soothing cadence. The cultured tones of a young prince. The tones of the Peacecrafts at the height of their persuasive power. The same tone that Quatre used when he was playing Master Winner.
Trowa responded. His pulled back fist hesitated for a moment and Zechs could see impossibly long lashes flutter a little. Zechs moved forward quickly, catching Trowa by the shoulders and gently but firmly pulling him back and away from the body. Trowa trembled in Zechs' hold, reaction to the rage he'd been feeding off of beginning to have a physical effect on his body. Zechs steered him towards a wall by the door, out of sight of the bloody mess that had once been Ralph Goines.
Sitting Trowa down, Zechs kept a hand on the younger man's shoulder as he peered out the door. Seeing Heero and Duo dragging a large metal crate into position he motioned to them both. Making a last adjustment to the crate both young men swarmed up the stairs.
"Duo, get your jacket around him and get some gloves on his hand. Then stay with him. Heero help me move the body then we'll need to clean this up."
Zechs was already moving as he issued the orders. They didn't have much time.
"He fell down the stairs General." Duo answered the irate Yurst's question without hesitation.
Yurst's mouth tightened in anger. He knew he was getting the run around. Every time he asked the question he got the same answer. No matter which young man he questioned. Swinging his eyes towards Wufei he snapped yet again.
"Wufei, what happened to Goines."
"I heard a warning shout then a loud tumble as he fell down the stairs." Wufei answered without blinking.
"This is impossible! The man's head was caved in, there was barely anything left of him, we had to identify him through dental records and you're telling me this happened when he fell down the stairs???"
"They were tall stairs." Heero deadpanned.
"What kind of fool do you take me for Yuy?" The General snapped.
Heero just looked at him. Yurst snarled and advanced on the young man but Zechs straightened from his spot by the wall and quickly intercepted the General.
"Ralph Goines, fell down the stairs General Yurst. All the stories match up. Mine, Barton's, Yuy's, Maxwell's. We were there sir. Respectfully, I put to you, that you were not."
Yurst looked ready to turn his ire on Zechs but for some reason thought better of it. He'd been going around and around with all five men for the past 2 days without getting anything new he could use to flush out the truth. Everyone knew that Goines did not fall down any stairs but there was no proof otherwise. Everyone in the Preventer organization was taking steps to make sure that it was in everyone's best interest that the cover story remained on the books and no one dug any deeper.
Knowing himself outflanked Yurst paced back and forth in front of the young men gathered.
"Well. It's a pity that Goines had his little "accident" before he could tell us where the weapons were coming from and where they were being shipped to. We caught only a few small fish in our net and exposed our hand." Yurst halted his pacing and turned to face Heero, Duo, Trowa and Wufei directly.
"You four are said to be the best. I guess we're going to find out if those rumors are true since it's now your job to fix this debacle. What do you young outlaws think of that?"
Yurst exhaled a haughty snort as he looked down his nose at the four young men.
"Five." Trowa spoke for the first time.
Yurst blinked, some of his arrogance deflating at the simple answer. "What?"
"We're five.... sir. " Duo answered.
Yurst was disgusted to find himself squirming beneath the regard of the young men in front of him. He was starting to stutter out a response to Duo and Trowa when Heero interrupted him in a tone that was nothing short of disdainful.
"Mission accepted."
Duo paced back and forth in front of the large picture window stopping now and again to peek out through the curtains. Wufei sat in the middle of the rug in the lotus position his upturned hands resting serenely on his thighs. Heero typed away at his laptop. Duo peeked out the window again then turned and walked over to Heero's chair.
"They're late. Do you think everything's alright? They wouldn't have kept at the hospital any longer would they?" Duo fired off the questions while looking back at the window.
Without looking up from his screen Heero answered the questions in order. "They're only half an hour later. Everything is fine. Trowa would have called us if they decided to keep Quatre at the hospital for any reason."
"But..."
Heero growled softly and hit pause on his keyboard looking up at Duo with an irate but affectionate expression.
"Duo. They're going to be taking their time. It takes time to get clearance to bring a shuttle down and if they missed the first window you know that Trowa is going to insist they wait for the second window rather then try to burn through the atmosphere. They're half an hour late. I'm guessing that's what happened. Now will you relax."
Duo heaved a put upon sigh and paced back to the window. Heero gave his head a shake and turned back to his laptop. A few quick keystrokes erased the evidence of his checking with the shuttleport to confirm the docking time of the Winner shuttle.
It was Wufei who heard the crunch of tires on gravel first. "They're home." He announced before beginning to unfold his legs.
Duo sprang out of the chair he was perched in and dashed towards the front door. Heero followed at a more sedate pace. The limo had barely pulled to a stop before Duo was yanking open a door and pouncing within. Heero stopped on the top step of the porch and leaned against one of the stately columns. Wufei came out of the house and leaned on the opposite side watching the north end of a south bound Duo.
"Trowa is going to snap at him if he jostles Quatre." Wufei pointed out in a reasonable tone.
"MmmHmm." Heero nodded his agreement.
Right on cue there came the muffled noise of an irate Trowa and Duo suddenly extracted himself from the limo with lightening swiftness.
"Hey! No need to be rude I'm just glad to see him is all." Duo sounded properly put out but retreated no further then to the side of the open doorway.
Trowa emerged first, giving Duo a fixed stare that the American blithely ignored. Making sure his body was between the exuberant Duo and the limo Trowa reached back and helped Quatre out of the limo.
The small blonde had lost a lot of weight in the hospital and looked delicate to the point of fragile. As he looked up, though, the beaming smile he turned on Heero and Wufei looked as healthy and joyful as ever and Heero couldn't help responding to the smile with a little grin of his own.
Duo fluttered over to Quatre's other side as Trowa steered his lover away from the limo. Trowa gave Duo a quick look but relaxed when Duo carefully took Quatre's other arm assisting Quatre in climbing up the steps. Wufei dropped back and quickly opened the large doors as Heero fell into step beside Trowa.
"Goodness guys do I look that awful?" Quatre joked playfully with them all as he allowed himself to be lead into his house.
"Yes." Heero answered bluntly.
Duo frowned at Heero but then he took a second look at Quatre. Quatre was so light that Duo really couldn't feel how much the small blonde was leaning on his arm but when he looked past Quatre's smile he could see the small lines of strain around Quatre's mouth and eyes. Looking over towards Trowa with concern in his violet eyes, Duo asked over Quatre's head.
"Was it a hard trip?"
Quatre frowned and straightened a little, tapping Duo's instep with his foot. "Ahem. I'm woozy not deaf." The light bit of humor in his tone causing Duo to blush.
"I'm sorry Quatre."
Trowa's lips tightened a little and he began to steer Quatre towards the living room to sit down but Quatre dug in his small heels shaking his head and looking up at his lover.
"I've had enough of the indoors for a while. Can't we go outside?" He asked plaintively. Heero was already moving towards the tall doors at the end of the hall that would lead out to the gardens.
"It was a long trip little one. I was hoping you might rest a little." Trowa spoke for the first time. Duo felt like an intruder in their space but didn't relinquish his supportive hold on his friend's arm.
Quatre just smile beatifically up at Trowa. "I can rest outside. It's a warm day and you're a very comfortable pillow." There was the barest hint of sassiness in those large blue eyes and Duo had to bite his lips to keep from grinning.
Trowa studied Quatre's features for a moment, actually he seemed to be drinking them in as if he couldn't get enough of looking at his lover. Then he was nodding and he and Duo carefully escorted Quatre towards the gardens.
Sally and Lady Une stopped by on their way back to the shuttleport. They had been down on Earth attending a conference and were stopping by to see Quatre. The Winner butler admitted the two ladies and bowed them both towards the garden. Quatre had left standing orders that certain people were to be admitted without question.
Stepping out onto the terrace both women nearly did a double take at the scene that met their eyes. Heero, Duo and Wufei were playing Frisbee quietly off to one side of the manicured garden. Far enough away not to be in danger of a wayward Frisbee yet close enough to be a part of the fun Trowa sat with his back against a willow tree. Tucked, sheltered between his legs was the small form of Quatre. Wufei's white longcoat was spread out across the small blonde providing a little bit of extra warmth.
Trowa had his arms around Quatre and the two lovers were obviously sharing quiet laughs together watching their comrades chase the Frisbee about. Duo seemed to be hamming it up especially and even Heero and Wufei were getting into the silliness. The three boys playing the fool for the amusement of their returned friend.
Sally and Lady Une exchanged a glance.
"I think the mission can wait a couple of days. Don't you Lady Une?"
There was a wistfulness in Lady Une's eyes as she watched the boys together. Without taking her eyes off the scene she nodded her agreement.
"There is no reason for us to disturb them right now. Come on. I know a great restaurant in the area. Let's have a little bit of dinner then come back."
Sally smiled as she turned with her superior and headed back into the house.
Laekin
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