27-Aug-2000
Category: Adventure. Action. Angst. Romance.
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4x5 (combinations there of)
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made or sought here.
Rating: PG
NOTES: Whew... I hate real life some times! The only good news from my place of employement is I discovered that there is a Gundam Wing 2001 calander available in the US this year. I even have my fuzzy little hands on it. See... ::Holding it up:: Umm.. well you get the idea. It's images from Endless Waltz. All right. On to details. Plot happens, there is a lot of Emotional Angst happening and being set up in these next few parts. Bonne is the wonderful voice of Wufei, while I am responsible for the small blond and Trowa.
Quatre sat at the head of the long boardroom table. Five men and three woman ringed the table with him, the chief officers in the Earth corporate offices of WEI. Along the walls, on different monitors, Marylin Phipps and the other chief executives of WEI attended the meeting via remote. Alexis was also on-line.
Quatre had been silent for most of the meeting. Listening to the reports his people gave him and collecting the recommendations in front of him. His bright eyes would flicker from a face, to a paper and back but for the most part he was still. As the last report was finished, silence fell within the room.
Though his people watched him closely, they were all becoming used to his quiet way of processing information. Master Winner Sr. had always talked out every little detail, giving you his decision in mid-conversation. For all that Quatre was expressive and extroverted, he processed information internally. Marylin Phipps silently felt that it gave Quatre an edge that Master Winner had lacked. In many ways, it discouraged people from feeling too 'familiar' with the little blond.
Quatre made a notation on one of the reports, then he sat up smiling down the table towards his people.
"Very well. Mike, I want you and Cheryl to look into updating the safety procedures in the mines. I know we have three years before we are legally obligated to do this but I want to get a jump on it. Some of those satellites took damage during the war, I want to make certain their integrity was not compromised. Barb, you head up the review of all employee records. I want your recommendations on promotions, pay increases, demotions the whole lot, on my desk in 3 weeks please."
Heads bobbed in obedient responses, pens scritched on paper as notes were taken. Quatre continued to lay out his orders, finishing up the meeting by standing with a smile to them all.
"Excellent work. I am going to be heading up to the L4 office for a while to help Vice Minister Peacecraft with many of her engagements in the colonies. As you get those reports finished, please forward them directly to Alexis, she'll know where to locate me at any time. Thank you all for your time today."
It was a polite dismissal but a dismissal all the same and with quick bows, the eight business people withdrew. On the screens, faces blipped away till only Marylin and Alexis were left. Quatre looked up from gathering his papers at the two women and raised a pale brow.
"Yes?"
"Mm, Master Quatre, you asked us to look into that matter for you." Marylin began.
Quatre straightened and slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Yes. What did you find?"
Marylin, looked at another screen, obviously towards Alexis who cleared her throat and began in her gentle tones.
"Mrs. Phipps, asked me to talk with some of the other administrative assistants in Gortect. I did what I could but Gortect has loyal people. So, I went down to the tax offices and I dug around a little."
Quatre hid a grin. Alexis was a quick young lady who possessed a rather devious mind. He'd have to be careful that Sally Po never met Alexis or he'd loose his best assistant to the Preventers.
Right now Alexis was peeking at him, worried that she'd gone to far. Quatre arranged his features into an encouraging smile. "Yes? What did you find?"
Alexis relaxed a little. "Well, not too much, Master Quatre at least not recently. But I dug a little further back and well... during the war, Gortect was paying taxes, much higher then they should have."
Quatre's brows furrowed. "Paying more taxes? Isn't it usually the opposite."
Marylin chuckled, low and deep. "Well, yes. Usually. I looked over what Alexis found, Master Quatre. Gortect was paying taxes on something that is no longer being reflected in their books."
"As if, they were paying taxes on a division they'd closed?" Quatre asked.
"Exactly. The only thing is. Going back over their public records, for the same time, there is no reflection of any division that might have been closed recently."
Quatre's brows furrowed and he paced a little. "So, you're telling me that they erased, records of something."
Marylin hesitated before speaking. "I don't know Master Quatre. It just... on the public books, Gortect looks like they've always been doing what they're doing now. Research and development of new metals and plastics."
"But, their tax records, reflect something else, something missing." Alexis chimed in softly.
"They couldn't 'fix' the tax records, could they?" Quatre turned sharply and looked at both ladies.
Marylin, looked at the screen holding Alexis and Alexis nodded slowly. "No. Those records, are held and kept by the Internal Services. Because of all the rampant cheating that went on over 300 years ago, the Internal Services became automated. Once you pay taxes on something, it's recorded in a database that backs itself up.. continuously. Even if you could crack one part of the database and erase it... you have no way of knowing how many back-ups were created... or where to find them all. They piggy back on so many different programs..."
Marylin cleared her throat, heading Alexis off at the pass. Alexis blushed a little, she loved talking about programs and sneakiness. "Uh.. sorry. Anyway... so to answer your question Master Quatre. No, Gortect couldn't erase or hide those records."
Quatre exhaled slowly, looking back at Marylin. "We need to find out what they were paying taxes on. Alexis, did any of the other Unity companies have these holes in their records as well?"
Alexis shifted a little in her chair, then grinned like a mischievous school girl. "Well... I know you didn't ask me to look sir but.... yes."
Quatre grinned and chuckled. "How much overtime do I owe you?"
"A lot sir." Alexis answered brightly.
Marylin also laughed. "I'll see that you get paid Alexis." The three grinned at each other, then Marylin sobered. "Master Quatre, you need to come back up here. At least for a little while."
Quatre took a slow breath and he nodded. "I understand Marylin. I'll make arrangements tonight and will return to space tomorrow morning. Alexis, if you can start scheduling me at the meetings where Relena Peacecraft is speaking."
"Yes, sir. " Alexis answered smartly. All business.
"There will also be people who wish to meet with you Master Quatre. We've been able to deflect many of them, since you've been down on Earth but once they learn you're back up in space." Marylin warned gently.
"I understand Marylin. Alexis, prioritize the requests through Mr. Ugia, oh and also have those requests and my proposed daily schedule run through Master Manshu's office. " Quatre didn't forget his promise to Wufei.
"Yes sir." Alexis again answered, the bright young woman making notes. Quatre turned and looked towards Marylin.
"Marylin..."
"I'll get started on it Master Quatre." The older woman bowed her head respectfully then her monitor blinked black.
Alexis also bowed to Quatre before disconnecting. Alone, Quatre sat down in his chair and stroked his fingers across the folders on the table before him. Back to space. It was time for him to return, for the moment, alone. He felt his heart clench at the idea of being separated from Wufei and Trowa.
It seemed as if Trowa had just returned from the mission with Heero and Duo. They had no time and now he was jetting off, back up to space and into the political and corporate whirlwind that he knew both his lovers despised. Looking at the clock, he jumped back up to his feet, toggling on the intercom.
"Yes, Master Quatre?" Came the quick responsive voice.
"Have my limo readied. I'm done for the day. I'm going home."
Back at the Winner Estate, Wufei was looking for Trowa. Wufei checked in the study, and seeing the one he was seeking, entered closing the door behind him. He cleared his throat politely.
Trowa looked up from where he was reading about veterinary procedures on large, wild animals and gave that little welcoming smile of his.
"Hey." A warm welcome of 'come in!' spoken in that one quiet word.
"Excuse me for disturbing you," Wufei said formally. His dark eyes showed that he had something on his mind. "I need to talk with you."
Trowa shook his head gently and set the book off to the side. He had Quatre's large swivel chair rocked back on it's springs, one foot braced against the desk. Trowa often sought the silent comfort of Quatre's chair when he and the little blond were separated for any length of time. The old leather held the soothing scent of the little blonde's cologne and the deep cushions seemed to embrace Trowa.
Setting the chair back on it's feet he stood and walked around the desk to the large couch. Sitting down on it, he watched Wufei intently.
"You said.. we needed to talk. Things have been so hectic since we got back from the mission... please." Trowa stopped there.. then blinked, as if remembering something. "And.. ah, you're not disturbing me. " He was getting better about personal interactions. Remembering to address small talk.
Wufei nodded. He chose to perch on the front of Quatre's desk for the moment. "Did you see the news stories about Gortect and WEI?"
Trowa leaned forward, resting his arms along his thighs and looked directly into the dark eyes of his lover. "Yes, I caught a snippet it about it on the news and got Heero to dig me up the original stories on the net."
Wufei smiled slightly. So Heero was aware also. Good. Wufei tapped the keys of the laptop and brought up the file that he'd secured from Quatre. "There's everything he has. You'll want to look at it. This is going to be a long term problem."
Trowa looked at Wufei, a little puzzled, then he stood and walked over to the laptop, giving the information a quick once over before looking back to Wufei. "Koi, I don't mean to sound, callous but this is WEI's problem. Quatre's got himself and a herd of assistants to take care of stuff like this."
Wufei shook his head. "This is bigger than WEI. This is what is behind the deterioration of the 4th. Gortect is the part of the beast that is surfacing ... we will see other parts elsewhere, I am certain of it. In fact I think we already have. They are smart enough to keep the connections invisible. But Quatre suspects ... and he is not given to fantasy in such matters. Now that I have seen the material closely, I too believe the connections are there. However, there is nothing here that I could take to the Preventers. They've been too careful," he said, finishing. "Like Oz ... in the old days."
Taking a deep breath, Trowa looked back at the information, scrolling through it. He didn't have time to study it as closely as Wufei had and there was ... a shadow of something across his face.
"Tell me what you are thinking." Wufei said, addressing the shadow head-on.
Trowa squirmed. He actually ... squirmed. Turning away from the laptop, he walked to the window and looked out it. His soft tones, if anything became softer.
"After, he was shot ... you said that he was going to have to find a way to deal with the idea that his safe existence, wasn't quite what he remembered it. That, we were going to be dealing with the ramifications of that, for a while." Trowa dropped his head, his shoulders slouched a little, " ... are you sure he's not jumping at shadows? Finding something ... where there isn't anything ... making a situation?"
Wufei listened closely and gave the questions serious consideration. After a moment, he said. "I admit, that is not something I considered. I will tell you why - if he is jumping at shadows, then so am I. I see this thing on my own. Perhaps ... perhaps I'm wrong, he's wrong and peace is the dream and there are no more enemies... but I don't believe it. I don't feel it." Wufei got up and walked over to stand next to Trowa by the window.
"I spent more time on the Fourth than you did, Trowa. There was... something very wrong in that place. I have been in a place where I felt something similar. My own colony. Nothing out in the open but it felt as is something out of sight and out of reach was slowly strangling the life from us. And in the end, it turned out to be true. We'd been written off. I know what is going on with the 4th is not the same, but it... *feels* like something is there. A will... something making little pushes and touches here and there to drive the whole to a purpose."
Wufei shrugged. "So perhaps your questions should be, has Wufei started jumping at shadows? Can he just not accept that the war is over? I can't answer you. I can only tell you I must follow my instincts and they tell me this is real."
Trowa's eyes remained cast down on the well manicured lawn that stretched out from the window frame. He listened closely, nodding to a couple of Wufei's points, before looking up. "I... I don't believe you both are jumping at shadows Wufei. It's just..." He stopped, taking a hard fought breath, his eyes going to sky, stretching his throat so Wufei could see the swallow in the fine lines of the pale skin. "Wufei... I love him... I love you... but.... I'm restless. And I know... I know *he* can feel it... even if I'm hiding it and he's trying not to feel it. " The words were strangled and their admission came at a high price.
Wufei tilted his head slightly. His tone was softer than his usual. "What do you want to do? Are you thinking of returning to the circus?"
"I... I'll be honest. I don't know. I love *him*... but I don't love this... " He made a sweeping gesture with his hand around the room and the estate beyond. "I'm no business man... I'm no social butterfly... I can barely remember which fork to use to spear my neighbor. I'm a solider... a fighter... a Preventer Operative. I feel like Heero and Duo... sitting around, waiting for missions... that's not what we here to do. This is not where I'm supposed to be."
Wufei nodded. "I understand," he said simply. "At another time, I might be more concerned," he said, his lip curving slightly. "However, my purpose in talking with you was to see if I could enlist you in a little covert action..."
Trowa took another deep breath and nodded. He looked at Wufei for a moment, then said simply. "He knows." He looked back out the window, his face once again settling into the impassive lines, retreating behind the wall, not to shut Wufei out but because it was too emotionally draining for him. "Covert action?" Trowa sounded almost hopeful... like a man grasping at straws.
Wufei studied Trowa for a moment. " 'He knows'," he repeated. "Please clarify for me... he... I am certain, knows many things. Is it your restlessness you are referring to? Just nod and I'll move on."
Trowa opened his mouth... his green eyes flickered with many unspoken thoughts.. words he wanted to say... to *hear*... to share so as to lighten their weight. In the end, he closed his mouth and he nodded.
Wufei watched all the things pass through Trowa's eyes. He moved closer and put his arms around the tall boy. He did it slowly, carefully, not taking it as his due but cautiously walking forward into a place he'd been told he could go.
"I'm not good, as he is, at insisting that another open their mind to me," he said softly. "But I am here... and I truly... love you, Trowa. I want... to give what is needed. I feel the conflict in you... and the pain you're suffering over it. The conflict... may be inevitable. The pain is not. Share it with me," he said quietly, not pushing, not insisting but daring just a little.
Trowa turned into the embrace, laying his head on Wufei's shoulder and wrapping his arms around the other boy's trim waist. He didn't cry, or even take shuddering breaths but he did lean against Wufei, gratefully.
"I... don't know if I can live this life Wufei. I am not this. I have to be my own person. At the same time... he can't just leave. He's needed here... he's needed to be who he is." Trowa leaned up so he could look in Wufei's eyes. "The conflict... we're all feeling it. You and I... we can go. We can go where we're needed, where we can make a difference as we were taught and not just stand around. I hate standing around. Heero and Duo.. they can go... but he can't and I don't think I can keep staying. No matter how much I love him. He knows. He knows he can't ask us to stay and he can't go... so I ask you again... is he jumping at shadows? Is he... building something to keep us here?"
There was an anguish in the green eyes that told Wufei, louder then words, that Trowa hated himself for even thinking these thoughts... but they were still there. Still generated by the part of Trowa's mind that would always be thinking, calculating, alert and looking for traps and danger.
Wufei looked directly back, meeting green eyes with dark ones that had nothing held back. "I don't know," he said simply. "But there are some very simple, very quick ways to find out."
Trowa gave a little nod, once again trying to creep behind his wall. "Covert, actions?"
Wufei nodded. "Very covert. Covert from... everyone. Him, Sally... perhaps not Heero, we'd need backup at times. Quatre believes he must fight this in the open. The legal way. Fine, let him do it his way. We know another way. Just because we have been sanctioned by the Preventers in the recent past, I have not forgotten what it is like to answer to my own conscience. My own justice." His expression was very serious. "Do you see how I am trusting you to talk about this? It may be that *your* conscience will tell you that you must take this conversation to someone else - to him, to Sally... let someone know that Wufei is talking about..." his slight smile was ironic, "...going back to being a terrorist..."
Trowa stood there for a long, long moment. He did not make such choices quickly, or out of hand. Instead he turned his thoughts over in his mind. Turning his head, without releasing Wufei's waist, he looked down at the laptop... the reports of Gortect.. and the attempt at cutting WEI's throat. Then he turned back to Wufei.
"Quatre, won't like this. We risk hurting him. Sally and the Preventers... I don't like betraying their trust... so I'll just hope they understand. The colonies, need us still. Quatre may want to fight the clean fight... fine. I'll protect him from those who still want to fight dirty. " Trowa would not betray Wufei's confidence. Commitment, that bright light in his green eyes, sealed that secret behind closed lips. Even to Quatre.
Wufei continued to look into Trowa's eyes solemnly. "I did not come to this easily," he said softly. "And if these are just shadows, we'll find out soon enough. As for the trust of Sally and the Preventers... they knew from the beginning who and what we are. Quatre knows too... what he is. Perhaps he forgets. But I take the risk, believing that betrayal is based on the idea that we, all of us, are something other than Gundam pilots."
Trowa released Wufei and stepped back once again. His elegant features drawn into lines of misery, the picture of a man caught between two forces of equal importance and different directions. He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans and leaned against the desk, looking out at the garden.
"How do you want to do this?" Trowa asked softly.
Wufei studied Trowa's expression. He shook his head. The expression on Trowa's face was not something he was willing to ignore.
"It will keep," he said. "It seems I've added to your burden. I'd hoped it might be otherwise. I won't hold you to this, Trowa, not in the face of your conflict."
Trowa shook his head quickly. "No. You've done nothing of the sort Wufei. A solider needs something to protect, or he is rootless. I... I thought I could satisfy myself with protecting Quatre. But... it doesn't work that way. I'm no body guard Wufei, I'm a chameleon. That is my strength. You words do nothing more, then perhaps bring my own fears into sharper focus." He paused and turned looking at Wufei. "I've never run from my fears and I'm not going to start now."
Wufei sighed, something he did very rarely, when there was anyone around to witness it. "The truth is, I need you," he said softly. "I know what I am proposing is a gamble. And it's more my nature to do it alone. But that would be... going backwards for me. Risking something we haven't even mentioned... risking everything that has changed for me, that you and the little one have done for me."
Trowa watched the birds for a moment longer, then he turned and walked back to Wufei. Reaching up, he placed his hands on the young dragon's shoulders. Looking directly into dark beautiful eyes. "I won't fail you Wufei. Yes.... I am uncomfortable with change. But all of us must move forward. It's a risk. Yes. But I have faith, in you and in him and in myself."
Wufei placed his hands lightly around Trowa's narrow waist. He simply stayed there for a moment, feeling the quiet energy and power of the green-eyed boy. "All our faith will be tested," he said softly. "But I'll never again risk our love." Leaning forward, Wufei kissed Trowa softly on the mouth, then leaned back.
Green eyes closed as Trowa savored the soft kiss, nuzzling against it for a moment before he felt Wufei withdraw and he opened his eyes again. Releasing one shoulder he reached up with his hands and drew the back of his fingers along Wufei's finely sculpted cheekbone. "It's a test... I wish that none of us had to go through. Guess this is what they mean when they say 'growing pains'"
Wufei smiled, a very young, open expression. "I have been through tests before, koi. And pains. But always alone. I have never had a bond like this one to strengthen me. It gives me a measure of focus I have never felt before."
Trowa gave a lopsided smile as his fingers continued to trace the features of Wufei's face. His green eyes were bright an almost brilliant shade of emerald. "I... you and I... we've faced our tests alone... before..." Trowa paused, the words catching into his throat and his arms slid around Wufei, holding him close... and holding onto him at the same time.
Wufei let his hands move around Trowa's back. "Yes," he agreed. Without thinking, his thought pushed energy into the body next to his - chi flowing from his heart through his arms and hands, leaving warmth where they touched. "But now you carry my spirit with you. As does he." He kissed Trowa's cheek softly, knowing only that he had nothing to give but his heart and spirit but that those were already given to this tall, quiet soldier, as well as the bright soul who drew them together.
Trowa took a couple of slow breaths, feeling the warmth moving through his body even if he didn't fully understand the source. He relaxed his desperate hold around Wufei's body but didn't let the other boy go. Bending down a little till he could rest his cheek on Wufei's shoulder he took a deep breath, letting it out in measured puffs of air and watching his breath disturb the immaculate ponytail a little.
"I'm... going to finish, what I was going to say...because you'll see reflections of it, in the future and I don't want you misunderstanding the source. You and I... have faced tests alone now...now we don't and I have a hard time remembering how I once did. But, Quatre hasn't. He's never truly learned to find his limits, on his own. He's always had, his family, or the Maganacs... or us. His test is coming and it's hard for me to let go...even though I know it's the right thing to do Wufei."
Wufei looked into the fathomless green eyes. He nodded slowly. "Very well," he said softly. "I won't try to predict. I will listen. I will watch. I do believe in his strength, more than he does perhaps. And I do believe it will be tested. He must learn not to fear it. Perhaps he can only do that if he believes himself to be alone. But I will never leave him."
Trowa pulled himself together a little, like a puppet with it's strings being drawn taut. He studied Wufei's face and then he nodded. "I understand you. I know what you mean and you're right. This course is the right one. I know that in my heart. Even if we are going to.. bend a few conventions." That little grin of his peeked out.
Wufei smiled. "Yes... bend. Then this is what I propose. Let us study the information he has... then let's gather some of our own. Gortect has a weakness. We must find it. Then exploit it. If we find proof along the way, we can save it for Sally. If not... we make sure - absolutely sure - that there is no hidden agenda. If there's none, I'm concede. The game is over, and all is well."
Reaching up, Trowa ran a hand through his auburn hair, pushing the long bang off his face for a moment before it dropped back over his eye." All right. How do you propose to get around his little nibs?"
"He's agreed that I have final say about his person - where it goes and what he does. I plan to hold him to that." Wufei said, with a touch of steel in his eyes. "I won't deceive him if I don't have to. But I will make certain he understands what is done is for his safety. And I will not be lying about that."
Trowa's eyebrows climbed high into his hairline as he listened to Wufei."I have complete faith in your ability to handle Quatre, Wufei... but I can't help but think that old Master Winner probably felt the same way you do... up to the point Quatre snagged Sandrock and took off for parts unknown."
Wufei smiled at that reference. "He won't do that," Wufei said. "Because I am trusting him not to. If I'm wrong..." he shrugged. "I'll gladly give my life to rectify it and he knows that. Unlike his father, I *have* no other focus. We've discussed it. If he makes a fatal mistake..." Wufei shrugged again. "We enjoy exploring the last great mystery together. That is a certainty."
Trowa's brows quickly climbed back down into a neat furrowing point. He reached and took Wufei's elbow. "Chang..." the one word spoken in a manner that suggested many questions.
"I'm not taking for granted that I can control him." Wufei said softly. "I would never try to do that. But there are necessities between us. Whatever drives him, my faith is in his spirit. And in his love. Ask me, koi. Anything you want to know."
Trowa started and stopped a number of times before he finally just smiled ruefully. "I don't even know what to ask Wufei. I... guess I didn't know what to expect... those months ago when I sent that letter home with you and Heero." There is no censure or negative emotions in the green eyes, just a curiosity.
Wufei smiled, another young, open smile and his eyes seemed to shine a bit. "In sending that letter," he said softly, "You opened a door. In walking through that door, he gave me... life. Put it back in my heart as surely as if he'd poured it from a cup. I'll never have words to tell either of you what you did. I'm content saying it with each breath of my life from then on till whatever comes to each of us."
Trowa's face sobered as he listened to Wufei's words and then he silently reached out and grasped the back of the Chinese boy's neck in a firm, almost possessive hold. Stroking the base of the skull with his fingers as he leaned in, capturing Wufei's mouth in a committed kiss that spoke of heat, love and the feeling of never being alone.
End Part 5
Laekin
Please send comments to: seregill@aol.com or bonnejeanne@yahoo.com