16-Jul-2003
Archive: http://www.fanworkrecs.com
Disclaimers: I don't own the characters from Gundam Wing, I just play with them for non-profit fun until they run screaming back to their creators.
Warnings: AU - AAAAAAAAAAAU. Some yaoi, lemon, violence, language. You should be a legal adult to read this. Open-mindedness helps, too.
Pairings: all over the map; Duo-centric. yaoi and het.
Author's Notes: A huge helping of "suspension of disbelief" would be appropriate before you read this. I'm sure J or G could explain the science behind it, but they're kinda dead right now...
Part 7 ~ Premeditation (cont'd)
Duo felt a mix of rage and elation sweep over him - rage at the not-so-veiled accusation aimed at Wufei, and elation at the discovery that he wasn't confined to the same room as his body.
At least, he thought he wasn't confined... He concentrated, finding the lifeline by its tell-tale glimmer and the tiny tug he felt in his soul. It was a little disconcerting to see the faint silvery cord disappearing into the wall like that, but he didn't allow himself any time to dwell on it. Gingerly he followed the line, absorbing it back into himself until he was floating once more in the operating room. He was intensely relieved to see that there seemed to have been no change in his body's condition while he had been gone.
With that concern alleviated, Duo felt hopeful that he could solve the worrisome problem he had been mulling over during the long hours of surgery - how could he communicate what had happened in the car with Pagan before the crash?
Passing on that information before he jumped to a new universe was vital. The way he saw it, if he didn't have access to his alter ego's memories, then his alter ego likely wouldn't have access to his. His counterpart would never be able to remember anything about the crash, and wouldn't know to be on his guard in case Pagan hadn't been acting alone.
He hadn't been able to figure out how he could communicate while he had been stuck in surgery. One thing his out of body experimentation had showed him was that he could not affect physical objects. Although he had tried repeatedly, he could not just pick up a scalpel and carve "the butler did it" in the wall.
But if he weren't confined to the operating theatre, then he could get to Quatre. If the slender blond were sensitive enough to hear Duo calling for help from miles away, then he should be able to sense Duo in the same room. They were both smart guys - they should be able to work out some form of communication.
With that in mind, Duo eased back through the wall.
"...left the spaceport immediately upon arrival today, ostensibly to hurry home and see your lover," Agent Lava was saying, his tone conveying that he thought Wufei either a liar, or a slacker and a pervert.
Duo swept over and wrapped himself around 'Fei protectively. He couldn't pick up on any emotions despite the close contact, nor could he slide into Wufei as he had into the wall - it was like sliding up against a Wufei-shaped stone. He did his best to project feelings of support and comfort, but it seemed to have no effect - Wufei's cold, set expression didn't change at all, nor did the tension ease from his body.
"But did you find him alone when you arrived so unexpectedly," Lava continued smoothly, "or was he entertaining someone else at the time? Was the phone call that sent you racing homeward a warning that your bedwarmer was two-timing you? What did you do to him when you found him? What injuries required him to be suspended from duty pending a medical exam? And why were the calls that arranged the suspension and exam made by a third party - while your lover was trying to hide the fact that he was getting dressed in the background?"
Lava politely raised an inquiring eyebrow, almost smirking as Wufei stepped forward angrily, his eyes blazing. A scant second later, the smirk was overlaid with a touch of alarm as the other Preventers reacted as well. Heero growled wordlessly, setting his laptop aside and standing, but Trowa stilled, the coiled power of his stance more threatening than any movement. Duo wished intensely that he could still pick things up and hurl them. There was a nice flower vase on the table that he thought would look good broken over Lava's skull...
Quatre stepped in and held up a hand in front of Wufei, who rocked to a halt, breathing deeply. "Shadow is more than our team mate," Quatre said to Lava in a deadly tone. "He is part of our family. You will speak of him with respect."
Lava turned his head just enough to gaze consideringly at the slender blond for a moment. "Ahhhh, you must be Agent Sand."
Quatre narrowed his eyes slightly, not bothering to reply, and Duo saw his glittering aura sweep out to engulf Lava's body. It was odd to hear Lava's cool voice coming from the centre of that fiery cloud.
"Agents, I *will* require you to answer my questions. It can be either here and now, or at Preventer Headquarters after I've arrested you for hindering this murder investigation."
"Duo is not dead," Wufei said tightly. Duo heard the buried note of worried uncertainty in his voice and swirled around him in frustration.
"No," Lava replied deliberately, "but the chauffeur is - divers found his body seatbelted into the wreck. Indications are that this was not an accident, which means he was murdered. Since both car and driver were from Her Majesty Queen Relena's entourage, His Excellency Treize has given the resolution of this incident the highest priority."
Quatre pulled his empathy back, cocked his head to one side and said thoughtfully, "He's feeling a driving need to solve the mystery mixed with a calculating curiosity, but he doesn't have the suspicious feel of someone who seriously believes what he's been suggesting. I would suspect that his technique is to fluster his suspects into revealing much more than they normally would under standard questioning."
The superior look on Lava's face wavered for just an instant, the only visible reaction to Quatre's matter-of-fact recitation of things he should have no way of knowing.
"He has an impressive record for solving difficult cases," Heero commented, picking up his laptop again. "His commanding officers have noted that although his methods are unorthodox, he gets results quickly, and the trails of evidence he reconstructs are impeccable."
Lava blinked. "Those files are classified."
The pilots ignored him - they were trading glances, small gestures and meaningful stares in silent conversation. Duo interpreted it automatically. Wufei was still angry, but was willing to listen to his comrades' recommendations, Heero and Quatre voted for cautious trust, and Trowa wanted to ignore Lava and investigate it themselves. Quatre stared at Tro ('well, of *course* we're going to investigate this ourselves,') shrugged ('but if we cooperate a bit,') and tilted his head first toward Lava and then toward the door ('he'll go away.') Trowa leaned back against the wall in passive acceptance, and 'Fei nodded reluctantly.
Wufei crossed his arms over his chest, staring sourly at Lava. "All right then. Ask your questions."
End Page 34
(:./wingnut/alter34)
