04-Aug-2000
Author: Ebonydove
Title: Fame Part I
Pairings: 1x2/3x4
Warnings: spoilers, language, sap, angst
Rating PG
Authors Notes: Multi-part.
Spoilers: vague
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the G-Boys, wish I did, so don't look for anything 'cept disappointment in suing me.
Wufei saw the note attached to the windshield of his sedan and knew it could only be from Duo. Snatching it quickly, he read the note written in Duo's neat handwriting and tried to ignore how his heart suddenly began to trip hammer in his chest.
Wu-man,
Went to the L2 cluster after receiving word that there could be a lead there
with a demolitions group. Could be about Relena's little friend and
may help Heero and the Preventers figure out what's going on with all the threats.
I shouldn't be gone for too long and I took the Scimitar.If Heero tries to contact me, please don't let him know where
I've gone. I don't have a way of getting a hold of him while he's with Relena
And I don't want him to worry that I'm back on L2.
If I catch you following me, there will be one hell of a reckoning!
I'll get a hold of you soon. Tell the guys not to
worry and be sure to check out those rings they have!Don't worry, Wu. I'll call for the cavalry if I need to!
Stay cool!
Duop.s. Left some tuna in the fridge for the cat that comes around, if
you could feed him for me while I'm gone. What can I say?
I'm a sucker for strays! And if you do see Heero, tell him not to be mad.
Something didn't feel right about it. Duo never left notes before and it made a shiver run up his spine when he realized Duo took his own heavily armored and overly fortified ship. The Scimitar carried more firepower than half the Preventers fleet and had only been called for duty once before, but Wufei tried not to think of the huge craters in the small moon that Duo had made during that Preventers mission the month before Heero left to protect Relena. That mission brought the two star-crossed lovers together after Duo was almost killed. It also happened to be the very same night his own heart had been broken when the two admitted their feelings for one another. He shook away the dark memories of Duo broken and bleeding cradled in Heero's arms as the moon exploded around them. He had almost lost them both that day.
But there was little he could do now, especially that Duo took that damned ship with him. He would have had too far a lead for him to follow even in the Preventers class one Rapier. He'd just have to put his sixth sense in check about the note for now and continue on his way to meet Trowa and Quatre. All his leads on the explosives used in the latest attack against Relena came up cold and he knew as well as anyone that they were beginning to look very foolish to the public for not being able to track down the person responsible for them.
He, for perhaps the first time in his life, was beginning to feel desperate. The attacks were becoming more bold and dangerous, even in his eyes and endangering more civilians than he would ever deem acceptable. And then there was the fact that Duo didn't have two tons of Gundamium protecting him from the kinds of explosions that were directed to take out Relena and her staff. He just had a really fast, well-armed ship. Inadequate in his mind, but then again he had his own reasons to worry for Duo. All of them personal.
He needed another perspective, hopefully one from Trowa or Quatre that could breath some life into his dying leads. He hadn't been able to see them since they returned from their honeymoon trip, or to congratulate them on the wedding, so he stuffed the note deep into his pocket and tried not to think about Duo. Which was proving to be extremely difficult as of late.
"Now that everyone is here, I will lay out the groundwork for our plan." He glared at the clean-cut young man who entered the room and made his way up to the front to stand with of the rest of the group. Gray green eyes scanned the room for a moment before he turned his attention to what their leader was speaking on.
"I trust that I have everyone's full attention." The deep commanding voice continued. "As you all know, we do not currently have the resources to complete our work. Therefore, I have devised a makeshift plan to come up with the resources we'll need to manufacture and distribute the Alpha drug. First of all, I'm sending a group to the L2 cluster to hunt down this Duo Maxwell. It is rumored he has connections in demolition and has close ties to Heero Yuy and Quatre Raberba Winner, but we also know that he is working undercover with the Preventers. We need to get to him to get to the others, who will eventually lead us to Ms. Relena Peacecraft and the Winner CEO. I'll pass the photos around, so take a good look. Maxwell is the most obvious, and stands out in any crowd with the braid he wears, so note it. Chris will be in charge of making the initial contact."
The group leader shoved some photos into the hands of the young man, who studied the pictures very closely before passing them along to the rest of the members of his group. He couldn't help noticing the blaze behind the violet eyes; hungry and dangerous, even with the charming smile the braided boy wore. Soft features, strong looking hands, and something he couldn't quite put his finger on. This Duo Maxwell certainly intrigued him. It was a shame that he was only bait for the others.
"Once we have the agent, we will use him to get to Heero Yuy. Yuy, as you all know, has been in the spotlight for weeks. He will certainly come up with the funding needed to get his comrade out of trouble especially once it goes public that Maxwell, his close friend from the wars, has been kidnapped and being held for ransom. Relena Peacecraft is also rumored to have a close connection to Heero Yuy, as we all saw on the latest show of "Public Spotlight" and is most likely his lover. She will certainly cooperate when it comes to him. The money from the ransom will help to jumpstart production of the Alpha drug and will ultimately be leaked to the public first."
He passed a few photos of Heero around next, the most recent being a copy from the interview spot he had just done in the days before. "When the exchange goes down, we dump the Preventer agent, hold Yuy the same way and draw Relena Peacecraft out into the open. Then we get rid of her with a well-executed "accident".
"And Winner?" The young man in the front interrupted.
"Ms. Peacecraft, backed by Quatre Winner and his foundation, has been blocking us from marketing our Beta drug for months now in appropriations committees claiming it has not been effectively studied or deemed safe to distribute to the public. We need them both out of the way so it will pass through the controls put in place by Ms. Peacecraft and him. We need an epidemic to get the ball rolling which is our Alpha. Then we introduce Beta to counteract Alpha's affects and will be making money on both ends."
"Once Winner learns that Yuy is being held and Maxwell is dead, he'll be sure to help Relena do what ever it takes to get the little superstar back safely. He'll become our puppet in the committees and will get our Beta drug approved for distribution. Especially once everyone realizes the deadly side affects from Alpha. Then he will also meet with an unfortunate accident, not unlike Relena and Yuy soon after Beat becomes legal for distribution. As you all know there is a stalker out there."
"Then once Winner, Peacecraft and Yuy have been removed from their positions of power, we will have no other obstacles to keep us from distributing our drugs. We will become the most powerful organization in the known Universe with the public begging for a savior from the drug induced epidemic they will find themselves in."
The leader of the group made his way off the platform and collected the photos. Handing them to Chris, he excused the rest of the crew. Once the room was empty he returned his attention back to the young man with the gray green eyes and light colored hair. "Chris, is there anything else you require from me before you get under way? Everything you will need has been arranged for."
"If I'm not to kill Maxwell right away, do I get to play with him then?"
"From what I understand of Duo Maxwell he is a very clever opponent. He is one of the Famous Five after all. You'll need to find his weakness first in order to expose him to the knife." The older man then lightly groped him and brushed his tongue over Chris's ear. "Tread lightly, my pet. I would hate for anything unfortunate to happen to you." He brushed his thumb across Chris's lips and then stalked quietly from the room.
Chris stood for a moment, a hint of nausea flushing his system. Taking a deep breath he made his way to his loaded shuttle. "Agent Duo Maxwell, Ex-Gundam pilot; you may prove to be an interesting adversary, but it don't bother me 'cuz you're my ticket out." He stuffed his gun into its holster, checked that the vial he had been given earlier was secure and took off for L2. Eager to hunt down a certain braided Preventer agent with blazing violet eyes.
Duo arrived in L2 without any problems and sat at the bar waiting for the guy he was supposed to meet to join him. His guard was up, thinking it strange that they would meet in a little hovel like this to discuss a demolition job. He sipped his drink and tried to stay alert to the people coming and going.
The bar itself was small and reclusive. Dusty, dirty and most definitely lacking in ambiance. Still, almost everything in the L2 cluster was dilapidated and run down. Duo had accepted it just like he accepted his paranoia returning. He tried not to dwell on the past anymore, but it always had a way of creeping in whenever he was back in one of the L2 colonies. It had been some time since he had last come here with Heero, showing him a small part his tragic beginnings. He shared most of his scarred past with Heero, knowing he would understand and commiserate. Only now his only commiseration was the half-empty drink in his hand. He downed the rest of it and was about to leave, when a young man with sandy colored hair and gray green eyes slid onto a barstool next to him.
"Hey." The young man looked at Duo, who pointedly ignored him. He then glanced at the bartender and ordered a drink for himself. "What 'cha drinking?" He nodded to Duo again.
"And you are?" Duo eyed him suspiciously.
"I'm from the Stardust Group... sorry I'm late, my shuttle was held up, literally." He downed his drink and waited for Duo to say something before continuing. But Duo just tensed and stared at the stranger. "I'm Chris, you must be Duo." The young man held out his hand in greeting but Duo didn't move and continued to glare at him. "It's the braid. I saw you on the Vid, with that Heero Yuy guy a few months back. Must be cool to know someone so famous."
"Yeah... well Chris, I don't have time for idle chit-chat. What's the deal?" Duo scowled and put on his best 'Heero indifferent mask.'
"Time for another drink? I'm a little jacked up from that shuttle thing. That kind a stuff happen a lot?" Chris ordered another drink and downed it in two quick gulps.
"I wouldn't know." Duo sat back down next to the young man and nodded to the bartender, who poured him a drink and a refill for the thirsty stranger next to him.
"I thought you were from around here, my mistake." Chris looked at the glass in Duo's hand, trying not to make eyes contact with the beautiful pools of violet that he knew were assessing his every move. "So what 'cha drinking anyway?" He needed to be wary, not to forget he was dealing with an undercover Preventer and Ex-Gundam pilot.
"You seem to know a lot about me. How 'bout you guess." Duo's voice was low and menacing, sending a shiver down Chris's spine.
'Tread lightly' Chris thought as he looked at the glass in Duo's hand. The greenish-blue liquor was nothing he had ever seen. "You're not really a secret anymore, ya know. I'm from the L3 cluster myself, and supported you guys throughout the whole thing. Scared the shit outta me a few times, it was hard to tell who were the good guys from the bad, ya know. I've been kinda a fan, reading and tracking you all on the net as best as I could. You guys are pretty hard to track down when you don't want to be found. As for your drink, beats the shit outta me!" He smiled warmly and sipped his own drink.
"It's Midori. And you're right, it's not always easy telling the good guys from the bad." Duo paused and sipped his drink. "So pleasantries aside, what's this job you need an explosive expert for? And why did you track down me? There are plenty of other guys with my knowledge and then some."
"It's kind-a involved." He took a deep breath and finally made eye contact with Duo. "Look, I know this sounds weird, but I was hoping I could convince you to come back to my hotel and explain the whole thing to you there. I'm afraid I may have been followed, and the shuttle thing has got me a bit paranoid. There's a few things involved with this demolition that aren't quite on the level, and I need someone with your... background. Someone I can trust." Chris paused, sipping his drink and scuffing his foot on the dirty floor. "I'd like to get this started tomorrow morning, but I didn't really come prepared to this bar. Tell you truth, I didn't really think you'd show." He finished his drink and stood up, as if to leave.
"I was born at night, but not last night, man. Seeing that you've heard of me, then I also suppose you've heard of my reputation and current occupation." Duo grinned an evil smirk before finishing his drink.
"Well... I know you're the best explosive guy in the five colonies and earth." Chris let his voice show his nervousness, although in his mind he was thinking that it was going to be quite easy to snare this elusive prey.
"Flattery will get you no-where, man." Duo stood never removing his eyes from the young man. His grin turned into a scowl and his eyes blazed with the force of Shinigami. "You fuck with me, and you won't live to tell about it." He hissed in a low voice. "However, if it's trust and secrecy you're after, then you talk and I'll listen." Turning from the young man, he made his way to the door, pausing in the doorway. "So you comin' or what?" Duo said cheerfully over his shoulder before leaving the bar his whole demeanor changing from the threatening one just moments before.
Chris threw down some credits for the barbill and ran after Duo. "Shit, what did I agree to?" He muttered scanning the dark alley for Duo. A quick glint of silver showed Duo straddled over a lean motorcycle. 'Damn, kill him or screw him silly... ' He thought as he walked over to Duo, eyeing him hungrily before hopping on the back of the bike. "Anyone ever tell you that you seem dangerous?" He asked Duo pleasantly.
"Yes and I've been called reckless before too." Duo laughed as he gunned the bike into motion. The back tire skid out with a scream and they were off. He knew if Heero had been with him, he would have never even considered going off with some stranger. In fact, this guy seemed to know an awful lot about him, which was a little unsettling. Still, this may be the break he was looking for, and if not, a side job certainly wouldn't distract him for long. Knowing he was taking risks he had no business taking, he listened to the directions coming from behind his shoulder and found himself getting farther and farther from civilization. 'Well Heero, you're not here, so I guess I do things my way for now.'
"So when did he leave?" Trowa asked plainly.
"Yesterday, late afternoon. Said something about tracking down a lead in the L2 colony that may have something to do with Relena's stalker." Wufei was not usually one to fidget, but he was still not feeling right about letting Duo go off on his own, especially after promising Heero he would watch his back.
"And does Heero know?" Trowa raised an eyebrow and watched Wufei as he tried to come up with an appropriate answer.
"No." Wufei sighed at last. "He doesn't know that I let Duo go off on his own or about the possible lead that fool is trying to uncover through some demolition job contact."
"Either way, Heero will have your head on a pole when he finds out you let him go alone." Trowa concluded. He tucked his hands back into his pockets and waited with Wufei for Quatre to arrive. They had all decided on going to the L2 colony to catch up with Duo. They hadn't found anything on earth that drew them any closer to discovering who was out for Relena, and they were all feeling like they were on a cold trail. Hopefully Duo's lead would pan out, and if it did, they would be there to back him up.
Quatre arrived to the restaurant shortly after and made his way to the table with the look of a man on a mission. Trowa and Wufei had ordered drinks and the three sat at the table going over their agenda. The hot steam from the mugs filled the air with the richly brewed scents of coffee and jasmine tea. Quatre immediately thought of Duo and his love for the caffineated substance. It was a good thing they were going after him. There was no telling what Duo may be walking into.
"We'll take one of the smaller Winner shuttles, if no-one has any objections. It doesn't have any logos or markings that would give us up and it's reliable. I was able to stock it full of all our necessary supplies, and a few favorites just for fun." Quatre was a strategist at heart and took his plans very seriously. Thinking through any possible scenarios they could encounter, he planned for each and every one of them to the smallest detail. "L2 is a rough place, and if I have forgot anything we may run into trouble getting it once we're there. There isn't really anything safe for supplies other than the black market, so if you can think of anything else we may need, now is the time to mention it." Quatre glanced from one to the other, and when neither answered he nodded and sipped his tea thoughtfully. "What information were you able to find on this Stardust Group?"
"On the surface they have maintained the image of an pharmaceutical group looking to promote commerce in the L2 colony. However, with a little digging I found that very often, their projects are laced with accidents, espionage and dirty tactics. They have strong-armed several smaller companies into leaving the L2 colony all together acquiring the resources and manpower left behind. Just after Relena met with the diplomats from the L2 clusters, and arranged for equal shuttle and commerce rights for all business groups, a CEO from one of Stardust's main competitors was found dead in his L2 office. Suicide was named as the cause of death. I researched it finding most of the files were corrupt or destroyed." Trowa was in his glory, an expert mole, finding information like a ghost floating through a maze of digital corridors.
"What exactly is their business?" Quatre posed.
"The Preventers believe they have strong ties to both the earth and the colonies, in the exportation of a pharmaceutical drug called A-77. It's still in the research stage of its development, but is funded through the companies' construction and demolition work on L2 and the earth." Wufei finished his coffee and ordered another round for he and his comrades. "The drug racket lingers in the shadows of the company, with them focusing the attention of the public on their demolition and construction efforts. Heero and Relena are not blind to the smokescreen that everything is not on the up and up with Stardust. Relena was to visit some of the plants to make sure of the legitimacy of the company's efforts, when all the attacks on her began."
"It reminds me of Oz. Everything is right out in the open for the public to see, and yet they have no idea what is happening right before their eyes. And the drug, is it for anything good?" Quatre's pale eyes darkened with the thought of another organization manipulating the colonies and the earth. His brow furrowed with concentration as he stared into his mug. The black liquid reminded him of the darkest part of Duo's eyes when anger flooded the pools of violet. Quatre saw Duo's pain reflected in those eyes whenever anyone mentioned his home colony and the strife they had there. He had no illusions that this was all going to get very messy before it was over.
"The drug is supposedly being developed to combat the newest environmental illness that is spreading through the L2 colony caused by the poorly maintained air resupply. With poor water sources and no economic stability, they have been bombarded with unemployment and other social issues as well. The drug A-77 has a euphoric effect that is popular on the black market for the entertainment scene and as a way for the downtrodden masses to escape life for a while I suppose. I never could understand that kind of weakness." Wufei looked at the blonde, knowing the sensitive boy struggled with seeing others deal with poverty and illness. "All of this aside, I must tell you both that I think we have a more urgent matter to discuss. It makes little sense to me for the Stardust Group or a member of any demolitions group to contact Duo knowing that he has ties with the Preventers. I think he is being lured into a trap. The purpose of which I have not been able to uncover yet."
"I agree. Demolition and salvage is Duo's forte, but his connections to people like Heero and Relena could prove to be more valuable to Stardust than his expertise with explosives." Trowa knew Duo went with open eyes, but his concern remained.
"Have you contacted Heero about all this?" Quatre asked quietly.
"He won't be happy. Especially with Duo acting as bait." Wufei put his cup down and frowned. Heero would certainly want an explanation as to why Duo was alone without backup, and Wufei did not have one at present.
"Well let's get going then, no need to discuss this here. The shuttle is loaded and the sooner we find Duo the better off we'll all be." Quatre smiled at Wufei and grabbed the documents from the table. Without another thought, they left the restaurant, piled in to Wufei's sedan, and started off in the direction of the shuttle port.
Duo's paranoia only heightened as the directions Chris gave him brought him closer to a part of town he'd rather not be in. The dank streets were littered with vagrants and prostitutes that lingered under dimly lit lamps. Shadows of figures in the black alleys made Duo shiver a bit as his demons screamed 'welcome home' to him. The stench of foul water and garbage only intensified his need to pull his jacket closer around him. He tried to remember the look of a pair of stunning cobalt blue eyes as he watched the rats scurry underneath the dumpster they pulled up next to.
"This it?" Duo hopped off the bike and walked to the front door of the run down motel.
"Yeah, though it didn't look like this in the daylight. How can people live like this?" Chris asked, eyes wide and jaw open.
"They can't." Duo growled. Chris took a wary step back from Duo.
Duo glanced to the young man and smiled warmly at him the dim light. "Come on, it's getting late and I want to hear this stuff you started telling me about the Stardust Group."
Chris led the way into the hotel and took the key from the girl at the desk. Her brown eyes looked like almonds next to her pale face. They were sunk in and had dark smudges underneath them. She didn't look well enough to stand. Duo followed him down the hall to a small room at the end. Once inside the room, he pulled the drapes shut and locked the door. It was a simple room, relatively clean with a small bed, table, lamp and chair. The sheets were clean and the light from the lamp was warm and somewhat soothing despite what may be going on in the streets outside the window. Duo was glad to be off the streets, away from the ghosts that stalked the alleys around him, inviting him to visit with them.
"If you don't mind me saying, you look a little spooked, Duo." Chris said as he pulled a bag out from under the bed and removed a folder of papers from inside it.
"Yeah, well... it's been a little while since I've been back in this part of town." Duo was quietly studying the walls of the room and trying to mask how uncomfortable he was. Memories of a similar conversation flashed through his mind. The same smells, dusty and dank from the stiff sheets, the soft orange hue from the lamp and the noises from the streets brought his past flooding into the room, making him want to run.
"You wanna drink? I brought some whiskey with me. I'm not a big drinker, but I was told I may want to have it while I was here." Chris pulled the flask out from the bag and held it out to Duo.
Duo eyed it cautiously, and shook his head after a minute. "No. Thanks."
He shifted his weight uncomfortably and sat in the dingy chair. He instinctively grabbed for the end of his braid and began fidgeting with the end. His eyes darted around the room from the window to the door to the young man and back again.
Chris's gray green eyes studied Duo for a moment, then taking a slow deliberate breath he approached the pilot in the chair. "Thanks for coming here, Mr. Maxwell. I told you already that I think someone is following me, and I will be honest when I say I don't think it is for my good looks. Stardust has its fingers in many things, many that the public doesn't know about. There are people I work for who want to keep it that way." He paused and noted that he had Duo's undivided attention. "The site I want you to help me demolish is not a Stardust facility. It is a company that makes a substance we use in one of our products."
"I figured it was something more than just a demolition job." Duo's piercing violet eyes bore in to the young man's with determination. "Why are you involved, and why destroy a site that makes an ingredient to something your company uses?"
"This substance is highly addictive, and I believe will only harm the public, not help them. Stardust is holding something on me. Something I value. So I will do whatever I have to, in order to secure what's mine." Chris crossed the room and sat on the bed looking tired and stressed. He rubbed his temple and let out a sigh. "Stardust is into drugs, making them, selling them, using them to gain power and influence. The head of the group has a lust for power and control."
Chris's eyes looked distant and sad, a look that Duo had seen once or twice before. He knew all about manipulation and loss. "Chris, I will try to help you if I can." He knew about power and leverage and what powerful people did to sway things to suit their own needs. He was quickly finding himself involved in something he was only scratching the surface of. "Do you know who Relena Peacecraft is?"
Chris's eyes shot open as he gave Duo a half-hearted laugh. "You'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to know who she is." He smirked at Duo who glared at is response.
"Good. Do you know anything about the threats on her life recently? Many of them dealt with explosives and you certainly have ties being in the construction and demolition world." Duo studied Chris's expression and waited for him to answer. His violet eyes didn't waver from the pools of gray green in front of him.
"Yes. I do." Chris replied and lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Duo waited about thirty seconds before advancing on the boy. Standing over him with his best Yuy Death Glare, he waited for Chris to continue. His hand grazing against his gun, he was poised for any movement the other made.
"No need to be alarmed. The last thing I want is for Miss Peacecraft to come to harm. You see Duo, I'm just a puppet doing what I'm told. I just didn't think I would really get to meet such an extraordinary person such as you. And now here you are, and even willing to help me destroy the man who holds my life in his heartless grasp." Chris closed his eyes for a moment then returned Duo's glare with one of his own. Sitting up he reached for the flask and unscrewed the top. "I need a drink. Have one with me. You can trust me Duo, we're after the same guy after all." He took a sip from the flask and put it down on the table. "I'll get you a glass."
Chris got up from the bed and made his way over to the bathroom. Once inside he dropped a few droplets from the concealed vial in the glass and returned to the main room. Quickly pouring the liquor into the glass with the drug, he turned to face Duo and handed the glass to him.
Duo fingered the glass in his hand and looked at Chris. It was a trap and he knew it. He looked at the dark liquid and swirled it around seeing the oily substance shine on the top. 'Shit I hate drugs, they really fuck me up.' He thought. 'It's been a while too, and I'm out of practice. Still, it will lead me to the guy who is out for Relena. Find him, destroy him, Relena will be safe, and I'll get Heero back finally.' He shrugged and let out a little sigh. "Gotta warn you Chris, drugs fuck me up. So if you still want my help to get this boss of yours, we'll need to come up with something better than this."
Chris smiled widely at Duo. "You're good." He took the glass out of Duo's hand and stood in front of him. His eyes smoldered and he ran a trembling hand through his sandy locks. Chris cocked his head to the side and stared into Duo's eyes with warmth he hadn't intended. "Has anyone ever told you that you have amazing eyes?"
Duo smiled a wicked grin with his best charming façade firmly in place. "As a matter a fact, yeah." Duo didn't move as Chris reached up and traced a finger down his jawline. His heart began to race as Chris stepped closer and placed a soft, sweet kiss to his lips. It had been a long time since someone had kissed him like that. Frowning, Duo lowered his eyes and stepped back.
"I couldn't resist Duo. It's obvious I'm attracted to you." He picked up the glass again and handed it to Duo who took it. "There isn't any other way. If there was, we'd take it. We'll leave enough hints for your friends to find us, but it's the only way to get you in. There is a remedy inside the complex. You'll just have to trust me about all the rest."
"I don't even know you. Why should I trust you at all?" Duo growled. He studied Chris's eyes still not finding any menace. Then without another word he drank the liquid down. "Remember what I told you earlier... about Preventers... and connections... " the room began a slow, sickening spin as he dropped the glass. He reached out for something to steady himself and felt Chris's arms catch him under his arms as he slid down to the floor. "Damn, what's in that stuff?" Duo croaked. "And how long... will I be out?" He tried to focus on Chris's concerned eyes.
"Four hours. Give or take. Three of which you will be traveling alone with me. So you'll be okay. Is there some kind of a signal or beacon you use to let the others know you're in trouble?" Chris padded Duo down removing two guns and the knife he had concealed.
"Under... shirt... inside lining... already active." Duo could feel his brain getting fuzzy as the colors in front of his eyes spun wildly in front of him. His fingers were tingling and his stomach tightened. Waves of euphoria washed over him as he slipped into a warm world of color. He tried to concentrate on Heero, the way he smelled, his eyes, the feel of his hair, anything to keep the panic from sending him over the brink. The voices in his head were screaming and laughing, taunting him as he swam in the drug's spell. He was out of reach of everyone as the world of colors grew darker. He whispered for Heero to save him from the madness. In a soft and panic-edged voice he whispered: "Hee... ro."
"Duo? You still with me? Time to go. We'll have you there soon. Don't worry, you'll be okay. I'll leave plenty of clues for your friends." Chris brushed Duo's hair from his face and dragged him into the chair. Gathering a few things, leaving the glass for the Preventers to trace, he swung Duo's arm over his shoulder and dragged him from the room. Once in the car he stashed, they quickly took off towards the docking bays where his ship was. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he saw the bike glimmering silver in the pale light beside the dumpster in the alley. "If they don't find that glaring clue I have no respect for them." He then looked at the braided pilot out cold in the seat beside him and smiled. "This may work out after all. Kill Mason, get my sister back and keep you for my own." Chris reached over and grazed his fingers over Duo's cheek. "Sounds like a plan to me, huh Duo? Now what's this Heero guy to you, anyway? You're old partner, right? The one who left you for fame and fortune huh? I'd never leave you if you were mine." He heaved a heavy sigh at what he found himself feeling. "Damn you have eyes that could drive a man to kill and a smile he could drown in."
"Quatre, what's wrong?" Wufei caught Quatre as he stumbled. They had been in flight for a few hours, and were able to move about freely in the cabin. Quatre had just gone to get some water when he began trembling and fell forward.
Trowa rushed to his lovers' side and held him protectively. Quatre's eyes were glazed over and the look of absolute terror filled their blue depths. "Quatre, what is it?" Trowa searched his pale face, concern practically oozing from his bright green eyes.
"Trowa?" Quatre looked at him without really seeing what was in front of him. "It's Duo. He's... he's so... afraid." Quatre closed his eyes to concentrate. "I can't tell where he is, but he's afraid." Trowa squeezed Quatre's hand and held him close. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything more than... this feeling."
"How much further until we get to the L2 colony Duo's on?" Trowa asked Wufei quietly.
"Not long." Wufei paced along the length of the shuttle and glanced over occasionally at the all too quiet pair. He silently cursed himself for not going after Duo as soon as he got the note on his car. He should have been keeping closer tabs on him. The thought of him in danger alone, tugged at his heart. He knew that Duo and Heero loved each other and belonged together, but he still wished to protect the reckless boy in Heero's absence as he had promised. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Duo while he was out of his sight.
Trowa eased Quatre in the seat beside him and watched Wufei pace back and forth a few times. "Wufei?" Trowa looked at Wufei's tense posture and set jaw. "Have you told Duo how you feel?"
Wufei abruptly stopped pacing and stood in front of Trowa. Wufei shut his eyes and pictured how Duo would look in Heero's strong embrace, not unlike how Trowa was holding Quatre now. He'd never tell Duo anything. Ever. "Trowa, my feelings for Duo are obvious. You are all my family and I love each of you in different ways. I am concerned for him, that is true... " Wufei gently brushed back the golden locks from Quatre's face, and brushed his fingers across Trowa's cheek. "But I am as concerned for Heero as well. He has just found his soul's other half and he has been too long away from it. I won't interfere with what they have. I couldn't live with myself."
Trowa nodded and placed a soft kiss on Quatre's forehead. The blonde hadn't said anything since sensing Duo, and he felt it was best not to push him for more. He was worried for Wufei as well. He hardly slept at all since Duo took off and his fatigue was apparent. He just hoped Duo was using his head, where ever he was until they could get to him.
End Part 2
(:./ebony/fame2)
