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)
Quatre used the vidphone in the bedroom while Duo searched for more clothing and got himself properly dressed, carefully staying out of camera range. The first call was to Zechs, to rearrange the security detail for the Earth Sphere Economic Conference's gala reception, due to start in just under two hours.
The vidscreen image blurred, clearing to show Zechs from the waist up, sitting at a paper-strewn desk and clad in an impeccable Preventer dress uniform. In the background, Pagan was just stepping back, quickly lifting a laden dinner tray to avoid a collision with the arm Zechs had stretched out to answer the call.
"Wind here - Sand?" The pale blond eyebrows arched up in surprise.
"Zechs," Quatre nodded. "Duo won't be on duty tonight. Can you arrange for a replacement at his post?"
Zechs frowned slightly, but turned cooperatively to his left and tapped in a command on his computer keyboard. Pagan, who had circled around behind him and had been about to put the tray down on that side of the desk, stepped back again with a slight smile.
"Is everything all right? Will Wufei be coming in?" Duo pulled on a sweat shirt and glanced at the screen. The prince looked impassive, so maybe he had just imagined the slight softening of that husky voice when he'd said Wufei's name. Maybe.
"I'm not sure, and yes, I think so," Quatre replied. "We're too short-handed for both Duo and Wufei to be off."
Zechs nodded. "Then I'll put Wufei in Shadow's spot, and shift Ember to the front entrance. She's the best of the assigned guards. I can pull up a reserve agent to fill out the numbers for the guards in the hallways."
"Good," Quatre nodded.
Zechs reached out a hand as if to end the call, but hesitated and asked, "Is Shadow injured? Wufei was... concerned at the port this afternoon that he was in some difficulty."
"He fell in the shower and hit his head. I want him to have a medical check before he's assigned to active duty," Quatre said smoothly, and Duo relaxed slightly. It really did sound reasonable when put that way - no one would think it odd.
Wind nodded and glanced at his computer again. "He's scheduled for duty again tomorrow - do you want Water to check him over tonight? She's on rotation."
Quatre glanced over, and Duo shrugged - may as well get it over with. At least he knew and trusted Sally.
"That sounds good. I'll call and schedule it," Quatre confirmed.
Zechs was once again reaching for the cutoff switch when a slight cough attracted his attention.
"Pardon me, Your Highness, but might I offer some assistance?"
"Pagan?" Zechs twisted around to look behind him, his handsome face revealing his surprise at the interruption.
Relena's elderly servant bowed slightly and took advantage of Zechs' immobility to finally place the tea tray on the desk. "Mister Maxwell will hardly be in any condition to drive himself to the medical clinic if he has a head injury, and most of the security-cleared drivers are already engaged transporting dignitaries to the reception. I doubt Her Majesty will have need of me this evening, and I would be delighted to offer my services."
"Actually, that's a very good idea," Quatre said thoughtfully.
Duo rolled his eyes resignedly. He knew that arguing about his fitness to drive would get him nowhere with the determined blond. On the other hand, he had no idea where the Preventers' medical clinic in Sanq was located, so perhaps it was just as well.
On the screen, Pagan inclined his head. "I'll leave immediately, then, sir."
"We'll stay here until you arrive, Pagan" Quatre said. "And thank you!"
"My pleasure, sir."
After the medical exam with Sally Po was arranged, Quatre glanced at the clock and turned to Duo. "We have some time before Pagan arrives. I'd like more information on your... experiences."
Duo shrugged. "Sure. What do you wanna know?"
Quatre leaned forward in the chair, planting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. "Do you have any idea where 'our' Duo is right now?"
Duo settled onto the bed, shaking his head. "Nope. I don't think he's still inside this body, 'cause I've never been able to sense him or know anything that he knows, and you said before that you couldn't feel him anymore, either. I haven't got a clue where he went. For all I know we could have switched places and right now he's glomping a very surprised Wufei." Duo smirked, cheered by the thought. "Actually, I hope he is - the look on 'Fei's face would be priceless!"
Quatre smiled. "I assume then that you and Wufei aren't a couple in your universe."
Duo chuckled. "Not a chance. Wu-baby is slowly stalking Sally - or she's gradually ensnaring him, I can't figure out which."
"And you're with Heero," Quatre stated confidently.
"Uhhh... heh, no, actually," Duo scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well, we're partners, and roommates. And neither of us dates much, so we hang out together. A lot, really."
Quatre cocked his head to one side. "But you're in love with him. What you were feeling out in the hallway was unmistakable."
"I... I guess maybe." Duo frowned, considering. "It's something I just sorta... discovered... while I was jumping around from one reality to another. There were a couple where he was... we were..." he broke off, looking away from his friend's penetrating gaze. "I just never knew it could be that way."
Quatre said softly, "If your Heero is anything like mine, nothing in the sphere could make him spend that much time with you if he didn't want to."
Duo smiled a little, pleased at the thought. "Yeah, I guess not. I suppose I should talk to him about it when I get back home, ne?" His smile faded. "If I get back home."
"Yeah..." Quatre sobered as well. "So when will the next transition be? What triggers it?"
"I don't really know..." Duo bit his lip, going over his memories. "There was nothing consistent that happened to me, or that I was doing. The first time was caused by the generator, the second... uh... Heero was kissing me," he blushed at Quatre's sudden knowing smirk but plowed on. "The third time I must have been asleep or sedated; I don't remember it. The next one came when I was in the middle of trying to get a tourniquet around Heero's leg after he'd been shot. Then... let's see, I was relaxing after a very long and trying day in the scrap yard, and the last one..." He swallowed, looking away. He really didn't want to think about that one. "The last time, I was in a medbay, half out of my mind from addiction withdrawal."
Quatre blinked, clearly startled, but he merely said, "It doesn't seem to be initiated by anything you do, then. How long do you spend in each place?"
A few minutes of conversation and some rapid mental calculations revealed two pieces of information. The bad news was that the amount of time spent in each universe seemed to form a pattern. This meant that the jumps were quite likely timed, not triggered, and therefore probably not something Duo could affect or prevent. The worse news was that the pattern was a decreasing one - each jump lasted only about three-quarters of the length of the previous one.
"Which means," Quatre concluded, "the next transition should be in about eight and a half hours from now."
Duo nodded, dread forming an icy lump in his belly. "But Quatre, if the jumps are getting shorter and shorter... what happens when the clock runs out?"
Their eyes met, and Duo didn't have to be an empath to sense his friend's deep worry.
Quatre put a comforting hand on Duo's shoulder. "We don't know any answers yet, Duo. But if you can collect as much information as you can in each universe, maybe you'll be able to find a few. Have Sally give you the results of each test as she gets them - maybe something will come up."
"Yeah, I will," Duo promised, but he didn't feel very hopeful.
"Also... given that your body apparently dies each time a transition happens, I want you to stay at the clinic with Sally after your exam. She should at least be able to keep your body going until our Duo comes back."
"Yeah." Duo grimaced. "Much as I hate hospitals, that does make sense."
"I'll come by the clinic after the reception and we'll talk. I... I'd like to be there with you when..."
Duo nodded, feeling torn between embarrassment and relief. "Thanks Quatre, I'd appreciate that. Heh, and you'll be around to help your Duo when he returns - no one would believe him otherwise."
"You've got that right! But for now, we'd better go on out and tell the others what we're up to, before they learn it second-hand when Pagan shows up."
"Yeah," Duo sighed, and followed Quatre out the door.
He could hear Heero's even voice as they walked the length of the hall. "...checked over the ballroom thoroughly this afternoon. There were no signs of intrusive devices."
"Good," Wufei replied. "We'll just have time to run one last sweep before the delegates arrive."
Duo stepped into the living room at the end of the hall with Quatre at his side, and the three men waiting there turned to glance his way. He saw Heero smile again, but it was painfully clear that the expression was directed mostly toward the blond at Duo's shoulder. It was Wufei's face that brightened at the sight of him, and Duo couldn't deny the surge of affectionate desire he felt in return.
He only noticed that he had stopped dead when Quatre nudged him into motion again with a soft snort of amusement.
Wufei's brows drew down in a frown as he took in his lover's lack of uniform, but they smoothed out again once Quatre stated firmly that he refused to allow Duo to stand duty until he'd been checked over thoroughly by a doctor.
To Duo's relief, Wufei didn't protest. He merely met Duo's gaze sympathetically and shrugged slightly as Quatre laid out the details of the new plan; Duo rolled his eyes in reply, and that was that.
The sound of a quiet vehicle purring to a halt outside led Quatre, Trowa and Heero to busy themselves getting ready to leave, tactfully allowing their hosts the illusion of privacy.
Wufei drew Duo around the corner and a step or two into the hall, then wrapped strong arms around him and hugged him close. "I know what you're planning," Wufei murmured into the ear he was nuzzling.
Duo stiffened, wondering if 'Fei had been listening at the bedroom door, or had somehow guessed that he was not the man he was pretending to be.
"...but remember that Sally's only doing her job, and sabotaging her examination room will only drag the tests out longer. And don't forget that she's going to be sticking you with needles, so annoying her with practical jokes is simply bad tactics."
Duo let out the breath he'd been holding in a chuckle, leaning his forehead against 'Fei's shoulder. "Two good points."
"And you should not avenge yourself on Quatre, either," Wufei added.
"I know, I know," Duo smirked into amused onyx eyes, and parroted softly, "'He's only doing it because he likes me.'"
"Gods know why..." Wufei whispered against Duo's lips, before stealing his breath and higher brain functions with a gently insistent kiss that slowly deepened into a passionate promise of more, and soon. Duo found himself responding eagerly, sliding his arms around 'Fei's waist and pulling the other man tight against him.
Several kisses later, they were brought back to reality by Quatre saying rather loudly from around the corner, "Let's go wait in the car, so we can leave as soon as we're all ready," followed by the sound of the three other pilots exiting the house.
Duo grinned as they broke apart, a little short of breath and composure. "I think that's your cue," he murmured playfully - then, more soberly, "You be careful tonight, 'Fei."
Wufei snorted lightly, nipping gently at Duo's neck. "This so-called threat to Khushrenada's safety is just a series of coincidences and vague worries - none of it points to any one interest group. Nothing will come of it, I'm sure."
Duo was sure he was gaping like a freshly-landed fish - Khushrenada?!? - but Wufei didn't seem to notice anything. He left one arm around Duo's waist and escorted him into the entryway. "You just keep yourself out of trouble with Sally, and I'll see you tonight. Do you want me to pick you up at the clinic??"
Duo wrenched his mind away from the question of which Khushrenada Wufei was talking about and fumbled for a reply. "Ummm... I'll call and leave a message once I find out how long the tests will take. I may end up staying the night."
Wufei raised an eyebrow in humourous disbelief. "As if you would stay in a hospital any longer than you had to!"
Duo ducked his head, not answering. He would wait as long as he could before trying to explain his decision. Why borrow trouble ahead of time?
He grabbed a jacket, hoping it was one of his, and managed to beat Wufei out the door so he wouldn't have to fumble with keys or the security system.
There was an obviously customized truck on the street outside, with Trowa behind the wheel. Quatre and Heero leaned against the rear door, conversing in low voices. Quatre looked up and smirked ever so slightly as Duo approached.
Realizing that the blond had probably felt everything Duo had felt in the hallway as he'd said goodbye to Wufei was a little disconcerting. Quatre's enhanced talent would take some getting used to, but in the meantime - Duo stuck out his tongue quickly, before Heero could glance up and catch him at it. Quatre covered a grin with his hand.
As Quatre, Heero and Wufei piled into the truck, Duo turned to the luxurious limo parked behind it. Pagan emerged and hastened to open the back door, bowing slightly.
"Good evening, Mister Maxwell. I hope you are feeling well."
"Hiya, Pagan! I'm just peachy, thanks." Duo nimbly sidestepped the elderly chauffeur and opened the front passenger door. "Y'know, I'd rather sit up here. I'm not used to being driven around LIKE SOME USELESS BILLIONAIRE," he yelled significantly towards the truck. He grinned cheerfully at Quatre as he slid into the front seat, laughing as the blond stuck out his tongue in reply.
Pagan shut the rear door and made his way around to the driver's seat. "A traffic accident has closed the expressway, and of course Main Street is cordoned off for official traffic only this evening, so I'm afraid we'll be taking a more roundabout route to the Preventer clinic," he said as he eased the car smoothly away from the curb.
Duo waved one last time as they passed his friends and answered absently, "Sure - as long as we get there I don't really care where we go." Then he grinned slightly. "Besides, I'm not really looking forward to being poked and prodded, so a minor delay is fine with me."
"Very good, sir. Then may I suggest we drive the coast road? It boasts some magnificent views, and perhaps the sunset could help soothe those hospital jitters."
"Sounds good." Duo leaned back, put his hands behind his head, and sighed theatrically. "Ahhhhhh... I could get use to this."
The drive along the coast was everything Pagan had promised. High, rocky walls reared up from the sea, the ceaseless waves frothing at their feet. The road twisted and turned atop the cliffs, following the edge of the dropoff. Each corner brought another breathtaking scene into view.
Duo looked out his window with appreciation. The only problem, he thought, yawning, was that the setting sun reflecting off the glittering waves was giving him a headache. Of course, it wasn't helping that his thoughts were running in circles - Where was his alter ego? Would meditating help to find him? Would Sally come up with anything he could use? How was he going to get back home? What would happen if he couldn't?
He leaned his head back against the rest and rubbed under his bangs, closing his eyes tiredly. Maybe a little nap would help - his counterpart probably hadn't been sleeping too well while 'Fei was away.
A moment later he straightened up again, determinedly opening his eyes. Sleeping probably wasn't a good idea until Sally had had a chance to confirm that he wasn't concussed. Or at least, he thought guiltily, thinking of the sex-sated snooze he'd already had, it wouldn't be a good idea to fall asleep again.
He glanced speculatively at Relena's chauffeur. Maybe some conversation would help keep him awake. "So... Pagan..." He wracked his brain for something to say. "Those were some nice moves you made getting that dinner tray onto Zechs' desk."
Pagan's mustache quivered slightly, and Duo wondered if he were suppressing a smile. "Thank you, sir. I do believe that a good servant possesses many of the qualities found in the finest fighter pilots."
Duo started to grin, thinking of the near-miss between the tray and Zechs' arm. "Like the ability to avoid mid-air collisions?"
"Of course, sir," Pagan agreed gravely. "Anticipating others' reactions is a prime requisite for an accomplished servant."
Duo snickered. "And so is stealthily taking advantage of the slightest distraction to accomplish the mission, I suppose!"
"Naturally. Good servants perform their work without disturbing your concentration, and the very best servants are the ones you don't even realize are there."
"I guess making a perfect touchdown in the only level area free of debris demonstrates quick thinking and decision-making..."
Pagan's mustache quivered again. Yes, it was a smile. "Correct. And a servant's dedication to a cause, in the form of a person or family, goes without saying."
"Dedication, sure - but would you give your life to land the tea-tray?"
"Young man," Pagan returned tartly, "I have already given my life, one day at a time, in the service of the Peacecrafts. Giving the few remaining days all at once would be no great sacrifice if it would guarantee the safety or happiness of my charges." The haughty look he threw Duo was completely at odds with the simultaneous wink.
Duo laughed. He liked this old man. "Well then, it's a good thing the exact placement of Zechs' dinner tray didn't require that level of devotion." He settled back more comfortably into the seat, stifling a yawn. "So you've been serving the Peacecrafts all your life?"
"Yes, I am proud to say I have. I pledged my loyalty to King Timonious over fifty years ago."
Duo frowned slightly. "Timonious? Was he Zechs' father?" At Pagan's nod, he continued, "I've seen a picture of him in the entrance hall at the palace."
Pagan snorted slightly. "That portrait does not do him justice. It was painted near the end of his reign, when he had already seen the fracturing of all he had built, and witnessed the depredations of the so-called Alliance. When I first met him, he was the Crown Prince, barely older than Milliardo is now, fiery of speech and passionately dedicated to peace; charismatic, handsome, and beloved of his people."
Pagan's voice softened, remembering. "He inspired the entire country. People would have done anything for him. He burned so brightly..." The old man shook his head and broke off. "It is my greatest regret that I was not there to help protect him in the end."
"When the Alliance destroyed Sanq?" At any other time Duo would have found the topic of great interest, but he was so tired right now that it was hard to concentrate. The hiss of the air through the vents and Pagan's even voice were so soothing...
"Yes. There were those of us who had foreseen the Alliance's plans, and had taken steps to fortify ourselves against our enemies. If I had only been there, I might have made a difference. The others involved all perished in the attack - I never did find out if they tried to follow through on our plans or not."
Duo was still working out the implications of the first comment. "Wait, so there were some of you who had weapons and were going to fight back? Didn't Timonious forbid that sort of thing?"
Pagan sent him a knowing look. "Ask your friend Mister Yuy how he, young Quatre Winner and Miss Noin planned to protect Miss Relena during the war. We didn't tell His Majesty, we merely stashed our weapons and waited for the time when we would inevitably need them. I would have done anything - stolen weapons, killed, gone against his direct orders, anything! - in order to save him."
Then Pagan sighed, the passion draining out of him, and smiled ruefully. "So much for the plans of men. In the end, of course, I was not even there. He had sent me away with Miss Relena, to take her to safety, to the Darlians. The Crown Prince was a symbol of the continuity of the crown, so Milliardo stayed with his parents. When Sanq fell and..." he took a quivering breath, "and Timonious was slain, I thought Milliardo had died with his parents."
Duo blinked, hearing the ragged pain under the simple words. "So you musta been real happy when you figured out he'd survived."
Pagan smiled. "Yes, indeed. He had graduated with top honours from the Lake Victoria Specials academy. There was a propaganda campaign at the time to encourage parents to enrol their children, so they ran an article in the national papers, with his picture. I recognized him instantly, even in that concealing helm he wore. He was so like his father..."
Duo nodded briefly, stopping when it made his head swim. He rubbed at the tightness in his forehead. Maybe he'd hurt himself worse than he'd thought...
Pagan peered through the windshield, frowning slightly. "I made it my purpose in life to protect his children, to make sure they survived to know their heritage. And yet, for all my work, neither of them is truly happy. It is most distressing."
"Whazzat? Who isn't happy? Relena an' Zechs?" Duo was having a hard time following the conversation.
Pagan nodded several times. "Exactly. Miss Relena broke her heart over your friend Mister Yuy, and now she refuses to allow herself any emotional ties. Her marriage to His Excellency Mister Treize is just an extension of that. She does not care for him personally, but only hopes that she might make the world a better place from such a position of influence. I fear she will never be happy."
"Aww - tha's sad," said Duo. Then, after due reflection of the idea of Relena married to Treize, "an' tha's really just... wrong." He shuddered.
A moment later he fuzzily wondered at Pagan letting something so private slip out like that. Weren't servants supposed to keep secrets? Duo giggled a bit - obviously Pagan wouldn't have made a good gundam pilot after all.
Scowling over the steering wheel, Pagan muttered, "I knew when she first set her sights on young Mr. Yuy during the war that she was headed for heartache. My sources revealed that he was unswervingly homosexual, and I doubted he could ever be convinced or - given the intensity of his training - coerced into acting otherwise. But she wouldn't listen. And now His Highness Milliardo has also fastened his affections on someone unavailable. It is incredibly vexing."
Duo's grin faded slowly as he worked that out. Milliardo - Zechs - had the hots for Wufei, the same Wufei that he, Duo, was involved with. OK, he definitely shouldn't be hearing this. He shifted uneasily, his headache making it tough to think of the right words to say. "Uh..."
Pagan seemed to notice his discomfort and shook his head slightly, blinking owlishly. "I beg your pardon, Mister Maxwell," he said with slow dignity. "I did not mean to burden you with unwanted confidences. But your reputation has preceded you; I know you never tell a lie. If you agree to keep silent about what you have learned, I know you will take it to your grave."
"Suuuure, Pagan. I won' tell anyone." Duo smiled, relieved. Pagan smiled back, and nodded, and Duo nodded too, and they smiled and nodded together companionably for a bit.
Then Pagan glanced back at the road, and abruptly spun the wheel, the tires squealing slightly as the big car lurched back into the proper lane. Duo clutched the armrest as they powered through the curve, drifting over the centre line and back again.
"Whoa! Slow doooown, Pag'n," Duo said, not really joking. "We're gonna end up crashin'"
"Yes sir, we will," Pagan said carefully, and locked the doors.
Duo stared groggily, struggling to understand. A tiny voice at the back of his head was screaming that he was trapped and he had to get out NOW! Frowning with concentration, he pushed the unlock button, but the knob refused to move. Pagan must have engaged the master lock...
Pagan smiled sadly. "Please understand that I do respect you greatly, Mister Maxwell. I had planned this scenario with His Excellency in mind, but the opportunity was simply too good to miss."
Shaking off his shock, Duo fumbled with his seatbelt buckle.
"Your friends will discover the soporific gas canister in the ventilation system, and assume the trap was intended for Her Majesty," Pagan said, enunciating carefully. Duo lunged awkwardly across the front seat, trying to get to the master lock switch on the driver's-side door.
"I doubt that they will be able to discover that the accident that closed the freeway was arranged," Pagan mused, his words ever so slightly slurred. "I've arranged so many little accidents in my life in support of the Peacecrafts..."
Duo flailed uselessly, his movements clumsy and slow, as he tried to reach past Pagan. He did manage to knock the chauffeur's arms aside, and they took the next turn with a screech of outraged rubber.
Duo was thrown back into his own seat. His head pounded, making it difficult to think, and his breath came in whooping gasps.
"Ah, ah, ah, Mister Maxwell," Pagan took one hand off the wheel to waggle an admonishing finger at him. "I failed with Miss Relena, but I'll see Prince Mill'ardo happy if it's the las' thing I do."
The sound of the tires on the ground stopped abruptly, and the car began to tilt forward. With a spurt of terror, Duo realized that the car had left the top of the cliff in a graceful dive, its wheels spinning uselessly in the air as it headed for the surf hundreds of feet below.
His mind cleared slightly under the rush of adrenaline. He wouldn't be able to open any of the doors against the increasing wind resistance - emergency exit doors on shuttles slid aside or opened inwards for that very reason.
Doors that slid aside...
Duo stabbed his right hand toward the control panel on the dashboard, his legs curling under him clumsily, desperately. The engine was still racing, there was still power - if only there were enough time. He had to jab at the button several times, but eventually he hit it.
The sunroof opened obediently, and Duo launched himself up from the front seat and out, ignoring Pagan's harsh cry of furious denial and his clutching hands.
He didn't make it cleanly; the wind took him and slammed him against the edge of the opening, sending him tumbling, pain screaming through him. He barely had time to curl himself into a loose ball before he hit the water - an impact as hard as hitting concrete at this speed.
End Page 32
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