Mistaken Words chapter 70
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:28 pm
Mistaken Words
AN: I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas present we?ve reached another milestone! 70 chapters, and I apologise in advance for however long it takes to get more chapters out. I hope you can all forgive me and stick with me! Oh! And to those readers who have been guessing at the Inner Circle member it will now be revealed ^_~ hope you remember him.
Disclaimer: No surprises I still don?t own Gundam Wing.
One by One
?Alright, get down from there,? a jovial voice manage to growl into his ear, late on the second day.
Heero looked closely at the image of Duo staring up at the Gundam, his arms folded across his chest, a stern expression plastered on his face. An eyebrow slowly raised on Heero?s face as he silently wondered where his friend had appeared from. Last he had heard Duo was nearly across the colony. ?Don?t you have a job to be doing?? he asked back calmly.
?I?m giving you to the count of five, then I?m coming up there,? Duo warned a smile turning up at the corner of his mouth.
?Gorren, what?s he planning?? Heero turned his attention to his tech.
?Not really sure sir, he wanted to know your location I didn?t think twice about telling him.?
?Hn?? he very briefly debated what to do, ?Put me through to him,?
?Right away,? Gorren almost chuckled.
?Don?t you have work to be doing?? Heero asked his braided friend immediately.
Duo pointed a finger up at the Gundam, ?Part of my job is to make sure you take a break like the rest of us, now get your ass down here!?
Did he really want to give into such demands? He had been working steadily since Zero had been made operational, and he felt fine. A little tired perhaps as it took a fair deal of effort to control the ZERO system. Still he was needed for the safety of the agents, to try and stay ahead of the Inner Circle, he hadn?t really factored in breaks. Which is why he had brought himself supplies when he left the others.
?Look this isn?t up for debate Heero,? Duo pointed out firmly his patience clearly waning. ?You part in all this isn?t so important you can neglect yourself, now get down here!?
?Are you going to go down sir?? Gorren asked sounding unsure but bemused.
?Looks as though I might not have much of a choice?? Heero responded dryly, not putting it passed Duo to climb up there and drag him down.
?I?ll keep an eye on things for sir, you should take a break.?
Heero grunted at that, but reached for the controls that would open the Gundam?s hatch, as the artificial light of the colony filtered in Heero shifted to the edge of his seat. Hearing a contented chuckle from Duo echo into his ear, Heero planted a firm glower on his face as he made his way down to Duo. His friend continued to smile despite the look he received motioning Heero towards the van he had driven up in.
The area of the colony that Zero stood in was completely secured, there wasn?t much reason to be in the line of fire unless they wanted to use the Gundam as a means to suppress the masses. Heero could monitor things from a distance, and still maintain a sense of control. He glanced at his watch to get a sense of the time, being unable to really judge by the lighting around him, Heero was rather surprised to see it was eight in the evening.
?Glad to see you decided to come down,? Duo greeted as he pulled the door of the van opened.
?Not like I was given much of a choice,? he returned flatly.
?Have to make sure you take a break every now and again,? the braided pilot quipped, pulling out a couple of ration packs and bottled water. ?Take a seat,? he said then nearly pushing Heero into the van.
The Japanese man didn?t really bother putting up a fight at the moment, knowing Duo would let the matter go once he had been satisfied, but he couldn?t keep from pointing out, ?You know I have rations and water in Zero.?
?Yeah and left alone you?d never come down and no doubt never sleep.?
?I?m needed,? he responded simply tearing open the rations to start eating.
Duo shook his head leaning against the outside of the van, he wasn?t blocking the doorway, but Heero didn?t doubt he?d spring into action if the need should arise. ?We?re all needed, that doesn?t keep us from finding a few hours of shut eye.?
?I can manage a little sleep in Zero,? he figured it was a futile effort to point that out to Duo, as he didn?t expect his friend to back down.
?No doubt, but at least this way I can be sure you?re getting it,? the American smiled widely.
Heero repressed a sigh, wondering if he wanted to fight this when Gorren?s voice spoke quietly into his ear. ?Go ahead sir, things have been relatively quiet this last little while, I?ll inform you if anything comes up.? Heero didn?t bother responding to that but kept his steady gaze fixed on Duo, who had not ceased in smiling since he had come down from Zero.
?Hey I?m not asking much,? he broke the silence, ?Just a couple hours, then I?ll leave you alone. I?m surprised Gorren hasn?t been all over you about this already.?
?Not much he can do from central control,? Heero drawled calmly. It was true comments had been made on a couple of occasions with Eimz and Gorren switching out every so often they had wondered what Heero had planned for his own rest. For the most part Heero had ignored such questions, putting them off with more important matters, however, ?Looks like they found someone to do it for them.?
?Nah I actually asked them, can?t say I?m surprised by what I heard,? he shook his head, ?I know we?re all taking less sleep that the other agents, but that doesn?t mean you can go with none,? he pointed a finger firmly in Heero?s direction, ?So eat up and get some sleep, then I?ll let you get back to work, and you can look forward to one less thing for Sally to yell at you about.?
Heero shook his head haplessly, willing to give in this time if only because it would get him out there again faster. He made a mental note to have a talk with Gorren and Eimz when he came back on shift. That he put up with this once, didn?t mean he wanted it to be happening again and again. Although Zero was hard to hide, he felt fairly confident that he could avoid the other pilots if his techs weren?t pointing them in the right direction the entire time.
WMWMWMW
Duo stretched his body a soft groan escaping his lips as he did.
?I told you to wait for back up,? Chad?s tone was very much ?I told you so?.
But Duo only grinned touching lightly at his tender ribs, ?Hostages saved, three members of the Inner Circle taken in, I?d say it worked out just fine.?
?And just how many bullets did you take?? Duo could hear the raised eyebrow in that question.
?Not a one,? Duo beamed looking over to the shorter man with a mess of red hair topping his head, ?I?m proud to say I haven?t lost a drop of blood yet.?
Chad shook his head, although he too was grinning, ?Fine I?ll rephrase, how many cracked ribs do you have, from he bullets that hit your vest??
The former pilot laughed, ?A couple, probably,? he immediately brought his breathing back under control silently wondering how Heero had dealt with so many of them for so long. It had been a long time since he had broke a rib.
The Inner Circle had been getting more desperate as time went on and the search continued. It had become clear to Duo after the second day that they had prepared for this, he had been in the residential area rigged to explode when Trowa had safely disarmed their explosives. And after having forced Heero to take a break from running Zero he had learned a little more of the plans the Inner Circle had made. That they had captured so many members in the first two days didn?t relieve Duo of the challenge to come. They were buried deeper now, prepared to put up a fight.
Duo felt his lips turn up in a vicious grin as he moved towards the door, prepared or not they were all going down.
?You heading back out?? Chad asked then.
?That?s my job,? Duo quipped turning at the door to cast his tech support a friendly wave, ?Let me know where I?m needed.?
?So long as you stop jumping in front of bullets,? he returned in joking tones.
Duo laughed, ?I make no promises,? he tossed over his shoulder before letting the door close behind him. The room outside was a buzz with activity as men just waking up from their rest to begin the new shift. Duo strode pass them waving casually at a few who acknowledge him, as he made his way outside.
?Duo, I?ve got Ash here, seems he?s found something interesting,? Chad informed suddenly his voice speaking quietly into Duo?s ear.
?Put him through,? Duo instructed stepping outside, ?What?s the matter Ash??
?Just stumbled across something odd,? his voice was low, and Duo didn?t think that was just because the mic was near his mouth, ?I thought we cleared the small manufacturing district early yesterday.?
?That we did,? Duo confirmed dropping a hand onto the motorcycle he had been using primarily throughout the mission.
?Well I think we might have missed someone.?
Duo straddled the motor bike, ?Alright where are you??
?I?m on Houten just passed Scriven, it?s a steel factory, Melnans is the name,? Ash filled in the necessary details.
?You get that Chad??
?I?ve got the fastest rout already plotted,? the tech replied, and Duo flipped the vid screen down before his right eye, ?Should be there in five minutes.?
Duo reved the engine, ?I?m on my way.?
WMWMWMW
Ash looked across the street to the window he had caught the sudden movement from, he hadn?t seen anything more since contacting Duo, but that didn?t lead him to believe he had been seeing things. Ash was now considering the possibility that he himself had been seen, and whoever had been inside knew they had been spotted. He glanced at his watch, Duo wouldn?t be long in arriving. Not wanting to risk whoever was still in the factory slipping out another way, Ash made to cross the street gun in hand.
The service door to the factory was open when Ash pushed his hand against it, and he immediately stopped pulling back to the cover of the wall. A soft chuckle in his ear relaxed him almost instantly, ?Sorry Ash, that was me,? Chad informed. ?I didn?t think you?d be willing to wait, I?m watching the building now, I?ve got a reading on the suspect, he?s not running.?
?Maybe he didn?t see me,? Ash mused slipping inside the building, but not really getting his hopes up either. The lights were dim within the factory but more than enough for Ash to see by as he slipped through what shadows he could hide within. He glanced cautiously around the corner, ?You?ll warn me if whoever this is gets behind me right??
?Nah that?s a service I only offer the pilots,? Chad chuckled.
Ash shook his head, ?I sure hope you?re kidding,? he returned dryly moving further into the building. ?Where about?s he located??
?Second floor just above you.?
Taking careful note of the schematic on the small screen Ash saw the best route to the suspects location and made for it. He made little sound as he climbed the stairs keeping his movements slow and sure, his breathing silent and even. At the top of the stairs Ash made towards the front of the building where he knew the suspect was still waiting, at least Chad hadn?t told him otherwise.
Glancing around the last corner Ash caught sight of the man silhouetted against the window, he appeared completely unaware. Ash stepped into sight gun raised, ?Hold it right there,? he announced firmly.
?I?m inside coming to your position,? Duo?s voice spoke to him softly.
The man slowly turned towards him and as Ash shifted position he became better able to see the suspects face, ?Milo?? he blinked in surprise, having not seen his friend since this mess had all started, ?What are you doing here??
?Ash?? Milo said sounding a little surprised, ?I thought that was you I saw on the street, what?s going on??
Ash took a step deeper into the room regarding his friend with a raised eyebrow, the gun lowering in his hands, ?You can?t tell me you don?t know Dante announced it to the entire colony, we?re searching for the Inner Circle.?
?Of course I knew about that,? the man smiled his empty hands spreading away from his body. ?But this sector had already been cleared??
?Which is why we?re curious to know what you?re doing here,? Duo spoke up suddenly stepping around the corner gun aimed at Milo?s chest.
Milo sprung into action with a speed and directness that shocked Ash. Before he could think twice, Milo had him by the neck, a gun he had pulled from behind him pressed tightly into Ash?s side. ?The hell?!? he bit off immediately trying to struggle out of Milo?s grip.
?I will shoot you,? the black haired man warned in a low voice, ?Drop your gun.?
WMWMWMW
Duo watched, his gun held steadily before him, as Ash was taken and his own gun slowly dropped from his hand. The former pilot had heard some of the conversation they had had, before he had arrived, the mic they wore picked up a good deal of sound. He knew the man to be Milo, a name he wasn?t familiar with but Ash had clearly been. The surprise still on his face told Duo Ash hadn?t been expecting this when he approach the man.
?Stay back unless you want him to die,? Milo warned Duo, backing away from the gun Ash had dropped while keeping his gun pressed to Ash?s side.
?Unless you?re Inner Circle, there?s no reason for this,? Duo attempted already pretty sure that was exactly what this man was.
?Before today I?ve never heard of them, what the hell?s the meaning of occupying our colony?? he demanded back, sounding half way convincing. ?We?re no longer a member of the ESUN.?
?Milo this isn?t the best way to get information,? Ash spoke carefully, eyeing the dark eyed man as best as he could held as he was.
Duo?s eyes narrowed as he studied the man, lavender eyes met with golden-brown, ?I doubt he really needs much info on what?s been going on.? Milo?s grip tightened on Ash a fraction and he moved to hide himself more completely behind his supposed friend. ?In fact I bet my life on it, that he knows more about the Inner Circle than we do.?
That comment caused a raised eyebrow, about the only expression he could make out from the man using Ash as a human shield. ?I highly doubt you?re willing to stake Ash?s life on it.?
?Well you see that all depends,? Duo informed his tone bordering on friendly which drew a suspicious look from both Ash and Milo. ?What is it you want??
?I want safe access off this colony,? Milo answered without hesitation.
Duo made a show of thinking it over, his gun still aimed though his stance had relaxed some, this man wasn?t sure enough of himself to do anything drastic, Duo felt fairly sure of that. ?We?ve got ourselves a bit of a problem here??
?No problem, no questions,? the dark haired man growled, ?Or he dies,? he finger clearly and pointedly tightened around the trigger. But Duo was by no means more convinced of his intentions, he just didn?t have it in his eyes. Perhaps he and Ash truly had become friends despite this unknown difference between them.
?According to the ESUN, I?m not permitted to negotiate with terrorists,? his tone was apologetic.
?You?d think you?d be willing to make an exception this one time,? Ash huffed trying to pull as far from the gun barrel as he could while remaining motionless.
?Shut-up!? Milo jerked him back digging the gun in.
?However as much as I like to follow the rules, there?s Sally to consider, who seems to think anytime injury happens while I?m around it?s somehow my fault.? He purposefully made his tone more serious he wanted Milo to believe he?d cooperate.
And it seemed he did, Milo relaxed a hair his finger shifting from the trigger just enough, ?So we have an agreement then, my escape for Ash?s life.?
Duo took aim and fired in one smooth breath, his bullet piercing Ash?s shoulder before ripping through Milo. Both men cried out in surprise and pain, as Duo lunged forward throwing Ash aside as he kicked the gun across the room, it had fallen from Milo?s numb hand almost immediately. ?I always like the third option best,? he quipped watching as the light left the terrorist?s eyes, the bullet had torn through his heart. Turning he looked at Ash who was staring at him in disbelief, pain lancing through his hazel eyes as he gripped his bleeding shoulder. ?Welcome to the group,? he smiled moving to kneel down in front of Ash to access the injury.
?What the hell was that?!? Ash demanded biting down on his lip.
?Think of it as initiation,? Duo quipped pulling aside Ash?s vest, he had had to aim for a seam otherwise the bullet would have never made it to Milo.
?Fuck,? the injured man hissed, and although he didn?t look pissed, he was not exactly pleased either.
Thanks for Reading!
Go ?splodie?:
Duo remained standing by Heero's side eyes studying him intently. He had come to know Heero very well over the years that they had fought together and he was pleased to see that even three years apparent hadn't dulled his senses where his friend was concerned. He knew about Heero's ability to wake himself without sounding the alarm, it was a useful gift, and one Duo envied. Kahlan was completely unaware glancing back over his shoulder at the bed, but unable to pick out the subtle changes that alerted Duo.
However even Duo was shocked when the heart monitor suddenly sounded its alarm, seconds before his eyes shot over to the small screen to confirm what he had heard Duo saw Heero's right arm tense, as the former pilot became aware of the cuff securing him to the bed. Heero eyes had flown open a second later, and Duo hated himself for having not see this coming for having not thought how Heero might take to being restrained on waking. There was panic in those eyes, though it disappeared instantly well before Kahlan was at his side.
It was obvious Sally had made several things clear to Kahlan in her training, as the medic didn't immediately lay his hands on Heero but rather made an attempt to get the former pilot's attention. By this point Heero's heart rate had evened out again as much as it had before he woke, and his expression was blank. "Heero--"
That was all Duo allowed Kahlan to get out, "Could you give us a moment," he heard himself asking and was surprised.
"I really need to examine him," the medic protested immediately.
"It'll be alright, he'll still be here when I'm done," Duo wasn't waiting for agreement now, as he ushered the man out of the room and locked the door behind him.
When he turned around he saw Heero sitting up on the bed a dark expression set on his face as he jerked the cuffs a few times before turning his glare on Duo. The braided man winced slightly, he couldn?t believe this hadn?t occurred to him, and he could have killed himself for it. "I'm..." Duo stopped himself a second before he apologized, knowing that wouldn't improve matters with Heero. "Stupid," he chided himself as he pulled the key from his pocket and released the cuff around Heero's wrist, "I blame it on a lack of sleep."
Heero said nothing in respond but shifted further on the bed so his legs were dangling off the edge and he head was down shielding his eyes from view. Duo watched him silently for a while trying to decide what he should do next. There was no way he was going to leave his friend alone, he just got this feeling that that wasn't what Heero wanted. The Japanese man's free hand rose to massage at the bridge of his nose, and he ducked his head a little lower.
"Your head?" he asked even though it was obvious. To have found out these headaches weren't life threatening eased Duo's mind a little, still he would have preferred Heero had seen to them. Heero mutely nodded his head, and Duo reached for the light controls, shutting them off completely so only the monitors cast their meager glow about the room. He found himself resting against a desk almost across the room from Heero, wanting to give his friend some space.
The words that came out of the darkness shocked Duo, "Does anything scare you?" but the voice was unmistakably Heero's, tired and warn thin. Completely stunned for several moments Duo tried to speak, not wanting to break this moment. He knew Heero had been struggling with something deep since the torture with Luc, they had all known it. And after the call Wufei had received from Jay it became plain that they really couldn't ignore it any longer. But still the matter of approaching Heero on the subject was far from easy.
"Sure," he said tone light not trying to brush the matter aside or belittle it, just keep things relaxed. "I'm scared of loosing my family, down right terrified of my children ever having to defend this peace..." he trailed off slowly, watching Heero intently. something in Heero's silence, told Duo that wasn't what his friend had been searching for.
And it all suddenly clicked for him, the past year, all that had happened to Heero, all that he had suffered through. They all knew the torture had affected Heero, but Duo didn't think he had fully understood it until now. The reaction he had witnessed when Heero had awoke only confirmed what he had heard from Wufei. Apparently Heero had a similar sort of reaction while staying with Jay. Or at least something like that had to have happened for Jay to have ever found out about the torture.
It hadn't really occurred to Duo that anything could have affected his friend so deeply. The matter had been discussed a few times among the pilots. But Duo didn't think any of them really wanted to admit that any of them could be touched. However Duo could no longer deny it either to them or himself, he too had been cut deeply in the past, though he'd never have compared it to Heero's.
"To be completely honest with you, I haven't been really comfortable in space, since the day OZ shut off the oxygen to the cell Wufei and I were being held in." That had been several years ago, but Duo had woke shaking on more than one occasion, thankfully always alone. Like Heero this wasn't something he wanted commonly known.
There was silence still but Duo saw Heero shift, and he waited not sure if he should actually be expecting anything from his friend but he was certainly hoping for something. "How...did you deal?" he asked finally voice hardly more than a harsh whisper.
Duo folded his arms across his chest slowly shaking his head, "I'm still dealing," he admitted again finding it surprisingly easy to open up to Heero about this, something only his wife knew. "I don't like waking in pitch black rooms, I don't go so far as a nightlight, but it just reminds me too much of the void of space..."
Heero's head dropped between his shoulders completely hiding his features within the shadows.
"I know it's not easy to ask for help, hell I tried to bury the feelings with alcohol, but you already know that doesn't really do much but let you forget for a short period of time." he sighed at a loss for words, he'd never expected to find himself in this position with Heero. But he was determined to help him he just didn?t know how, none of them really did.
?Who could help?? it was a honest question, and perhaps one Heero didn?t truly want an answer to.
?I know if doesn?t do much to suggest profession help right now, no one would be able to get around the fact that you?ve been dead this last year to offer you real help.? Duo began trying without great success to lighten his voice again. ?Not sure you?d even really want to go for it if you could get it, I never really did. Spent a lot of long hours talking to Hilde though.?
?She understood??
?Not really, but she listened, and tried to comfort, that did help,? he smiled at the memory, not reliving the moments of the fear, but of talking to Hilde and feeling as though he had nothing to be ashamed of.
Heero drew in a breath, ?I can?t??
Duo could understand the reaction, near suffocation was truly a far cry from torture, and Relena wasn?t even aware of what had happened. There had been no occasion to tell her, and it had just been better off that way. ?You know you can always talk to me, I?m no professional, but I know you better than they ever will.?
He felt Heero?s eyes watching him from the darkness, and wasn?t sure if there was appreciation in those cobalt eyes, he hoped so. But wasn?t himself ready to push Heero into this, he knew how that felt. ?We?re all here,? he added feeling a little silly for it, no doubt Heero would have known that, but he wanted his friend to be sure.
Morganeth Taren?drel
AN: I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas present we?ve reached another milestone! 70 chapters, and I apologise in advance for however long it takes to get more chapters out. I hope you can all forgive me and stick with me! Oh! And to those readers who have been guessing at the Inner Circle member it will now be revealed ^_~ hope you remember him.
Disclaimer: No surprises I still don?t own Gundam Wing.
One by One
?Alright, get down from there,? a jovial voice manage to growl into his ear, late on the second day.
Heero looked closely at the image of Duo staring up at the Gundam, his arms folded across his chest, a stern expression plastered on his face. An eyebrow slowly raised on Heero?s face as he silently wondered where his friend had appeared from. Last he had heard Duo was nearly across the colony. ?Don?t you have a job to be doing?? he asked back calmly.
?I?m giving you to the count of five, then I?m coming up there,? Duo warned a smile turning up at the corner of his mouth.
?Gorren, what?s he planning?? Heero turned his attention to his tech.
?Not really sure sir, he wanted to know your location I didn?t think twice about telling him.?
?Hn?? he very briefly debated what to do, ?Put me through to him,?
?Right away,? Gorren almost chuckled.
?Don?t you have work to be doing?? Heero asked his braided friend immediately.
Duo pointed a finger up at the Gundam, ?Part of my job is to make sure you take a break like the rest of us, now get your ass down here!?
Did he really want to give into such demands? He had been working steadily since Zero had been made operational, and he felt fine. A little tired perhaps as it took a fair deal of effort to control the ZERO system. Still he was needed for the safety of the agents, to try and stay ahead of the Inner Circle, he hadn?t really factored in breaks. Which is why he had brought himself supplies when he left the others.
?Look this isn?t up for debate Heero,? Duo pointed out firmly his patience clearly waning. ?You part in all this isn?t so important you can neglect yourself, now get down here!?
?Are you going to go down sir?? Gorren asked sounding unsure but bemused.
?Looks as though I might not have much of a choice?? Heero responded dryly, not putting it passed Duo to climb up there and drag him down.
?I?ll keep an eye on things for sir, you should take a break.?
Heero grunted at that, but reached for the controls that would open the Gundam?s hatch, as the artificial light of the colony filtered in Heero shifted to the edge of his seat. Hearing a contented chuckle from Duo echo into his ear, Heero planted a firm glower on his face as he made his way down to Duo. His friend continued to smile despite the look he received motioning Heero towards the van he had driven up in.
The area of the colony that Zero stood in was completely secured, there wasn?t much reason to be in the line of fire unless they wanted to use the Gundam as a means to suppress the masses. Heero could monitor things from a distance, and still maintain a sense of control. He glanced at his watch to get a sense of the time, being unable to really judge by the lighting around him, Heero was rather surprised to see it was eight in the evening.
?Glad to see you decided to come down,? Duo greeted as he pulled the door of the van opened.
?Not like I was given much of a choice,? he returned flatly.
?Have to make sure you take a break every now and again,? the braided pilot quipped, pulling out a couple of ration packs and bottled water. ?Take a seat,? he said then nearly pushing Heero into the van.
The Japanese man didn?t really bother putting up a fight at the moment, knowing Duo would let the matter go once he had been satisfied, but he couldn?t keep from pointing out, ?You know I have rations and water in Zero.?
?Yeah and left alone you?d never come down and no doubt never sleep.?
?I?m needed,? he responded simply tearing open the rations to start eating.
Duo shook his head leaning against the outside of the van, he wasn?t blocking the doorway, but Heero didn?t doubt he?d spring into action if the need should arise. ?We?re all needed, that doesn?t keep us from finding a few hours of shut eye.?
?I can manage a little sleep in Zero,? he figured it was a futile effort to point that out to Duo, as he didn?t expect his friend to back down.
?No doubt, but at least this way I can be sure you?re getting it,? the American smiled widely.
Heero repressed a sigh, wondering if he wanted to fight this when Gorren?s voice spoke quietly into his ear. ?Go ahead sir, things have been relatively quiet this last little while, I?ll inform you if anything comes up.? Heero didn?t bother responding to that but kept his steady gaze fixed on Duo, who had not ceased in smiling since he had come down from Zero.
?Hey I?m not asking much,? he broke the silence, ?Just a couple hours, then I?ll leave you alone. I?m surprised Gorren hasn?t been all over you about this already.?
?Not much he can do from central control,? Heero drawled calmly. It was true comments had been made on a couple of occasions with Eimz and Gorren switching out every so often they had wondered what Heero had planned for his own rest. For the most part Heero had ignored such questions, putting them off with more important matters, however, ?Looks like they found someone to do it for them.?
?Nah I actually asked them, can?t say I?m surprised by what I heard,? he shook his head, ?I know we?re all taking less sleep that the other agents, but that doesn?t mean you can go with none,? he pointed a finger firmly in Heero?s direction, ?So eat up and get some sleep, then I?ll let you get back to work, and you can look forward to one less thing for Sally to yell at you about.?
Heero shook his head haplessly, willing to give in this time if only because it would get him out there again faster. He made a mental note to have a talk with Gorren and Eimz when he came back on shift. That he put up with this once, didn?t mean he wanted it to be happening again and again. Although Zero was hard to hide, he felt fairly confident that he could avoid the other pilots if his techs weren?t pointing them in the right direction the entire time.
WMWMWMW
Duo stretched his body a soft groan escaping his lips as he did.
?I told you to wait for back up,? Chad?s tone was very much ?I told you so?.
But Duo only grinned touching lightly at his tender ribs, ?Hostages saved, three members of the Inner Circle taken in, I?d say it worked out just fine.?
?And just how many bullets did you take?? Duo could hear the raised eyebrow in that question.
?Not a one,? Duo beamed looking over to the shorter man with a mess of red hair topping his head, ?I?m proud to say I haven?t lost a drop of blood yet.?
Chad shook his head, although he too was grinning, ?Fine I?ll rephrase, how many cracked ribs do you have, from he bullets that hit your vest??
The former pilot laughed, ?A couple, probably,? he immediately brought his breathing back under control silently wondering how Heero had dealt with so many of them for so long. It had been a long time since he had broke a rib.
The Inner Circle had been getting more desperate as time went on and the search continued. It had become clear to Duo after the second day that they had prepared for this, he had been in the residential area rigged to explode when Trowa had safely disarmed their explosives. And after having forced Heero to take a break from running Zero he had learned a little more of the plans the Inner Circle had made. That they had captured so many members in the first two days didn?t relieve Duo of the challenge to come. They were buried deeper now, prepared to put up a fight.
Duo felt his lips turn up in a vicious grin as he moved towards the door, prepared or not they were all going down.
?You heading back out?? Chad asked then.
?That?s my job,? Duo quipped turning at the door to cast his tech support a friendly wave, ?Let me know where I?m needed.?
?So long as you stop jumping in front of bullets,? he returned in joking tones.
Duo laughed, ?I make no promises,? he tossed over his shoulder before letting the door close behind him. The room outside was a buzz with activity as men just waking up from their rest to begin the new shift. Duo strode pass them waving casually at a few who acknowledge him, as he made his way outside.
?Duo, I?ve got Ash here, seems he?s found something interesting,? Chad informed suddenly his voice speaking quietly into Duo?s ear.
?Put him through,? Duo instructed stepping outside, ?What?s the matter Ash??
?Just stumbled across something odd,? his voice was low, and Duo didn?t think that was just because the mic was near his mouth, ?I thought we cleared the small manufacturing district early yesterday.?
?That we did,? Duo confirmed dropping a hand onto the motorcycle he had been using primarily throughout the mission.
?Well I think we might have missed someone.?
Duo straddled the motor bike, ?Alright where are you??
?I?m on Houten just passed Scriven, it?s a steel factory, Melnans is the name,? Ash filled in the necessary details.
?You get that Chad??
?I?ve got the fastest rout already plotted,? the tech replied, and Duo flipped the vid screen down before his right eye, ?Should be there in five minutes.?
Duo reved the engine, ?I?m on my way.?
WMWMWMW
Ash looked across the street to the window he had caught the sudden movement from, he hadn?t seen anything more since contacting Duo, but that didn?t lead him to believe he had been seeing things. Ash was now considering the possibility that he himself had been seen, and whoever had been inside knew they had been spotted. He glanced at his watch, Duo wouldn?t be long in arriving. Not wanting to risk whoever was still in the factory slipping out another way, Ash made to cross the street gun in hand.
The service door to the factory was open when Ash pushed his hand against it, and he immediately stopped pulling back to the cover of the wall. A soft chuckle in his ear relaxed him almost instantly, ?Sorry Ash, that was me,? Chad informed. ?I didn?t think you?d be willing to wait, I?m watching the building now, I?ve got a reading on the suspect, he?s not running.?
?Maybe he didn?t see me,? Ash mused slipping inside the building, but not really getting his hopes up either. The lights were dim within the factory but more than enough for Ash to see by as he slipped through what shadows he could hide within. He glanced cautiously around the corner, ?You?ll warn me if whoever this is gets behind me right??
?Nah that?s a service I only offer the pilots,? Chad chuckled.
Ash shook his head, ?I sure hope you?re kidding,? he returned dryly moving further into the building. ?Where about?s he located??
?Second floor just above you.?
Taking careful note of the schematic on the small screen Ash saw the best route to the suspects location and made for it. He made little sound as he climbed the stairs keeping his movements slow and sure, his breathing silent and even. At the top of the stairs Ash made towards the front of the building where he knew the suspect was still waiting, at least Chad hadn?t told him otherwise.
Glancing around the last corner Ash caught sight of the man silhouetted against the window, he appeared completely unaware. Ash stepped into sight gun raised, ?Hold it right there,? he announced firmly.
?I?m inside coming to your position,? Duo?s voice spoke to him softly.
The man slowly turned towards him and as Ash shifted position he became better able to see the suspects face, ?Milo?? he blinked in surprise, having not seen his friend since this mess had all started, ?What are you doing here??
?Ash?? Milo said sounding a little surprised, ?I thought that was you I saw on the street, what?s going on??
Ash took a step deeper into the room regarding his friend with a raised eyebrow, the gun lowering in his hands, ?You can?t tell me you don?t know Dante announced it to the entire colony, we?re searching for the Inner Circle.?
?Of course I knew about that,? the man smiled his empty hands spreading away from his body. ?But this sector had already been cleared??
?Which is why we?re curious to know what you?re doing here,? Duo spoke up suddenly stepping around the corner gun aimed at Milo?s chest.
Milo sprung into action with a speed and directness that shocked Ash. Before he could think twice, Milo had him by the neck, a gun he had pulled from behind him pressed tightly into Ash?s side. ?The hell?!? he bit off immediately trying to struggle out of Milo?s grip.
?I will shoot you,? the black haired man warned in a low voice, ?Drop your gun.?
WMWMWMW
Duo watched, his gun held steadily before him, as Ash was taken and his own gun slowly dropped from his hand. The former pilot had heard some of the conversation they had had, before he had arrived, the mic they wore picked up a good deal of sound. He knew the man to be Milo, a name he wasn?t familiar with but Ash had clearly been. The surprise still on his face told Duo Ash hadn?t been expecting this when he approach the man.
?Stay back unless you want him to die,? Milo warned Duo, backing away from the gun Ash had dropped while keeping his gun pressed to Ash?s side.
?Unless you?re Inner Circle, there?s no reason for this,? Duo attempted already pretty sure that was exactly what this man was.
?Before today I?ve never heard of them, what the hell?s the meaning of occupying our colony?? he demanded back, sounding half way convincing. ?We?re no longer a member of the ESUN.?
?Milo this isn?t the best way to get information,? Ash spoke carefully, eyeing the dark eyed man as best as he could held as he was.
Duo?s eyes narrowed as he studied the man, lavender eyes met with golden-brown, ?I doubt he really needs much info on what?s been going on.? Milo?s grip tightened on Ash a fraction and he moved to hide himself more completely behind his supposed friend. ?In fact I bet my life on it, that he knows more about the Inner Circle than we do.?
That comment caused a raised eyebrow, about the only expression he could make out from the man using Ash as a human shield. ?I highly doubt you?re willing to stake Ash?s life on it.?
?Well you see that all depends,? Duo informed his tone bordering on friendly which drew a suspicious look from both Ash and Milo. ?What is it you want??
?I want safe access off this colony,? Milo answered without hesitation.
Duo made a show of thinking it over, his gun still aimed though his stance had relaxed some, this man wasn?t sure enough of himself to do anything drastic, Duo felt fairly sure of that. ?We?ve got ourselves a bit of a problem here??
?No problem, no questions,? the dark haired man growled, ?Or he dies,? he finger clearly and pointedly tightened around the trigger. But Duo was by no means more convinced of his intentions, he just didn?t have it in his eyes. Perhaps he and Ash truly had become friends despite this unknown difference between them.
?According to the ESUN, I?m not permitted to negotiate with terrorists,? his tone was apologetic.
?You?d think you?d be willing to make an exception this one time,? Ash huffed trying to pull as far from the gun barrel as he could while remaining motionless.
?Shut-up!? Milo jerked him back digging the gun in.
?However as much as I like to follow the rules, there?s Sally to consider, who seems to think anytime injury happens while I?m around it?s somehow my fault.? He purposefully made his tone more serious he wanted Milo to believe he?d cooperate.
And it seemed he did, Milo relaxed a hair his finger shifting from the trigger just enough, ?So we have an agreement then, my escape for Ash?s life.?
Duo took aim and fired in one smooth breath, his bullet piercing Ash?s shoulder before ripping through Milo. Both men cried out in surprise and pain, as Duo lunged forward throwing Ash aside as he kicked the gun across the room, it had fallen from Milo?s numb hand almost immediately. ?I always like the third option best,? he quipped watching as the light left the terrorist?s eyes, the bullet had torn through his heart. Turning he looked at Ash who was staring at him in disbelief, pain lancing through his hazel eyes as he gripped his bleeding shoulder. ?Welcome to the group,? he smiled moving to kneel down in front of Ash to access the injury.
?What the hell was that?!? Ash demanded biting down on his lip.
?Think of it as initiation,? Duo quipped pulling aside Ash?s vest, he had had to aim for a seam otherwise the bullet would have never made it to Milo.
?Fuck,? the injured man hissed, and although he didn?t look pissed, he was not exactly pleased either.
Thanks for Reading!
Go ?splodie?:
Duo remained standing by Heero's side eyes studying him intently. He had come to know Heero very well over the years that they had fought together and he was pleased to see that even three years apparent hadn't dulled his senses where his friend was concerned. He knew about Heero's ability to wake himself without sounding the alarm, it was a useful gift, and one Duo envied. Kahlan was completely unaware glancing back over his shoulder at the bed, but unable to pick out the subtle changes that alerted Duo.
However even Duo was shocked when the heart monitor suddenly sounded its alarm, seconds before his eyes shot over to the small screen to confirm what he had heard Duo saw Heero's right arm tense, as the former pilot became aware of the cuff securing him to the bed. Heero eyes had flown open a second later, and Duo hated himself for having not see this coming for having not thought how Heero might take to being restrained on waking. There was panic in those eyes, though it disappeared instantly well before Kahlan was at his side.
It was obvious Sally had made several things clear to Kahlan in her training, as the medic didn't immediately lay his hands on Heero but rather made an attempt to get the former pilot's attention. By this point Heero's heart rate had evened out again as much as it had before he woke, and his expression was blank. "Heero--"
That was all Duo allowed Kahlan to get out, "Could you give us a moment," he heard himself asking and was surprised.
"I really need to examine him," the medic protested immediately.
"It'll be alright, he'll still be here when I'm done," Duo wasn't waiting for agreement now, as he ushered the man out of the room and locked the door behind him.
When he turned around he saw Heero sitting up on the bed a dark expression set on his face as he jerked the cuffs a few times before turning his glare on Duo. The braided man winced slightly, he couldn?t believe this hadn?t occurred to him, and he could have killed himself for it. "I'm..." Duo stopped himself a second before he apologized, knowing that wouldn't improve matters with Heero. "Stupid," he chided himself as he pulled the key from his pocket and released the cuff around Heero's wrist, "I blame it on a lack of sleep."
Heero said nothing in respond but shifted further on the bed so his legs were dangling off the edge and he head was down shielding his eyes from view. Duo watched him silently for a while trying to decide what he should do next. There was no way he was going to leave his friend alone, he just got this feeling that that wasn't what Heero wanted. The Japanese man's free hand rose to massage at the bridge of his nose, and he ducked his head a little lower.
"Your head?" he asked even though it was obvious. To have found out these headaches weren't life threatening eased Duo's mind a little, still he would have preferred Heero had seen to them. Heero mutely nodded his head, and Duo reached for the light controls, shutting them off completely so only the monitors cast their meager glow about the room. He found himself resting against a desk almost across the room from Heero, wanting to give his friend some space.
The words that came out of the darkness shocked Duo, "Does anything scare you?" but the voice was unmistakably Heero's, tired and warn thin. Completely stunned for several moments Duo tried to speak, not wanting to break this moment. He knew Heero had been struggling with something deep since the torture with Luc, they had all known it. And after the call Wufei had received from Jay it became plain that they really couldn't ignore it any longer. But still the matter of approaching Heero on the subject was far from easy.
"Sure," he said tone light not trying to brush the matter aside or belittle it, just keep things relaxed. "I'm scared of loosing my family, down right terrified of my children ever having to defend this peace..." he trailed off slowly, watching Heero intently. something in Heero's silence, told Duo that wasn't what his friend had been searching for.
And it all suddenly clicked for him, the past year, all that had happened to Heero, all that he had suffered through. They all knew the torture had affected Heero, but Duo didn't think he had fully understood it until now. The reaction he had witnessed when Heero had awoke only confirmed what he had heard from Wufei. Apparently Heero had a similar sort of reaction while staying with Jay. Or at least something like that had to have happened for Jay to have ever found out about the torture.
It hadn't really occurred to Duo that anything could have affected his friend so deeply. The matter had been discussed a few times among the pilots. But Duo didn't think any of them really wanted to admit that any of them could be touched. However Duo could no longer deny it either to them or himself, he too had been cut deeply in the past, though he'd never have compared it to Heero's.
"To be completely honest with you, I haven't been really comfortable in space, since the day OZ shut off the oxygen to the cell Wufei and I were being held in." That had been several years ago, but Duo had woke shaking on more than one occasion, thankfully always alone. Like Heero this wasn't something he wanted commonly known.
There was silence still but Duo saw Heero shift, and he waited not sure if he should actually be expecting anything from his friend but he was certainly hoping for something. "How...did you deal?" he asked finally voice hardly more than a harsh whisper.
Duo folded his arms across his chest slowly shaking his head, "I'm still dealing," he admitted again finding it surprisingly easy to open up to Heero about this, something only his wife knew. "I don't like waking in pitch black rooms, I don't go so far as a nightlight, but it just reminds me too much of the void of space..."
Heero's head dropped between his shoulders completely hiding his features within the shadows.
"I know it's not easy to ask for help, hell I tried to bury the feelings with alcohol, but you already know that doesn't really do much but let you forget for a short period of time." he sighed at a loss for words, he'd never expected to find himself in this position with Heero. But he was determined to help him he just didn?t know how, none of them really did.
?Who could help?? it was a honest question, and perhaps one Heero didn?t truly want an answer to.
?I know if doesn?t do much to suggest profession help right now, no one would be able to get around the fact that you?ve been dead this last year to offer you real help.? Duo began trying without great success to lighten his voice again. ?Not sure you?d even really want to go for it if you could get it, I never really did. Spent a lot of long hours talking to Hilde though.?
?She understood??
?Not really, but she listened, and tried to comfort, that did help,? he smiled at the memory, not reliving the moments of the fear, but of talking to Hilde and feeling as though he had nothing to be ashamed of.
Heero drew in a breath, ?I can?t??
Duo could understand the reaction, near suffocation was truly a far cry from torture, and Relena wasn?t even aware of what had happened. There had been no occasion to tell her, and it had just been better off that way. ?You know you can always talk to me, I?m no professional, but I know you better than they ever will.?
He felt Heero?s eyes watching him from the darkness, and wasn?t sure if there was appreciation in those cobalt eyes, he hoped so. But wasn?t himself ready to push Heero into this, he knew how that felt. ?We?re all here,? he added feeling a little silly for it, no doubt Heero would have known that, but he wanted his friend to be sure.
Morganeth Taren?drel
Die suckas!!! 
