Title: Acquisition
Author: Scriptophobic
Pairings: Eventual 1x2x1, 5xR, 3x4
Warnings: (i will update warnings as the parts progress. don't worry there isn't any NCS or stuff that would scar anyone for life.)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Obviously.
There was something about the sound of Une's shoes that was incredibly disturbing. Preventers HQ always seemed to be eerily quiet so you could hear her heels clicking against the floor as she marched down a hall three corridors away. Trowa had never thought it was possible to march in high heels but if anyone could accomplish such a task, Une was definitely that person. Which was probably why most people found her intimidating. The way she walked, the way she talked and the way she seemed to look right through you. Trowa snorted and crumpled his Dixie cup in one hand. Those people would have shit their pants if they'd met her during the war.
He glanced at his watch and debated going into the conference room now. The meeting was set to start in approximately four minutes. He had two choices. He could stand by the water cooler for that time or go in early and listen to people make pointless small talk. He'd been away on L3 for the past two weeks and was certain that Quatre would do his best to "catch him up" during that time. Trowa started to fill up another Dixie cup. By the water cooler it was.
Trowa leaned against the wall and stared at his water. He didn't really want to be there. He didn't want to be standing in front of Conference Room 3 on Level 5 of the Preventers Headquarters. He didn't particularly want to be in Brussels either, or on the planet for that matter. He wanted to be on L3 with Cathy, helping her rebuild her Circus Troupe but it didn't look like that was happening for a long time. Not until the evil rebel group was destroyed and peace was restored again. He shook his head and dumped the cup into the garbage without drinking it.
He heard her heels clicking towards him and looked up. "Commander Une," He greeted her politely.
"I do believe we have a conference now, don't we Barton?"
"We do in two minutes, Commander," He replied blandly.
She raised an eyebrow at him and began clicking towards the door. "We're starting early so perhaps you should stop dawdling by the water cooler."
Trowa sighed and followed her into the oversized conference room, straightening his tie as he took a seat beside Wufei. Quatre, Heero, Noin and Sally were sitting around the table and they all nodded to him in greeting. He ignored them and took a bagel from the platter in the middle of the table, picking the sesame seeds off as he listened to Une thank them for coming.
"Welcome back from your vacation, Trowa. Is Catherine well?" Une asked.
Like you care. "She's fine," He replied shortly. She could have asked that when they were in the hall instead of bringing it up in front of everyone else.
"I saw her a month ago during a trip to L3," Noin put in. "She seemed to be recovering nicely."
Trowa grunted and slathered cream cheese on his bagel. He could feel everyone (well maybe not Wufei and Heero) staring at him as they waited for some kind of response so he continued to concentrate on his bagel until they got the hint. Wufei did a poor job of smothering a snicker and Une cleared her throat before moving on.
"I've gathered all of you here," She looked directly at the ex Gundam pilots. "Because we have received new information regarding the terrorist group, Black Dawn. In the past two years their acts have become more brazen and more deadly and they are steadily growing in size. The most disturbing aspect of this is that people are following them and listening to their message; willing to do their bidding." She looked at Noin and nodded. "Your data?"
Noin looked at the pilots and folded her hands in front of her. "As the head agents involved in this operation you all know that data has been scarce when it comes to information on Black Dawn. Their whereabouts and their objective have always been very obscure. However our spy network has successfully discovered that the head of operations for Black Dawn is in fact on the colonies. We may not be able to get an exact location for months or maybe even years, but it's a start." She cleared her throat and looked at the papers before her. "Several informants have reported new threats made by people in the Black Dawn organization. Threats that surpass any of the deeds they have done thus far."
Wufei raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "We get threats everyday, how are we to know that these are legitimate?"
"Eleven informants spread all throughout the earth sphere and the colonies have reported the same plot for two months now. It appears to be more than the usual random threat on Relena's life," Sally replied.
"So what is it?" Heero asked impatiently.
"A plan to decapitate the government and to overthrow the Earth Sphere United Nation. I won't discuss the details until things are confirmed but I want you all to be aware of the fact that it is a very real threat and I want you to be prepared for things to come," Une said grimly.
"Are we looking at a repeat of the Mariemaia thing?" Trowa asked as he poked at his uneaten bagel. It had seemed a lot more appetizing before it had actually been ready to be eaten. He looked up at Une and wondered if that was a flash of irritation that he detected in her eyes. She'd grown very protective over the little monster since the kid apparently couldn't even go to a regular school without getting called 'the-little-freak-who-tried-to-ruin-peace-and-stuff'.
"We are looking at a repeat of the Dekim Barton incident," She corrected icily.
"Is there anything we can do until things are confirmed?" Quatre asked, changing the subject hurriedly.
"There's an operation in the works now but it has yet to be Okayed by the ESUN. You'll be informed when it is," Noin replied. "We'll need all of you for it if it is," She added meaningfully.
"We'll be ready, Lieutenant," Wufei told her.
Une, Sally and Noin all exchanged looks. "The main reason for this conference is to discuss a missing member of our team. A member who's presence will be very necessary if we go through with our plan," Sally said with exaggerated care.
"Relena?" Wufei asked with a confused frown. "Isn't she in--?"
Une cut him off with a sharp shake of her head. "Duo."
There was complete silence for a moment and Trowa took that time to look at the other three pilots. Quatre and Wufei looked more surprised than anything else but Heero just looked pissed off. "I haven't spoken to Duo in years," Trowa said honestly.
"I... Duo and I lost contact about four years ago," Quatre said with a guilty frown. "After Hilde lost the company and I refused-- well that isn't important I guess. I try looking for him every so often, but you know Duo. He just disappears when he wants to."
"I stopped talking to Duo when he stopped being intelligent," Wufei said disgustedly.
"We don't need him," Heero said flatly.
"That's not your decision," Une replied. "The operation calls for all five of you and Duo Maxwell's presence will be desperately needed."
"He's a criminal--"
"Well technically we're all criminals," Trowa said dryly. "Terrorists actually. Especially Zechs." He ignored Noin's dirty look and leveled a glance at Heero.
"We don't need him," Heero insisted. "Look at what he did to Hilde. Do you think someone like that can be trusted on an operation of this magnitude? He's a liar, a thief and a junky."
"And an excellent agent and a damn good Gundam pilot," Noin retorted.
"He was once," Wufei agreed. "But who knows about now? He hasn't been an active agent for almost six years, Noin. He may not even be up to whatever this operation will entail. And aside from that, no one knows where he is. Duo is almost as good as disappearing as Heero is."
Une stood up and walked over to the window. "We know where he is. We've know where he's been for awhile now. He's no longer dependant on drugs and he's most certainly not stealing or committing any more crimes."
"Then what the hell is he doing?" Heero demanded.
Sally looked down at her notes. "Duo Maxwell," She read. "Prisoner #76230 of New Gate Penitentiary on Colony X780432 of the L2 cluster. Convicted of possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and two counts of assaulting a police officer. He was sentenced to seven years in maximum security."
Everyone was silent for a very long moment as it sank in. "Well at least he's moved up in the world... or should I say the colonies," Trowa commented dryly.
"Will you stop with the sarcastic comments?" Quatre snapped and turned to the three women with a confused frown. "I don't understand. Why wouldn't you tell us? Is he okay?"
"How long has he been there?" Wufei asked in alarm.
"Three years."
"Three years!? In THAT place? They send the worst criminals there, Une! Do you really think he could survive in a place like that?!" He practically yelled at her.
"You'd be surprised what Duo could survive through," she replied coolly. "Now if all of you can save your concerns and outrage until after this meeting is complete we can continue." She turned back to the table and crossed her arms over her chest. "Duo will be temporarily released and depending on his cooperation and level of advancement, his sentence will be voided and he will return to his former position here at Preventers. This is not up for debate. It's done. He will be picked up, returned and evaluated. If he does not pass the evaluations, he will be retrained. If in three months time his results are still unsatisfactory, he will be returned to New Gate. Agent Yuy and Agent Mathers will pick him up on Monday--"
"Why do I have to go?" Heero demanded. Petulant would have been a good word to describe him if he hadn't looked so homicidal.
"Because as of tonight, you will be the only one available of this team. As I was saying, he will be picked up on Monday and you will return on Wednesday afternoon. He will be briefed when you arrive back in Brussels so you have orders not to dispel any information that he wouldn't already know from public media sources. Agent Mathers is not involved in this operation so she is not to be informed either." Une picked up her mug of coffee and sipped it slowly. "Be prepared to leave for L2 tomorrow morning. If anyone has any questions or comments regarding Duo or his involvement, I'll address them at a later time." She put down her mug and looked everyone over. "Have a nice day."
She walked out of the room and it was quiet for all of thirty seconds before everyone began talking at once. Trowa took a bite of his bagel and chewed it slowly. Well, this was going to be interesting.