Disclaimer: If I owned YYH or Gundam Wing, I'd be living in a much bigger apartment, believe me.

Notes: This is a crossover between Gundam Wing and Yu Yu Hakusho - if you're unfamiliar with YYH, it shouldn't be a problem, I'm trying to keep it accessible from both fandoms. Some general information: (contains some spoilers for YYH)

YYH is a series about a group of four demon hunters. Yuusuke is a human with demonic ancestry, Hiei is a fire demon who likes his own kind about as much as he likes humans, Kurama is a fox demon who was killed and reincarnated as a human - he's also about a thousand years old at least, and the most experienced of the group. Kuwabara is a full blooded human. It should be noted that the three demons are immortal.

Any comments or critiques are accepted - my beta reader doesn't know the GW fandom at all, so feedback on tone, characterization, etc would be greatly appreciated.

Stranger Things
Part One

"No, Ineed backup now, not in a couple of hours." Their captor had one hand pressed against his right ear, where, presumably a headset or earpiece rested. His free hand was tapping compulsively against the console, ratting out a disjointed pattern that Kurama supposed could have some basis in an actual musical tune. At the moment it sounded more like the young man across from him was attempting not to reach across the console and do something regrettable with the handgun laying there.

Actually, that was probably the case.

Yuusuke was sprawled on the floor of their "cell" – just an empty room with large windows and a single, currently barricaded, door. Kurama thought perhaps the building had once been a scientific laboratory, or something similar – with his arms and legs spread akimbo, staring at the ceiling and occasionally scowling darkly at both Kurama and their captor. The soldier he was mad at for getting the drop on them. Kurama he was mad at for not letting him blow the place up and escape.

"No, I won't still need backup in a couple hours because by then I'll have gone insane and killed myself just to stop dealing with these guys." Their captor stalked a few steps across the room, stopped and then stalked back and grabbed the handgun. "One of them keeps hitting on me, and the other one talks to his makeup."

Yuusuke sputtered and practically levitated to a standing position, his reikai communicator still clenched in one fist. "Hey! This is not makeup, you little fuck! It's a highly sophisticated communication… thing!"

"Well, how the hell should I know what they want? They're speaking some kind of archaic Japanese." The soldier glared into thin air. "Yes, Wufei, I know I speak Japanese. What part of archaic is not making sense?" He scowled. "Yes, Wufei, I know. But Heero's not answering his radio."

"I told you to spend more time in the human world," Kurama said serenely, smiling brightly at the young man when he shot them another suspicious glance. "Language is fluid, Yuusuke."

His friend stared at him blankly. "And that explains why he can't understand us?"

"Yes, Yuusuke."

"I can understand him." Yuusuke jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the soldier, who jerked slightly and narrowed his eyes.

Kurama nodded. "Yuusuke, do you remember me telling you that hiding in the demon world would only alienate you from human society even more than you already were, and that upon your return, you might not even be able to communicate?"

"About sixty times a day for the last four hundred years."

The youko let that pass. "Well I knew you wouldn't listen. So I convinced Koenma to spare a translator spell."

The kid was rubbing a hand over his face. "I don't care if there's a bomb threat. Why do they need you for that? Let the Preventers handle it."

Yuusuke had his hands on his hips. "You put a spell on me?"

Kurama hummed a few lines of an old song while the soldier threw one hand – the one with the gun – up in the air and said, "Yes I know you're a Preventor! So am I! But seriously, don't we have a fucking bomb squad or something?"

"All right, seriously?" Yuusuke crossed his arms and glared. "I'm not happy with this situation."

"So let them blow up the palace! It's not like the country's even a real monarchy anymore anyway."

"If you have any rational ideas on escape, I'm willing to entertain them." Kurama watched the young man – boy really, because to Kurama's practiced eye he looked all of seventeen – try to pinch the bridge of his nose and nearly hit himself with the gun. At a glance the boy was barely competent; uncoordinated, loud, brash, mouthier than Yuusuke. But he'd gotten the drop on two demons with fifty times his experience. Kurama supposed that the Yuusuke-factor probably compensated for his own skill with stealth and subtlety, so he wasn't surprised the boy had noticed them. He was, however, impressed that they had not noticed him until it was too late. "And blowing up the building is still not a rational idea."

"Oh, please." Their captor was aiming a dirty look at the computer screen. "Relena can afford to rebuild."

Yuusuke quirked a brow at him. "Sounds like it's all the rage today," he pointed out, waving toward their captor.

"We've done quite enough property damage for the day, I think. Koenma can only turn a blind eye to so much, after all."

Black boots with a single white stripe down the front – a rather ridiculous fashion, Kurama thought, and who had designed those, anyway? – didn't make a single sound against the tiled floors as their captor stalked back to the console. They should have, Kurama thought, they looked like the sort of boots that made a satisfying 'clack' on hard surfaces and let people know you were coming from a hundred feet away. "No, I don't think they are," the boy said, and he was staring at Kurama as he said it. "I think they're something else altogether, and that worries me. Who else is playing this game with us?"

There was something, a scuffle of rubber against tile, a rustle of cloth as a body pressed against a wall, the distinct sound and smell of a firearm. Kurama gestured Yuusuke to stay silent, and pressed a hand against the glass, meaning to warn their captor.

The boy had already noticed, raising Kurama's opinion of him again. The boy had stopped moving and was carefully watching the door on the far side of the room that led back to the hallway.

For a second nothing happened.

Then there was the static of a radio – strangely unchanged all these years – and then a man's voice, in the almost-English most of the planet spoke now, saying "This is Sigma, checking in. I believe I have the target cornered."

Kurama exchanged a sideways glance with Yuusuke. The young soldier was the only person they'd encountered after entering the building, so odds were good these guys weren't after them. Looked like their captor was about to have company.

So, he asked with a glance, shall we play?

Yuusuke cracked his knuckles and rolled his head, loosening the muscles in his shoulder.

Then whoever was outside kicked the door open.

"So let them blow up the palace! It's not like the country's even a real monarchy anymore anyway." Duo kept one eye on the two guys locked up in the observation room while he scanned the readouts on the console with the other. Nothing yet, and if he didn't get something soon he was going to be in trouble. He knew they should have sent Heero on this mission. What Duo didn't know about hacking could fill an encyclopedia.

"That would leave the Vice Minister homeless, Maxwell." Wufei sounded just a little bit amused. "Where would she hold her soirees?"

"Oh, please," Duo scoffed. "Relena can afford to rebuild." He was getting twitchy and he knew it. Those two in the observation room were giving him a funny feeling – like how had they even gotten in here past all the crazy, gun-toting terrorists, anyway? And the red head was freaking him out with his calm and pleasant demeanor. That is not how normal people reacted when you pulled a gun on them and locked them in a room.

Well, Quatre, maybe. But he was a Gundam pilot and thus exempt from all accusations of normalcy.

"Are you sure they aren't with the Colonial Liberation Front?" Wufei asked. "If your presence has been detected, it may be best to retreat before they realize you've gained access to their systems. It is possible we could download the data we need from a secure location via the uplink."

He'd already thought about that, but there was no guarantee the uplink would last five minutes if he was forced to cut and run. "No, I don't think they are," he said, answering Wufei's question. He studied the redhead, who was still watching him with a passive, friendly smile. Weird. "I think they're something else altogether, and that worries me. Who else is playing this game with us?" If the CLF had friends… damn. Things were getting bad enough already.

He resisted the urge to sigh. This was supposed to be an easy mission. Basic infiltration and data retrieval. In, download, out. But Huit and Devmen, the two Preventers who were acting as his backup had gone silent and his partner wasn't answering the radio, and he was really, really starting to regret not having time for a cup of coffee this morning.

Something in the hallway; a muffled footstep.

Wufei said something, his voice too loud and Duo breathed a nearly silent order for silence.

The prisoners moved, the redhead splaying his fingers across the glass and glancing meaningfully at the door, and how the hell had they heard that in there?

Duo eased off the safety on his gun and waved the prisoners back, hoping they got the hint to stay away from the glass. If they felt the need to warn him, then whoever was out there probably wasn't on their side, and the CLF had demonstrated a distinct lack of concern for innocent bystanders.

There was a burst of static, quickly silenced, and a low murmur of a man's voice. Duo couldn't make out the words, but if this guy was calling for backup then Duo needed to get out of there. Now.

The door slammed open hard enough to bounce off the wall behind it and two men in black and grey fatigues stormed in. Duo snapped off two quick shots as he grabbed the laptop case and dove for the computer console.

The first of the intruders fell back and his buddy stumbled over him for a second, giving Duo a chance to take aim. The second man jerked backwards as the shot hit his shoulder but he kept his feet.

Duo cursed as he pulled the laptop free. Whatever they'd gotten would have to be enough. He shoved the computer into its case and slung the back over his shoulder.

The injured terrorist grunted, drawing Duo's attention back. The bullet had taken his gun arm, but he was aiming now with his left arm, the shock making him shaky. Duo doubted the man could get off an accurate shot with his arm trembling like that.

But hey, why take chances? He aimed for the right thigh and fired before the terrorist could draw his shot. The guy screamed this time, then staggered and fell against the wall.

On the other side of the glass window the redhead and the punk were watching him approach. Neither one, Duo noted, seemed at all concerned by the fact that he'd just shot two people and was now advancing on them. He'd met some pretty collected people in his line of work but even Trowa'd be watching him warily in this situation. Anyone with any common sense would be.

So everyone but Heero. And these two.

That comparison did nothing to ease his mind about them.

He pointed at the downed terrorists, the second guy still holding his leg and groaning. "Friends of yours?"

The redhead shook his head but didn't say anything. Just as well; he wouldn't have understood anything said anyway. Although, Duo was pretty sure they could understand him.

He pulled the door open and gestured with the handgun. "Then you're better off with me. Let's move."

He stopped to grab the radio from the dead terrorist, clipping it to his pants as he paused in the doorway to scan the hall. It was empty and he slipped out. "Fast," he said shortly, and paused just long enough to see them both nod back.

Duo counted off turns in his head as he retraced his steps to the extraction point where he was supposed to rendez-vous with Huit and Devmen; a rear service exit in what must have been a loading bay back when the building was still in use. The door opened practically into the woods, and a quarter mile through the woods was a busy highway where his backup was, allegedly, waiting for him.

"Just go straight through the woods," he said quietly. "Stay together and stay with me. I will shoot you the instant I think you're up to something. Go."

The redhead nodded, gave his partner a stern look and took the lead. The younger guy rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath before he followed with all the grace and stealth of a rhino. Duo figured that if at any point he needed to sneak away from someone he was definitely leaving this guy behind.

There was only about twenty yards of open grass between the building and the woods, which they could cross quickly at a run. If they could stay unseen-

Or not.

The redhead slid to a stop as a dozen armed men, wearing the same black and grey fatigues as the terrorists inside had been, stepped out of the treeline and took aim.

The punk swore loudly – the language was unfamiliar, but a soldier knew how to recognize a curse when he heard one – and dug his feet in, bringing his hands up into an offensive position. Streetfighter, Duo pegged him, and then he had other things to worry about.

"Preventers," a voice boomed out from behind and above him. Duo spun slowly and saw a man in a suit, flanked by two gunman, standing on the roof of the loading bay. "Throw down your weapons and the computer, and place your hands behind your head."

This day totally sucked.

Duo dropped the handgun and let the computer bag slip off his shoulder to hit the ground. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure," he called up, tilting his head slightly and squinting into the sun.

"I don't believe you ever shall, Agent." The man on the roof waved a hand. "Bring them inside. And get the computer."

Duo tensed as the line of men broke and started toward them. One Preventer and two whatever-they-were against several armed adversariesmade for bad odds, even without the two gunmen on the roof. If he could disarm one and use him as a shield while he took out the rest…

Two shots cracked out and the gunmen on the roof crumpled. The suit didn't wait to see what had happened, he just took off running.

Or his backup could finally show the hell up. That could work, too.

He dropped to a crouch and grabbed his handgun, twisting the strap of the computer case around his free hand. A third shot took out another terrorist, and he saw the two strangers attack the ones closest to them. The punk sent his opponent flying with one punch, while the redhead got behind his opponent, hooked his arm around the man's throat and choked him while using the man as a living shield. Three of the terrorists closed in on Duo.

"Maxwell!"

A half dozen Preventers were closing in from the front of the building. Four broke away to deal with the last few terrorists, and two made a beeline for Duo.

"What happened to 'there's a bomb in the palace'?" Duo demanded he drove his elbow back into the groin of the terrorist trying to sneak up on him.

"Really, Maxwell." Wufei didn't bother looking at him as he buried his knee in a terrorist's stomach, and slammed his elbow into the back of the guy's head as he doubled over. "That's what we have bomb squads for."

"We came as soon as we got your call." Hilde was only wearing half her Preventer's uniform – black pants and white shirt, no jacket or tie, and her boots had been replaced with running shoes. She'd probably been leaving for the night when Duo had called for backup.

Duo made a mental note to feel bad about that later. "You know, Wufei, it's not nice to make your teammates think they've been abandoned to their fate." He caught movement down to his right and saw a black-clad figure leaning around the edge of the building, taking aim on Wufei while his back was turned. "What's so hard about just saying that you're on your way?"

"You tend to work best under pressure," Wufei said absently. "I was merely providing you with added incentive to be on your guard."

"You're full of shit, Wufei."

Hilde smashed the butt of her handgun into a terrorists face, sending him to the grass with a heavy thud. "I think we're clear."

Duo scanned the ground quickly, but did not holster his weapon. "We'll need to get a forensics team in here. Hilde, radio in that I want Van Dreser from Intel to go over these computers with a magnifying glass." He patted the computer case resting against his hip absently. "I don't know if there's anything we can use on here, but it's a place to start. And someone find out what happened to Huit and Devmen."

Wufei nodded to the two prisoners. "What are we doing with them?"

Duo met the steady gaze the redhead was aiming his way, convinced the guy understood every word. "We're bringing them in."

"For what?" Hilde asked. "I thought you said they weren't in on it."

"They were here for a reason. I want to know what. And besides," he added, "there's something off with them. That one doesn't make any noise when he moves."

"Neither do you," Wufei said.

"Yeah, well." Duo flashed him a grin. "We all know I'm a paragon of virtue and morality, right?"

Wufei snorted.

HeadQuarters was a converted OZ military barracks that had managed to survive the war relatively intact. Duo thought it was ironic to use an OZ military base as a Preventer's HQ; several OZ supporters in the aristocracy though it was a slap in the face, which made the arrangement perfect as far as he was concerned.

It was after dark by the time they returned to HQ. Wufei's team escorted the seven terrorists who were capable of moving under their own power to interrogation rooms in the lower levels, with a stern order to report anything of consequence immediately. Three others, including the one Duo had shot in the leg, were under guard at a military hospital nearby. The two strangers – Duo's redhead and punk – had already been escorted to an interrogation room where half a dozen interpreters had already tried and failed to get anything more than names out of them. Duo was pretty sure they were faking it at this point.

Hilde stuck around long enough to get her things from her desk before she finally left for the night. Duo thought wistfully of doing the same, but there were prisoners waiting downstairs and Wufei got cranky when people didn't do their fair share of the paperwork.

Duo rolled his shoulders and rubbed his hands over his face. They'd been tracking the CLF for several months now and he didn't think the handful of grunts being interrogated downstairs would tell them anything new. So far the organization seemed to operate with most of its members in the dark. Someone high up the ladder of command passed bits and pieces down to the foot soldiers. The lower ranks operated with handouts of information and piecemeal orders that, if captured, would give the authorities almost nothing to work on.

What they needed, Duo thought as he stared through his fingers at his computer screen, was one of the higher ups. If they could get a hold of a ringleader, pull some information out of him…

Wufei rapped his knuckles against the wall of Duo's cubicle. "Une wants us upstairs."

"Does she ever go home?" Duo let his head rest against the back of his chair as he stared up at Wufei.

"You couldn't prove it by me," Wufei said.

Considering that Wufei himself practically lived in his office, Duo supposed that was really saying something. "And where is Heero?" he grumbled as he pushed himself out of his chair and followed Wufei toward Une's office. "I couldn't get the jerk to answer his radio to save my life. Literally."

"So I gathered." Wufei said dryly. "That's part of what Une wants to address."

"Has something happened?" Apprehension pricked at skin on the back of his neck and Duo rubbed a hand over it absently. "Does he have a mission or something?" He didn't get an answer.

Wufei didn't bother knocking on Une's door. He walked in, giving a brief nod to Une before grabbing a chair in front of her desk. Duo snapped a salute – well, an approximation of one, he could never remember if the hand was supposed to come from above or below, and anyway, it wasn't like anyone actually expected him to adhere to protocol – and took a seat as well, shooting Wufei an exasperated look.

Une regarded them both calmly, her glasses perched on the tip of her nose, her hair tied in a loose knot on the back of her neck. She had already been briefed, so Wufei just went over the basics and brought her up to date on the captives. "Seven suspected members of the Colonial Liberation Front," Wufei said, "we've got field retinal scans, but no matches. Not a surprise – many colony residents are not scanned and added to the citizen database."

"Retinal scans are required for all citizens coming to Earth," Une pointed out calmly.

"If you came to Earth through a spaceport," Duo said. "These guys probably have their own ships. They're not coming in through the passenger shuttles."

Wufei nodded his agreement. "We suspect that they're gaining entry to Earth by illicit means. It is possible they have a landing site in a secure location. They could be shadowing a larger craft and breaking off once they're under radar. That runs a high risk of exposure, however, as the craft they shadow could spot them visually, as could any number of sources on the ground."

"Another idea is that they're being smuggled in." It had been Duo's idea, actually. "Get a legit shipping company to carry some large crates for you. Say they're full of antiques or machinery, something that needs special handling. In reality there's men packed up inside for the trip to Earth. Once they land, the crates are processed – either they bribe the customs guys, or they manage to swap out the crates before they get to that stage – and you've got a bunch of people who don't exist as far as the EarthGov knows."

Une folded her hands. "I take it this is strictly conjecture?"

"So far we've got nothing," Duo said. "But hopefully the batch down below can tell us something."

"And speaking of prisoners, who are the two causing such consternation amongst my interpreters?" She arched a curious brow at Duo.

"I ran into them inside the CLF base. I don't think they're part of the gang." Duo frowned. "At least, if they are they aren't working with the guys we captured. They were pretty comfortable letting me shoot the two who tried to jump me inside the building, and they did help take down a few of the ones who ambushed us outside." Which totally could have been self-preservation.

"Could they have been responsible for the loss of your backup?"

Huit and Devmen still hadn't turned up, though there were signs of a struggle at the rendez-vous point. Their vehicle was gone too, meaning whoever had taken it had likely forced them to drive off, or disabled them and driven them away. "If they were working with someone. I ran into them right after I lost contact with my backup. There's no way they had time to ambush them and dispose of them then come back and run into me." Duo shifted in his seat and gave Wufei a dark look. "And speaking of backup, what's going on with Heero?"

Une glanced at Wufei over the top of her glasses. "Agent Yuy was given a mission last night. He was sent to gather reconnaissance on an individual believed to be affiliated with the Colonial Liberation Front."

"Agent Yuy checked in after the first six hours, but has missed each of his subsequent check-ins," Wufei reported. "At this point he is more than twelve hours overdue."

Duo refused to be worried just yet. Heero did this, demonstrating a complete lack of concern for his own safety and a total disregard for those who tried to watch his back. Being the man's partner was five percent heart-stopping worry, five percent patience and about ninety percent sado-masochism, which, Duo supposed, meant that he was about 95 perfect for the job.

"His next check in is in less than an hour." Wufei didn't exactly look sympathetic, but he did offer Duo the datapad he was reviewing and a knowing look. "While it's not uncommon for Agent Yuy to miss the occasional check-in-"

Duo snorted as he skimmed through the mission specs on the datapad.

Wufei ignored him. "-it is not like him to vanish for any great length of time without attempting some form of contact. If we don't hear from him within the hour, I propose taking a small rescue team in after him."

"I volunteer," Duo said automatically.

"Yes," Une said dryly. "I'm not surprised. Agent Chang, select five men and make preparations to depart." She stood, effectively dismissing them. "Be here for the next check-in."

"Or lack of," Duo muttered sourly. He spun his chair around to face Wufei, fixing the Chinese Preventer with a dark glare which totally failed to intimidate.

Wufei spared him an annoyed glance. "Yes, yes. You're on the rescue team – assuming he even needs it. Wake Hilde, tell her to be here at fifteen minutes past the hour."

"Oh, she'll love that. She probably hasn't even made it home yet."

"In the meantime," Une said, gesturing toward the door of her office, "Agent Maxwell, why don't you see to your mystery prisoners."

"I've got an idea about that," Duo said. "I may know someone who can clear up the mystery part. For our terrorists, too." He turned to Wufei. "Can you get me a physical identity profile on each of them?"

Wufei nodded. "It will take a little while to put it all together, but that's standard procedure anyway."

"I'll start with my mystery guys, then." He turned to Une. "With your permission?"

"Get out, Agent Maxwell."

He grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

"Incoming file for you, Ryou." Lieutenant Harmony leaned over the edge of the catwalk. "From Earth. Preventer HQ."

Captain Ryou Morgan excused himself from the huddle of technicians who had captivated his attention for the better part of the last two hours and jogged over to the stairs. Harmony met him at the top and matched his stride as he hurried to the control room. "HQ? Is it anyone we know?"

"That's the interesting thing, boss." Harmony lowered her voice, even though no one was around to hear her. "It's from a field agent named Duo Maxwell, but the ident code is the same as one we used to work with during the war."

"We worked with a lot of people, Gael." Ryou tugged at the collar of his own uniform. "And it's not like the Preventers is an odd place for revolutionaries to end up."

Gael Harmony shrugged. "That's true enough." She'd been trained as a communications expert by the Federation, only to turn the knowledge against them when she sided with the rebels and fought to overthrow Federation rule. When OZ had seized control of planetary government she'd simply switched focus. Now, with a relatively peaceful government instated, Gael worked for the Preventers as an outpost specialist, monitoring communication between the colonies and Earth. It wasn't as exciting as what she'd done during the war, but that was probably the point. "The ident code is Shinigami's."

Ryou glanced at her. "I'll be damned. I half expected never to hear from him again. He's a Preventer?"

"A field agent," Gael repeated. "He must have a hell of a lawyer. I'm stunned he didn't end up in a court martial."

"You can't court martial someone from the other side," Ryou said. "But a war crimes tribunal… Unless he was actually working for the people in charge all along."

He'd never met the rebel calling himself Shinigami in person, but you didn't have to be psychic to figure out that Shinigami was a Gudam pilot. By the end of the war the pilots had been all over the news and vid broadcasts, used as propaganda and martyrs by both sides. Ryou remembered seeing an image of one pilot and thinking they were even younger than he'd thought.

"Whatever he's up to, he seems to need your help again. The message just said he needed your knack for remembering names, but the files he's uploading to our system are identification profiles."

The control room was unhurried. There hadn't been any excitement for days and life aboard the outpost had settled into downtime like a cat lazing in the sun. Only a skeleton crew was on duty when Ryou climbed the steps to the control room, and Colonel Ginrei nodded to him from her place at the Operations console.

Harmony pulled the transmitted files up on her workstation. "Looks like he needs you to identify two prisoners." She skimmed through quickly. "He's got names, but nothing else. Seems they're ghosts as far as the system is concerned."

During the war, Ryou had been at the center of a spiderweb of rebel communications. Shinigami wasn't the only one who'd relied on his ability to dig up information, but he was one of the few Ryou had been generally fond of. "What are the names?"

Harmony pointed at highlighted text in the center of the screen. "Urameshi and Minamino."

Ryou felt his heart skip a beat. "Pull up the photos."

A tap of the keys brought up two photos, apparently taken in a detention facility. A young Asian man, in his late teens, was smirking at the camera from behind his bangs. The second photo, of another young man, perhaps a few years older, with long red hair and wide green eyes, appeared next to it on the screen.

Ryou realized he was digging his fingers into the back of Harmony's chair and made himself let go. "Huh," he said, and he glanced at Ginrei over his shoulder. "Urameshi and Minamino."

"Indeed," the Colonel said. "I was expecting them sooner."

"We should send someone," Ryou said. "I can be there by tomorrow night." He realized Harmony was watching them both, but he'd deal with that later.

Ginrei waved a hand. "Too long. Anyway, you've no reason to go. Surely we have someone in the area who is familiar with the situation?" She tilted her head to the side and clasped her hands behind her back. "Isn't your sister in the area?"

The door to their "cell" slid open in the middle of a long-winded one-sided conversation with the fifth interpreter – an older man who smelled of dust and books – that had come to speak with them. Yuusuke had fallen asleep two interpreters ago and was slumped in his chair. He was also drooling on himself, but Kurama was inclined to let him drool.

A young woman stepped into the room. She caught Kurama's attention instantly. Partly it was her striking features – sharp nose and chin, piercing eyes, ice-blond hair and pale skin – but part of it was her presence. He examined her for any trace of spiritual abilities, but found nothing. There was something intense about her though.

The interpreter glanced at her and immediately stood. "Miss Catalonia!"

Catalonia? Dorothy Catalonia, if Kurama recalled correctly, had played some part in the coup a few years ago.

"Leave us, please." Dorothy stepped aside and the man hesitated only long enough to receive a sharp glare. Then he was gone.

Dorothy glared at both of them and leaned forward, her knuckles resting on the table. "What the hell are you two up to this time?"

Kurama blinked. "Have we met?"

The young woman smiled grimly. "A long time ago, Kurama. Another lifetime ago. Now tell me what you two have gotten yourselves mixed up in while there's still time to undo whatever you've done."

Kurama bristled. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, please. You got captured by a human kid armed with a handgun. You're off your game, Kurama." Dorothy met his gaze head on and didn't flinch. "Why are you here?"

Yuusuke was awake now, whether because of the familiar words or the tension in the room. He and Kurama exchanged a brief glance. "We have reason to believe that a group of half-blood demons plan on manipulating another war. We don't know why-"

"Demons need a reason to wreak havoc?" Yuusuke asked.

"-but whatever it is, it's worth stopping."

"We've figured as much," Dorothy pushed her hair behind her ears. "Throughout the last war, we encountered numerous demonic influences. So many that we began to suspect the involvement of the Demon Lords of the Makai." She fixed Yuusuke with a knowing look and smirked when he flinched.

"You obviously know something about what's happening," Kurama said, leaning forward. "If we could work together-"

"Hard to do with you locked up as a suspected terrorist." Dorothy smiled sweetly. "But I'll take care of that. As long as you two agree to play along."

"We could just blow it up and escape-"

"Yuusuke."

"Fine, fine." Yuusuke slouched down in his seat. "Don't listen to my ideas."

Kurama regarded the young woman. "We don't even know who you are."

"I am Dorothy Catalonia," she said flatly. "And for now that's all you need to know. There are too many ears and eyes around here, and if you think you're the only ones with a secret to keep, you're vastly mistaken."

"All right. We'll work together."

"Good. In about an hour, one of the Preventer agents will be here to see you. My people are supplying them with false IDs for you two as we speak. Play along and you'll get out of here." She straightened. "And don't piss them off, Urameshi. If things get as bad as we fear, we may need the Preventers before this is over. Behave." She turned her back on them and left without another word, nodding to the guard stationed at their door as she left.

Yuusuke groaned and buried his face in his arms. "We are in so much trouble. You should have let me blow the building up."

Kurama was beginning to agree.

end chapter one