~ Part 1 ~
A young boy sits at the bar, sipping down the last of his blue. His drowsy eyes stare at the counter. A long brown braid hangs down his back and he seems to fade under the dark lights in his all black ensemble. The teenage bartender cleans the glasses again. She had been watching him on and off all night while serving the others. Finally she leaned in and looked him straight in the face, her arms crossed on the counter. She slides another Canadian beer in front of him and smiles. His eyes gradually look up and stare silently into her golden eyes.
Bartender: "It's on me. To take your mind off your problems."
Boy: "Thanks." He twists off the cap and takes a drink.
The near empty bar blared the end of ACDC's "Money Talks" and switches over to Queen's "Killer Queen", the old Rock and Roll had always been a favorite of the area and had inspired her to name the bar "The Hotel California" in dedication to the Eagles and the fact that this was her sanctuary from the heart ache she'd felt before she left her home. The lonely bar was along a stretch of highway where few a few old farmers or "regulars" lived and truck drivers and passerby's couldn't resist to stop for a drink before continuing their long drives to wherever. She had come to this old bar while escaping her abusive father and never regretted buying it. The "regulars" had helped her out immensely and she's never forget how they had built her a small living space above the bar and aided her in moving in.
The dark lights hid the eyes of that nights customers, were all just the regulars that day except for this boy, maybe that's why this boy had caught the young red heads attention and filled her with curiosity. She loved working at the bar, she met the most interesting people and sat to listen to their stories in total confidence of course. She had heard of Love, jealousy, revenge and even some of crime and murder. She wanted to hear this boy's story, he had big sad violet eyes and the sweetest face which just longed to tell someone his problems. She could tell this boy wasn't just traveling the roads, he was running away, just as she had.
Girl: "Alright you old bums, time to clear out. It's 2 am and your wives and husbands'll be huntin' me down if you don't get home." They finish their drinks and good-byes murmur through the crowd. One of them pulls her aside.
Mrs. Cook: "That ones cute, you should snatch em up girly!"
Girl: "Come on Brenna, stop tryin' to set me up."
Mrs. Cook: "Your an attractive young girl, Kodachi. I just want the best for you."
Kodachi: "I know." Mr. Benson walks up to them both.
Mr. Benson: "Now I'm not gonna play match maker like Brenna or Edith but I do think you should talk to him. He don't look to go."
Kodachi: "Thank you, I will. Now you guys head home, drive safe."
Benson: "I always do. See ya tomorrow." She ushers them out the door. Kodachi jogs back over to the counter. The boy takes one last drink of his half empty Blue, swallowing hard to procrastinate hitting the road. He casually turns and picks up his jacket to leave.
Kodachi: "There's no rush to leave boy. Sit down and finish up unless you got someone expectin' you somewhere." His eyes once again meet hers, full of grateful sorrow.
Boy: "Nah, I just don't wanna be a burden, you said you were closin'."
Kodachi: "Closin' time just means I'm just gonna clean up. 'sides I've gotten in trouble for stayin' open for the regulars to long, The Hotel California's open as long as you need it to be."
Boy: "Thanks." He sets his jacket back down and slumps back onto the stool. She watches him from the corner of her eye as he takes another drink, playing with the bottle as he goes deep in thought. She puts away the glasses a starts to wipe down the counter. Stopping in front of him again. She really wanted to help, she didn't want to send him off upset.
Kodachi: "Yah have a long day?"
Boy: "A long decade…things just not goin my way. The names Duo."
Kodachi: "Do ya wanna talk about her?"
Duo: "Her?" The Wallflowers "One headlight" starts into it's melancholy melody.
Kodachi: "Well, whenever a customer is reluctant to talk to me about something it's usually girl problems and the last one they want to talk with is another female."
Duo: "*sigh* Well, it is a problem with a female but trust me, it's not like that."
Kodachi: "Well, why dontcha tell me 'bout it?"
Duo: "I can't…I can't risk getting you wrapped up in it."
Kodachi: "You have my promise of secrecy."
Duo: "Well…I guess I couldn't hurt to much…ok. Well it started when me and my buddies, Heero, Wufei, Trowa and Quatre. Me and Heero were goin' to L3 where Trowa works…"
*flash back*
Duo: "Comon Heero! I wanna see the show!" Duo bounds ahead trying to coax Heero to the tent.
Heero: "We promised to meet the others here, we have no time-"
Duo: "We have tons of time! And they're probably inside anyway. It'll be fun! Pleeeze."
Heero gets a funny little crooked smile and sighs, jogging to keep up with the hyperactive boy.
Ring master: "Thanks for coming folks! We've got a spectacular show lined up for you today…"
After a few acts (including Trowa and Catherine's) there's a break for intermission. The two boys slip backstage where Trowa and Quatre are already waiting.
Heero: "Where's Wufei?" They all shake their heads.
Trowa: "We can't wait, here's the plan-"
::scrrrrrrrrrreeeeechhhh::
A bright blue convertible slides sideways on the grass, slowly coming to a stop. Wufei jumps out of the car followed by a young girl. They both run to the tent and barge in.
Wufei: "Alright, I'm ready." The young girl silently follows the young Chinese pilot smiling.
Wufei: "This is special Agent Hilde Shibick (?Spellings bad ). I was skeptical due to the fact that she's a weak onna but she came highly recommended but Agent Sally Po."
Duo: "In other words, Sally had ways of convincing you."
Wufei: "Shut up Maxwell."
Trowa: "Ok Hilde, come over here. This is the plan, The target is a company called the ESHPR laboratory (Earth Sphere Human Physics Research). They have developed a method of regenerating and combining human DNA. In other words, they can give their test subject the physical attributes and abilities of someone who's died by first regenerating the dead persons DNA and then combining it with their subjects. Luckily it's never been tested so we can stop this practice before a band of super-humans are created. We go in groups of two to infiltrate the enemy base and destroy the documents without destroying the building."
Heero: "Wouldn't it be easier to just destroy the building? It would get rid of the doctors, documents and evidence."
Quatre: "It's right in the middle of a city, we can't endanger others and they've been sharing research with their bases around the Earth Sphere and in the colonies. If we can wipe the information off the mainframe then it's gone for good." They turn their attention to the map of the building on the table in front of them.
Wufei: "Ok, Trowa and Quatre, you two start on the first floor. Me and Heero will take the second and Duo, you'll be with Hilde on the third."
Trowa: "There should be laptops and computers scattered around the building in every test lab and office. They will have information not shared, you must wipe out all the notes too. If you find the central computer, work on that and get your partner to get the small ones. Once your finished your floor we meet down the street at the tavern."
Heero: "Is that it?" He nods.
Wufei: "Then let's go."
*back*
Kodachi: "So are you like anti-government terrorists or a mini swat team?"
Duo: "Have you ever heard of The Preventers? We stop warfare before it starts."
Kodachi: "So was it just a botched mission?"
Duo: "Not quite. It was during the mission though, that……"
*Flashback*
Duo and Hilde ascend the stairs and start on their work. Duo's pager beeps.
Duo: "It's Wufei, he's gotten rid of his."
Hilde: "Page him back and tell him we're almost done." Duo nods and plays with the beeper.
Duo: "Alright, only one room left. This must have the computer."
He opens the electronic door and it slides open. The two teens walk in cautiously into the giant room. It looked like everything in there was metal and white.
Duo: "Damn, it's bright in here."
::beep beep beep beep::
Hilde: "It's Trowa, he's gotten the mainframe."
Duo: "There's no computers Then we're done in here."
Hilde: "Oh no we're not." She smiles cruelly and pulls a disk out of her shirt. Guards surround the door and she walks seductively up to Duo, he backs up looking pissed.
Duo: "Who are you??" He clenches his teeth.
Hilde: "Did you really think I'd let you five destroy all me daddy's hard work?"
Duo: "What?" She grabs his collar and smiles, waving the disk.
Hilde: "All this was a waste of time for you boys, I have all the notes I need on this one little disk. My daddy worked sooo hard on this little project but he had a lack of willing subjects so he ended up testing it on himself. Poor daddy wasn't strong enough to survive the process and left his empire to me. Sad really, but I promised to continue his work."
Duo: "Why did you waste our time then?"
Hilde: "I heard you were coming and I knew I didn't have the fire power to kill you so I devised this little setup. That Damned Wufei almost screwed it up but all I had to do was get his little girlfriend to recommend me and I was in on your plan in no time."
Duo: "What makes you think I won't tell?"
Hilde: "That's the perk, I'll have my info, my privacy from your pesky organization and a test subject."
*Back*
Kodachi: "Wow, how did you get out?"
Duo: "Not easily. The guys were back at the tavern and hadn't heard from us…"
*flashback*
Quatre: "I don't get it, there were no guards…"
Wufei: "I bet you that idiot Maxwell's up there makin' out with that girl. I shoulda known better then to put those two together." They sit at a table, a big thing of fries in the center.
Heero: "Naw, he would have been back by now."
Quatre: "You sayin' somethings happened?"
Trowa: "Well he did say he was almost done and that was forty-five minutes ago."
Heero picks up his jacket and heads out, the rest of the boys follow.
~*~
Hilde: "Well, let's see. What attributes would Mr. Maxwell like to have?"
Duo lays strapped to a metal bed with cuffs on his hands and feet. Hilde has on a white doctors coat and mouth mask. Duo breaks into a cold sweat and tries to get loose.
Duo: "How about one that gets me out of here?"
Hilde: "Ah, and this one'll be easy to test. Now Mr. Maxwell, it may feel like your veins are on fire but if you survive it should only be temporary." She pulls up his sleeve and injects him.
Duo: "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!! SHIT!!!!! HOLY FUCK!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
He screams in agony as his whole body feels like it's being branded very slowly.
::KWBBBOOMMM::
Hilde: "……the hell? Looks like your friends missed you." The four pilots look around curiously.
Hilde: "H-Hey guys, I just found Duo like this."
Duo: "LYING BITCH SHHHHHHHIIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!!" His tortured screams echo down the hall.
Hilde waltzes over to the intercom.
Hilde: "Security, a little help on floor three. Thank you."
Quatre: "Wha…What are you doing to him?" He looks horrified and starts over to Duo.
5 burly guards enter the room. The boys swing around and face their opponents. One lunges for Wufei, he jumps up and kicks him across the face, The giant man falls to the ground. Heero pulls out his gun and starts to fire, two of the men fall to the young assassin. Trowa jumps into the air, spins, flips and lands right on the man's face. The last jumps to tackle Quatre. Quatre dives out of the way and the man crashes into the wall.
Duo stops screaming.
In fact, Duo stops moving altogether.
Hilde (Who had been hiding behind the metal bed) peeked out and looked at Duo. Duo sat up and rubbed his head.
Duo: "My head…"
Wufei: "D-D-Duo……How……?"
Duo: "What?"
Hilde: "It WORKED!"
Duo: "What? What is there something wrong with my beautiful face? Cuz I got one hell of a head ache."
Quatre: "N-n-noooo……"
Duo: "Then what? Man, my wrist hurts to. Those cuffs were-" He stops and thinks about what he just said, he stops nursing his wrists and just stares at them.
Duo: "T-The cuffs…The m-metal cuffs." He stares down at the broken links in the once solid barriers around his wrists and ankles.
Hilde: "After all my hard work…finally YES! Mr. Maxwell, I know you may be reluctant at fist but I can offer you unlimited power. You shall become the fist of what may be a generation of Neo-humans, we can share it together." She walks around to him, hips swinging a licking her lips. She holds his face in her hands and leans in to kiss. He puts one finger on her lips.
Duo: "Well babe I must say I'm flattered but…" He pulls out the disk and throws it into the wall right by Heero's head, it sticks in by the corner. Lifting her above his head, his face reddens in rage. She yelps as he pants insanely.
Duo: "I just don't see us working OUT!!" He throws her against the wall. Duo slumps down to his knees panting wildly and shivering. He clenches his head and screams in pain. Trowa grabs Hilde and the others start over to him. Wufei bends down and looks Duo in the face.
Wufei: "Duo…I'm sorry I got you messed up with her." Duo looks up and smiles weakly as beads of sweat run down his burning face.
Duo: "Don't worry 'bout it Wu-man. I'll be ok." Wufei wraps Duo's limp arm around his neck and stands up, slowly lifting Duo to his feet. Duo turns to him, still holding onto his pathetic attempt to smile. Heero takes Duo's other side sympathetically.
Duo: "Thanks you guys, I'm sorry……" They limp out of the building.
*back*
Kodachi: "Oh……Duo……" She stared into his said eyes while he took the last sip of his beer.
Duo: "Yah, well I survived and I'd love to finish up but I gotta go." A ringing sensation started in his ear, he swatted quickly and grabbed the sides of his head. A pained expression sweeps his face, Kodachi quickly sped over to the now crouching boy.
Kodachi: "What? What's wrong?" Her voice was frantic as the boy moaned in agony.
Duo: "I-I……I'm f-ffffine……It comes and goes." His hands shook as they mounted themselves on the floor and Duo cautiously stood up.
Kodachi: "That was it wasn't it? Your still having the pains."
Duo: "I gotta go, thank you."
Kodachi: "You can't leave in your condition!"
Duo: "They'll be a here in a few days." He started for the door.
Kodachi: 'Wait!" The desperation in her voice surprised even her as she lunged from behind the wooden counter. The words hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn't want him to go, she was filled with curiosity. He stopped and turned to her as she grabbed his shoulder.
Kodachi: "You got nowhere to go right? I've got a couch upstairs you could use."
Duo: "What if they come? I can't risk getting you involved, I'm sorry."
Kodachi: "They don't have to know your here and I'm already involved. 'Sides, when I had no place left to go, this town took me in. It's the least I can do." He smiles reluctantly.
Duo: "Well…."
Kodachi: "I insist." She smiles shyly.
I am so proud of how this fic turned out so far but I'm so sorry to Hilde fans I didn't plan it this way!! but admit it, no one would suspect her. Please enjoy and send feedback to pink_paws@hotmail.com