Chapter 1

THE UNEXPECTED ALLIE

The door to the cell quickly slid open to revile Wufei sitting by himself in a corner, Heero not far away against the wall and, sprawled in the middle of the room, was Duo, dreaming away.

The movement of the door gained Wufei and Heero's attention, as four rather large Oz soldiers walked in and stood to either side of the entryway. Following the procession of soldiers was a small-silhouetted figure.

"Which one?" Asked one of the soldiers.

"The one lying down," replied the figure.

Realizing that they were going to take Duo, who had been beaten up earlier, Heero quickly got up and walked toward the figure, the soldiers ignoring him.

"Where are you taking him?" he asked drowsily yet still forceful.

The figure remained quiet. Then Heero stepped closer to repeat his question but was stopped short by the deep sapphire eyes that bore right through him.

At a closer vantage point then before, he could make out not just the eyes but also the rest of the figures features.

The rounded face, a nose that reminded him of Duo's, small mouth, long black eye lashes that rimmed its eyes. And what looked like a deep red hair pulled back tightly in a small ponytail… PONYTAIL!

'It's a girl!'

The thought shot through his head. He looked again at her. She was dress in an all black uniform, the light behind her made it hard to make out specifics. Then a glint of light from her glasses caught his attention, and he got his answer.

"This is none of your concern zero 1," She replied sternly. And she turned her back to him and began to follow the soldiers, carrying Duo, out.

"You can't take him he's injured," protested Heero. Automatically he took another step forward.

The girl whipped around and caught him by the throat with her left hand and began to squeeze.

"I said it was none of your concern!" she nearly shouted.

They stood there, her hand locked around his throat, every once and a while pressing his Adam's apple, with eyes locked.

The controlled panic that shone through her eyes caused him to participate and not move any further. Unlike the rest of her face, the girl's eyes conveyed her true feelings and thoughts. And because of her eyes, he could tell that she wasn't really a soldier.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt him," she whispered the let go of his throat, turned and walked out. Closing the door behind her.

'That face, it's so familiar.' He thought to himself. A little shaken, as if he'd just seen a ghost Heero stood facing the door for a few seconds more, then went back and sat down and remained there in silence.

The four soldiers carried Duo down the hall to a small interrogation room, and unceremoniously placed him into a hard wooden armchair.

"Out," ordered the girl before the soldiers could surround Duo, who was still asleep.

"But Lieutenant, it could be dangerous," protested one of the soldiers.

The cold glare of disgust on her face made them start and they followed orders, walked out and locked the door behind them. The Lieutenant watched them set up guard in front of the door. She then turned to gaze at the still unconscious Duo.

Still looking at him, picked up her radio from her belt and began to speak.

"Hey John?" she called informally.

"Yes Lieutenant," responded a male voice on the other end.

"I need to do some repair on the surveillance camera in interrogation room 12, could you shut them down?"

"Yes ma'am," replied the voice.

The red light on the camera went out and a small amount of humming ceased.

"Security cameras for interrogation room 12 have been shut down until further notice."

"Thanks John," answered the girl.

"Not a problem Lieutenant."

With that done she clipped the radio to her belt, uncovered a tray of medical interments, pulled over a rolling stool, and sat down.

She took one long assessing look at the unconscious boy in front of her.

'Well I'll give you one thing, Duo, you sure do sleep hard.' She thought as she reached toward the try and picked up a small packet of smelling salts, broke it open. And with one hand holding his head straight, the other waved the salts under his nose, as she softly called his name.

"Duo… Duo?" she said as if beckoning a small child.

Then with one large inhalation of the acrid vapors his eyelids flung wide open with surprise. He blinked once or twice as he consciously settled back in the chair, and then stopped suddenly as his eyes focused on her.

"Morning bright eyes," she said mockingly.

Immediately a scowl wrinkled his brow. The girl just ignored it and reached for a vicious looking object on the tray.

"What do you want?" asked Duo, his eyes watching every move.

"Give me your arm," ordered the girl.

Resisting to cooperate, Duo didn't move. So she grabbed a hold of his wrist and stood his arm up on his elbow. He jerked his arm away with a grumble of pain and tried to stand up, but was halted by a lightning strike of pain that ran through his body. With a grunt of pain he collapsed back in the chair.

Mean while the lieutenant sat patiently, waiting for him to stop moving.

Then as he was just rising a second time, she stood herself, and with her right hand placed on his shoulder, shoved him into the chair.

Shocked at her strength and furious at her as well, Duo looked up and met her eyes. But the words were halted by the look of urgency in her eyes. Before he could make a go at it again, she leaned over him, her hands on the arms of the chair and spoke sternly.

"Hold still or I'll be forced to let them in," she informed quietly.

Duo cast a glance over her shoulder to the door where one of the stout guards peered through a square window.

"Is every thing alright Miss Katja?" asked the radio as it came to life with the voice from the guard on the outside.

Hearing the voice they both froze. She pulled the radio from her belt and replied as she turned to face the door.

"We're fine. He just woke up a little startled."

"Ten four, ma'am," replied the guard then the radio fell silent

Then she turned back to her patient, who looked back at her puzzled.

Not giving him the attention he would have wanted, Katja sat back down on her stool and continued her work, silently.

She avoided his arm for as long as she could. Wrapping his broken and bruised ribs, cleaning scrapes and small cuts with no word from him, only small flinches.

And then she was back to attending to his arm.

Both of them knew it had to be done. Katja looked at his arm then at him.

"I need to move it so I can clean and dress it," she said softly.

"Do what you have to," he replied as he grimaced and looked away.

He raised his arm slowly and Katja got a good look at the wound.

It was a gash that ran on the underside of his left forearm, about two inches from his wrist to about two inches to his elbow.

He held his arm up for her this time, and while Katja inspected the wound for infection, struck up a conversation.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"Not too bad as far as gashes go, and pretty clean. But I'm going to have to clean it out again to make sure," Replied Katja as she reached for the cleaning solution and a couple cotton balls, and began.

"So your name is Katja. I had a friend named Katja once," He hissed between his clenched teeth against the pain.

Katja didn't reply, just kept swabbing the wound then turned away to the tray.

"So what is your last name Katja?" Asked Duo.

Turning back with a handheld cauterizer in hand she replied shortly.

"Kizer."

Being a step ahead of himself, Duo started to speak of his friend.

"Oh well her name was… What!" he finished a little stunned.

"Lieutenant Katja Mariey Kizer," She repeated quick and precise, like she had practiced saying it, being careful not to look at his eyes. Katja knew how his eyes had once made it impossible to keep a secret from him.

Katja finished cleaning the wound with a sterile dressing. As she finished the knot Duo laid his hand upon hers. Katja looked up at his face into his cobalt eyes filled with worry and pain. Silently pleading for answers.

Knowing that she couldn't tell him what he wanted to know, she looked away, trying to avoid the face she used to nearly break her neck to see everyday.

"The guards will escort you back to the cell." She said as she fidgeted with the implements on the tray, then rose and turned to the door and knocked three times.

It came unlocked and slid open. The four soldiers walked in, surrounded him and escorted him out. And with one look back over his shoulder he was gone.