Forging Destiny

by Agent Hitokiri

AC 198. Preventer is the strong arm of ESUN in their efforts to to de-militarize the solar system. When a routine mission goes arwy, Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell find themselves thrust into a desperate battle not just for their lives, but their very souls.

1. Found and Lost

Title: Found and Lost
Authors: James
Pairings: 1+2
Rating: Mature only
Warnings: Angst, Romance, Violence, Language

Disclaimer: I do not own or in anyway claim to have rights to anything involving Gundam Wing in any regards.

Found and Lost

It was supposed to be a simple mission, but then they were all supposed to be simple missions. The life of a Gundam pilot was one of simplicity itself. Get in, destroy or incapacitate or steal whatever the target was, and get out again, and if you can't get out then you self-detonate. Heero had self-detonated three times, nearly died each time, and now here he was, trapped in an office at the top of a skyscraper in New York, and he didn't even have that option. Heero Yuy, Gundam pilot and hero of the Mariemaia War, and he was probably going to die trapped in a freaking office five hundred feet above the ground. Well at least he wouldn't die alone. God, what a morbid thought.

Duo couldn't believe his luck. Sure, once again people were shooting at him and trying to kill him; that was hardly news as it had been happening for the better part of his life though mostly since he got his Gundam Deathscythe. But just that it seemed like he was going to die dressed in a suit he hated, trapped in a goddamn office building full of idiotic rebels against the new policies of peace and cooperation. Leftovers from OZ and the Romefeller Foundation, they had decided to hide their faces behind legal enterprises, while they built their power and influence. The Preventers had caught on to their plans and had selected Agent Wing, Heero, to infiltrate the terrorists. Duo was only along because Heero had asked him to come, logically pointing out that two sets of eyes and ears are better than one, and that backup was never a bad thing. Damn him and his logic. Well, at least he was trapped just like Duo was, the calm bastard. Another bullet slammed into the door and Duo's attention returned to just how they were going to escape.

The mission came to Heero first, who had been rudely awakened in the middle of the night by a ringing phone, which he had promptly thrown across the room and destroyed, before realizing that the call could have been important. Thankfully when his cellphone rang he exercised a bit more restraint.

"Agent Wing, Control. Confirm identity."

"Control, Agent Wing. Code Wing Alpha D M 0 2 Omega."

"Identity confirmed. We have a Beta-priority recon op that needs your skills. Details have been forwarded to you through regular channels. Op framework is single operative but recruit as needed. Threat risk moderate but no direct action will likely be required. Do you accept?"
"Confirmed. Timeline for completion?"
"Seventy-two hours. Will advise if parameters change."
And with that the phone went dead and Heero sighed, not because there was a new mission to take on, but rather that he really did want someone to accompany him on the mission and there was really only one person to choose. Setting the cellphone aside, the newly-minted 18 year old swung his legs over the bed and rubbed his face with his hands, already running through likely scenarios and requirements even before he opened his laptop and called up the op information. Deciding that a cup of coffee would be needed, despite the fact that he was almost completely awake and alert, Heero started the coffee maker before sitting down in the living room of his townhouse and opening up the expensive laptop waiting on the coffee table. It took several second to input the biometric and alphanumeric codes before the laptop even booted up, and another set before it would call up the heavily encrypted mission packet e-mailed to him. Loading the decryption software, Heero sipped his coffee, and idly checked to see that the handgun was still strapped under the coffee table, exactly as he had left it the night before. Once the files were decrypted and decompressed, Heero started to absorb the data like a sponge. A group of potential terrorists were known to be operating in New York out of a building in the financial district, with ties going back to OZ and the Romefeller Foundation. No mobile suits or heavy weapons had been reported in the area, but that didn't necessarily mean that they weren't planning something. And just what they were planning was of great interest to the Preventers.

If Relena hadn't felt so strongly about needing the Preventers to help stave off any lingering militaristic tendancies around the globe caused by the Earth Sphere United Nation's formation and the rapid disarmament around the world, Heero would have had serious doubts about wanting to join up at all. In the end, someone else had made the decision for him, and though it sometimes cost him a good night's sleep, Heero didn't really resent it. Well, sometimes maybe. Damn Duo Maxwell, backing him into a corner and coercing him into being a spy and saboteur again. Maybe the braided baka needed some punishment for his actions after all.

But as he always did after such thoughts, Heero smiled and remembered how much closer the two had become, even closer than having fought together in their Gundams not so many years before. It wasn't the fighting that did it, or anything to do with the Preventers, it was that they lived next door to each other and went to the office, when between missions, together. They cooked together, went to movies together, they may as well have just bought a single large house instead of two townhouses for the amount of time they actually spent apart. Friendship had never come easily to Heero, but the friendship he had with Duo was something he knew he wouldn't have survived all the wars without. The other Gundam pilots, they were his friends as well, but as with most things in life, one of them rose above the others, Duo was his best friend, no question at all.

Duo seemed to enjoy the situation as much as Heero did, thankfully for Heero had no idea what he would do if he were to end up alone without his constant companion by his side. Sure, they fought at times, swore and cursed and Heero still relished the baka's long braid that was such a useful means of controlling him. Take it in one hand and suddenly the boisterous American was like putty.

"Hn," Heero grunted, reading deeper into the file, his disguise and plans for false documentation forming.

It wouldn't be a difficult mission if the brief was to be believed. Heero snorted at that thought. When had any of his missions ever gone completely to plan. Wasn't it one of the irrefutable laws of battle that no plan ever survived contact with the enemy intact. Fine, he'd plan for the plan to fail and make it up as he went along as usual, and with Duo along he'd have some back-up, a trump card up his sleeve.

"Hn."

His coffee nearly gone, Heero decided there was little point in delaying waking Duo. Draining the dregs in his mug, Heero threw on a jacket over his standard tank top and shorts sleepware and headed next door. He had the keys and security codes for Duo's house and Duo had the same for his, given that they alternated cooking breakfasts and dinners most nights, and to look after each others homes when the other was on a long mission.

Letting himself in silently, Heero quickly disarmed the security system and then reactivated the perimeter sensors. Bolting the front door again, Heero crept upstairs and towards the larger of the two bedrooms. The door was open so Heero poked his head in and sure enough Duo was dead asleep, the blankets tossed aside and the sheet wrapped around his slim form. The former Gundam pilot was spread-eagle on his back, head cocked away from the door and long braid draped across his pillows. Seeing his friend sleeping so soundly had Heero letting out an unconscious sigh and he stepped back from the doorway, leaning heavily on the wall. Maybe it was a stupid idea after all. Maybe it would be best to go solo on the mission

Duo Maxwell found himself tossing and turning most of the night, even more than usual. He wasn't sure what was disturbing his sleep; he hadn't had more than a few drinks with Heero that night and he hadn't had anything overly spicy. He loved adventurous food, but they didn't always love him back. It wasn't the nightmares that he usually suffered from either; nightmares about the Maxwell Church Massacre and all the battles he and Deathscythe had been through and all the lives he had taken. Whatever it was it was slowly drinking him insane.

For the tenth time that night, Duo looked over at the alarm clock on his bedside table and saw the time, letting out a soft groan of agony. 3:12am, precisely twenty minutes since the last time he had checked the time. It was summer and fairly warm, even in the evenings, so Duo had left his bedroom door open to circulate some air and had taken to donning one of the number of tank tops of Heero's that he had acquired over the years, the one he currently wore being a dark green. Finally he got up and out of bed, biology making him realize that regardless of whatever was keeping him up, he now needed to use the bathroom. Since the ensuite was a disaster area of broken toilet and clogged shower and sink, Duo had taken to using the other upstairs bathroom instead of actually fixing the problem. Yawning, Duno moved with surprising grace and stealth for being exhausted and surprised himself when he noticed the figure slumped against the wall outside his bedroom door.

"Jesus," he swore, clutching his chest and his racing heard. "Heero? What the hell are you doing sitting in my damn hallway at 3am?"

Heero didn't reply right away, still surprised that he hadn't heard his friend rise, but given how lost in thought he'd been it was understandable if not forgivable. Yes, it seemed the Perfect Soldier wasn't exactly so perfect any more, nor had he been for some time.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Heero apologized, rising and getting a good look at his friend in the dim moonlight from the hallway skylight.

Duo looked tired, more tired than usual given his past, but he still looked as fit as ever, his violet eyes still as mischievous and alive as Heero remembered from the first day they had met and Duo had shot him. No, stay focused, Heero thought. Forget those thoughts, it can't happen. I can't let it.

"I shouldn't have come," he continued, turning to leave. "Get back to bed and I'll talk to you later."

"Come on Heero, out with it," Duo pressed, more awake not and his voice was back to its usual whiney/sultry tone. "You didn't come over here at this time of day to sit in my hallway. At least, I hope not because that would be pretty weird even for you."

Fighting back a smile, Heero turned back to his friend.

"I have a mission, beta-priority, and I wanted to ask you to go with me," he said, gauging Duo's facial expressions for any helpful hints as to his thoughts. "It's not required but my instincts tell me two is better than one in this case."

For a moment Duo didn't seem to even register the almost un-Heeroesque verbosity of the response, but finally he mustered a wan smile.

"Tell you what, meet me downstairs with a glass of water in a couple minutes and we'll talk," Duo replied.
"You too busy at the moment?" Heero quipped, putting his budding sense of humor to work.

"Well I don't plan to wet my shorts," the American retorted, playfully sticking his tongue out for an instant. "And unless you plan to help out in that department, fetch me a drink before I call the cops."

Now Heero let out a laugh and headed downstairs, leaving Duo to his business. Watching as his friend retreated, Duo let his confusion at Heero's lack of composure take over, wondering just what was bothering his Japanese friend so much that he almost seemed like a different person.

Their flight had gotten in only a few minutes late, a minor miracle even with the capabilities of current aircraft in Heero's opinion, and from there they took a cab to the hotel. Glancing briefly to his right, Heero saw that Duo was enjoying his visit to New York, his first as he'd pointed out on the plane. The sights were still impressive, towering modern buildings and modern cars, everything clean and orderly but still somehow inviting. Heero shook his head and tried to focus once more on the mission at hand, not an easy feat lately. Heero opened his briefcase and started re-reading the briefing from his laptop within it, until a shadow fell across the screen and he looked up to see Duo's face only a few inches away.
"Whatcha doin there?" Duo asked, then spotted the briefing and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on Heero, you've read that a million times now, do you think something is going to have changed since the last time?"

"I'm just being thorough," Heero countered, somewhat colder than he really intended, not that Duo chose to acknowledge his tone. "I might have missed something."

"You never miss anything," Duo pointed out, then poked a random key on the laptop before Heero could react, just to irritate his friend.

Heero gave him the infamous Glare of Death but Duo just smiled through it, knowing that there was no actual heat in the glare anymore and hadn't been for a long time. Fighting together against incredible odds to save humanity from itself tended to do that, and though Heero was still not the poster boy for normal, Duo was thankful everyday that he had someone like Heero in his life.

"Baka," Heero muttered, suppressing a grin at Duo's antics. His friend was always looking for new ways to make Heero lose control, including a rather unorthodox attempt at tickling, but after Duo had had his braid summarily stuffed into his own mouth while duct taped to a kitchen chair, the tickling had gone the way of the dodo. "Try to focus. Let's have one mission go according to plan."

"Spoilsport," Duo replied, turning away in a false huff, looking periodically over his shoulder to see Heero still watching him, still stony faced but his eyes were alive with laughter. "All right, we have a little less than three days now. We need to locate the terrorist leader or his office and hack their database to find out if they really are a threat or not. Get in, get what we want, get out, without being detected, sound about right?"

"Must you always try to make everything so simple?"
"Must you always try to make everything so damn complicated? We work great together, and even if something unforeseen comes our way, we'll get through it. We always have."

Heero didn't know what to say to that, mostly because Duo was actually right and that was always frightening on those rare occasions that he was, but the cab pulled up in front of their hotel before he could reply. Perhaps that was for the best, because some rather offensive words were on his lips at that moment.

Duo looked up at the hotel and smiled.

At least the Preventers are footing the bill on this place, he thought. This place would be WAY out of my price range even for only a few days.

That wasn't strictly true, given that all Preventers, and most especially the field agents, were paid rather exorbitant salaries.

"Come on Heero, bring the bags and let's get settled," Duo called, then turned and ducked just in time as Heero threw the small shoulder bag at his head. "Hey!"

"Pick up your own bags baka," Heero growled, inwardly laughing.

Duo sighed and picked up his bag and then retrieved his suitcase from the trunk of the cab, paying the man from his own money as Heero had left already to check in. Grumbling all the way, Duo dragged his suitcase into the lobby and up to the front desk. The man behind the counter was in a rather expensive-looking suit and Heero was already on his way to the elevators to go up to his room. Duo knew that he and Heero were on the same floor but at opposite sides of the building, just in case. Never hurts to be careful.

"Duo Barton checking in," Duo announced, smiling widely, to the complete disinterest of the man behind the desk.

"Indeed, sir. I see your reservation here. You are in room 1510. If you'll just take the elevators to your left to the 15th floor, and make a right once you get out you are at the end of the hall."

"Um, yeah, thanks."
Taking his room key from the boring guy, Duo headed for the elevators, astonished that anyone could be so boring and lifeless at work, beyond Heero that is. No wait, that wasn't fair. Heero was just methodical, cold, and calculating, he wasn't lifeless. Boring at times sure, but not lifeless. The elevator ride was brief, and the hallway that Duo emerged into was as opulent as the lobby. Following directions, Duo made a right and quickly found his room, passing the card over the sensor and the door swung inward. The suite was immense, far larger than was even remotely necessary for the mission, but Duo would enjoy it for the few days he had it. Leaving his shoulder bag and suitcase in the living room next to the couch, Duo opened the double doors into the single bedroom and goggled at the room. It was almost the size of the second floor of his house. Turning back to the living room, Duo opened his shoulder bag and pulled out the sweeper. Used to detect hidden surveillance devices of all kinds, it was a necessity when on a covert op. It only took a few minutes to sweep the suite, but once Duo was satisfied, he set the sweeper aside and activated the scrambler and set it on the coffee table. Dropping onto the couch, Duo pulled out his laptop and booted it up, checking to see if Heero had sent any updated mission info but as there was nothing, he took the time to set up the button cameras at various locations throughout the suite, then spent a few minutes checking the remote video links and the memory on the button cams then decided to check out the minibar. He was rummaging through it and deciding which of the incredibly expensive food he wanted, when there was a knock at the door. Completely on instinct Duo opened his briefcase and reached under the false bottom buried beneath the usual junk found in a briefcase. A quick thumb scan and the bottom released and Duo pulled out a silenced pistol from the X-ray-absorbent lead-lined compartment, where another pistol and several magazines of ammunition also lay. The precaution wasn't necessary for the flights that Preventer agents took as their organization always got them on exempted flights, but when it came time for infiltrating their targets, it never hurt to be cautious.

Moving to the door, weapon in hand, Duo checked the peephole and saw Heero waiting for him. Tucking the pistol into the back of his suit pants where the jacket hid it, he opened the door to let Heero in then quickly shut and locked it again.

"We're clean," Duo said, in answer to Heero's unspoken question.

"My room is secure too," Heero replied, moving to the small kitchenette and getting a glass of water. "I thought we could go over our cover stories once more today and then go for a walk to check out the area."
"Sounds like a ton of fun," Duo sighed, but silently agreed that it was a smart idea. "Can we at least take the night off before we get into this? The jet lag is going to play havoc with me if we don't get some down time tonight."
"Agreed."

Heero beat Duo to the couch and sat down in front of the laptop which Duo had forgotten to secure, but for some reason Heero didn't comment on that.

"Good cam coverage," Heero absently said, then called up the mission profile. "So you are Duo Barton, client relations specialist. I'm Heero Winner, legal analysis specialist. We've recently been brought in from a rival investment firm, which we can't name due to the confidentiality contracts we signed with our former company. Now the firm we're infiltrating is New Horizons, and they control the top five floors of the building. Everything we've got says that they are legitimate, but we know better."
"Do we have any information on the employees or suspected terrorists?" Duo asked, stealing a sip from Heero's water. "Anything that would tell us who to look for specifically?"
"There's nothing here, and I'm not surprised. They've been in that building for more than six months but we've only now learned of their existence. We're going in blind, don't doubt that."
Duo leaned back and evaluated the situation, and had to ask the biggest question on his mind that had been nagging him since he had found Heero sitting in his hallway.

"Why did you need me to come along for this again?"

The question caught Heero somewhat off guard, though in a way he had expected it for some time. His previous reasoning, logical and precise, just didn't ring as true to Duo's ears, and Heero knew it. The truth then? No, that was the last thing that this situation needed. Another lie then? Every time he lied to Duo, even though they were all well-meaning lies, it was another dagger twisting between his ribs. Some best friend he was, treating someone who had saved his life, maybe even his soul, so poorly. And still the lies came so easily to his lips.

"I didn't need you to come along, but I thought it made sense to have another with me," Heero tried again, the words like ashes in his mouth. "Besides, you weren't doing anything useful at the time, so what are you complaining about?"
Duo gave him an odd look as though he meant to challenge what his friend had said, but in the end seemed to decide against it.

"So we're about fifteen blocks away, so if we're going to give it a looking over, we should start out now," Duo said, pulling the gun from the uncomfortable position in his belt. "We should walk and try to get the lay of the land a bit better in case something goes wrong and we need to make a getaway."

"Good idea, for a change. I will meet you in the lobby in five minutes."

Heero left and returned to his own room, mind in turmoil but knowing that the mission had to come first. Maybe afterwards there would be time to finally deal with what was eating him alive. His room was almost identical to Duo's, right down to the hidden cams throughout it and the scrambler sitting on his own coffee table. His own briefcase was of a different make than Duo's but it had the same security features and a similar content. From his suitcase Heero set aside the few clothes he had brought, and underneath them he opened the other hidden compartment and drew out the additional supplies he had brought. He wasn't certain he would need all of them, or indeed any of them, but he almost felt naked without a good supply of weapons on hand, and the other tricks of the Preventer trade. He strapped on a dual underarm holster before sliding a paid of silenced pistols into them and making sure it was all cinched down tight. Putting his suit jacket on over top and buttoning it, Heero took a moment to check himself out in the mirror to make sure his weapons weren't visible and that he looked the part. Satisfied, he put the other equipment back into the suitcase and locked it before sliding it under the bed. The living room was the same story, hiding all evidence of who he really was and at last deactivating the scrambler and pocketing it. With all the button cams recording any activity would be recorded for examination when he got back. Making sure that the door locked behind him, Heero took the elevator down to the lobby and walked to where Duo stood waiting for him, briefcase in hand.

"Do you think we're going to need that?" Heero asked, his voice low enough that only Duo could hear him, as they walked out onto the street.

"I doubt it, but I thought that we could use a more complete map of the building so I left most of my toys in my room and brought the omni-directional resonance sensor suite with me."
"Bio-readings detector?"
"Of course. Yeesh, you'd think this was my first dance."

Another dance reference; the subject never seemed to stray far from Duo's mind but then he was an exceptional dancer. Heero was envious about many things his friend could do or lose himself in that left the Japanese boy behind, but the way he lost himself in the music without any shame or regret at the rather, scandalous, way he usually ended up gyrating in their living rooms at least once a week was simply amazing. Heero often found himself bobbing his head or tapping his foot to the rhythm as he watched his best friend dance in the low lights or with the disco ball in his own apartment spinning away. For a long time Heero had tried to assure himself that it was the music that was getting to him, that it had nothing to do with Duo or his dancing or any combination of those two things or any amount of alcohol he might have had that evening. For all the lies he told himself though, Heero knew the truth and it always depressed him, knowing that he would never have Duo dancing for him, truly for him, or with him. The best he could hope for was that they stayed as close as they were for as long as possible. Heero didn't relish the thought of being alone again.

"Sorry," he replied, realizing that Duo had been waiting for his reply for some time. "I was thinking."
"Shocking," Duo laughed, gently nudging his well-dressed friend with his shoulder.

Heero knew that he looked good in a suit, even with his still tousled hair, but Duo, well it was best not to go down that road of thought at the moment.

"At least I think unlike someone else I know," Heero retorted, bringing a snort from Duo.

"I think plenty and you know it. I just happen to prefer a bit more action to constant thinking. But then we're different people, I'm pleasant and outgoing and funny, and you're introverted, psychopathic, and well lets face it you haven't gotten the hang of humor just yet. So don't go throwing stones in glass houses mister, cuz you're not so big that I won't kick your ass."
Heero turned away and smiled, knowing that Duo hadn't meant any of the false-heated things he had just spewed, but that it was always funny when he got the normally cheerful American to be remotely serious. It didn't last long however, for soon Duo was back to normal, gabbing away about everything he'd heard about New York and pointing out the few things he had seen in a guide book at one point or another, but Heero didn't mind. For all those early times when Duo had annoyed him to no end with his constant talking and trying to wheedle any sort of conversation out of his stoic partner, now Heero was glad that the braided baka had made the effort for so long when anyone else would have simply given up.

"There it is," Duo said at last, breaking Heero from his trance.

Sure enough, up ahead on the right was their target. It wasn't the largest building in the area, but it was still impressive and quite stylish. It was unfortunate that it was a terrorist den. If it weren't for the innocents inside, and that with the war over such tactics weren't permitted, Heero would have been just as glad to reduce the entire building to rubble. Infiltrating was always a risky and seldom rewarding venture, but if those were the orders then that is what he would do.

"We'll take a few passes around it," Heero said, Duo nodding and activating the ODR sensor with a tap on the remote he had secreted in his left pocket.

"Give me a few seconds to let it get a fix on our target."
The constant press of people kept them hidden from any prying eyes as Duo kept the business end of the briefcase focused on the building they wanted, before he and Heero started off once again. They walked around the block a few times as well as stopping to get more details scans at several points, but after a good hour they both decided that there was probably nothing more to be gained and so they started back to the hotel. Taking a different route to better scout the area, Heero nearly groaned when he saw the business front up ahead.

"A club! Great!" Duo exclaimed. "The NightSky. Sounds great. What do you say Heero? Up for a little clubbing for a change?"

"We have a mission," Heero patiently replied, shaking his head. "We need to go over the sensor scans and get a good night sleep before we show up to work tomorrow. You need at least an hour in the morning for your hair alone. So do you think going to a club tonight is a good idea?"

Duo sighed with such a dramatic flair that Heero almost laughed. It was as if he'd suggested the youth sever a leg for no reason, or to stop breathing, but then to Duo that was how important dancing was.

"How about once the mission is over, if we have time, we can stop by," Heero suggested. "We don't need to present our report in person, and there was no timeframe for our return, so we could take a later flight back."
"Really?" Duo asked, grinning so widely it seemed his head would come apart, eyes positively dancing with manic glee. "That would be great! I knew you'd see it my way, after all you've never been before and New York is supposed to have some of the best clubs in the world. I was just reading in…"
Heero partially tuned Duo out at that point, letting his friend ramble on once again but seeing him so engaged and excited about something was worth the annoyance about hearing about the intricacies of club conduct and decorum, of which there was none apparently.

Duo couldn't believe his luck. Heero had agreed to going out to a club with him, for the first time in…well ever, to be honest. He knew that Heero didn't have the same passion or need for music and dancing as he himself did, but still what young guy didn't like getting out on the dance floor and shaking his groove thing. Thanks to Doctor J Heero hadn't had anything resembling a childhood or a family, so that left him more than a little scarred and out of touch with other people his own age. Duo had watched how out of place Heero had seemed when the Gundam pilots had ever gotten together, how isolated he seemed to be even in a room full of people a lot more like himself than he wanted to admit. Sometimes Heero decided to take on the weight of every decision they had all made, making himself the scapegoat for their mistakes and failures. That was one of his more annoying personality traits, at least in Duo's mind. Heero constantly took on more than he needed to, even signing up with the Preventers when Lady Une, head of the organization after Relena had basically ordered its creation, had asked Duo to join. Duo had accepted, not knowing what else he could do with his life but knowing that he could still be of use. Remembering how excited he'd been and talking to Heero nonstop about it, maybe that was why the still reticent Japanese boy had signed up too. Was it possible that Duo had pressured him into doing it, even unknowingly?

Shaking his head to clear such thoughts away, Duo let out a brief cough of laughter, drawing a brief stare from Heero. No, Duo reasoned, Heero doesn't do anything he doesn't want to unless it was an order back in the war. Hell, he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to even now, except when I ask.

They were nearly back to the hotel when that revelation hit Duo like a Gundam at full thrust. That's why he joined up with the Preventers, he realized. Because I asked him to, in a way, and because he knew that I really did want him there with me just like in the old days. Oh jesus, what have I done.

They took a quiet elevator ride up to their rooms, Heero checking his over quickly and deciding that everything was in order before they both returned to Duo's room. As Duo reached for the keycard in his pocket, he felt Heero brush past him, a hand reaching into his jacket for one of his holstered weapons.
Even now, Duo thought as he passed the card over the scanner plate, he throws himself in the path of any attack for me. Does he think he owes me something from the war? He sure saved my ass more than once, and I returned the favor, but maybe he feels that because I tried to be his friend all along that he owes me something more. That jerk, I was just trying to be nice and thought we could both use a friend! I should beat his head against the wall if that's what this is all about.
Heero entered first, weapon in hand, other hand reaching for the second weapon. Duo marveled once again at Heero's feline grace and stride, so precise and powerful, each movement meaningful and nothing wasted. Closing and bolting the door behind him, Duo let his friend clear the suite before setting the briefcase down on the coffee table.
"Its clear," Heero said, coming back into the living room, his hands darting into his jacket in a heartbeat and coming out empty again.

"I'll download the scans into the rendering program," Deo replied, pulling his laptop out from under the couch where he had hidden it. "It'll just take a minute. Could you grab me something to drink? And anything you need obviously."
"Hn."
Leaving Heero to the task of food and drink, Duo opened the briefcase and took out the compact sensor package and using a connector cable, plugged it into the laptop and started the data download. A shadow fell over him and he looked up into Heero's face, an arm extended with a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Duo replied, hand accidentally brushing Heero's when he took the water. "Give me a sec, I'm going to change into something a bit more comfortable. Take off your jacket and stay awhile."
Duo left the stumped Heero behind and retreated into the bedroom, closing the double doors behind him. Almost at once he started shaking, and flopped down onto the bed until it passed.

"What the hell was that?" he breathed, not understanding what had just happened to him

Surely simply touching Heero's hand couldn't set him off into a nervous panic like this, to the point that he couldn't bring himself to even stand up. He'd touched Heero a hundred times before, at least, he'd even hugged him once or twice. Why would simply brushing his hand nearly give him a heart attack?
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Duo demanded of himself, finally feeling confident enough to get up so that he didn't wrinkle his only suit.
He quickly changed into jeans and a T-shirt, black on both counts, then set his suit out on the bureau for the following morning.

"Toss me the water Heero," he said, coming out and catching the bottle as it soared in straight for his face. "Hey!"

"You didn't say where to toss it," Heero replied, nonplussed.

"You're just so damn funny aren't you," Duo snidely remarked. "What if I'd missed it, what then Mr. Perfect Soldier? It could have broken my damn nose!"
"If you'd missed it I would have been very disappointed. And as for your nose, one more break won't change it any more than the other times have."
Duo opened his mouth, then closed it again when he realized that Heero had noticed all the times his nose had been smashed or damaged in the cockpit of Deathscythe, and that it had always somehow been repaired just as good as the original. Something was definitely up with his fellow ex-pilot, but that was something best saved for a long flight home, or over dinner once they got home. With a mission looming over their heads, Duo was shocked Heero wasn't focused exclusively on the details and planning to the exclusion of all else, as was normal. That was just fine with Duo; the mission-intensive Heero could sometimes be a bit much and piling extra stress on top of the already stressed American youth would not be a good idea.

"The building is standard in terms of its construction," Heero began, as Duo dropped down onto the couch next to him. "There hasn't been anything overly obvious don't to the top five floors, which is where our intel puts the terrorist cell. I'd guess from these scans that the large central office on the third highest floor is the one we're after. It's centered in the five floors they control and almost perfectly equidistant from all other sides of the building. It would be the best place to put their central computer mainframes."

Duo listened with only half an ear, noticing briefly that the water he was drinking wasn't quite as cold as he'd like it, and also that Heero had removed his suit jacket and tie and he still looked like he was ready for a night on the town. Oh god, Duo inwardly groaned, not this again, anything but this. Just focus on the goddamn mission and get the job done!

"Did you say something?" Heero asked, breaking off his summation of the situation to look at Duo, who suddenly seemed nervous and was blushing slightly.

"No, no nothing at all, I'm sorry, I spaced out for a second. Last I heard was that the central room was the best location for their mainframe because it would be the easiest to secure and covertly fortify to protect. Did I miss anything else?"

Heero had the good grace to look shocked, his face betraying him for a moment before he recovered, helping to lessen the terror Duo had felt that he had said his inner most thoughts aloud.

"That was pretty much it," Heero replied. "I was thinking we should go in tomorrow, put on our faces, just walk around and try to get a look at the place from the inside. That's what new recruits, legal or otherwise, would do at first anyway. The following day we just stay late, saying that we have some initial paperwork that really needs to be done for the next day and that we'll let ourselves out. There are bound to be guards patrolling at night, but if we take the first day and use the tour to plant button cams throughout those floors, we might be able to pick up on a particular route or pattern that could help us avoid them."
"We're attempting to avoid a direct confrontation I assume?" Duo asked, finishing his water and still feeling parched and too warm. What was it with him lately? It was like he was having hot flashes. "Minimal loss of life and all that?"
"You actually read the briefing, I'm impressed," Heero countered, sarcasm dripping from every word, earning him another glare from his braided friend. "Yes, we don't want to kill anyone if we don't have to, but the mission comes first, as does our safety."
"Gotcha," Duo replied, heading for the minibar again. "I need another water. Do you need anything?"
Heero glanced briefly at his still unopened water and shook his head.
"Hmm, maybe I'll have a drink instead. They have all these nice little bottles of liquor here, and they're just begging for me to drink them all."
Duo had no intention of even having one of the tiny bottles, but he was hoping to earn himself a patented Heero Yuy Death Glare. Sure enough, when he turned around there it was waiting for him, coming straight out of those Prussian blue eyes.

"Oh no, the Death Glare!" Duo shrilled, grasping at his stomach. "Oh my spleen! Aim it a little higher would you and put me out of my misery!"

Duo watched as Heero tried, really tried, to put a little extra heat into the glare, but he was struggling too hard not to crack a smile so it eventually became so pathetic that Duo had to laugh.

"Oh come on, that's the best you've got?" he challenged, returning the tiny bottles to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. "The old Heero would have skewered me with a glare that would have roasted me alive. You're getting slack Heero, and you know I'm going take advantage of your new weakened state."

"The old Heero would probably just have shot you for what you just said," Heero reminded him, then drew one of his pistols from their holsters and looked at it with a great deal of interest. "Then again, I do have the silencer on, so perhaps that's just something I could take care of right now."
Duo laughed nervously, not completely certain that Heero wasn't kidding, but deciding that he was after his friend gave him a rare smile.

"Don't do that," Duo gasped, clutching at his chest in mock pain. "I thought you were actually serious for a second."
Heero again looked thoughtful, as though pondering still shooting his friend, but the gun in his hand deftly slid back into its holster and Duo relaxed again, shaking his head as he dropped down next to his friend.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, mostly with talk of the mission and their strategy for placing button cams before Heero finally retired to his own room, leaving Duo alone.

It wasn't overly late as yet, but Duo knew he needed to get a good night sleep. He secured his equipment and prepared his clothes and briefcase for the next day. Once he had done everything he could to avoid going to sleep, Duo decided that maybe a drink wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. With only small lamp next to the couch on, Duo held the glass of vodka in his hand and swirled it, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. Something was unsettling him this night, and he didn't know what it was. The mission seemed simple, and between the two of them Duo had no doubt that they would succeed, but still there was something gnawing at him. Taking a deep drink, Duo leaned back on the couch, dreading going to sleep, knowing that all that awaited him were the nightmares. Other than Heero, they were probably his closest friend, which made Duo take another gulp of his drink in disgust, feeling weak for letting his memories rule his life. Heero certainly didn't let his past ruin his future, beyond self-detonating a few times, and throwing himself in the path of any enemy he could find. Duo laughed, feeling the alcohol starting to get to him. Heero was just as much a slave to his past and his training, and his emotional and mental state left something to be desired at times, but he was always true to himself. He didn't lie or hide things, or pretend to be something he wasn't, unlike his so-called best friend. Duo slammed back the rest of his drink, feeling it burn on the way down. Eying the empty glass, Duo was sorely tempted to get another, but his body was already feeling numb, so maybe one would be enough to sleep tonight. Standing up somewhat shakily, Duo staggered to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, already feeling the darkness coming to claim him. Please let me sleep tonight, Duo pleaded as the darkness surrounded him. Just one night without the nightmares.

Heero was up before dawn, the same as most days, so he took a moment to watch as the sun started to rise on the horizon, fortunate that his room faced in the proper direction. He hadn't slept well again, strange dreams plaguing him the entire night, and had woken stiff and not rested in the least. Some stretching had at least helped with the soreness, but the mental exhaustion wasn't something so easily cured. A glass of water would have to hold him until breakfast downstairs. Duo wouldn't be up for at least another hour, Heero knew, and it would take him at least an hour to get ready for breakfast, thanks to his long hair. Sighing, Heero took a brief cold shower and got dressed, deciding to spend the next while until Duo came knocking on reviewing mission data and preparing his own briefcase of equipment. He tried to minimize the weapons, taking a large supply of the button cams and other hacking equipment should the opportunity present itself. Checking the battery on the laptop and making sure all his hidden cameras were still transmitting on a secure and stable link but the laptop only had so much space on its harddrive so Heero called up the recordings from the previous day and night to delete them and save space. The first few hours were easy to delete as there was nothing there, but Heero hesitated when he got to the recordings of himself and Duo from the previous evening. It was odd, to watch oneself from so many different angles, without any sound to help understand what was happening. Heero smiled slightly as he watched the interchange between the two of them; Duo narrowly catching the bottle of water before it hit him in the nose; Duo playing with the small bottles of liquor as Heero threatened to shoot him. Heero felt ashamed that he'd pulled his gun on his friend, even in jest, but Duo didn't seem to mind, merely considering it another part of their playing around. But did it matter if Duo didn't mind? Heero had always tried to live by the rule that if you drawn your weapon you'd better be prepared to kill with it. Had he been prepared to kill at that moment? At that Heero let out an amused chuckle; there was absolutely no chance of that happening. The gun was even on safety the previous night.

"Worrying about nothing," Heero muttered to himself, as he saved the recordings and compressed them to save disk space. "We're both broken and we're not about to blame the other if we slip up once in a while. Besides, the baka had it coming to him."
Heero, despite being of distantly Japanese heritage, had never learned more than a smattering of words, and more as a means to insult Duo and confuse him at the same time, always a fun prospect. Baka was his favorite, though he wasn't certain why, and it certainly got Duo's attention more often than not. The same could be true of grabbing a hold of the baka's braid, but Duo had quick reflexes and that was easier to say than do. Checking the time, Heero sighed, his stomach rumbling at the thought that he still probably had more than half an hour before Duo would be ready for breakfast. Well, it would do him some good to eat less, given that he'd been putting on a few pounds thanks to all the food he and Duo had been cooking since the end of the war. Cooking together usually ended up causing quite a mess, and dinner usually wasn't finished until well after sundown, and they hadn't quite got a handle on the "healthy cooking" thing either, so it was taking more and more exercising to stay in shape. Today, Heero vowed, he would have a well-balanced breakfast, none of the greasy food Duo seemed to prefer. While he waited, Heero took the time to send an e-mail out to their fellow Gundam pilots, not telling them of course what he and Duo were doing at that moment, but more just to catch up with their friends. With the other ex-pilots spending most of their time on the colonies and Wufei working for Preventer, they had little chance to get together often, and it was usually weeks or months between messages. After a few perfunctory opening remarks, Heero found himself lost for words, not an unusual condition for him. Finally he just decided to leave the e-mail alone and send it out. Before he did, he put both his own and Duo's names on it. A few moments after he hit the 'send' button, there was a knock at the door. Slipping a compact pistol from inside one of the couch cushions where he had hidden it when he had first arrived, Heero went to the door and checked the peep hole, and rolled his eyes as Duo stuck out his tongue at him from the other side.

"Ready to go?" Duo asked, as Heero opened the door. "I'm starving."
"Shocking," Heero replied, earning a glare and then returned his weapon to the cushion. Securing the laptop and hiding it once more, Heero picked up his briefcase and followed Duo back out. "So what are you going to eat?"
Duo looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned.
"I was thinking bacon and sausages and eggs, and toast of course, maybe a steak…"
Heero let his friend carry on for the elevator ride down, enjoying the almost carnal descriptions of all the food Duo planned to consume.

Just as planned, Heero had some fruit and toast, while Duo make good on his threats to eat an extremely unhealthy meal that nearly made Heero sick as his friend wolfed it down.

"I hope you aren't too full to complete the mission," Heero scoffed, as they walked towards their target, lost amongst the hundreds of other people doing the same thing. "It would hinder us more than a little if you throw up on our first day."
"You're a real laugh riot," Duo remarked, scowling. "I didn't eat that much, and if I can stomach your cooking I'm sure I'll be just fine."

"At least I don't drag my hair through every meal I make."
"Jerk."
"Baka."
Though he enjoyed the banter, Heero stayed focused on the mission, gesturing to Duo that their fun was over as their target came into sight. Unconsciously straightening and keeping himself calm and center, trying to project an air of greater age and experience, Heero led the way into the lobby. They moved to the elevators without incident, but Heero could feel several of the guards in the lobby watching he and Duo with more than casual gazes. It seemed that the New Horizon had their people throughout the building, not just on the top five floors after all.

"Two of them," Duo breathed, his lips barely moving at all.

"Yes," Heero replied, glad that his partner was still as good as he'd ever been.

They silently took the elevator up to its highest floor, the same floor that the elevators for the top five floors began on. They were greeted by a security desk with three men behind it, and despite their simple security uniforms, Heero could see how they held themselves and their gazes, each of which marked them out as soldiers.

"Welcome to New Horizons," the central guard said, his face as unwelcoming as any that Heero could remember seeing. "What is your business here today?"

"I am Heero Winner and this is Duo Barton," Heero announced.

"Hmm," the guard replied, calling up the list of authorized employees and quickly locating the hacked files placed in the system by the Preventers prior to the missions beginning. They wouldn't hold up to intense scrutiny, but would be enough to get them inside for the two days they needed. "All right, I see you in the system. I have your passcards. I wouldn't suggest losing them."
Taking the proffered cards, Heero and Duo swiped in at the console next to the security desk, then entered the elevator.

"My card says I need the first level," Duo said, looking the passcard over and reading his access information. "Duo Barton, hmm, still doesn't sound as good as Duo Maxwell."
"Be silent," Heero hissed, looking over his own card. "We must assume that we are under constant surveillance."
"Sorry," Duo replied, sounding genuinely embarrassed that he had made such a stupid mistake.

Heero took his friend at his word, knowing that he meant it, and found out that he was on the second level.

"I wonder what will happen if we push a button for a level we aren't authorized for?" Duo wondered, still pushing the correct button for his level and swiping his card through the reader to confirm his access.

"Don't try it," Heero told him, doing the same for his level. "I'll code my card today for all levels, and prepare yours for the same. Today, just try not to get too overly noticed. Remember the plan."
"No I don't, could you tell me for the millionth time?" Duo laughed, shoving Heero slightly with his shoulder. The elevator came to a stop and Duo stepped off, saying nothing more but looking back over his shoulder briefly, and Heero met his eyes for the split second before the doors closed. The look didn't mean any one thing, and that was the most irritating part, but Heero knew at the very least that it was a silent wish for his safety and success.

Duo found his office quickly, thanks to a helpful woman who smiled the moment he'd said hello to her. She would have led him there personally, but Duo begged off saying that he needed to look around anyway and get more familiar with where he was working. He found the copy room quickly enough, and the small break room, but it seemed that there was little there, indicating that most people ate in their offices.

Duo's office was a good size, larger than he expected but then, his file said he was quite the closer when it came to getting new investors. The computer was a powerful, three-monitor setup, the desk was large and oak, with several filing cabinets along the wall. Duo wanted to laugh, having such an office yet he would be there for barely less than two days. Setting his briefcase on the desk to the left of the computer, Duo sat down and powered it up. There was a password needed but even though Duo wasn't as good as Heero at hacking computers, it still only took him five minutes to get past the rudimentary safeguards, and another ten minutes to determine that his system wasn't connected to the mainframes on the third level. The computer itself contained nothing important at all, just basic programs someone in the industry would need. Knowing why he was there, Duo opened his briefcase and released the hidden panel just long enough to collect the small cylinder that contained twelve of the button cams, each with the short-range encrypted transmitter that relayed only to the laptop in his briefcase. A brief walkabout would empty the cylinder, and the rest of the day Duo would monitor the feeds and track the movements of everyone on his level. He could only hope that Heero would accomplish the same on his level, and perhaps even manage to breach the upper floors even for a few minutes, just long enough to plant a few cams and escape again.

Knowing that his task wouldn't get done if he just sat around all day, Duo got up and slid the cams into his pants pocket where he could quickly dispense them. Checking himself briefly in the monitors, Duo left his office after planting a cam above the door frame to record anyone coming into his office during his absence. There were surprisingly few people on his level, something that made Duo all the more suspicious that he already was. Surely no company could survive with only a handful of employees to run an office so large and make any sort of profit. No, something didn't sit right at all. It proved to be very simple to place all twelve cams and after getting some coffee and exchanging another smile with the flirty woman from earlier, Duo returned to his office and unlocked his briefcase and laptop, letting it boot up before he started checking the feeds. All twelve were coming in strong and clear, and laying out their locations over the resonance scans, he smiled in pride as he realized that he had placed them exactly where they needed to go.

"Beat that Yuy," Duo muttered, picking up his coffee mug and taking a long pull, deciding that it wasn't a bad blend, before wondering what he should do with the rest of his day. "I guess I'd better look busy."
Leaving the laptop to record all that it could, Duo began to create false data files throughout his computer's memory, pulling random information from profiles he had read about in Preventer files or on the news to create a false client database. Since he had all day in order to make himself look as good as Heero had made him out to be, Duo found his mind wandering a bit and pondering just what was distracting him so much of late. It wasn't work, given that he was mostly on-call if there was a mission that needed his skills, and the occasional day spent at headquarters filing reports and paperwork or sitting in on a strategy session. It wasn't his personal life either; he hadn't been so happy and at peace since he could remember, though the occasional mission still called for him to put skills to use he would rather forget. But when the possibility of another war could result from his lack of action, Duo found he had no good reason to put innocent lives at risk when he could keep them safe. It still didn't help with the nightmares though. They had always come and gone during the wars, but lately they had been occurring far more often and with far greater intensity than he could remember. There were still many about the Maxwell Church Massacre, of that he would never truly be able to free himself, but there was another that seemed to disturb him even more. As with dreams, it was almost impossible to remember enough of the nightmare to truly understand it, but it seemed to be a repeating memory from one of the earliest battles in the Eve War. Almost every night Duo watched in numb horror as Heero stood at the armored entry to his Gundam, announced that his mission was suicide, and self-detonated. When Wing 01 exploded, it almost always catapulted Duo back into the waking world, but other times he was forced to watch as Heero's mangled body was hurled away with the first shockwave, his eyes lifeless, blood spraying from his wounds, until he landed in a heap upon the ground. The first time he had woken from that nightmare, Duo had rushed to the bathroom and vomited until there was nothing left and spent the rest of the night in a heaving mass on the floor. He had never told his friend why he had looked so ruined the following morning, fearing that Heero would blame himself, or worse, think Duo weak for not being able to banish the horrors he has seen as completely as Heero had. Duo felt his hand unconsciously tightening on the mug in his hand, and quickly set it down before he shattered it. His hand still shaking, Duo tried to refocus on the task at hand but found it almost impossible, his mind constantly wandering to all the things that had come since the war, good and bad. Checking the time, Duo saw that it was well past noon and decided that perhaps something to eat would help him to focus on the mission again. On his way down the elevator to the restaurant on the main floor, Duo wondered if he would run into Heero.

Heero had decided against going out for lunch, and had opted to bring an apple with him alongside his tools of deception and death. It was quite the lunch box. Much as Duo had, Heero had hacked into the computer terminal and determined that it was practically worthless for their purposes and loaded in prepared files that made it look as though he had brought work with him. As that was insinuating itself into the computer, Heero had gone for a coffee ostensibly, and yet had only gotten one after he had placed his own cams, casually wondering if Duo had bothered to get his level under surveillance yet or not. With a cup of hot coffee in hand, Heero returned to his office and booted his laptop, and once satisfied that the cameras were all well placed and transmitting a good quality image, set the laptop aside until it was time to leave. Then it was a simple matter of activating the built-in satellite repeater that would beam periodic compressed files of all the camera footage back to Heero's other laptop in the hotel room. Duo's computer had the same, and between the two of them they should be able to determine the average movements and timing of the security sweeps, if there even were any. They wouldn't be able to infiltrate the higher three levels until the actual night of the mission's true execution, but they would act on the times of the first two levels and assume, though Heero hated assumptions, that it would take approximately the same amount of time for the other three levels. Once they were inside the mainframe room, they would have all the time they needed to get what they wanted since they could just wait for the guards to pass them once again before they made their escape. It was a risk to assume that the guards had no access to the mainframe room, but given the expensive nature of the equipment, and the fact that the guards might be merely rented security, Heero was nevertheless confident that they would not have the access codes to check the room.

Sipping at the remains of his coffee, he pondered the foe that the Preventers said resided in the building. Something just didn't sit right with him somehow, as though it had been too easy to insinuate themselves into the organization's front company. For such a well-funded and well-organized group, it should have been much harder to infiltrate them. With such success, Heero hadn't been willing or wanting to look any further into any of it, but now he had to wonder just how it had all happened so smoothly.

Draining the last of his mug, Heero locked down both computers and went back to get more. Duo had gotten him onto the terrible concoction, along with alcohol, and even occasionally meat. It seemed that Duo had been responsible for his slide from temple of perfection to, well, a regular person. For the life of him, Heero just couldn't figure out if he was grateful or not. As he refilled his mug, Heero decided to leave that to another day along with all the other things he had been setting aside to deal with that had been cropping up of late. Turning to leave the break room, he heard voices coming and decided to remain hidden and see if he could learn anything useful.

"Have you met the new guy?"
"What new guy?"
"The guy that just started today, Heero something, over in legal analysis. Looked pretty young but in this business who knows right."
"True enough. I just didn't hear that they were bringing anyone new on board. Our performance hasn't been slipping that I've seen, so I guess I'm a little surprised."
"Well it only bugs me because now we have to split the bonuses with another person who didn't even start out the fiscal here."

The two continued on and Heero smiled slightly, satisfied that he and Duo's cover seemed to be little more than office gossip and nothing overly sinister seemed to be on the minds of the people on his level. Going to take a sip from his mug, Heero realized that it was somehow empty again. During the forty-five seconds that he had been eavesdropping he had somehow finished off the entire cup. Damn Duo, Heero thought, then almost without conscious thought refilled the mug again. Damn Duo, he thought again, taking a sip.

The remainder of the day had passed quickly, and Duo knocked off at five, as he and Heero had agreed to. Saving all the falsified data that he had created in an effort to create a more plausible cover, Duo locked down the computer and opened his laptop. The data feeds had worked all day without fail, and none of the cams had failed or been discovered, so it was a simple matter to activate the satellite repeater software and have the already compressed video files sent to the laptop back in his hotel room. Knowing that Heero was doing the same thing and possibly even at the same moment made Duo smile for some idiotic reason. Or maybe it was the fact that Heero was probably doing it with a mug of coffee unconsciously clasped in one hand? Yeah that was probably it.

Leaving the laptop on but secured, Duo slid it into one of the desk drawers to continue running all night, the repeater automatically sending the video recordings every hour to the hotel. With his work accomplished, Duo picked up his briefcase and closed his office door, taking the elevator down the one level. There was now only one security guard at the desk, and Duo smiled and waved slightly at the dour looking fellow as he entered the main elevators and met Heero in the lobby.

"How was your day?" he asked, honestly interested and glad to see his friend after more time apart than was normal save during solo missions. "Was it productive or did you just drain the coffee urn dry?"
"Keep laughing," Heero advised, fixing Duo with a glare and getting an even wider grin in return. "I still haven't gotten you back for getting me hooked on that crap."

Duo didn't let up with his grin until Heero's look softened and the corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly. It was true, Heero had become well and truly hooked on coffee, to the point that Duo had had to purchase a proper grinder and a large supply of fresh beans so that when his friend was over he could make a pot of "that crap" for breakfast. For Christmas this year, Duo planned to buy the other youth the biggest, fanciest coffee machine he could possibly find. It would preferably have more power than a Gundam, be able to grind a years worth of beans at once, and brew a pot of coffee in less time than it took to actually turn the machine on. It would be expensive, of that there was no doubt, but Duo didn't care. What would he do with all his money anyway? The Preventers paid a ridiculous salary, paid for his home and bills, so why not spend his money on what he truly wanted and Heero's smile at seeing the monstrosity sitting on his counter Christmas morning would be better than all the high-class vodka or nightclub outings that Duo could cram into a year.

"Things went smoothly," Heero was saying, drawing Duo back to the real world. "The cams are in place and the data is set for one-hour retrieval. I think that if we wait until midnight, we should be able to piece together a fairly accurate picture of activity there for the mission tomorrow. I would prefer to strike in the early morning, to minimize any witnesses on the street or neighboring buildings."
"Just in case something goes awry?" Duo smirked, as they walked back to their hotel room, somehow almost alone in the teeming mass of people. "You plan on getting your gun off tomorrow Heero? I know it's been a while, but come on, this is supposed to be a stealth mission."
Dodging the slap to the back of the head he would have received, Duo pressed onward.

"Well as long as we don't end up self-detonating or something equally painful, I'll be okay with it."

"Baka," Heero growled.

"Should we pick up something to eat or just order room service?" Duo continued, not even waiting for an answer. "Definitely room service. The Preventers are picking up the tab so why not live large. Too bad we have the mission tomorrow or I'd order us up a bottle of vodka to cap it all off. Oh well, when we hit the club that should take care of the craving."

"And what craving would that be?" Heero asked, as they entered the hotel lobby.

"Shaking my groove thing and get my drink on," Duo laughed. "What other craving is there?"

His friend just shook his head, so Duo considered himself the victor once again, and even was gracious enough to hold the elevator door open for Heero, even going so far as to push the button for their floor. Since his partner wasn't going to acknowledge his generosity, Duo crossed his arms and tapped his foot until Heero grunted an acknowledgement.

"Thank you," Duo said, sarcasm dripping from the words but as usual lost on his Japanese friend. "Your place or mine?"
"Mine," Heero replied, stepping out of the elevator as it came to a stop. "Knowing you, your hotel room is probably already a shambles."
"A shambles?" Duo gasped, in mock shock that Heero would suggest such a thing.

"Perhaps that was too strong."

Duo feigned relief at the apology, but almost choked on his reply when Heero continued.

"A hazardous materials waste dump would probably be more accurate."

With that finishing blow, Heero headed for his room, leaving a stunned Duo in his wake, mouth hanging open for several seconds until at last he started laughing.

"I guess it's my fault for getting him to develop a sense of humor," he muttered to himself, when the fit had passed. "I'll have to watch myself more now. He's not as easy a mark as before."

Swiping into his room, Duo moved quietly as his hand slipped into his briefcase, releasing the false bottom and drawing out a knife in only a few heartbeats, before setting the briefcase aside and silently closing the door behind himself. Blade reversed in his right hand to keep it partially obscured, Duo made a quick sweep of the room to ensure that all the button cams were still where they should be and that his belongings hadn't been touched. There was not a single sign that anything had been tampered with, so he took a moment to review the security recordings and there was nothing whatsoever, the cleaning crew respecting the "No Entrance" sign both he and Heero had hung on the door as a simple precaution to prevent someone from stumbling onto something they shouldn't. Erasing the worthless files to keep the harddrive as free as possible, Duo retrieved his briefcase and replaced the knife within it. He called up the satellite repeater program and the security files from the New Horizons building appeared exactly as they should. Satisfied, Duo started the decompression and decryption programs and decided that a quick change of clothes might not be a bad thing. He left the suit out as he had the night before, taking care to keep it looking good and thinking that maybe running the suite's iron over it wouldn't be a bad thing. Deciding that he had absolutely no desire to do that, Duo just made sure everything was laid out nicely and then threw on a loose pair of black pants that rode low on his hips, and a shirt to match that he only buttoned in a few places. He left his feet bare, socks lying on the floor and dress shoes tucked under the bed, an odd contrast in organization and chaos. Checking himself out in the mirrored closet doors, Duo did a little dance and smiled at himself.

"Looking hot Duo," he told himself, spinning around, his braid almost wrapping itself right around him. "Too bad the club has to wait for another day. Oh well, at least I'll finally get Heero out on the floor, see him get his groove on. He'll probably only be able to do the robot."
For some reason, that thought had Duo nearly on the floor with laughter, imagining Heero doing the robot dance, straight face and no emotion showing at all.

"Oh…god!" Duo gasped, finally able to breathe again. "One of these days I'm going to laugh myself to death. Whew, I'd better get over to Heero's before he comes hunting for me."
Darting back into the living room, Duo gathered up his laptop and fled down the hallway to Heero's door. What a thrilling night lay ahead, he groused. Well, maybe he could sneak some of the liquor from Heero's minibar before he noticed.

The annoyingly loud knock at his door told Heero exactly who was there, but still he took the small pistol from the cushion and checked the peephole, then unlocked the door to admit his fellow Preventer.

"Sorry, I got a bit distracted," Duo said, by way of explaining why it had taken him almost ten minutes to do what should have taken two, but Heero wasn't surprised or really upset at all. Duo was Duo, and that was that.

"It's okay, I've been getting the files ready myself," Heero replied, locking the door behind them and taking a seat before his laptop, sliding down the couch a bit to make room for Duo. "It should only be another minute before the files are all ready. I set my laptop in my office to compress and transmit every hour, so that should let us get a pretty good picture of what we're dealing with."
"Yeah, except it means we have to stay up really late," Duo whined, sighing. "If we want the most complete data, we should get at least two hours worth of footage past our insertion time. I was thinking about a midnight strike myself, what do you think?"

Heero thought about it, unable to help himself be surprised with the professionalism that seemed to just erupt out of Duo at random intervals, and decided that Duo was right.

"Midnight," he confirmed. "And let's go three hours past, just to be sure. I'm anticipating no more than four guards on a sweep time of all five levels of no more than thirty minutes."
"Hn," Duo grunted, the sound almost identical to Heero's usual reply to almost any question or comment. "I was thinking six guards and twenty minutes, but I guess that all depends if the guards are in on the whole thing or just rented security."
"We'll know tonight by how they act and conduct themselves. Just try to stay sober enough to be of some use," Heero needled, and noticed that Duo looked embarrassed, a hint of a blush on his cheeks, like he was caught in a lie, something he had never done to Heero's knowledge. "So planning to raid the minibar were you?"
"Maybe," his friend challenged, crossing his arms and looking defiant. "What's it to you?"
He couldn't help it, so Heero just started laughing, the last several days' worth of Duo's comments and actions hitting him all at once and he decided to just let it out or it would drown him alive. Clutching his sides the former Wing Zero pilot gasped for breath, even felt several tears pooling in his eyes as his friend simply stared at him in uncomprehending amazement.

"Heero, what did your mind finally snap or something?" Duo asked, laughing at last, joining his friend. "I mean creepy man."

"Stop, I'm begging you," Heero gasped, his sides aching. "I can't take any more!"

It took several minutes, but finally Heero felt his body calming and did nothing to rush it. He had always tried to hold his emotions in check during the wars, to make sure he was acting rationally and logically rather than on spurious emotions, like Duo and even Wufei were known for. Now he no longer held the power of life and death in his hands with the same ease he had once, and he had no need to put himself forward as nothing more than a weapon of the colonies. Now he was just Heero Yuy, and when your best friend happened to be Duo Maxwell, controlling your emotions was impossible.

"Damn Duo," Heero gasped, wiping at his eyes and fixing Duo with a look. "Get me a water please."
"Sure."

While Duo made his way to the minibar, Heero began running through the cam footage starting at the beginning but running it at four times normal speed. At that rate it would only take a few minutes to go through each set of four cameras that the screen could display at once. He was so engrossed in tracking any particularly interesting people that he didn't feel the approach until it was too late.

"Baka!" Heero bellowed, clutching at the back of his head where the water bottle that Duo had thrown at him had struck. "What was that for?"

"Ha, I knew you weren't perfect!" Duo replied, in triumph. "I didn't even throw it that hard, and you still didn't see it coming."
"Because I was busy working!"

Still rubbing at his sore head, Heero felt Duo sit down next to him again and drape an arm over his shoulders.

"Sorry Heero, I guess I don't know my own strength," Duo semi-apologized. "Guess I'd better be more careful in the future."
"Especially if you don't want to wake up to find yourself suffocating on your own braid," Heero threatened, still watching the camera footage as he sipped his water.

"Ouch, harsh. Anything interesting so far?"

As they talked, Heero realized that Duo's arm was still around his shoulders and that the American had leaned in rather closely, the better to see the screen his mind told him. But still, it was almost distracting now and growing more…comfortable. No, there was a mission to accomplish.

"Why don't you work on your own computer for the time being," Heero said, reaching up and patting Duo's hand and feeling like he'd been shocked with electricity. "There's a good baka."

Duo laughed and loaded up his own cam recordings and began reviewing them, but as with Heero, it seemed that there was little to see until the after hours recordings started coming in.

Having expected this, Heero got up and retrieved the room service menu from the small kitchenette and started looking it over.

"Is it dinner time?" a hopeful voice asked.

"For me," Heero replied, finding a number of suitable options for his own meal. Apparently the hotel was no stranger to those that preferred a more vegetarian menu. "You don't get anything until you're finished there."

"Awww," Duo whined, pouting as best he could, but Heero would not be swayed.

"If you're going to behave like a child I'll treat you like one," he teased, already picking up the phone in the kitchenette to order his dinner. "However, you have the twenty or thirty minutes until the food gets here to finish. If you don't, I'm sending it back. So get over here and make up your mind."
There seemed to be no movement and yet Duo was at his elbow in a flash, babbling away as he looked over the impressive selection, pointing out a half dozen things he wanted.

"Try not to embarrass me," Heero sighed. "If they deliver enough food for ten people but see the two of us here, there are going to be questions."
"Like I care," Duo replied, shoving the menu in Heero's face. "Look, they have cheese burgers and onion rings and French fries and…"
At that point Heero knew he had lost, and after placing his order with room service, handed the phone to the practically slavering American and returned to the couch, shaking his head in disbelief at what his friend ordered. They were not that different in size and weight, and yet Duo packed away enough for a family of four on a regular basis. Heero had always assumed he needed the extra energy to fuel his manic personality but had never found any scientific proof, and when he had asked for Duo's assistance he'd received a glare that would have put the sun to shame with its intensity. After that, Heero hadn't bothered to look into it again.

"Now shut up and let me work," Duo said, dropped onto the couch and running through his security recordings as fast as he could, determined to gorge himself on his meal.

Not pointing out that it was Duo who tended to be the one that distracted the two of them, Heero finished off the few recordings he had and deleted them as there was nothing there, only to have the first of the after hours recordings arrive. As they were only an hour long each, it took only seconds to decompress and decrypt them, and again Heero found nothing useful, save that it seemed the last of the employees cleared out before 6pm. The security patrols would probably start in the next hour or two.

"New feeds arriving," he informed Duo, who was frantically trying to get through all twelve button cams worth of footage. "Should be nothing there, but check anyway."

"Hn."

Smiling to himself, Heero went and fixed himself a drink, deciding to cut loose a bit and have a vodka on the rocks. He had barely had his first sip when there was a knock at the door.

"I'm almost done!" Duo shouted.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't actually plan on sending your food back," Heero replied, setting his drink down and answering the door.

The young lady pushing the cart smiled at him as she wheeled it into the room, handing him the bill which stated that the cost would be added to the total cost of the room when they checked out.

"Thank you," Heero said, bolting the door after she had left. The smells wafting up from the heavily laden cart were causing his stomach to rumble. "Finish up and get your food before I eat it for you," he threatened.

Ignoring the threat Duo threw his way if he touched his food, Heero lifted the first two covers and swallowed at the sight of the roasted vegetables and the penne alfredo. Setting the covers on the counter, Heero removed the others and revealed a huge hamburger loaded with cheese and a dozen other fixings, a medium-rare top sirloin steak with baked potato, and surprisingly a Caesar salad.

"Vegetables Maxwell?" he said, incredulous. "I was certain that you didn't eat anything that didn't moo at some point in its life."
"Haha," Duo muttered, pushing the laptops to the rear of the large coffee table to make room for the food. "Bring the food Yuy or you're going to be minus an arm I'm so hungry."

Doing as he had been 'ordered', Heero strongly considered dumping the food in Duo's lap, but decided that since something had died already to make the food, wasting it would be disrespectful. Plus, he'd have to pay for cleaning the couch and carpet.

"Gorge yourself on the corpses of animals," Heero flourished, depositing the two meals before his friend, then the smaller salad.

"Oh stop, its not like you haven't enjoyed some meat now and again," Duo laughed, eagerly taking the cutlery Heero offered and cutting into his steak. "Mmm, so good."

Placing his food on the table as well, Heero retrieved his drink and took a belt. Nothing like a little burning on the way down to remind you that you were alive.

"Turn on the TV," Heero said, sitting down and picking up a fork before spearing a large mushroom. "I was hoping to hear about the results of the Earth Sphere United Nation vote on the bill regarding banning firearms outside of law enforcement personnel."
"That's boring," Duo groaned, turning the large TV hanging on the wall on and finding a rather flashy and noisy science fiction movie. "Now here's some stimulating entertainment."

"Baka," Heero muttered, between mouthfuls of his pasta.

The movie progressed with a typical lack of a real story, at least in Heero's opinion, but it did distract him from the horror that was watching Duo Maxwell eat. Sometimes it seemed the only way for the self-proclaimed God of Death to eat without making a horrible mess was from a trough, but Duo never found that suggestion particularly funny. Heero finished the last of his dinner, and then drained the last of his drink, enjoying both the fine meal and the drink. While Duo finished up, Heero called up the last few hours of cam footage, watching the patterns of the guard movements, how they held themselves, whether they carried any weapons or not. It was pretty obvious that they weren't rented security, but Heero would wait for Duo's opinion before concluding anything. Despite appearances he wasn't as dumb as he looked.

Duo finished the last of his steak and let out a burp, muffling it as best as he could with his hand, and looked guiltily at Heero and breathed a sigh of relief that his friend seemed not to have noticed. Once more it seemed that Heero was engrossed in work, reviewing the next two hours of footage from their spy cams. After such a good meal, Duo hated to ruin it with work, but it had to be done.

"Anything good?" Duo asked, peering over Heero's shoulder.

"I think we have our answer as to whether or not the guards are in on it."
As the footage was replayed, Duo found himself nodding as he watched the movements of the guards, their lack of conversation. It was like watching soldiers on patrol, and Duo realized that that was exactly what they were.

"Not a lot of firepower," Duo noted, indicating the simple pistols in hip holsters. "But given that there are four of them, and that they're on the highest floors, wouldn't exactly make it easy for anyone to just break in. They seem to be more of a precaution than an actual attempt to protect anything."

"It seems to take them about fifteen minutes to clear each floor," Heero added, watching the clock on his laptop. "Check yours to see if they are consistent."
Not bothering to point out that he wasn't stupid, Duo loaded up the most recent hours of footage and watched, noting that the guards patrolled in a simple circuit, investigating each office as they went, passing the other pair at the rear of the floor, and then re-searching those offices that their counterparts had already searched. It was efficient, somewhat redundant but showed little laxity, and it was a brisk sweep. Checking the time, Duo noticed that it was indeed just over fifteen minutes for the four guards to meet up again at the elevator to take it up to the next level. He could imagine that it was locked down each time they ascended to another level, and locked down again once they returned to the security desk. But there did seem to be enough time to accomplish the mission, but there would be little room for error if they didn't want to start shooting up the place.

"Are you still sure we can do this without a body count?" Duo asked, watching his footage again to look for weaknesses.

"It will be difficult, but not impossible," Heero replied, and his friend could see that the youth was deep in thought. "I'll need to code my card to override any commands to the elevator, but that will not leave us much time. We will need to get to the third floor before them and into the mainframe room before they come up behind us. There may still be guards at the entrance, so we'll need to take them down, but a paralytic neurotoxin should do the trick."
"So put simply, we knock out the guards, take the elevator up just as they start searching the first level, get to the mainframe, get what we want, and then leave while they're searching above us."
"It seems the most logical plan. What do you think?"
Duo wanted to ask just when Heero thought his input really mattered, but it seemed that his friend actually meant what he said, so Duo just smiled.

"Sounds good to me. No killing for a change, I don't know if the God of Death can handle that."
"Well the God of Death will just have to live with it. You aren't the only one with nightmares about the past, and I'd rather not have more ghosts haunting me."
It was a rare admission, Duo knew, for Heero to admit that his past had so bothered him. Throughout the war he had tried to stay focused on just getting the job done, but Duo knew that all the killing and the destruction had taken its toll. To know that his friend suffered as he did just made Duo all the more glad to be along on the mission with him, to give him the practical and emotional back-up Heero needed. To be truthful, there was more to it on Duo's part, things that he wished with all his heart he could act on, but there was too much at stake. Without Heero…he didn't even want to contemplate that.

The rest of the evening passed well, and at 2am they finally called it quits, reviewing the hours of footage over and over again, looking for anything they had missed but both were confident by then that they had everything pegged. Leaving Heero with all the dishes, Duo headed back to his room and after checking it over, probably unnecessary, decided that it was a good time for bed. He secured the laptop and hid it once more in the seat of the couch, and took one last look around. Satisfied that he had everything organized, he picked up his briefcase and retreated to the bedroom, quickly checking to make sure that his clothes were ready for the next day. Taking his briefcase and opening it, Duo began to think about what gear he wanted, deciding to leave all the computer stuff to Heero. There was no denying that the other was much more adept at hacking, but Duo knew he was hardly a slouch thanks to all his training. A silenced pistol and several spare magazines were first, followed by the dart-gun and a clip of the paralytic darts. There was still ample room so Duo followed up with the spring-loaded wrist knife and a trio of throwing knives and several microexplosives with a remote detonator. Testing the weight distribution, which wasn't heavy given that both guns were plastic and the throwing knives were only seven inches including the hilt. Throwing the usual assortment of dummy gear into the briefcase just to make it look more anonymous, Duo tossed his clothes on the floor and after hitting the lights crawled into bed. Maybe tonight would be different from so many others lately. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have to watch innocent people die over and over again. Maybe he wouldn't have to watch Heero die over and over again.

The day had passed quickly, with no signs of any problems that Heero could detect. He had met Duo after work as normal and they had returned to the hotel, changing into their stealth armor, before putting their suits back on over top. The stealth armor was lightweight but capable of stopping most grazing or non-straight shots from low caliber weapons, as well as helping to mask lifesigns and heat signatures, and protection from shrapnel and bladed weapons. It was like a second skin and Heero had found it beneficial more than once. He had already packed his briefcase the night before but he had left some gear in his office, just in case. It had been risky taking it in, and leaving it there had been even more so, but he would be damned if he walked into a potential firefight with his bestfriend and hadn't tried to plan for a way out. Hell, it wasn't even much of a way out, but it was better than nothing. He didn't have Duo's skill or interest in knives, so he had a silenced pistol and magazines for it in his briefcase, a dart-gun with paralytic rounds, plus the other part to the escape plan. Heaven help him if it came down to that. They wouldn't be moving in until midnight which seemed to be the start of the third rotation of patrols, a group of four guards searching all five levels every two hours. By midnight the idea was also that they might be less attentive, having gone through the routine enough to be bored by it. That was the idea anyway.

Checking the clock, Heero watched it change to 6:12pm, and nearly sighed in frustration at having to wait at least five hours before they would even head out. The worst part about any operation, be it as a Gundam pilot or as a Preventer, was always the waiting. No, that wasn't true, Heero thought as he corrected himself with a mental slap. Watching people die, especially innocent people, was the worst part about any operation. Dropping onto the bed and nearly knocking his briefcase to the floor, Heero's face found its way into his hands as he tried to get the images out of his mind from the night before. He hadn't slept well, worse than in a long time, and it wasn't the more common memory-nightmares of the little girl and her dog from his time training for Operation Meteor. Lately, he watched as Duo died, Deathscythe blasted apart by enemy mobile suits, or as he self-detonated, or as he was tortured by OZ on Barge after he had been captured. Heero knew exactly why Duo was fixing so much in his thoughts, that wasn't the point, but what he couldn't tell exactly was why he had a bad feeling. There was nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong with the mission whatsoever, so why was he so certain that it wouldn't go to plan. Looking into the still open secret compartment of his briefcase, Heero seriously considered changing the parameters of the op and going lethal, just to be sure that as few enemies as possible remained between the two Preventers and their safest way out. No, he didn't want to start down that path again. It was too easy to go down it and never look back, but maybe there was another way. The plan called for entering the lobby through a security door at the side between it and a neighboring building, bypassing the weapons detectors completely. At the very least, Heero planned to switch to more lethal armaments than the plastic pistol. He got up and pulled his suitcase out from under the bed, opening it and lifting up the shielded compartment. Inside were the rest of his weapons and equipment and a stealth backpack, thin and light, and most likely completely invisible under his suit jacket. Nodding absently, Heero took off his jacket and set it next to the briefcase, and put the backpack on, adjusting the straps to perfection before putting the jacket back on. There was a hint of a bulge, but nothing that anyone would be able to detect with only scattered streetlights and moonlight to work with. Removing the jacket and backpack, Heero swapped the plastic gun from his briefcase for a proper 10mm weapon, exchanging the magazines for 10mm clips at the same time. Two smaller 9mm pistols were slotted into the backpack on the sliding racks that would pop from its sides to allow him to reach the weapons. No silencers anymore. Figuring that if it got to that point, gunshots would be the least of their worries, Heero was going for stopping power over silence. The back-up weapons would only have their ten-round clips, but Heero decided that running too heavy could create its own problems. Backpack next to his briefcase, Heero made sure the secret compartment was sealed and then loaded in the hacking gear he needed, securing it all down, then closed it. Sliding the suitcase back under the bed, locked once more, Heero left his equipment laid out on the bed and began to think of things to do for the next five hours. It had been ten seconds when his mind was made up for him.

Duo knocked on Heero's door, hoping that his friend was as jittery as he was. Something just wasn't feeling right about the whole thing, but there was nothing concrete he could take to Heero, so Duo had simply gone for more weapons. A 10mm pistol the same as Heero's was in his briefcase now with its spare clips nestled next to it. Since he wasn't doing any hacking, Duo had a 10mm machine pistol taped to his back, and several spare mags were taped to his legs, easily accessible through his pants pockets since he had cut through them. Unsure about telling Heero about his new choices, Duo decided to leave it be. If he was wrong and everything went perfectly, he didn't want his partner to know just how skittish he'd been.

"What's the password?" a voice demanded from the other side of the door.

Duo rolled his eyes and tried to think of the idiotic password that he had suggested once on a mission with Heero a year past.

"Duo Maxwell rocks."
"That is correct. The password, I mean. The statement is obviously wrong."
"Just open the damn door," Duo growled, unconsciously reaching for the pistol in the small of his back.

The door opened and a completely serious-looking Heero Yuy stood there, and Duo arched an eyebrow.

"I can't believe you remembered that idiotic password," Heero said, and Duo once more felt himself reaching for his weapon.
"Yeah yeah," he laughed, bolting the door behind himself. "Anyway, I thought we could watch a movie or something to kill the time. And yes, I know, no drinking. We can do that tomorrow at the club. Ha, you thought I'd forget didn't you? Well this braided baka isn't going to let a golden opportunity like this pass him by."

Smiling at his friend shaking his head, Duo plunked down on the couch, wincing slightly as the machine pistol dug into his back, but deciding that it wasn't a big deal. Grabbing the TV remote, Duo started flipping around to find something worth watching, and heard Heero making a racket in the kitchen.
"What the hell are you doing?" Duo asked, still too fixated on finding the most mindless movie he possibly could. "Oh here we go, Invaders from the 10th Dimension, a classic, and right after that, Invaders from the 11th Dimension. Imagine our good fortune Heero, two movies of this caliber and you without an excuse to avoid watching them."

"Who said anything about excuses?"
Turning around at last, Duo saw Heero walking towards him with a heaping bowl of popcorn.
"The braided baka forgot the popcorn," Heero observed. "We never watch a movie without it, as the braided baka knows."
"Silence you," Duo scowled. "Just sit down and share, unless you want Shinigami to go medieval on your ass."
A bark of laughter and Heero was at his side, and Duo found himself thinking. If it wasn't for the large caliber weapon in his back and the stealth armor, it would almost be like any other night at home.

Heero checked his watch. 11:55pm, perfect timing. He and Duo had left their rooms only twenty minutes earlier and could not have arrived at a more precipitous time. Crossing the street in near perfect darkness, they ducked around the side of the building and Heero saw the security door even in the low light. Eyes more sensitive than most people, Heero needed less light to function, and deftly opened his briefcase and pulled out the swipe card reader and small toolkit. Quickly prying open the outer casing, Heero hooked up the code-hacker, splicing it into the system with fluid movements, downloading the codes to the swipe card reader, and waving it over the sensor pad. It took all of forty seven seconds and he and Duo were inside. Resealing the panel and closing the door silently behind them, Heero let Duo lead the way to the elevators. There were only two that went to the floor they needed, so they picked one at random and entered it, but Heero hacked into the control systems even as the doors closed. He locked out the tracking systems and audio announcements, that way there would be no advanced notice that they were coming. Drawing out his dart-gun, Heero nodded at Duo to press the button, and the elevator started up. Both of them had the dart-guns in hand now, jackets open to quickly reach their secret weapons. Clicking the safety off, Heero took a breath and silently assured himself that they would be just fine if they stuck to the plan.

All too quickly the elevator slowed as it reached its destination. The moment the doors opened even slightly, Heero slid through, dart-gun clicking near-silently, the other four guards caught entirely by surprise. Between the two of them, Heero was glad to see that Duo managed to stick each of his two with a pair of darts each, guaranteeing that the four would be out for at least six hours. Dart-guns were dropped into briefcases as the two went to the elevator leading up. He checked the time, and almost groaned. They had been even more efficient than he could have hoped. The guards would only now be heading back towards the elevator, so there were seven and a half minutes to kill. Watching the time closely, Heero gave it nine minutes before he swiped his card. The moment the doors opened he was inside, Duo right behind him, and punched for the third level, swiping his card. It was a twenty second trip, and punching the button for the second level to return the elevator to where the guards would expect it to be, Heero led the way to the rear of the level. If the schematics they had generated were remotely accurate, the entrance would be most likely at the rear of the level, and sure enough there were a pair of very heavy-looking metal sliding doors.

While Duo kept an eye and an ear out for anything unexpected, Heero jacked into the door control systems, the smaller palmtop computer still more than a match for the security systems thanks to Heero's custom modifications. With more than five minutes still to spare, the doors slid open and they were in.

All silent, Heero gestured for Duo to stay close, and led the way inside. The mainframe room was jammed with some of the most expensive and top-of-the-line equipment Heero had ever seen outside of Mobile Suits or Preventer headquarters. Back-up memory storage and encrypt-decrypt computers lined the walls, a huge back-up battery system at the very head of the room, just in case of a power failure. In the center of the room was the mainframe itself. The doors slid shut behind them, but Heero was already at the computer terminal, jacking in via his palmtop and generating the satellite uplink. The security on the mainframe was of a much higher caliber than the rest but still it was no match for Heero Yuy. Two minutes later the mainframe was spilling its secrets, and via Heero's palmtop it was all being beamed up to the Preventer satellite in orbit, to await the download command. There was a lot of information, several terabytes worth at least, so Heero settled in and checked his watch. 12:31am. Flashing the watch face at Duo, who checked his own, Heero settled in for the wait. It would be safe to leave in twenty minutes, and then it was over. Mission accomplished.

Duo still couldn't shake the feeling he was having, and it was beginning to bug the hell out of him. From the look of the computer room, it was completely sound-proof so at least the guards wouldn't be able to hear Heero typing away at the computer. Checking his watch again, Duo grimaced. It had been three minutes since he checked last and he felt stupid for even bothering. When it was time to leave Heero would tell him. In the meantime he tried to focus on clearing his mind and staying focused. So far everything had gone exactly to plan so why was he still so certain of disaster? Shaking his head, causing his braid to whip about dangerously, Duo moved to the computer and started to read over Heero's shoulder, desperate for anything to distract him from…everything. The data that Heero was reading seemed to pertain to some sort of new drug and hypnosis combination that New Horizon seemed to be experimenting with. Most of the chemical formulas and technical jargon were well beyond Duo's understanding so he just skimmed it, looking for anything telling about the groups objectives. A number of the files uploaded were heavily encrypted so there might have been more there, but it would take time to get through the security so those would wait for later. Finally the upload was complete, the entire database taken and awaiting download on a satellite miles overhead.
Heero rose, after rewriting the security passwords and encryption routines, and headed for the doors. Duo watched as his friend checked his watch, then held up three fingers. Three more minutes, and then they could make their escape. Reaching behind his jacket, Duo quietly slipped the safety off his weapon, just in case.

At last Heero palmed the door open and led the way out, case in hand. Duo followed close behind, proximity to his friend lending him strength he felt he sorely needed. They were truly alone and made it to the elevator to Duo's relief. As Heero hacked into the system and called the elevator, Duo allowed himself a brief moment of disbelief that they were going to get away with it all. He had worried for nothing. The elevator arrived and they took it down, Duo smiling all the way. But no sooner had the elevator come to a stop, and the doors started to open, than he heard the racking of weapon slides. Without thought Duo shoved Heero to the far side of the elevator and threw himself backwards, both of them now out of sight of the countless guards.

"Come out and throw down your weapons!" a voice commanded.

Duo looked across at Heero, unsure of what his partner wanted to do, but there was a look in Heero's eyes as he returned the glance, and it both chilled and warmed Duo despite the dire nature of their situation. Duo nodded, trusting that Heero knew what he was doing, and wasn't surprised when Heero hit the button for the second level. The guards moved forward as the elevator unexpectedly started back up, their quarry unexpectedly being able to override their lockdown.

"What the hell happened?" Duo demanded, fumbling with his briefcase for his weapons. "I didn't hear any alarms."
"I don't know what happened," Heero replied, pulling the 10mm from his briefcase and pocketing the extra clips. "There were no safeguards tripped when I was in their systems. All the hacks were clean."
"Well it doesn't matter now," Duo decided, forgetting about his briefcase and pulling the machine pistol from behind his back, enjoying the look of surprise on Heero's face. "I had a bad feeling, so don't judge me. When it comes to y…the mission, I don't take any chances."
"Neither do I," Heero assured him, leading the way from the elevator to his office. "I just need a second. I had a bad feeling too, but I didn't know what it was about, so I left a little something in my office."
Inside, he reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a cartridge of some sort as well as the laptop he had left behind.

"I'm glad I programmed mine to automatically surge," Duo smirked, watching as Heero manually wiped his computers components. "What's that?"
Heero tossed him the cartridge.

"Monofilament," was his only response.

"Fine, don't tell me. Let's just get the hell out of here."
Taking a moment to grab his weapons from the briefcase, Duo then tossed it aside, holding the machine pistol with both hands to steady it. Heero had done the same, though he had also pocketed his hacking equipment and a bizarre device was tucked into the front of his pants.

"Follow me," Heero said, and Duo relinquished the lead.

Before they could even exit the office a barrage of gunfire greeted them, forcing them back inside. Duo, flat against the wall, snuck a quick peek outside with the blade of one of his throwing knives. Holding up a hand with four fingers, he gestured to Heero that there were two guards at either end of the hallway. Getting an answering nod, Duo set his weapon to full automatic, and dove out into the hallway, spraying a line of bullets towards the guards on his right, Heero doing the same to his left. Their attack was sudden enough that all four went down with only one even getting off a return shot. Duo got up fast, weapon still smoking but still half loaded, Heero swapping out the mostly spent clip from his pistol.

"This way," Heero said, and Duo was only too happy to oblige, keeping an eye over his shoulder for more pursuers.

They hadn't gotten to the end of the hallway when Duo saw another squad coming around behind them and ripped off a volley, driving them back seeking cover.
"Move it Heero," he shouted, firing again until the slide locked open.

They cleared the corner of the hallway as the guards returned fire, blasting great chunks from the wall, forcing Duo to cover his eyes lest he be blinded by debris. The spent magazine dropped to the floor and Duo reached into his pants pocket and pulled a spare out and slapped it in, the slide snapping forward once again.

"In there." Duo looked where Heero was pointing and nodded, poking his weapon around the corner and firing even as Heero did the same the other way, squads of guards moving in and trying to get them trapped in a cross fire.

"Go," Duo ordered, another spent mag clattering to the ground as he loaded the last spare. He drew his 10mm and clicked the safety off, covering Heero as he picked the lock into the office he had pointed to.

Moving fast, Duo fired down each hallway, trying to keep up as steady a stream of fire as possible, but there were at least a half dozen guards now on each side, leapfrogging from office to office. Even as both his weapons clicked empty, Duo only succeeded in dropping one. The machine pistol joined its empty clips on the ground and Duo reloaded the 10mm. Finally Heero got the door open and Duo was in right after him, closing it again and locking it, for all the good that it would do. Heero threw the desk over on its side and they both cowered behind it, just as gunfire ripped through the office, the door somehow remaining locked and on its hinges.

"So what's your brilliant escape plan that has us trapped in here waiting to get blown to pieces?" Duo snapped, firing over the top of the desk and not giving a damn if he hit anything.

"Give me the cartridge," Heero said, pulling the device from his belt and taking the cartridge from Duo. "This isn't the safest way to go, I'm not going to lie to you, but given that we're trapped seventeen stories above the ground, slim hope is better than none."
"True enough," Duo replied, firing off a few more rounds to keep the guards guessing. "But whatever you're going to do, you'd better do it now. I don't really fancy ending up in another interrogation cell."
"Even if you did," Heero remarked, too busy with his device to realize what he was saying. "I'd always be there to get you out."
Duo did a double take, but before he could say anything more gunfire brought him back to the situation at hand and he fervently hoped that Heero knew what he was doing.

Heero really hoped he knew what he was doing. The ascension gun could theoretically do what he planned, but it hadn't exactly been tested from quite so high a height, or with the weight of two people. Thankfully on that count Heero knew that both he and Duo weighed nearly the same, barely a hundred and thirty pounds a piece, and the monofilament line was rated at three hundred pounds, but no one had tested dropping from so high a height either. So many variables, so many risks. Looking up for a moment, Heero watched as Duo's face was a mask of anger as he fired back at the mounting army outside the office, and couldn't believe that this could be how it ended.

"No, not like this," Heero muttered, locking everything into place and setting the braking speed detector to minimum safe deceleration. "Duo, time to leave."
Heero stood and blasted the window apart before tossing his weapon aside. Kneeling at the windows edge, Heero used the sensors on the ascension gun to measure the distance so that it would function at its best. Waving Duo over, Heero fired the piton into the steel beam built into the wall above the window frame and strapped the gun to the American's waist before his startled friend could react. A feeling came over him and with lightning speed Heero triggered the backpack beneath his jacket and pulled the 9mms free, spinning and firing as quickly as he could squeeze the triggers, felling the two guards that tried to rush the door, forcing the others back once more. Firing until the weapons ran dry, Heero turned and tackled Duo, and then there was nothing below them but open air.
They fell for what seemed like forever but it was probably only a few seconds, the two friends clutching each other with all the strength they could muster in a desperate attempt to stay alive. Bullets snapped past them as the guards fired down at them, one even striking the now empty backpack Heero wore, but finally the ascension fun slowed them enough that with a quick press of the release button they dropped the last two meters, landing in a heap. Both were up quickly and pelting off into the darkness, shedding their most obvious weapons and their jackets down sewer grates as they could spare, Heero simply tossing his backpack into a dumpster, not caring if anyone found it now that it was empty. They ran together, arms pumping and legs churning, Duo seemingly knowing where to go and Heero thankful for that given that his mind was so confused at that moment. How had the guards known they were there? How could they have known? Was it all a setup, to see just who they were dealing with? None of it made any sense to Heero but tonight that didn't matter. Checking his watch he saw that it was nearly 1am and thankfully the streets were nearly deserted, except for a mysterious line up of people up ahead of them. It took him several minutes to realize just where they were headed and he almost shouted out to Duo to stop, that he was insane, that his idea was stupid and wouldn't work. The more he thought about it, Heero decided that the youth with the impossible hair was right. There was nothing that New Horizon could do in a huge crowded area, even if they were even able to find them. Too many witnesses. This round could still go to the good guys if only they could make it. Seeing the line of people waiting to get in, Heero also only had to hope that Duo had brought money because he only had a few dollars in a back pocket. To bribe their way in would probably require more than he had.
"I have money," Duo somehow confirmed, panting only slightly with the exertion. "Let me do the talking."
Heero could only nod, knowing that these situations were Duo's forte, so to speak. Sure enough, they charged up to the bouncer and Duo started in right away, extending a hand and greeting the hulking man as though they were regulars to the NightSky. The bouncer was a professional, that much was clear, and nothing fazed him in the slightest and he played along with more skill than Heero would have thought someone like him capable of. The good sized wad of money that Duo had slipped him would probably have gone a long way towards that.

Duo waved him in, smirking a bit at the crowd and Heero followed him in, checking behind them to see if they had been spotted. The streets were clear and there were no other pounding feet to be heard, just the pounding of the music from inside the club. The path into the club was a half-circle, the better to keep the heat and the noise in, and it was lit with flashing strobe lights that gave the brief journey an almost surreal feeling. Heero felt lost already and that feeling only grew with each strobe of the lights and with the rising volume of the music ahead. Finally they emerged into the club itself and Heero decided that there had to be some sort of sound dampening technology in the entrance way; so great was the sound that bombarded him that it was like walking into an invisible wall. The NightSky was a rough square with a bar on each side and a huge central dance floor almost throbbing with people. The music thumped and the people thrashed, the lights strobing in time to the beat of the music and Heero found himself fearing to move through the crush of bodies to the bar where the only seats were. The DJ at the rear of the club had apparently decided that the song he was spinning was too slow and so he cranked up the tempo and the volume. Obviously sensing his friend's apprehension, Duo took Heero's hand and smiled at him before tugging him into the crowd.

Bodies constantly jostling him, Heero clutched Duo's hand as though it was a lifeline, and in a way it was. If Duo let go Heero was certain that he would be swallowed up by the crowd and never escape. After several minutes they managed to break free and reach the bar they had aimed for. He hadn't even danced but Heero already found himself sweating and panting, his hand slippery and hot in Duo's but neither seemed able to let go just yet.

"What's your pleasure?" a beautiful young woman behind the bar asked, polishing a glass with a towel.

"Two vodkas on the rocks and make 'em doubles," Duo grinned. "The good stuff too, please."

After Duo had passed over more than enough cash to pay for the two drinks, the bartender was only too happy to fill their order. In only moments and with deft movements almost impossible to see, two tumblers appeared, a lot more full than a double would normally be and already sweating in the heat of the club, not unlike their purchasers.

"Bottoms up," Duo said, trying to reach for his drink with his right hand which was still holding Heero's left. "Hmm, we seem to have a problem."
At first Heero had been confused about what his friend meant, given that the drinks were there and they could both use one, and then to his embarrassment realized that he was still holding Duo's hand.

"Sorry," he murmured, releasing the sweaty hand and knowing that he had turned slightly pink in his embarrassment before grabbing his own drink and taking a hefty slug.

He glanced at his friend and expected him to make some joke or maybe even be offended, but Duo's smile was genuine and without mockery, his own cheeks seeming pinker now even with the pulsing lights.

"Nothing to be sorry for," Duo said, leaning in so that his friend could hear him better and for a measure of privacy. "I can drink with my left hand and it can be intimidating your first time so if you wanted…"

Duo seemed to trail off, obviously unsure about himself and nervous but Heero seemed to understand, and his heart started to beat faster than even during a Mobile Suit battle. Maybe he hadn't been imagining things all along or deluding himself into thinking that there was a hope for more. Heero watched at Duo took a heavy pull on his drink, refusing to meet his friend's eyes, and decided that the possibility of his friend's words was too good to pass up.

Duo couldn't believe what he'd started to say, and drained the rest of his vodka, feeling it roll down his throat and ignite in his belly, the alcohol already threatening to take control and make him say and do things that his sober mind would scream in terror at. The adrenaline from the botched data theft, the thrill of plunging off the side of a building, the beat of the music, were all conspiring against him to do something that could ruin the only good thing he had. Beckoning the bartender to refill his glass, Duo reached down to his right rear pants pocket for more money, but he never got close. Jerking in surprise, Duo's head snapped around and looked down, seeing a hand tentatively taking his once again. Almost not daring himself to follow the hand back to the person it belonged to, Duo did so anyway and found himself looking into Heero's grey-blue eyes, and saw that the normally unflappable Perfect Soldier seemed as nervous as he himself felt.

"You did say you could drink with only one hand," Heero joked, obviously trying desperately to reduce the tension he could feel building.

Duo couldn't help himself and grinned, taking Heero's hand fully in his own and squeezing it.

"Silly me, it sure seems like I said that," Duo replied, picking up his refilled glass. "Look at that, it seems I was right."
Heero smiled, really smiled, and it set Duo's heart beating faster than Deathscythe could fly, and that was damn fast.
"Are…are you sure…" Heero stammered, so sincerely insecure that it just made Duo want to wrap his arms around him.

"I'm sure," Duo assured him, never more sure of anything in his entire life. "If you want proof, I'm willing to give it."

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"When you are, let me know. I've hoped for this for longer than I care to remember," Duo admitted, unconsciously rubbing the back of Heero's hand with his thumb. "I just never expected you to feel the same way. That is if…"
"Now who needs proof," Heero smirked, standing and getting rather close to Duo, who could feel the heat radiating off the two of them being trapped between their close forms. "Everything you ever needed to know the truth was there for you to see, and the same was probably true for you. Neither of us was just willing to take the chance and risk what we have built since the day you shot me."
Duo winced at that, but Heero's tender hold on his hand assured him that there was no anger in his statement, merely a stating of the truth. Duo tried to think back to the first time he had felt for Heero as more than just a comrade in arms or a friend and wasn't certain there was such a definitive moment in their history. Maybe when they had first met they had sensed something in the other, a sense of shared pain and a kindred spirit.

"Why now?" Duo asked, despite the fact that he had initiated almost everything. "Why not after the war when we started working for Preventer together?"
"I could ask you the same thing. The truth is…tonight was a close call and if we ever do get into a situation that we can't get out of…I couldn't risk either of us dying without being truly honest with you and accepting the consequences of that."
"I couldn't help myself," Duo admitted, blushing even more. "There have been lots of times before when it was all I could do not to throw myself at you and damn the consequences. When it's just the two of us against the world, or just the two of us alone together, I've never felt as whole as I do then. The nightmares that keep me up and haunt my every night and day aren't just about the Maxwell Massacre or the wars, they're about you dying over and over again. Memories turning against me, trying to show me that to waste the best chance I will ever have to feel true happiness would damn me more surely than the evil people I've killed. I'm the God of Death not because I kill so many, but because everyone close to me dies, and if you were to join Solo and the others I couldn't live with myself if you did so without knowing that one person here doesn't see you as a weapon or a monster."
Duo would have said more but Heero pulled his hand free and the American thought he had gone too far and said too much, fearing that it had all been just an illusion of the adrenaline wearing off, when his friend moved in even closer and slowly put his arms around him. Almost unaware of his actions, Duo returned the embrace and closed his eyes, just letting himself relax into the moment. Everything around them fell away and all was silent as they just stood there, two damaged people determined to go through life without loving so that they would never have to lose those people special to them anymore. Two broken people that had found the one person who would never leave them, death be damned.

"Heero," Duo breathed, tightening his arms intending never to let go, but was still conscious of what others could see. "Why don't we dance? Celebrate…whatever we've started?"
Heero let him go and smiled again at him, something the serious young man needed to do more because it positively lit up his face and Duo kissed him, before the other could react. It was brief, barely enough time to be properly called a kiss, but it was greatest thrill Duo had ever experienced. Smiling back, he pulled away, his hands briefly catching Heero's.

"Why don't you watch me and see how it's done?" he suggested, still grinning, the taste of Heero still on his lips. "Come and join me when you think you're up for it."
Spinning round and causing his braid to swing menacingly, Duo moved onto the dance floor just as another pounding rhythm started blaring, the lights flickering and making him look almost ethereal. Remaining near the edge of the crowd, Duo closed his eyes and let the music wash over him, let it direct his movements and control his soul. Soon he was writhing with the crowd, but through it all he could feel a pair of eyes watching his every movement, slipping over his body, and he smiled. The mission had been screwed but something potentially wonderful had come out of it. Thinking about it, Duo knew he would do whatever it took to show his friend that every movement and every word were the truth. And that someone truly did love the Perfect Soldier.

Heero watched for a few minutes, admiring the sensuous and nearly feline like way Duo moved on the dance floor, far beyond even what he would do at home. At home. The mere thought made Heero soar in disbelief that for once he might have found the second most elusive thing he had sought out all his life. A home that wasn't designed to train him into a killer. A murderer. An assassin. Tonight he may have indeed found that home, and with it the greatest thing that home could ever contain; someone that loved him. At least that's what things seemed like, and Heero had known all his life that nothing was truly what it seemed at first glance. At first glance it did seem that there was something between him and the braided youth, but just what that was hadn't been decided yet, and may never be decided. Unconsciously raising a hand to briefly touch his lips, Heero pondered his last thought. Maybe it had been decided after all. Would that really be so bad? Watching his friend gyrate and thoroughly enjoy himself without having to hurt or kill anyone Heero decided that if they both wanted the same thing, and he felt they did, then he couldn't be happier. Their drinks were still sitting on the bar, so Heero bolted his down and looked at Duo's, then turned to the bartender.

"How good are you at catching?" he inquired, and when she looked at him in confusion, he held up Duo's still half-full glass.
"Depends on the tip," she grinned, polishing another glass to crystal perfection.

"Gigantic. Enormous. Biblical. Planetary."

"Then I can catch anything you throw at me hot shot."

Smiling, Heero took the glass and approached his friend, no longer overwhelmed by the number of people pressing around him he slid through them spilling nary a drop of the precious liquor. Duo was totally into his moves, though he knew someone was approaching despite the alcohol messing up his senses. He turned, opening his violet eyes, and there striding towards him was Heero, glass in hand and a cocky grin on his lips.

Dodging a flailing arm, Heero moved and stood toe to toe with his now motionless partner, their eyes locked.

"Looks like hot work," he commented, taking a sip from the still cold vodka.

"You have no idea," Duo replied, eyes alive with desire and other emotions too powerful to even contemplate.

"I thought you could use a drink," Heero explained.
"More than ever."

Heero drained the last of the glass and tossed it high over his shoulder, his aim perfect and the bartender barely had to move to catch the sailing tumbler. Stepping forward, Heero leaned into his friend and pulled him close at the same time, and then pressed his lips to Duo's, releasing the liquor into the other's mouth. For several seconds they exchanged the drink, only a little of it slipping between their tightly pressed lips, ignoring the few looks that came their way even though they were only filled with envy that the two shared such a bond. Heero finally pulled away, leaving Duo breathless and sweat running down his face and back, and grinning like he'd just won the lottery. Maybe he had at that.

"Are you feeling better now?" Heero asked, not letting go for an instant.

"Not really, I think that made me feel even hotter," Duo quipped, and not lying for a minute.

"Perhaps we should go back to the hotel then, the water here is probably ten dollars a glass."
"I'd rather see you dance first."
Heero sighed in mock resignation, and stepped back following Duo's lead and closed his eyes for a moment to let the beat of the music take control. As he began to move, Heero could feel Duo behind him, a hand on his right hip and moving with him. Together they danced and had little care for the rest of the world. The hours passed and seldom did they slow and never did they stop, too lost in finally finding someone to share their burdens, burdens that had been wearing them down for too long.

It was nearly four in the morning when, partially drunk and nearly exhausted, they stumbled from the club, laughing and grinning like there was no tomorrow. Staggering down the streets and alleys they finally returned to their hotel, Heero holding the door open and then nearly tripping as he followed Duo in. They rode the elevator up to their floor and after a rather chaste look and a brief touch of hands, both of them having decided that letting themselves get swept away might not be the greatest of ideas, they returned to their own rooms to recover before returning home. Watching with bleary eyes as Duo managed to get to his room and let himself in, Heero turned and entered his own, not even thinking to check the cameras or the laptop, he simply bolted the door and stumbled to the bedroom, collapsing on the bed before letting himself slip away into oblivion.

Duo couldn't keep his eyes open, and when he managed to the room wouldn't stop spinning.

"Damn spinning rooms," he mumbled, prone on his bed.

At last he drifted off to sleep, a smile on his lips and Heero's face constantly flashing before his eyes. Duo was so far gone that he didn't hear his hotel room door being opened, nor did he hear the silent footsteps as they came towards his room. He did not even feel the pressure of the injection gun on his neck that took him from his pleasant dreams into a black nothingness from which he did not awaken.

Heero awoke with a groan, his head pounding and his mouth like cotton, but still he managed to smile when he remembered why he was in such a state. Heaving himself from the bed, Heero headed straight for the shower and after a good hot blast of water to get himself going, he got dressed and headed for Duo's room. They had open tickets for the return so they could get in a nice big breakfast, or lunch now as it was almost 1pm Heero noticed as he checked his watch. Knowing Duo though, it would be at least an hour before he was ready, but that was a small price to pay. Knocking on the door, Heero waited patiently for several minutes, knocking again and again, but still Duo didn't answer. Frowning, he tried again, pounding as hard as he could, even calling out Duo's name, but when he still received no response, Heero drove his foot into the door, driving it open with a loud bang. Inside the room was unchanged and nothing looked amiss, but Heero did not stop as he continued to the bedroom and saw that the bed was empty as was the bathroom.

Impossible, Heero thought. He'd never leave without telling me, and never without a shower to fix his hair.

Turning to leave Heero stopped dead in his tracks. There, hanging from a carbon black combat knife driven into the wall, hung a note in plain typed letters.

We have your partner.

You have until midnight to return the data or he dies.

Do not contact Preventer or he dies.

Bring the data on a laptop to the New Horizons offices.

Don't be late.

Heero felt his legs give out and he fell to his knees, disbelieving what he was reading, but there it was, not a drunken hallucination. They had taken Duo and Heero had only eleven hours to accede to their demands or his friend would be lost to him forever.