Heart's Rose

by Zining

Duo and Heero infiltrated the same school to carry out their missions separately. But only one of them knew who the other was. Mild shonen ai. [Alternative title: The Seed, the Shoot, the Bud and the Blossom]

2. The Shoot

The Shoot Part 1

"You should thank him, Katherine. He saved your life after all."

"No one asked him to do that. I certainly didn't." Duo's tone was flat. He wished that both Doyce and Laila would drop the subject. It unnerved him to recall the events in the afternoon. He had nearly emptied his stomach after that incident and Duo Maxwell was never the owner of a tender stomach -- even when confronting blood, corpses and mutilated bodies. In his mind, that close physical contact with Shang was a hundred times more revolting and insufferable than anything he had ever encountered during the war. Duo drew a deep breath and tried to mentally block out those unpleasant memories – especially the one concerning Shang.

"Well, if you're adamant that he'll get no thanks from you, we won't force you. But don't you think at least an apology is in line here? You did punch him on the chin while the only thing he did to deserve that was rescuing you." Laila's disapproval of his actions was evident from the tone of her voice.

"Serves him right for taking advantage of me. He should be grateful that I didn't decide to do something worse… and more permanent."

Doyce cut in. "I don't understand.... Most of the girls in this school are willing to die to be in your shoes. They usually swoon with delight if Shang merely looks at them. But you.... Katherine, you are an enigma."

"Well...." Duo's voice started to sound irritable. "I don't know about you two but I'm going back to the dorm."

"But you're still soaking wet! Why don't you change into dry clothes in the girls' common changing room first?"

"I.... uh... that is... I feel uncomfortable stripping in front of other people." Duo grinned in an effort to mask the nervousness in his eyes. "I'm sure both of you will understand."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Katherine. What you have, we have." Doyce nodded in agreement to Laila's words.

Duo abruptly turned his face around so that they would not notice his flaming cheeks. "I really have to go now, bye!" He fled, leaving behind Doyce and Laila with quizzical looks on their faces.

XXXXXX

"How barbaric of her!" Sheila fussed over Shang's injury like a mother hen, her hand had been dabbing the bluish-black bruise at Shang's lower jaw with an ice-pack continuously for ten minutes. "Are you just going to let this matter rest? That devilish, uncouth girl deserves to be punished!"

The dangerous gleam in Sheila's eyes would have quailed a lesser person. Shang did not bother to remind Sheila that she was the person who started the whole thing. Getting bored of Sheila's attentions, he stood up from the chair he was sitting on and walked away without another glance at Sheila.

"Wha...." Sheila hastily dropped the ice-pack and ran after the image of Shang's back. "Shang! Wait for me!"

XXXXXX

What am I to do? It was not the first time that Heero had asked himself that question. He was in a dilemma ever since he saw her at the swimming pool two days ago. Should he confront her or avoid her? He did not know what the girl had done to him, to cause all those emotions which he had spent a large part of his life burying to resurface. Emotion -- an alien thing which had begun to fascinate and frighten him at the same time. He had never realized that he was capable of feeling so strongly for anyone or anything. The 'Perfect Soldier' had no need for emotions; emotions only bring about unnecessary hesitations and pain that could be hazardous to missions. There is no pain if you choose not to feel it. That was one of his mentor's favourite sayings which had been ingrained in his mind. Emotions are what you choose to feel.

Heero poked at the lump of meat on his plate with a fork, putting up the pretense of eating. Did I choose to feel the fear and the jealousy that I felt recently? He did not remember having made any conscious decision to do so. Maybe his mentor was wrong. Maybe emotion is something that is beyond anyone's control. Duo was right. Past training only made him learn how to conceal his emotions, not lose them completely...

"Are these seats taken?" Heero started, and looked up to see a red-head placing her dish of food on one side of his table. Without waiting for his reply, the girl waved to her companions some distance away. "Here! I found a place!"

Heero was getting irritated with the way his solitude was robbed from him. He preferred to be alone and had established that fact in no uncertain terms to his classmates. Granted that this girl hardly knew him, but she could at least have the decency to...

"A vast difference in the boys' attitudes eh, Katherine? Before you revealed your violent side, those same boys were the ones who would not hesitate to give up their seats for us. Heck, they even used to reserve three seats for us at every table before the incident at the swimming pool!" The one who said that was a brunette who was about his age, but that was not important. Katherine. It was a name that had plagued his thoughts ever since he discovered it to be the name of his dream. He took a quick glance at the brown-haired girl beside the brunette who was responsible for invoking the alien feelings inside him. Her eyes were just as captivating as ever. What is wrong with me?! Heero bowed his head so that she would not be able to see his face. The meeting was too sudden! He did not have the chance to sort out the conflict in his mind - to confront or avoid?

If his brain was not so muddled by fiery emotions, he would never have considered the option of confronting her at all. He had known the moment he first saw those liquid violet eyes that she was dangerous, and must be avoided at all cost. He had known that he must escape before those same eyes held him prisoner. He had known....

Heero knew that the longer he stayed, the greater would be the chance of confronting Katherine. He bent his knees and prepared to stand up. Fortunately – or unfortunately (Heero didn't know which) – Katherine chose that same moment to turn to him. Their eyes locked.

XXXXXX

Heero? Duo rubbed his eyes violently with the back of his hand and peered at the face of the boy in front of him more closely. It was not a hallucination. Granite-faced Heero Yuy was standing across the table with his usual blank expression. Why in the world would he....?! No, that's not important. What's important is that he's here and I'm still in this shameful and embarrassing state! His heart was hammering in his chest and beads of perspiration were threatening to break out of his forehead. Had Heero discovered his identity? Did his superior inform him about Duo's presence in the school as a girl? How should he react?

Duo didn't notice that both him and Heero had been staring stupidly at each other for more than a few seconds. Why doesn't Heero do something?! Talk... walk away... anything! The uncomfortable silence stretched longer. Duo wished the ground would open up and engulf him.

XXXXXX

Doyce and Laila exchanged side glances, knowing smiles playing on their lips. Their new friend had finally formed a crush on someone. About time!

Doyce moved behind Katherine and gently shoved her onto a chair, her palms pressing down on her friend's shoulders. "Don't have to stare too long. Take a seat."

At the same time, Laila snatched the plate from Heero's nerveless hands and prodded him back to his seat. "I'll return this plate for you. I'm sure both of you have lots to say to each other." Laila winked at Doyce and both of them scampered away, breaking into giggles once they were out of earshot.

XXXXXX

"And what happened?" Doyce and Laila were hungry for news and had not left Duo alone for a second ever since his encounter with Heero in the canteen. He had been tight-lipped about the matter but under Doyce and Laila's incessant pestering and cajoling, he finally decided to let out some information.

"Nothing happened. He just told me that he'll return some property of mine to me tomorrow. End of story!" Duo's eyes took on a distant look when he thought back about Heero's response. "I still have your ribbon with me. I'll give it back to you tomorrow afternoon." And he just walked off after that without another word. Duo had breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Heero was still ignorant of Katherine's true identity. However, he also felt slightly annoyed with Heero for knotting his guts and filling his stomach with butterflies just because he wanted to return a mere ribbon. Why was the boy holding onto that piece of cloth for so long anyway? He could just dump it in the trash can after it had served its purpose. Heero was getting more and more difficult to understand.

"Property?" Doyce's eyes twinkled with excitement. "What property?" She and Laila had locked both his arms and were determined not to release him until he had spilt everything.

"It's just some cheap ribbon that somehow ended up in his hands."

Laila pondered for a while before whispering to Duo. "You know what I think? I think that he was just using the ribbon as an excuse to meet you again. I saw the way he looked at you."

Hearing this, Duo resisted the urge to burst out laughing. They didn't know Heero, otherwise they wouldn't be saying such things. He could not imagine Heero wanting to meet a girl - or anyone for that matter - any more than necessary. The only things that mattered to Heero were his mission and his 'honour'.

"So, what's the name of that gorgeous hunk?" asked Doyce, evidently impressed by Heero's good looks.

"He.... uh.." Duo suddenly realized that Heero should not be using his real name in school. "I don't know."

"What?! After all that chemistry between you two..." Duo grimaced visibly at her choice of words. "... I thought both of you should have at least reached the stage where you know each other's names."

Duo was getting agitated. "I really don't know his name!"

Laila patted him on the back sympathetically. "Don't worry, we'll investigate for you. You'll get to know his name before this day ends." Duo let out his breath in vexation. These girls were being much too helpful in the wrong areas!

XXXXXX

Heero sat cross-legged on his bed, his arms folded across his chest. Two identical pink ribbons laid on the bed sheet in front of him. One of them was Katherine's; the other was bought by him in the town market during the weekend. He did not really understand why he did what he did ..... but there it was in front of him - a perfect replica of the original ribbon. Katherine would never be able to tell the difference between the two.

Picking up the silky ribbon which had once been around those thick, wavy brown locks, he allowed his fingers to caress the fabric for some time before placing it safely in his drawer. He negligently shoved the other ribbon into his school bag before switching off the lights.

The Shoot Part 2

"This afternoon, two o' clock, at Gabriel Arcade Centre. Are you coming with us?"

Duo looked at the two girls who asked him that question with a confused expression on his face. "What? Arcade? I mean .... why?" These girls were always finding weird places to drag him to.

Doyce took three coupons out of her pocket and presented them in front of Duo's eyes with a flourish. "I got these from my brother. Free entry and unlimited games. The offer is only until today. Come on, school ends early today and I'm sure you don't have anything on this afternoon."

"But I don't play well." He had planned to investigate some areas in the school during that period of time. He was there on a mission after all.

"I don't too but it doesn't matter! Just come! You must!" Both Laila and Doyce were flashing those 'Bambi-eyes' at him and Duo could feel his resolve crumbling. Damn! He just couldn't harden his heart to reject their good-willed invitations.

"Okay, I'll go." The girls cheered and did a high-five. "But I'll need to get something first..."

Sly looks began to spread on their faces. "From your darling Hojo Tsukasa?"

Duo flushed a pale pink. "He's not my...!" His outburst caused the people around him to stare in his direction. With much effort, Duo tried to lighten his tone. "I wish you two will stop pairing me up with him! He's just a friend."

Laila and Doyce both nodded their heads sagely. "We perfectly understand. Just friends. Yes, definitely. How foolish of us to think that there could be anything more in that relationship ...."

Duo blocked off the rest of their jeering remarks by cupping his hands over his ears.

XXXXXX

Hojo Tsukasa - or rather, Heero - was already waiting at the main gate of the school when the trio arrived. Seeing that Katherine was not alone, Heero immediately became tongue-tied. He silently cursed himself for not foreseeing this probability. He had spent half of last night tossing and turning in his bed, thinking about what to say and how to behave during his meeting with Katherine. He had not expected company.

She stopped three paces away from him, appearing unsure of herself. Her companions rudely shoved her forward, causing her to stumble the last few steps towards him. Her face nearly collided with his and she quickly drew back to put a comfortable distance between them.

"I ... er ..." Just give her back the ribbon and get it over with! He obeyed the command unthinkingly, mainly because his mind was too busy thinking of other things - the brush of her hair against his cheek, her warmth, her scent ........ Heero grimly disrupted that train of thought.

"Here's your ribbon." Heero tried to make his voice as cold and impersonal as possible.

Katherine deftly took the ribbon from his outstretched palm without touching his skin. "Why, that's very… thoughtful… of you. Thank you." She smiled feebly at him.

Just as Heero was about to escape, one of Katherine's companions rushed forward to tug at his arm. He remembered her to be the brunette who was talking with Katherine at the canteen.

"Don't go yet. We're planning to go to an arcade in town. Care to join us?"

"Wait a minute!" Katherine burst out. "We have only three coupons, remember? He can't come with us."

"He can have mine. I suddenly realize that I have some unfinished business in school, so I won't be able to join you two."

"Laila...." growled Katherine menacingly, but Laila merely stuck a tongue out at her. She turned to Heero. "Besides, a girl gotta need a male escort. How about volunteering yourself?"

"I ...." Heero's mind was still too muddled to think properly. Laila quickly clapped her hands during his hesitation. "It's decided! He'll be going with you and Doyce. That solves the problem of that extra coupon."

Laila was gone before either Katherine or Heero could protest. Doyce secretly admired Laila's finesse in handling the match-making role.

XXXXXX

"You really don't have to accompany us if you don't want to," whispered Duo harshly under his breath. The three of them were standing in a monorail heading towards the town centre. Doyce stood some distance away from the two of them, straining her ears but trying to appear uninterested at the same time.

Heero did not answer him for what seemed like an infuriatingly long time. When he did, Duo was stunned to silence. "But I do want to." Both of them were quiet for the rest of the journey.

XXXXXX

"I think I"m starting to get the hang of this." The score climbed higher and higher as Duo efficiently gunned down the zombies that were trying to get a piece of him. Those nasty-looking things exploded in blood and gore every time his shots hit home.

Doyce stood beside him, the colour slightly drained from her cheeks after watching the too-realistic graphics. "That's amazing. I thought you said this is your first time here."

"It is." Doyce looked skeptical. "Maybe I just have a natural talent for these things." He blew the head off the shoulders of one of the vile creatures that was getting too close.

Heero was leaning against a wall nearby, as still and cold as a statue. He had not attempted to play any of the games, seemingly contented with doing nothing. Getting tired of the game and Heero's continual inactivity, Duo handed the simulator gun to a

surprised Doyce and approached the Japanese boy.

"Are you going to vegetate here or something? Why don't you busy yourself with one of the machines over there?" Duo jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"I don't see the purpose of such activity" was Heero's monotonous reply.

Duo clicked his tongue in annoyance. Trust Heero to come up with a stupid reason like that! "Must everything you do serve some purpose? I suppose you have never considered doing something for the sheer act of doing it." Heero looked at him with uncomprehending eyes. "There is a word for it - it's called F-U-N."

"Fun...." The word sounded strange coming out of Heero's mouth.

"Yes, fun. When was the last time you did something just for fun?"

Heero thought for a while and discovered that he could not remember anything he had ever done for 'fun'. He had been obeying orders ever since he was a toddler, with other people dictating what he should do, and when. His life was never completely his own, but he had never resented that fact. He just accepted it meekly because that was expected of him. The burden he must bear as a Gundam pilot - a killer - did not allow him to enjoy the pleasures of normal people.

"Can't think of any, can you? Well, this is your chance. Get over there and experience some entertainment." He did not resist when Duo manhandled him towards the playstations.

XXXXXX

A large crowd of awed spectators had gathered around one of the most popular games in the arcade - 'Warlords Of The Air'. A blue Aries mobile suit was seen carrying out a fierce duel with a black Gundam holding a scythe-like weapon. The miniature mobile suit skillfully dodged the missiles and laser fire of its opponent, emerging victorious almost unscathed after the battle. The Gundam was no more than a pile of burning scrap metal in the background.

"Wow, Shang, you're unbeatable!"

"Yeah, and the difficulty level was adjusted to the highest! Even the computer is no match for you."

Shang smiled - a concave bending of the corners of his mouth which was barely discernible. Although this game was no longer a challenge to him, he never chose to play any others. Only this game provided him with a sense of satisfaction and exultation. It allowed him to wreak the vengeance denied to him in reality.

"Anyone here dares to challenge the master?" One of Shang's followers was busy collecting bets. "Defeat him and we'll triple your money back!"

One burly, broad-shouldered youth stepped out of the crowd, his face set in a stern countenance. "I have thirty credits on me saying you're going to lose." He then fixed his hard stare on Shang.

Shang nearly laughed at the youth's futile attempts to cower him. To test his mettle, Shang reciprocated the youth's stare with intense, azure eyes. The battle of wills did not last long as the youth hastily averted his eyes and took his position in the second player's seat. Fool. You've admitted defeat before the fight has even begun. The youth scowled when he saw the bored look on Shang's face but Shang merely ignored him. His opponent was not worthy of his attention.

XXXXXX

The game immediately caught Duo's attention the moment they came up the stairs. After Heero was forced to try out almost every single playstation at the ground level, Doyce had suggested that they go to the second floor where a greater variety of games harboured. The sight that welcomed them was a holographic battle raging across the skies. What really caught Duo's attention was the image of a Gundam - Trowa's Heavy Arms - in that game. Whoever designed the game had taken great pains to find out in detail, the appearance and the artillery of each Gundam. Heero was silent beside him. Maybe he's just as surprised as I am .... Duo dismissed that probability after some thought. Heero was always as mute as a brick. His silence did not mean anything at all.

The Gundam Heavy Arms blew up in smoke and flames, marking the end of the duel. One large youth, apparently the loser, got up with a face as dark as a thundercloud and stormed off. The victor was promptly surrounded by four loud, flattering boys. Duo frowned - he had seen those boys before .... but where? His question was answered when he recognized the boy on the player's seat. Shang. Duo had a voodoo doll with that name nailed onto a wall in his room.

Duo found the supercilious smile on Shang's face highly offensive. His hands itched to wipe it off. Puncturing Shang's ego was the closest thing to revenge that Duo could do to the boy for what he did at the pool - and he would do just that. Duo moved towards Shang with the intention of challenging him, not realizing that his actions would have far-reaching consequences.

XXXXXX

After toweling her wet hands, Sheila left the restroom. She grumbled to herself as she made her way to the spot where the stupid 'Warlords Of The Air' game was located - the place where she would definitely find Shang. Why does Shang find the game so amusing? He plays that game at least once every week! Playing, when he and I should be ...... Sheila froze in her tracks. Her beloved Shang was confronted by the most venomous, wicked, base ..... scum to ever walk the surface of the earth.

Katherine Kane! Sheila cursed that name at least a hundred times before going to bed at night ever since that very first day Kane stepped into her class. What is that girl doing here?! She quickened her steps.

XXXXXX

Shang was more than a little surprised when he saw who his next challenger was - the girl responsible for the fading bruise on his chin. Arms akimbo, the Kane girl met his eyes easily. He could detect no fear or admittance of defeat in those violet pupils. Did she really think she could best him in the game?

One member of Shang's group spoke out. "So, what are you willing to bet?"

The Kane girl looked puzzled. "Bet?"

"You can't challenge the master without setting down the stakes. It can be money or..... a kiss."

The girl was visibly startled by the suggestion but she regained her composure in a split second. She smiled - not an entirely pleasant smile - and glared at Shang's companions with so much heat in her eyes that the four boys involuntarily huddled closer behind Shang. Those were the eyes of a worthy opponent.

"Okay, I'll accept. A kiss it'll be then. But what if he loses?"

"Uh ... if that is the case ... then ... uh ... we'll pay ...."

The red head standing beside the Kane girl interrupted excitedly. "Set dinners in the most expensive restaurant in town for three!"

The four boys looked at each other before nodding their heads in agreement to the terms. A kiss with Katherine was worth any number of set dinners. Besides, Shang could not possibly lose. It was a win-win situation.

XXXXXX

With the bet settled, Duo turned around to take up his position in the player's seat. He nearly bumped into Heero's unmoving body. The boy had been so quiet that Duo had not realized that he was standing so close behind him. He tried to sidestep Heero but the Japanese boy extended an arm to block his path.

"What do you want?" spat Duo. He was getting irritated and even a bit frightened by Heero's unexpected actions.

Heero looked steadily at him, his face laden with ..... worry? "Can you win?"

Huh? Why is he asking me this? "Of course I'll win! What kind of stupid question is that?" No matter how well Shang could control that mobile suit in the game, Duo was sure that he would be no match for a real Gundam pilot. It was then that Duo realized, to his dismay, that Heero would be able to recognize him through his fighting tactics. Panic rose up in him. Heero must not be allowed to watch his duel with Shang!

Like an answer to his prayer, Sheila appeared, positioning herself between him and Heero. Her attempt at forming a fake smile only made it look more like a snarl. "Hello Katherine." Her sickly sweet voice dripped venom.

A plan was already forming in Duo's head. He could make use of her malicious nature to distract Heero. Duo smiled. "Nice to see you here, Sheila. I suppose you haven't met my friend - Hojo Tsukasa." He gestured to shift Sheila's attention to Heero.

"A pleasure to meet you." Sheila offered a handshake but Heero totally ignored her proferred hand. His eyes were still fixed on Katherine. Fuelled by anger and spite, Sheila sidled closer to Heero so that he had no choice but to look into her eyes. Her eyes were predatory.

Yes! She has taken the bait. Hopefully Sheila would be able to keep Heero distracted until he finished the duel with Shang.

XXXXXX

The Kane girl chose the black Gundam - Deathsycthe. Shang's eyes narrowed imperceptibly when the choice was made.

At the beginning, Shang took on a leisurely attitude in making his moves. He was sure that the girl would last no longer than ten seconds if he really took the game seriously.

In a few moments, Shang was fighting for his life. The scythe in the Gundam's hand seemed to have a life of its own, snaking and slicing in different directions at once. It was used as a shield and a weapon at the same time. Her timing was flawless. The missiles he launched were cut down before their explosions could cause any damage to the Gundam. Even the computer could not do that continuously. When his energy gauge showed a dangerously low level, she homed in for the finishing kill.

Two arcs of fire, forming the shape of a cross. Shang's blue mobile suit was sectioned into four pieces before it exploded in a yellow-orange brilliance. Shang's heart skipped a beat when he saw that last move. His eyes possessed a haunted look.

XXXXXX

It took all of Heero's self-control to stop himself from clubbing the pestering girl over the head. She had been outrageously flirting with him, preventing him from witnessing the fight. The outcome of that duel was important to him. Heero was not sure how he would react if he saw Katherine kissing another guy. The annoying girl began breathing on his neck. Heero's temper snapped and he rudely shoved her away, disgust plainly written on his face. At that moment, the battle concluded. Heero felt as if a tonne of bricks was removed from his chest. She had won.

XXXXXX

"Shang, are you okay?" The four boys looked at Shang worriedly. His face and his eyes were .... not normal. Shang had not released his grip on the joystick, his knuckles were white with strain. "Shang. Snap out of it!"

The mist that shrouded Shang's eyes lifted and he was abruptly aware of his surroundings. Without uttering a word, Shang got up and walked briskly towards the exit door. His friends did not dare to stop him. Sheila, who was about to hit Heero for his incivility, immediately followed Shang when she saw him leave.

XXXXXX

"Katherine, you did it! You're wonderful!" Doyce hugged Duo so tightly that he had difficulty breathing. "Free dinners! And all thanks to you."

Duo was about to get up from his seat when Heero settled down on the seat which was previously occupied by Shang. In answer to the bewildered look on Duo's face, Heero said "How about playing a game with me?"

The Shoot Part 3

By the time the three of them left the arcade, it was already dusk. For the sleepless town, the bustling night life had just begun.

Although Heero's expression remained unchanged after he continuously defeated Duo in the game five times in a row, Duo could tell that the Wing Gundam pilot was feeling smug inside. Was that why Heero challenged him? Just to feel self-satisfied? If it wasn't because Duo wanted to keep his identity hidden, it would have been more of a contest.

"Don't you feel too pleased with yourself. You only won because I didn't feel like winning just now." He did not like the idea of Heero having the impression that he was incompetent.

"Why didn't you feel like winning?" The question was asked nonchalantly.

"Why? Uh .... because the game was getting boring and I wasn't in a mood to play."

"Oh." Heero's eyes, which had appeared strangely hopeful a moment ago, became downcast after hearing Duo's reply. "I thought .... Never mind."

The reason for that transformation in his eyes was lost to Duo. "What do you want to say? Speak up." Heero was never a person who was afraid to voice his thoughts. He could be mercilessly frank when he had a mind to. Duo had lost count of the number of times Heero had used the words 'Shut up', 'Get lost' and 'That's none of your business' on him in the past.

Heero sighed, which was highly uncharacteristic of him. "I thought you are aware that the terms are still the same."

"Terms?"

"The bet."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in and make sense to Duo. So that was why Heero wanted to play against him! No .... that couldn't be it. Heero Yuy would never want to do a thing like that. But then, what else could he mean? Duo became increasingly flustered. Heero was now a total stranger to him.

Doyce chose to speak during that momentary pause. "You should honour the agreement, Katherine. You lost five times, so that means ...."

"Don't either of you be mistaken!" His retort came out a touch breathy and shrill. "My bet was with Shang. No one else!"

Heero's body suddenly became more rigid than usual - if that was possible. "So you preferred to do it with Shang." Heero's voice could have sent chills down the spines of penguins in Antarctica. This was the Heero Yuy he knew. Heero had not used that tone with Katherine for so long that Duo had forgotten how it felt like to be a recipient of his cold remarks. Cold remarks that cut his heart like shards of ice.

"Will you stop seeing me as some doxy who plasters her lips on every guy she meets! Jeez!" Duo was positive that his face was as crimson as a beetroot, judging from the rise of temperature up there. "And that ... bet never existed between us! So I don't have to honour any agreement."

"Not to me, it isn't." Heero was determined to have his wager fulfilled. Duo's desperate attempts to wriggle out of the commitment were fruitless.

"Who cares what you think?" Duo was beginning to lose his temper. Why, oh why, is Heero being so difficult? "I don't have time to argue with you anymore. I'm going back now. Doyce, are you coming?" He stalked off without waiting for Doyce to

answer him.

Heero, however, was not letting him off so easily. In the blink of an eye, Heero had seized his wrist in a vice-like grip. His grip was not painful but Duo had no doubt that only a steel crowbar could pry those fingers open. He spun sharply to affront his captor. "Look buster, I ...." Duo stiffened. He had inadvertently brought himself closer to Heero. Their noses nearly touched and he could feel Heero's warm breath on his face.

Doyce, who had been waiting impatiently for the enactment of this scene, decided to lend a helping hand.

While Duo was busy calming down the frantic palpitation of his heart, he suddenly felt a pressure at the back of his head which propelled him forward. That small space separating him and Heero which he was extremely grateful for a moment ago was no longer there. It was a dry peck, nothing more. But it was enough.

Duo shivered uncontrollably, anticipating the goose bumps, the queasy stomach and the revulsion which would inevitably overwhelm him ... Strangely enough, he felt none of those. A sensation was spreading from the pit of his stomach, but it wasn't nausea. It was warmth - diffusing slowly but surely to the tips of his fingers and toes. Warmth? His body was not responding in the way he expected it to. Wait a minute! How can this be? He should be repulsed - that is the normal and 'decent' reaction one should have when kissed by another person of the same gender. His experience with Shang was evidence enough for that fact. It was already considered abnormal for him not to dislocate Heero's jaw in reflex. Duo's free hand hung limply at his side. His brain refused to send out the signal to strike Heero. Did this mean that he was 'revelling' in his present situation? No! One part of his mind screamed in denial. I am a 100% normal, growing teenager - with healthy tastes and desires! I'm not gay! However, he could not explain the sweet feeling of intoxication coursing through his veins at that moment.

Duo's knees felt weak and he was breathing heavily as if he just ran a kilometre in a single breath. He mentally chided himself for reacting like some .... girl during her first kiss. It wasn't even a proper kiss. It was an accident - Doyce, being the usual busybody that she was, had smacked their faces together. After mustering sufficient courage, Duo lifted his head and his heart caught in his throat. He had never seen such gentle tenderness in those cobalt blue eyes before. Heero looked so much more good-looking when he smiled. Smiled? Another surprise.

Heero, his face displaying dissatisfaction, was not through with him yet. Duo's sensuous lips were conveniently parted. This time, it was not an accident.

XXXXXX

There was no mistake. Katherine Kane was the real pilot of the black Gundam. The person behind the killing machine which was the personification of death. The person who killed Cheng.

Shang stood on the roof of the highest tower in town, overlooking the neon lights and the people below him. This place was his refuge when he wanted to be alone. And he needed that solitude now more than ever.

Deep in thought, Shang absent-mindedly fingered his white forelock. His hair used to be entirely white - when Cheng was still alive. Now all that was left to remind him of his mental link with Cheng was this single lock of pigmentless hair. It also reminded him of the pain and loss accompanied by Cheng's death. The pain had been eating inside him like an insidious disease ever since, making him less humane with each passing day.

Cheng .... Cheng was his wingmate, and that placed him above anyone else in the world - be it blood relations or friends. Both Cheng and him were part of an OZ military experiment to produce more apt and capable fighter pilots. Unable to manufacture mobile suits which were superior to Gundams, the OZ war scientists had come up with the idea of linking the minds of the pilots to boost battle performance. An elite was chosen from the existing mobile suit pilots for that purpose. From those few people, fewer still were able to succeed in developing the mind link. Cheng and him were one of the few pairs who managed to bond fully with each other.

From the day the link was established, Cheng and him had been sharing thoughts and dreams. He could still remember the times when Cheng had entered his mind during his dreaming state to chase away his nightmare demons. As trust built up between them, the link also strengthened. It was not long before they began to share emotions and feelings. He was always the first to know when Cheng was hurt or unwell and vice versa. Emotion is a much more effective tool of communication than words can ever be. They were able to perceive each other's emotions and understand the reasons for those emotions. As a result, misunderstandings never occurred between them. Breakdown of communication has been one of the greatest causes of unsuccessful human relationships.

Cheng was everything to him. With him gone, Shang had lived no differently from a breathing, walking corpse. It was five months ago when the Gundam ambushed the OZ base near Salt Lake City. Cheng had fought alone during that battle where he perished - and Shang had never forgiven himself for not being there when Cheng needed him the most. At that time, the flu epidemic was rampant in that region. Bedridden in the city hospital, Shang was spared from the massacre. Cheng, who was well enough to pilot his mobile suit, was not.

He was woken up from his drugged sleep by the image of a white, blinding cross. It was the last image that Cheng saw before the life force ebbed out of him. Shang had screamed and wailed when his link to Cheng had severed. Where there used to be warmth, comfort and love, there was now only a cold, dark emptiness. Cheng's presence in his mind had totally ceased to exist. Shang was suddenly alone in his mind – and that frightened him more than anything else.

Shang had no recollections of the two months following Cheng's death. The people who looked after him during that period of time had told him that he kept on repeating Cheng's name like a mantra, all the while staring into empty space. They did not hold any high hopes of him ever recovering his sanity and they were surprised when he did.

Shang was then posted to his present school by his OZ superiors for rest and recuperation. There was a secret OZ base directly underneath the school premises where he was required to report twice a week for the re-establishment of his mental link. Shang had the misfortune to have Sheila assigned as his wingmate replacement. They had undergone the mind-linking program at least a dozen times but not even a single strand of Sheila's hair had begun to turn white. He had known, at first sight, that he and Sheila were incompatible. He continued on with the program only because he had not yet found the person who could fill Cheng's shoes ... who could fill the void inside him.

Shang brought his wandering thoughts back to Katherine Kane. He had never imagined the Gundam pilot to be a female. She had punched him during their first encounter and humiliated him during their second. It was not hard to believe that she was Cheng's murderer as well. Shang had decided his next course of action. It would have been easy for him to avenge Cheng, but that would do nothing to repair the damage that she had done. He needed a wingmate more than revenge. It was a pity that the pilot was a 'she' and not a 'he'. Shang never had much success in mind-linking with females. If he could not bond with her, she would not be of no use to him. If that was the case, he would have to kill her.

The Shoot Part 4

'Mean Max' was a nickname he had earned for himself after years of notorious behaviour in school. Most of the teachers had taken up the 'ostrich mentality' in dealing with him - what they don't see can't hurt them. The few teachers who had dared to face him down were labelled as either 'ignorant' or 'suicidal'. For not only was Max huge - a bigness of thick, heavy bone and sinewy muscles - he was also the undisputed king rat of the rag tag bunch in school. All those who were rebels against authority looked upon Max as their leader. Max had taken sadistic pleasure in terrorizing the students in the school and would have continued to do so if Shang had not appeared.

The strange, quiet boy with the deceivingly frail-looking body was the only new student who was able to stare him down. Thinking that Shang was easy meat, Max had decided to help 'integrate him into the school' by personally ragging him. His decision cost him a week in the hospital. With Shang to champion them, the student population no longer feared him and thus, was freed from his tyrannical rule. Only a handful of his loyal subjects remained. Dethroned, Max had sunk into a life of debauchery to nurse his wounded pride.

"Chief, there's a cute chic here to see you. She said she wants to employ our services."

Broken out of his reverie, Max irritably signaled to have the girl ushered in. Uncorking his second bottle of brandy for the day, he poured a generous measure into his cracked glass. He traced the crack with a nicotined finger, reminding himself that he would have to buy a new one once he pulled this deal off. Business had been bad since Shang's entry into the school. Shang. The name itself was enough to make his blood boil.

The girl wore a woolen cap which neatly concealed all her hair and shades which hid the colour of her eyes from him. It did not surprise him as most of his customers preferred to remain anonymous. She sat on the couch in front of him, giving him a look one would normally reserve for things that crawl on the ground or in garbage heaps. Max shrugged mentally. His clients need not like him, they just need to pay up.

"So, what brings you here?" Max tried using a friendly approach. A bit of courtesy never killed anyone.

"Cut the crap." Her barbed words made him grind his teeth in anger. Before his temper got the better of him, the girl threw a thick wad of credits on the table between them. Max could not keep his astonishment from showing. He was willing to bet his right arm that the amount of money she offered was more than his teacher's salary in a year. A photograph was placed next to the credits. "I want you to do your worst with this person .... and I expect a job well done." Her voice held an edge of cold, deliberate cruelty.

XXXXXX

"What is wrong with you, woman?" Laila's voice was filled with reproach. "It's been two days since your first date with Hojo and you haven't even talked to him all this while?"

Next to her, Doyce added on to the reproof. "Yeah, you have been openly avoiding him since then. Why?"

'The Three Musketeers' were on their way to the canteen. Duo wished they could get off his back. He was getting tired of their inquisitive interrogation and unwanted 'help' in pairing him up with Heero. "It is perfectly normal for us not to meet in school. He studies in a different class, takes different subjects and has a different timetable. I have my own ...."

"You're not answering my question." This from Laila. "Why have you stopped seeing him all together? I thought your relationship with Hojo started on an auspicious note."

Duo sighed. How could he even begin to explain how he felt about the whole thing? Heero was fixated on Katherine Kane. He was a bit slow in detecting this fact as he had never deemed it possible for Heero to care so much about another human being. He had always thought that Heero's heart was made up of the same material as his face - solid rock. That day at the arcade had proven him wrong more than once. Not only had Heero made known his desire to be with Katherine Kane, he had also initiated a kiss with her. Heero had revealed more facial expressions to Katherine Kane in one day than to Duo Maxwell in six months. 'Disturbed' was a gross understatement of how he felt upon discovering this alien side of Heero. What was even more alarming was his own physiological responses to Heero's touch. Duo knew that he himself had taken the first step down the slippery slope leading to 'queer behaviour'. His code of ethics would not allow him to go any further and that was why he had been avoiding Heero .....

Heero stood at the locker area just in front of them, his eyes darting about as if searching for someone. Duo quickly took a 180 degrees turn and walked in the opposite direction. Heck, he could survive without lunch for one day.

"Katherine! Where are you going?" Duo winced as Doyce's loud voice rang in the corridor. He increased his pace and did not look back.

Heero turned just in time to see Katherine's back disappear in a sea of students who were freshly out of the lecture hall. He felt something inside his chest squeeze tight and hard. Does she hate me so much?

XXXXXX

Both Doyce and Laila breathed out gustily, shaking their heads sadly from side to side.

"You saw how the situation is like, Laila. What can we do?"

"I'm not sure whether we should do anything at all. Katherine certainly doesn't look as if she welcomes our interference in this matter."

"Of course we should do something!" Laila was slightly taken aback by Doyce's outburst. "You weren't there in that day, so you wouldn't know. I was. I saw how ..... how they looked at each other when they kissed. They make such a perfect couple .... It is totally unacceptable for them to break up like this for no apparent reason! Katherine is just a bit shy, that's all. I know that she truly bears feelings for Hojo. Isn't out motto 'All for one and one for all'? So how can we not help her ...."

"Okay, okay. Calm down." Laila could see Doyce practically quivering with emotion. "To solve this problem, we will have to provide an opportunity for them to be alone together. That's the most we can do."

"Alone together ..." mumbled Doyce to herself. She clapped her hands with glee. "I've got an idea!"

XXXXXX

"What? Polishing basketballs?" asked Duo, thinking that he had misheard Doyce.

"That's right. I've been assigned to clean the basketballs in the sports equipment room this evening - all sixty-eight of them. I can't do it alone. I need your help."

"But I'm not even in the basketball club."

"So what?!" Duo nearly jumped out of his skin. Doyce was definitely not her usual self today. "I'm asking for your help here. I know you have nothing on after school, so you'd better give me a damn good reason if you don't plan to help me out."

Is this the proper attitude of a person asking for help? It sounded more like a threat. "I still don't know ...."

"Katherine, you heartless woman!" bawled Doyce, crying into Duo's shoulder. People within a fifteen metre radius stared at the pair curiously.

"Jeez! Doyce, you're making a scene here!" Duo tried to push Doyce away gently but the girl refused to budge.

"I'm not letting you go until you agree to help me." She did not sound the least bit teary.

"Okay then," sighed Duo in resignation. "I'll help." As Doyce's face was still buried in his shoulder, Duo did not notice her triumphant smile.

XXXXXX

"Hojo Tsukasa."

It took Heero a moment to identify the girl who had called him. The brunette who hung around Katherine. What was her name again?

"You can call me Laila," said the girl, as if reading his mind. "I'm a friend of Katherine."

"Oh." Katherine. Katherine. Katherine. Can't a guy suffer a heartbreak without other people reopening his wounds? After she had so obviously indicated her reluctance of ever seeing him again .... "What do you want?" The words sounded bitter to his ears.

"The question here should be what you want and not what I want." Seeing that Heero did not comprehend her, Laila continued, "Katherine is now alone in the sports equipment room. Here's your chance to sort out whatever that needs sorting out between the two of you."

Alone? With Katherine? It sounded like a dream come true ... but ... "Did she ask you to come here and tell me this?"

"Well... not exactly," said the girl, slightly abashed.

Just as he expected. "Then I won't go." Heero sidestepped Laila and continued walking down the path leading to the boys' dormitory.

Laila replanted herself squarely in his path. "So you're going to give up on Katherine just because your big, fat male ego does not allow you to make the first move?"

Even though Heero knew that arguing with this Laila was just a waste of time, he retorted anyway because he badly needed to talk to somebody to ease his emotional turmoil. He was being rent by a force which he had no experience in overcoming. "If Katherine does not want my attentions, what's the point of hounding her only to make her hate me even more? If she's happier with me leaving her alone..."

"If you're truly serious about her, you won't care how she responds to your overtures. Love is not a business deal where both parties get what they want after the transaction."

"So, you're saying that I'm doomed to this futile, unrequited..." Suddenly, as if realizing what he just said, Heero snapped his mouth shut. How could he let those words - the products of his inner fear and despair - roll off his tongue so easily? And to a complete stranger at that! He should keep a shorter rein on his mouth. He was no Duo Maxwell!

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I don't have to answer your question." Why couldn't this girl just leave him alone? "You're blocking my path."

Laila did not move. "Don't you even want to find out what's her reply before you give her up? You're giving up before the fight has even begun! How do you expect to win her over this way?"

"Fight? Win? What are you talking about?" Despite Heero's iron-strong will, jealousy still managed to creep into his voice.

Knowing what was required to catch Heero's attention, Laila continued, "Well... Katherine is merely the most popular and attractive girl in school. She won't have any problems finding other boys to hang out with. If she really wants to, there is a wide variety of willing guys for her to handpick from. In fact, there's this particular... oops, I think I've said too much already. After all, it doesn't concern you one bit." Laila pretended to walk away and her arm was soon seized by Heero.

"Is Katherine seeing anyone?" Laila could detect desperation in his voice.

"I don't have to answer your question."

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Doyce was tapping her foot in impatience. Where in the world is Hojo Tsukasa? Laila was supposed to have persuaded him to come fifteen minutes ago.

Doyce was waiting behind the bushes outside the sports equipment room, making sure that Katherine did not leave before Hojo arrived. I hope he comes soon. Katherine should be getting suspicious already. It was then that she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. At long last! Her relief did not last long as she realized that the sound of footsteps was too loud to be made by a single person. Who ....? Doyce peeked through the parted leaves of the bushes that hid her and what she saw chilled the marrow of her bones.

XXXXXX

Where has that girl gone to? Doyce had said that she'll be back in a few minutes. Duo had been scrubbing away at the basketballs for about twenty minutes already and there was still no sign of the girl who landed him in his present situation. Could she have escaped? Leaving him behind to do all the work for her? The thought made him increase the force of his attack on the basketball he was wiping with a rag. When would he ever learn to say 'no' to the requests of cute girls?

The door creaked open behind him and he swiftly turned around, an angry scowl on his face. "Took you long enough ...." His angry scowl was replaced by a look of bewilderment. He was confronted by at least fifteen juvenile delinquents with punky hairdo and nose rings. One especially muscular, big-sized and mean-looking guy who stood out from the rest was apparently the leader of the group. The leader snapped his fingers and one of the gang members went to secure the lock of the door.

Uh oh, trouble. Duo thought hard but could not recall any actions of his that could have indirectly offended the bunch of troublemakers in front of him. Why was he always getting into trouble with people he hardly knew? It seemed that the only crime he committed was to exist. "I'm sorry, but can you please unlock the door? I'm expecting a friend of mine to return and help me with this chore over here ......."

The ruffians were too busy ogling at him to answer him.

"Man, she's a looker," commented one salivating guy in admiration.

"Chief, can I have the first go at her? Can I, huh?" another chirped enthusiastically.

"Let's roll a dice to determine who goes first."

"Quiet! All of you!" The mean-looking leader had spoken and the rest of the group silenced themselves immediately.

Hmm ..... the leader was both respected and feared in the group. Duo's mind was already thinking up various ways to tackle the problem. If he crushed the head of the snake, the rest of the demoralized followers would be easily taken care of. He placed the basketball he was holding on the floor and stood up.

"None of us holds any personal grudge against you. But orders are orders .... Don't hate us for what we're about to do." The leader took the first menacing step forward and ended up catching a basketball with his face. The momentum caused him to stagger back, hands clutching at a bleeding nose. "Bitch!"

Duo did not give him a chance to recover. A kick in the groin followed by a right hook floored the leader. "If you have time to hurl profanities at me, you might as well use that time to get into a defensive position."

The rest of the gang members stared at their fallen leader in disbelief. One guy, having more guts than the others, stepped out and yelled, "Don't worry gang! There's so many of us against only her - a mere girl! We can't possibly lose!" The words were shouted as if reassure himself as well as the other gang members. Pant legs went up and switch blades came into view.

Finding the school skirt too cumbersome, Duo tore it until the slit went up to his thighs. While the boys were transfixed with the sight of the exposed flesh, Duo took the opportunity to incapacitate a few more of their number.

XXXXXX

Doyce ran as if the hounds of hell were at her heels. Why had Max and his gang appeared at the sports equipment room? They had an air of purpose, all of them, which hit her like a gust of cold wind and frightened her. Katherine was in serious trouble. Doyce began sobbing uncontrollably. She had run away like a coward, leaving her friend to the mercies of the likes of Max. She knew that she would be of more help running away to seek help instead of staying there to fight alongside Katherine ... but she still felt as if she had betrayed Katherine.

Tripping over a stone, Doyce landed hard on the ground and skinned her knees. Blood trickled from her open wounds. Clenching her teeth, Doyce ignored the pain and pushed herself back on her feet. Help ... Katherine needs help ... As if in answer to her prayers, she saw both Hojo and Laila on the path some distance away. She doubted Hojo would be able to rescue Katherine alone but at least he would be able to buy some time for more help to arrive. Time was an important factor here.

XXXXXX

A dash of cold water woke Max up. Spluttering and cursing, he got up from where he had been lying senseless in the floor. The girl who was supposed to be the victim looked down at him contemptuously, an empty plastic bottle in her hand. The rest of his gang were sprawled all over the place, deep in oblivion.

"You said just now that you were following orders." The girl's demeanour now was totally different from the impression he got from the photograph. "And whose orders might that be?"

"I ....." It took Max tremendous effort to stand on his feet. The girl's kick was vicious enough to end his hopes of ever getting any descendants to continue his family line. "…don't know."

"I see." The girl took one step forward, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

"It's true!" whined Max, backing away until his shoulder blades hit the wall of the room. "I swear on my grandfather's grave, I don't know who gave the order! All I know is that..."

At that moment, the door of the equipment room burst open in a shower of wood splinters. One boy stood at the doorway, his face a mask of fear and fury.

XXXXXX

Heero took in the scene in a single glance. Apparently, Katherine was more than capable of taking care of herself. Just as he was about to let relief wash all over him, he noticed Katherine's ripped skirt. His abating anger suddenly flared up like an erupting volcano. How dare they lay their filthy hands on her! He charged at the only remaining culprit, fists flying with a vengeance. Heero felt as if he was possessed. He kept on landing hard and merciless blows on the scumbag even after the other boy had obviously lost consciousness. So blinded with rage was he that when he felt restraining hands pulling him from behind, he roughly elbowed the person who was trying to stop him. The crash and the yelps of pain that ensued brought Heero back to his senses. Katherine was on the floor, massaging a head injury that he had just caused. Heero thought that he'd die on the spot. How could he commit the sin of hitting the girl he loved?

"Uh .... are you okay?" Heero had knelt down and was reaching out with a tentative hand. Katherine slapped the hand away and struck him. Not a slap, but a closed-fist blow that sent him reeling.

"You idiot! What were you trying to do?" she demanded in the tone of a mother disciplining her child. "You could have killed him! When will you ever learn how to use your brain instead of ...."

Heero muffled the rest of her scoldings with a crushing hug. He could feel every fibre in Katherine's body becoming taut but he did not - would not - let go. "Thank God you're alright." Katherine began to make sounds like strangled cat in his arms. Cursing himself for being such an uncouth barbarian, Heero quickly eased his hold on Katherine. However, he did not completely release her, forcing her to look into his eyes. She did not make any move to break free from his hold. Does this mean that she does not hate me? The best way to find out was to ask. "Do you hate me, Katherine?"

Katherine's face portrayed a riot of emotions upon hearing his question. Surprise, sadness, guilt, sympathy, worry - Heero could not tell which was the dominant emotion. "Of course I ...." Katherine paused as if still in a dilemma in choosing her reply. "I .... don't hate you. I mean, why should I?"

Heero could not remember the last time he had felt so happy and relieved. She doesn't hate me! For the time being, it was enough. He was about to hug her for a second time when she suddenly placed both palms on his chest and shoved him away. Her face had turned pink with embarrassment.

Only then did Heero realize that they were not alone. The doorway was crowded with a large number of spectators - the dean of the school being one of them.

XXXXXX

Sheila stood inconspicuously in the crowd, witnessing the failure of her plan. She should have known better than to trust those useless garbage to get the job done. There was not even a single cut on that despicable Katherine Kane! If things were to be done properly, she would have to depend on herself. It was time for plan B. Sheila reached into her pocket to feel for the spy camera she had prepared.

The Shoot Part 5

Shang was poring over the personal particulars of Katherine Kane using the master terminal of the school when Sheila suddenly burst into the room, chest heaving and cheeks flushed into a crimson hue. "There you are! I've been searching all over the place for you." Sheila trotted to Shang's side, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Shang, you wouldn't believe what I've just discovered. I ......" Her expression darkened when she saw what was on the computer screen.

Shang had taken an extreme interest in Katherine Kane ever since his encounter with her at the Gabriel arcade. The thought of Shang being snatched away by that contemptible girl was more than she could bear. In her desperation to get rid of Katherine, she had approached the infamous 'Mean Max' - a big mistake on her part. But no matter. When this news breaks out, Katherine will just kill her ... himself and save me the trouble of doing it myself.

Shang was looking patiently at her with eyes devoid of emotion. However, after months of associating with him, Sheila could detect his annoyance at her interruption. Sheila hurriedly cleared her throat and continued, "Shang, I know Katherine Kane's dark secret." A slight narrowing of Shang's eyes told her that she had gotten his attention. "She is a boy."

Shang's reaction disappointed her. She had expected him to become utterly disgusted and lose every fragment of his interest in Katherine Kane after knowing the truth. Instead, he questioned her further, his face dead serious. "How did you come by this information?"

"I ... just know." How could she tell Shang that she, poisoned with jealousy and malice, had resorted to taking Katherine's nude photograph to force her out of the school? It was a very low-down thing to do - even by her standards. What would Shang think of her if he knew?

"You don't have to give me the details. I just want to make sure this is true and not some story you have concocted."

"Of course it is true! Why would I lie about this?" It hurt when Shang distrusted her. Not that she was complaining .... Shang was distrustful of everyone around him, regardless of the period of association.

Shang switched off the computer and turned to Sheila so that they were now face to face - which was something Shang rarely did. In the past few months, every time she tried talking to Shang, it was either to the back of his head or to the side of his face. He had never bothered to look at her when they were talking. Even during the times when his eyes occasionally fell on her, she got the feeling that he was looking through her instead of at her. "Did you tell anyone else about this?"

"No." But I'm going to.

"Good. Then don't do it."

"Huh?" Sheila could see no reason behind Shang's order. "Why shouldn't I? That guy is a drag, for goodness sake! People like him belong in asylums and shouldn't even be in school."

"I know you hate Kane." Sheila opened her mouth to protest but thought the better of it and shut up. She did not exactly try very hard to be less obvious about her hatred. "But this is important. I don't want Kane to leave this school. You mustn't breathe a word about this to anyone, not even to Kane himself."

Why is Shang defending her ... him?! Face twisted with hurt and frustration, Sheila demanded, "Why? Didn't you hear what I've just said? Kane is a boy! A male! A ...."

"Sheila." Shang did not raise his voice but the command for silence underlying his tone quietened Sheila just as effectively. "Whether Kane is male or female makes no difference. I don't want him out of my sight."

Mistaking Shang's words for a love confession, Sheila paled considerably. "You ... you ...." Could it be that Shang was 'not interested' in girls? That could explain his absolute lack of response when members of the fairer sex did all sorts of things to attract his attention.

"Perhaps I should tell you this ..." Sheila hastily drew her attention back to what Shang was saying. "I plan to mind-link with Kane, with or without his consent."

What?! "You can't be serious! That Kane boy is a mere civilian. A normal student. Not to mention that he is not even OZ's ...."

"Kane is not a mere civilian. Neither is he a normal student. He is a Gundam pilot."

Sheila thought she was becoming mad. The whole day had been a string of surprises, one after another - Kane a boy; Kane a Gundam pilot; Shang mind-linking with Kane. Shang had known this all along and had kept mum about it? It was treason of the highest order! "Shang. If this is true, we must inform our superiors." She was no longer speaking as a jealous, self-appointed girlfriend but as a soldier dedicated to her cause. "They would know what to do with him."

"They can have him only after he fails to link his mind with mine. Not before."

"Shang! What do you hope to achieve in linking your mind with his? Even if the mind link is successful - which I seriously doubt it will - he would still be the enemy! He would still have to die. I'm sure you wouldn't want to suffer a second severing of the bond."

Shang's hand shot out and gripped Sheila's neck, an intensity bordering on madness blazing out of his eyes. Sheila shivered despite her efforts to appear unafraid. "Any enemy of my wingmate is my enemy. Know this, Sheila, and know this well."

XXXXXX

The classroom at the end of the corridor vibrated with the noise generated by its dwellers. Rumour-mongers tendered juicy gossips which were greedily consumed by hungry minds. Rumours, like fire, start as a tiny spark but can spread very rapidly with abundant provision of fuel and air. There was no shortage of loose-tongued chatterboxes to feed and fan those flames and consequently, the entire school was engulfed in the space of one day. The names of Hojo Tsukasa and Katherine Kane hovered on the tip of nearly everyone's tongue.

"Good morning."

The flow of gossips screeched to an abrupt halt. One boy who had been leaning precariously on his chair wobbled, lost his balance and landed on the cement floor with a loud crash. Another boy, who was in the process of knife-sharpening his pencil, bit back a yell and sucked his nicked finger. The rest of the class dropped their jaws and were gaping at the speaker as if he had sprouted horns. Oblivious to the impact of his behaviour, the boy sauntered to his heavily-graffitied table next to the windows. (It is perhaps worth mentioning that the vandalism of this poor, harmless piece of furniture was done by bitter, jealous rivals who had tried to court Katherine Kane in the past). He hummed a happy tune as he did so.

A group of girls spent the next minute screwing their eyeballs back into their sockets before gathering together for a conference.

"Could that be Hojo Tsukasa?" whispered one of the girls incredulously. They stole another glance at the subject of their discussion. His usual beetled eyebrows and sullen eyes were absent.

"I say he's an imposter," concluded one girl.

"What happened to him? He's a totally different person!"

"So the rumours are true," said another girl in a bemused tone of voice.

"Rumours? You mean those about him and Katherine Kane?"

"Yes. And I heard from a reliable source that they had shared their first kiss three days ago."

"Kiss? They're that close already? No wonder he has been acting pretty weirdly these past few days."

"(Sigh) .... Love doth change a person completely." The one who spoke harboured a dreamy look in her eyes, her hands clasped close to her beating heart.

"Stop being so melodramatic, Susan!"

XXXXXX

"That's the guy who managed to lasso Katherine Kane."

"What? You mean that new Japanese student called ... what's his name ... Haji?"

"Hojo. Hojo Tsukasa, that lucky dog." The words were spoken with envy and grudging admiration.

Four pairs of eyes peered at the figure below from a classroom window on the third floor.

"Hey, haven't we seen him before? He looks familiar."

"Wait, isn't he the guy who was with Katherine at the arcade?"

"Yeah, the same guy who ......"

"Who is this Hojo Tsukasa?" interrupted a voice as calm as the eye of a tornado.

The four boys tensed and immediately put an end to their idle talk. Try as hard as they might, they were still not used to Shang talking. For those three months they spent hanging around Shang (with the hope that girls who directed their adoring eyes at Shang would notice them as well), they had only heard him speak once - and that was when they had asked for his name. All that had changed after the day at the arcade. Where Shang used to be indifferent, unresponsive and silent in the past, he was now the exact opposite - especially in matters concerning Katherine Kane. They attributed his disturbing transformation to his sore loser attitude, thinking that his obsession with Katherine was just an aftermath of the injury to his ego. After Shang had milked every drop of information they had regarding her, he ordered them to investigate and find out more. Kyle, who was not used to being ordered around, had learnt to obey Shang unquestioningly the hard way. He was still nursing the two broken fingers which served as his punishment for challenging Shang's orders. It was only then they remembered that Shang was the same dangerous person who had landed 'Mean Max' in the hospital. Definitely not a person to cross if you had any regard for your own skin.

One of the boys hastily replied, "Hojo is a new student from Japan who came to our school a week ago. I heard that he is an unsociable, introvert type of person .... you know, the type who hardly mixes around ..."

"I'm not interested in that. What is his connection with Katherine Kane?"

"Uh ... that is ... he's ...." gibbered the trembling boy under Shang's fiery glare.

Kyle came to his friend's rescue. "He is supposedly Katherine Kane's boyfriend. Rumours about the two of them had been circulating around the school." Kyle gazed intently at the laces of his shoes to avoid looking directly at Shang. He hoped the trembling in his legs was not discernible.

"Is that all you can tell me?"

Kyle nodded, his throat too constricted with fear to make a verbal reply.

Shang walked closer to the window and the four boys meekly parted to give way to him. "Which one is him?"

A shaky finger pointed Hojo Tsukasa out for him. Shang's eyes lingered on the mop of moss-green hair for no more than two seconds before its owner looked up to make eye contact. One of the skills that Cheng had imparted to him was the ability to read a person's eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul. Shang studied the steely blue eyes that stared straight back at him fearlessly. He mentally scratched Hojo Tsukasa off his list of potential hostages. Whoever Hojo Tsukasa was, he was definitely not an easy victim.

XXXXXX

Mrs. Cecilia Rhodes - a small, compact woman with grey, wiry hair - had been teaching in the school since her early twenties. A dedicated and maternal teacher, she was especially concerned with the welfare of the students under her care. During her thirty years of service, she had been the confidante of many students facing the problems and worries of adolescence. She had met students who were trapped in the emotional whirlpool of B-G relationships. Students who had attempted suicide when the pressures of parents, peers and examinations were more than what they could cope with. Students who lived in constant misery after being repeatedly bullied by Mean Max and his gang.

Rape victims were the most difficult to handle. Such occurrences were rare and the culprits were normally adult perverts outside the school. Yesterday's incident had shown, for the first time, that perpetrators of such an atrocity could be the school's very own students. She had known that the boy would bring nothing but trouble and shame to the school the moment he was accepted. Her firm objections were ignored in the face of the huge monetary 'donation' to the school offered by Mean Max's parents. As the school was seriously under-funded at that time, the administration office had no choice but to comply with their wishes of having their precious son accepted into the school. As a result, the school staff could not expel Mean Max from school no matter how many times they received complaints about his treatment of both pupils and teachers.

But what he did yesterday was unforgivable! He'll be lucky if he doesn't get thrown into the slammer. She observed the girl who had fallen victim to Mean Max's raging hormones. The girl had too much beauty for her own good. It was a surprise to see Katherine Kane attending school as usual after the traumatizing incident yesterday. The girls she encountered in the past who had similar experiences needed at least a month of psychiatric aid before they could get on with their lives.

The poor girl must be stoically putting up a brave front so as not to worry the people around her. Well, she was definitely not letting any of her students suffer in silence alone.

"Katherine Kane."

"Yes, Mrs. Rhodes?" No hint of anguish in her voice. The girl was good in hiding her pain.

"See me in the staff lounge after this."

XXXXXX

Duo yawned noisily as he made his way to the staff lounge. He had not slept well last night due to another troubling experience with Heero yesterday evening. Duo had never seen Heero so furious before - he was like an enraged bull goring Mean Max upon sight. The pathetic boy was now lying in the hospital intensive care unit, bandaged like a mummy. Duo shook his head as he thought about this. Why was Heero risking his cover like this? Mean Max's parents would not take this quietly and the school authorities would be pressured to take action against Heero. Duo had wanted to shoulder all the blame but none of the teachers believed that a 'girl' with such a slim frame could defeat Mean Max and his gang alone. At this time, Heero willingly stepped out to bear the brunt of the blame .... for Katherine Kane.

He reverted his attention back to the matter at hand as the entrance to the staff lounge loomed before him. I wonder why Mrs. Rhodes wants to see me.

No one else was in the lounge besides Mrs. Rhodes. Two mugs of steaming, black coffee were prepared on a glass table. "Take a seat and help yourself to the coffee."

Accepting her invitation, Duo did as he was told. He sipped his coffee silently, waiting for the teacher to speak first.

"I won't beat around the bush." Mrs Rhodes paused, as if deciding the best way to approach the heart of the discussion. "I heard about what happened yesterday. Do you want to talk about it?"

What's there to talk about? I'm sure she's not interested in finding out the number of ribs and teeth I had broken during the brawl yesterday. "Not really. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing is wrong. It's just that ... um ... I'd like to inform you that all those boys who were found in the sports equipment room with you yesterday were suspended from school for two weeks. Severe measures had been taken to deal with them, so you can rest assured that they will no longer be a threat to you in future."

"That's good." Mrs. Rhodes widened her eyes in surprise upon hearing Duo's reply. Her scrutiny made Duo feel self-conscious. What does she expect me to say?

"Katherine, I know it's hard for you to think, let alone talk, about your... experience. But keeping everything shut in will only make it worse. I won't betray your trust. You can unload your fears on me."

"Wha ....?" blurted Duo. He could not tell where this conversation was headed. He took another sip of coffee to wet his throat which was becoming dry.

"I've talked with girls who had been sexually assaulted before, so I perfectly understand how you're feeling ......"

Duo choked on his coffee and went into an extended fit of coughing. While his ciliated windpipe was busy sweeping up droplets of beverage that had gone down the wrong tube, Duo began to understand why his classmates were behaving strangely around him since early morning. Sympathetic looks were thrown at him and even Doyce and Laila were consciously avoiding his eyes. Can't blame them for jumping into that conclusion... the torn skirt and ruffled hair were enough to give anyone that idea. After his coughing subsided, Duo spoke up. "Mrs. Rhodes....."

"... there comes a time for you to put all these unpleasant memories behind you and ...."

"Mrs. Rhodes!"

"What is it, Katherine?" She was slightly miffed by the manner in which she was interrupted.

"None of that sort happened yesterday."

A moment of silence. "You mean you're not ...."

"I'm not," confirmed Duo grimly.

Duo could see her face taking up the colour of fresh, ripe apples. Still retaining her composure, she stood up and walked to the coffee-making machine in the corner. "More coffee?"

XXXXXX

Heero had stationed himself at the school main gate, his eyes on the lookout for a particular violet-eyed girl with long, chestnut-brown hair. If he was lucky enough, he just might get the chance to walk Katherine back to the dormitory. Even as he was thinking about this, he could not help feeling a pang of guilt for jeopardizing his mission with his passion for the girl. He had stopped denying his feelings for Katherine Kane. The ribbon, the kiss, the suffocating emotions – it had all amounted to one thing. He was in love. Hopelessly in love.

"Will you all please leave me alone!" Heero immediately turned to the source of that voice, fully alert. He saw his dream girl surrounded by a mob of at least fifty males. The green worm of jealousy began to consume the core of his heart.

"But Katherine, a girl like you needs protection. We are more than willing to help," claimed one sincere-sounding voice.

"Please don't misunderstand. We're doing this because we care for you," chimed in another.

"With us around, you will have nothing to fear. We'll beat up any guy who dares to lay a finger on you." The hand of the boy who said this was slowly making its way to one of Katherine's shoulders.

"Didn't you hear what she just said? Leave her alone." Heero's bone-biting, icy voice carried with it a measure of threat. The boys forming Katherine's convoy froze in their tracks. The rumours about how Hojo Tsukasa had single-handedly thrashed Mean Max and his entire gang were still fresh in their minds.

Katherine took advantage of the distraction to break free from the protective shell of boys, her face mirroring great relief. She walked directly towards Heero and wrapped her arms around his left arm, taking him completely by surprise. A pleasant surprise. He could feel the softness of her.... Heero grimly pulled his mind out of the pigsty.

Katherine faced the overzealous boys who had been dogging her footsteps around the school. "Hojo Tsukasa shall provide the 'protection' I need. So I suggest that all of you stop pestering me before I ask him to give a demonstration of what he does to people who pester me."

Taking the hint, the crowd in front of them dispersed in ten seconds. Katherine turned to Heero after the last of her convoy disappeared from sight, her lips forming a grateful smile. "Thanks for your help. I was at my wits' end trying to figure out how to dispel that irritating bunch."

Heero's heart soared with joy. For some reason, he had only been successful in making Katherine angry and frustrated with him during his previous encounters with her. This was the first time that she reacted warmly to his actions. Strike while the iron is hot. Confess your feelings to her now! It was a command screamed out by every cell in his body.

Heero gripped both of Katherine's shoulders, his fingers rigid with tension. He opened his mouth, hoping fervently that words would not fail him now. "Katherine, I ...."

Cat-calls and wolf-whistles erupted from the students and bystanders who had congregated around them. Heero could see Katherine's face colouring. The last time this happened, she had proceeded to place as much distance between them as possible. Without further hesitation, he took hold of Katherine's hand and pulled her along as he beat a hasty retreat from the scene. "We can't talk here. Follow me." Katherine allowed herself to be dragged along without much resistance.

XXXXXX

In the crowd, Laila patted Doyce's back in an attempt to cheer the other girl up. "Why the long face, woman? You saw the rewards of our efforts. There is no doubt that they'll be together now."

Doyce was still torturing herself with yesterday's events. "Of course I'm happy for them, Laila. But ... how can I face Katherine now? She could have been ...." Doyce choked with unshed tears. ".... And it would be all my fault!"

"But nothing happened, right? Mrs. Rhodes had told us that Katherine was perfectly fine."

"But ...."

Laila rapped Doyce's head with a knuckle, cutting off her whimpers. "Stop blaming yourself for something that is not your fault. I don't want to see anymore of this masochistic behaviour."

Doyce wiped away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes and nodded. She blew noisily into her wet tissue and gratefully accepted another one from Laila.

"I think we'd better go back to the dorm now. It is getting late."

Unbeknownst to the two girls, they were observed by a pair of azure eyes burning with a cold fire.

The Shoot Part 6

"Hojo! Where are you taking me?" Umbrella-shaped trees with gnarled trunks surrounded them, leaves forming a continuous canopy that screened out much of the evening sunlight. They had reached a piece of forested land at the edge of the school compound. There was no third soul in sight.

Duo had mixed feelings about this confrontation with Heero. He was not so obtuse as to miss seeing the beast-strong emotions pulsating in Heero's eyes when the Japanese pilot held him a moment ago. He had wanted to run away from Heero then – the situation was getting extremely 'sticky' and he hadn't a clue on how to settle the problem. Maybe it would have been better for him to reveal himself. And less cruel to Heero too. As Duo was considering this course of action, Heero stopped walking and faced him once again. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The mating calls of crickets echoed in the woods, occasionally punctuated with the sound of squirrels scampering from branch to branch.

It felt like an eternity before Heero broke the silence, his cool-as-a-winter's-night voice contradicting with the warm glow in his eyes. "Katherine." Duo gulped down the lump in his throat. "How will you respond if I say I care a lot about you?"

Heero could not have been more unromantic. Nevertheless, Duo'd heartbeat still shot up to a suffocating rate. This is ridiculous! We're supposed to be on an important mission and here we are, falling in love with each other ..... No! No! No! A stubborn part of Duo's mind was still in denial. Heero was in love with Katherine Kane. Not Duo Maxwell! This whole misunderstanding was just the regrettable result of a joke gone too far. It was time to put an end to all this craziness once and for all. To hell with the dangers of being labelled as a sissy and being pulverized by Heero.

"Hee.... Hojo...." Duo had wanted to call out Heero's name. His brain, however, refused to cooperate. Why am I so afraid to let him know the truth? Was it because he didn't have the heart to shatter Heero's illusions about this non-existent character called Katherine Kane? If Heero was still his old, statue-like self, Duo would have no qualms about shocking him with the revelation of Katherine Kane and Duo Maxwell being the same person. However, Heero was anything but his old self. He had become undeniably human - hot blood, warm flesh and tender kiss. Very much unlike the ice-cold, rock-hard boy he was used to. He could not imagine how Heero would react upon learning the truth. Most likely he'll kill me .... and enjoy thoroughly every second of the process. Duo shuddered, an icicle travelling down his spine. Hopefully, he could end this confrontation without ever letting Heero know. Heero did not need to know - Katherine Kane would disappear from the school just as suddenly as she had appeared. His three weeks were nearly up anyway.

Duo hardened his heart and worked his cheek muscles to form the most scornful and mocking countenance. "I'll laugh in your face and walk away."

"Katherine, I'm serious."

"Who says I'm joking? I don't need the emotional burdens of an infatuated fool." Duo could not bring himself to look into Heero's eyes.

"What I feel for you is definitely not infatuation."

"You don't call it infatuation? We have hardly met more than three times! How much do you know about me? And I know close to nothing about you!" Has Heero forgotten that he is a Gundam pilot who can't possibly afford to have normal human relationships? What does he plan to do once he gets his next mission? Cast Katherine off like a pair of worn out shoes?

"I know everything about you."

If there was any wind in the forest, Duo would have been knocked off his feet. Could Heero have known all along?! He was seized by an emotion that was part fear and part .... delight. "What do you know?" rasped Duo, a slight tremor in his voice.

As if reciting from memory, Heero rattled on about every single detail of Duo's false identity - Katherine Kane's birthday, her family background, the names of the foster parents currently taking care of her, the schools she used to attend and even her medical allergies. It did not take long for Duo to figure out that Heero had been using his hacking skills to find information that had nothing to do with his mission. Duo had never talked much about Katherine's past since his entry into the school - so Heero could not possibly have known through hear-say. It was more of a shock than a surprise to discover Heero compromising precious mission time on trivial matters such as this. Maybe Heero does not consider this to be a trivial matter. Duo's purposefully numbed heart was starting to ache.

Duo let out a harsh, bitter laugh. He could not help it. It was such an amusing paradox - Heero knowing everything and nothing about Katherine Kane at the same time. It was just so damned funny. Duo's laughter did not hold any mirth.

Heero was gazing at him perplexedly. "Why are you laughing?"

Duo drew breath in between laughs to break in a reply. "Because I want to. You got a problem with that?"

Heero waited patiently for Duo's near-hysterical laughter to die away. "You still don't believe that I'm serious about you, do you?" Duo made no answer, his sore diaphragm made it difficult for him to talk. Duo turned his face away from the hurt look

on Heero's face. An optical illusion. Duo reassured himself without conviction. Rocks do not feel anything. "Katherine, look at me." Rocks do not ....

"Katherine!" Duo's shoulders were once more hostages of Heero's searing hands. Duo had no choice but to face those intense eyes again. "I know I'm not good at words. I can't even let you know half the things I want to tell you. I ..." Heero stopped in mid-sentence, evidently at a loss of words to express himself. Just as Duo was deciding whether or not to break free and flee, Heero lifted his right hand and slid something cool around one of his fingers. It was a ring - a circular, silvery band set with a multi-faceted sapphire gemstone. Duo silently stared at the ornament on his finger in disbelief. Heero was serious. Very serious.

"I want you to keep this." Heero cleared his throat before continuing. "You know what the ring means. I don't need your reply immediately. Just keep it with you. It is a token of my lo... my.... uh..." After a few more failed attempts to complete his sentence, Heero gave up and kept quiet. Silence resumed its reign in the forest.

The ache in Duo's heart became worse. He was smitten by Heero's affection for Katherine Kane. Not Duo Maxwell. Heero never had a kind word for Duo Maxwell. In the past, Heero made him feel lower than a snake's navel .... if snakes ever had navels. His bubbly exuberance was always held in check by Heero's solemnity. Every time he tried to crack a joke to lighten the mood, Heero would impale him with a cold glare or worse yet, a cutting remark. Duo had masked his pain and injured feelings behind silly grins and smiling eyes; at the same time trying to convince himself that words would never hurt him. But they did hurt him, and hurt him a great deal. Why was he thinking of all these things now? Was he hoping that the desire for revenge would make his next task easier? But there wasn't any desire for revenge. There never was and there never will be.

"You can have my reply now." With Heero's eyes trained on him, Duo removed the ring on his finger and threw it on the leaf-carpeted floor. He raised a foot and stamped on it savagely.

Heero's entire body convulsed as if Duo's heeled shoe was stepping on his heart instead of his ring. His voice came out as a hoarse whisper. "Why? You said yesterday that you don't hate me." It was amazing that Heero could still speak so detachedly.

"I don't hate chocolate cakes too. Shall I get betrothed to food too?" It was even more amazing that Duo could crack a joke, however lame, at a time like this. Duo hated himself for doing this to Heero. "Please don't approach me again in future. Do I have your promise on this?"

"Kathe......."

"Do I have your promise?" repeated Duo, louder this time.

They exchanged heated glances while the air crackled with tension around them. Finally, Heero nodded. "If that is your wish." His voice sounded hollow, like an empty husk. A cloud of gloom seemed to have settled on the boy, transforming him into the old, emotionless Heero Yuy he was all too familiar with. Heero walked away without another word or a backward glance.

Only when Duo was sure that Heero had stepped out of the boundaries of sight and sound did he collapse on the ground. His hands sought the sapphire ring and put it back on his naked finger. It would serve to remind him that Heero's heart once belonged to him. Not Duo Maxwell. Duo felt like laughing again.

XXXXXX

Heero's heart felt as if it was skewered by a thousand pins. The pain caused by Relena's cold attitude towards him was nothing compared to the pain caused by Katherine's simple rejection. It was his fault. He had bared his heart, made himself vulnerable and gave Katherine the knife to cut it into pieces. This was what his past mentors had warned him about; and he had foolishly ignored their teachings. His emotions were like a reservoir, formed by a dam of concrete self-control. Somehow, Katherine had managed to breach all his carefully-structured defenses and break that dam, causing his emotions to gush out in a torrent. It was impossible for him to recall it back.

Heero felt lethargic and drained, as if the sheer emotional load had sapped his strength. The day - which had appeared very bright and sunny a moment ago - suddenly seemed so bleak to his eyes. Heero took comfort in the thought that the weather in the physical world reflected the one in his heart.

XXXXXX

As Duo was making his way back to his room in the dormitory, he could not stop pondering about his own feelings towards Heero. Duo realized that somewhere along the line, the fear of exposure of his real identity was no longer due to shame or the fear of what Heero would do to him. True, there had been a constant fear lurking in his mind ever since Heero started to reveal his human side to Katherine - the fear that he would no longer be the recipient of Heero's care and concern once Heero found out the truth. He wanted to see Heero's smile again .... What is wrong with me?! Duo unlocked his door and stepped into his room.

If Duo had not been so emotionally troubled, his instincts would have alerted him to the fact that he was not alone in his room before he even closed the door behind him. The pitch-black figure which was standing still in a corner of the dark room made its presence known by letting out a polite cough. Duo froze, his hand hovering over the light switch. Who ....? He distinctly remembered locking his door before he left in the morning. The intruder could not possibly be friendly. Duo had hidden his pistol underneath a pile of clothes in the cupboard. Too late to get that now. His unwelcomed visitor should have spent enough time in the room to adjust to the darkness - meaning that he had no chance of escape if the intruder was holding a gun and ill intentions. And he had hesitated too long to consider bolting out of the room. So that only left the option of switching on the lights. If he was fast enough, he could use the time required for the intruder's eyes to get used to the sudden brightness to jump for cover behind the writing desk. Duo bent his knees slightly in preparation to sprint.

"Don't get so tensed up. I have come unarmed," said a voice that was somewhere in between tenor and baritone. Duo could not recognize the owner of that voice. "What are you waiting for? Switch on the lights and we'll talk." Thinking that he might have overreacted a little, Duo flicked the switch. Light from the fluorescent lamps on the ceiling flooded the room. Duo drew in a deep breath.

The mysterious intruder was Shang. But why would he ....?

As if reading the question from Duo's expression, Shang replied, "I've come so that we can talk. In private." From Shang's tone of voice, it would seem that the boy regarded his actions - breaking into a girl's room in the middle of the night - as totally justifiable in the face of his purpose.

While recovering from his shock and puzzlement, Duo snapped, "In case you have forgotten, this is a girl's dormitory. Strictly out of bounds to boys. I suggest you scram before I summon the warden who has a reputation of flaying male trespassers alive."

Shang's expression did not change. "You can do that." Shang's lips curled to form a ghost of an amused smile. "But the warden will find two males here instead of one."

Duo started. What does he mean by that last statement? His eyes quickly scanned the room for more intruders.

"You can stop pretending now. I know everything about you - who you really are and what you are doing in this school." There was a serious sense of deja vu here. "Does the name 'Gundam' ring a bell to you?"

Duo's heart nearly stopped beating. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Shang started to walk slowly towards Duo in small strides. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation another time. If you want to carry on acting as 'Katherine Kane', there is nothing I can do to stop you. However, I tire of this deception." Shang tossed something at Duo which he snatched from mid-air. Duo opened his palm, revealing a pair intricately-carved golden ear rings. He recognized the ear rings to be the ones that had never left Laila's earlobes. A chill gripped Duo's heart.

The smile on Shang's face was more obvious this time. "I see that you recognize it. If you care about the safety of the two girls concerned, meet me on the roof of the school administration block tomorrow night at eight o' clock. Alone."

Duo's eyes did not leave the pair of ear rings even as Shang walked past him and out of the room. His hand began to tremble. Who was Shang? And why was he doing this? Duo had no answers to those questions.

The Shoot Part 7

The rooftop of the administration block was as silent as a graveyard. The silvery moon had hid its face behind a thin veil of gray clouds, its dim rays casting indistinct shadows. A trained eye would have noticed that one of the shadows appeared darker - more substantial. A more careful examination would reveal the silhouette of a human figure.

Duo had shed the guise of his alter ego, Katherine Kane. His long, willowy hair was entwined in his usual thick braid. He wore a black top with rolled up sleeves and matching slacks that blended him nicely with the black night. It was fifteen minutes before the appointed time.

Nearly his whole day was spent thinking about his encounter with Shang the previous night. Shang was no ordinary student; of that, Duo was very sure. A gut feeling told him that Shang was working for OZ. But if that is the case, why didn't he just put a bullet through my head at where I stood last night? Why go through all the trouble of abducting Doyce and Laila? His actions didn't make sense! There was only one logical explanation for this - Shang did not want him dead. Or rather, what he wanted from Duo could not be extracted from a corpse. Information perhaps? Does he think I'm foolish enough to be

captured alive?

Captured ... despite his efforts to cloak himself with an air of indifference, the genuine fear for the lives of those two girls was still acutely felt. Heero had called him a fool for letting his heart rule his mind during important missions. Duo had to agree with him this time. If he had distanced himself from Doyce and Laila and rejected their offered friendship right from the beginning, they would never be targeted by his enemies. Their lives would never be endangered.

The pin-drop silence was shattered by the light scrape of a shoe against the rough floor. The illumination by the moon was just sufficient for Duo to make out Shang's face, which he scrutinized more thoroughly this time. He dismissed the white lock of hair as nothing more than the result of a few wonky genes. The eyes ... something about them struck a familiar cord in Duo; as if he had seen their like before. Trowa. Shang's eyes were identical to Trowa's. Vacant eyes that held no spark of life.

Shang turned his body to face the patch of solid shadow that was Duo. "So, you have come." Even his voice reminded Duo of Trowa's sleep-inducing monotone.

Duo detached himself from the shadows, the barrel of his pistol aimed right between Shang's eyes.

XXXXXX

So this is how Cheng's killer really looks like. The teenager standing before him was about his age, swathed in clothes that were as black as the Gundam he piloted. The glint of metal in Kane's hand generated no more than a raised eyebrow from Shang.

"I don't see the girls. Where are they?" The falsetto was gone, replaced by a cool, calm voice that was distinctly male.

"They are safe for the time being. You need not worry about them." The first question he asked was about those two girls. Can it be that this cold-blooded murderer has human emotions?

"Perhaps you didn't hear me correctly." Kane thumbed the safety of his gun off with a faint but audible click. "Where are they?"

"As I said before, they are safe. And you can stop threatening me with that pistol of yours. I only want to talk." Seeing that Duo made no move to lower his weapon, Shang smirked. "Are you so afraid of me that you won't feel safe without that thing pointing at me?"

The gun held by Kane did not waver. "Do you think I won't pull the trigger? I've killed before and I'll kill again just as readily."

Kane was impervious to his taunts. Good. The last thing Shang wanted was a short-tempered hothead as his wingmate. "I know perfectly well that you are a very experienced and accomplished killer. I'm quite surprised that you have come to meet me tonight. Death to you should be like water off a duck's back, shouldn't it? After the way you have been slaughtering people by the thousands, why should two more deaths matter to you so much that you are willing to put your life on the line for them?"

"I'm not risking my neck for anyone. The main reason why I have come is to find out who the hell you are before I send you to hell." The tone of Kane's voice was so cold and deliberate that Shang would have believed him if he didn't see the lie in Kane's eyes.

"If that is the only thing you have come for, I'll grant you your wish." Kane's face registered bafflement. Maybe he thought that I would only talk under duress. "We have not met before this, but what brought my attention to you was an incident that occurred near Salt Lake City five months ago." A look of recognition fleeted past Kane's visage. "Remember? You were there, wiping out every living soul at the military base. Cheng ..." Words died on Shang's lips at the mention of his dead wingmate's name. The memory of Cheng's death still burned in his mind ... and the thirst for revenge. Shang wondered why he didn't choose to destroy the boy in front of him.

"Who is Cheng?" asked Kane.

Shang had to curb his impulse to rush towards Kane and beat him black and blue. Sheila, who had asked him the same question two months ago, had learnt not to utter Cheng's name in his presence. "He is one of the victims of your killing spree, you maker of orphans and widows!" Shang tried to regain his composure but anguish and anger prevented him. "We were there minding our own business, when you suddenly appeared with that Gundam of yours and started killing everyone in sight! You and the rest of your Gundam-piloting team started this bloody war! Killing, always killing! What do you know about the extent of damage and suffering you have caused?"

Patches of red blotched Kane's cheeks. "I don't have to take this from anyone, least of all an OZ underdog like you. We started the war?" Kane let out a harsh, scornful laugh. "I don't know what kind of a bullshit story OZ has been feeding you and I don't really care. What I do know is that once a person decides to don a soldier's uniform, he must be mentally prepared to kill and be killed."

Shang sneered. "And that justifies your actions? You have never considered the possibility that the soldier whose blood you soak the ground with will have friends and families who will mourn his death, have you?"

"I have never bothered to justify my actions." Kane's reply was barely audible. "When a life perishes under a sword, does it really matter who wielded the sword or why the sword was wielded in the first place? Seeking justifications for killing is a form of self-deception. Belief that you're destroying lives for the right cause only serves to reduce the torment of your conscience."

Kane's words echoed Cheng's sentiments. For a brief moment, Shang imagined Cheng's face overlapping Kane's. Well, sport, humans fight against each other for many reasons - wealth, revenge, territory, power, religion.. and the most ironic of all.. peace. But all these so-called reasons are just excuses. Violence is never justified. Those were Cheng's exact words; words which Shang had accepted as life's truths.

Shang's chaotic long tresses were obscuring his vision and he flicked them away from his face with a toss of his head. Cheng's apparition had disappeared, leaving behind Kane who was very much like Cheng. And very much alive. Shang could not resist smiling at Kane who then frowned at him in a puzzled manner. "I have no wish to drag this idle chit-chat. The girls you seek are presently in their room in the girls' dormitory. You will find them there."

XXXXXX

Duo bounded up the stairs leading to the second floor where the room occupied by Doyce and Laila was situated. He took great care not to be seen by any girls who would most likely scream their heads off and alarm everyone in the dormitory.

Duo had left the meeting with Shang without using any of his bullets. He could not kill Shang before confirming that Doyce and Laila were at where Shang said they would be. And Shang knew this all too well. However, that didn't stop Duo from jabbing Shang's solar plexus just to deliver home the message that he was not to be messed with.

Duo arrived at the door of the room of the two girls. Bracing himself for the worst, he turned the door knob and opened the door. He drew in a sharp intake of breath. No....

Two prone bodies were lying on the floor. Duo wasted no time in rushing to the still bodies of Doyce and Laila to test for warm breath from their nostrils. He resumed breathing only after he was sure that they were alive. They still had a healthy colour in their cheeks, which increased his relief further. He gently lifted their bodies from the floor and placed the girls on their respective beds.

"I'm sorry for putting both of you through this ordeal," said Duo softly, even though he knew that neither of them could hear him. Duo dug his hands into his pockets for Laila's ear rings, which he then put back on her ear lobes.

"That was a nasty blow you gave me just now."

Shang! Duo whirled and was on the balls of his feet in a flash. The pistol was out and pointing at the boy who stood some distance before the entrance of the room. Duo discovered that he was having a hard time aiming a clean shot at Shang. There were two Shangs, which merged and separated repeatedly to give him a splitting headache. His vision was darkening around the edges and the weapon in his hand felt as if it weighed a tonne. What the .... so this is what Shang had in mind. Duo turned the pistol on himself. They were not going to take him alive.

In his befuddled state, Duo could have sworn that Shang had teleported to his side to wrest the pistol from his hand. The outcome of the struggle was greatly shifted in Shang's favour as Duo had inhaled too much gas. Duo managed to squeeze off one shot before his knees buckled.

XXXXXX

The bullet had embedded itself in Shang's left shoulder and blood was oozing out in a viscous flow. It was a good thing that the gun had a silencer. Shang ignored the pain in his shoulder. What mattered now was Kane - he had to be moved to the underground OZ base. Then the mind-linking program could begin.

Sheila appeared behind Shang and her face became twisted with worry and rage after taking in the scene. Malice poisoned her thoughts as she looked down at the unconscious boy at her feet. Her plan to deliver a savage kick to Kane's temple was thwarted when Shang scooped her feet from under her. She landed heavily on her back, all her breath knocked out of her lungs.

"I would appreciate it if you refrain from harming Kane until the mind link fails. Harm him before that and I'll kill you." Sheila's pupils dilated with fear and shock. "Do you understand me?" Sheila swallowed and nodded her head mutely.