Emergence
Chapter Two
Not as Pictured

Heero just stared at the tiny former pilot, hand twitching as he barely stopped himself from automatically going to grab him before remembering that the vent cover stood defiantly between them. Knowing Duo (even though he apparently didn't know as much as he'd thought he had), that could very well have been a deliberate factor in his plan.

"Screwdriver," he said abruptly, turning away from Duo to look around like he expected there to be one instantly available. Of course, in an office, there were no conveniently arranged toolboxes to be found. Damn.

"You know, Heero, I could just go around and meet you outside," Duo offered with a little snicker, seeing that annoyance and frustration in Heero's face. He'd talked to him through the vid-screen often enough to know those subtle expressions. Including the fresh one determination he was giving him now. "Um, Ro?"

"Stay right there," the stern Japanese agent said, his eyes narrowing. And he reached for the vent, fingertips grasping it tightly.

Oh hell, don't tell me he's gonna- Duo's thoughts were interrupted as metal screeched, bending under Heero's strength. The Ariette felt a cold chill run down his spine at the display of the raw power that existed in those hands. He'd seen it once before, but that had just been on video. Seeing it right in front of him was another matter! And more than a little terrifying.

Duo didn't even realize he'd taken a step back before those eyes locked onto him again, this time without any barrier between them. He froze, heart pounding in his chest.

This reunion was something he'd been thinking about, planning for, and psyching himself up for since their exposure. It didn't take a genius to figure out that his people would need someone who could work with humans in dangerous situations. Even better, someone who already HAD. Even if the humans involved hadn't really known that part. He had already been on his way to the city the council contacted him to ask.

But for all of his day dreaming, his nerves were still being cranked up to at least a seven. Maybe an eight. And then those metal bending hands reached in and wrapped around him. Fuck eight, this was twelve territory!

"H-hey!" he shouted as Heero pulled him out of the vent. "Put me down!"

"Heero!" Quatre scolded. Good ol' Cat. Sure, he was just as big as Heero and had probably come closer than anyone to discovering his secret in the war, but the kid had a sensible head on his shoulders. Even if that space heart of his had scared the shit out of him during the war.

Too bad Heero wasn't in the mood to listen to their blondie leader. He stepped down from the stool, holding Duo up to eye level. The hand wasn't exactly squeezing, but his arms were held firmly against his sides. And no amount of wiggling was changing that.

"Where have you been?" Heero demanded. He modulated his voice for Duo's ears, but only just barely. It still made Duo cringe. Though... that might have been that trademark deathglare billboard size and three inches away. "Do you know how wor- Why didn't you tell us you were an Ariette?"

"I've been working, same as you!" Duo retorted. Maybe giving a human who could bend steel with the very hand holding him lip wasn't the best idea in the world, but no one said he was rich in self-preservation instincts. He'd never have piloted if he'd had those. "And why do you think I never told you? Until a bunch of your guys got grabby, you weren't supposed to know I existed! I was breaking a shit ton of rules as it is! And we didn't really have time for 'surprise, there's another species out there!'"

The glare didn't warm up any, nor did the pounding of his heart slow down. This was really NOT how he'd figured things would go today. Fuck.

Duo took a deep breath. "Look, what use would I have been if I'd stuck around before this mess anyway? Some pampered pet shacking up with you guys in secret? No fucking thank you. And would you have trusted my abilities in the war if you'd known?"

"Heero," Quatre said softly, putting a hand on Heero's shoulder as he came to Duo's rescue. They met eyes briefly, giving away in a glance that the blond saw right through the tiny agent's act to just how nervous he was. "Let's give Duo some room to breathe. I'm certain he had some good reasons for leaving when he did. And we've all had secrets."

He held a hand out to Heero, an edge of steel under gentle blue that Duo know all too well. That was an order. And, with some reluctance, one Heero obeyed, relaxing his grip so Duo could wiggle out of his hand to drop the short distance to Quatre's open palm. However his weird voodoo powers worked, Duo hoped he could feel that wash of relieved gratitude. Especially when the blond brought him over to one of the desks instead of just continuing to hold him.

Being handled a lot was something that was going to take TIME to get used to. And being grabbed by angry humans, friends, crushes, or comrades, or otherwise, wasn't going to help. It was bad enough having all four of them looking at him.

Duo rubbed the back of his neck, trying to hide his sudden burst of nerves. At least from those without psychic abilities. "Hey. Long time no see," he said, turning around to see them all. Didn't have the decency to be on the same side of him. Of course not. "Looks like I'm the only one who skipped his growth spurt. Knew I should have drunk more milk."

"Somehow, I'm not sure if that would have helped all that much," Wufei said with a small smirk, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at him. "We could have dipped you in it, however…"

"Hardy ha ha. Try it and I'll kick you in the toes, Chang," Duo said dryly, ready to fall back into old habits if they let him. As long as Wufei never tried to carry out any of the old threats he'd made during the war. "By the way, I'm going to need more book recs. Your list was too short."

The Chinese pilot snorted softly, nodding. "I'll put something together."

"It's good to see you, Duo," Trowa said, studying him quietly and inclining his head. "Perhaps we should attend to the mission before catching up."

"Heh, yeah, good idea." Anything to get all of the attention off of him. He'd get used to it… eventually. "I listened in a bit before Cat found me, so no need to catch me up, Wuffers."

"Wufei," he corrected with a huff, turning back to the projection. "We managed to get an agent inside about a week ago. Barton, you weren't sent because some of their people may have had Barton Foundation ties and could have recognized you. Une didn't want to risk losing the element of surprise or for them to pack up shop and move to a new location. Our agent managed to provide a current building schematic for us, as you see here."

"What about access codes?" Heero asked, slowly looking away from Duo to properly focus on the mission at hand. Already, he was memorizing the layout and multiple potential exit routes in case things didn't go to plan.

"We're still waiting on those." Wufei shook his head. "It's taking some time to gain the full trust of the organization, but the agent will send us more information as soon as he's able to. In the meantime, we can prepare to move the moment we have enough to go on."

Duo frowned, stomach twisting. Yeah, he understood that running in without enough intel was going to be suicide. But at the same time… Every day they waited was another day that the people they'd kidnapped had to sit in cages, knowing they could be sold at any time. Where they'd be harder to rescue. He didn't like it.

"As the plan stands, Barton will take point and ideally disable the entry alarms before their security can be alerted," Wufei said, using a laser pointer to indicate the locations he meant. "Yuy and I will follow to start clearing the way. We'll need to get to the control room as quickly as possible and take out anyone inside. It's going to involve working around to the other side of the main offices, so maximum stealth will be of utmost importance. They have someone there twenty-four hours a day. Once Yuy disables their systems and cuts them off, we can clear the rest of the way to the holding rooms for Winner and Maxwell—"

"Hang on," Duo said, interrupting. "Why am I on the back end? We've got a direct route to the control room right there." He pointed up at the faint outline on the projected image. "And I don't know about you guys, but I don't think you four are gonna fit."

Heero frowned. "That's an air conditioning shaft. It wouldn't be safe."

The Ariette rolled his eyes. "You mean like the one I got HERE through? How do you think I traveled through Ozie bases anyway? It wasn't darting from flower pot to flower pot down on the floor through the hallways or clinging to the ceiling like some permanently miniature Antman. I know how to disable a fan."

"It's still too dangerous," Heero said firmly. "You wouldn't have any backup. We don't need another person to rescue. Stick with Quatre."

"Ro, if you think I'm going to be some kind of pet mascot, you've got another thing coming." Duo folded his arms over his chest, meeting the glare the other pilot leveled at him full on. He wasn't backing down. "These are my people. I'll hop in with Quatre after I get the rest of you guys in."

Quatre looked between them, biting his lip. "If Duo can get directly to the control room, it could reduce our chances of detection."

"And raise the chances of Maxwell getting himself killed," Heero snapped. "We haven't worked with you directly before. It's not the time for you to strike out on your own and hope we know when to rescue you."

Duo bristled. "Oh fuck you, Yuy. I handled myself just fine in the war and did just fine after. Fei, you seem to be running this show. What do you think?"

"You did quite a bit of base infiltration during the war," Wufei said slowly after a period of silence. "I would say you've proven your merit. If Une gives her approved to the change of plan, I'll support it."

"Great. So, waiting on more info from here, right?" Duo asked, pointedly ignoring the outright growl behind him. "Cause I've been told to check in with the boss lady and the doc before lunch and we're coming up on that pretty soon if I'm reading that clock and my stomach right."

"Hn."

When Heero reached to grab him again, Duo was NOT having it. He jumped back away from the giant hand. "Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Getting you to Une's office without being stepped on," Heero said flatly, frowning with an annoyed expression that said that should have been obvious.

"Hell no, I'm not going anywhere with mister grabby," Duo said with a scowl of his own. "Did you guys get NO training about working with Ariettes? Because if not I feel sorry for the people you've been sent out to help. Might as well cuff us and call it good."

"I—"

"I have to take the preliminary plans to Une," Wufei said, interrupting Heero before he could argue further. He offered an open palm to the tiny man. "I could deliver you, if you don't mind the help."

Well, that was an easy decision. Duo turned about face and climbed up onto Wufei's hand, sitting down. "Lead the way, Fei. Since you actually know how to ask."

Wufei shook his head, grabbing his notes with the other hand and stepping out of the office with them both.

The moment the door swung shut behind them and Duo was safely out of the line of fire, Quatre rounded on Heero, demeanor instantly changed. "What the hell was that about, Yuy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Heero said, going stone faced as he turned back to his desk to get more work done in preparation. Or, at least, he tried. Quatre's hand slammed down on the briefing folder as Heero went to open it and he was forced to look up into a pair of angry aquamarine eyes.

"We have been trying to track Duo down for years in the optimistic hope that he might join us again, as our friend even if not on the team. YOU have been pining after him like a rejected schoolboy," Quatre growled. Somehow, the contrast to his usual attitude just made it all the more terrifying. "And the minute he actually shows up on his own, you treat him like some sort of dead weight pariah! Do you want him to leave again?!"

"He can't. He's on a diplomatic assignment," Heero said with a snort, ignoring the way his stomach twisted.

"That's a bullshit answer and you know it," the blond growled, leaning over him with a glare. "Duo hid from us. Even if we didn't know exactly what we were looking for, he can hide from us and he can certainly hide from them. And more importantly, do you want him to want to leave?"

"…no." Heero didn't look up, staring at his blank computer screen like it would reveal all the answers.

"Then I suggest you shape up and act like it before he decides to regret ever coming here." Scolding delivered, Quatre swept back to his desk to grab his tea mug before storming from the office to cool down.

Sighing slowly, Heero looked over to Trowa to see if the clown was going to yell at him too, but he just looked back with a raised eyebrow. Which, Heero assumed, pretty much meant the same thing in this instance. He sighed. This hadn't gone at all like he'd thought.

As for Duo, his temper had wilted once he and Wufei were out of the room. If not entirely. His shoulders slumped, glancing up when the other man brought his hand up to his shoulder, letting Duo climb over. At least SOMEONE had paid attention to the quick reference pamphlet the council had had put together. Number one being do not pick them up without current permission outside of an immediate emergency.

"He hates me," Duo said abruptly, a hand on the collar of Wufei's uniform shirt. "Jerk. He knows how much the secret was important to folk like me by now, right? Of course I couldn't just come out and tell you guys. Besides, if he'd been as much of an asshole about doubting my abilities THEN as he apparently decided to be today, I wouldn't have been able to get nearly as much done then as I did."

"It has been a while since the discovery," Wufei said mildly, keeping his voice soft so it wouldn't carry as they stepped out into one of the main hallways where there were other agents going to and from.

Duo felt the eyes wandering his way too. How could he not, when he'd had the instinct to hide drilled into him since as long as he could remember. He gritted his teeth. If he was going to keep working with the Preventers, he was going to have to get used to being stared at. It was just going to be inevitable. Just like dealing with Heero and whatever stick he'd gotten stuck up his ass since the last time they'd talked.

"It didn't seem like the right time," Duo said lamely, recognizing the excuse to be as flimsy as it was. "And I've been busy on my own side of things. Helping folk out and running supplies, you know? There are a lot of scared people who aren't ready to deal with exposure yet."

"Which was why the Emergence Council sent you," Wufei surmised, glancing sideways at him. The L5 pilot was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that one of their own had been an Ariette all along. He wondered if O had known. G certainly must have, if he built a suit that could be piloted by someone Duo's size. To say nothing of Duo's strange shirt wearing ally, Howard.

"Well, not me specifically, but it's on the list of why they wanted an agent in general," Duo admitted. "Also to keep an eye on you guys. Ain't a secret either. Pretty sure it's in the emails they sent Une."

Wufei laughed softly. "And I thought Trowa was the only one who could get away with spying on Une with her full knowledge."

"Heh." Duo shook his head. "Anyway, the reason they wanted ME was because I've already dealt with you guys. I guess I've built up something of a reputation for being a daredevil nutjob. Not entirely wrong, I guess. Besides, who better to face the dragon lady than a guy who escaped execution from the middle of her base when she had my buddy on twenty-four-hour watch?"

"Well, you won't have your suit this time, I'm afraid," Wufei said, stopping in front of a solid wood door. "We're here."

When he knocked on the door, the sound barely drowned out Duo's suddenly pounding heart. Sure, he didn't realistically expect her to try and execute him properly this time, but tell that to his nerves. He coughed, straightening his back. He could do this.