Summary: Duo would do anything for his friends. Even if it meant living a lie and losing all the ties that he held on dearly to during the war. What happens when five years later the Preventers show up at his job requiring help? Can he keep the jester's mask up when he starts to feel hate for those he loves? Eventual 1x2, background 3x4, 5xS, RxOC, HxOC
Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Wing or Evanescence.
Chapter 3: My Immortal
The delivery to a nondescript building that was suspicious to him went with no problems. After dropping off the gundanuim, he doubled back and decided to take a peek at what really was going on in the building. It was large enough to be a factory of some kind and the security was kind of lax, not surprising considering it was peace time. Cameras were in the area, but they didn't move. When he attempted to hack them he found out they didn't work. Which meant, he had to do it old school- breaking and entering. Only there was nothing in it. The 'employees' he saw were gone, with them gundanium in a nondescript van. So it was a proxy address.
Duo reminded himself to mark it on his sheets before disappearing leaving no trace that he ever entered the building. The L1 Preventers should check it out.
Moving to the rented delivery truck, Duo climbed in and ran a hand through his bangs. He hated suspicious things, as it meant he had to do more work. Pulling into traffic and turning the radio on Duo headed towards a residential area.
It would be another hour before his ship was ready for the journey back to L2. So, he could visit an old friend. Briefly the violet eyed man's mind wondered to his old gang. They weren't together, but at the same time he mused they were closer than ever. His phone started ringing when he reached the next stop light. Ain't no rest for the Wicked kept blasting from his pocket. Interrupting the til we close our ey-, "Duo."
"Hey Purple-Eyes, a-are you busy?" A girl around his age asked over the phone.
Duo was just a bit worried as he adjust the bluetooth. "Nah sis, I'm on my way to visit ya. T mentioned something about your adoptive family." The sound of sniffling made Duo wish he had a smaller car or even a motorcycle at the moment. "What's up sis?"
"Your still the best brother ever. I-I'll explain when you get here then." With a soft hiccup she hung up. Duo scratched his head and sighed.
"Why do I feel like I'm about to kick someone's ass?" His 'sis' was a girl from his old gang that he'd saved with the cure he'd stolen from the Alliance. After Solo died, she was became his biggest supporter. She made it her duty to remind the members left that 'Purple-Eyes' was the best theft in their group and he had been Solo's favorite.
Solo's favorite and by default his second in command. After his death he became the leader. They had survived well...up until the Alliance caught them and forced them to stay at the Maxwell Orphanage. Duo's violet eyes darkened as traffic lightened and started moving closer to his destination. She had been adopted a few weeks after they were put there, her cleaned up appearance- she was cute. Duo chuckled as he remembered the brunette girl's attitude, she'd been tough and not one of the whiners of the group. She may have thought herself to be big and bad, but he always protected her. She hated when he did that. She never did like being 'helpless' as she called it. Oh how Cammie, short for Caramel (her favorite candy to steal), was the big sister of the group.
When you cried, I'd wipe a way all of your tears...
Reaching the right address, Duo looked at the house and frowned when he noted how...cheerless the place seemed. Hopping out the van he approached the front door and raised his fist to knock. The former pilot of Death Scythe frowned when he could make out the sounds of a struggle. Something shattered in the house and a man yelling for a 'stupid L2 whore' to get back here. Picking the lock, Duo figured Une would chew him out for it later, the braided man stepped into the place and pulled out a gun that he kept well hidden on his person.
"Now, now...what the hell is going on here?"
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Violet eyes glanced over at the bruised girl currently sleeping in the passenger seat. Hilde wouldn't mind too much, she was an awesome girl like that. Hell she'd be happy to have another female around to gang up on him with. The girl stirred in her seat as they approached the shuttle station. Question was, how did he get her into space? "Purple-eyes?"
"Eh, yeah?"
The girl sat up a bit in her seat, "What's it like on L2? Where you live?"
"It's the same as it always was sis. Just no one bothers Hilde n me unless they have business. They know I'll break bones for even lookin' at Hil wrong." Duo replied slowing down as he flashed his badge to a security guard.
Cammie crossed her arms and looked out the window. "Do you think we could fix L2? I mean at least help the other street kids…"
"I'm trying ya know. Short of blackmailing politicians I'm doing everything I can to help 'em. They really shouldn't hafta suffer on da streets." Cammie's hazel eyes looked at him with a soft expression before she hugged his side. "Cam'? I do gotta drive ya know. Do you have a passport?"
Releasing him, she went into the duffle bag and pulled out a passport with her official adopted name on it. Duo smiled at her, "Good. I've gotta call Hil and let her know we've got a new roomie. An' you'll be workin with us at our lil scrapyard. It's not much, but..."
"Shut up!" The girl exclaimed hugging him again. "Is it bad that I missed you guys? Not the problems of living on the street...but our little family?"
Duo's smile softened as he pat her head. "Nah, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about you guys everyday." The girl smiled and ran a hand over the finger shaped bruise on her arm as she looked out the window again. The braided man was sure that her thoughts weren't as content as she would like him to think. "You're not weak you know."
"I hope not."
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears...
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ Year Later /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
"Oi! Duo, Hil says we've got another shipment of gundaniam to be delivered. Ah and Commander Une from the Preventers is coming by to see you." Cammie informed her older brother as she typed away on a computer. "I can handle the delivery."
Duo exited his ship glaring at her. "Like hell you're flying my baby by yourself. Where's the delivery to?"
"L3 X-18999."
The Barton Family's colony? Why would they want alloy? Dorothy's been behaving herself and that kid is with Une. The long haired male frowned thoughtfully. Why did he have the same feeling he had on L4 a few months ago? If its the same weight amount then someone is ordering large quantites of alloy with false addresses. Walking to where the girl was sitting he opened one of the drawers and pulled out a notebook. Cammie hadn't failed him yet as he read through the list of previous orders. Normally he didn't keep orders, unless it was a repeat one from a regular customer.
"Cam...something just isn't right here."
Hazel eyes glanced over at him before looking at the screen in front of them. "Something is never right bro." Swirling around in her chair she looked up at him. "What can we possibly do about it? All we know is that the addresses are usually false ones. We have no motive, no actual location and no probably cause to get the Preventers investigating. Fraud is such a common thing that the Preventers don't even handle it."
"Ya, you're right. When's Une showing up? I'll make the delivery run after that." The pair were interrupted by the door opening. Noin walked in, glanced around before stepping further in, Commander Une and Mariamaim followed.
"Hello Maxwell." The three ladies had the decency to not dress in their uniforms which he was mentally grateful for. Cammie looked at the three with a tilted head, she'd only heard of these women from Duo.
Nodding, Duo closed the book in his hand and walked towards them. "Ladies, what do I owe the pleasure to? Ya know I'm busy."
"Busy making sure every lazy Preventer Agent on L2 files a complaint against you. Though I must say the clean up of L2 is coming along nicely. I almost didn't worry about being pickpocketed." Une stated causally, her brown eyes showing her approval of his methods. "I'm sure praise from me isn't what you want or need at the moment. How trustworthy is your friend there?"
Duo shrugged, "I'd end up repeating all of it later. So save me the trouble..."
"Gladly." The Head of Preventers walked over to him and held out a folder. "Considering all the complaints I received, I've decided that you're obviously a better candidate to Head L2's Preventer Agency. This folder contains the new contract. I will be lenient in this position...normally its a job the requires you to be here full time. However, I'm aware that you won't do such a thing. You will have to appoint an acting Head for your absences and work on building the Agency to its full potential. Of course..." Brown eyes held Violet ones in a silent contest of wills. "If you are too busy to take the position I'm sure Agent Chang would like the position."
Cammie, along with Noin, were looking at Commander Une as if she were crazy.
Noin knew very well, that Wufei as a full time agent was better qualified and hell if the Asian didn't deserve the position. Yet, the blue haired woman reflected...putting him in a situation that Duo already had a good deal of control over would be worthless. As L2 wasn't very friendly to outsiders, besides Wufei wasn't quiet in his dislike of the colony...well before he learned Duo lived there.
Cammie just thought the idea of an outsider being in charge wouldn't change anything.
Duo looked away first and frowned. Could he handle the responsibility as head of the L2 Preventer Branch? He doubted it, he wasn't responsible, hated paperwork and liked ignoring the law when he could.
Besides he wasn't Quatre or Relena, he didn't have it drilled into him to be responsible. Wufei would be better off with the job...
Mariamaim spoke up from beside her guardian. "I think you should take the position Mr. Maxwell. It would be a tremendous help to your efforts in cleaning this colony up. If my family's resources can be of any help in your work please inform myself or Anna." There was silence after that as the women in the room stared at Duo. The door opened again and a familiar blue haired woman stepped in carrying a tray of drinks.
"Hey I bought drinks for you guys and what did Duo do now?" Hilde asked when she noticed everyone's attention on her boyfriend. Let there be no doubts that they were perfectly content as couple. Would they ever get married? The blue haired woman doubted it.
Duo looked at her and pouted. "What do you mean babe? I didn't do anything wrong!" Cammie and Noin started covering laughter, while Une and Mariamaiam shook their heads.
"Why are they staring at you then?"
Violet eyes glinted in mischief, "Well love...my handsome face captured their attention and they were planning to seduce me." Four eye rolls and one laughing blue haired woman later...
"Sure. So what brings you here Commander?" Hilde asked a curious look on her face.
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me...
Heero closed and locked the door to his bedroom. Relena had a terrible habit of coming into his room at night.
Well attempting to nowadays...
The perfect soldier let his eyes scan the room and once he was sure everything was in place he walked towards his desk. A sigh escaped him as he pushed the monitor on his laptop up. Ignoring the booting up screen, dark blue eyes stared at a picture that for all intents should not exist. A carefully framed picture of Duo and himself when they were playing basketball.
It shouldn't exist because the duo were supposed to be undercover.
Heero felt a small smile appear as he looked at the old picture, anytime Duo was involved it was better to not have a plan. His eyes left the picture and all emotions related to it disappeared as he logged in.
Its been almost two years since he last saw Duo. He could recall the smiling face of the brunet as they planned out how to take down a terrorist group[1]. A year since he [Duo] rejected Une's job offer and Heero was honest with himself...Duo could very well hate all of them for how they treated him. Though it made him wonder if the American even thought about him at all? It was a selfish thought he knew, but unlike the rest of his friends who paired off after Barton uprising...he had his dark blue eyes on one person only. The violet eyed male just didn't know.
I wonder if Trowa is still scaring off his partners? Heero nodded to himself as he started typing an email. Working with the Preventers would be better than working for the crazy stalker girl.
Especially one that liked to make him out to be completely straight. Heero Yuy knew perfectly well that he was as straight as a circle. How Relena missed it...
It spoke volumes about her determination.
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[1]- Preventer 5...from Episode Zero manga.
