*Kalanoa breaks out singing and bouncing like the white rabbit* I'm late, I'm late! Forgive me for that random Alice in Wonderland, but I'm a little crazy right now. I was locked up for a while by some very bad chibis.

*Chibi Duo and Chibi Heero are on the side, tied up* Duo: We gave you entertainment!!

Kalanoa: Well, yes, Hiei was nice. But do you know how hard it is to get a fire demon to relax and let me enjoy him? Anyway, sorry for the lateness, readers. I've given up on posting on the weekend, I'll post Mondays from now on. See you next chapter.

Warnings: Minor cursing and betrayal – told you there'd be more this chapter. Just wait till the next one . . .

Duo stood in front of the appartment building looking very much like the crazed terrorist he was supposed to be. He had to admit that announcing his presence and then letting himself be cornered by the enemy was the stupidest idea he had had in a while, but some things were more important. "Where the hell is Treize!? I want to see him now! Get the blockheaded, thinks he's all that, manipulative bastard out here this second!"

The soldiers were thouroughly confused by Duo's demands, especially since they seemed to have the advantadge. Then again, every time one of them got close enough to do any damage to the teen, they ended up limping away with a bullet in thier knee or shoulder. Finally they had had no choice but to inform the general.

And speaking of the general . . . "What's going on?" Treize pushed past the various soldiers until he was planely visible by the angry pilot. "Duo, what are you doing?"

"Where is he?"

Treize sighed slightly. "Where is who?"

"You know damn well who! Ternash! He never got to school."

"You mean Neko?" Duo cursed, realizing he'd blown his friend's cover. "He's at another of my residences."

"Well, take me to him!"

"Impossible."

"Why the hell not?!"

Treize shook his head, his voice taking on the quility of explaining the obvious to a child. "The same reason you would not lead me to your house. Abbandoning a temporary apartment like this is no big deal, but I live there."

Duo faltered, frustration inhibiting his logic abilities. "Well, then go get him and bring him back here."

"Impossible." Duo faught very hard not to shoot the OZ general right then. "He was asleep when I left. I won't wake him just to appease you."

Duo took a few paces to the left, then to the right. Treize smiled at the boy's annoyance. "Go back home, I shall send Ternash when he awakens. Besides, you really don't have time for this."

Duo frowned. He was fairly certain that Treize would honor their truce and let him leave safely, but still . . . "What do you mean, I don't have time?"

"Well, the other pilots must have reached the station by now."

"What does that have to do with any –" Duo stopped, paleing as he comprehended the words and Treize's smug, arrogant smile. "OH SHIT!!!!" He sprinted towards the safe house, no longer concerned with whether or not he'd be followed.

By the time he reached it, his lungs burned and there was a sharp pain in his side. Still he ran. He flung the door open, not quite clearing the stoop. Duo landed with a thud on the floor, a nasty scrape appearing along his jaw line. Trowa gave his friend a confused glance as Duo picked himself up and continued to race past. He ran through the house and out the back, into the forest where the Gundams were safely hidden. He hauled himself into his cockpit, caughing from lack of air, and flipped on the radio. "Heero! Fei! Please respond!"

Trowa peered into the open cockpit as Duo waited with held breath, listening to the static on the other end of the line. An eternity seemed to pass before Quatre's voice crackled to life. "We're a little busy, Duo. There's a lot more resistance than we expected."

"I know!" Duo cried, terror still racing through his veins. "It's a trap, Quatre. You guys have got to get out of there! He knew you were coming!"

More silence, broken by the sounds of battle and more than a couple cries as hits found their mark. Heero's voice came this time, "What do you mean? How could they have known?"

"Ternash didn't go to school when he left. He was with Treize."

A soft curse could be heard. "All right, we're pulling out."

Duo nearly collapsed with releif and switched off his comm. Trowa could see the anger in Duo's eyes as the pilot climbed back out of Deathscythe. "Duo, are you certain -?"

The braided pilot's eyes were hard as stone and fire. "Ternash betrayed us, Trowa. We'll have to deal with it when he gets here." He slid to the ground and began the trudge back to the house. "I think we can expect a raid soon, we have to get ready to move out." Trowa nodded mutely and followed.

Ternash walked the route to the safe house slowly. It was after noon, no point in going to school now – and besides, his head was killing him. He was quite certain that somehow a complete mobile suit battle had shrunk and taken up his brain as a battle field. He reached the safe house and pushed the door open gently. Crawling inside, he found the couch and made himself a nice little nest to sit in, trying to forget the pounding of his temples.

He could hear Duo's voice in the kitchen. "I can't believe it! He actually came back here, that bastard!" Ternash's brow wrinkled. Why did Duo sound so upset? He had gone to Treize, but the American had said that he understood about his friendship with the general. So why the sudden change of heart?

Trowa made a hushing noise. "He likely thinks we don't know. Keep your voice down."

Ternash shook his head in confusion, then groaned as the motion apparently signaled another attack of his headache. He decided to just relax and try to get through the migrane.

Less than an hour passed before the door opened again, this time with a violent bang that startled the neko from his nap. Duo and Trowa seemed to materialize in the living room, guns drawn and ready. Quatre walked into the room first and was immediately caught up by his lover in a clearly releived hug. Heero entered next, a grim look on his face.

Duo craned his neck to look out the door, then focused on Heero. "Where's WuFei?"

Heero's scowl deepened and he hung his head slightly. "Mission . . . failed."

Quatre pushed Trowa away slightly to take pity on his friend. "One of us had to stay behind, so that the others could get away safely."

Duo's world shattered and he shook his head slightly. Disbeleiving tears ran down his cheeks as he sunk to the floor. "God, no . . . Fei."

Heero noticed Ternash watching them and rage suddenly filled his eyes, though his face remained set in stone. In the space of a second or so, he was infront of the neko. Ternash gulped slightly. "Heero? I –" he stopped as, abruptly, he was staring into those cobalt eyes past the barrel of a gun. "H-heero?" He watched as his finger tightened slowly on the trigger, unable to turn away.

"Don't shoot him, Heero. We need to try and get information, find out what he's told."

Heero leveled his gaze on Trowa. "Then what do you propose we do?"

The banged pilot moved to the terrified cat. He forced his hands behind him, securing them tightly with a pair of handcuffs. "He'll have to come with us. We're expecting a raid, we have to move out now."

Heero stood motionless for a moment. Finally, he put his gun away and nodded. "Let's go." He  brought his hand down with crushing force on Ternash's neck, sending him into black oblivion once again.

Well, there it is. I feel bad making you wait so long for such a short chapter. Oh well. It's my revenge for not getting any reveiws last chappie. So I'd better get some this time! (I know you just didn't see it, ne guys?) and I'll see you all again next Monday.