Author's Note: Nothing better at this time of year then some horror story lol. Still working on this, hoping to get some time to get this done. For now enjoy the next installment.

Deadman Walking

Chapter 11 - One just walked through me didn't it?

Max, Susan, and Josh who'd been in the lead found themselves back peddling into their camera man as two gun very real gun barrels where leveled at them. "Oh my god!" Susan breathed tripping a little, Max catching her. Heero spotted the camera, the people, the large mike and pieced together what was going on quickly. Trowa must had realized as well as he swung his gun out and down tucking them away under their sweaters. Behind them the pair exhaled, Duo stepping out to greet the other group, "Sorry you startled us…" he offered a sheepish smile glancing around the group, they seemed somehow very familiar. "Oh wow it's Mary Moon!" Quatre was all but gushing, and Duo finally connected the dots. That paranormal investigation show, Moonshine. "Oh awesome you guys here doing a show?" Mary was suddenly composed again; always one to play it up she came down to stand before Quatre and Duo, Heero and Trowa stood back confused.

"Filming a documentary, on the lost souls of this place. We wish to give them peace." Heero snorted, and she shot a glance at him taking an instant dislike. She had no time for non-believers. Duo smiled, wanting to roll his eyes, apparently she really was like that. "Wait I know you…" Josh said staring at the pair, "You're Duo Maxwell, sorry Dr. Duo Maxwell.." He turned to Max, "This is the guy, the one that went into the old Thornton Hill Manor, he wrote the definitive work in paraphysclogy." Liam was interested, "Thornton Hill Manor," Josh was just warming up. "Yeah it was like the Holy Grail of haunting. He spent a couple of days there, the accounts where wild. He actually had a real psychic there, one who can see and speak to the dead." Josh was looking at the others not seeing Heero shifting uncomfortably.

The others spun to look at them, "Are you the crew that was with him?" eager grey eyes behind thick horn rimmed glasses looked to them. He was wearing all black, just like one of the girls behind him. Goths Duo thought, as he nodded. "Yes sorry, I'm Duo, the blonde here is Quatre, the two with the guns are Heero, and Trowa." Josh hurried forward long chains jingling, as he extended his hand. "Josh, and that's Susan," he gestured to the slightly chubby girl with the black hat and veil. "Max there is our tech," he pointed to a short man, with acne scars he was wearing a toque despite the warmth of the day, and rather baggy cloths. "Liam is the big guy with the camera, and the girl with the mike is Julia." He smiled, before remembering, "I'm sure you know Mary." The regal looking red head nodded, and Heero sort of wanted to smack her.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Duo shook the offered hand, "Research for a new paper," Josh grinned, "Awesome," at this point pissed, Mary stepped in. "No we are doing our documentary." She stepped forward territorially, "Well it's a big place…" Quatre began and she silenced him with a glare. Trowa watching the scene knew how much his boyfriend liked Mary Moon, the show. He looked crestfallen. Trowa's protective hackles rose, with a sigh he casually swept his hoodie aside his badge now visible. "I suppose you have a permit to film here?" He asked dryly, the group looked at him suddenly hesitant. "Check 5-O," Heero grinned, Quatre gave him a watery smile. "Umm…no…" Susan said very softly, Mary went red in the face. "It doesn't matter, we have a documentary to make and we are going to do it." Huffing she turned, Liam who'd been rolling the whole time, was ecstatic this was better then fake ghosts anytime.

The crew followed the women back upstairs, Duo turning to the blonde who looked ready to cry. Rightly so, a TV personality of his had just turned out to be a bitch. Heero however was watching them depart, especially when the stocky man, with soft brown eyes and the huge camera watched Duo far to intently. Heero was getting pissed, his protective instincts rising, but before anything could come of it the other left and they where once more alone. He glanced over his shoulder as a chill caught him, relatively speaking. The ghosts here where thick as fleas on a mutt. Currently there where five ghostly people walking the halls in prison ware. Their vapid, stupid expressions could only mean one thing; lobotomy recipients.

"I shouldn't be so upset," Quatre sniffed, brining Heero back from his musings. He glanced to the other three, Duo nodding sympathetically while Trowa wrapped an arm around his boyfriend. Heero hackles still raised wandered over wrapping an arm around Duo's waist pulling his lover close. Suddenly needing the contact. Duo gasped snuggling close before shivering, "You're freezing," he mumbled not really paying attention to what he was saying. Heero nodded, "Yup." Quatre looked at him suddenly, wiping away a tear, "You see something?" The solider kissed Duo's temple, "There's about five of them wandering behind us." Duo and Quatre scrambled into action pulling away and all but running to see if they could get anything.

Trowa came to stand beside Heero smiling, happy his lover was ok. "Poor Q," Heero mumbled wincing as one of the drooling idiotic ghosts walked through the blonde. He saw him suddenly gasp and shiver, looking pained he glanced to Heero. "One just walked through me didn't it?" Heero laughed aloud and Trowa chuckled too, a sudden thought occurring to the detective. "Heero," he asked as they followed the other two down the hall. "Yeah?"

"Where the ghosts there the whole time we where talking?" The chocolate headed man thought briefly, "They came about two seconds after we did." Trowa nodded, "What are they?" Heero glanced around confirming his initial hypostasis. "They're all in prison jumpers, shuffling around, drooling, looking fairly dead." Trowa nodded thoughtfully, "Lobotomy?" Heero nodded, "My guess."

The detective was silent for long moments thinking hard, there was something…"Come on slow pokes I want to get into the records."

-#-#-#-

"So who was that?" Liam asked Josh, his mind unable to shake the image of the tall slender man, his long braid swinging about thin hips. "He's like 'the guy' in parapsychology, he wrote the definitive paper on the dead." Liam was completely clueless, just because he taped the show didn't mean he knew a whole lot. "Any investigator worth their salt has read it. He and some others spent several days in Thornton Hill Manor, the Holy Grail of Haunting." Susan listening in, wanted to show her own expertise. "They lost two of their number, but they where able to get out and tell their story." Max jumped in then, "His thesis, incredible as it is, revolves around one person he refers to as 'H' a man who can see and speak with the dead. He was the one who got them through." Liam blinked glancing at Mary, he had never put much stock in this crap, and personally he thought Mary was full of shit.

"Like for real?" Julia piped up interested now too, "Apparently, he's the real deal. I'd give my left nut to meet a man like that." Max sighed dramatically, Susan was of a different mind, "I'm not sure I would…" she spoke softly. Liam was fascinated, he opened his mouth to ask another question, when Mary gave a soft cry. "There!" she hurried into an abandoned room. Liam hoisted the camera frustrated he was unable to learn more. He found himself unable to think of anything else save him. His smile was gorgeous, and his hair….he wanted to bury his fingers in it. The sharp pull of lust was hot and intense. Liam grinned a little it had been love at first sight and he was going to learn everything he could about Dr. Duo Maxwell

-#-#-#-

Duo was hard pressed not to laugh. Despite his best intentions however the corner of his lips were curling. It was getting on towards noon now; the four had been sifting through old files, and boxes of papers. Mainly to pad out Duo's research, however the most important files where no doubt in the only locked file cabinet in the place. Trowa and Heero had taken it as some sort of personal challenge to get the thing open, first by trying to pick the lock, then going to get a crowbar and try and pry it open.

The pair now sweaty, and stripped to their t shirts where heaving and grunting. Duo hearing a creak looked over, grinning widely at Heero flexing the material of his shirt straining. The veins on his arms bulging. Trowa was on the lever too waiting as they forced it down with their considerable combined weight. "Better then TV," Quatre teased as he too pausing in their sifting to watch. The drawer bent, groaning and the pair bared down, straining pushing then all at once the lock gave and the drawer popped open. The pair carried by moment fell into each other before hitting the floor with shouted curses.

Duo lost his battle, giving into the laughter bubbling up. Watching as they got up again, they banged fists proud of their small achievement. Shaking his head the longhaired man wandered over to his sweaty, boyfriend kissing his lips. "I think you earned lunch," he grinned, Quatre giving a whoop of agreement. Grinning Heero wiped his forehead, opening his mouth to reply when a scream rent the air. Shaggy head snapped upwards, "You hear that?" he asked unsure if it was a ghost or not. Quatre's suddenly white face was all it took, a shared glance and Trowa and he where running guns drawn the other two following closely on their heels.

The scream came again spurring them upwards; maybe one of the girls from the crew was in trouble. Duo was suddenly quite worried, this place was falling apart around their ears after all. Heero and Trowa clearing the landing slowing as they glanced in rooms, heading away from the main part of the building. Panting Duo and Quatre paused behind the too, the eerie silence seeming to ring in their ears. Nothing seemed to move in the cavernous place. The sound of hurried footsteps had them whipping around suddenly Heero and Trowa guns drawn pointed them away as they counted heads all present. "Hey that wasn't one of you screaming was it?" One of the men asked, it took Duo a moment to recall the name; Max.

He opened his mouth to reply when the ear splitting scream came again. Without a word Heero and Trowa where off again hurrying towards the still ringing cry the others hot on their heels. Heading further into the unexplored territory, Heero's eyes darting as he holstered his gun. This wasn't something of this world. They rounded a corner the linoleum turning to black and white tiling, most of it chipped and heaving, boots and shoes crunching as suddenly the scream stopped again and they slowed. They passed a set of doors, a desk that might have once been reception, the light from the windows obscured here, darker, ominous the windows fitted with now rusted bars. The metal doors stood ajar, padded at one time now torn and ruined. "Where are we?" Quatre whispered camera panning around, Liam to was focusing on this and that. Heero ignored them hairs on the back of his neck standing on end his breathing suddenly labored as something tugged at his chest. Duo was beside him hand on his arms, almost able to feel his temperature drop.

They drew closer to one particular door, like all the others. Heero began to shiver, Duo squeezed. Steeling himself Heero turned to look into the room, dreading what he would see. All of a sudden the scream came again, unearthly, lifting the hair on their neck. Heero was looking into the face of insanity.