Duo yawned. He'd been with the street choir all day now, and his voice, as well as his patience, was wearing thin. Still, the adults would feed him if he would agree to sing with them for the day and even if he felt like he should die, Nancy wouldn't want him to kill himself, so he would try to eat.
Heero wouldn't want me to die either, he thought, growling at one of the older children as they jostled for places on the street corner.
"Yes, he would. I already told you he doesn't love you. I know these things, brat." Kali said and Duo almost smiled. The way she said brat, it sounded more like a pet name than an insult.
Antonio, the leader of the choir, cleared his throat and Duo looked up at him, waiting for the signal. Antonio's hand dropped and Duo sang, his still soprano voice soaring above the other children's, hitting the highest notes with ease.
A crowd began to gather around them and Duo could feel all attentions on him; he flashed the people a wink and a smile and burst into a startlingly high solo Antonio had written especially for him.
At the end of the song, the steady "plink, plink, plink" of coins dropping into the old felt hat on the curb told Duo he had done his "job" right. The other children, especially the older ones, glowered as the adults praised Duo's performance.
"That was great, Duo!"
"Sing a few more with us and we're gonna be livin' like kings!"
"We're gonna be eatin' like kings, thanks to Duo here!"
And then from Antonio, the word that Duo was sure would mean his death someday, "Magnifico!" as the other kids gave Duo murderous looks as soon as an adult wasn't watching.
So Duo stuck close to the grown-ups and kept away from the other children. He was underfoot and annoying in the adult's eyes, however, and they shooed him back with the children.
Duo had no plans for being dead though (Nancy wouldn't want him to), and he found a spot near the grown-ups, where he was hidden but within hearing range, should he have the need to yell.
Antonio was talking to the other adults and Duo caught his name in the bits of speech that drifted over to him, so he moved closer.
"... there isn't much time; we need to do it soon." Antonio said.
"Why not tonight, boss? His sister ain't here; we could catch him," said Cynnie, one of the newer grown-ups.
"True... Evan should be available to do the operation in a few days. We can just keep him with us until then,"
"Why wait for Evan? Sam's ready now; we could get it over with tonight." said Trevor, Antonio's right-hand man.
"Idiot!" Antonio snapped. "You do not take a child like Duo to Sam! Just look what happened to Matthew!"
"Oh shit! Duo hissed, knowing he had to escape -- fast, if they were planning on capturing him tonight.
Matthew was a ten year old who had been with Antonio for quite awhile. Or rather, he had been a ten year old. Now he was dead. Nancy's friend Amber said that he had died from massive blood loss... after castration.
"Shit, shit, shit..." Duo muttered, trying to think of a plan. He decided to try the pitiful-little-kid bit and see if he could get make a few of the adults feel sorry for him.
He went up to Antonio and tugged on his sleeve. Antonio looked down, the mild annoyance on his features replaced by a broad grin when he saw Duo.
"Duo! My golden child! How can I help you?" he exclaimed, soliciting smiles from several others in the group.
"Um... Antonio? Do you think maybe I could sorta get my food and um, leave just a little, tiny bit early today? Please? My sis said to meet her at six," Duo asked, his voice attracting the attention of several other children. They looked at him, all of them surprised and most of them pleased. Nobody ever asked Antonio if they could leave early. Nobody.
"And may I ask why your sister cannot come here and wait for you?" Antonio said, a quiet menace forming in his voice.
Duo had not been prepared for this. "She's... um, she has to... uh... she's working!" he finally said, hoping he sounded at least halfway convincing.
Antonio spoke quietly and Duo had to strain to hear him above the cacophony of the streets. "No, child, you may not leave. You agreed to work a full day and you shall not leave until you have worked a full day. Now, be good and go play with the other children." he said, turning with a wave of his hand.
Duo sighed. Now he would have to figure out another way to escape. For now, he would just see what defiance got him. "No." he said, backing away from Antonio. One step. Two.
Antonio turned back to look at him. "Excuse me?" he demanded, glaring. The other children stared; now this was a show!
Duo glanced over his shoulder and saw that no one barred his path. Plans be damned, he was running!
"Sorry Tony!" he called, turning and dashing away from the group.
"Duo!" Antonio's angry roar echoed around him as the other grown-ups set out in pursuit of Duo.
He was ready for them, however, and he knew this part of the colony well. He ducked into a shop, out the other side, through another shop, and behind an apartment complex. For a moment he was stuck, but then remembered a passageway Nancy had shown him just months before: a sewer tunnel opening about a mile from he was now.
"Hey Duo! Come on! This way! I know a secret place to hide!" her voice had beckoned from the dark recesses of the tunnel. He had hesitated, fearful, then as a yell came from their pursuers, he scrambled into the narrow tunnel and chased after Nancy.
The sting of abandon bit at his soul as memories of her voice, the sound of her bouncing step ringing hollowly on the cracked asphalt, and the glint of the light on her long hair flooded his mind. He stumbled in the darkness and a whispered word slipped past his lips as a tear slid down his cheek.
"Nancy,"