Disclaimer: Don't own, just borrowing. No money made here.
Warnings: Swearing, violence, a rightly deserved ass-kicking. Eventual yaoi of the 1X4 kind.
Chapter 3:
Quatre stared blankly at Wufei before finally speaking. "That explains why you wanted me here today, I was wondering."
"It's not just that Quatre," Sally said, "you're a Gundam pilot, all of you are, and this is a matter that is best suited for you all to do together."
"Yeah Q-man, we need you on this."
Quatre however was frowning, his mind already on something else. "Wufei, did Red Thorn ever target my family's company before?"
"No, there have been plenty of other corporations to go after."
"So why, as soon as Heero takes over, do they target Winner Enterprises? Why, out of all the corporations out there, my company?"
"I can't answer that, we don't know what he's thinking right now."
"It could just be a coincidence," Lady Une said slowly, "it probably has nothing to do with you. Besides, you really don't have any legal control over the Winner holdings right now."
"Maybe, but something tells me that even if it doesn't have anything to do with me, it does have something to do with Winner Enterprises itself, and there could lie the key to figuring this whole thing out. This isn't like Heero at all, he wouldn't do anything like this without a good reason."
"That's true," Duo began, "Heero Yuy doesn't do anything without a reason, the guy was always obsessed with completing his mission to the point of suicide, something I'm sure none of us could forget."
"Yuy could believe the group's aims are just. Maybe he doesn't think much of the corporate world," Wufei said thoughtfully. "Though I too have a hard time believing that he would go about it in such a way as to endanger the lives of the innocents."
"Nevertheless, don't completely discount the possibility that Heero has gone bad. He's an obsolete soldier, it may have been harder to let go of his past then he originally thought."
"We're all obsolete soldiers, Lady Une, even you," replied Trowa, "and none of us have gone back to our old lives."
"We are part of the Preventers. For all intents and purposes, we are soldiers still. Heero disappeared after his gundam was destroyed, he hasn't had the same kind of driving purpose that the rest of us were given."
Quatre frowned at Une. "I haven't been part of the Preventers, does that leave me without a mission in life and a likelihood to go bad?"
"No of course not, but you're different."
Quatre's eyebrows shot up, but before he could ask exactly what she meant by that, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Enter," Une called.
A young man in a uniform came in and saluted. "I'm sorry to interrupt, ma'am, but there's just been an explosion in the warehouse district. Nobody's dead, though there are some injuries. The employees were evacuated after some one called in a bomb threat, but there's a great deal of property damage. Red Thorn is claiming the incident."
"Who owns the building?"
The young Preventer looked at his notes. "It was a storage facility of Winner Enterprises, ma'am."
Lady Une sucked in a breath. "Thank you, you are dismissed."
After the door closed Une spoke. "So, possibly not a coincidence after all. Wufei, Sally, go to the warehouse and check this out."
"I would like to go too."
"No Quatre, I can't let you do that right now. I'm still working on getting you Preventer clearance. It will take a couple more days." Her expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry, but I have to follow protocol. Everything must be done correctly or you'll have problems later on with my superiors."
Quatre frowned, but then nodded reluctantly.
"Lady, it'd be nice if Q and I could go over the information that we have on Red Thorn."
Une smiled, "that's a good idea Duo, than you'll both be up to speed when I get Quatre's clearance through." She handed them the disk that contained Red Thorn's data. "Trowa, stay behind, I have something for you to do."
Everyone filed out except for Trowa and Une. Sally and Wufei headed for the scene of the explosion, while Duo took Quatre to a café across the street. After they were seated the Arabian boy had to smile "Duo, only you would think to look at sensitive information in the middle of a crowded café."
"Hey, at least I didn't bring you to a strip joint," he said flippantly.
"Depends what kind of strip joint we're talking about."
Duo gaped, and then leaned over and grabbed the blonde's face. He turned it to one side, and then the other. Then he let go and frowned, making a big show of scratching his head. "What exactly are you doing?" Quatre asked, amused.
"Q, my man, I just had to make sure it was really you and not your lascivious clone."
Quatre grinned. "Big word Duo, I'm impressed."
"I know, sometimes my brilliance surprises even me."
Their waiter took their orders, and after he left Quatre remembered something. "Duo, I was going to ask Sally this but it slipped my mind. What's with all the extras at headquarters? I mean . . . the reception area alone looks like it belongs in a fancy hotel, not in law enforcement offices."
"It's all about image, Q. There've been some politicians worried that the Preventers weren't going to be taken seriously. They wanted the people to have trust in us, make us look less like a bunch of ex-killers slapped haphazardly together, and more like a highly efficient government force for order. I guess they equate plush new digs, nice new uniforms, and secretaries with a big stick up their ass, with efficiency. Don't know why, the world works in weird ways."
"But where does the money for all of this come from? It can't all come from taxpayers."
"Don't know. You'll have to ask Lady Une about that." Duo winked suddenly. "I can see you're going to be good at running your own company, Q, you've got a frighteningly financial mind. I'm sure you'll be good at keeping track of every penny. You know, I was wondering, you've got all this money and you're a smart guy to boot, so why did you go back to school?"
"I wanted to try being a normal kid for a little while."
"Geez, don't know why you'd want to do that. I tried it a couple of times before the war and it was hell. Half the stuff they teach you is worthless in the Real World, besides being a normal kid is overrated." He winked again. "It's much more fun to be the dashing Preventer agent, it impresses the chicks, and the guys!"
Quatre smiled at the joke. "Probably, but I've never gotten to go to school without using it as a cover."
"Didn't you serve your time when you were a little kid?"
"No, I always had tutors."
"Man, guess that makes sense then." The waiter came back with their food and conversation was put on hold so that they could eat.
After they finished eating, or in the American boy's case, inhaling, Duo pulled out his laptop and inserted the disk, turning the screen so that Quatre could see as well. The blond raised his eyebrows at the data. "The Preventers sure have managed to collect a lot of information on Red Thorn. Look at all this," he exclaimed, scrolling down, "member profiles complete with surveillance photos, known areas of operation, group dynamics . . . why weren't they disbanded months ago?"
"It's called luck, and these fortunate schmucks used a lifetime's allotted batch in just a few short months evading capture. Of course now they don't need luck, they have Heero Yuy."
The two ex-pilots spent the next hour going through all the data that the Preventers had collected on Red Thorn. Finally, they decided to call it a night, Duo heading to his apartment, and Quatre returning to his room on campus.
Quatre was just about to go into his room when he heard the soft click of another door opening. He turned and saw his shy neighbor stepped out into the hallway, juggling a stack of books while trying to close and lock his door. "Here Eric, let me help you with that," Quatre said, hurrying to him and relieving his burden so that he could lock up.
"Thanks," he said, taking back the pile.
"You're welcome, where are going with all these books?"
"I have an econ paper due on Monday, so I'm heading over to the library."
Quatre raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you checked out half the library already."
He smiled weakly. "Oh, yeah, while I'm kind of having a hard time with my essay. I don't get this stuff."
"That's understandable, these books aren't easy reading." The blond said, looking at the titles. He pointed to a particularly thick book. "Especially that one. Conrad tends to use two pages to explain when a couple of paragraphs would be sufficient. You know, Eric, I'm actually pretty proficient at economics, it's my best subject. If you want I'd be happy to go to the library with you. We could find some sources that aren't written to be ridiculously obtuse and I could help you get started on your paper."
The smile that brightened the other boy's face was suddenly blinding in intensity. "Oh, would you? I've just been suffering and suffering with this thing all week, I feel like my head's going to explode if I have to look at one more AD-AS model! It's just not my thing, and our instructor is unfair and totally has it in for me . . ."
Quatre blinked in astonishment as Eric continued to ramble with hysterical relief. This is certainly the most I've ever heard him talk, poor kid. I think he just really needs someone to give him a little positive attention. It's not fair that the other kids treat him so badly. I was going to call Ira and find out what I can about the explosions, but she probably wouldn't appreciate being called until things get settled down. I'll contact her early tomorrow. That decided, the Arabian waited for the elated boy to finish talking. "I'm just going to put my things away Eric, then we can go." He suited words to actions, and soon they were at the library. Quatre looked through the shelves and picked several books that his father had him read as a child. Eric looked at what he had picked out.
"The Peaceful Economy," he read. Eric glanced at the author. "Winner . . . hey, isn't that the name of that big family who owns all those things in outer space?"
Quatre smiled absently, still picking through books. "They actually own a great deal on earth now too."
The two boys sat down at a big wooden table. Within an hour Quatre had Eric both understanding the material and planning out his paper.
"Thanks Quatre, you seriously saved me. I think I better head back to my room now so I can use my computer to start writing."
They left the library and headed back to their building. The sun was just starting to set, crimson rays bleeding over the horizon. I can't believe it's only been one day with all that's happened. School, snooty secretaries, and making a new friend, while another one explodes bits and pieces of my company. I just can't wait for this day to be over, I need to think some of this through.
But he wasn't to be that lucky yet.
They where only half way home to their building when Quatre felt Eric stiffen beside him. The blond glanced up, startled by the reaction. Leaning against a tree were the three football players who had been beating on Eric. I'm surprised he noticed them before me. He's got the same kind of instincts that soldiers develop during wars, keeping a third eye out for the enemy at all time. I guess this is his enemy. He watched one of the behemoths point at them and smile. Correction, this is our enemy, he thought to himself grimly.
The other boys started to stalk toward them, hyenas converging on a fresh carcass. Only we're not dead yet, and I don't plan to live like I already am. Eric started to back away, but stopped when he realized Quatre wasn't following. "Come on, if we beat them back to the library they won't be able to do anything to us, it's a supervised place!"
"I'm not going to live like that Eric, it's not in my nature." Quatre stepped firmly in front of Eric.
One of the bullies smirked when he caught what the little blond had said. "Ah, did you hear that? The little guy is fearless. How nice."
Eric let out a resigned breath and moved the Arabian out of the way, moving to stand beside him. "You know we're both probably going to have to go to the hospital tonight," he whispered.
"Maybe, maybe not," Quatre murmured softly.
"Now we're going to beat both your sorry little asses into the ground!" He scowled at the ex-pilot. "You little shit head, you're going to be sorry that you didn't skip gym!"
Quatre looked at him coolly, eyebrows raised. "Don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously? It is only gym class after all, and besides I would never skip a class."
The glare the bully was trying to pin the blond with intensified as he guffawed. "Little fucking wannabe teacher's pet. Never skips class!"
One of the others snickered. "That's pathetic, Blondie and bug head are a perfect set, its definitely true love! I don't think he would ever dare break a rule either, no one would let that loser get away with it. We're a lot more important to this school than you." He puffed out his chest. "I skip all the time."
"That explains it."
The bully looked at the innocent seeming blonde in confusion. "Explains what?"
Quatre smiled sweetly. "Why you're so asinine."
The football player frowned at the blond, trying to figure out what he had just said. Then he turned to his teammates. "Did he just insult me?"
"I'm not sure, I think so," one said, scratching his head, and prompting his confused friend into action.
The bully snarled and suddenly moved forward, throwing a fast punch meant to connect with the blonde's jaw.
But an ex-gundam pilot is faster.
Quatre stepped neatly out of the path of the blow, grabbed the other boy's arm, and flipped him painfully over his shoulder. The bully landed with a thud, the wind knocked out of him. He tried to groan, but at the moment all he could make was a funny wheezing sound.
Everyone stared at Quatre for a moment in frozen shock. Then the other two toughs moved forward with the intent to do damage and avenge their gasping friend.
Only things didn't quite work out that way.
There was a sudden confused blur of movement, arms, legs, and fists occasionally visible, then the metaphorical dust cleared and the two jerks lay unconscious and bruised on the ground.
Quatre stepped calmly over the two insensible students and took Eric's arm, steering him away from the scene of the fight and back toward home. The boy stared at the little blonde, eyes huge behind his glasses, gaping like a fish. He swallowed a couple of times, not quite able to get enough saliva to speak. "How . . . when . . . where did you learn that?" He finally managed.
And what am I supposed to tell him now? He thought to himself. Allah, that was brilliant. For a supposed strategist I sure don't think things through. I suppose I could have made that look a little more difficult than it actually was.
"Well," he finally said as he opened the outside door to building, "I actually spent some time fighting in the war."
Eric's jaw dropped. "In the war?" He squeaked. "But you would have been fifteen during the fighting and in school with the rest of us!"
"There were actually quite a few people who were legally considered children. We all fought because we felt there was no other choice for us." Eric was still staring, so Quatre decided to fudge the truth a little. "I didn't do much or get that involved. I just stayed long enough to pick up some self defense."
"Some self-defense!?" He hissed incredulously.
"Yeah." I need to end this conversation before he gets over his shock enough to ask the intelligent questions, like what side I fought for. "Look Eric, it's getting late and I'm exhausted. How about we finish this conversation tomorrow night? We can maybe go to that nice restaurant with the tables outside? Than you can ask any questions you want when you're not as excited." Quatre barely waited for Eric's nod before bolting to his room, without actually making it seem like bolting. Another thing to thank father's social functions for: the quick but dignified exit.
After he shut the door behind him, Quatre looked around the room. At least now he had something to take his mind off the Heero situation.
Now lets just hope I can come up with something suitably believable by tomorrow night, Quatre thought.
Notes: Okay, this is finally going somewhere, and its my longest chapter yet! It didn't go exactly like I thought, but that's the fun thing with this particular piece of fan fiction. It has a mind of its own. Oh, I almost forgot, Conrad isn't a real economist (at least not to my knowledge), and despite taking a macro econ class I know nothing, so I tried to gloss over that part as fast as possible. Quatre's way smarter than me!
I just hope this makes as much sense to my readers (all 3 of you) as it does to me in my head. Please review.
Next chapter important stuff will happen. I'm popping these babies out as fast as I can!