Disclaimer: see previous rant

Warnings: Very slight Duo torture in this chapter. It's hardly worthy of that word…. *sniff* Gomen! I'll make up for it in the next chapter!!!!

Mel: *beams*

Tsuru: …

Mel: *pokes Tsuru in the shoulder lightly* Well?

Tsuru: ….

Mel: Come on. Say it.

Tsuru: …

Mel: *grins* Say it!

Tsuru: *sighs* Alright. Fine. You did it.

Mel: *leans over Tsuru* Did what?

Tsuru: *growls* You finished the smeggin' chapter. Are you happy now?

Mel: Nope.

Tsuru: … 'nope'?

Mel: *holds out hand* Okane, onegai!

Tsuru: *grumbles* Right… the money…. *hands over what is owed*

Mel: *grins* Now, on with the chapter!!!!

"Oh God…" Duo slowly woke up, grateful that the room he was in had no lights. His head throbbed. He must have hit it harder than he thought. "Crap…" His hands were chained behind his back, and his legs had been folded back to meet them. He couldn't reach into his hair for a lock pick, and he couldn't break the metal like the perfect man-of-steel soldier. He was stuck until further notice.

The door clicked, then opened, shining a bright sliver of light into Duo's eyes. "You're going in for questioning. I suggest you don't do anything stupid."

'Great,' he thought. 'What does he expect me to do? Sprout wings and fly through the roof?' He laughed. 'He probably does…' Duo decided to be kind to the poor man and do as he was told…for the time being…

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

"Hello there. My name is Michael Yamakazi. Your stay here could be pleasant if you cooperate with me. It could also feel very much like you are in hell if you prove to be stubborn. The choice is yours." A man with tan skin straightened his coat as Duo was wheeled into the room, his hands and feet chained to the white table he was lying on. The man leaned over Duo as he pulled his hair back, as if he were evaluating his victim. "Alright. Let's get started. Shall we?" The two men who had wheeled Duo into the room grunted as they lifted the table onto its end, making his feet dangle from their confinement.

"Mr. Yamakazi, Sir?" A young girl that looked to be about 11 stuck her head into the room, looking quite uncomfortable. After a few moments of being ignored, the girl stepped fully into the room. She ran her hand through her short black hair before asking again. "Yamakazi-samma?"

"What is it, Arisa? I'm very busy right now." The girl visibly shrank and clutched a clipboard closer to her chest.

"I-I got the information you wanted…" She hesitantly stepped forward and held out the clipboard.

"Hmm?" Michael took the clipboard from the girl and looked it over. "Thank you Arisa. This is just what I wanted. You've been a very good girl." He reached down and ruffled the girls hair. "Now you go back down to my office and wait for me." Arisa nodded once and looked at Duo before leaving the room, giving him a look filled with sympathy. Duo didn't like where this was headed. "Now. I always give my subjects two choices. The first is that you tell me everything you know, then I let you off scott free. The second is much less pleasant. I ask you questions, then torture you until you give me an acceptable answer. Of course, that won't all happen today... So what is your choice?"

"I'll take whatever's behind door number 3." Duo shot a grin at his captor before looking into his eyes, challenging his authority.

"Really?" Yamakazi arched an eyebrow as he looked Duo over again. "And what would be behind that door?"

"It's simple. I feed you a load of crap, you beat the shit out of me, then I break out and blow this place to smithereens, killing you and everyone else—" Duo gasped as a white-knuckled fist slammed into his stomach and up under his ribs.

"You do whatever the hell you want to me and my men, we were trained to face death. But you leave my little Arisa out of this." The room was completely silent other than Duo's ragged breathing. Yamakazi stood in front of him, regaining his own composure. He very rarely lashed out like that, and the rest of the guards in the room were shocked.

"Y-you know…" Duo kept his head bent as he spoke, still trying to clear his vision. "Death is one of the most politically correct forces in the world. It doesn't care if you're rich, poor, a soldier, or a child. It claims whoever it wants." All eyes in the room landed on Duo as he paused to catch his breath. "And you know how I know?" Duo lifted his head and grinned evilly at his captors. "I'm Death."

Yamakazi rammed his fist into Duo again, then hit him along the side of his head, knocking him out. "I'm sorry. But I can't have you scaring my soldiers before they're finished training." He walked up to Duo's limp body and undid the clasps holding him to the upended table, letting him fall into his arms. "John! Come here and take this boy back to his cell. I'm going to teach Arisa how to fill out a request form for the truth serum. He obviously isn't going to talk otherwise.

The soldier that was called for looked up, startled. His two friends stifled a laugh as he hurried to follow through with his order.

"After practice. My room. We'll have some real fun tonight!" The soldier laughed as John nodded and hurried out of the room.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

Heero sat at his laptop, looking over the information he and Duo had stolen. The mission was successful.

A small bleep from his computer brought his attention to an e-mail asking for a mis5sion report. His reply was short and to the point with no emotion, much like everything else he did.

Mission Successful

Pilot 02 Captured

Permission to retrieve?

Heero sent his reply and waited for an answer. When it arrived, he quietly stood up and walked into the bathroom to take a shower, leaving his laptop on and the message open. If anyone else had been in the apartment he and Duo shared, they would surely be curious as to the series of messages that led up to a single word…

Denied.

To be continued…

Tsuru: You're going to end it there?

Mel: *points at the line above* No baka. It says 'To be continued…' Of course I'm not done yet. I already have the idea for the next chapter typed up!

Tsuru: You mean you're going to do your own work from now on?

Mel: *sighs* Alright. I'll give her credit… *calls out* DAICHI!!!!!

Daichi: Hai?

Mel: Give those who deserve it credit.

Daichi: *looks at previous conversation* Oh… okay. Kat was nice enough to type up the first chapter for Mel because she left her notebook at her house.

Mel: *grins* Baka na!

Tsuru: Hai…

Daichi: She would also like to notify the public that she has read the rough draft for the next chapter and was horrified.

Mel: She doesn't like Duo torture…. ^_^()

Tsuru: :::sarcastically::: Really? I would never have guessed…

Mel: Shush! *grins* So, until tomorrow… or tonight if I can revamp the next chapter…

Tsuru: O.o Riiight. You mean to say that you're going to get out the next chapter in one day?

Mel: Or less.

Tsuru: I don't buy it.

Mel: $20 more says I can.

Tsuru: …

Mel: What? Are you afraid that you'll lose?

Tsuru: I DON'T LOSE!!!!

Mel: Yeah, yeah. So what will it be?

Tsuru: *grumbles* Fine.

Mel: *grins* Ja ne!