Getting into L12 had been easier than Duo had ever thought that it would be. How Trowa had managed to infiltrate the colony's own military was a complete mystery to him. Perhaps it was just one of life's ironies, that a man with no identity could so easily assume any man's own. Trowa had even managed to produce papers that he had gotten from somewhere to get them into the jail, where Heero was being held. As awed as he was by Trowa's resourcefulness, he couldn't help but chafed at his own role in it. Why oh why did it have to me be? Why couldn't Quatre be doing this part? Because you idiot no body would ever have mistaken Quatre for a criminal. His mind logically reasoned. So Quatre got the easy part-waiting outside ready to cover their escape.
"Walk prisoner or I'll have them drag you!" Trowa barked harshly as he shoved Duo forward for what must have been the tenth time.
"Look buddy. I'm getting real tired of you pushing me around." Duo yelled rounding on him. The irritation in his voice only half feigned.
"Do as you're told and you won't get shoved." Trowa shouted back.
"Hey! Hey!" Interrupted the guard who had been guiding them. He put himself between them.
"Big mistake pal." Duo smirked as both of them clobbered him unconscious. Trowa caught him before he could hit the floor.
"I've got him. You go find Heero."
"You got it." Duo replied catching the keys Trowa threw him. He took a moment to free his own wrists before heading off at a trot. " Heeero. Heeero...here boy. Where are you pal?" Duo called as if looking for a dog. Trowa allowed himself a brief shake of the head before he tied the guard up and dragged him away.
********
Duo felt like it had almost taken him forever to find the right corridor. Figures it would be the last one, he thought. He pulled back suddenly into the corner wall. A few doors down, a guard stood alert in front of a double-barred cell door. That has to be the one, he thought. Then he sighed, how was he suppose to get in there? The guard was far enough down the hall that he couldn't help but see him coming. He knew he could take him. What he wasn't sure about was whether or not he could get to him before he raised the alarm. He was mulling over his options, when both him and the guard were startled by a sudden sound from inside the cell. The guard turned towards the door opening the slide and yelled inside "What's going on in there?" When there was no answer the guard cursed getting out his keys and started unlocking the door. Duo saw his chance and charged the guard knocking him over and punching him out. The guard barely making a sound as he sunk into unconsciousness. Satisfied at his handiwork, Duo quickly grabbed the keys and opened the door into the dark room.
"Hiyaa...." The rest was lost in a whoosh as he was hit hard in the gut and chest causing him to loose all his breath and slump to the ground. Admist the blurring of his eyes, he could see a pair of familiar tennis shoes walking towards the door. He painfully rolled his body over still wheezing. "He...Heero" he gasped at the retreating shoes and biking shorts. The shoes hesitated turning.
"Duo?" The voice sounded surprised.
"Yeah Heero, its me buddy." Duo reassured him trying to sit up. He suddenly smiled. "Should have known you could get out all by yourself. Still you could at least apologize. That hurt!"
"You'll live." Heero said simply, but he did go over and help Duo up. Duo frowned slightly noticing that Heero's hands were slick and his grip wasn't quite as sure as it usually was.
After Duo had regained both his breath and his feet, Heero went over to the door to check to make sure that no one else was around. The hallway was lighted and for the first time Duo got a good look at him and he didn't like what he saw. "Heero, don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look so good."
Instead of acknowledging the statement, he asked a question. "Why did you come here?" It was stated as a demand, but there was also a hint of puzzlement.
"Well for one, we knew that Relena would be very pissed at us if we let you die."
"Relena's dead." Heero said flatly.
"Whaa? Who told you that?" Then realization hit." Those bastards!" He shouted forgetting for a moment to keep his voice low. "No Heero. Believe me she's alive." Heero's eyes widened for the briefest second then was quickly replaced by the cold hard look that he had had earlier. Duo frowned noticing this curious response unsure of its reason. " She's hurt pretty bad though. She's still in intensive care. Don't worry she's as stubborn as you she'll make it." He tried reassuring him. Heero said nothing. His eyes cast down, his mind thinking about things that Duo could only guess at.
"Duo. Heero. " Trowa called.
"Come on. Trowa's waiting."
The trio cautiously walked around the labyrinthine halls of the prison careful to keep Trowa in the lead to deter suspicion. They got through to the courtyard without any trouble. Then as fate would have it a shout went up followed by the alarm and all hell broke loose.
"Run for it!" Duo shouted.
Tbc....
Please review. Nobody reviewed the last chapter and I'm starting to wonder if anybody is still reading this. Just tell what you think good or bad.