Chapter Two: In Which Heero and Duo are Unwillingly saddled with a new Mission
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"She doesn't bite." –Tyler (seconds later we were all screaming and running for our lives)
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And to add to Heero's confusion, the shape hurtling into the room from the open door immediately glomped onto his legs.
Heero looked to Duo, a rare look of confusion to the point of helplessness tearing apart his usual stoicism. Duo shrugged, just as confused, but far more amused at the sight of the Perfect Solider being huggled by a short little kid. The boy came no higher than Heero's waist, his light cinnamon hair cut in a style that screamed military. His clothing was a small replica of a uniform, complete with OZ insignia. All things considered, Duo would have thought he was just another recruit if the kid hadn't been giving his partner the hug of a lifetime. Just as quickly though, the kid pulled away, the sudden loss of weight leaving Heero even more off balance.
"Hey, you're not Mil! What happened, she finally get sick of me and resigned?"
"Master Zehn!" The second figure Duo had seen pacing the hallways entered the room, a breathless young man who's uniform had Heero and Duo back on their guard. "You know Dr. Zwölf's assistant dislikes your insincere, overly exuberant displays of affection! And has continuously told you to..." He paused, furrowing his eyebrows as he took in the two persons his young charge had intercepted. "What are you doing in Doctor Zwölf's quarters?"
Duo could feel rather than see Heero beside him tense ever so slightly, his right arm nearly twitching as it readied to reach for the gun strapped behind him. His mind pedaled frantically- their mission depended on secrecy. The death of the scientist was supposed to go unnoticed long enough for the virus Trowa was downloading to take hold. After weeks of searching OZ restricted files, Trowa had, figuratively, found the Gundam among the scrap metal. At first glance, a base whose location was only known to a few high-clearance individuals would seem nothing out of the norm. But a second look would reveal the true significance of the place. Because of its total isolation, said base required the best computer machine since Zero in order to remain in contact with the rest of the OZ facilities. From a computer terminal, one could reach Treize's personal laptop to the outskirts of the colonies.
Duo claimed it was love at first sight, a system like this promised numerous possibilities of sabotage. Start a virus at one end with enough firewalls to keep it hidden until it managed to filter through to each and every OZ location, and then let the havoc begin! At the very least, it would allow them to easily gather any information from a base's own files. It was decided that the work of one scientist, a Doctor Zwölf, would be the target due to it being sent out to the largest number of bases and would be easiest to conceal the corruption in the original program. The scientist would have to be killed to prevent him from noticing the tampering and someone would need to infiltrate the base to place the virus into the program.
All of this would happen...and had been happening smoothly to date until the sudden arrival of the soldier and his charge. Duo's fist clenched momentarily. The plan called for...no, depended on no one discovering the death until after the virus had migrated and latched onto all its targets. Slowly, Duo's fingers slid up his sleeve, releasing the catch on the dagger up his sleeve, ready to take out the two witnesses. Knowing Heero was be ready to fire, Duo was about to throw the knife when a light bulb clicked in the soldier's eyes, nearly blinding the two pilots with its luminosity.
"Oh, you must be his two assistants he's been trying to get clearance for," the soldier spoke up, his face lit up from his breakthrough. "After I began leaving Master Zehn here for the afternoons to be watched by Zwölf's assistant Milly, her behavior became extremely erratic and highly unprofessional. One afternoon when I was delivering reports, she even screamed at the sight of me. Bloodshot eyes, insecurities...her behavior was borderline paranoid and phobic. And she came with such a high recommendation too..." His face drooped for a moment. Then perked up again. "I was 'given' the illustrious responsibility of watching the Commander's heir," he indicated the child, "until Zwölf found a replacement. And I'm so glad you're here!"
His expression of relief shifted to one of curiosity. "But you two seem to have forgotten your id badges. How did you get into Dr. Zwölf's quarters without them?"
Duo picked up on their soldier's train of thought quickly and used the excuse the soldier had practically wrapped in colored paper and bows for them. "We were sent here to meet with Dr. Zwölf, but he doesn't seem to be here now." He stated smoothly, trying to turn the soldier's attention away from the fact that the two pilots had somehow managed to get into the room unaided by id badges of their own. Mentally, he winced. 'Well, it's not quite a lie...'
Heero continued, holding out a piece of evidence to corroborate their story. "Dr. Zwölf gave us an id to allow us entrance to his quarters." Duo was amazed to see what was in Heero's hand...quite literally Zwölf's identification badge. He wanted to shake his head in amazement at Heero's forethought to grab the badge when storing the cadaver. Duo's eyes turned to the soldier's, trying to assess his reaction without betraying his own nervousness. Once again, unbidden, his fingers reached for the knife's hidden catch.
He needn't have worried. The soldier barely glanced at the id, then grinned. "Oh, that's fine then. He probably didn't want to hang around for when I dropped the brat...Master Zehn...off. He always makes it a point to be hard at work in the afternoons..."
The soldier's words were a switch, bringing the kid to action and back to the center of everyone's attention. Zehn immediately took offense, glaring charcoal blue eyes at the soldier for the improper usage of his title. Straightening his back with a haughty sniff, he all but stuck his nose in the air. "Father said no one was to disgrace me with those terms. Keep it up and I'll get you demoted." The boy turned back to the pilots, dropping the snooty air almost immediately in favor of an innocent mask that had a strangely eager light shining in his eyes. "So, you'll be waiting here until Doc comes back, right?"
The soldier was edging backwards toward the door, obviously eager to escape. "Since you're here, you might as well begin your afternoon duties of watching the kid until his father, the Commander, leaves for the day. Just keep him on the premises and you'll be fine."
"Whoa whoa, time out!" Duo eyes were wide at the thought of being stuck at the base as he approached the retreating recruit. "No one mentioned babysitting detail in our job description. We're just supposed to wait here for the doctor!"
The soldier waved a hand carelessly at the advancing pilot, his other hand desperately seeking out the door handle behind his back. "If you're waiting for Doctor Zwölf, you'll be here all afternoon with nothing to do, so you may as well mind the kid." The soldier's face was brimming with triumph as he pulled door open and managed to back into the hallway. "A word of advice: no chocolate and try to keep the little rogue away from any explosives or chemicals."
The door slammed behind the fleeing soldier.
Duo turned to give a helpless 'What now?' look to his partner, the door's closing echoing through the room.
Suddenly, the door popped open again enough to allow the soldier's head to peek back in. "And be sure to obtain your own ids once you speak with the doctor." The soldier stuck his tongue out at Zehn. "Later, brat!"
Zehn scowled at the closed door. A movement from Duo drew his eye back to the motionless pilot and his longhaired friend. "Looks like you're stuck with me," he observed, his face hovering between a smirk and an expression of pity for the two teenagers.
Duo glanced at Heero, who seemed to be going into some state of post-traumatic shock from the kid's earlier, unexpected glomping, then turned to grin down at the kid. "Guess so." Moving close to Heero, he muttered for the stock-still boy's ears only, "We can handle him for one afternoon, then steal away once he's gone." Heero's eyes caught his own, then closed in agreement.
Zehn watched the two. He hadn't caught the gist of their exchange, but knew they'd both come to some sort of conclusion. "So," Two pairs of eyes, one a hard blue and the other a joyful violet took in his own arched stormy pair. "Know any good jokes?"
...
AHHH! I killed my babies!!! I was the mother of five lovely, beautiful, practically-glowing-with-healthiness-and-beauty pumpkins (calabaza-citas when I talk to them) and then two of them go off and die on me!! I'm a murderer! I have no right to grow anything anymore! I'm a failure as a mother and as a gardener! [Bursts out sobbing/wailing and in-general-throwing-a-fit]
Gundam Wing is not mine. And apparently the talent for growing pumpkins isn't mine either.
Lily Avalon: Yay! You like the fic? I liked your Trowa-face so much I invented a Duo-face
Starhopper-chan: Operation 'Gundam Wing Birthday Fic' has made it to the Second Chapter! And I finished making your Gourry shrinky-dink.
Additional thank-you's to Bunny, kitty kat 0303, RikoRishodeathangeloflight, and Griffen for reviewing and comments! Really appreciate it!