Am heading off to sea, so no updates for a little while. Not until the end of May, anyway.
Ah, replies to reviews; rewarding paragraphs to type are these!
MikaSamu: Well, Trowa always seemed to easily adapt to his situations in the series, so that aspect's being reflected. :) Sorry, but this story'll contain many more cliffhangers – I can't seem to stay away from those. (apologetic smile) Hurrying! See, more story!
Wolfkun: I've always seen Quatre as a manipulative, conniving little twerp. But I've always loved him anyway. (lol) Actually, it was when I watched the series straight through the second time when I really started noticing those facts you're pointing out, and ideas for this fic bounced through my head. And the 'newtype' concept! Floating Relena-heads! (blink) Eh, never mind that. (grin) But anyway, thanks for your support! I hope the continuation of this story continues to please you. (humble li'l bow)
YiyangYoung: Lots of 'bs'ing, eh? Don't worry – I BS'ed my way through nuclear power school. (laugh) Still made it! . And as for what Tro'll do… (demented grin)
Disclaimer: I in no way own Gundam W. Don't sue; I'm simply an E-5 in the USN, therefore I have no money. Ha.
-BEGIN FIC-
12:00 Hours --
Trowa walked right past the kitchen. Nodding to some of the other soldiers who were making their way to the facility to snatch whatever was coming off the roach coach for lunch, he made his way to the hallway he expected to see Xavier Johnson walking down.
'Right on schedule,' he noted as he caught sight of the man he was searching for walking along side of James Waverly.
Nodding to them, he strode up to their side. "Hey, you think there'd be a problem if I toured this place instead of stopping for lunch? Had that big breakfast, you know. And I've yet to see this place. It's kind of fascinating."
Xavier grinned, even as James turned a bit of a glare to him.
"May not be that great of an idea, there, Triston," James snorted. "What, with the base attack a few days ago…"
"Oh come on, James," Xavier quipped. "He's a soldier of OZ, for crying out loud. What harm could there be? If they question him, all he's gotta do is prove his legit. Let the boy wander."
Snorting, James shrugged. "Be back on your post at 13:00, kid."
"Sure thing," Trowa responded with a shrug. "I just want to tour is all. No big deal."
Xavier grinned. "Go for it. Nobody'll care. Just tell anyone who questions you that I gave you permission. And, as your supervisor, I can do whatever the hell I want."
"Sure thing."
With a nod, Trowa walked down the hall of is patrol route.
'First thing's first. I've got to check out that room.'
10:12 Hours --
"You shouldn't have been moving around, pet. With your injuries…" a deep voice crooned quietly.
"Gomen nasai, Gregory. I just…" whispered a lighter one.
"No excuses. You're to remain laying upon that mattress until you heal."
"H… hai." The quieter voice laughed lightly.
"I still feel so wretched for not noticing your injuries until after we'd"
"It's alright," the light voice interrupted, the hint of a giggle upon its edge. "I've seen worse."
"Really… a creature like you, having seen abuse worse than such? I can hardly imagine…"
12:02 Hours --
Trowa repressed the angry scowl that he felt coming on.
His curiosity simply had to be satiated.
12:20 Hours --
Trowa resisted the urge to curse, still wandering the hallways.
He'd been regularly passing that doorway, waiting for Quatre's visitor to leave the room so he could check on his fellow pilot.
'What is Lesley doing here, anyway?' Trowa snarled in his mind.
Turning the corner, he glared at the potted palm tree that stood in his way before walking carefully around it.
'Duo's supposed to be watching that guy.'
'Of all of them, I think I trust him the least.'
'Always suspect the quiet one.'
Trowa felt himself grin at that one.
12:10 Hours --
Trowa neared the door that blocked the room he suspected Quatre was still housed in from the hallway, his eyes blank and narrowed.
Suddenly, he was ducking around the corner.
Glancing around carefully, making certain he remained unnoticed by soldier and camera, Trowa glared coldly at the portly man who was quickly making his way into the room.
"Quatre-sama, I have done as you requested," Trowa overheard Chad Lesley saying in his distinct, throaty voice.
'Done as you requested…?'
'Quatre… what…'
'But isn't Duo supposed to be…?'
Trowa felt himself pale slightly.
'Duo.'
08:13 Hours, 3 Days Ago --
"You strategize using a Chess board?"
"Hai. And it usually works very well. Chess… it's very insightful. It replicates real life so very well… all the unpredictable pitfalls… all the plotting that's
required to reach your goal…"
-- 22:55 Hours, 3 Days Ago --
Rather than the typical set of pieces found upon a typical chess board, this one sported an entirely different figurine collection, each piece's true identity recognized only by the letter emblazoned upon the bottom of it as Trowa discovered in his critiques of the craftsmanship of the statuettes.
And the opposing pieces:
Deathscythe the rook.
-- 22:31 Hours, 2 Days Ago --
The mobile suit knights, bishops and rooks were focused on Deathscythe the rook.
12:12 Hours --
Trowa felt his eyes widen slightly.
'Duo. Just another piece on the board. A rook. A powerful piece, yes, but…'
'Quatre readily sacrifices his powerful pieces when necessary. I saw that while playing against him.'
'But he wouldn't sacrifice that pilot, would he? They appear to be best friends…'
Snorting quietly, he shook his head. 'Of course, how can I possibly pretend to know anything about what he's up to…'
16:20 Hours --
Stretching his legs, Trowa sighed.
"Ah, finally heading home. It's a grand feeling, isn't it?" Xavier said, his smile in place as he laid his foot heavily upon the accelerator of the Jeep.
"Yeah, tell me about it. Thought that damned day would never end," James confirmed from the back seat of the vehicle.
"How'd you like it, Trowa?" Xavier questioned.
"Like any other job. Get anything done with the computer system?"
"Some," Xavier said with a sigh. "Security on that damned system is tighter than I expected. They've got more passwords than a whore's got clients."
James chuckled from the back seat. "Vivid imagery there, Xavier."
"How about you?" Trowa interrupted, turning slightly in his seat to set his gaze upon Waverly.
Shrugging, James sighed. "I'm an interrogator, not a computer hacker. What more do you want from me? Tried my best, got next to nothing. As Xavier said, there's pretty tight security 'round that thing."
"Because it's all Romefeller archives," Xavier said with a shrug. "Of course it's going to be locked down tighter than we're used to."
"I could give it a try," Trowa suggested.
"Maybe you could in a couple days. It's not a good idea right now. You're suspected, after all, being the new guy. Right, James?"
"Sure."
Trowa arched a brow. For some reason, James Waverly didn't sound like he agreed with his comrade.
"What the hell is that?" James said moments later.
"What?"
"That plume of smoke. No, the giant flailing purple porcupine that's also dancing right in front of the car, Xavier."
Xavier chuckled, then frowned as he returned his eyes to the road before them. "Hell if I know."
'It's in the direction of the Winner manor,' Trowa's brain noted as he arched one eyebrow.
"You don't think…" Waverly began, letting his sentence fall into oblivion.
"We'll see, won't we? But why…" Xavier stated, doing the same, falling into silence.
"Maybe that braided idiot blew something up in the microwave," James said, chortling.
Xavier remained tactfully silent, his eyes narrowed slightly.
'What the hell…' Trowa thought, staring.
'What the hell's going on?'
12:50 Hours --
Chad Lesley had finally left the room.
Breathing the slightest sigh of relief, Trowa stepped through the door, closing it behind himself.
The other soldier hadn't even seen him.
Opening his eyes, Trowa stared at the sight before him.
The blond pilot he'd been searching for was laying upon a large four post bed, buried in thick beige blankets and a stripped comforter, his blond head resting upon a thick, puffy pillow who's white coloration nearly washed out his too-pale face.
Walking over, Trowa leaned over the edge of the bed and lightly traced over the boy's fair cheek with a fingertip.
'Quatre…'
"Mmmm… Gregory…?" the blond boy whispered quietly, cracking open one dark blue eye. He stared.
"Not quite."
"You…!"
"Aa."
"You're not supposed to be here," Quatre hissed softly, slowly struggling to sit upright.
Aiding him in his valiant fight, Trowa frowned. "Am I simply supposed to sit at your manor while these two run about, finishing the mission we're supposed to be accomplishing?"
"Two? Who else is here besides Waverly?"
"Johnson."
With a groan, Quatre forfeited Trowa's assistance by simply collapsing back into the bed. Laying his hand tenderly upon his stomach along the wound Trowa'd seen earlier that was currently buried in a pile of blankets and pajamas, he closed his eyes harshly, his lips turning in a frown. "Damn it."
"What?" Trowa quietly questioned.
"This completely alters the plan."
16:57 Hours --
Leaning his elbow once more upon the molded armrest in the Jeep's door, his chin firmly planted in the palm of his hand, Trowa stared at the rolling dunes outside of the vehicle.
'Completely alters the plan, eh?'
'Wonder what he meant by that.'
His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the other two men gasp.
"No way…" Xavier breathed softly.
"What the hell!" James snarled.
Opening his eyes, Trowa looked at the road ahead.
The smoke column they'd been eyeing since leaving the OZ controlled mansion had finally revealed its source.
Fortunately, the servants and fire fighters appeared to have the fire that was billowing from what used to be the living room of the Winner manor quite under control.
tbc...
