Impossible

A Gundam Wing Fan Fiction

Rambled Off by The Manwell

Book Three: PARTNERS

Duo Maxwell

Once again, I find myself in Preventer HQ, but I don't go in search of Wufei or Une. In fact, I have no intention whatsoever of separating my ass from this chair. At least not until Heero reemerges from the shrink's office. And in all honesty, I ought to be having my own head examined.

Jesus, but yesterday afternoon I'd had the piss scared out of me. I'd sped outrageously all the way to Heero's apartment, listening to sound of his phone incessantly not ringing. No voice mail. No caller waiting announcement. Just... nothing.

I'd raced up the stairs, picked the lock, and coaxed the security system into silence only to notice the explosion on the floor. A thousand horrible scenarios had overwhelmed me, the worst of which being: I'm too late.

My relief at getting him to answer me had been short-lived. I'd all but stampeded to his bedroom but I'd frozen on the threshold.

And for what had felt like the longest moment of my life, I'd just stared at the gun in his hands. The loaded gun, I'd realized with a glimpse at the clip peeking out from beneath the handgrip. The loaded and unlocked gun when I'd gotten close enough to sweep my gaze over him and take note of the disengaged safety.

Fuck. I've never been as scared in my whole life as I was sitting there, talking to Heero, trying to reestablish his trust in me while aware of him rolling that gun between his hands. I might not know exactly what I feel for the guy, but I'd been terrified he was going to do something messy and permanent to himself.

At least he'd left it behind on the bed when he'd marched out into the living room radiating guilt and pain. An unstable Heero with a gun is not someone I can break bad news to. And I'd regretted having to spell out mine and Wufei's suspicions. God, that had hurt me almost as much as it had hurt him. And I'd almost fucked it up completely; he'd almost kicked me out.

But in the end, he'd let me hold him until he fell asleep. Then he let me herd him into a long, hot shower after he'd woken up. He'd let me feed him and he'd let me drive him to HQ so he could make an emergency appointment with Une's noggin expert.

At least I'd gotten a few things done while he'd been in the shower. I'd unloaded and restowed the gun; I hadn't wanted to even consider what Heero would think if he'd found that lying around and correctly deduced that he'd been absentmindedly fidgeting with it for who knows how long.

I'd cleaned up the mess in the entryway. I'd hung up his phone... finally. But turned the ringer off. Which he should have done yesterday if he only hadn't wanted to be disturbed. Leaving the vid phone off the hook like that had been a screaming cry for attention.

Which, unfortunately, only supports the current working theory.

God, even though I'd been the one to suggest it to him, I still can't believe that he's really breaking. Heero's too strong, too stubborn, too–

"Ah, Agent Maxwell. What a pleasant surprise."

I almost curse out loud. But considering who's approaching my chair at a good clip that would be a very uncool idea. But I can think it. And I do: Fuck, fuck, fuck!

"'Morning, Commander Une. How are you doing today?"

"I'm quite pleased to see you sitting outside of Dr. Banes's office, agent."

I try not to grimace. There's no way I can dissuade her of the belief that Heero's having a session right now. It goes against every one of my instincts – and Heero's, too – to let a total stranger into this already volatile equation, but Heero had insisted and I hadn't been able to give him any better options.

"Take a walk with me, agent," I hear Une invite/order.

I refocus my attention on her and reply with a sheepish expression I think must look as fake as it feels, "I, uh, should really stay here, ma'am." I aim an apologetic but pointed glance at my watch.

"This won't take long," she tells me and I know I'm committed. Damn it.

"Um... okay, I guess I've got a minute..." I can't resist muttering.

She doesn't reply. She simply turns on one of her three and three-quarter inch, overpriced Italian heels and leads me down a maze of corridors to her office. I'm a little surprised to see Wufei in there with several stacks of files and reports surrounding him. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm seeing, and Une confirms it in the next moment.

As soon as the door closes behind me, she says, "I asked Agent Chang to brief me on what he's discovered with regards to the lunar pharmaceuticals case, but first I'd like to discuss Agent Yuy's condition." She turns toward me and pins me with her gaze. "Agent Maxwell, how is he?"

Okay... I know I've got this "no lying" policy thing but...

The very thought of telling Une the unvarnished truth about Heero's current, alarming vulnerability has my survival instincts throwing a temper tantrum your average three-year-old would be proud of.

I tell her, "Well, he's a little concerned about the brainwashing possibility, ma'am. He's taking the situation very seriously and you already know he's working to resolve the security problem it presents. I've been staying with him, like you asked. He confides in me. Trusts me." Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Wufei fighting back a frown. Luckily, I've got Une's undivided attention.

"Have you seen any indication that he's unbalanced or unsure of himself?"

I shake my head. "No, ma'am. He's unsettled, but aside from being royally peeved about having his memories tinkered with, he seems perfectly normal. And, honestly, Heero being peeved about something isn't a real stretch of the imagination, ya know?"

She nods and smiles at me. "Excellent." And turning to Wufei, she asks, "I take it you haven't been able to uncover any new evidence against Dr. Adamsson and his associates?"

"No, ma'am. But–"

Une cuts him off with a victorious announcement. "Well, we're going to get a second chance. Dr. Adamsson has personally requested the services of a Mr. Rupert Takahashi, whose work he was greatly impressed with. Apparently, some of their equipment calibrations were... altered in the process of dealing with that unfortunate computer virus. Since Heero doesn't seem to be too affected... and since I can guess how much he'd like another opportunity to get some solid evidence against the men who tampered with his memories, I don't see any harm in sending him out again."

Oh. Fuck.

I really shouldn't have lied. This is what happens when you lie, boys and girls: really, really, super-bad shit.

But before I can panic, Wufei jumps all over her declaration. "Ma'am! I must object to sending Yuy on assignment –"

"Alone!" I quickly insert, cutting off Wufei. "I mean, sure, he's pretty much recovered from his burns, but sending him out there on another solo mission would just be asking for trouble. And besides, what if these scientists are just trying to get Heero back in their territory for a second go at him? With all due respect, ma'am, I think you should send Mr. Takahashi's trainee – me – out there with him for 'practical experience' in electronics repair and maintenance."

Une leans back and grins at me. "Great minds think alike, I see, Agent Maxwell. I was about to suggest a similar situation. I'll revoke your suspension – temporarily, of course – for the purpose of the mission." Une then turns to Wufei and directs, "Leave your reports with me and I'll look them over this afternoon. I want you to brief Agent Maxwell on the case, Agent Chang."

"Yes, ma'am," he replies.

"Here, let me help you with some of those," I offer, standing. I skim over the stacks and find a file with Heero's Preventer number on the tab buried in the middle. I scoop up that stack and give Wufei a long, hard Look. "Which of these are staying, man?"

He tosses a brief but dangerous glare in my direction. "The top one stays," he tells me, sorting through his own stack. I don't have to be told that I'm going to catch hell for this once Wufei gets me alone. But I'll deal with it when I have to deal with it.

"Thank you for your time, agents. Agent Maxwell, please send Agent Yuy in to see when he concludes his appointment."

"Sure thing," I tell her and head for the door. I can sense Wufei hot on my heels. He's practically seething. This is gonna be painful.

I hide a wince and stride toward Wufei's office with Heero's file clutched in a grip nothing short of death by vaporization could loosen.