Title: Duplicity - Part 5
Author: Emily
Rating: R
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9
Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness
Notes: This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one.

oOo

I had no direct proof that it was Dekim Barton who was trying to frame me, but I did have my word and Treize's. It still wasn't enough, unfortunately, if the new leader of Earth and a program-turned-human with a photographic memory were able to speak out against the old man. I did as Heero suggested and didn't go anywhere by myself.

In the old days it would have been so much easier for me to undermine Dekim. I just got zapped into the server and could travel through wires to anything with a computer chip. It was easy for me to talk to the machines, get what I needed out of them, but in my human form, I was starting to get aggravated. The others helped as much as they could, but it still wasn't enough. I needed Dorothy's help, but unless I found the doctor's hard copy of her program and sorted out the errors, there was no way I could bring her back.

"Come on, G, this bozo is trying to make me look like the bad guy, here, and there's nothing you can do about it?"

"Duo the server was dismantled, and that was the only server large enough to hold a program as complex as yours."

I exhaled loudly, the moving air brushing my hair away from my eyes. "What if it was a dumbed-down version of the program? Just one with the basic controls to move around and perform the necessary functions. I mean, the details don't need to be that elaborate. It doesn't even need to look like anything!"

"Without a central network tracking down the proper lines will take a lot of time and effort." G was tinkering around with something and didn't seem to want me to get a good look at it. He kept turning his back every time I moved to face him. "If it becomes more serious, maybe then it will seem necessary to use the manpower, but until that happens, you're just looking for a problem."

I was astonished. I thought Professor G, of all people, would help me. "Dekim Barton is trying to make it look like that I want to destroy the progress we're making, and you don't think it's a serious problem?"

He leveled his gaze at mine without even blinking. "In all fairness, Duo, we weren't even the ones who saved you. You're in Heero's hands, now, not ours."

oOo

Heero was waiting for me in the lobby when I exited G's lab. He stood from his spot on a couch and placed his hand on my shoulder, detecting my foul mood. "It didn't go well?"

"The bastard thinks I'm a pet or a toy. He could at least humor me instead of out right telling me that it isn't his problem."

"It will be, at any rate."

I growled in frustration. The allies I thought I had were slowly turning against me. "They'll blame you," I realized, mentally going over what G had last said to me. "They see me as your responsibility; any trouble that it looks like I get into will be placed on you, even though they know otherwise." I had to force the disgust out of my voice. "They still don't believe I'm human."

"Their ignorance isn't your fault."

I looked out the glass doors, the familiar figure in black waving at me a few meters off from outside. "Heero..."

"I see him," he replied, eyes narrowing. "He's taunting us."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm just not going to stand around and let him get away." I burst through the double doors, pushing aside people as they walked down the street. The figure saw me coming for him and began to run, as well. I had to pick up the pace in order to even hope of catching up. Something wasn't right; even as a human I was still fast and agile, abnormally so compared to most, but this guy was faster. There was only one way that this could have happened. How else would Dekim Barton be able to get someone who resembled me that perfectly and could move so quickly?

The realization stopped me in my tracks, Heero catching up seconds afterwards. "Duo, what happened?"

"I just figured it out," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "My program...after you caught me with the computer I was transferred by air to the system. I was caught by the repaired printer en route to the system and you printed me. Heero, Dekim got a copy of my program."

He seemed stunned. "But how? You still went to the printer."

I ran through the scenario in my head over and over again. "I can think of two ways. He caught my program, duplicated it, and then sent me to the printer, or..." I swallowed hard. "The printer has a twenty-print memory. It can store up to the last twenty programs it printed. If Dekim just got his hands on that printer, nothing would stop him from having a copy of my program. The problem with that is he would need a large enough server."

"Unless he simplified the program just enough so it can perform the necessary functions," Heero added, eyes wide with the revelation. "What's keeping him from making an entire army at his command?"

"You would be so perfect, Duo; you have the ability to remember and recall everything that goes on around you. So many people trust you, including the doctors. We could make you a great assassin."

"Nothing," I answered, feeling all color drain from my face. "And with me being human, I can't even jump into the circuitry for a little while to track down and infect the server he's using." I rubbed at my shoulder absent-mindedly but stopped when I caught Heero eyeing me warily.

"Who can help us besides the doctors?"

I had to think for a moment. What we needed was a way to still be able to go through the system without creating another program. The thought of Dekim having my own program made me uneasy enough, especially if he got it from the printer. What would keep him from printing more of me that was flesh and blood? "Have you met Howard yet?" Heero shook his head in response. "Well, you're about to because it looks like he's the man we need."

oOo

Howard's shop was underground because of all the computers he managed to pawn off the doctors. Computers tended to make a lot of heat, so being underground was an added bonus because the darkness made it cooler than, say, Treize's office. Howard's job (I had explained all this to Heero on our walk over) had been to program Solo, Dorothy, and then I - his use to the doctors wore out when I was created successfully.

He also invented what he likes to call The Master, which is essentially a printer with massive amounts of backup memory and antennas reaching out all over the city so he can save what people has been printed, if he finds it interesting. I knew he had my program, and I also knew he deleted it because my program was perfect the first time and there was no need to make another me.

Obviously, though, Dekim Barton had gotten hold of that copy somehow, and that's why I needed Howard. The Master would have picked up each and every duplicate of my program that was being printed along with specific times, dates, and IP addresses. I knocked on the door loudly because the servers always tended to be loud. I have no idea why the old man couldn't have just installed a bell like the rest of the world.

When Howard opened the door, he was wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt and a pair of goggles over his eyes, which meant he was currently working on some serious maintenance. "Duo!" he greeted, ever so happy to see me. "How've you been?"

I avoided the question, not really sure of the best way to answer. Instead I opted to introduce him to Heero. They shook hands politely, and I caught the wink Howard gave me through the goggles. I swear, the old guy can be such a perv. As much as I would have loved to stick around and chat, though, there was business that needed to be attended to.

I explained the situation with Dekim Barton, and the run in with my look-alike just minutes before. "I need to check the servers to see if I can get an IP address."

Howard's mouth twisted as he thought. "I don't know how that'll help. You won't be able to hack into the system from here. Not anymore, at least."

"C'mon, Howard, I'll figure the rest of this out as I go along. Right now I just need to know how many of me have been printed and where the hub is. The docs might take me seriously once they get some numbers."

I noticed Heero was giving Howard an expression that seemed to be challenging the man to say no, warning him of what would happen in this grave of a situation. Howard's shoulders slumped as he let out a sigh, shutting the door behind us as we walked down the wooden stairs to his main server room.

Compared to the server tower, this room was no where near as impressive, but it was still a lot for an individual to have. I hopped behind a terminal, sliding into the seat so the back of is was in front of my chest instead of behind me. I began typing frantically, memory recalling the exact code that my program was saved under.

A listing popped up of how many times I had been printed, but none contained a link to the file because Howard had put a block to keep me out of his system. Times and the same IP address stretched down the screen, and I felt myself grow pale when I noticed that there were twenty-five coded Duos printed daily.

"What the hell is going on?" Howard murmured, voice full of disbelief.

Heero shook his head. "Dekim Barton wants to start a war with an invincible army that happens to look like my lover."

I laughed dryly, "Yeah, only faster...and immortal as long as their server is intact." I let out a deep sigh. "We need to destroy that server before all hell breaks loose and we risk losing Earth again."

oOo

End Part 5