A/N: Warning! Action packed chapter ahead. Beware violence, bad language, and disturbing situations. You know… All the fun stuff… lol

Terrorists

"Are you sure this will work?

"Men of his nature are remarkably good at blending in."

"He's quite invested in capturing his prey."

"What if he runs off with the prize?"

"We have him tagged."

"And if he fails?"

"Then we'll go to plan B."

"We'll get the code this time."

"They won't be able to stop us."

xXxXxXx

Harry still felt buzzed over how well the show had gone. He'd watched the video twice before dinner and again before bed. It was incredible seeing how well his hard work had paid off. Tumbling with Trowa had hurt a lot at first, but as the weeks passed, he began to like it more and more. Now he was in love with it.

Trowa had already said they could start working on a new routine and learn some new moves. And that wasn't even the best part. The very best part of the video had been the end. Harry choked up every time he watched how his brothers had hugged him and held him afterward. It made his belly feel all funny and his cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

Now, he stood stretching in the open space just behind their pavilion where they'd put on their show yesterday. Usually after breakfast, he'd help Trowa feed the animals, but he was still grounded. He couldn't wait to see Simba tomorrow and tell him about everything. He was pulled from his day dreams as he heard someone approaching.

The footsteps were heavier than his brothers, and he got to his feet quickly, heart thudding hard in his chest. A tall man he'd never seen before with light brown eyes and dark blond hair came around the side of the pavilion. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, and had a bright blue and green costume hanging over one shoulder. The man stopped as he caught sight of Harry and gave a smile.

"Oh, hey. Harry, right? My name's Timothy."

Harry said nothing, wary.

"I heard about your show," the man continued, stopping a few feet away. "Cathy said you'll be one of us in no time."

His eyes widened. "Really? She said that?"

"Sure did." Timothy grinned. "Said you were a natural, just like her brother."

Harry smiled, tummy fluttering happily again. Cathy really thought he was like Trowa?

"I'd love to see it. Maybe I could even show you a few things if you want."

"Um… I…" His smile fell as he shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling really alone. Trowa was feeding the animals, Quatre and Heero had gone to work today, and Wufei had taken their clothes to the laundry on the other side of the circus. Harry edged toward the tent entrance, knowing Duo was still in the pavilion picking up.

"Hey. No worries." Timothy held up his hands, expression worried. "I didn't mean to scare you. You want me gone, I'll go."

Harry flushed. He was being so rude! Timothy was Cathy's friend and he hadn't done anything to him. He had nothing to be scared of. Duo was right inside. "No. It's okay." He fidgeted, trying to think of what to say. "A-Are you a clown?"

"You bet!" Timothy smiled again. "And I help with the animals. Simba and I are pretty good palls. I helped raise him."

"Really?" Harry's nervousness faded some more.

The man nodded. "Did you know we're getting a new cub in? I bet you'll just love him."

His eyes went wide as a large smile bloomed across his face. "When's he coming?"

"Today. Should be here any minute." The man tilted his head thoughtfully. "If you can keep it secret, I can show you a good place to watch when he comes."

Harry hugged himself excitedly. "Okay!"

Timothy grinned and winked. "Come on, then."

His stomach dropped. "B-But…"

The man didn't hear him. He was looking away, shading his eyes. "I think I see the truck! Come on, we're gunna miss it!"

Harry really wanted to see the new cub, but the thought of leaving without his brothers, of being surrounded by strangers, made him break out in a cold sweat. "I'll go get brother Duo! I'll be real quick!" he promised, turning to dart back inside.

"There's Trowa." Timothy tossed his hand high into the air. "I think he's waving us over."

Harry hesitated, but he moved toward the man, trying to see where Trowa was. "I don't see…" He let out a startled scream as the man whipped around so fast and snatched him up in his arms. Harry thrashed, terror spiking as the costume went around his face, muffling his cries and blinding him.

xXxXxXx

"… gone up two points since last quarter."

Quatre jerked in his seat, hand grasping his chest, blinded by pure unadulterated terror. He leapt to his feet, his thighs hitting the heavy table hard, causing him to topple out of his chair. One of the secretaries standing along the wall screamed; the men jumped to their feet.

"Mr. Winner…."

"… what the…"

"My god!"

"… ambulance!"

He scrabbled at the ground, forced his feet under him. Terrified, nearly hysterical, he flung himself at the door. He had to get out; he had to get away! He had to go home!

"Harry!" he screamed. "Harry!"

xXxXxXx

His attacker started running, squeezing Harry painfully tight in his arms.

"It's okay. I'd never hurt you. God, I've been waiting to meet you for so long. I'm your biggest fan. I have all your videos. Don't you worry; I'll take real good care of you. I'd never hurt such a pretty angel."

Harry was sobbing now, his head spinning. He couldn't get enough air, the cloth smothering him. He clawed at it, heart pounding so fast, drowning out the terrifying words. He moaned, his stomach threatening to sick up. Gasping and choking, he swallowed it down.

xXxXxXx

The sound of running feet, of barely audible whimpers, had Duo leaping forward into a sprint. There, one hundred meters ahead: a man running down a path, a bundle with kicking legs under his arm. Crystal clarity descended as adrenaline pumped through his body. Target in sight, he flew on silent feet, veering off the path and into the trees. A small car came into view. It was pulled illegally onto the path, facing outward toward the city, and had been left running.

Duo skidded to a stop, gun already up and pointed. Unblinking, he aimed. Pop-Pop-Pop! The three shots hit in quick succession. The kidnapper dove sideways into the woods just as the tank exploded, lifting the car up into the air before crashing back onto the ground. Duo raced forward, teeth bared in a dangerous snarl.

xXxXxXx

Wufei spun around at the sound of the explosion. There was one person he knew who was always involved when things went boom. Duo! He really hoped the imbecile was just playing around. Wufei ran from the tent, cell phone already in hand. He hit a specific combination, activating a certain function Quatre had designed so that he could call more than one person at a time. Trowa and Heero answered almost immediately. Quatre and Duo did not.

"There was an explosion south-east side," he snapped even as he raced for the pavilion, which was Harry and Duo's last known location.

"At tent. 02 and Rabbit are missing," Trowa reported, breathing heavily from his own sprint. "In pursuit now. Woods, south side."

"ETA ten minutes," Heero barked, and the line disconnected.

"Coming around the pavilion, location?" Wufei demanded.

"Three hundred meters in. Exploded car," Trowa answered quickly.

Wufei snapped the cell shut and ran.

xXxXxXx

Something big hit them. Harry screamed as they tumbled to the ground a second time. Sharp white agony speared up from his wrist as he was knocked free of his captor. He clawed hysterically at the smothering cloth that pressed moist and hot against his face. Free, he took a deep sobbing breath. Light and shadow, his vision spun, a scream cut through the air, startling him. His head whipped around. Duo was wrestling the bad man, a big knife stuck out of the man's shoulder. He lashed out, hitting Duo hard in the face, knocking the teen off him.

Timothy saw Harry. His eyes burned as he lunged forward.

Harry flinched back with a scream, terrified out of his mind. A boot came flying forward and kicked the man in the face hard enough to send him up and away. Timothy collapsed and didn't move again. Strong arms came around Harry's shaking body. He screamed, arching, trying to escape. He hit his bad hand and screamed again before going limp, afraid of more pain.

"Please, no. Please. I sorry…" he babbled.

"Shhh, it's okay now. You're safe. I've got you, baby. I've got you."

The words slowly penetrated through the haze of madness, and Harry rapidly blinked his eyes. Trowa! Trowa held him, was rocking him, keeping him safe. Harry clung to his savior, sobbing hard until his head spun and everything fell away.

xXxXxXx

Trowa climbed to his feet, Harry limp in his arms. The boy was still breathing quickly, heart hammering in his small chest with fear, and Trowa stared coldly down at the man lying on the ground. "Alive?"

"Yes." Duo's hand moved from the pulse point to the back of the man's neck. "Nice kick there. Let's just hope you didn't break him."

Trowa said nothing, feeling rather unconcerned about the man's condition.

Wufei burst onto the scene, dark eyes taking everything in. "Status?"

"One assailant down. No sign of back-up," Duo reported. He pulled the man's arms behind his back and lashed them together with a spool of wire he'd pulled from his braid. No one mentioned the spreading stain of blood on the attacker's shirt from the knife wound.

"Harry's okay," Trowa added. "Hurt wrist."

Wufei pulled out his cell. "01, we've captured an assailant. Meet at the park entrance for pick-up." He listened for a second before shutting the phone and turning back to them. "Quatre still hasn't answered his phone."

Fear stabbed through Trowa's gut, but he said nothing. Their priority right now was to secure Harry; then he could find his lover.

xXxXxXx

Heero pulled into the parking lot, tires squealing, face expressionless. He turned the wheel sharply, the car sliding sideways and stopping directly in front of the park's gated entrance. Shadows shifted and his team moved into the open. Trowa was in the center of the group, Harry hanging limp in his arms. Duo had an unknown across his back in a fireman's carry, his gun out, eyes cold. Wufei covered them from behind, alert to their surroundings as well as keeping an eye on the unconscious assailant.

Heero leapt from the car to help Duo settle his burden in the trunk while Trowa climbed inside the backseat with Harry.

"Status?" Heero demanded, running a critical eye over his partner.

"A-okay," Duo answered with a dark grin. "Can't say the same for the bastard." He smirked and viciously slammed the trunk lid closed. "Tro almost knocked his block off."

Trowa reemerged from the car, Harry tucked safely in behind him. "I'm going after Quatre."

Heero nodded, already moving toward the driver's seat. "Check in every fifteen."

"Watch out for Harry's right wrist," the brunet warned before jogging off, heading deeper into the parking lot where he'd 'borrow' a car.

Wufei slid into the back with Harry, Duo took the passenger seat, and Heero put the car in drive, flooring it.

xXxXxXx

Trowa careened around the corner, cars honking. The WEI building came into sight, and his heart dropped into his stomach as he took in the two ambulances parked in front. He was out of the car before it came to a complete stop and was running forward. The glass doors opened, a gurney rolling out. A crowd of people were watching, whispering. Trowa plowed through, catching sight of golden blond hair.

"Hey! Stop!"

"You can't go in there!"

Trowa shoved an EMT away and took her place, grabbing Quatre's limp hand. He pinned another tech with a fierce glare. "What happened?"

"I'm going to have to ask you to back off, sir!" the second EMT barked.

"We're family," a female voice snapped.

Trowa turned and saw Iria hurrying over from her car. She came to stand next to him and added her glare to his.

"I'm Dr. Winner, his sister. What's his condition?"

"We don't know," the man admitted reluctantly. "Witnesses described a hysteric episode before he collapsed unconscious. He's unresponsive to stimuli."

Camera flashes were starting to go off, and Trowa pulled the gurney toward the waiting ambulance, wanting to get out of public eye as quickly as possible. The EMTs approved of the movement and helped. In less than a minute, Quatre was loaded in the back of the vehicle. Trowa, Iria, and an EMT climbed inside, the doors were shut, and they were pulling away for the nearest hospital.

"How?" Trowa asked her.

Iria's eyes flashed up from her little brother for a moment. "His secretary knows to contact me in an emergency."

Suddenly, Quatre's eyes flashed open. Trowa caught sight of extremely dilated pupils before the blue eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Quatre's whole body arched against the gurney's restraints, a scream tearing from his throat. The EMT and Iria were shouting unintelligible garble back and forth as Trowa held desperately to his lover's hand.

xXxXxXx

Heero flung his arm out to brace Duo's chest as the trunk exploded. The back end of the car lifted into the air until they were nearly vertical. They tilted sideways, came down on Duo's side of the car, all four wheels off the ground. Glass shattered, metal bent, sparks flew as they skidded along the asphalt. Heero could smell gasoline; it was a miracle the tank hadn't gone off yet. He unbuckled his belt and was climbing out of the car before they came to a complete stop.

He slammed his fist down into the side door window. Harry was conscious. He clung to Wufei, making keening sounds in the back of his throat, eyes wild. Harry flinched and screamed as Heero yanked him up and out of the backseat, but then Harry's legs and arms wrapped around him so tightly that Heero had to fight for every breath. He cradled the back of the boy's head, pushing his face against his neck so he couldn't see the wreck of the car or his bloody brothers.

"Out! Now!" he barked at his two friends. "Move! Move! Move!"

Wufei crawled out the window, blood dripping into his face from a cut over his eyebrow. Duo climbed out the front, his cheek and hands slashed. They ran for it.

The tank exploded, knocking them off their feet. Heero twisted in mid-fall so that he landed back first, protecting Harry with his body. He slid, arching as the sharp pain of his skin shredding hit his nervous system. The boy was hyperventilating, whimpering like a wounded animal.

Heero quickly sat up, cradling Harry to his chest, trying to calm him. They were on a residential street; a shortcut to HQ. Civilians were looking out windows. They were terribly exposed. "Status!" he demanded, stomach sinking at the sight of Duo lying on his side, Wufei on his stomach, both limp.

A black van approached at speed.

Heero jumped to his feet. "02! 05! Incoming!"

Duo groaned and pushed himself up onto all fours. Heero stood over him, Harry in one arm, gun in another. He fired at the van as it came to a screeching stop. Bullets peppered the side panel. Duo was crouching, leaning against his legs, adding to his fire. The side door swung open and a concussion of light and sound bowled them over. Heero instinctively wrapped himself around the little boy in his arms as he went rolling.

His head rang loudly. He had no sense of direction, Harry tangled around him. Booted feet hit the ground, sounding like they were running in circles. A shout of pain, loud cursing; Duo! Before he could move, something slammed into his head and knocked him out.

xXxXxXx

They pulled into the hospital lot and came screeching to a halt. Quatre had fallen unconscious again. His stats were all over the place. Trowa refused to let go of his hand as the back doors opened and the gurney was pulled out. Iria kept pace, shouting orders to the nurses as they raced through the hallways. They were rushed into an exam room, stock full of equipment.

Trowa put his back to the wall and watched as they cut Quatre's shirt off and tapped sensors to his chest. Wires were already hooked to his fingers. Machines beeped and squealed. More electrodes were placed on the blond's head. An IV was inserted in the crook of his arm. Iria was injecting something into the other one. The rapid beeping and alarms slowly became less urgent. The mad rush around the room stopped as everyone took a breath.

After a few more minutes, it was confirmed that Quatre had stabilized and most of the nurses left the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Trowa demanded roughly, eyes pinned to his unconscious lover.

"I'm not sure, but from the description it sounds like he overloaded causing his central nervous system to crash." Iria sighed and rubbed her face, blue eyes strained. "This happened a few times when he was a child, but it stopped once he was taught how to shield properly. I don't understand what could have happened."

Trowa moved forward to stand beside the gurney, gently running his palm over the soft blond hair. "He's been using his empathy a lot. I've noticed he's become more sensitive."

Iria frowned. "He knows better than to let his shields deteriorate to such a point." Shaking her head, she straightened. "I'll have him transferred to our house. He shouldn't be around many people right now. Drugs can help deaden his empathy until he's strong enough to rebuild his shields."

Trowa nodded, stomach in knots. She practically ran out of the room, and he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. His frown deepened as the call went to voicemail. He hit redial. Again he went to voicemail. The tense feeling increased, and he about jumped out of his skin when his cell suddenly rang.

"Yes?"

"Barton, this is Une."

Trowa swallowed hard, waiting.

"Yuy's car was bombed three miles from base. Witnesses reported a black van appeared on the scene, gunshots were fired, followed by a second explosion. The van and Yuy are now missing."

"Maxwell, Chang, and Potter were in the car with him. Potter was attacked at the circus. We rescued him and subdued the attacker. They were en route with the assailant."

There was a short pause. "I'll shut down the port. No one will get on or off this colony until they're found."

"Contact Catherine Bloom at the circus. Have her send me employee photos. The attacker was dressed like a performer."

"Will do. When can you come in?"

Trowa stared down at Quatre's pale face. He knew he had to find the others, but he couldn't just leave Quatre to be attacked or kidnapped as well. He'd get his love secured on Winner property with beefed up house security, and then he'd help search for the others. "I'll be there in three hours," he decided.

"Understood."

Trowa clicked his phone shut. Closing his eyes a moment, he opened them and bent down, pressing a chaste kiss to his love's lips. They were cold, and the chill snaked deep inside him. When he straightened, he was ready to do whatever it took to get his family back.

xXxXxXx

Harry woke abruptly, heart pounding in his throat. Terrifying images ghosted through his memory: gun shots, being held painfully tight, shattering glass, screams… He closed his eyes and forced himself to think of Sage. He imagined his stuffed bunny was in his arms now. He imagined what his fur would feel like. He imagined his button eyes and mouth, forced the colors to become sharp as if he really were looking at the rabbit. Slowly, his heart began to slow, his thoughts stopped blurring and racing. Trembling but calm, he opened his eyes again.

He was curled up on the floor. It was metal, and he pushed himself up and took in the bars around him. It was dark, but he could see a little bit from the small windows high up by the ceiling. His cage sat in one corner of the room. There was a wooden staircase to the left that led to a shut door. Rustling sounds came from across the room.

Harry flinched back, hugging his knees to his chest. His pants were torn at the knee. Blood crusted the fabric and his skin. He felt achy and knew his skin would be dotted with bruises. His wrist twinged, but the white splint wrapped around it kept him from bending it. He took another deep breath. He was okay. It was fine. He'd had way worse before.

He heard a groan. More rustling sounds. A cuss word.

Harry's eyes widened, hope nearly strangling him.

"Maxwell, get off me," came Wufei's grumpy growl.

"Fuck you," Duo snapped back.

A black cloth was pulled away from a second cage in the room.

Harry crawled to the far side of his cage, tears burning his eyes. "Duo! Wufei!"

"Harry!" Duo pressed himself flat against the cage bars, reaching toward him.

Harry reached out as well, but a good two feet still separated their fingers. He pulled back, drawing his legs and arms close to his chest protectively.

"Are you hurt?" Wufei demanded.

"N-no. I'm okay," he answered, voice trembling.

"Ow! That's my hair!" Duo snapped, yanking his braid up and holding it to his chest.

"Maybe you should just cut it off," Wufei snapped back, glaring.

Harry couldn't help but smile. It was almost comforting to see his brothers acting the same as always. And it was a little funny that his two big brothers were stuffed in the same sized cage as Harry. They were pressed together, unable to really straighten even while sitting. It wasn't tight, but it was a little too close for comfort for these two particular brothers.

"I wanna switch to Harry-chan's cage," Duo whinned.

"Can you be serious?" Wufei demanded. He turned his attention back to Harry. "Have you seen Heero?"

He shook his head, smile disappearing as worry washed over him.

"Have you seen our captors?" Wufei continued, grunting as Duo's elbow slipped and hit him in the chest. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting out of here, do you mind?" the braided teen growled, maneuvering his arm outside the bars so he could feel at the lock.

Wufei grumbled irritably.

"Wh-why are we h-here?" Harry questioned in a frightened whisper.

Wufei held his tearful gaze, his expression softening. "I don't know, Harry, but we are going to do our best to escape. I need you to try and stay calm. Listen and watch everything carefully just like we will. Maybe they will reveal themselves if we are very observant."

Harry bit his lip and put on a brave face. "I'll try."

"Very good." Wufei smiled. "You're a very smart, brave little boy. I know you can do this."

He smiled tearfully back and hugged his imaginary Sage.

"Damn it!" Duo hissed, pulling back into his cage. "It's electronic. Can't pick it."

The door opened, spilling light down on them. Harry cringed as a bulky man came down the steps, a cold smile curling his lips. He wore all black and held a metal something in his hands. It wasn't a gun. It was blocky and wide.

"What the fuck, man? Didn't you have another cage lying around? Why'd you stuff me in with this asshole?" Duo demanded loudly, kicking the bars for good measure.

The man gestured threateningly with the metal thing, growling a sharp, "Shut up!"

Duo subsided with a murderous glare, and Harry flinched as the man turned to stare at him.

"Come on, boy. There's someone who wants to talk to you."

"Leave him alone, bastard! Take one of us!" Duo yelled furiously.

The man spun and fired. Wires and light snaked out and landed on Duo's defending arm. The teen arched and spasmed, his face an agonized mask. Harry hurriedly slapped his hands over his mouth to muffle a scream, afraid to draw the attacker's attention. Wufei yelped and cursed as Duo thrashed against him. Then it was over, and Duo went limp.

Harry pressed himself as far away as he could as the man crouched and swiped a card at his lock. The door popped open. Shaking, crying, he was pulled from the cage. Harry looked desperately at his brothers. Wufei stared back, expression blank, but his eyes asked him to be strong.

He bit his lip hard as he stumbled after the big man up the stairs. He tried his best to be observant, like Wufei had said. The floor was wood. The walls were yellow. There were no windows, no pictures on the walls. He counted three doors; one on either side of the hall, one at the end. The man yanked him through the door to the left, and Harry's legs gave out.

He sat hard on the floor, his stomach rolling as the unforgettable stench of burning flesh hit him in the face. Feeling kind of floaty and distant, he took in Heero hanging by his wrists, which were tied above his head to a thick bed post. His brother didn't have a shirt. His back was raw and bloody, while his sides bore black, blistered streaks.

A second man, this one with short black hair stood next to Heero with a red-hot poker. As Harry watched, the black-haired man pressed the poker to Heero's side. His brother jerked, wrenching an agonized groan from his throat as the metal rod was rolled down, pulling skin off in a wide stripe as it went. Bloody, blistering muscle was revealed, the edges of the skin crisping black.

A high keening sound floated around the room as Harry was yanked up by his shirt. He hung limp in the man's grasp, the sound cutting off as he sucked in a new breath. Cold eyes bore into him, but he couldn't hear. He couldn't hear anything. Couldn't see. He was dreaming. Dreaming…

A sharp slap. The world snapped into focus, a roaring filling his ears. A second slap. Habit had his arms rising to protect his face. He tried his best to push down the terrified sobs squeezing his chest tight. Uncle never liked it when he cried.

Shut up, boy, or I'll shut you up myself!

"Are you listening, boy?"

"Yes! I sorry! Please don't!"

"Put the brat down, Beck."

Harry fell to the floor, dropped by Beck who stood over him, still staring with dead grey eyes. Harry whimpered and curled into a small ball. He watched, trembling, as poker-man came over, his black boots so big Harry knew he'd die if the man decided to kick him, but he didn't. Instead, he crouched and tried to look into Harry's eyes.

Harry flinched and looked away, refusing eye-contact, terrified of what he'd see.

"Hush now. There, there. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you."

The sounds of boots crossing the floor. Beck, walking toward Heero.

Heero, Harry forced himself to remember. Gotta help big brother.

"Hey. Kid. Focus, here."

Harry flinched as a poker-man tapped him on the head with the back of his knuckles. He looked up to see dark brown eyes staring down at him. The man smiled.

"Better. My name's Simon. And I'm gonna let you and all the others go if you do one little thing for me. Isn't that nice of me? Aren't I such a good guy?"

Simon paused expectantly, but Harry was afraid that he'd throw up if he opened his mouth. His eyes kept darting to the still glowing poker held across the man's knees.

"Well, Harry?"

The man's smile was fading, and something really bad was going to happen if it did. Frantically, Harry nodded. "Y-you g-good," he forced out past chattering teeth. The smile returned.

"I know! I love being a good guy. You'll help me be the good guy, right, Harry? Help me let you all go. Help me save you. Right, Harry? You want to help me, yes?"

Harry nodded again, gulping back tears. "P-please… p-please let us g-go…"

"I will, Harry. I promise." Simon stood and moved toward the fireplace. He stabbed the poker in the fire, eyes locked on Harry's. "I just need one little thing from you first. I need those numbers your uncle taught you, okay? Tell me those and I'll let you go."

Harry huddled down further. Spots of light danced across his vision, his body and mind locking up.

Simon waited for a minute before sighing. He took out the freshly glowing poker and moved toward Heero. "Guess I have no choice."

"I tell! Please, I tell!" Harry screamed out, reaching for his brother. "Don't hurt. Please!"

Heero's head lifted, turned. Sweat-soaked bangs hung into dazed eyes. "Harry… protect Harry…"

Simon laughed. "Gotta good bunch of boys here, don't we, Beck?" He lowered the poker away from Heero. "Well, boy? Tell me so I can let you go."

A loud crack sounded as the top of the bedpost snapped. Heero swung the makeshift club right at Simon's head. A softer meaty crack and Simon collapsed, the poker clattering to the floor. Beck roared and rushed at Heero's back.

The world slowed. Harry saw Heero's bloody, burned back. The way Heero staggered to one side, as if he might fall over. The image of his uncle coming at him, the pain that always followed. The determined whisper of… protect Harry… Rage boiled up like never before, and Harry screamed. He wasn't going to let it happen. He wasn't going to let his uncle hurt Heero anymore!

A soundless concussion exploded from his body. Harry could almost see it as the force slammed into Beck, lifted him off his feet, and slammed him into the wall hard enough for plaster to crack. The man slid to the floor unconscious, leaving a swath of blood in his wake.

Harry sat frozen, panting, angry and afraid and sick, and suddenly Heero was there, crouching in front of him. He flinched but then leaned hard into his brother's chest, careful not to touch any of the open wounds as Heero's arms came around him to hold him close.

"It's going to be okay," Heero promised, voice rough and weak.

"I'm sorry," Harry sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Harry. I need you to listen to me." Heero shook him gently, hissing as the movement pulled on his back. "Right now I need you to calm down. I need you to focus. It's really important that we get somewhere safe."

"D-Duo, W-Wufei, downst-stairs," Harry managed to get out. "Need k-key." He pointed at Beck's crumpled form.

Heero stood and stumbled his way over. Harry turned his face away. He couldn't watch. Instead he hugged his knees to his chest and squeezed his eyes tightly closed. He tried hard to think of Sage, but he couldn't get it. Not completely. He couldn't stop shaking.

"Harry."

His head snapped up. Heero was leaning against the wall, trembling and very pale. Harry leapt to his feet and wrapped his arms around Heero's waist, trying to help and seeking comfort. Heero pressed a plastic card into his hand and pushed him away gently.

"Get Duo and Wufei. Go, Harry. Hurry."

Harry wasn't so sure he could. He dropped the card twice his hands were shaking so badly. He was scared to leave the room, scared of who might be waiting. He looked up into Heero's face to confess he couldn't do it. He couldn't help.

Heero stared down at him, expression intense. "We'll get out of here together, I promise, but I need you to do this for me. I need your help, Harry. You can do it," he said without the slightest sign of doubt.

Harry clasped the card in both hands tight enough to hurt his palms. He nodded once and ran before he could lose his courage. His brothers needed him! He wouldn't let them down!

xXxXxXx

Trowa had found Harry's attacker's name easily in the circus' employee records. Within seconds, Une had been able to pull up Timothy Walker's address. Not another minute later, Trowa had hit the road with a team of four under his command while Une stayed behind to assemble background information on Walker.

He flicked two fingers to either side of the door. The men split, pressing their backs to the wall, guns at ready. Holding his own heavy, black-matte gun, Trowa kicked down the flimsy apartment door and stormed inside. The agents rushed in at his back, fanning out in the apartment, calling, "Clear!", as they moved through the small living space.

"Agent 11, 12, take statements from the neighbors," Trowa ordered as he moved silently through the filthy den.

Dirty clothes lay scattered around the bedroom. The stale stench of mold and sweat hung heavy in the air. The two windows were shut, the blinds pulled. The buildup of dust revealed Walker hadn't opened them often, preferring the dark. The kitchen and bathroom were equally dirty and cluttered, but the living room was remarkably neat. Trowa claimed this space for himself, gesturing for the remaining two agents to search for clues throughout the rest of the apartment.

Alone again, he looked around with a critical eye. It didn't take a genius to recognize the television was the focus of the room. He moved and knelt on the carpet, pressing the power button. A blue screen appeared. Grimly, he opened the cabinet drawers under the TV and found the DVD player. He pressed play, intuitively lifting the remote and hitting mute. Harry appeared. It was the scene where Dursley had filmed him taking a bath.

Trowa shoved the eject button and practically tore the disc from the drive. He scanned the rest of the cases. Walker had a complete collection of Dursley's sick videos as well as a few others featuring different boys. Trowa grabbed them all and set them aside to be bagged. He moved toward the couch. He felt around the cushions, trying desperately not to picture the pervert masturbating there. His fingers hit a book. He pulled it out and smiled grimly when he saw it was a journal.

"We found two suitcases packed. One has clothes sized to fit Walker. The second has clothes for a child," an agent reported.

"A stack of money was in a Ziploc taped to the lid of the toilet tank," his partner added.

"There were no photos or personal mementos that we could recognize."

Trowa nodded. "Grab the videos," he ordered absently, eyes scanning the messy scrawl written on the pages. His heart began to pump hard. "We're going back to base. Move out."

He stalked out the door, moving quickly toward the car. He couldn't believe what he'd read. Walker had recorded everything! Trowa had a good idea where Harry and the others were being kept. Even better, Walker had confirmed who was behind it; the fanatical Earth terrorists Dursley had dealt with.

Trowa shifted the car into reverse and peeled out of the parking lot, eyes cold as death.

xXxXxXx

Duo held Harry to his side as he climbed up the stairs behind Wufei. The Chinese pilot was better at hand-to-hand, so he'd taken point. He glanced down as they stepped into the hallway, silently asking which door. Harry's eyes were a bit wide and his hands shook where they were fisted in Duo's shirt, but he hadn't checked out on them yet. He was coherent.

The little boy released one hand and pointed to the door on the left. Duo smiled, squeezing Harry's shoulders, near to bursting with pride at how strong Harry was being, and reached forward to tap Wufei silently on the left shoulder.

The teen moved forward quickly; Duo and Harry on his heels. They slipped into the bedroom to find Heero tying gags in the mouths of two downed enemies. Duo's eyes narrowed as he moved swiftly to Heero's side, more concerned about the teen's pallor than the wounds right now. Wufei remained by the door, on guard.

"Status?" Duo demanded, kneeling.

Heero had fallen to one knee, shoulder braced against the wall, sweat dripping down his face and back. Duo knew it must be agonizing, but Heero's expression was stoic as always.

"Harry, bring me the bed sheet," Duo asked, getting the child out of earshot.

The boy scurried away obediently.

"Drugged," Heero reported in a whisper. "Road rash, burns."

"Who are we dealing with?" he demanded, accepting the sheet from Harry and beginning to tear it into strips.

"Terrestrials. Want code. Black hair wants revenge. Woman his lover."

Duo hissed furiously and began to wrap Heero's chest. Harry maneuvered his small body between Heero and the wall, taking the makeshift bandage and winding it around his half before passing it back. They continued their work in silence. Duo eyed Heero, wondering how much of that junk they'd given him. Not enough, he thought smugly. Heero had still taken care of these two, which would have been impressive if he were a normal person, but such feats were the status quo for Soldier Boy. But how many more were they dealing with?

"I'll reconnoiter the area," Duo announced as he got to his feet. "Harry, keep your eye on him."

Heero opened his mouth to argue, eyes burning with fury at being sidelined, but Harry's solemn, "Okay," stopped him. It was vital that Harry remain calm and assist their escape. With Heero's injuries, a zoned-out or unconscious boy would seriously lower their chances of survival, and Lord knew Heero was all about the success of the mission.

Duo smirked unapologetically and moved back toward the door. Wufei gave a brisk nod as he slipped into the hallway. The Asian may be the hand-to-hand master, but Duo was the infiltration expert. His skills exceeded even Heero's in that area, since his partner could never really suppress his attack-head-on tendencies.

Duo ghosted up to the door across the hall and pressed his ear to the wood. Silence. He moved toward the door at the end of the hallway. The faint sound of conversation, male, reached his ears. Duo judged they were at least twenty paces away, one to either side. Not good. These were professionals. They'd situated themselves perfectly so that if one was attacked, the other would be in position to retaliate.

He moved back to the door where he'd heard silence. Again he pressed his ear to the wood and heard nothing. Taking a steady breath, he crouched down and popped the door open casually, as if the wind had opened it. Nothing drew the attention like something stealthy, whereas casual, common place motions went unnoticed.

He heard no outcry or comment about the phenomena, so he sidled closer, peeking around the edge. It opened onto an empty foyer. To the right, he could see a wide archway that led to an equally empty dining room. The front door was directly in front of him, and Duo ducked down as a shadow passed in front of the opaque glass. A second shadow also shifted outside the dining room window that was just within Duo's sight.

Carefully, he snaked his body into the room, keeping low. To the left revealed a living room. Four thugs sat in front of a TV turned down low. Two were watching some car show; the others were cleaning and loading several hand guns. Duo ducked into the hallway and hurried back to his team. Heero had moved up by the door on the other side of Wufei. Harry stood at his side, watching him dutifully. The little boy smiled when Duo winked and shot him a thumbs-up.

"We're positioned at the back end of a residential house," he announced quietly. "The door across from us leads to four armed thugs watching TV to the left. Front door straight ahead. Dining room with visible window to the right. Door at the end of the hall has two well positioned players on either side. Movement outside front door and window. Plan on there being at least two for each exit."

"We need to take black-hair with us," Heero added, eyes cutting to the still unconscious man. "He's connected to a known Terrestrial and may be one himself."

Wufei glared fiercely at the bastard. "Agreed. We need to find them and end this."

"So what's the plan? We're kinda cornered back here," Duo asked, blowing his bangs out of his eyes. "And the clock's ticking."

He didn't want to worry Harry by pointing out they had no weapons, had to guard a child who'd likely panic at the first sign of action, and Heero wasn't at 100%. At best, they were facing eight armed men who've had at least minimal training, and they were going to figure out soon something was up when their downed comrades didn't check in. Besides, his comrades knew all of this without him having to mention it.

Wufei and Heero shared a glance before turning as one to the fireplace.

A wide grin broke out across Duo's face. "Awesome."

xXxXxXx

Trowa lay on his belly with a sniper rifle one house down from the target. He watched the two lookouts who were positioned on the roof, one on the north end, the other on the south, with a gimlet eye. The house was surrounded by nearly fifty agents. They had to handle this delicately. Not being on Earth, space was limited, and that was reflected in how tight the buildings were.

Only the obscenely wealthy could afford lawns or big gardens around their home, and even if these terrorists could come up with that kind of cash, all those estates were already bought and owned since the days when the colony was built. So the terrorist were per force holed up in the middle of a residential neighborhood, surrounded by civilian houses.

It complicated any military operation. Three feet of space separated the target house from the ones to the right and back. A small garden separated the house from the next one to the left, but it was small, only ten feet wide. The most space they had to work with was at the front, where the house faced the street.

The two sentinels on the roof were dressed like roofers. They prevented Une from being able to evacuate the area. It also forced the agents to move with stealth and subtlety. In addition to the look-outs, Trowa had also seen two men in the garden, supposedly working on the plants. There were no less than four window washers out front, and an unknown number within the house. There was no way to know were Harry and the others were being kept or what their condition was. They were stuck. Any hasty move could lead to their deaths.

Thus, Trowa was up on the roof, looking for a sign. He knew his team. Regardless of their physical condition, they would find a way out. Considering how every door and window was being covered by the enemy, it was only logical to look toward the chimney as the only means of escape. He'd been waiting for only twenty minutes when he saw movement.

Without moving his eyes from the roof, he reached for the laser in his breast pocket. He flashed it toward the chimney, strobing a message. Message delivered, he counted back from ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. His gun gave a muffled bark, and the south sentinel collapsed. Duo – for he could see the long, soot-colored braid – sprinted across to the north sentinel and grabbed him as Trowa's gun whoofed a second time. This one had been positioned too close to the edge, and if it hadn't been for Duo, he would have toppled to the ground, alerting the others.

Trowa watched as his friend grabbed the weapons from the corpses. He fed one down the chimney and took position himself in the left area of the roof, keeping a rifle for himself. His hand flashed: fingers, fists, fingers. And pumped up and down three times. Trowa nodded to himself. The others were bunkering down, with captives, awaiting assistance. Move in three minutes.

He got up and ran, agilely leaping onto the next roof and the next until he had a good view of the front. Duo pointed his gun down and began to fire into the room below him. The braided pilot moved in a circle as he shot downward, never staying in one position in case of return fire. Trowa began taking out the lawn workers as quickly as possible.

The loud sound of gunfire had civilians in the nearest houses screaming. Agents poured in from all sides as Trowa leapt from the roof, leaving the rifle behind. He dropped into a roll, jumped up, and ran for the house and his family, heart pumping.

Please be safe, he prayed.

xXxXxXx

Heero kept Harry close to his side as gunshots exploded through the air. They were against the far wall, crouched behind the bed for cover. Wufei stood beside the door, the rifle Duo had dropped down to them in his hands. He fired several times into the hallway. Dying screams floated over the deafening sound of flying bullets. Harry pressed his face to Heero's stomach and whimpered. Heero rubbed his back, eyes unblinking and intense as he watched both Wufei and the fireplace. Their two captives were still unconscious, piled up in the corner, the gags in their mouths preventing suicide by poisoned molars should they awaken.

The gunfire ceased, but they weren't alone. Military commands were being shouted back and forth. Wufei yelled out their position. A Preventer agent appeared, gun pointed up.

"Take these prisoners into custody. I want them in interrogation immediately," Heero barked as he moved into the open, keeping a firm hold on his boy.

"Sir yes sir!" The soldier saluted and moved to obey, talking into his shoulder radio.

Harry never looked up. He kept his face firmly against Heero's side and let Heero guide him blindly. That gesture of complete trust constricted Heero's chest with a powerful feeling he couldn't quite name, and he held the boy even closer.

Trowa appeared just as Duo slithered back down the chimney. The green-eyed pilot immediate crossed to Heero. Heero gripped his shoulder, reassuring him he and the boy were safe, and the tall teen nodded, expression visibly relaxing as he knelt and murmured to Harry. He coaxed the boy into letting Heero go and coming into his arms. Trowa stood, the boy's legs wrapped around his waist, his arms wrapped around his neck, and eyes still tightly closed.

Duo took Harry's spot, gripping Heero's arm to support him. "You need to be looked at."

"Later." The drugs were nearly out of his system by now, but he didn't pull away from his partner. "I want answers."

"Wufei can start without you," Duo countered. "It'll only take a minute."

Heero considered arguing further, but the look on Duo's soot-smeared face made him hesitate. That was all the opening Duo needed.

"Where's the doctor?" he snapped at the nearest agent as they stepped out of the house.

The poor kid – though he was a bit older than them – jumped about a foot in the air. "That way, sir!"

Duo moved toward the disguised ambulance at a fast clip, knowing Heero could stop this at any moment. Normally he would have, but the worry in his partner's eyes stilled his tongue. He imagined Duo being injured and resisting treatment, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He supposed this was just another thing he'd have to endure now that he was involved with Duo. Heero sighed and relaxed into the doctor's care.

"Put him here," a woman called opening the back hatch of the jeep so Heero could sit. The back was stocked full of medical supplies.

Heero scanned the area until he caught sight of Wufei slipping into a vehicle with their prisoners and taking off for HQ. To the left, he spotted Trowa getting into the back of a car with Harry. Four agents stood guard around the sedan, waiting for them.

"Go," Heero ordered, gesturing to the car. He wanted Harry safe. The terrorists were dangerous. It wasn't impossible that they had a backup plan and were on their way with reinforcements.

Duo hesitated and then bent down to kiss him hard. "Let them patch you up, Hee-chan," he said warningly before running off to where Trowa and Harry waited. He jumped in the driver's seat and peeled away.

Heero watched him go, a small smile curling his lips. The expression vanished as he turned to the woman who was wrapping his torso in clean bandages. Now that Harry and Duo were no longer with him, he had no reason to temper his actions. "Hurry up," he growled with his worst glare.

She gulped and moved faster.

Chapter end. Please review!

A/N: So, whew, this chapter definitely left me feeling exhausted. Good news is that Hogwarts is just around the corner. One more chapter to finish this up and then there'll be a time jump. I would definitely bet on there being a few flashbacks to show scenes during the skipped years, but I think we've got the basics and it's time to involve the HP crew!