Author's Note: As an advanced noticed, be prepared for suspense filled chapters as you all move closer and closer to the end. There's still a ways to go but it shouldn't be too long now. This fic should be finished by the end of September but I'm not holding my breath on that just yet. Otherwise, an informative chapter is now at your disposals. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

Warning: language, shounen ai

Solo Goes a Plotting

Duo did not head straight back to the Winner Estate as he had wanted to.

Instead, he had changed his destination back towards the city and to a certain school that he hadn't been to in a while. He was lucky this time around; the most recent class was ending and Master Deng had some free time available.

This was good, he didn't have to wait and hold it all in for much longer.

"What are you doing here?" a familiar voice sneered from a side.

Duo groaned aloud. He did not need this right now.

"Don't start with me Wufei," he growled warningly, eyeing the snobbish Chinese teen murderously. "I am not in the mood right now."

"You would think that I would be that low," Wufei scorned.

"Don't think you can fool me Chang, I know you're that low," Duo snapped. "I need to talk with your uncle so please kindly point him out to me. Otherwise, stop bothering me."

"How rude," Wufei sniffed. "If you think you can intimidate me with that attitude, guess again rat."

"That's enough!" interrupted the sharp voice of Deng. "What are you two, children? Break it up now and no lip."

Wufei only remained long enough to cast Duo a last nasty glare before acquiescing to his uncle's order. Deng frowned at the look but made no attempt to comment about it, preferring to level his attention on Duo instead.

"I hope you know I'm disappointed in you," Deng stated.

"Sorry about that," Duo sighed. "Rough day."

"That is no excuse," Deng replied. "When you are inside my school, I don't care if it even is your father standing there, you will conduct yourself in a matter befitting of not only me but of you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Duo said.

Nodding, Deng's stern features melted back into the customary disposition and small smile that he was known for. "So what brings you here today Duo?"

"Talk in private?" Duo asked.

Nodding again, this time in understanding, Deng led the way back to his office. Duo could feel the distant glare that Wufei was still aiming at him from wherever it was that he had placed himself. He ignored it though, focusing more on the task at hand: talking and venting to Deng.

"So what is on your mind, Duo?" Deng asked the moment he closed his office door.

"You know how you mentioned my father earlier?" Duo started. At Deng's nod, he continued, "Well, you hit the nail on the head, my father is what's on my mind. He's back and he's found me again. He tried to bribe me today to help him out with this deal he's in charge of."

"I hoped you said no, of course," Deng commented.

"You bet I did," Duo confirmed. "But…"

"But?" Deng prodded.

"It's what he tried to bribe me with. He said that he would accept me if this deal went through and I helped to make it happen," Duo confessed.

Deng's eyes widened in understanding and astonishment. "I never thought that man would ever go as low as that," he admitted. "His deceitfulness and debauchery are greater than I have ever imagined. To think that such a human being exists… I am sorry Duo. I wish that you didn't have to go through this."

"If wishes were fishes, we'd be able to walk across the ocean," Duo quipped.

"I have heard that one before," Deng commented. "How appropriate."

"So is there anything you think I should do?" Duo inquired, radiating his absolute trust in the martial arts master through his eyes alone.

Deng knew that all he could do was disappoint his pupil with what he had to answer with. "There isn't more I can tell you other than keep doing what you are doing," he told him earnestly. "You know what kind of man your father is. Do not fall into his traps and tricks. Keep true to yourself and your beliefs and you will come out of this in the best shape that you possible can under the circumstances."

--

Wufei concentrated on every muffled word he could hear from the other side of his uncle's office door. There were quite some gaps in his understanding of what the two inside were talking about but he did know that something was up and whenever that happened, he just needed to be on the lookout for the opportunity to cash in on this thing, whatever it is.

It irritated him to no end how his uncle, a man related to him by blood, would always drop what he was doing in order to council that braided rat no matter the time of day meanwhile he, Wufei, had to wait for his uncle's attentions. It irked him in a way that not even that failing test grade had. He had spent so much time convincing everyone and himself that the reason why he despised Duo Maxwell was because he screwed him over when really this was perhaps the thing that was closer to the truth. From a young age, he admired his uncle and craved for the man's attention. It was when he had been visiting his uncle's school that he had first met, or at least seen, Duo and he had been rendered jealous at the relationship that this Caucasian had forged with Uncle Deng. It didn't help either that his uncle had taken the rat's side when he had rightfully tried to put the rat in his place where he belonged.

But what precisely was going on now? How much did his uncle know of this, whatever it was, and for how long had he known about it? And why was that queer rat talking to his uncle of all people about it?

Most importantly, though, was how exactly could he profit from it?

With those questions on his mind, he slipped away from the door and began to consider his possibilities.

--

"Don't ask."

Those were the words Solo was greeted with the moment he spotted Duo coming in through the front door. So what if the blond had camped out in the main foyer, glaring at the front door until it opened and allowed him the sight of his Duo. That was when Duo spoke up first, long before he was able to demand anything.

So he could only frown at this and rightly so. He had a right to know what went on between Duo and his father and damn it, he was going to know what happened!

Okay, okay, so maybe he didn't have a right because of those privacy issues and whatnot. But that still didn't mean he was going to give up just yet.

Hell, this was the latest thing that was throwing a wrench in his life and he damn well wanted it out. Duo was in the center of it all and, by proxy, Solo was close by if not in this storm as well.

Folding his arms over his chest, he pursued the braided one through the hallways, always on his heels, refusing to stop until Duo cracked.

"Tell me," he demanded calmly.

"No," Duo retorted, determined not to fall to the blond's whims.

"Tell me," Solo repeated, still keeping up in the chase.

"No," Duo repeated, speeding up his pace, attempting to lose the blond shadow. Solo only increased his own pace and kept up with him.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"Get a life already! I'm not saying anything!"

Solo smirked. Now he was getting somewhere. "Tell me."

"Will you just—urg!"

"Tell me."

"NO! Now quit it! Leave me alone!"

By now Duo was running. Even though he shouldn't, Solo ran after the braided one, easily keeping up as he used his longer legs to his ruthless advantage. As amusing as this was now becoming, Solo wanted some answers already. So in one simple motion, he scooped up a surprised Duo into his arms and slowed his speed down so he wasn't running anymore. Duo got over his surprise quickly and was already squirming, trying to free himself. Solo just tightened his hold as his eyes scanned for a room where they could have a more private conversation away from prying ears.

The first such room was an unused guestroom. Immediately entering, he closed the door behind him with his foot and dropped Duo onto the bed before quickly scrambling and pinning Duo down with his heavier body weight. Taking hold of Duo's wrists, he quickly pinned those down as well and glared down into the violet eyes of his captive.

"Now, spill," he ordered. "No more avoiding the topic and no more not answering me. Tell me what happened, okay?"

"This is none of your business Solomon so don't make it yours," Duo growled.

"Too bad," Solo stated, taking note of his full name being used. "I'm already involved whether you like it or not. I've been involved and now I want to know more than what little that I do know and since you seem to know everything that's going on, I'm not going to let up until you talk so the sooner you get with the program, the sooner we can do something about this."

"Get with the program? How about we start with you?" Duo retorted. "I don't have to say anything if I don't want to. Respect that first and maybe we can start getting somewhere. This doesn't involve you anyway."

"It does so when my family gets involved," Solo countered. "Your father is doing something that involves my family and our business. That day you fought Wufei, my uncle talked with you in his study, he mentioned something about this didn't he? That's why you were in there for so long. He told you about this but he said nothing to me or to Quatre and we're related by blood!"

Duo stared up at him in shock.

Solo smiled bitterly. "You think I forgot about that? Well, whatever it was that your dad pulled you out of school for, it involved whatever it was that my uncle talked with you about. So yeah, this does involve me and I need to know what is going on."

Duo looked away. "As if you can do anything about it," he grumbled.

"You don't know that," Solo stated. "I want to help you, okay? I've wanted to help you ever since I followed you back to that rat hole you called an apartment and you told me about what was going on between you and your dad. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Don't you trust me? After everything and all the time we've spent together, you can't tell me that."

"I do trust you," Duo said quietly. "It's just…"

"What?" Solo prompted.

"It's too personal," Duo pleaded, looking up into his eyes.

"What can be so bad that you can't share it with me?" Solo asked gently. "Let me in Duo. Let me help. C'mon. You know you can tell me anything."

Oh no. Those couldn't be…yes they were. Tears were beginning to leak out of Duo's eyes even as the braided one silently pleaded with him to drop the matter. Whatever it was, this thing was making Duo cry and that was completely unacceptable.

Whoever was responsible for this was going to get their skull cracked open.

Keeping his sadistic and homicidal tendencies and thoughts hidden, he gently coaxed Duo into talking. At first it seemed as if Duo had gotten control over his emotions or something since he seemed especially calm when he told him about the business deal that was at the center of this. When he talked about what he did today, his voice became colder but the braided one still remained calm. It was when Duo told him about what Tsubarov had said to him that the tears and the emotional instability returned. By the time Duo was finished telling his tale, Solo was sitting upright with Duo in his lap, the blond holding the brunet like a small child.

Solo's green eyes had hardened as he rested Duo's head on his shoulders. He had never thought that he would ever be as disgusted with another human being as he was with Duo's father. The man just kept going lower and lower, taking the bar with him. It was only his nature to want to rip the man apart but he didn't dare touch him, at least not yet.

His own father may not had been the best parent in the world, being easily pushed around and whatnot when it came to him, his son, but dangling parenthood to entice somebody to do something you want? There were no words in English dictionary to describe how low that was. Even parasites had more integrity than that.

If only this situation weren't so complicated. He was used to dealing with things with his fists if need be and also because most of the things he used to get into usually ended up using fists. This was way over his head, he admitted that and the best thing he could do thus far to offer his significant other a shoulder to lean on, if not cry on.

If there was only something he could do, anything…

If he didn't know any better, he'd say there was a whole conspiracy out there that was out to get him.

Wait.

That was it!

He couldn't do anything but he did know somebody who could and would do so only because they had the guts, and lets face it, the balls, to do something.

After soothing Duo down into a restless slumber, he quietly left the room and went across the hall into another guestroom, pulling out his cell phone as he did so.

Dialing the number, he waited impatiently for a response the moment the familiar ringing sound rang from the receiver. Come on, pick up, he urged, beginning to tap his foot irritably.

"Who is this? We don't want any!" a grumpy voice finally answered. Solo didn't restrain a smirk from coming out.

Bingo.

"Is that how you answer the phone Mueller?" he teased.

"Solo? What the hell are you doing calling at this time?!" Mueller demanded.

"Hey, it's only evening," Solo defended. "Anyway, this ain't a social call."

"Oh, so now you call when you want something," Mueller sneered.

"When have I ever done differently? That's the only times I've ever called you," Solo retorted. "Now shut up for a minute, I need your help."

"And what could be so big that you would want my piss poor help?" Mueller replied wryly.

"Can it Mueller," Solo snapped. "Now listen up. What do you know about a man called Tsubarov? He's a guy that works with the Romafellor Corporation."

He heard silence on the other end and he could only hope that it was a silence where Mueller was thinking. Then after a suspense-filled minute, Mueller finally answered.

"Nope, never heard of him."

"What about Romafellor?"

"Who hasn't? Those greedy bastards run the world, I swear."

Choosing not to say anything to that, Solo pressed, "Are you really serious about wanting to do something about them? You know, show them whose boss and that you're not going to take it anymore?"

"Go on."

"Well, I need you to do something," Solo explained. "Piss them off some. Show the world who they really are and that stuff."

He could feel the smirk that he knew was gracing Mueller's face. "Oh? And what do you think I would be able to do?"

"I've hung around you long enough to know that you have connections," Solo stated, "and by that, I mean followers. I also know that you've done a bunch of illegal shit as well."

"Great, spell out my biography why don't you? What do you want me to do?"

"As I said, piss Romafellor off," Solo explained patiently. "Vandalize one of their buildings, do something, it can be anything."

"And why don't you do it yourself?"

"I'm in a position where I can't but you can which is why I'm bothering to call. Look, do you want to do this or not?"

"Slow down there, I didn't say I wouldn't do it but tell me, what's in it for me?"

"I don't know, maybe you can prove that one of your theories is correct?"

"Uh huh. Okay. Just as long as you can keep the heat off me."

"You got it. I gotta go now."

Without waiting to hear a response, Solo hung up and pocketed his phone. Well, the ball was in Mueller's court and from what he knew, the paranoid moron wouldn't pass up a chance like this. He probably would have done it earlier except for lack of motivation and enthusiasm. Just as long as he had someone agree with him, he would get fired up and perform fucking miracles. Who knew what he was cooking up as he stood there?

Slipping back in to the guestroom, he gazed sadly down as the curled up human ball that was Duo. He really had had a hard life, hadn't he? Harder than his own to be sure. Snaking his arms around the slumbering teen he carried Duo back to his bedroom where he not only put him to bed but followed suit as well. He had no appetite this night and he was going to make sure that Duo got some sleep before tomorrow.

In the meantime, he would leave everything else up to wiser heads.

--

Getting only a dial tone, Mueller hung up his phone. On his face was a manic smile and a twinkle in his eye that betrayed the mischief that he was currently cooking up.

Piss ol' RC off, huh? He could do that. Hell, he'd even surpass Solo's expectations of him. First he need to round a few guys up and get some…tools that he would need.

It was going to be a very busy night…