Whew, okay here's chapter eight! I'm so sorry that these are taking so long to get posted, I'm in the middle of that end of the semester crunch time . . . I might kill myself actually. For those of you reading Occam's Razor, I'll hopefully get the next chapter up in the next week. Thank you for the reviews guys, I'm so happy that people are actually finding this funny. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Mutually Assured Destruction

Chapter Eight – Elevated Threat Level

Tynan

- - - - -

"It's agreed then, Duo will work recon in order to gain the information we require."

"I still don't think that he's going to help us."

"Idiot, of course he won't if he knows what we're doing!"

"You have to be sneaky about this, Duo –"

"Hey! I think everyone's forgotten who they're talking to here!"

"We haven't, and while you're talking to him, don't you forget watching the men with the crane lift your car out of your office window."

"Hey man, that's all the motivation I need."

- - - - -

"Oh I wish I could have seen their faces." Hilde chuckled to herself as she rolled up the blanket they had been sitting on. It was well after sunset now, but that was how long it took to get all three of the boys' cars out of their offices.

Dorothy smiled, "With that building I'm sure there's a security camera around there somewhere that we could get pictures from."

"So . . . what do you think they're going to do to us in return?"

"Miss Relena, if those boys have any sense they'll realize that they simply cannot win here and give up."

Relena rolled her eyes, "Dorothy, you know as well as I do that they are probably plotting as we speak."

"Well personally, I think that they should just be grateful that we put the cars back together at all." Hilde stood up wearing a grin that could rival her boyfriend's, "I even changed the oil and everything."

"Hilde, I mean it. We messed with their cars, you of all people should know how protective Duo is of that thing."

"Yeah yeah, you're right. But look, if they're going to get us, let's face it, there's not going to be much that we can do about it."

"Well," Dorothy flung her long hair over her shoulder, "I don't know about you ladies, but all I have to say on that subject is that if they dare try anything, I will make them sorry that they were ever born."

The other two nodded in resolute agreement.

- - - - - -

Quatre looked up from the proposal he was reading at the sound of the vid-phone ringing, more specifically his private line. Only a few people had this number, which meant that is was more than likely one of his friends on the other line; the blonde man smiled to himself, after the past week he could do with seeing a friendly face.

He set down the papers and picked up the phone; Duo's cheerful face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Quat!"

"Duo," Quatre smiled at the braided man, "how are you?"

"I'm good, man, I'm doing good. Hey look, I'm sorry to just call like this, but well, I was hoping you could help me with something."

A knowing sense of apprehension filled Quatre's stomach, but he managed to keep a pleasant look on his face, "O-of course, Duo. What can I do for you?"

"Well . . . this is kind of embarrassing." He stopped to scratch his head, "See . . . well Dorothy's in town –"

"Yes, I heard that she went to Brussels to see Relena for a few days."

"Yeah . . . see, Hilde and Relena thought that we should all go out to lunch together," Duo suddenly looked very, almost sheepish, "and well, you know Dorothy and I never really got along."

"Yes, I remember." Quatre answered dryly, trying to repress the images of Dorothy and Duo's last encounter.

"So anyway, Hilde told me that, well she's gone through all this trouble to set this whole thing up and . . ." he sighed, "Look Quat, you're the only one I know who know anything about the girl so umm . . . could you . . ."

"Tell you a little about Dorothy?" Quatre felt a wave of relief wash over his body, pleased to see that Duo was taking an interest in getting to know his their mutual (sort of) friend.

"Well, I'm not saying I need to know everything about her. Just, you know, what she likes, doesn't like, hobbies, any weaknesses she might have."

Quatre did a double take, "What?"

Duo sputtered for a second, "Y-yeah, you know like allergies or something." His friend laughed nervously, "W-wouldn't want to take her to the wrong restaurant or something, she'd never let me hear the end of it."

The blonde man relaxed a bit, "Oh well to be honest with you Dorothy is a very cultured and worldly individual."

Duo face fell for a moment as he replies dryly, "You don't say."

"Yes, so you really could take her just about anywhere you'd like, as long as the restaurant's on the ground."

And he immediately perked up, "On the ground?"

"Well, I suppose a few stories up would be okay, but not much higher. You see, Miss Dorothy is deathly afraid of heights."

- - - - -

Relena couldn't help but feel apprehensive as she dialed Dorothy's number; it had been four days and there had been no retaliation from the boys. Dorothy had insisted that they had simply realized they were outmatched; regardless, she had planned to stay for a week on the off chance that their victims attempted retaliation. All had been quiet so far . . . but as far as Relena was concerned, she knew it was only a matter time.

She heard the phone click as the other end was picked up and Dorothy's face appeared on the screen. "Why Miss Relena, not backing out on me tonight are you?"

Relena forced a smile, "No, of course not. It's just –"

"You're still worried about the boys."

"Dorothy, don't make fun of me for this. We're talking about Mr. Perfect, the King of Pranks, and Minister of Justice. The three of them are like some sort of team of –"

"Superhero prankers?" Dorothy tried to suppress a chuckle.

"Dorothy this isn't funny!"

But the other woman was still snickering under her breath, "Yes, Miss Relena, it is. You need to relax, this whole situation has gotten you very worked up, it's not good for your health, dear." Relena pouted as Dorothy continued, "Now, I got us a table for 8:00, a private room and everything so that we can have a nice, quiet, girl's night out."

Relena couldn't help but smile a little bit, Georgina's was after all her favorite restaurant, "I still think that we need to be careful."

Dorothy rolled her eyes, "Miss Relena, if it will make you feel any better think of it this way: Those boys couldn't possibly come up with anything that would do me any harm, and if they can't get all of us, they won't bother."

"I wouldn't be so confident, Dorothy. They're very resourceful when they have to be."

"Oh stop it, you know good and well that they hardly know a thing about me, and it's not as if they have some sort of 'Dorothy Dictionary' or inside source at their . . ."

Relena watched as Dorothy's gaze slowly drifted to her desk in a thoughtful manner, "Is something wrong?"

Dorothy immediately lifted her head, "Oh no, dear. It's nothing, I've just . . . well I've just remember I have to make a phone call before tonight. I'll see you and Hilde at 8:00 then?"

Relena nodded and the line was abruptly terminated.

- - - - - -

Three figures sat hunched over a large table perched in the corner of a dimly lit kitchen. The table was covered with blue prints, schematics, tools, and the occasional weapon. Tacked to the wall next to the table was a chart with three different colored lines, each corresponding to various times and locations. One of the men stood and gestured to the chart.

"Everyone understands the mission parameters then?"

"Heero, man don't worry, we got this." Duo reclined in his chair nonchalantly, much to the annoyance of Wufei.

"An attitude like that is exactly what is going to screw up this mission, Maxwell! This is one of the most complicated and sensitive operations we've ever attempted, everything must go exactly according to plan, you know what's at stake should something go awry."

Heero nodded, "We were fortunate that the three of them are having dinner together tonight; our objectives will be far easier to obtain if they're all in the same location."

"What time was their reservation for?"

"Eight o'clock. We should head out."

"Yeah, yeah." Duo stood from his seat and grabbed one of the three bags on the floor, swinging it over his shoulders, "Well let's get to it th –" He stopped short at the sound of his phone ringing, "Hey one sec guys."

Duo took a step away from the table, and flipped open his phone as Heero mutter for him to make it quick.

"Duo?" Quatre's quiet voice emanated from the other side.

"Hey man, how's it –"

"Don't 'How's-it-going-Quatre me, Duo! I just got off the phone with Dorothy!" Quatre sounded vaguely angry, a tone Duo was not used to, but he stood his ground.

"Ya did huh?"

"Yes, and the first thing she asked me was if I had talked to you recently."

"And what did you say?"

"What do you think I said?! I told her that I hadn't heard from you in several weeks! Do I look insane?!" The man on the other end of the phone suddenly seemed desperate, and slightly terrified. Duo couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

"Heh, well . . ."

"Duo, I don't know what's going on, but whatever you're planning call it off." Quatre pleaded. "You don't know what you're dealing with here! The woman is smart with nearly unlimited resources and almost no compassion for those who have wronged her. She will kill all of you before you even have a chance to breathe . . . if you're lucky."

After listening to miniature tirade, Duo could help but feel the tiniest bit nervous, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. "Quat, come on, it's me, Heero, and Wufei. I think the three of us can handle her."

"Duo, I'm begging you, please reconsider."

"Sorry man, but this war."

Silence enveloped the other side of the conversation.

"Quat, you there?"

"Duo?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"Please don't tell Dorothy I had something to do with this."

"Hey, no promises, but I'll try."

Quatre sighed, "Fine, but could you do me a favor before you guys start this little plan?"

"Sure thing buddy, what'd ya need?"

"Yours, Heero's, and Wufei's exact heights."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to have to pick out coffins for the three of you."

- - - - -

Remmy Goustou, paused to look up from his work. The executive chef of Georgina's scanned his kitchen in a curious way. Something seemed off here, but for the life of him he could not determine what it was. It was a Friday night, the five star restaurant was packed as usual, but on top of this the corporate giant Dorothy Catalonia and the Foreign Minister had chosen tonight to take up positions at the chef's table.

As usual the kitchen was bustling with activity, waiters, sous chef, and assistants were dashing about the calculated chaos . . . however, he just could not shake the feeling he had seen someone that he didn't recognize for just a fraction of a second . . . a young man in a waiter's outfit with a long braid trailing behind him.

Pushing the thought out of his mind as turned back to the meals he had personally crafted for tonight's honored guests, but paused as he glanced down at them and realized that one of his many assistants had already sprinkled the dished with cayenne pepper. Remmy smiled to himself and swelling with pride that his staff was always so on top of things as he lifted the dishes onto the pickup shelf and tapped the bell.

- - - - -

Relena sighed as a cool breeze tickled the side of her face. Light was streaming in all around her, prodding her to wake, calling her name.

"Relena . . ."

She rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head, hoping to drown out the voice for just five more minutes, but it persisted.

"Reh-leen-ah . . ."

The breeze continued, swirling her hair around her head, lolling her back to sleep, the voice seemed to have vanis –"

"Damn it, Relena wake up!" Something hit her in the side of her head and Relena snapped out of her daze, sitting bolt upright in her bed . . . and almost immediately stopped breathing.

Sprawled out before her was the most breath-taking view of Brussels anyone could possibly imagine . . . actually they wouldn't have to imagine it if they were –

"Wha - . . . Where are we?" She almost begged of her two friends, both of whom she had just noticed were perched a top their own beds, which were lined up next to hers.

"Where the hell do you think we are?! We're on top of the World Finance Building!" Dorothy snapped at her. Despite losing her usual cool, Relena also couldn't help but notice that the blonde woman also looked a little pale. She was also clutching one of the craved wood bedposts as her long hair was whipped around her face.

Relena was at a complete loss as she turned back to survey the vast expanse before her. Her mid reeled as she thought back to the previous night. Dinner had been exceptional, her meal was perfect, the wine selection impeccable, the desert was to die for. She, Dorothy, and Hilde had wasted away hours with pleasant conversation and perhaps a little too much alcohol . . . she had begun to feel tired as they left, well after mid-night. In fact, now that she though about it, she never remembered reaching her home last, instead falling asleep in the car –

Realization struck Relena, "They drugged us!"

Hilde let out a soft sigh, before sarcastically responding, "I'm so glad you're leading the free world, Relena. That would have been really hard to figure out."

Relena ignored the comment. She had to give the boys credit for this one, they had thought this out and executed it perfectly, going so far as to bring their own beds to the top of the building. Relena turned back to where Dorothy was beginning to look a bit ill. "Dorothy, are you alright?"

Her blonde hair swirled around her beautiful, but pale, face as she looked up to meet Relena's gaze, fire blazing in her eyes.

"I am going to kill Quatre."

- - - - -

Duo sat up in his lounge chair, setting his plate aside and bringing the binoculars he was holding up to his face. "Oh hey guys, they're waking up!"

Heero and Wufei appeared instantly as his side, each with their own binoculars. Heero checked his watch, "It's 10:30, they were out a lot longer than we thought they would be."

Duo shrugged a bit and picked up his bacon and egg sandwich as Heero went back to the grill they had set up, "Sorry about that, guess I went a bit over board with the stuff. Where'd you get that anyway, Wufei?"

The Chinese man set down his binoculars and returned to his own lounge chair and breakfast, "Sally's lab. She may have gotten a bit suspicious about I was asking about all the pills and things in their, but she'll forget about it."

"Yeah, it must have really done a number on them, because they certainly didn't notice you were the one driving their car."

Heero took a seat next to Duo, his hot-off-the-grill breakfast in hand, and looked over the edge of the skyscraper whose roof they were currently perched on. Behind them the small grill had begun to cool next to a table that was now laden with cracked egg shell, empty containers of bacon and ham, several bags of bakery fresh rolls, and a couple cartons of orange juice. "Shame that this building isn't close, but I suppose this is the best we could do if we wanted to be eye level with them."

Duo leaned back in his chair, "Hey man, I'm not complaining, this is one hell of a relaxing way to start your day." He downed his second sandwich, as he turned to his friend, "Heero, man, I had no idea you could cook."

"Bacon and eggs are hardly gourmet, Maxwell."

But Duo was not listening to Wufei as he picked up his binoculars again, "Ha! Look at Dorothy! She's holding on to the side of bed, ha – Oh, she just threw a pillow at Relena, looks like she's getting mad!"

The three men laughed and continued with their breakfast.

- - - - - -

"Dorothy, are you sure that you're alright? You look very pale still."

"I'm fine, Miss Relena. That sedative is starting to work."

"We're lucky that Sally was in her lab this morning."

"Doesn't that woman have anything better to do on a Saturday?"

"She said she was doing inventory . . ."

"You don't think that Wufei . . ."

"So it would seem."

"Hmm, we could use to our advantage."

"Dorothy, I don't know how we're possibly going to –"

"Oh not you too Hilde! Don't you dare give me that defeatist attitude! This whole operation has become something more than just pulling practical jokes on one another, this is psychological warfare now!"

"And by that you mean?"

"They drugged us and put us on top of that roof just to show us that they could! They want us to see how defenseless and incapable we are compared to them, they did this just so we could see what they can do!"

" . . . So then, we have to show them what we're capable of."

"Exactly. And we have to consider Mr. Winner an enemy as well now."

"Agreed. So, what's the plan?"