UNDERLYING AGENDA

CHAPTER SIX

"The science behind it is flawless, but there haven't been enough applicable breakthroughs yet to even attempt reanimation."

On the second tier, in the private dining area encased in glass and illuminated romantically by candles in sconces, Quatre Rebarba Winner and Trowa Barton exchanged meaningful glances. "I see," he said. Taking his napkin, Quatre dropped his hands into his lap. "And how much more do you require to achieve such an ambition, Doctor?"

"We estimate we'll need an additional $2,000,000,000.00," she said without a stutter. "I can assure you, however, that our successes will yield you far beyond a full financial reimbursement. Please, Quatre. You're our only hope."

"Very well, then. The amount specified will be transferred into the private account within the next few hours. Use it well, and Godspeed." Quatre signed off and handed the com unit to the waiter in exchange for two menus.

Trowa sipped his red and watched his lover momentarily as he perused the menu, "Your faith in such a project is admirable, Quatre."

Quatre smiled, "Are you really talking about my faith, or my generosity?"

"Both," Trowa said, smiling in return. "I don't think you've ever financed something you didn't truly believe was for the greater good of humanity. You have a big heart. It's what I love about you."

"Oh, Trowa…" Sliding along the half-circle seat of their cozy booth, Quatre wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed him generously. "You always know what to say to send my doubts packing, don't you?"

"I didn't know you were having any," Trowa settled an arm on the back of the seat, allowing the blonde to rest safely against his chest with a troubled sigh. Reaching up, he gingerly began stroking his fingers through the soft blonde hair. "Is it the project?"

"Oh," Quatre shrugged. "I don't think it's that at all. I suppose I'm just feeling the monotony that comes with the role of financial advisor to nearly every major company on this side of the Earth's Sphere…"

"Want to start a war?" Trowa suggested casually, smiling down to watch Quatre laugh in response. He was so beautiful when he beamed, and his laughter never failed to turn him on.

"Heaven's no, Trowa!" Quatre gave him a playful pinch in his side, but pulled him close again when he attempted to shy away from further attacks. Trowa's eyes glimmered beneath the golden light of the candles, and he was reminded of the security and pleasantness of peace when he looked into them. They never failed to humble his complaints. "Trowa, may I ask you something?"

"Ask away," he whispered back, brushing the boy's soft lips with his mouth as he spoke.

Quatre caught sight of them as they approached from the first level and gently pulled away. "Later, they're here!" he said, kissing him swiftly before he stood up to greet Heero and Duo gaily from across the room. Quatre gave Duo a fierce hug, and Heero waived to Trowa awkwardly as Quatre hugged him next while Duo laughed. Eventually, they all headed over and joined him at the table.

After they settled down and ordered, the four chatted innocuously before Duo inquired about Wufei's obvious absence. "The hell's he at anyway? Got a girlfriend we don't know about or something?" Heero shrugged disinterestedly and sipped his sake while Quatre and Trowa were at a loss. "No one bothered to invite him? Rude!"

"Wait just a minute!" Quatre defended jovially, "For your information, I left several message on his com unit days ago. Now, whether or not he wanted to be here is another matter entirely. Thank you very much."

Duo abandoned all desire to debate as the waiter set their appetizer of steamed dumplings down on the table. "Please enjoy, I will return with your entrees shortly."

"Don't mind if I do." Readying his chopsticks, Duo licked his lips and plucked one of the succulent offerings into his mouth. "Whoa, Quat! You've outdone…" The thing was fucking delicious, but strangely everyone else seemed more interested in the pair that'd just walked through the VIP entrance down below. Their noses were practically fogging up the damn glass. Duo stood up to take a look and could barely believe it. It was Zechs and Lady Une, arm in arm and dressed for it, for all of it… 'Ain't that some shit,' thought Duo, a knot forming at the base of his throat.

Trowa started quietly. "No, couldn't be."

"I can assure you it is," said Quatre. "She looks extraordinarily well."

"He doesn't look half bad either," added Heero.

Duo sat back down quietly, while Quatre and Trowa seemed amused by Heero's observation. "You do realize you just complimented your old adversary, Zechs Merquise, right?"

"Well, considering how he's been carrying himself lately a night out certainly wouldn't hurt him."

Trowa laughed, and Quatre shook his head. "Just when I thought you could actually play nice…"

"Lady Une beat me to it, apparently."

"To a fucking pulp," Duo muttered, pulling his hand away from his chest as he suddenly realized the others were looking at him.

"You okay, Duo?"

"Fo' sho'!" Duo reached for his chopsticks a little too quickly and ended up knocking them- along with his empty wineglass- to the floor. "Ah piss…"

Exchanging worried glances with Trowa and Heero, Quatre reached out and grabbed Duo's arm as he made toward the floor to pick up. "It's all right, Duo. Henry'll get it, please sit back down."

"You know what?" Duo reappeared and offered them the goofiest grin he could muster, "I'm just-I'm just gonna go, you know?

"What?" Quatre counter attacked with a look of sheer disappointed. "But Duo, you've only just arrived and-…"

"Don't whine. I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?" Plucking a kiss from Quatre's worried expression he made a beeline for the door before he could utter another protest.

Quatre sat back down in bewildered silence. "What the hell was that all about?"

"It's Zechs," Heero prompted. "He's taken a serious interest in him lately, along with what happened to Noin."

"What?" Quatre exchanged another knowing glance with Trowa, before he urged Heero to continue. "How much could he know?"

Heero continued in his characteristically monotonous baritone. "What little the incident and pathological reports illustrate. He's got all the answers sitting on the edge of his desk and doesn't even realize it."

Quatre frowned, uncomfortably certain of the answer to his following question. "How the hell did he get a hold of those records, I wonder."

Trowa broke in, taking Quatre's hand firmly in his own. "It doesn't matter. The objectives of the project are well concealed. Duo will never know, no matter what the records may indicate."

"I gave them to him," Heero admitted nonchalantly. "And even if he did stumble on to it, I highly doubt he'll find a project seeking to reanimate bodily organs for transplantation that lucrative anyway. What Duo wants is a puzzle to solve, relief from the tedium of living predictably."

"And he'll find it in Zechs Merquise, will he?" Henry appeared and presented them all with their entrees, but the present conversation had successfully murdered Quatre's appetite. "Something's not right," he said, placing his glass on the table decidedly. "Why him? Why now?"

"I'd be more concerned with Lady Une's intentions with the former Lightning Baron, Quatre. " Trowa savored the only bite he could muster, put down his fork, and turned to look down at the warmly conversing couple. "She alone has scores left unsettled."

Having cast aside his own hunger, Heero had leant forward and had been staring off into the candlelight for some time. "Zechs can handle himself."

Quatre rolled his eyes at Heero's well practiced indifference to the braided youth. "And what's to become of Duo? If he and Lady Une share the same objective, then he leaves a man with no intention of investing in him to decide his fate."Quatre leant in toward Heero closely, an expression of unmistakable seriousness darkening his eyes. "Without any other investments, it'll destroy him."

"Duo's more resilient than the four of us ever gave him credit for. He is no stranger to sacrificing for causes destined to yield no victory or profit." This seemed to satisfy Quatre into contemplative silence, but Trowa picked up on Heero's subtle eagerness to believe, and to convince others, that Duo truly could survive on his own.