Chapter 5
Data lists began to materialise in front of the pilots' eyes. Names' of students quickly flowed onto the screen and off again in the blink of an eye. Five pairs of eyes steadily searched the screen for the five names that they needed to find. Surnames beginning with L gave way to S, which in turn bowed before V. The end of the list arrived.
"They aren't there." Duo stated matter-of-factly.
"I'll keep looking. You go and search the college grounds again." Heero ordered.
"Right. This time, try to talk to them instead of telling them to tell you about the college, alright? Wufei?" Trowa requested.
"Fine. But it won't make any difference." Wufei sulked.
"You'd be surprised what a difference it will make. A smile, as well, will…"
"DUO! Get him out of here! I'm trying to work!" Heero's usually calm mask slipped a little as Duo leaned over him to get a drink.
"Geez, sorry! I only wanted some coke, keep your hair on." Duo whined, as he was marched out of the door by the other three boys.
"Hey, I'm open! Pass to me! Hey you threw it too high, idiot!" Came the yell from the basketball court. "Oh, now you're in for it! Over here! Look out!"
Duo whirled round and deftly caught the ball that had been hurtling towards the back of his head. The boys jogged over to him.
"Hey, nice catch!" One of the boys said as he arrived. "You played before?"
"A little." Duo replied. "You need an extra guy?"
"Sure, why not! You'll be on my team." Said the boy. "My name's Peter, Peter Bainbridge. This is David Summers and Alex Summers." He continued, indicating two other boys behind him who looked identical to one another.
"I'm Duo Maxwell. Just enrolled." Duo replied, offering his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Duo." Peter took his hand and shook it. "Come on, we'll resume play now the sides are even."
Duo jogged over to the pitch with the other boys and mentally appraised Peter. He was tall, athletic, with blond hair and brown eyes. He looked as though he came from a good family, probably a military family, by the fitness of his body. He looked like he spent a good two hours every morning doing drills and getting fit, and as they resumed play, he showed himself as a good player, fair with the penalty's and rules, and hardly ever fouled. On the rare occasion that he did foul, he apologised and played to the rules. David and Alex were obviously identical twins, both with mousy brown hair and light brown freckles. As Duo dribbled the ball furiously up the pitch, he desperately tried to remember where he had seen them before. He lobbed the ball at the square on the board, scoring a perfect goal in the process. Then it hit him, like the crowd of boys that piled on top of him in the aftermath. They were the sons of Lord Edward Summers, the noted astrophysicist, who had helped develop the propulsion systems that kept the colonies in place.
"Yes! Duo we won, thanks to you! The first win we've had for weeks!" Peter said happily.
"Just helping the team out." Duo replied, with a grin.
"Nice shooting Tex." Alex put in, clapping Duo on the shoulder.
"Yeh, not so bad yourself. I couldn't have done it without that pass you sent me." Duo accredited.
"Man, that was awesome! You totally kicked their butts out there, Maxwell!" David punched him on the shoulder.
"Well, you're a good team, you just need practice, that's all. You're a good player, Davina. Not many girls could play like that." Duo said slyly.
"Yeh, well, I train with Alex and- what did you call me?" David stopped in mid-flow.
"Davina." Duo replied, calmly. Silence followed his statement. Then Peter let out a hearty laugh.
"Well done, Duo! That means that you're not dumb. I like you. You can hang with us for as long as you like. Come on."
Then Alex and Davina started laughing too. Davina reached up and pulled off the boy's wig she wore, allowing her long, wavy, chestnut hair to cascade down her back. They slung their arms around each other and walked off to have lunch, Duo among them.
"Hahahahaha! That's great Duo!" Alex gasped, wiping away a tear of laughter from his eye. "Tell another one!"
"O.K, let's see. Well there's the one that- oh, hey guys!" Duo halted and called over the other boys. "Peter, Alex, Davina, these are my friends. Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton and Chang Wufei, meet Peter Gainsborough and Alex and Davina Summers."
"Nice to meet you." Quatre said with a smile, shaking their hands. Trowa and Wufei nodded.
"Please sit with us. Any friend of Duo's is a friend of ours." Davina said, indicating the spare seats at their table.
"Thank you. We will, although I think you will find Duo's company more entertaining than ours." Trowa said, pulling out a seat, his visible eye twinkling.
"So, did you guys just enrol too?" asked Peter.
"Yes, we did." Wufei said, with a swift look at Duo.
"Well, we've been here for five years, and we know practically everything about this college. If you have any questions, please just ask. I'm sure we will be happy to answer what we can for you. Right guys?" Peter intoned.
"Right!" Alex and Davina chorused.
"Well, now that you mention it, there is something we have been puzzling over." Quatre chose his words carefully, saying them quietly.
"What's on your mind?" Peter asked. "Oh, let me guess, you can't understand your timetable. Well, it's simple really, you just-"
"Not that, Pete!" interrupted Duo. "We've been wondering why none of the students are allowed in the west…ow!"
Suddenly, Davina had slapped Duo in the face.
"Don't ever let me hear you say something like that to me again, you pervert!" she said loudly. "God, he's soooo crass!" She huffed to the people sat at the next table. They chuckled and carried on with their food.
"Outside under the big oak tree in five minutes. Don't talk here." Alex whispered urgently, then left with Peter and Davina.
"What was all that about?" wondered Quatre.
"If we want the answer to that, we will have to go and meet them." Wufei stated quietly.