~AC 197, March 8th, L4-A001, Winner Mansion, 9:54am~
Trowa woke up abruptly, going from sleep to instant awareness in the blinking of an eye, as if surprised that he had been sleeping at all. Which was not far from the truth, actually.
He blinked several times because of the bright artificial lights that flooded the room. He had not even thought about pulling the drapes after Wufei had threatened him into bed in a quite effective manner. He did not really remember how long it had taken him to get to sleep after that, but what he could now see was that he had slept. And he had slept well, for more than twelve hours, with nothing interrupting.
Sitting up in the large bed that felt unfamiliar even if it was his in theory, he rubbed his eyes and closed them, listening for any kind of sound, but the great mansion was absolutely silent. The Maguanacs were making themselves as unobtrusive as possible while securing the mansion, Heero and Duo were probably not back yet and nothing must have happened with Quatre or someone would have woken him up. The only sound he could hear was that of his own breathing.
He slowly lied back down, somehow feeling exhaustion weigh on him even after that much sleep.
'God, just how long has it been since I slept like that! Not ever since I left back then in January, and when I occasionally came back here, I certainly did not sleep in here.'
He smiled as he felt a fluttery feeling inside of his chest, the little tickling that was so Quatre. His lover was probably close to waking up too, but wasn't conscious yet. He would have felt it. And he trusted Wufei to look after Quatre.
Deep inside, he knew that was one of the reasons why he had slept so well. For the last three weeks, when he didn't know where Quatre was, sleep had simply been an inconvenience, something that he couldn't stop doing altogether and happening at the worst time possible. Then, once they had found Quatre, he had only slept sporadically, and the only real sleep he had had before that very long night was when he had dozed off in Quatre's room. But now, with Wufei here, everything was different. It was different because he knew he could trust Wufei with Quatre and know that Wufei would take care of him. It felt different because all of the weight, all of the guilt, was not on his shoulders only. It felt different because, by taking care of Quatre, his friend had shown him that he was here for him too. And Trowa could not help thinking that this was a good omen for the future. At least now he was sure that he had absolutely no objection to Wufei joining them, and that he would do all that was in his power to make it possible without chasing Wufei away.
'Maybe I should just let Cat handle that part, though. He's the one who started it, really. I never thought I would live to see Quatre Winner suggest a threesome. That was quite some day.'
They had cried that day when their shared feelings for their friend had come out in the open, both afraid that the other might not take it well, both relieved that it had turned out okay, both sad that they had to face the fact that they could not be all they wished to be for the other. It had been one of those huge emotional moments during which Quatre managed to cry his eyes out and sniffle and still look adorable, and Trowa just made a mess of himself and got red and puffy eyes. But it had been a necessary step. Somehow, the admission had made their relationship even stronger, as if they both needed to persuade the other that they would always have a special place even if a third one joined in. And then, they had begun to plan how to tell Wufei so that he would not bolt to a distant place never to be seen again.
But that was before… before someone had decided to hurt Quatre to get the money back, money that Quatre wanted to give away anyway. That was before someone had dared touch what was most sacred to Trowa. That was before he had to confess to Wufei on his own because keeping the secret and trying to be strong all by himself were really too much for him after all he'd been through in the past three weeks.
At that point, Trowa probably would have indulged into a fresh load of guilty thoughts, but his stomach interrupted him by growling loudly and startling him enough to sit back up. He looked down at his belly as if daring it to do the sound again, which it did but a bit more muffled.
'Time for some breakfast, I guess. And I'm actually hungry, go figure. I think I had almost forgotten what food tastes like.'
He got out of bed and threw on his clothes, taking a mental note to have them washed soon and to take a shower after he would have put some food in himself. Looking at himself in the mirror and seeing his image without the dreadful dark circles under his eyes, he took a deep breath then got out of his room to go check on Quatre before getting something to eat and some caffeine.
Actually, Trowa just stuck his head through the door when it opened with a hiss. Quatre was still sleeping, looking more relaxed than Trowa had ever seen him since they had found him, electrodes still in place and recording slightly less disturbed brainwaves. Wufei was sitting cross-legged against the wall. He looked up from his book, saw Trowa, and got up and to the door.
"Still nothing," he whispered. "He slept the night. Have you eaten?"
Trowa tried very hard to fight the smile that tugged at his mouth. Really he tried, but he just had to give up. This was almost too cute, the way Wufei fussed over him so naturally. Not that Trowa would ever say it out loud. It would only piss Wufei off to no end to be called cute and Trowa didn't really fancy eating anything sharp and irony. He left that kind of entertainment to Duo.
"I was going to," Trowa finally said. "Just checking in."
"Some turmoil this morning. Not with him, but apparently someone is not happy with the way we're running our case and warned the press."
Trowa grew serious instantly. That could be bad, but… well, Dorothy was supposed to be in charge of that part, and even if Trowa couldn't get himself to like her right now, he had to admit that dealing with obnoxious reporters was something that she could probably do better than any of them.
"No news from…"
"On their way back. Status uncertain."
Trowa frowned. That didn't sound too good. He shot another look at the still form on the bed, but didn't have time to think further. Wufei firmly pushed him out of the room again, stepping out with him and letting the door close behind them both.
"You go and get yourself something to eat, and then you can come and sit with him while I go get some sleep. How does that sound?"
Trowa nodded and made his way down the corridor, only slowing down to make sure he heard the door hissing open and close again.
He was almost starting to think that maybe things weren't looking so bad when the front door opened and Duo stumbled in, supporting a Heero that did not even seem to be in any shape to be standing at the moment.
"Honeys, we're home," he said in an exhausted voice.
Trowa raced down the stairs to them and caught Heero just as Duo was letting go of him, slumping down on the ground as well. Carefully maneuvering Heero in a more comfortable position, he could feel that his friend seemed to be burning with fever.
"What happened?" he asked in a blank voice.
"…'m not sure," Duo answered. "Kind of a long story, but to make it short, it looks like Heero found whatever was done to Cat, but only managed so by putting himself through the same process. I'd have said it's an improvement from trying to self-destruct every other day, but I'm not so sure now."
He brushed sweaty bangs away from his face and sighed heavily, holding up some things that looked like computer memory cards.
"Heero found these, and believes they have something to do with what happened to Cat, but… I dunno why exactly he had to do what he did to understand, but it shook him up bad, and as soon as we got in the shuttle, he broke into a sweat and I thought he had a seizure. I had to strap him in his seat and give him a shot so that he wouldn't end up hurting himself by moving too much… and pilot all the way back here, too. Remind me why I love this guy again?"
"I have no idea," Trowa answered, running his hand along the lines of Heero's face, and listening to his comrade's shallow breathing.
Duo slowly pushed himself up again.
"Listen, we're all sweaty and disgusting, so I'll take him upstairs, wash us both and stick him into bed. Could you warn the others and get Sally? There's… something I want to ask her, if Heero's okay with it… you know…"
Trowa nodded slowly. Yes, he knew what Duo was talking about, and he too was beginning to think that maybe it would be a good thing.
'And I know I'm only saying that because I refused to do it myself,' he thought sarcastically, running off to find the doctor.
Sally was ready when Trowa came to get her. Ever since Iria had relayed Wufei's words to her, she had been thinking about how she would approach the problem. Whatever had happened, she was almost sure of what Duo would ask, but it would be impossible without Heero's cooperation. And maybe Heero would not want to cooperate when she would tell him what she thought was best.
She followed Trowa down the corridor, deep in thought, when a low grumble interrupted her. She stopped dead and looked at Trowa.
"Did you have anything to eat?" she asked sternly.
"Was going to, got distracted on the way," he answered, even managing to look just a bit ashamed.
Sally rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for the love of God! What is it gonna take for you guys to take care of yourself properly? Do I have to beat you up for you to do it? 'Cause if that's the only way, I will! Okay, you go get something to eat for both you and Wufei, and you go be with Quatre. It's an order!" she added when Trowa opened his mouth to protest. "You can't help me with the other two, and I'd like both of you to stay with Quatre in case he wakes up and is disoriented. If possible, I would like for things to be less dramatic than last time."
Trowa nodded, but Sally was not a doctor for nothing, and she had been around those boys long enough. She took Trowa by the shoulders and made him face her, clear blue eyes staring into deep green ones.
"Don't worry about Heero, Trowa. It was bound to happen at some point. The timing is incredibly wrong and he has to get better if only for Quatre's sake, because from what you told me, he is not in any shape to be near an unchecked empath right now, but it's gonna be okay. Duo and Heero have been discussing it for a while now, and Duo's own experience was so positive that Heero was beginning to consider the idea. I'm sure Duo and I can find a few points to convince him to do it."
Trowa nodded again, but frowned at the same time.
"You're not going to be the one to do it, right?"
She smiled.
"No. I think I will ask Dr. Carter to help me on this one."
"Why?"
"Because I'm too involved. Because he's a very good doctor and he's trying his best to help. And because it's about time you guys start trusting him a bit. Whether you like it or not, he was here to help Quatre when we were not. I'm not saying it's your fault, it's just a fact, Trowa. He was there for Quatre, and we need his help. I think that this may be the best way to start telling him that we do trust him at least a little bit. And… Well, I would have sworn that you at least were kind of ready to let him in."
"I… I can't forget that he helped Quatre during those three weeks. It's thanks to him that Quatre is back," Trowa said simply.
"That's right. But you know our two dumbheads, right? Duo is hardly a very trusting person, and Heero has clearly been conditioned to distrust everyone. They need a strong incentive to begin to accept that Carter is not an enemy or someone intruding. I think that's the best occasion."
"You planned it all out, didn't you?" Trowa asked suspiciously.
"No. I had no idea that this would come to happen now, and I was sort of desperate to convince those two anyway. I was prepared for big yelling matches, which I would have won because I'm the doctor, but then we would have had to deal with a disgruntled Duo Maxwell and a pissed-off Heero Yuy, and I was not really looking forward to that."
Sally smiled brightly, and stretched, as if readying herself for a fight.
"Okay, now you go stuff yourself with food and tell Chang I'm sorry for stealing his nappy-time… No, in fact, don't tell him that, I'm not sorry, and I'll bet he doesn't even care. I swear that guy's even less human than Yuy sometimes. I've never understood how he manages to stay awake for more than forty-eight hours without dropping dead. I'm going into the lion's cage. Wish me luck!"
"Are you going to tell Carter about…" Trowa began, his voice trailing and not finishing the question.
Sally grimaced.
"I will have to tell him something, obviously, but… I think it would be wiser to keep the big, detailed explanation for a bit later. Once Heero feels better and Quatre wakes up. Then, I'll fill him in, and I would like all of you to contribute and tell about your own experience with that thing so that he knows what we're up against."
She stopped talking abruptly, then smiled sadly.
"He may not realize it, but he's risking his life in this too, Trowa," she said very low. "And I don't think any of you want to see another innocent life crushed because of who you are."
And she left.
Heero came round under the cold spray of the shower. It took him a few seconds to analyze the situation and realize that he was in their bathroom in Quatre's house and in Duo's arms. Now he just had to understand how the hell he had made it there when all he could remember was passing out in the shuttle.
"Shh, babe, it's okay, I got you," a low voice murmured in his ear as the arms encircling him made him turn round.
"D… Duo?" Heero whispered.
"Yup! Didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did ya? Now can you stand up on your own? I'd like to grab the soap, but I can't do it without at least one hand."
Heero managed to lean on the tiled wall to support himself, but he truly wasn't feeling as shaky as he remembered. In fact, it was far better now, and he began to shiver under the cold assault of the water. Duo noticed it immediately and raised a hand to feel his forehead.
"Good, your fever's gone," he said, and turned the faucet until the water was a nice warm temperature. "That was quick. Now I don't think I need any more proof that you're inhuman so could you please stop scaring me to death? Or at least warn me beforehand, that would be nice!"
Heero turned around to face his lover and meet his worried eyes.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just… didn't think…"
"That's right, Yuy!" Duo snapped while soaping Heero's body gently. "You never think! Did you even think about what I was gonna do if you happened to zap yourself dead or anything?"
Heero hung his head in shame, and felt tears starting to burn his eyes. But in the same time, he was suddenly enveloped in a strong embrace. And he could feel Duo's body shaking and understood that his lover was trying hard not to cry too.
"I can't do this without you", Duo murmured in a hoarse voice heavy with unshed tears. "I'm so fucking scared of living, y'know, so if it's not with you, it's not even worth it. So don't you dare say 'To hell with all this shit' and leave me here alone, Heero. Don't you dare! Because if you do, you have to know that I won't be far behind, no matter how much I love the other guys. And what would they say, huh? What would they have said if all I had had to bring back was a corpse? How do you think they would have taken it?"
Heero closed his own trembling arms around Duo and held him close, the task rendered difficult by the fact that they were both slippery with soap.
"I know this is difficult for you, you know?" Duo kept on. "I know how lost you're feeling, because I feel exactly the same. But I won't give up. And not just because Cat needs us, but because I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror and say 'this is one mean bastard and he's here to stay'. We're here to stay. Together. All of us. You've got us, now, Heero. And no matter how hard I have to pound it in that thick skull of yours, we need you, just as much as you need us. So next time you feel like risking your neck, just stop a moment and think about us, please. Think… think about me."
"I promise," Heero answered, tears finally spilling. "I'm sorry."
Duo drew back a little and smiled, kissing the salty tears mixed with shower water away.
"I know," he said. "I know. It's okay."
"No, it's not. But it will be. I have to hope that it will be."
"If we work together, it will. You said it, Heero. Teamwork."
Heero caught Duo's hand, entwining their fingers and squeezing.
"Teamwork," he repeated. "I think I can do that."
"Good. Now let's wash up a bit and put on some clothes, Sally should be here soon."
Heero frowned at his lover.
"Duo, I thought…"
"Yeah, I know, but… listen to her, please," Duo said pleadingly.
He traced the outline of Heero's face with a finger.
"I know you don't like it, but it could be possible that we don't have a choice here. What about Cat? Do you really think that he could be near you in the state of mind you're in now? And don't even mention staying away from him, because it's not gonna help. He needs you here, and he mostly needs you to stop beating yourself and thinking everything that goes bad in the whole world's your responsibility. Now I've always wondered why you two never fought on who's really responsible since he kinda likes to think it's him, and you seem to think it's only you."
Heero couldn't help but smile weakly, and Duo took advantage of it to suggest they hurry up and finish the shower before Sally would come for them, hoping that Heero would finally accept to face the things in his past that he feared so much.
Sally was waiting for them in the bedroom when they finally emerged from the bathroom. She smiled to Heero and asked him to lie down on the bed.
"I'm not…" Heero started to protest, but Duo glared at him and Sally interrupted him.
"I have quite a clear idea of what you are and what you are not, Heero Yuy," she said with a mock-scowl. "And what you are not is immortal, and what you are is someone who went through severe emotional shock and physical trauma that would have incapacitated a lot of people. So you lie down and let me examine you, and then we talk."
Heero complied because not even he was crazy enough to disobey an order from Sally Po in doctor-mode. Sally checked that the fever had indeed completely disappeared and asked Duo several questions as to what had happened on the trip back, Duo doing his best to answer as precisely as possible. She then checked his pulse, eyes and respiratory rate, satisfied to find them normal. She glanced at the memory cards lying on the bedside table as she finished her exam.
"Did you guys make sure Wufei was warned about that?" she asked.
"I told Tro, and I guess he will have told Wu," Duo answered. "But I'm not quite sure what's on them. Heero?"
"It's… complicated…" Heero said, frowning as if to remember what exactly had happened.
"You had a helmet on," Duo insisted. "Is it Zero?"
Heero seemed lost in thought for a moment and none of the other two rushed him. When he finally spoke it was in a slow cautious voice.
"I thought it was Zero, but… I'm not sure at all. It is… similar, but… not the same…"
"What exactly is not the same?" Sally asked, curious.
"I can't say… I would have to look at them more properly…"
"There's no way I'm letting you do that kind of stunt again, do you hear me, Yuy!" Duo protested vehemently.
Heero smiled at the passionate reply, causing Duo to pout.
"Now what's so funny?!" he asked, annoyed.
"I wasn't really thinking of testing it again that way, Duo," Heero explained, serious again. "One time was more than enough. I would need to look at the program itself. I know that they're different, but I can't just pinpoint what is different exactly."
"Well, I guess we can leave that for later," Sally cut in. "You're positive that it could be what happened to Quatre."
"I'm sure," Heero said with force. "If… if this is what I believe, then…"
He didn't finish, but he clenched his fists, his whole body shaken by a big shiver. Duo went to sit down on the bed at his side and took him in his arms. He looked at Sally and the older woman sighed, knowing that she would have to go first. She sat on the bed too.
"You know what I would like you to do now, Heero, don't you?"
Heero nodded, looking decidedly unhappy.
"I will not force you to do it, Heero," Sally kept on. "But… I think it would be good."
Heero looked at Duo. Duo smiled and kissed the top of Heero's head, hugging him closer.
"It's your decision, Heero. I won't decide for you, and neither will Sal, but… I also think that now may be a good time. With Cat unable to block anyone…"
"That's also what I was thinking about," Sally admitted. "Even I can see that you're quite upset by whatever you saw over there. So imagine what it will be for him if you come near him right now."
"I can't do that to him," Heero murmured.
Sally inched closer and took one of Heero's hands.
"And you also must stop doing that to yourself, Heero. Denial is never a good thing. You will need to face those things, at one point or another. Now is as good a time as any."
She got up again, facing the window.
"You've had some experiences with hypnosis, right?" she asked casually.
Heero nodded, tension clearly visible on his face. Sally turned around.
"I would like you to understand that what I did with Duo, what I would like to try, has nothing to do with any kind of behavior conditioning, which is what I supposed you were subjected to."
Another nervous nod.
"What I would like to try is what some people call regression, to make things simple. To help you open your mind and go back into your memories, into things that even you may have forgotten. It is not going to be easy, and it can be overwhelming. There is no guarantee of success. But… it can have amazing results."
"She's right, you know," Duo approved. "I also thought it was all bullshit, and you've seen me do it. You know I've had less nightmares ever since. It didn't solve everything, but it unblocked a few things."
Duo was right, and Heero knew it. Duo was beginning to get out of the depression that had seemed to swallow him at the beginning of the year. In fact, very few people had noticed what Duo was carefully hiding behind his usual cheerful mask, but all of his friends and Sally had seen through it. Duo had been very reluctant at first, but had finally accepted to have someone hypnotize him, as long as Sally would be that someone. On the whole, Sally didn't have a good memory of the experiment. It had been downright messy, in fact, and she herself had spent a good hour crying after Duo had left, because she couldn't see how anyone could go through everything he had and still be kicking. And Heero's past was shady enough for her not to really want to get deeper into it.
Duo was also right on the fact that hypnosis was not a magical cure for all your problems. Heero would not come out of the experiment feeling all refreshed and a balanced human being. None of the pilots would ever be what could clinically be termed balanced. But accepting to do this would, she hoped, help Heero understand that whatever had happened to him as a child was not his fault, and that he had as much a right to be alive as anyone else in the world.
She felt both relieved and tense when Heero finally nodded his assent.
"Alright. I'll do it."
Sally took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come.
"Just one other thing. I would like Dr. Carter to be the one to do it."
"What?" Duo hissed.
"Don't you talk to me that way, Duo Maxwell!" Sally hissed back. "You don't even have the slightest idea of what is at stake here, so don't go all righteous on me and listen!"
Duo's mouth closed with an audible clap, but he glared on at Sally. Heero was scowling, looking perplex.
"I trust you, Sally," he said.
"I know," she said more gently. "And I thank you for it, but that's not really the point here. I'm too involved in this, and that means I could influence you without even meaning to. The results would be far better if someone independent, someone with absolutely no prejudice, did it. Dr. Carter is a good doctor and he learned with the best. I checked him."
Duo's eyes widened, and Sally winked.
"Hey, I'm cautious too," she joked. "I could probably recite his life story from A to Z down to the names of the girls he dated in med school, but… the point is, he can do it. I trust him to do it correctly."
"You did it with me," Duo objected.
"In the state you were in at the time, there was no way you would have let me direct you to someone else, and it would only have gotten worse. As a doctor, I could not leave a patient in that much distress. But if you asked me for a repeat performance, I would probably say no."
She turned to Heero.
"It's not as bad as you think, Heero, and I'll stay with you if you wish me too. I'd like to stay anyway, just in case something happens. I'm not sure Carter is quite up to meeting another Gundam Pilot on the rampage. Oh, and don't forget that since he knows you were pilots, we don't need to hide anything either. So what do you say?"
Heero looked at Duo again, a bit lost. Duo looked decidedly unhappy but didn't protest.
"She's the doc, Heero. She knows what's best. But if you don't wanna, it's okay."
Heero thought for a moment, then nodded again.
"I'll do it," he said, and this time his voice was a bit more resolute.
"Good," Sally said, holding back a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'll go get him. Try to relax in the meantime."
When Carter came in, he felt kind of dizzy. Sally Po had just asked him if he could help Heero Yuy through a regression experience and told him about some kind of program that had apparently altered the youth's brain patterns. He did not really know what to make of it. But he was ready to step in.
Heero was still sitting on the bed when Sally Po showed him into the bedroom. They had decided to stay in there because it was familiar and would help Heero be more relaxed. Duo shot a strange look to Carter as he came in, but didn't comment, just hugging Heero closer and whispering something in his ear.
"Dr. Po just asked me if I could help you, Heero," Carter began, sitting on a chair near the bed. "Is that what you want?"
Heero nodded. Clinically, Carter noticed the slightly high respiration rate and the dilated pupils. The boy was nervous.
"I am not here to work against you, Heero," he said, trying to keep his voice calm in the manner he had learnt. "I'm just here to help."
"I know," Heero answered.
"Good. Because hypnosis is a complicated process, and it's going to require you to give me something."
"What?"
"Your trust. When I put you under hypnosis, it means that you surrender all of your control to me. Dr. Po told me that some techniques have been used on you before. I have to tell you that what we're going to do now is very different. I am not here to uncover your dirty secrets or to program you to do anything. What I'll be trying to do is open your mind to yourself, so that you can face your own demons. It's not a pleasurable experience, and it can be stopped at any moment. This remains your decision entirely."
"I want to do it."
"That's good. I also hope that your motives are clear. I kind of understood that doing this was necessary so that you could come near Quatre, but this is first and foremost for yourself that we're doing this. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Carter smiled.
"Okay, so I'm gonna explain what is going to happen. I am going to lead you through several stages of relaxation and put you under a light hypnosis. Then, I will ask you a few test questions to check that you are indeed ready. You will have to be as relaxed as possible and to concentrate on my voice for it to work, so I would like to ask all of the participants to remain extremely quiet."
"Can Duo stay?" Heero asked anxiously, gripping Duo's wrist.
"He can," Carter answered, not really seeing how he could have denied that request when Duo seemed ready to cut one of his limbs if he stepped a toe out of line. "But he cannot be in physical contact with you, and he cannot talk."
Duo groaned a bit, but said nothing, just looking away and rubbing Heero's back.
"Once you're suitably 'asleep', so to speak, I will ask you questions. I will make you go as far back as possible. If you show any kind of deep distress, or if Dr. Po instructs me to do so, I will wake you up immediately. How does that sound?"
Sally smiled. Carter had done exactly the right thing by handing the control of when Heero would be woken up to her. She knew that Heero would not be comfortable knowing that he would spill his heart out to someone he had no real reason to trust, but if Sally was here, and if she was watching and making sure he would be woken up in time, it would be easier for him to let go. Duo too seemed to be less grumpy now that the psychiatrist had suggested this. He truly was a good doctor in his field, Sally thought.
"Acceptable," Heero answered. "What should I do?"
"I'd like you to find a position where you're comfortable. Sitting would be good, if possible. Mr. Maxwell, if you could please take a seat on the other side of the room…"
"And swear that you're gonna make yourself completely forgotten," Sally cut in. "I'm serious about that, Duo. Any kind of noise could break the trance."
She did not suggest that he should leave the room, even if she would have preferred it.
"People that are hypnotized can say things that are very disturbing," Carter added. "Heero will probably say things that he never told anyone, not even you, mostly because he does not remember them or didn't think they were important. Some of those things will probably be quite harsh and difficult. You have to be prepared if you want to stay."
"I want him to stay," Heero insisted.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," Duo assured him. "I'll be right here with you, I just have to keep my mouth shut. Did I get it right?"
"Yes," Carter said.
"Alright", Duo sighed, throwing his hands into the air dramatically. "I guess I can survive a few minutes of not talking."
He gave a quick kiss to Heero, then went to sit on the chair next to the window.
"All set", he said, flashing a smile to Heero. "Ready when you are."
Sally watched intently from her spot next to Duo as Carter led Heero through the stages of relaxation. He had made Heero close his eyes and focus on his breathing. In fact, Sally mused, it looked a lot like the meditation exercises that Wufei did regularly. She knew Wufei could put himself in a trance. Duo had told her how he had managed to save up some air in their cell on the lunar base by doing so. It told quite some things that the young Neo-Chicago psychiatrist was versed in those ancient Oriental arts.
It took about ten minutes for Heero to relax completely, then things progressed a bit quicker. Finally, Carter braced himself in his chair.
"Alright, now Heero, I would like you to open your eyes."
Heero did, slowly, revealing empty eyes that seemed to stare at nothing at all.
"Can you hear me okay, Heero?"
"Yes," the young Japanese answered in a blank voice.
"Good. What is your name?"
There was a moment of tense silence, and Heero scowled a bit, as if the question were disturbing him. Then, his voice rang loud and clear in the big room.
"Prototype #XXXG–01W, Wing series."