Author's Note: Alright, I'll admit, this is going a bit slow. However, things should be picking up right about now. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

Warning: can't think of anything at the moment

Investigating a Mystery

Contrary to what most people thought, Quatre was not a morning person.

Duo found that out the hard way.

And no, he doesn't want to talk about it.

Ever.

Now it was early in the morning and even criminals have to sleep sometime. So camouflage was not needed, though Duo still dirtied Quatre's hair just in case, the hat "purchased" from yesterday settled on top of his head. Duo simply tucked his braid under his coat and out they went.

Of course, their arrival at the base was unexpected. Oh they were expected just not at that time of morning.

The security was tight, Duo had to admit. He couldn't see any breaches but if he was really studying it, he probably could have. But that was not why he was here. He was here to investigate how a group of would-be terrorists were able to kill so many guards and smuggle VX poison gas out of such a place without anybody suspecting a thing.

He learned that inspections were planned at random, so they had to be on the ball at all times. High officials were usually in charge of such inspections and they were well known among the ranks so trying to pose as them wouldn't work. Security was just as tight inside as it was outside. That explained why the security officials were all killed. But that fact was only known inside the base and among a privileged few outside. Keppel was one of those but he was dead. According to the autopsies, he was dead before the inspection team arrived. And yet, the gate guards could identify him. There was something fishy going on here.

And then Quatre suggested something to him that was a bombshell.

"What if it was an inside job?"

"Inside job?"

"Well, I did run the Winner Corporation. Such things were common, more so than you think."

It made sense. A lot of sense. There were so few who knew about the workings of the base. He ordered that all surviving guards and soldiers be interviewed and checked out for such a thing. That also included the officers who weren't happy with that.

Thankfully, Une had given him a great deal of authority, backed by none other than Relena Peacecraft. There was no way he was going to be argued with.

And yet, a few days later when the interviews and check-ups were finished, there was nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Okay, so they were back at square one again. Though it was still suspect that there was an insider about, it didn't seem as if the insider was in the base. There were a handful of people outside but none of them could have done it either.

So what the hell was going on?

Getting a withdrawal from Quatre's bank account, which didn't leave a dent in it, he left Quatre to take care of the bureaucratic stuff while he went fishing for information on the streets.

There wasn't much to get. There were only two people (and yes, he kept count) that recalled a caravan of military vehicles. Only one of them had a good look at the passenger sides. According to the base guards' accounts, General Keppel had been seated on the passenger side. However, the informant said that he couldn't see through the windows. Too dark. And from what he knew, the vehicles' windows were tinted.

Thus, Duo now found himself back at the motel, clean from a shower and taking a look at the local TV channels. They were all being beamed in from Earth and the other Colonies via satellites so he didn't need to worry about crappy stuff on the L2 channels, that is if they were still up.

That was when Quatre came in, mentally exhausted. The Arabian had stopped just in front of the bed for some odd reason that Duo couldn't figure out until he looked down.

Oh yeah. He was clad only in a towel and his torso was bare. Guess Quatre was enjoying the show, heh heh…

Stretching out on the bed, Duo asked suggestively, "See something you like?"

The blond Arabian blushed and turned his face away. "Sorry."

"Naw, that's okay," Duo said, waving off the apology. "You can look if ya want. Just no touching."

Quatre was not about this opportunity pass, so he turned his head back to look at the offered sight. Now Duo was not one who looked bad. To the blond, he looked like a God. The body had little if no fat at all, most of it muscle. There were a few scars here and there, one in particular on his side, going straight to his back. He didn't recall that one or ever heard of Duo ever getting injured in that area. Plus, it was jagged so it couldn't have been a bullet or a knife.

Perhaps something else? Most likely. Duo came from this place; it was most likely he got it here.

But otherwise, it was a gorgeous view. And was Duo…grinning? Oh Allah, was his interest that visible?

"Hey Q? You got a problem down there."

Looking down, he flushed in embarrassment. So that's why Duo was grinning. Allah, why did he have to find out this way?

The sudden hissing from the television diverted Duo's attention from flustering Quatre. He frowned at the fuzzy screen. Stupid, crappy, L2 reception! As if things couldn't get any worse!

And then the picture returned and things got worse.

There on the television screen were several men, all dressed for combat. The one in front was a tall and powerfully built man who was balding with long, shoulder-length hair growing from his sides. His face was stern, his blue eyes hard. With a deep voice, he began his speech.

"Attention citizen of L2! This is the Colonial Liberation Armed Forces! For too long, L2 has been left to flounder and rot, the government of Earth failing to keep their promises! All the other Colonies have prospered but not L2! Now is the time we take charge of our own fate! Our destiny! L2 must leave the tyrannical rule of the Earth and its co-conspirators, the other Colonies! They seek to profit off of L2's misery while they grow fat and rich. Well no more!"

The man gestured and the camera turned to a rocket, a panel open and revealing the hollow interior. One of the men appeared, holding a canister which he opened and pulled out the contents.

It was some strange device but in the center of it was strings of green orbs.

"Citizens of L2," the leader spoke. "Take a good look at our weapons. What you see before you will spearhead our rebellion, leading to our independence! We shall start by using this weapon of mass destruction on the symbol of repression on this colony, the complex where are so-called "representatives" plot to rob us further of what little we have. Answer our call for independence. Our future is at stake and only we must be the ones to shape it!"

The TV screen turned fuzzy again, but this time, Duo was not pissed. Getting up, he quickly got dressed and went in search of a phone. Once securing one, he dialed Une's office, the Preventers Director answering immediately.

"Hey Une? We have a problem."