Just a reminder that except for a few bits and pieces, this story was NOT WRITTEN BY ME. I merely edited the pre-existing chapters.
I could not find a name for the author of part of this chapter, but it was not me. Only six more chapters, and then it will all be mine as I finish up the story.
One thing you should know, I don't do well with taking orders. Granted, there's not much difference between an accidental wait because my head is screwed on backwards and a purposeful wait just to prove that you aren't the boss of me, but it should be noted that I do try to keep track of the time between updates and ordering me to update (even with a 'please') without even a note to say you liked the story will only make me put it off longer.
That said, thanks to everyone who has left lovely comments, even though I feel a bit guilty accepting compliments for all the work that's not mine.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (Sprinkles and Knoteach and ?)
For the second time, the sight in the doorway sent a bolt of shock through his body, but this time the person standing in the doorway also wiped his mind clear of any and all thought. Heero stood in the doorway, his body highlighted by the light pouring in from the hallway. Duo wondered if he was hallucinating. Heero looked too good, too perfect to be alive and standing in his cell talking to him.
As his mind registered that thought, Duo's eyes slid down to take in the way those lips were shaping each word, asking if he, Duo, was alright. Duo knew he had to be imagining Heero, this Heero who was speaking so softly, this Heero who's eyes were clouded with concern, and this Heero who was bending down to help Duo. Unthinking, Duo reached up and pulled Heero down, wanting to know that this Heero was real, was truly alive.
When Heero had opened the door to the cell that was holding Duo, his breath had caught in the back of his throat. There was Duo with his brown hair spread out, looking gorgeous even while bruised and bloody, with his piercing amethyst eyes fixed on Heero.
When Duo didn't answer any of his questions, just stared at him and not say a word, Heero frowned and asked, "Can you move?" When no answer came, he strode into the cell and bent down to help the long-haired teen to stand. Instantly, Duo came to life.
He reached his hand up and fisted Heero's unruly hair, pulling the other into a hard, brutal kiss that conveyed all of Duo's feelings. Duo poured his fear that Heero was dead, his anger when he found out he wasn't, his worry, his aggravation, and his feelings of being useless. He gave everything to Heero, who seemed to take all this and more from Duo, only returning with reassuring touches and soothing movements of his lips.
"Don't ever do that to me again," Duo hoarsely whispered when they finally broke, both breathing hard. "Don't ever make me go through that again."
"Next time I try to kill myself, I'll remember to tell you ahead of time," Heero replied, a bit of wry humor in his voice. Duo slapped his shoulder for the rather crass remark, but he couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. It was as close to a promise that he could get, and Duo would take it. In their line of work, there was no guarantee that they would survive, but they would try their damn hardest.
"Come on. Let's get you out of here." Heero helped Duo to his feet, and supported most of the long-haired teen's weight as they made their way quickly down the hall. When they suddenly ducked into another area of holding cells, Duo asked, "What's wrong?"
Heero glanced at him and Duo was caught up in the spark of laughter that made Heero's blue eyes glow. "We have to make a quick stop."
"What kind of stop?"
"Yuy! Maxwell! About time you got here."
Duo gaped at Wufei for a few moments, surprised to see the other pilot, and then his brain began processing exactly ~what~ he was seeing. Wufei's beautiful black hair that he usually kept in a rather tight ponytail at the base of his neck was pulled into two pigtails on either side of his head. On top of which, his hands had been bound with special cuffs that covered them from fingers all the way to his wrist, so he had no way of undoing the hairstyle the sadistic guards gave him, except by rubbing his head against the wall or the side of his arms. However, whenever he managed to loosen them or even completely free his hair, his captors would come along and "help" him again. They had done so not too long ago, and Wufei hadn't expected his fellow pilots to suddenly appear to rescue him.
Wufei's eyebrow twitched as soon as the Duo lips began to twitch, knowing what was going through the American teen's mind. The Chinese youth narrowed his eyes and hissed, "Don't you dare!" Unfortunately, he stomped his foot while saying this and it became too much for other teen. The Deathscythe pilot collapsed into laughter, covering his mouth in hopes of muffling the rather hysterical sounds.
Wufei's face and ears burned from both his anger and his embarrassment. "Next time I think about trying to save your ass, I won't. Get me out of here, Yuy," He growled. He didn't know how much more humiliation he could stand. Heero, thankfully silent, made quick work of releasing Wufei from his restraints. First thing the Chinese youth did was tearing out the hair bands holding his hair in its ridiculous hairstyle, and quickly returned it to the braid. He snapped the other rubber band at the still-laughing Duo, hitting him in the cheek. "Shut up, Maxwell. I know this is somehow your fault."
Duo finally calmed except for the occasional snicker. Bending, he picked up the fallen hair band and deftly braided his own hair. "Probably," he admitted, unrepentantly.
Heero caught Wufei just as he lunged for Duo. "Cut it out," he ordered. "We have to leave. Wufei, take point." Heero tossed one of his spare guns to Wufei then once more took position at Duo's side, helping the other teen. Wufei's eyes caught the way Duo seemed to mold himself to Heero's side and the possessive way Heero's arm tightened around the other's waist, but he didn't comment and filed the details away for later consideration.
Slowly, the trio stealthily made their way through the halls and out into the cargo bay. Here, they ran into some problems. They could openly steal a shuttle, but that would alert the entire base about their escape and they would no doubt be pursued. There was really no other alternative, and there was no way they could make a stealthy get away.
Just as Heero and Wufei were deciding who would provide better cover during their rush to one of the shuttles, the five doctors walked into the cargo bay. Duo knew the other two pilots felt shock at seeing their mentors, but the emotion didn't even register on their faces. From one of the ships, an old man in a Hawaiian shirt exited and shuffled over to talk to the doctors.
"Howard," Duo grinned. Quickly, he explained how Professor G had been a member of the Sweeper group and was an old friend of Howard, who now ran one of the Sweeper ships. Howard would definitely help them out.
"The entrance is in plain sight," Wufei commented. "We'd be seen if we tried to sneak in that way." Heero grunted his agreement.
"Howard has a type of stow-away compartment on the bottom of the ship," Duo explained. "The hatch should be just behind the front wheel." Wufei and Heero silently communicated before both nodded.
"I'll go first," Heero ordered. "Then Duo. Cover us Wufei." When they nodded, he left. Slowly, the three pilots used the carts of materials that were waiting to be loaded as cover and quickly made it to Howard's ship. Easily enough, the found the hatch and slipped into the ships belly. There was a ladder that led upward a few feet and then opened into a small compartment. All three silently stretched out, listening to the footsteps of people above them.
Soon enough, they heard the rumble of the engine and felt the ship beginning to move. They remained in their spot for perhaps fifteen minutes more, when there was a fumbling of the catch above them. Heero had his gun out and pointed as the panel moved.
"I knew I smelled some rats," Howard remarked off-handedly, not even blinking at the gun aimed at his face.
"Can it, Howard!" Duo groused, scowling at the grinning man above them. "Ain't in the mood for that. Coast clear?"
Howard smirked lightly as he reached down to lend a hand to his stowaways. "Yeah, we're clear. Come on, and I'll get you cleaned up."
Heero stared at the brightly dressed man for a moment more before stowing his gun and climbing out of the compartment by himself. Wufei, trusting Heero's judgment, followed him while Howard helped Duo climb out.
"Man, they sure worked you over," Howard commented with a frown, as Duo leaned against the corridor wall in order to remain upright. "Let's get you to the infirmary and patched up, then you can fill me in on what's been happening on your end."
Thirty minutes later, Duo, Wufei, and Heero sat in the infirmary while Howard finished wrapping Duo's ribs, explaining everything that had happened to them since the destruction of Wing in Siberia.
"Well, sounds like you boys have had the run around for the last couple of weeks. What about the others? And where is Harry, Duo?" Howard said as he sat back.
"Last thing I knew, Harry was back with Quatre," Duo said, turning to Heero and Wufei, hoping they could give them more information.
"Hn, Barton was assigned deep cover. Winner was in Africa as of last week." Heero frowned, not liking the lack of information.
Wufei immediately shook his head, "Sandrock was destroyed to cover Winner's retreat to space, but I have no idea where he was headed. Probably somewhere in the L4 cluster."
Duo frowned, "Harry was with Quatre, so he must be in space with him at the moment. Damn!"
"Now don't fret it, Duo. I'll track 'em down, and we can figure out where to go from here."
Two hours later, Duo and Wufei were both shocked to hear a shocked, "WHAT!" come from Howard's office. Running as fast as their feet could carry them, which for Duo wasn't as fast a normal due to his injuries, both pilots entered Howard's office to find both Howard and Heero glaring at the latter's laptop fit to kill.
"Hey," Duo said quickly moving to Heero's side and trying to get a look at the screen, "What did you find?"
"Winner was intercepted upon arrival on colony D-6792 of the L4 cluster. He was accompanied by an unidentified 5 year-old boy. He is being held on suspicion of being a Gundam pilot and is to be interrogated by his arresting officer, Lieutenant Trowa Barton of the Specials."
Heero's voice all through his recitation was perfectly monotone, not fluctuating at all. The only hint he was affected by the news he was replaying was the fury burning in his eyes.
"Lieutenant Trowa Barton!" Wufei shouted, looking murderous as well.
"Could this have been the deep cover you mentioned, Heero?" Duo demanded, even as the wild look of Shinigami entered his eyes.
"Possibly," Heero allowed as he kept hacking. They had to know how long the two had been in custody, and, more importantly, where were they being held.
xx
Meanwhile on L4…
Quatre was pretty sure he was in shock. Numbness, physical and mental, spread through him as he was cuffed and arrested. The only thing that seemed to reach him through it was the frightened whimpers of the young boy that had attached himself to the blonde teen's side. Wrapping his arms tightly around his charge, Quatre followed the soldiers compliantly. As he calmly walked into the holding cell, he thought of Duo and wondered if they had been able to rescue him yet. Duo was going to be so angry with him for getting Harry caught.
Quatre was startled out of his thoughts when Harry was suddenly jerked out of his arms.
"Come on, boy," one of the soldiers said gruffly, grabbing Harry's arm and pulled him away from Quatre. "You're coming with me."
"No!" Harry shouted as he tried to squirm his way out of the large man's grip. The small black-haired boy, reached for the blonde even as he writhed in the tall soldier's grip.
Immediately Quatre moved to where the boy struggled and gathered the boy in his arms just as he broke free. Turning, Quatre put his body between the terrified boy and the angry soldier. He might have gotten caught, but he would be damned before he let these ruffians harm the boy that had come to mean so much to him. Even if it meant his life.