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Disclaimer: Gundam Wing isn't mine. Go to hell.
Duo managed to fall asleep again, waking up when Heero and Wufei switched out again. The clock of the van glowed. Two o'clock.
He felt stiff and sore. He doubted he wouldn't groan if he moved.
But of course he was silent, subtly stretching his muscles and watching Heero and Wufei take their seats. He wanted once again
to offer his help. He wanted to ask how much further – how much longer – they had to travel.
But he was silent.
Well, why not? What the hell was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? He was obviously the odd man out. First,
during the war, because he was too 'laid back'. Now... just what the hell was he now? To hell if he knew. Just... the
odd man out.
The radio crackled to an interesting yelp of distress. Apparently the Preventors and the captive had finally been found. Heero
made a cynical comment about slow cops, to which Wufei interjected a reminder of their own occupations, which set off another
round of hilarious banter that would have had Duo rolling if... if it weren't Heero and Wufei.
But worse, infinitely worse, Wufei seemed to take pity on him.
“I think we can safely assume that most people, compared to us, are just going to seem slow,” Wufei interjected
finally, about five minutes into the 'argument'. “Right, Maxwell?”
Duo, shocked by a statement – question – whatever – directed at him, only managed a small, “yeah.”
Then he found himself speaking on autopilot – Jester Mask on full force, as usual. No planning necessary to activate
that which was so integral. “You wouldn't believe how slow some employees at Taco Bell are. For people working at fast
food, they move like they're trapped in glaciers.”
There was an awkward silence.
More silence. What the hell...?
“Dammit,” Heero cursed.
Oh. Yeah. Everyone was pissed about him working at Taco Bell. Was it a taboo topic or something? That didn't seem right. There
are some truly fucking hilarious fast food stories he could tell. These guys just had no sense of humor.
He decided he was going to be petty. “But physical slow is nothing to mental slow. I have met some seriously stupid
people working at Taco Bell.” He spat those two words out – Taco Bell. Yeah. I work there. Or did. Fucking
deal with it. “There was one guy who came into Taco Bell – Taco Bell – and asked for a burger.”
Wufei, at least, gave out a shocked little chuckle. Heero was stoically silent. Interesting, Duo mused self-deprecatingly,
how Heero could laugh easily with Wufei but clammed up when he spoke.
“You must be joking,” Wufei managed. At least he was trying.
“I shit you not,” Duo solemnly intoned. “A man came up asking for a burger on headset. I had no idea what
to tell the guy. There was a Burger King right down the street. Why didn't he try there?”
Wufei actually snickered. “You didn't tell him that,” he said in an admonishing tone.
“You kidding me? I wanted to... I had to momentarily turn off my speaker and bite my tongue. I deserve a medal.”
“You will not be returning to that place,” Heero interjected. His voice was sharp, almost accusing. He was issuing
an order.
Duo decided pettiness was definitely what the doctor ordered... he deliberately misunderstood. “Well, no, not for a
while. The place was completely demolished. I think we can safely assume-”
“Ever.”
Fuck him, Duo decided again. He was making a lot of stupid, random decisions, but he was damned if he'd allow himself to be
pushed around. Fine – he didn't belong. He never had. He wanted to. With everything in him, he wanted to belong around
these two men who meant so much to him. One whom he loved... the other whom he respected above all others (but one, of course).
These two and the other two, one whom he'd always thought of as a sort of brother, someone he could understand. The other
who loved said brother with everything in his heart.
Oh, how he yearned.
But fuck it. Every minute he was with these guys, it was made more and more clear that he didn't belong. Wufei may have paid
attention to him last night – that didn't mean anything. Damned if he'd get his hopes up. That would be disgustingly
naïve of him – and he wasn't naïve. He was many things, but not naïve.
This was what he'd told himself when he'd been in his half-sleep, almost there but not quite. Fuck them. He'll get this job
done. He'll finish it and help them save Diane. He would assist in any way he could.
And then he'd disappear again.
“Hate to break this to ya, man, but I kinda don't answer to you.” Street slang, with the street attitude. All
hidden behind a politely cheerful tone. The meaning, however, couldn't be masked. Don't fucking mess with me.
There was that silence again, tense and ready to spring. Duo found himself tense as if to enter battle. A part of him accepted
that he was. He waited for Heero's next move.
Wufei sighed. Loudly. In a long-suffering tone. “The two of you,” he muttered, then raised his voice. “Duo's
life is his own.” Duo nodded in accord. “However,” he continued, and made Duo tense even more. “If
we must tie you down, we will prevent you from returning. We will help you get a real job.”
Duo literally bristled. “Bullshi-”
“I will not argue about this,” Wufei stopped him short. His voice gentled. “Duo, you are our friend. We
worry for you.”
Duo stilled.
He saw Heero tense and almost laughed, but had a feeling that would lead to something embarrassing. Friends. How can they
be friends? It was far too late to say something as... as... trite... not trite, but... lame... as that. Friends. He wanted
to spit the word back into Wufei's face.
There was that damnable sad understanding again. Duo saw it on Wufei's face immediately, a look so totally foreign on his
face as to be a mask of his own. But Wufei was too proud for that... wasn't he? Wasn't Wufei too proud for faking things,
too? What use would such a proud warrior have for pitying the weak? Last time Duo had checked, he'd had no tolerance for it.
It seemed everyone had changed but him.
No, that wasn't true. Duo had changed... but he was the only one who had changed for the worse. Heero now talked and laughed.
Wufei now had concern for others. Quatre... shit, Quatre had managed to become a hugely successful businessman without losing
that almost-creepy innocence and kindness. Trowa had become more social – he'd had to, Duo guessed, since he hung out
with Quatre. There was definitely a Thing between them, a connection. He wasn't blind. He wasn't stupid.
He was the only one who'd fallen.
“You do not believe me,” Wufei murmured. It wasn't a question, and it wasn't something Duo would answer even if
it was. After all, why should he believe them?
He was in a very petulant mood.
Wufei sighed again, a sadder, softer sigh. Heero still said nothing. Nothing. Like a condemnation in and of itself. His silence
spoke for him – he didn't agree with what Wufei said. He didn't agree.
Wufei opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped when he saw Duo's body tense again. His brows knitted. “Duo...”
And why was his first name being used? What was with that?
“Look,” Duo cut in, deciding to nip this sucker in the bud before it bloomed into a full-scale bloodfest. “I
don't need to be coddled. In fact, I'll chop your arm if you try. I'm not some wimp. I'm a fucking ex-Gundam pilot. I know
I'm not one of you Preventors, but I'll bet that even without being in the business for a year, I'm still better than most
of your damn men. Stop treating me like a fucking invalid. I'm here now; you're gonna have to have me as a partner, too, at
least until this is over. I promise I'll leave you alone after this. I won't bother you again.” Heero made an unidentifiable
noise. Duo ignored it, not wanting to analyze its meaning too closely. If he were stupid, he would have misinterpreted the
sound as distress.
“Maxwell,” Wufei said firmly, but this time Heero cut in.
“You shouldn't be here. You're right; you aren't a Preventor.”
“Yuy,” Wufei hissed.
“You aren't supposed to be here,” Heero repeated. Wufei growled. “You aren't a part of the team.”
Duo had to use every ounce of his learned control to keep from wincing and curling into himself a bit. Talk about a punch
in the gut.
“Yuy,” Wufei snapped. Heero apparently lost it.
“Shut up, Chang. You know I'm right. How long has it been since he's seen the battlefield? How long since he's fought?
He's not a part of the Preventors. He's not one of us.”
“Yuy, shut the fuck up.” There was a short pause while everyone in the van digested the shock of hearing Chang
Wufei say that word. “You need to think about what-”
“Dammit, Duo's gotten himself into something he has no right-”
“What do you know about the man's rights-”
“I know he's being a fucking baka, as usual-”
“Yuy, you're the one acting foolish-”
“He had no right coming and joining-”
“I've already told you-”
“Shut up!” Duo shouted, putting his hands over his ears. They stopped arguing, but Wufei was the only one who
turned to him. Heero kept his eyes straight ahead, his body tense as a board. “Just shut up! Stop fighting! I said I'd
leave – I'd promised I'd leave! So just shut up!”
The van jerked in the lane, thanks to Heero's unsteady hands at the wheel. He quickly got them back under control. No one
beeped this time.
“Maxwell, we don't-”
“Don't speak for him!” Duo finally snapped. To hell with this. “Don't speak for him – you can't answer
for someone else. Let him speak for himself.” Even though he already knew the answer... even though it would kill him
to hear it. He was a fucking masochist.
And he didn't want these two, who had become such good friends, fighting over him. Wufei, whose honor demanded he be kind
to an old comrade, and Heero... Heero, who still thought of him as a liability.
“You shouldn't be here,” Heero said quietly. Wufei, in response, let out another growl. Duo saw his fist clench.
If they hadn't been on the road, Duo thought Heero might have gotten decked.
“Yeah, well, it's too late for that now, isn't it?” He couldn't help the bitterness in his voice. “Guess
you're just gonna have to deal with me, at least for another few days. Until this is done. I'm going to help Diana, even if
you ditch me on the side of the road.”
“Don't tempt me,” Heero muttered.
Duo bit down on the next comment he could have made - “why not?” - because it didn't sound like a smart move.
And he'd already taken enough jabs to the soul, thanks.
The van got disturbingly quiet once again, uninterrupted and sinister. Duo felt trapped suddenly, more than he had before.
Almost claustrophobic. He needed to get the hell away from these two, the two men whose respect he'd once held above all else.
Whose respect he still held above all else.
/////
There was no more sleep for him. His body was already starting to feel lethargic from too much sleep. He didn't need any more,
and his battle instincts demanded a sharp focus. That escape was out. He was stuck sitting again. There was not only tension
between himself and the two Preventors in the front but also between said Preventors. No one was acknowledging the others'
existence.
If he thought the trip had been long and tedious before, those last hours were excruciating.
/////
They made it to Zzyzyx without a problem. The problem was heading to the building they wanted within Zzyzyx. The town was
basically a manufacturing center in disguise. There were plenty of big buildings, and traveling around looking for one in
particular would make them stick out like sore thumbs. Walking around it would be suspicious, as well. Driving slowly would
be a huge tip-off. They had to keep their eyes wide open, take a quick-yet-efficient look at the building, and somehow find
a way to sneak in.
All to save a woman who may already be dead.
Though, Duo supposed, they also seemed ready to take the matters into their own hands – Gundam-style. Fuck lawyers and
courts.
Well, at least that's how he saw it.
He'd also spent some time in half-sleep thinking about his allies' strengths and weaknesses. Thinking about his own battle
strategies. They would have to change. He wouldn't be able to fight as himself. He thought of Wufei's fighting, Heero's fighting,
Quatre and Trowa... thought of all of them. Thought of trying to integrate their fighting into his own, then dismissed it.
That would be monumentally stupid – the clones already knew their own battle strategies. He had needed to create his
own new battle tactics. He knew he was pretty creative. He thought he might be able to manage it, if he had a fair fight.
One on one, two on one. He'd be better prepared – he'd be able to fight better. Only two. Not three. Not three again.
He already knew – new battle tactics or not – he'd get his ass whipped.
Shit, in the shape he was in, his enemies didn't need to fight with full strength. Maybe he'd be in deep shit with just two.
His body was weak. He should be dead. He knew that once he stepped out of the car, he'd feel aches and pains that he'd managed
to irritate by sitting still in the same basic position for a long period of time. His head throbbed. Every inch of him felt
like it was black and blue. Most of him was. His arms were worst, since he'd blocked the enemies' enormously strong attacks.
His bad arm throbbed, as well. With every fucking heartbeat. He knew that if he tried to run, his breathing would be labored.
That would be because of his cracked ribs.
He was supremely lucky he had no broken bones – cracked, fractured. In the next fight, they will break. But not
yet.
Damn. He may be completely useless in this next battle.
No. No. He wouldn't be useless. He would show Heero wrong. Heero, who had never accepted him as a Gundam pilot. Because he
laughed. Because he seemed like such a... a normal teenager. Hello?! That was the whole point – no one looked twice
at him. It was Stoic Heero, Super-Perfect Heero who seemed completely abnormal – no pain, no interest, no smiles. Serious,
Hateful Heero. He was the one who turned eyes. Inconspicuous his ass.
He was just as worthy as them. Just as strong. How many missions had he completed? Granted, he'd gotten caught – but
hadn't Heero, too? He could've sworn he'd shared that damn cell with Mr. Perfect-Fucking-Yuy and Wufei. Yup. He definitely
remembered that.
So fuck them. Hadn't he said that already? Well, he'd say it however many times he wanted. Bastards. He'd done everything
to be one of them. To gain another pack, another family. After being alone for so long... the Sweepers just weren't the same.
He'd wanted the pack again, like with Solo. Long, long dead Solo. A gang that relied on each other, that stood up for one
another. He'd thought they could be...
He'd been so damn stupid.
They all found the building at the same time, studied it. It was about the same size as the others, set further away from
the road, a few stories higher. Looked like an office building, but the windows were shaded a bit and certainly not as easy
to see through as the other buildings. If they weren't ex-Gundam pilots, they would have thought it was because the building
wasn't close to the street lamps. There were guards fucking everywhere. Company was expected.
Good. They had a welcoming committee. Nothing like shooting up a flare that read 'we're right here'. Bad guys were fucking
stupid sometimes.
The problem was that there were only three of them with only a minor amount of weapons. And they had clones waiting for them.
And they had Diana. And of the three, one was practically in a hospital bed. The others had sustained minor injuries –
bruises, scrapes. Heero's shirt had caught the sharp end of a blade, but his skin hadn't even seen a paper cut. Duo was both
relieved and pissed at the same time. Relieved because Heero was okay. Pissed because, dammit, he'd been having a little
bit of a dilemma and those two hadn't had much of a problem at all. Duo told himself it was because he'd had three enemies
to fight and someone to protect at the same time, but it gnawed at him.
“Okay.” Heero and Wufei looked at each other – there was that infinitely irritating ESP thing again –
that talking without words. Duo didn't want to envy it. Didn't want to wish. But... he did anyway.
He was such a fucking baka.
They found a dinky little motel and grabbed a room for the night, despite the time. They didn't have much to bring in –
they brought handguns and that was it.
Duo, of course, had to bite his tongue to bleeding to keep from crying out. Moving was worse than he'd thought it would be.
He felt agony ripple through him and tried not to think of the recovery ahead of him... if he lived.
You know, maybe it would be better if he died in this little escapade. Wouldn't have to worry about bills... wouldn't have
to go back to a lonely, empty house. Shit. He'd have to disappear after this. He wouldn't even have that house to go to. Damn.
Yeah. Definitely better if he died. But after he saved Diana, not before.
They all sat around, on the bed or standing. Duo, exhausted after only that much movement, saton the bed, Heero on the chair
by the black, rusted window. Wufei stood, leaning against the nightstand. He gazed uneasily at the walls. Duo wanted to laugh,
wanted to mock his cleanliness. Hate to break this one to you, he thought silently, but if you're tired enough,
you don't exactly care what's around you as long as it doesn't mean you physical harm.
He looked around the room. There were two beds that looked soggy despite being clean, a nightstand currently occupied as a
sort of wall or post and stained by what was hopefully water (Duo highly doubted it), a horrible watercolor that may have
been a field or may have been an accident, a tiny bathroom with a shower stall Duo thought manageable but that made Heero
and Wufei wince, a chair that Duo would rather not sit in since he knew better, and a window that was probably stuck
shut and curtains that were also mysteriously stained. There was a television, old as the hills or perhaps even older. The
remote was long lost/stolen, though Duo couldn't understand the monetary value of... a remote control. There was a lamp that
couldn't shine light further than a five foot radius. Wufei was successfully blocking it for most of the room.
The plan they laid out was half-assed at best. They didn't have time to think of something ridiculously complicated, and those
usually blew up in someone's face, anyway. No, they're plan was simple – go in, grab Diana back (somehow), and do as
much damage as possible. They would definitely draw out the clones. For this reason, all three of them would fuck over as
much of the place as possible when they split up – the best way to draw the five into more even combat. Of course, that,
too, had the chance of blowing up in their faces, especially since Duo knew he probably wouldn't be able to take one of the
fuckers down, let alone two.
And he was in too much pain to censure his damn language. Deal with it.
They checked their handguns and went back out to the car. They drove within three miles of their destination and stopped by
the forest border on the edge of town. They unpacked the few weapons in the van and other goodies – a compass and three
headsets. The compass confirmed their direction as they slipped through the trees and back into the development. Duo, for
his part, didn't lag behind. The adrenaline even made it possible for him to not hold his ribs in pain or give thought to
his bad arm. A part of him really wondered if that was an improvement.
They reached the building without a glitch, but then, this was the ridiculously easy part of the ridiculous plan. The next
part was the part that could easily kill him and Heero and Wufei. This plan needed him battle-ready. For these two and Diana,
he would do whatever he could.
He just prayed he could hold out that long.
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