Duo felt the brush of another mind outside his barriers. Recognizing it to be Shang's, he wordlessly lowered his defenses to allow contact between their minds. He had expected another confrontation with Shang.

YOU’RE BACK. Duo greeted him without any warmth.

I am surprised that you let me in so easily.

I AM CURIOUS.

Curious?

CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS. YOU SHOWED ME THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHENG'S DEATH. WHAT DO YOU WANT? REVENGE?

Do you think revenge is what I want? Shang asked him back.

I DON'T THINK SO. As if receiving confirmation from Shang's mind, Duo answered more confidently. NO. IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT ALL ALONG, I WON'T BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW.

You are right. I don't want revenge.

DAMN IT. THEN, TELL ME WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT FROM ME! I HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS GUESSING GAME!

Shang was unfazed by Duo's outburst. I want to know all about you. What makes you laugh. What makes you cry. Everything.

Nonplussed by Shang's answer, a moment of silence passed before Duo was able to form a coherent thought in reply.

WHY?

Because I want to know. Believe me, that is all there is to it.

I DON'T TRUST YOU. Surprise was quickly replaced by suspicion.

I don't blame you. There is absolutely no reason for you to trust me. But I suppose there is no harm in telling me your name.

MY NAME... The mention of his name triggered the emergence of many painful memories. Duo began to withdraw inwardly as feelings of guilt and remorse formed a cocoon around him.

Don't go! Shang frantically tried to maintain his contact with Duo's mind. I know there is no reason for you to trust me, but at least tell me what is bothering you. Why is your name causing you so much pain?

GO AWAY.

If you keep everything bottled up inside, you're only making it worse.

GO....

Listen to me! I wasn't bluffing when I said that I understood how you felt. Cheng... Cheng was just like you when I first touched his mind. He blamed himself for the death of his parents and siblings, even though he knew that there was nothing he could do to prevent it.     

Duo had stopped his withdrawal and was listening with interest.

Whose death are you blaming yourself for?

Duo could sense no ulterior motive behind the other boy's offer to share his pain. The exhaustion from carrying the heavy burden suffocating his soul alone for so long came crashing down on him. Perhaps it was time for him to open up and unload his sorrows to the soothing hands of another. He felt tired, very tired. MY NAME IS DUO MAXWELL.

Duo Maxwell... repeated Shang, as if savouring the sound of his name.

'DUO' TO REMIND ME OF SOLO'S DEATH. 'MAXWELL' TO REMIND ME OF THE MAXWELL CHURCH MASSACRE. There was no denying that he felt relief upon making the confession.

And why do you think that you are responsible for their deaths?

....I AM PREPARED TO TELL IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO LISTEN.

I am listening.

* * * * * *

It was no surprise to Heero that the Oz base was small and had only one level, a fact which enabled him to accomplish his task with less difficulty. The reason for its location underneath a school was most probably to use civilian lives to shield itself from aerial attacks. However, the necessity of having to keep it secret greatly restricted its operations and as a result, its size.

He did not bother to acquire a uniform from one of the soldiers patrolling the corridors. The difficulty of finding a size that matches him and hiding the body of the stripped guard made it an unworthy exercise.

He attached an explosive device to a metallic wall located a safe distance from the room in which Duo was supposedly held. The explosion would create the diversion he needed to get Duo out of this place. He dismissed the idea of using more bombs as this would invite the risk of bringing down the ceiling and maybe even the school along with it.  Clamping the detonator between his teeth, he silently climbed back into the ventilation duct he had jumped out from. He hoped that the metal grating on the floor would not be noticed before he set the bomb off. Slowly, he began to crawl to the place indicated by the flashing spot on his radar.

* * * * * *

I NAMED MYSELF DUO AS A SIGN THAT NEITHER OF US WOULD BE ALONE AGAIN. I WAS WRONG.

Shang saw the opportunity to introduce the mind link to Maxwell and grabbed it. Have you ever thought of finding someone to replace Solo?

REPLACE SOLO? Apparently, the thought had never occured to Maxwell.

Yes. Don't you miss that special friendship between the two of you? Don't you ever wish that there is someone who can take his place in your heart?

I NEVER SEEK THE SHADOWS OF THE DEAD AMONG THE LIVING.

Maxwell's reply was completely unexpected. Never?

NEVER. There was a flicker of amusement. UNLIKE YOU.

Shang instinctively strengthened his shields to limit the exposure of his thoughts. Why do you say that?

DO YOU THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS CONVERSATION IS HEADING? YOU WANT TO FIND SOMEONE TO REPLACE CHENG, AND YOU HAVE FOUND ME.    

It seemed that he had underestimated Maxwell's awareness. You are right again. No matter, it made his task much easier. Then I won't try to play anymore psychological tricks on you. What is your answer?

IT IS NOW YOUR TURN TO GUESS WHAT IT IS.

The boy had humour, Shang had to admit that. I wish that the answer is a 'yes'.

AND YOU WISHED WRONGLY.

I know. Shang dropped all pretence of being a mere sympathetic listener. I really hope you will reconsider. His next thought was more ominous. That way, you can still retain most of your memories.

There was a wave of panic which Maxwell ineffectively attempted to hide. WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO?

Don't worry, I won't erase too much of your memories. He had taken advantage of Maxwell's lowered defences all this while to bring his next step into operation. Only those which created your barriers.

YOU KEEP YOUR PAWS AWAY FROM MY MIND! Maxwell desperately tried to fortify his core then, only to meet up with failure. Shang's mental projections into the cracks in his barriers were planted in too firmly to be displaced.

Will you reconsider? Shang offered him a second chance.

Maxwell's reply was accompanied by soft, but defiant, laughter. NEVER.

Then brace yourself. Shang initiated the erosion of Maxwell's barriers, his mind seeking out Maxwell's childhood memories and obliterating them at the same time. The barrier slowly weakened under his relentless attack and its cracks became more pronounced with each passing second. There was a ear-splitting crack when the the entire structure collapsed. Shang paused to recover his strength. Maxwell's core shimmered in front of him, as bare as a newborn baby.

Before Shang could reach out, a dark entity of razor-sharp claws and teeth rushed ahead of him with inhuman speed. Shang barely had time to realize what was happening before screams of excruciating pain assaulted his senses. The macrophage tore mercilessly at Maxwell's core and engulfed what was ripped off hungrily like a mindless animal. Shang wasted no time watching the gruesome scene any longer and sped back to his body, knowing that he could not stop the macrophage internally.

The first thing he did upon returning to the physical world was to pull the electrodes off Maxwell's head. The Gundam pilot's face was contorted with pain and Shang feared that the damage done was beyond repair. But how did the macrophage enter Maxwell's mind? He was so close to establishing that mind link with him. Who would...? Shang swung around to direct his piercing eyes on Sheila. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Sometimes, I really don't know what you're trying to say," said Sheila, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "What did I do now?"

"You should have heeded my warning." There was no external indication of the white-hot fury which consumed him.

"Shang, I told you I don't know..." Sheila cut off in mid-sentence when she saw the pistol being levelled at her. Shang had whipped it out from his holster so fast that she did not catch the action with her naked eye. "Shang, what... what are you trying to do with that thing?" 

"Guess," said Shang, and pulled the trigger. There was an explosion which rocked the ground.

* * * * * *

The crack of gunfire nearly stopped Heero's heart. Although his original plan was to wait in hiding after the detonation of the bomb to allow time for a few if not all the Oz personnel in the room to come out and investigate the explosion, he found himself already slamming his body against the door. All rational thoughts had deserted him then. He just knew that if that gunshot was aimed at Duo, everyone else in the room would die.

He was completely unprepared for the sight which welcomed him. A girl with a bleeding knee was writhing with agony on the floor and the person who had shot her was a boy who was around his age. The boy rounded on him, the pistol changing its target.

In reflex, Heero released a bullet which tore through the hand holding the pistol. Once the pistol dropped onto the floor, a second shot was released to hit it into a corner. Only then did Heero take a closer look at his attacker. It shocked him to find that he could identify the boy. Shang?!

At the same time, Shang seemed to have also recognized him, his eyes widening in surprise. "You!"

There were too many questions and too little time to look for answers. It wouldn't be long before soldiers who were drawn by the gunfire arrive at the scene. Heero quickly scanned the room for Duo and found him lying on a table, unconscious. The American pilot showed no signs of physical abuse and this discovery greatly reduced his blood-lust. He was trying to decide his next step when Shang spoke again.

"Are you here for Maxwell?"

Duo revealed his name to Shang? Heero was becoming more confused. "So what if I am?"

"I can help." Ignoring the look of disbelief on Heero's face, Shang fearlessly went to retrieve his gun.

"Don't move!" Heero had to defy his survival instincts to stop himself from shooting Shang. The boy was crazy!  

Shang just looked at him calmly as he held the pistol in his good hand. "I have no doubts that you can escape unscathed from this place alone. But can you bring Maxwell along with you and still keep him unharmed?" Heero said nothing to this but his silence had answered Shang's question. "I will cover your back. Let's go."

Trust no one but yourself. His mentor's words rang alarm bells in his head. "Why would you want to help us?" asked Heero suspiciously.

Shang looked tenderly at Duo and stroked the boy's cheek with his knuckles. The harmless action nearly caused Heero to shoot him in the forehead. Shang, however, was unaware of his close brush with death. "Don't be mistaken. I am doing this for Maxwell, not you. His life will be in danger if he continues to remain here." 

Even though Heero knew that Shang could not be trusted, he had no choice but to make an exception this time. He could not bear the thought of Duo being in the hands of Shang... no, the Oz enemies... a second longer than necessary. He would rescue Duo from this place tonight, or die trying.

"Do you want me to carry Maxwell instead?" asked Shang. "Then you can cover my back."

Heero gave him the most murderous look he was capable of. "I will carry him myself," said Heero coldly, his body automatically interposing itself between Shang and Duo. He threw the unconscious pilot over his shoulder, his left arm crossing Duo's knees. No sooner had he done that before two soldiers appeared at the doorway, machine guns raised in preparation to fire.

Before Heero could use his gun, a shot rang out beside him. One of the soldiers collapsed with a bullet hole in his skull. The other soldier only managed to gasp out "Lieutenant!" before he joined his partner in eternal sleep. Smoke flowed sluggishly from the barrel of Shang's pistol. Heero stared at the boy who murdered men under his command unflinchingly. He felt a drop of cold sweat roll down his back.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me forever?" Shang was becoming impatient. "More soldiers are going to arrive any minute! I say we leave this place now!"

Heero required no further prompting. He dashed out of the room, with Shang following closely behind him.

* * * * * *

One of Sheila's knee-caps was shattered. In her agony, she could only watch Shang helplessly from the floor as he carried out his treacherous acts. Why did he go to such extents to rescue that Gundam pilot? She was worth ten of him! Why was Shang so blind?! Was he not aware of the sacrifices she had made for him?! Was he not aware of... Sheila swallowed the lump in her throat... her love? 

She angrily wiped away the tears of frustration and pain which had welled up in her eyes. Tears are for weaklings and she was no weakling. One day, she would have her revenge. And her love requited.

* * * * * *

Once they got off from the elevator, Shang led the way out of the high security school building and to the parking lot where a motorcycle waited. He reached into his pocket for the keys and threw them at Maxwell's comrade. The keys were deftly caught.

"That motorcycle can transport only two people. You bring Maxwell to safety while I stay behind to make sure no one follows you."

Hojo Tsukasa appeared as if he wanted to say something but he only nodded in the end. After settling himself and Maxwelll down in the seat, he switched on the ignition and the engine blared into life.

Shang silently followed the speeding motorcycle with his eyes until it disappeared from his sight. Wait for me, Maxwell. I will come for you one day. 

                                                                                                                             < To Part 5 >