Duo sighed, leaning back against the bed, blowing strands of bangs away from his face and closing his eyes in defiance of the glare emanating from his laptop. He was beyond tired. After spending half of the day playing 'cover the tracks' and then another four hours trying to gather info on this 'Nick Maritino' guy, Duo was about ready to attempt blowing something up. Not that he actually thought he would have any chance of pulling it off--no, but it certainly sounded like a good idea.

Duo started bouncing his head off of the mattress in hopes that it would somehow relieve the pain that was picking at the backs of his eyes.

/Tomorrow . . .tomorrow . . . tomorrow . . ./, he thought, each word punctuated with a bounce. It would be *Monday*./What a way to start out the week. Tomorrow all hell will get to break loose./ Duo groaned while shutting his laptop, kicking at the half eaten pizza box he'd had lying on the floor next to him, and crawling--quite literally--into his bed.

Oh, god, he was tired. Ch', yes, tomorrow Lindsey's body would be found. /Pity the poor bastard that gets the pleasure to walk in on *that*,/ Duo thought quietly to himself.

Oh, wonder. *Tomorrow*, Duo would receive the joy of going into town to buy a few toys, and then he would be off to the local library to look for more holes in 'Nick's' suicide. Oh, yes, the proverbial 'tomorrow' was looking pleasantly bleak. Duo had half a mind to try to wake up dead

*****

Pain . . . At first it had seemed detached; far away. Each gulp of air forced into his lungs brought about more, growing with such intensity it felt like one solid ball of pure agony

/Fire . . ./

His lungs continued to heave and burn as he fought desperately just to breath. His entire body ached and he didn't even know why. He tried mercilessly to drag himself further into consciousness, it just wouldn't happen. He continued to choke on air with each breath relentlessly scorching, but it was so hard. He just wanted to let go .

It felt like he was being torn up inside. He hurt . . . Oh, gawd he fucking *hurt.*

Slowly--he wasn't certain how long it took--each breath started to become easier and less painful until finally he could breath on his own. Someone was swearing . . . but they sounded so far away. Maybe if he just concentrated on the voices . . .

*****

"Oh, God, Heero! He needs a fucking hospital!" Quatre was scared; the last time he'd seen this was--Iie! He didn't have the time to worry about connections. "Heero!"

Heero turned slightly, still concentrating on driving. "What the hell is a hospital gonna do?! They know even less about this than *we* do!" Heero pointed out, his usual expressionless mask shattering down around his ankles.

Heero bit down on the tears that threatened to break his calm. He had to get them the *fuck* out of there. He turned back around in his seat, trying to see past the rain. He didn't know how or even why, but they had been fucking compromised. No one had noticed a damn thing until the house started burning down around them! Heero couldn't explain it--he just fucking couldn't. No one could because they had all been unconscious. If it hadn't been for Wufei's screams . . .

"There." Trowa didn't know what to do, but he had to do something to ease the tension. He was scared, too. There had been so much blood. Trowa didn't think that it was the fact of *what* they had seen, more that it had been Wufei laying helpless in that puddle of blood. /And god only knows what else,/ he thought grimly. Heero was pulled out of his thinking by Trowa's pointing to a small gas station up ahead. Trowa didn't have to say it, but Heero knew. They were all tired. What had happened couldn't be explained, but if they weren't careful--Wufei. Maybe even Trowa--

How Trowa could have just lain there, not even noticing the bullet in his shoulder . . . He had fucking been shot and yet remained conscious. That right there scared the living hell out of him; *all* of them.

*They* had been sent in to fight this. How the hell could they fight something when they couldn't even *begin* to conceive what the they were fighting?!

Heero took in a few deep breaths as he turned onto the exit. It was 01:28 and they needed someplace to hide. They had already almost lost Wufei twice, and Trowa....

*****

It was only nine thirty, and Duo had woken up at nine. However, he already wanted to go back to bed. The idea of just crawling back in and hiding under the covers for the next million years or so just sounded so good right now.

Duo tried to smile, but it ended up as more of a grimace. He'd already had the pleasure of leaving a tip to the police about Lindsey this morning, and now. . . well, now he was just trying to eat breakfast with out killing something. Wounding would be okay, but killing? No he really couldn't justify leaving a trail of blood behind him. Someone might bother to get all moralistic on him. He didn't know *who* of course, but he was sure that if someone were with him right now they would probably be shocked at his new violent tendencies. Especially since they had only come about in the last two days. . . .

Duo was forced out of his reminiscing by a very tired, very annoyed looking waitress. *Sally* was currently tapping her feet, while playing with her little pen and glaring at Duo. Duo took the time to question whether or not that was her *real* name and then decided that *no* he definitely shouldn't address her by it. She looked pissed.

Hell, he didn't want to be there either, but at least she was being *paid* to be there. All he wanted was a good, strong cup of coffee and maybe a little breakfast. Now come to think of it maybe he would just skip the breakfast all together; it might annoy the waitress. He smiled at that. The waitress? Well, if her glare had been much harder, Duo was sure something would be burning right about now. He couldn't help it. If he had to go through hell today, as far as Duo was concerned, so did everyone else.

He ordered his coffee, and then went back to feeling sorry for himself and planning his day. After breakfast he would get to go into town and look for 'toys.' *That* part would be fun.

Then to the library! Sadly, he had never really liked that whole "lets sit in front of the computer and do nothing thing." For some odd reason it really annoyed him, and he found himself usually avoiding it at all costs. Hopefully something more would turn up on this 'Nick Martino' guy. According to the articles he'd found last night, 'Nick' had committed suicide. Which was just great.

Duo didn't know why--but he just was *not* buying it. The whole thing was almost too clean. From everything Duo had already gathered, Nick hadn't exactly had the best of friends. Nick had owned a few clubs here and there--Duo saw more. How the hell this guy could have been so rich and then decided to off him self was just beyond Duo. No, it was one hell of a set up. Granted a well done set up but, a set up none the less.

Duo was brought out of his thinking once again by the arrival of his coffee. Oh, hell, yes! Today was just going to be-- Duo couldn't think of any smart ass remarks at that time; he was too busy downing his coffee.

*****

Wufei slooowly opened one eye . . . then the other. He couldn't see anything. It was all pleasantly fuzzy. He didn't know why, but . . . Something was definitely wrong! At first he hadn't really noticed it, but now that he was becoming more coherent he could feel that there was something wrong with his body. The whole thing hurt and he didn't have the faintest idea as to why.

That was bad. . . . he wasn't quite sure as to *how* that was bad, but it was baaad. He didn't know what the hell kind of drugs had been used on him, but he made a mental note to ask. Wufei didn't know *who* he could ask. Come to think of it-- /What the hell?!/

Whatever drugs they had used could come in useful under torture situations. Yeah, that was it! Torture situations!

He really didn't know what the hell he was talking about. . . .

Wufei would have grinned, but he was busy passing out again.

*****

Rain. Crystaline drips falling into the glass of the window, illuminated only by the faint glow coming from the graying clouds outside. /Beautiful /

Trowa wasn't quite sure what to do. He turned his gaze away from the tiny droplets sliding down the pane of the window to look at Wufei. Wu had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the last two hours. Laying there on the bed not three feet away just looking so helpless . . .

They had cleaned him up the minute Heero had gotten them into the motel room. If things didn't improve much in the next hour, Trowa wasn't going to sit around and wait any longer. Wufei needed a hospital.

Wufei was improving, but not enough; not enough by a long shot. It had been a while since the boys had had to go underground. These last several years had been a joy ride compared to the war.

Trowa sighed looking to the window for inspiration. It was still early in the day. An old OZ base lay only about a hundred miles south-east of them. Heero had left for it a few hours ago. Supposedly the base had been shut down at the end of the war. Trowa almost smiled. /Yeah. Riiight./ They new better than to expect that.

Trowa started a little as Quatre entered the room soaking wet, clad only in a towel, and a hair brush. Words just couldn't explain what he felt toward the golden haired boy. Trowa smiled at the innocent look in Quatre's eyes as the boy went about dressing, pulling things out of his duffel and then sorting them on the other bed. Even after everything they had been through, Quatre still managed to look innocent somehow.

"How's . . . ?" Quatre's voice seemed small even within the quiet hush that had settled over the room. To anyone else Quatre would have seemed fine, but Trowa could see the tension lining his lover's back.

"I think he's improving," Trowa remarked, attempting to bring Quatre out of this forced silence, leaving the window.

Quatre turned to eye him warily, watching as Trowa crossed the room to sit on the bed beside a pair of rolled up socks. "Really?" Quatre asked sounding more than a bit skeptical. It was nice to have Trowa here like this. Casually joking, attempting to produce a smile from him.

"I think so." Trowa remarked attempting to sound hopeful.

Quatre sighed, sitting down on the bed beside his lover. "Trowa?"

"Hmm?"

"What the hell are we gonna do?"

"Here," Trowa said climbing behind Quatre while motioning for the brush.

"You're getting the bed all dirty," Quatre remarked absently handing the brush over.

"I know."

They sat in silence like that for a long time; each anticipating word from Heero. They were on their own now, looking for a needle in a haystack--and the Earth was a *very* big place.

* * *

Heero sighed, carelessly scrubbing at the stray raindrops that were invading his vision. Sitting outside under the cover of some prickly brush watching the base Heero inadvertently  took the time to reminisce.  Regardless of the dangers--Heero just couldn't sit here in the cold grass and mud caked earth not thinking.  He knew, oh god he knew.  He shook his head in desperation trying to block it out. What had happened to Wufei--it was so much like--Heero bit his lips closing his eyes trying defiantly not to make the connection.  He failed.

/ Like Duo. . . ./ He just couldn't help it now. Sighing, all the emotions he'd been carefully holding began to softly trickle down his cheeks. Here he was Heero Yuy, caked with mud, sweat, and a little blood-- Crying in the bushes like some infant.  It disgusted him, frustrated him to a point that he was beyond caring.

Heero was soo tired. So damned tired of it all. He fisted the long strands of grass that were in front of him.  The war was over. What was left for him now but to find Duo's killers? For the last two years--Heero had tried to hide. To live a life without Duo.

With the wars ending he would have gladly self-destructed-- If it hadn't have been for Duo. His only link to humanity. . . . his only love. . .

Everything was gone now. He'd had his chance. . . . . and he'd fucked it all up. . . . to hell and back again. Several times. He'd had Duo so close and then--that labs job.

Heero still felt like just screaming like a four year old, sitting here and letting the world go to hell.  Heero snorted at that, world going to hell?  Oh yes!  In a hand basket, of all god damned things. He was still unclear as to what had happened to Duo. When Duo'd had to leave that lab in East Africa--all hell breaking loose.   Headaches
invading Duo's life constantly.  Duo.  Too damned stubborn for his own good. Heero smiled at that. To Duo he had been the unmoving one.  To Duo. The Duo that was gone now. . . .

Heero shook his head bringing himself out of his reverie. He didn't have time to sit around waiting for the bad guys to come and kill him. He was on a mission, granted a self-imposed mission, but a mission none the less.  They needed supplies. Heero would get the supplies.  Then the bad guys could come and kill him.  He nodded to himself. Good plan.

Heero turned back to scrutinizing the base. This one would be THE Proverbial "Piece of Cake" / What a bunch of idiots. / And this base was supposed to be secret. Heero made a mental note to remind Relena's employee's to fix this.  Loose ends were the last thing Relena's new government needed especially right now.

He would have to wait to think about Duo. Heero gingerly reached up to wipe the one stray tear that was mercilessly making way down his bare cheek.  They were soo close. . . and maybe. Just maybe. . .

* * *

It was almost snowing, sort of like the clouds just couldn't decide *what* they were doing.  Flying flakes would float above the earth only to disenigrate the moment they touched. Duo sighed resting his chin atop his hand just staring out the dusty old library window. Duo didn't quite know what it was about these tiny shards of ice.  He wished he could remember but they *were* sort of comforting. God. He felt so alone

Duo's coughing brought him out of his reverie. Duo shook his head. /Damn dust / The dust in the library was proving to be most entertaining.  He grinned, absently chewing upon the end of a black ball point pen. The librarian had also proved to be most entertaining. The man was old, set in his ways demo, Duo had an odd feeling about him. Almost like Duo knew him. . . from--somewhere.

He was a big man, squarish with warm blue almost silver eyes that seemed  to match his hair. He seemed to worry about nothing, taking his time with everything, like living was an art, and the outside world had only briefly touched him leaving everything in wonder. He also had one hell of a sense of humor.  Duo shook his head.

Duo couldn't help but grin again as the man, George, as he had introduced himself, stumbled over with more books from the back of the crowded library.

Stooping over while placing a stack of thick, well used books in front of Duo George inquired as to Duos progress. "Finding what ya needed?"

"Welll. . . sort of."  Duo made vague motions with his hands causing his braid to swing behind him. "Can I check the periodicals again?"

"Damn boy! This must be one hell of an assignment! What was it you were studying again?" George was now sitting opposite Duo, big hands carelessly crossed in front of him.

Duo took note of the small silver ring twined around his left hand ring finger.  It seemed to almost have some sort of design engraved on top but it was worn down. Duo didn't know why but suddenly now-- this man seemed almost dangerous.

"Criminology."

"Damn, well it's like I told ya.  We don't really get much traffic coming through these parts anymore. After the war not much important left in this little old town.  Hell, I been here fifty years! Not too much of importance has happened *here* But if ya wanna find more ya could check up in the attic."

"Thanks. But I think I'll just come back tomorrow. I really need to get some dinner and then study."

Duo really just wanted to go back to the hotel and sit in a little ball and cry like a baby.   He'd been at this for the last two days. Still he found nothing.   Any progress he was making was excruciatingly slow and god only knew how close the police were getting.

"Damn you college students try waaay too hard!!! Why don't ya just stay in town? Get a cozy little job, marry a pretty little girl, and have lots of fat little babies eh?" The librarian ended with a racious grin and a wink.  His old face screwing up, lines from years of laughter becoming more prominent.

"Nah.  My dad'd kill me!" Duo supplied with a laugh.

"Well then will you at least do my wife the honor?  By dining at my home? I'm sure she would love to meet ya."  The man smiled again motioning for Duo to follow.

"No. . . . I couldn't." Duo argued shaking his head while attempting to look troubled by something.

"Ahh, hot date is it then? "

Duo managed a blush, a meek blush but in the dimming library it really didn't matter.

"Go on!  Abandon me!" The little old man was now waving his arms about wildly.

Suddenly, George stopped, got this weird look on his face, and then started laughing at Duo.  "You're priceless kiddo.  I'll see ya tomorrow. " The man began waving as he made way down the cool stone steps lining the front of the library.

"Don't stay up too late!  I don't want ta have ta deal with ya if you're growly tamorrow!" With those parting words the elderly librarian disappeared off into the night.

Duo grinned.  As much as he hated lying to George.  He knew he couldn't get him involved. George had been helping him, under the impression that Duo was merely a college student working on some project, but without him Duo would be no-where. He was still sort of no-where but it was a more confident no-where.

Duo shrugged walking down the stone steps himself. / huh. if only I *was* going on a date! / Duo giggled as he made his way back toward the parking lot where his old jeep sat.

/ Nooo! Now I get to go to the closest city and go *clubbing* those people always seem to   know what's going on! /  Duo shook his head, suddenly becoming very aware of a movement somewhere behind him.

/Figures./ Duo thought to himself as he noticed the figure making way across the dusty parking lot.  Who ever it was certainly didn't want a confrontation. He/she was taking time attempting to look innocent. Duo wasn't even buying it.

Bringing his hand up closer to the waist band of his pants Duo carefully began to ease the .38 around to his front.  If he could just get to his car.

Duo held his breath as he carefully opened the door to the jeep, attempting to act as casual as possible Duo slid the keys into the ignition and slowly pulled out, heading west.  If he was lucky he could lose this guy. He had looked to be only on foot but with the glare from the sun he really couldn't tell much else about the person.

Duo didn't think he was being followed.  He checked the rear-view mirror ever few seconds but the only cars he could see weren't doing anything of note.    /Probably just some jackassed mugger/ Duo berated himself.  How the hell would anybody know where he was anyway. . . .

* * *

Quatre sighed to himself plopping down on a side bench that lay in a sort of garden like park to the west side of the hotel.  From here he could see the ocean. Waves gently rolling in as the sun began it's fiery trek across the sky.  If Quatre hadn't been so upset he would have been enjoying this.

He had to admit the grounds were gorgeous even if they weren't all part of the hotel.   The hotel itself had been cheap. Only renting one room for the four of them Heero had left to go check out an old Oz base leaving Trowa and Quatre to watch after Wufei.

Wufei wasn't improving much. Or at least as much as they wanted. He still was far from coherent, coming in and out-- mumbling broken phrases.  Anytime they thought he was half coherent Wufei ended up practically screaming.  Quatre still didn't know what to do.  He had been sitting in their room grazing the net until Trowa kicked him out and told him to take a walk.

Trowa was driving him nuts too.  Trowa had been wounded when they left with Wufei, but he continued to act like it was nothing. Quatre had wrapped and bandaged it but Trowa wouldn't let him do much else.

Granted Trowa's shoulder had merely been grazed by the bullet, but it was still swollen.   Without rest Trowa was sure to land his ass in bed for at least a week. Right now they needed Trowa. True Quatre didn't have the faintest idea as to just what the hell they thought they were all doing. . . .

Which only brought Quatre back to his current dilemma.  From what he'd gathered on the net they couldn't even call back in.  Something was seriously fucked up! Usually on missions if things went wrong they could at least contact someone in the lower circles and find a safe house to hide in for a while.  Which was just what Quatre had been sub checking. Contact--no matter how brief--could end with death. Most likely their own.

Before it had only been a hypothetical idea but now Quatre knew--they *had* been compromised. It didn't matter how it happened but this meant serious fucking danger. Quatre silently prayed to himself that Heero would be able to gather more from that base.   Right now it was their only fucking hope.

Quatre sighed looking up toward the sky, silently praying for things to work out. The sun had decended further toward the ocean shooting liquide fire across the sky. And then reflecting off of the waters surface bringing forth a wave of pure heat.

" Sooo. . .What's eatin *you*?"

Quatre was completely stunned out of his thinking by an *extremely * familiar voice. . . . . . .

******

Heero paused in his checking of the detonators to bite back a snicker. Damn this was easy. Much to Heero's dismay he was actually having fun, who would have known breaking into one of your own military bases could
be entertaining?

Wiping the sweat away from his eyes Heero began uploading the codes he would be needing for the trip to the arms room. He was glad he'd brought along Quatre's extra supply of detonators, Trowa's coding disks, and Wufei's *never-ending* supply of C-4.

Brows furrowing momentarily Heero rechecked the grid.  There had been a slight blink.   Heero didn't like that.  Heero didn't like that at all. He bit his lip caught up in thought. If he left now, his chances of attempting to pull this off would fall from slim to none.  Heero shook his head. He would just have to chance it.

Checking his gun for the forth time, Heero decided that he could carry an extra clip.   Killing your own people usually was not a good thing.

Right now shit was hitting the fan it would have to be ok.

If at all possible Heero tried to avoid killing anymore.  Mostly just because of all the red tape used disscussing right and wrong.  Heero took a moment to wonder if it was a bad thing--not caring about killing--and then decided that it didn't matter because he'd taken the time to question it's moral implications.

Heero was gonna do this. Here in about three minutes this place would be swarming with guards.  God he hoped he could find answers in their computer.

When all hell broke loose he would need to be in position. Heero thought about cackling evily and then  decided that it wasn't really very professional. Years of being sucked into humanities infinate boringness were getting to him he'd grown emotions.   Granted after Duo--ice would forever encircle his heart but at least now he knew that
he had one.

Heero sighed, Damnit he didn't have any time for this.  This whole mission was just bringing the past up to haunt him. Heero blinked, no all the missions leading up to this one.  All the signs where there. They were closer to answers.  The answers all of them needed. . . . wanted. . . .about Duo.

Heero was brought out of his brooding by the tinly blinking light in the lower right hand corner of his laptop's screen.  He would need to get moving soon. Tapping in to this base's security system wouldn't be easy, but it would definatly be fun. He hadn't done this in a while. Hopefully he wasn't too rusty.