It wasn't Treize Khushrenada who came to visit him, but no one less than Chang Wufei. Heero had spent a few days carefully starting up daily exercises and the nurse was satisfied with his progress, as long as he didn't overexert himself. She had brought him some books and magazines but no newspapers, and there was no TV in his room. He was completely in the dark about the current situation in the world, but he was more upset that Duo hadn't visited him anymore. Heero was brooding on plans to get into touch with him again, when he was startled out of his thoughts by a firm knock on the door.
"Enter!"
Hoping to see Duo again, Heero sat up straight in his bed. He refrained from showing any disappointment when he saw Wufei.
"Lowe, how are you." It wasn't a question. Wufei walked up to Heero's bed and casually pulled a chair towards him to sit down. "I take it Maxwell informed you about the change of plans and the state of the conductors."
"Yes, he did."
"Excellent. I've scheduled a meeting with you and Khushrenada this evening. He will fill you in on the details."
"I didn't expect seeing you again. Something keeping you here?"
Something flashed in Wufei's eyes, an emotion so brief that Heero was unable to recognize it. "I have obligations, like everybody does. Don't worry about it, Lowe. Don't meddle with things that don't concern you."
"I didn't mean to pry."
"Then don't pry." Wufei made an impatient gesture with his hand. "Khushrenada appreciates proper clothing and etiquette. I'll make sure you'll fit every requirement he demands of the people who work for him. His Excellency shouldn't be disappointed with his men."
Heero was about to ask what he meant by that, but Wufei already rose from his seat, signing that the conversation was over. He left the room as briskly as he entered it, leaving Heero to ponder.
So, he was still Odin Lowe. Wufei had used his last name twice, and had given no indication that Heero's cover had been blown. Why else would they have bothered to bring him back to the mansion and nurse him back to health? The players had changed, but the stakes were still the same. He had to contact HQ, the sooner the better. He had to find out what was going on. He had to see Duo again. What had happened, exactly? Why had Duo even been at the transaction? Septem... Heero wouldn't shed a tear, but the man had been coldly eliminated for his failure. Walker dead, Duo injured, conductors damaged. So many questions, and how much time remained to answer them all?
The only thought standing out to him was Hilde and Duo weren't a couple. He could make his move, but he didn't even know if Duo would respond. Besides, the mission... but the mission was fading into the background as soon as it concerned Duo Maxwell. It made him feel vulnerable, and Heero Yuy didn't like feeling vulnerable. Or confused. Another hard knock on his door, and irritated, he barked: "Enter!"
Two servants entered, wheeling a clothing rack inside the room. Heero remembered Wufei's words, and grumpily climbed out of bed. The next two hours were spent trying out the new clothes, with Heero sighing and fidgeting to keep his temper under control. Finally, the servants left him alone again and he looked at himself in the mirror. It wasn't surprising that the choice of clothing was old-fashioned; he was reminded of Duo's words of old European nobility as he wrinkled his nose at the lace collar and the velvet grey of his jacket. What kind of man was Khushrenada, that he appreciated this kind of style? He tried in vain to comb his hair; the unruly locks refused to be contained and after a while, he simply gave up on it. As he waited for Wufei to arrive, he tried to go over his strategy once more. Odin Lowe was firmly in place; he could feel the cold rationality of his alter ego, rendering Heero Yuy to a faint conscience in the back of his mind. He had to keep it together. He didn't know what kind of danger was lurking around the corner, and he was right here in the lion's den.
Wufei arrived without knocking. He was dressed in a traditional white gi with light grey buttons. No embroidered dragon this time. His raven black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and his dark eyes swept the room and over Heero, nothing escaping their gaze.
"Come with me."
The dining room had been redecorated. A lot of the heavy, dark wooden furniture had been replaced by slender, slightly eccentric Louis XIV chairs, tables and cupboards, adorned with bronze candle holders and various other trinkets - even though Heero was convinced those 'trinkets' were genuine antiquities. He had to remind himself that there was big money going around in the Romefeller Foundation.
Treize Khushrenada was seated at the window, holding a small, first print edition of Le Petit Prince in his gloved hands. The ginger haired man, dressed in an ancient military uniform - reminding Heero that Khushrenada was to be addressed as His Excellency - consisting of a Prussian blue tunic with a rose in the top button, stark white pants and high heeled boots shining so brightly Heero almost had to squint. Khushrenada was impeccable, and fitted perfectly with his environment. An environment that didn't fit Duo so well, sitting at the other end of the table, dressed in a casual red shirt with gray vest and black slacks. The silver circle at the tip of his zipper dangled with every movement. His hair was in its customary braid, and in the light of the chandelier it seemed to shine with a whole pallet of golden, brown and cinnamon colors.
"Welcome Mister Lowe, welcome." Khushrenada stood up from his chair and walked over to the table, set for three people. Every plate was silver, every glass was crystal. "I believe we've got to thank you for your rather unique merchandise?"
"If you are talking about the conductors, then yes," Heero answered dryly. Khushrenada showed a small smile.
"We would be pretty lost if it weren't for you. I'll be frank with you, Odin. We need those conductors in tiptop shape. They need to be sent to space as soon as possible."
"Space? What for?"
Khushrenada narrowed his eyes. "It's sufficient for you to know that roughly four dozen conductors were damaged in the transaction and we need them in good condition, fast. We're running a tight schedule here."
He was interrupted by a slew of servant girls who unloaded a cart full with dishes - all hidden under silver cloches - on the table. Khushrenada made a gesture with his hand, inviting Heero to take a seat. He wanted to sit next to Duo, but Wufei had already claimed that particular seat. Deciding not to push his luck, Heero sat down opposite of him, ignoring Khushrenada at the moment, who took the head of the table. The servant girls removed the silver cloches and after a 'Bon appetit' in unison, left the men to eat their dinner. The food was exquisite, as usual, the best that L4 had to offer; Heero recognized pheasant, quail, caviar... He had to hide a smile behind his hand when he noticed Duo poking at his food, eyes wide open. Wufei looked as if he wanted to smack him around and Khushrenada dutifully ignored his guest who had never seen fish eggs before.
"We appreciate that you are willing to take the repairs into your own hand," Khushrenada continued the conversation. Heero arched an eyebrow. He had never officially agreed to do that, hadn't he? "You'll be compensated for your troubles, of course. Furthermore, you will explain the installation of the conductors, their compatibility with the gundanium chips and their implementation for mobile suit operation to my choice of staff."
"What kind of suits?" Heero asked.
Khushrenada looked at him again. "Why do you want to know?"
"Installation of the conductors depends on the suit," Heero explained, almost sounding bored. "It's different from a land suit to a ground suit or even a deep sea ocean suit. I need to know what kind of suit you're building or deploying, so I can adjust the pointers of the conductors."
Khushrenada sampled a bit of the caviar, his every movement calm and composed, thoroughly enjoying the food. "What will you say when I tell you that you have to adjust them to fit into…" He paused for the dramatic effect... "Gundams?"
He got the desired effect. Heero almost spit out the wine he was sipping. "Gundams?"
Duo had a horrific, shocked look in his eyes, his fork clattering on his silver plate. Wufei continued with the seafood, as if the conversation completely went past him. He already knew.
"The Gundams were sent off in a rock to the sun, effectively destroying them," Heero recited, monotone. "Everything pertaining to the Gundams has been destroyed."
"Not everything, if you have been paying attention to my words."
Heero looked at the sophisticated man incredulously. What the hell?
"I think you underestimated us, Odin. You thought you just had to deal with a mere rebel faction, did you not? I see that I have to set your perceptions straight. We're part of a very solid Foundation and we want to rebuild and use the Gundams."
Heero put down his napkin. His voice was strained. "We've gone through two wars, both involving Gundams. I don't have to remind you of the consequences of those mobile suits. I've heard enough. I won't be a part of this, not any longer." With a brusque movement, he shoved his chair backwards and got up. Screw the mission, screw Une and the whole secret service!
"Sit down, Mister Lowe. Sit down!" Khushrenada's voice held such authority that even without yelling. Heero all but automatically obeyed. He sat down again, and for the first time in his life, in his career as a secret agent, he felt lost. He had faced a lot of troubles and complicated problems, but this was the biggest thing he had ever encountered. Mission be damned, but he wasn't going to cooperate in bringing back weapons of mass destruction!
"Maybe you'll rethink your position when you understand that these threats... these suits have to be brought back to face an even bigger threat." Khushrenada continued eating as if he was discussing winning lottery tickets. Duo had stopped eating all together and Wufei was cutting the grilled salmon in pieces of mere millimeters. Heero felt cold.
"A bigger threat?"
"I'm not going to divulge the details of our plans to you. You're not having part in any of this except for the conductors. Fix them, and that will be the end of your contribution. Finish your meal, Mister Lowe. It would be a waste of food."
Heero took up his cutlery, only to manage a few more bites before he allowed the servant girls to take away his plate. Khushrenada was the only one to finish his entire plate. He took up his napkin and betted his lips.
"Mister Maxwell here will provide you with any equipment you need. You have met him before, haven't you?"
"I had the pleasure," Heero said and saw a gentle smile curling around Duo's lips.
"Excellent." Khushrenada snapped with his fingers and the servant girls re-entered the dining room, this time with large trays of dessert - that got Duo's attention again, as he picked a large bowl of ice cream with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. A war orphan from L2 barely had the chance of eating fresh fruit. Wufei declined any of the pastries and sweets, and Heero chose a piece of apple pie for himself.
"I hope the medical care was satisfactory." Khushrenada decided on a small bowl with some kind of mousse and delicate, thin wafers. "You were very close to an explosion, and I was told that you should consider yourself very, very lucky."
Heero simply nodded. His eyes went over the table, to Duo, who was eating his strawberries with gusto, using his right hand - albeit with some awkwardness. Khushrenada followed his eyes.
"And you saved the life of a very valuable employee," he said, sounding smug. He bit off a piece of the wafer, the crunch very audible. For some reason, the sound send shivers down Heero's spine. A very valuable employee? "I'm sure I can convince the Foundation to make your compensation incredibly rewarding."
He was about to say that Khushrenada could put his compensation somewhere in a place the sun didn't shine, but Heero quickly decided against it. Wufei ignored everyone else at the table and when dinner was over, Khushrenada excused himself to take up his seat by the window again, to continue reading.
"You should be resting," Duo said and rose from the table. "Your bill of health isn't clean yet. I'll bring you back to your room." Heero agreed immediately. In all this mess, Duo was like a shining beacon of normality, even though his presence raised more questions than answering them.
"So, what do you think?"
Duo waited until they were close to Heero's quarters to start talking. His hand rested on the door handle.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you think of our new leader?" Duo smiled, baring his perfect white teeth. Would he kill me if I kissed him?
"I think he's quite capable of leading the Foundation... or whatever it is."
"Romefeller," Duo said. "It's the Romefeller Foundation. They have a huge financial back-up."
So Winner wasn't involved. Heero couldn't get the image of the blond billionaire out of his mind. Quatre Winner had visited the mansion of one of the most intrepid rebel leaders, together with Trowa Barton; it couldn't have been a coincidence. Winner, Barton, Romefeller - what was the big picture here?
"You don't have to look so frightened," Duo laughed, "you don't have to worry about it. As soon as you've fixed those faulty conductors, you're out of here with a big fat check. Nothing to worry about!"
"I don't mind delivering conductors, but using them for Gundams! I thought people were smarter than trying to revive those weapons."
Duo looked sad. "It's just another mobile suit," he said, sounding wearily. "Every mobile suit is a weapon. It's the only thing I think our perfect Queen is right about: weapons should be prohibited. But as long as there are people around, the urge for war and destruction will exist. There's nothing you can do about it."
"Besides making a profit," Heero answered him.
"You know, I just can't figure you out," Duo shot back. "When I first met you I thought you were some kind of fancy pants with hot merchandise. Then you save my life and somehow you show more compassion and personality when you stood up to Treize about reviving the Gundams, and now you're talking about profits and money again. What is it with you, Odin? I usually figure people out pretty fast, but you?"
"I don't want to confuse you," Heero said. He eyed Duo and the other returned his gaze with his usual open look.
"Anyway," Duo said, after some minutes of uncomfortable silence, "please hurry fixing those conductors. I want to return to L2 as soon as possible."
"Back to your hometown?"
"I don't have a hometown," he said, eyes narrowing dangerously. "It got flattened in the first war."
"And still you're contributing to the start of a new war."
"You don't know shit Odin, stop judging me." Duo straightened himself. "I really don't get you, but I sure as hell don't want to get you anymore. You're a stuck up jerk with prejudices and biases all coming out of your ears."
"So why don't you tell me what's the real deal, Duo Maxwell?" Heero stated boldly. "Give me the rundown of your terrible past and the horrors you've seen?"
"Fine. You want to know what happened, Odin? The war happened! You know that L2 took the brunt of it. So don't give me that pitying shit! I don't know what's going on with you, but you have no right to judge me."
"You judge me yourself, Duo. You think I only care for the money!"
"You haven't given me any reason otherwise!"
"And you? You haven't answered my question! You received money for your thievery. You stole the building plans and the chips. What are you saying to that, Shinigami?"
Duo paled. "What did you call me?"
"Shinigami. Nichol mentioned it."
"That idiot fucking bastard!" Duo spat. "Never mind," he said angrily when he saw Heero looking at him, observing. "Nichol is a blabbermouth. It's something from the past."
Another minutes of silence.
"Look, it's getting late." Duo checked his watch. "I'll get you tomorrow for breakfast and show you the place where you can work on those conductors, okay?"
"Okay. But we haven't finished this conversation."
"Yes we have." Duo stated and turned around so fast that his braid sliced through the air, almost hitting Heero in the chest. Heero walked into his room, locked himself up and bashed his head into a pillow. It was less painful than slamming into the wall.
Antagonizing Duo was quite the right method to get on his bad side. Heero had been awake all night, replaying the conversation over and over in his mind, wondering why he had spoken the words that had obviously hurt and angered the other. He didn't know why, but in his anger Duo let more slip than in just a normal conversation. But the after-effects were less than pleasant; a silent Duo at the breakfast table was awkward and when he asked if Heero had finished, his voice was curt, the words clipped. Wufei was nowhere in sight.
Heero was angry with himself for ruining the perfect opportunity for getting to know Duo better. Instead of trying for a kiss, he had riled him up, effectively cutting his own chances short. There was this... dark thing, something dark about Duo, notwithstanding the whole Shinigami part. There had to be a reason for someone nicknaming himself the God of Death and he wanted to find out.
"Yes, I'm finished."
"Follow me." Duo smacked his napkin on the table and was out of the room so fast that Heero had to hurry to keep up with him. Following the other, Heero threw a casual look outside the large windows of the hallway. He had a perfect view on the driveway of the mansion, and a Bentley just pulled up to the steps. The driver, clad in a dark blue uniform with golden buttons, got out of the car and opened the door. It didn't come as a great surprise to see Quatre Winner, followed by Trowa Barton, stepping out of the Bentley. What was a multi-billionaire doing, hanging out with someone actively tied to the heavy artillery of the L3 colony?
"Beats me," Duo said. Heero hadn't realized he had thought out loud. "Trowa isn't that close with the Foundation, though. He acts on his own. He's personal friends with Quatre, but I don't know how personal."
"The Romefeller Foundation is wealthy enough to upkeep their own status. Why would they need Winner for?"
Duo shrugged. "Maybe they hope to win Quatre over to support their cause, or take care of some cash flow, who knows? Come, I'll show you the work shop."
Heero followed him, carefully contemplating Winner and Barton in his mind. Something was wrong, and he couldn't put his finger on it. It irritated him to no avail. He still had to contact headquarters, but how? He didn't even have his clothes or his weapon anymore and his laptop was at the Star Hotel. Une wouldn't worry too soon, but it had been a while since he sent the last message. Maybe they presumed him dead after the mess of the transaction.
"Hey, I thought I lost you there for a moment, buddy. This way." Duo's boisterous nature seemed to have returned, and Heero showed him a watery smile. It was hard to think positive thoughts when he was caught up in such a complicated mess. He'd need more time to contemplate his fate.
The workshop was nothing else but the room Heero had once caught Duo in, working on his own thieving tools. The large benches held every tool imaginable; Heero saw cutters, pliers, saws, screwdrivers, and that was just scratching the surface. Next to the bench to the right was a cardboard box with the faulty conductors.
"I'll come back for you at lunch, all right? I have to talk things over with Wufei." With a curt nod, Duo disappeared. Heero eyed the conductors in the cardboard box. Forty five pieces, in various states of damage. He stood for a moment, completely flabbergasted at what to do. Une had J manufacture the conductors as bait; none of them were working. The scientist had rigged them to malfunction as soon as electricity ran through them. The stupid things were to be discarded as soon as the transaction had been done and over with and the entire rebel cell apprehended; and instead he was in this mess, and his only leverage was that he 'knew how to work' with the blasted things! As soon as any member of the Romefeller Foundation found out that it was all hot air, his life was done for. He needed to contact HQ and fast. Time was something he needed, but didn't have the luxury to wait for.
He wasn't going to work on the conductors. He needed to find a way out of here, and spending time in the workshop was limiting his chances of survival. Heero took the small stairs to the ground floor and quickly mapped out a strategy to get into touch with HQ. He had to go back to the Star Hotel and get his laptop. Without it, he had no means whatsoever to send a message. If someone caught him walking down the hallway, he could always claim to get his stuff because well, he didn't have anything else but the clothes he was wearing. No one would fault him for wanting to get his laptop back.
A sophisticated, polite voice came from down the hallway. Winner, no doubt.
"Will His Excellency receive me now?"
"But of course, forgive me for letting you wait," another voice answered. Heero recognized the man as the main servant. The next moment Khushrenada barked: "Otto! Do you mean you had Mister Winner wait?"
"My apologies, Your Excellency," the man said, obviously taken aback. "I haven't seen Mister Winner here before and he asked about the General, and..."
"You're dismissed," Khushrenada said and Heero certainly didn't imagine the icy tone in his voice. "We'll talk about this later. Mister Winner, Mister Barton, please follow me."
Heero heard the rustling of clothes and coats. Some general pleasantries were exchanged and from his position he managed to catch a glimpse of Khushrenada leading the way, down the hallway, away from Heero. He heaved a sigh of relief. Certainly Khushrenada was the man to avoid right now. This was an opportunity he couldn't miss out on, and Heero followed the group of men at a respectable distance, enough to see in which room they went. He wished he had his wallet with him - he sure could use his credit card with recording facilities right now. Shuffling close to the door, he had to do it the old-fashioned way: eaves-dropping.
He tried to distinguish the muffled sounds of shoveling chairs, some coughing and shuffling papers.
"I only consented because of my father's cause," he heard Quatre Winner talk. When he thought Khushrenada's voice to be icy, it was nothing compared to the chill tone in Quatre's voice. The politeness was still there, but not just like a business man- this man was a incredulously tough negotiator. Heero shivered.
"We know, Mister Winner. We hope we haven't lost your trust in our cause."
"Frankly, you start losing it and rapidly," Quatre Winner answered calmly. "I only tied myself to the Romefeller Foundation because of your heritage and I was truly convinced you had good intentions. Now, how about those rumors about resurrection of the Gundams?"
"We bought the conductors to counterattack the mobile doll system in development," Khushrenada gave back. "We're not sure about resurrecting the Gundams, or developing new models to fulfill that mission."
Heero winced when he heard a loud smack. Someone had smashed something hard on a solid surface.
"I do not approve of resurrecting the Gundams! If I notice one look, one stare at the designs, your ass is fried, Khushrenada. I will not stand for another war! You made sure about the mobile doll system threat- but how much of a threat is it, when you are collecting every piece of equipment possible for your own army?"
"Mister Winner, please. I know this is difficult. We have confirmed intelligence on the development of the mobile doll system and trust me, it can -and will- represent a much greater danger than a few Gundams."
"Dermail has been taken out because he crossed the line, Khushrenada. You could be taken out as well, just as easily."
Heero gasped. Was this a confession from Quatre Winner that he was behind the Duke's murder? He was amazed. Talking about serious underestimation! This was a man who was even more powerful than Khushrenada himself; he took care of the funding and issued the orders. Khushrenada wasn't in charge, Quatre Winner was! This changed his entire opinion on the case. What kind of game was the billionaire playing? He didn't want the rebuilding of the Gundams, but why would he fund a Foundation who was bent on warfare? Who took the most profits from warfare, and thrived on the misery of innocent victims?
Chairs scraped over the floor and Heero quickly moved away from the door, high tailing it out of the hallway before he was noticed. He raced back to his workshop and had to grab a firm hold on one of the benches, just to keep standing upright. So many questions, his head jumbled.
Chapter 5 | Chapter 7