Day Three:

"Heero, what's this all about?" Lady Une demanded. "Where is Mariemaia?"

Relena and Lady Une had been joined in her office later yesterday afternoon by Wufei and Sally. Quatre and Trowa had called around midnight to report that they hadn't found Duo, but they had located Heero, who seemed to know something, but he refused to talk until they were all together.

"Hn." Heero responded. "I don't know where Mariemaia is."

Relena walked up to Heero and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you know Heero?"

Heero glanced at Relena, wondering why the heck she was touching him. "I know that Duo *was* taken by force. I don't know who took him, and I wasn't able to stop them." He took a deep breath. "I do know Duo though, he would not have taken a little girl from her home by his own choosing."

"Then what do you suggest happened?" Lady Une asked, still terribly upset over the whole ordeal.

"I think that..." Heero started, but was interrupted by the phone. Relena gave them a I'll-be-back sign and walked out, only to scream to Heero moments later.

"What is it?" Heero asked when he was by the phone.

A face sneered back at him. "Hello Heero Yuy. My, it's so nice to be able to talk to you to your face. After watching and observing you for so very long."

Every single alarm that Heero's instincts had to offer was going off. This man was bad news. "What do you want?"

"I want to know if you want to come to play a game I've designed Heero Yuy." The man asked, still smirking.

"Hu?" Heero was indeed confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to play a game right now."

"Then I think you should make time!" The man yelled, changing moods like insane people often do. He was suddenly calm again. "I have a prize for you that you will be most interested in...if...you win."

The phone changed positions so that the screen was focused on a bed, a very messy bed at that. There was a young man bound to the bed, full of cuts and bruises and in obvious pain. The sheets just barely covered him so he wasn't showing anything a woman shouldn't see.

"Duo!" Heero cried causing everyone in the room to turn their heads and wonder what was going on.

He unknowingly growled. "What are you doing with him? Let him go, he isn't some kind of animal!"

Duo stirred at tried to smile at Heero. "Hey." he said weakly. "Nice to see that you're alright."

Heero was confused again. "Me alright? What about you? What did he do to you?"

"Mariemaia is fine to..." Duo continued "He won't hurt her. And he won't hurt you either if you stay away...he's planning some kind of a..."

The transmission was cut and Duo disappeared, only to be replaced by the man again. "My name is Timish Barton. The brother of Trowa and Kimo Barton." He laughed at the look of shock on Heero's face. "Yes, you remember him don't you? Killed him, didn't you...well...now it's your turn to suffer. Meet me tonight at eight o'clock. You will have a chance to play my game, and save your friend. Don't be late."

"Where am I supposed to meet you?" Heero asked stodicly.

Timish rattled off some coordinates and such before asking if there was anything else he needed.

"Don't you dare touch Duo." Heero growled.

Timish laughed. "I don't plan to, I've already had my fun with him. I know that you'll like to know that he is really, very good in bed."

"Why you..." Heero began to scream but the transmission had been cut. He resorted to growling, then turned to the crowd that faced him in shock.

"Looks like we're in for another long trip." Heero said. "Relena please prepare a ship and have it ready as soon as you can. We're going to find Duo." He turned to Lady Une. "And where we find Duo, We'll find Timish...and that's where Mariemaia will be."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mariemaia found herself in a large room with a bed, and toys that any young girl would love to play with, but she still wasn't happy. She was scared and alone and confused. Why had Duo taken her away from her home and then apologized?

Had that man...Timish, who had claimed to be her family, had he made him?

She had heard of the thing called blackmail, had that been used on Duo? If so was he going to be alright? She sighed and decided to try something drastic. She ran over to the door and pulled...it flew open.

"He's not trying to keep me here?" She questioned of herself. She pondered this as she slipped out of the room. 'Of course not! He doesn't expect me to want to leave! One, he's insane and two, he doesn't realize that I'm smarter than most children my age.'

Hearing light screams she turned down the dark corridor. 'Where are they coming from?' She felt along the wall, was there a latch? Suddenly she found something...and pulled.

Creeping ever so carefully, as a well trained child would, she made her way into the room. There was a huge bed, and a man...almost not recognizable to her, lay there.

"Duo?" She whispered.

His eyes shot open. "Mariemaia?" He whispered back. "What are you doing here. Get back to where you're supposed to be. This guy is nuts, there's no telling what he'll do to you."

"What happened to you?" She insisted, no longer angry that he had taken her. It was obvious that he had been punished enough.

"Nothing Shinigami can't handle, now get out of here!"

Voices could be heard outside the door. "I want him taken to the center of the garden. Tie him to the first shock pole, the second is for the Winner boy if needed.

"Yes sir." A voice replied.

"Hide!" Duo hissed.

Mariemaia was in a panic. "I'll bring help I promise!"

"Go!" Duo said again as she jumped under the bed.

She hid as best she could, scrunching up into a little ball. She heard Duo being untied and dragged out the door. At one point he was hit and cried out in pain. All to soon the room was silent again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Are you sure this is the right place Heero?" Quatre asked curiously. "It seems way to high class for a kidnaping and torture type of thing."

"Looks can be deceiving." Was all Heero said in return. "Come on, we have to get to the far gardens, almost a half mile from the front gates."

It was a bit of a long walk, nothing that the Gundam Pilots and Sally couldn't handle. But Lady Une was to over come with grief to walk very fast and Relena did a lot of complaining. Finally they reached what they guessed was the opening to the gardens. Above their heads was about eight TV's all of witch were blank. But not for long.

"My my, so good of you to come." A voice said from high above the group. All their heads shot up. A face had appeared on all the screens. Heero recognized him, it was the same man who had been on the coma-phone earlier that day, Timish.
"Where's Mariemaia!?" Lady Une screamed. She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"Mariemaia is not part of this game. No matter the outcome she will remain with me."

"You're a very sick, disturbed man." Relena said shaking her head.

"Shut up Relena." Timish said, exasperated. Turning to the opening in the hedge he spoke to Heero. "Your precious Duo is at the center of this maze. A Labyrinth I suppose�much a great idea on my part. Inside I will have complete surveillance on what you're doing. You shall follow and do as you are told throughout each step. For every rule you break�there is a consequence. For all of you in fact, you all play a part in my game."

"And if I refuse to enter?" Heero asked.

The screen shifted to see Duo, tied by his hands to a large pole, his feet were bound. And he wore very little clothing. Suddenly he screamed out in pain, an electrical jolt had been sent through his body. The group was left to witness him cry.

The screen shifted again and Timish was looking rather pleased with himself. "That, will happen�over and over until he dies."

Heero let out the breath he had been holding. "Alright, fine. I'll play your little game. What do I have to do?"

"Enter the maze Heero, make your way to the center where Duo is, and bring him back out. Do that and I'll let you go�and�put down your gun. You're not allowed any weapons of defense. It isn't good to shoot someone in the back."

Heero was furious, but there was nothing he could do. He threw his gun to the ground and without looking back he ran into the maze, not knowing what he would face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Timish laughed to himself as he watched Heero Yuy enter his brilliant maze, His game that he had worked on for years. He has waited so long for this�yes�Heero Yuy would be getting what he deserved.

He laughed again. There was no way that he would make his way to Duo alive, much less get back out.

"You are an awful man!" Mariemaia yelled, not for the first time. Timish decided to ignore her. She would be used to her new surroundings soon enough.

He turned his attention to the screens in front of him. He could see the group anxiously watching Heero work his way through the maze by the screens he had provided. They, the same as him, could also see Duo, tied and bound like an animal. It was beautiful. And He could see Heero, looking determined and confident. 'Well, that expression will be gone soon enough.' There were screens set up all around the maze, so the person inside could see the center. He felt that it would be cause for concern, making the person distracted.

Suddenly he felt like distracting Heero a little more. He put himself on the screen once again. "You know Heero Yuy, you really must ask yourself, Is all this worth your time."

Heero growled. "Of course it's worth my time." He was looking around quickly, not letting his eyes linger anywhere for a second. "Anything for Maxwell is worth my time."

"I thought so. Anything for the one you love."

This caused Heero to stop in shock. He glared at the screen. In that time a shot rang out and Heero winced in pain.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Anything for the one you love." Timish said.

Heero stopped in shock. 'How did this guy know how I felt about Duo? It's not like I said anything. And for that matter, how did he know that Duo was the only one I would go after like this?'

Suddenly a shot rang out, and Heero felt a pain in his shoulder. He had been shot. Whirling around he saw an armed machine. There was no way he was going to beat it. Heero knew that. He was unarmed, and now, because of his own carelessness he was injured. He turned to run.

"Ahhhhhh!" Duo cried out, shifting in the electrical jolt that was shot through him. Everyone observed this on the screen.

"Not quite Heero." Timish said. "You can't run away. There is no 'running away' It's part of the rules."

"Damn rules." Heero mumbled, turning back to face the machine, it was the only thing he could do. How was he supposed to beat this thing?

Suddenly something caught his eye. It was a wire of some kind.

Heero looked at the tall machine and calculated it's balance and mobility. Moving quickly he grabbed the wire and held it so the monster would get caught and fall.

A loud crash could be heard from all areas of the garden as the machine hit the ground. It was still moving, but wasn't traveling anywhere.

Heero jumped over, and onto the back of the machine and opened a panel he found there. He took a fistful of wires and pulled. It stopped moving instantly. Heero allowed himself to breath in relief.

"Hn. Very good Heero." Timish said, coming onto the screen again. "It only took you three minutes to defeat one of the hundred of dolls in this very large game."

Heero was enraged. This man was mocking him. "I will defeat you. And I will get my Duo back. That's a promise."

"It isn't good to lie Heero."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Trowa, Quatre and the others watched Heero destroy three mobil dolls in the time frame of ten minutes. He wasn't getting anywhere fast.

"I have to help him." Trowa said suddenly. "It's my fault he's in this mess."

Everyone looked at him in shock. "Do you really think you can do anything?"

Trowa nodded. "Heero's injured and getting tired quickly. You heard Timish, there are hundreds of dolls in that place. And the maze has got to cover a radius of at least five miles. And with all those stupid rules no one knows about...Duo isn't going to be able to take many more of those shocks."

"Trowa�" Quatre began, like he wanted to protest to his friend entering that hell. But the look passed and he smiled fondly and nodded. "Good luck Trowa."

"I'll be back Little One." He said stroking the blond's hair. He picked up the gun Heero had been forced to abandon and pocketed it. Trowa too, entered the maze.

Quatre whimpered slightly, fearful of what was going to happen.

Lady Une put an arm around him. "He'll fine. You'll see, soon we'll all be home." She looked determined. "*All* of us."

"You're right." Quatre said and continued to watch the many screens. Lady Une did the same. Heero looked so determined, but like Trowa had stated, he was injured and looked tired. Duo wasn't getting any better either.

"Hey! Where's Quatre?" Wufei said a few minutes later.

Suddenly all the screens were lit up with the face of Timish. He was smiling evilly. "Well Nanshi�I suppose you've decided to join my game. Very well, but there will be concicwences."

Suddenly the screens split again. They could see Heero, looking confused, Trowa looking worried�and Duo, but he wasn't alone anymore. Quatre was also tied to a pole, one that the others had failed to notice before.

"Quatre!" They heard Trowa yell. "No! Don't hurt him! Quatre I'm coming!" Trowa, in a state of shock began to climb up over the wall of the maze. Quatre's scream could be heard, louder that Duo's, since he was that much stronger.

"What did I say about following the rules!?" Timish yelled enraged. Follow the rules and I won't have to hurt them!"

"Trowa�" Quatre said weakly. "Trowa don't worry about me. Get through here anyway you can�I'll be fine."

"Quatre�"

Wufei turned away from the screens, it was almost to much to bear now. Four of their friends were trapped in there. And no one had a clue to where Mariemaia was. He turned to Sally.

"We've got to cut power in that maze. Do that and Timish won't be able to do anything.

Sally nodded. "But where's the source?"

Wufei looked around the large yard. "There!" He said finally, pointing.

"Hurry up." Relena stated. "Lady Une and I will stay here and try and distract him."

Wufei and Sally took off through the darkness.

"Damn, it's locked." Sally said, struggling with the lock of the building.

"Well, what did you expect? For it to be open so we could just waltz in? Hn, women." Wufei motioned for Sally to step back.

In one fluid motion, and a loud yell he hit the lock and it fell off the door.

"Geeze, ever think to try a crow bar?" Sally asked, still slightly annoyed for the comment earlier.

"And where did you expect to find a crow bar?" Wufei asked.

"Right here." Sally replied, picking one up off the ground. She allowed herself a smile of victory.

"Hn. Come on, I don't know how long the other's are going to last in there."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heero looked up at the screens closest to him. There seemed to be a sound system throughout the entire maze, and every quarter of a mile or so there was a set of tv screens. He saw both Quatre and Duo tied to the electrical posts. Quatre had his ususal clothes on, but Duo had on hardly any. He also saw Trowa fighting off a machine, much like all the ones he had run into before. This was a sick game this man was playing.

"Don't worry Duo." He whispered. "I'm coming."

"Excuse me, but are you lost?" A small voice said from behind him.

"Hu?!" Heero responded. No...It couldn't be, not...

"I said 'are you lost?'."

Heero's eyes opened up in shock. This was her! It looked just like the little girl he had killed...so long ago, the one that Relena looked like. He had killed her...hadn't he?

The girl giggled. "You're feeling guilty...aren't you?"

"Wha...how did you get here?" Heero stammered. "I thought you were dead"

"Oh , I am dead. I died a very painful death that night. All thanks to you."

Heero's shoulders shook, his chest hurt like he had just been shot...this couldn't be happening. "I'm sorry, it was an accident."

The girl was still smiling, like she was mocking him. "I know that...but what do you think my parents thought when they got home from their party?"

Heero dropped to the ground, hands covering his head and ears... "You're not real, you can't be!"

"What do you mean I'm not real...I'm right here...Look at me Heero."

"NO! Stop this isn't happening! I left this behind me a long time ago!"

"Did you now?" The girl continued. "Can you really just let go of the people you killed. Do you think that their families ever really do forgive you? Even though they say they do? Come now Heero..."

It was then that Heero began to scream. Trying to make it all go away. The guilt, it still hurt so much, Why couldn't he let go, why wouldn't it end? He thought that if he help Relena, protected her, took care of her...He thought it would stop.

Suddenly everything went dark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"How are you doing Duo?" Quatre gasped, still getting over th electrical shock.

"I'mmmmm...fiiine." Duo said, hardly hanging onto consciousness. "Why's it so dark?"

"Hang on Duo." Quatre said, startled. "Heero and Trowa will be here any minute. Don't die on us, you can't."

"I am Shinigami!" Duo suddenly yelled. "Heero will not dare leave me again!"

"Duo what are you talking about?" Quatre asked. Then it hit him. Duo didn't know what he was talking about, his brain wasn't working right because of the electrical shocks and whatever other torture he had received.

"Quatre...ya know what?" Duo said, giggling slightly. "I think you're cute. I think that's why Tro likes ya so much."

Quatre's cheeks turned slightly red. This was insane! They had every possibility that they were going to die, and all Duo wanted to do was talk about their love lives!

"I loved Heero once." Duo continued. "But he didn't love me, He left. Remember that? You were in the hospital."

"I remember." Quatre stated, trying his best to keep Duo talking.

"Time to sleep now." Duo said closing his eyes.

"Duo no! Don't sleep, you have to stay awake!" Quatre cried.

"Why?" Duo mumbled,

"Because you might have a concussion, you need medical help. God Duo, stay with me."

"Tro's lucky." Duo said quietly, trying to obey Quatre's orders.

"How so?"

"He's got someone great like you."

"Duo," Quatre said taking a deep breath. "Heero really cares for you too. He may not show it all the time but right now he's in here, trying to save you. For him, hold on."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"We need an access code." Wufei said tapping at the small computer. "Get that and we're in total control of this entire place.

"Push over." Sally commanded, taking control of the keys. She typed at an amazing speed for a number of minutes before announcing that they had access.

"Wufei opened his eyes in shock. "How did you do that so fast?"

Sally laughed. "Sometimes being a girl can be a good thing. Now work your magic."

Wufei re-took the computer and began to explore the complex system. "I don't care how smart this guy is, it must have taken him years to develop this!"

"Are you going to be able to control it?"

"Oh course, you got us the code, now we have everything we need." He turned to Sally. "Sometimes you amaze me." He pushed a few more keys. "Cameras off...now! Shock poles disengaged. Now..." He said cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what else we can do..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What's wrong with Heero?!" Relena screamed as he sunk to the ground. "Why is he hurting...and who is he talking to?"

Lady Une began to growl. "I know what it is. Timish is screwing with Heero's mind. He's arguing with something from his past. That's what's distracting him.

"Oh Heero, come on snap out of it!" Relena cried, even though she knew that he couldn't hear her.

Before anyone could say another word all the monitors were turned off, and everything went dark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Timish sat in his comfortable chair watching the action that was going on in front of him. He watched as Heero began arguing with a shapeless being. He watched as Heero almost began to cry.

"Ha ha ha. Nothing beats this!" He cried in sheer delight. "Finally Heero Yuy will get what he deserves!"

"You aren't going to beat him you know." Mariemaia said, still sitting beside him. "He's a Gundam Pilot, nothing can beat him."

"You're very confident about him, aren't you Mariemaia?"

"Yes I am, he's saved me once, he'll save me again." Mariemaia answered with complete confidence.

"Oh you think so hu? Well what about Duo? He's the one who kidnaped you after all. It's his fault that you aren't in your bed where you once called home."

Mairemaia laughed. "I'm a lot smarter than most children my age you know. I know what you did to him. More than you think I do."

Timish huffed and turned back to the screens. Heero was trying to crawl away from his hallucination. "Oh no you don't!" He cried. Pushing the button to send shock waves to Duo. He heard Duo cry out in pain and then laughed again.

Suddenly, everything went black.

"No!" Timish cried as he frantically began to try and fix the problem. "No! Curse those damn Gundam Pilots! Curse Heero Yuy!" He turned to Mariemaia. "Looks like your friends may succeed after all...but I'm not done yet!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Trowa ran about the maze, running into dead end after dead end. This wasn't getting him anywhere. He had wanted to help Heero, but by the looks of it the only thing he succeeded in doing was getting Quatre into trouble.

"I'm coming Little One." He said. "Please hold on, and help Duo, he isn't going to make it without someone."

It was very sudden that the lights disappeared. It was difficult to see in the darkness. 'Can the camera's be out as well?' The question was soon answered when he came to a stack of monitors. They were all blank. He smiled to himself. No dough the work of Wufei and Sally.

"QUATRE!" He yelled, hoping the small blond could hear him. A faint yell was over to his right. Know that he was breaking 'the rules', but also knowing that there was nothing Timish could do about it, he began to climb over the walls.

"Ouch! Watch it!" someone cried as he landed on the ground, it was Heero.

"Sorry Heero, the cameras are out so we're pretty much home free."

All Heero did was nod. He looked very shaken up. "They're over here. Come on." Heero led the way through the dark as quickly as he possibly could until they reached the very center.

"Trowa!" Came Quatre's joyous cry.

Trowa ran over the him and pulled the straps away from his friend with his bare hands. "I was so afraid...I didn't know I was putting you in any danger..."

"Duo needs help." Quatre stated, looking frightened, but Heero was already seeing to that.

"Owww..." Duo said still slurring. "My legs hurt...careful..."

Heero's eyes narrowed with expression. "Duo what did he do to you?"

"Nothing I didn't deserve." He said quietly.

"Like hell you deserved this!" He cried, scaring everyone around him, Heero in a rage was a frightening thing. "Duo did he touch you?! Did he take you into his bed!? He said he..."

"He didn't do anything I didn't deserve." Duo stated again.

"Why do you think you deserve this?" Heero whispered, still holding Duo in his arms.

"'Cause I hurt a child, damn it! I took an innocent girl from her home!"

Heero shook his head in frustration. "Duo you were tricked! I'll bet my entire life that he tricked you into taking her!"

Duo didn't answer. He had fallen asleep. Heero's eyes flashed with rage and pure hatred. "I will kill him. For what he has done to you love, he shall die."

He turned to Trowa and Quatre. "Are you alright to get him out of here? I have something I need to take care of."

Quatre nodded and Heero handed the sleeping Duo to Trowa, silently running towards the house.

Trowa stared at Heero's retreating form. "I need to help him. Are you strong enough to take Duo?"

Quatre nodded with utter confidence. "I wasn't shocked too many times, I'm fine. He took Duo and watched as Trowa headed in the direction Heero had. "Be careful!"

"Don't worry Little One, I'll be back!"

Quatre sighed and turned to Duo as he began to speak.

"I love you too Heero."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hum..." Wufei continued. "Well, well, looks like Timish is frightened of dying. Looks like he's secured a lock for the room he's in way down here...let's open it and see what happens." Wufei pushed another button and leaned back in satisfaction. "There. It's up to everyone else now."

"Wufei, you're something else. No matter what happens you always manage to pull through." Sally commented, looking at him with affection. She suddenly realized what came out of her mouth and blushed. "What...I mean to say is..."

Wufei let out a laugh. "*We* always pull through you mean. It's both of us that makes this work, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Oh...Wufei..." Sally said, eyes sliding closed.

"I love you Sally Po." He whispered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heero ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the large house. His instincts told him that's where Timish would be hiding.

'That bastard will pay for what he did to Duo. He will pay.'

Before he could even think he had reached the mansion. Inside he found a door, a very large door. He knew that Timish was inside. He tried to open it, but found that it was locked. So instead he hit the door as hard as he could. "Open up you coward! You sick excuse for a human being!"

Evil laugher could be heard from inside. "You really think that I'm going to open this door? Not in this life time, and there is only one other way to unlock it other than in here."

Heero began to curse out loud, he pulled on the door again, this time it opened. Heero ran inside.

There was a look of surprise and a bit off horror on the monster's face, but he quickly covered it with his cockiness. "So nice of you to join us Heero Yuy. I suppose that you've met my niece, Mariemaia?"

Heero faced a girl who didn't look frightened. She looked back at him, urging him to take action.

"You won't get away with this." Heero said. "I'm taking the girl...right after I kill you."

Timish smiled that evil smile that was beginning to get on everyone's nerves. "And how do you propose to do that Heero Yuy? With your gun?"

Heero reached into his pocket to pull out the gun that wasn't there. 'Damn it.' He thought.

"Ah yes." Timish stated, circling Heero to block his exit, his back was to the door. "You're emotions and love for that pilot clouded your sense and better judgement. And now...as you have killed so many others...it's your turn. Say goodbye Heero."

Timish pulled out a gun and aimed it a Heero's heart. There were now tears in Mariemaia's eyes. She knew that she was going to get away, there was to many Gundam Pilots around for that not to happen eventually, but Heero was going to die. She hadn't known Timish carried a common gun.

Heero's eyes darted over to the door that now held a shadow, Trowa stood there, holding Heero's gun aimed at Timish's back. He pulled the trigger sending out a bullet. Timish opened his eyes in shock, shock that he had lost. He began to take in raspy breaths. The end was near. "I've...made a mistake in my game." He gasped. "I shouldn't have overlooked...the power of determination...comes with love...You...have won. My congratulations to you." He fell to the ground and was dead seconds after.

Heero was still breathing heavily. Both from his run there and passing by death so closely. "Thank you Trowa," He said. "Thank you for following me.

"Just repaying my debts." He said. He turned to Mariemaia and lifted her into his arms. "Why don't we get out of here. There's someone who wants to see you."

"Yes, Lady Une will be happy you're safe." Heero added.

"I was talking about you Heero." Trowa stated.

Heero looked suprised. "Me? But..."

Trowa actually laughed. "Yes *you*! A certain pilot who had silently worshiped you for a very long time. Someone who you saved tonight. Let's go."

Heero couldn't say anything. Was it possible that Duo felt the same way he did? He turned and followed Trowa, looking stunned and shocked all the way.