Title: Shades of Descent
+ second part of the tiles arc +
Author: kc-chan ([email protected])
Rating: PG-13 to R; this part- R
Warning: Language, Violence, yaoi, yuri, angst, AU, possible OOC, lemon.
++SPECIAL WARNING++ real chants are used here folks, I take no responsibility if you happen to use them and you get hurt/injured. I personally don't mess around with things I have no control over. No daemons were summoned during the scripting of this fic. In fact, I don't think I want to test them. Three rules to life- never be around before, during, or after a daemon summoning.
PAIRINGS: 6+5/5+6 ; mentions of 5xM/M+5
++SPOILERS++: to be safe I'll say the entire series especially Blind target, Episode Zero manga, and Endless Waltz.
ARCHIVE www.wired-dna.net ; www.fanfiction.net um... whoever has previous okays take it. anyone else please email me (not like I am going to say no or anything. . .)
DISCLAIMER: not mine. . . please don't sue. Only borrowing them.
Thanks to my beta-ers- Cheshire-san , Lilie-san, and Aya-chan for all their wonderful help and translating help! I love you!!! ::glomps::
COMMENTS: that would be nice.

Shades of Descent
Part 2

+ echos of suggestion... +

>> translations of << words like this >> have not been done yet. Soon, but for now, please just deal... <<

By: kc-chan

He achingly sat on the steps outside his apartment complex, hair loosely pulled back in his ponytail to prevent the winter winds from tangling it up. His shoulder bag sat beside him holding more faxes and papers from their cases. His machine had obviously been terribly busy whilst he was away.

Raising a hand to tuck a loose strand of black behind his ear, Wufei glowered about the state of his kitchen. The sickness was still wavering in his system, he was sore and tired, and he was going to sit through an awfully long meeting, then proceed to go onto real work, file paperwork all afternoon, and then... Then come back to his apartment even more stiff and drained then when he had left and still have a kitchen to clean up.

And his kitchen's circuit breaker was busted and needing replacing... Dropping his head into his palms, he grumbled a sigh. Life was not certainly going to be fair to him.

A familiar beeping lifted his head to see Zech waiting for him. Walking towards the bright red sports car, the Chinese boy was glad to notice that Noin was not with him.

"Hey, good morning" the blonde greeted as the black eyed boy buckled up. "Noin headed in already with Sally, so it's just us who are going to grab some breakfast. Sound good?"

"Morning..." Wufei mumbled out, barely comprehending the rest of what his partner had added beyond the 'good morning' part.

Zechs looked at the boy, noticing the bandages peeking out from the open jacket. Empathically he reached out, touching the boy to push a few strands back off that golden face to look at him. "You really look exhausted..."

"Aa."

Blue eyes critically studied his partner for a long moment, glimpsing into a side of the boy he had not witnessed. Wufei was exhausted, beyond just a few days of stress and kidnapping. 'Perhaps it was the bloodshed...?' the blonde pondered before dismissing it. Other than a few callous words from some over-critical co-workers and a good dose of jealousy, he doubted the boy had a lecture coming to him. Une certainly wasn't going to yell at the Chinese youth.

"I say we get there early, after all the meeting is probably going to go on forever, the council reassigning things, Une's condition, and so forth. Being so much like the former OZ meetings that it is sick. Personally, I say we check in, talk to who we need to talk to, grab any new faxes, and then leave. I'm tired, you look like you're fighting to stay awake..."

"I'll be fine, Zechs..." Wufei grumbled, when in fact all he really wanted to do is curl up and sleep. 'Preferably,' his somnolent mind added, 'with another body to be pressed against.'

A large hand turned his face to his, fixing his partner with a defiant stare. The Chinese youth fidgeted slightly under his piercing icy eyes. Those sapphire gems that were so apt at interpreting his slightest mood. "Really. I promise I am feeling fine."

"We'll get our info and then get you back home" the blonde replied, sternly, ignoring the boy's silent protest.

"Zechs! Please! I am not some delicate thing-"

"We'll bypass the meeting at least and then-"

"Do some work which *must* be done..." Wufei cut in, though regretting the image of slaving over the piles of reports that were going to be needed to file in accounting and the paperwork departments.

The blonde growled in frustration, glaring out his window - the opposite direction of the boy - and replied in a calm tone, "I *know* that Wufei, thank you. But I am not going to feel jovial working with a partner that looks like he is five feet from death."

"I don't look like that," snorted the black haired boy.

"Why must you be so difficult?"

"Why are you treating me like some infidel?" He sourly growled back.

Cerulean hued orbs glanced at the Chinese boy, who was defiantly glowering at the windshield, stubbornness borne across his features, a silent, frozen child. 'He is really quite endearing, even if he is pouting...' Zechs mulled, one corner of his lips twitching, lifting into a grin. "Brat."

The former L5 pilot's eyes widened and flipped around to pierce the taller man with a livid look. "Nan?"

Flipping a platinum strand of hair over his shoulder in what he knew to be an aristocratic, holier-than-thou motion, he smirked down on his smaller partner and repeated, "Brat."

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Wufei despised rain, loathed and detested it with every bone in his body. He was quite aware of the few stares sent at him and his tall partner, who was standing rather close to him as they stood under the single umbrella awaiting their coffee and bagels.

"This was your idea..." Zechs reminded the pouting boy. Silence greeted his grin. The tall man handed the money over, passing a rather tall coffee to his partner and grabbed the other coffee and the bag of bagels.

The ride up on the elevator was silent except from the Asian boy blowing on his coffee to cool it. Getting off at their floor, Wufei headed to their office, unlocking the door and walking in.

"Detective Chang?" a soft voice called out.

The said boy turned, nearly being barreled over by one of the girls from human resources. "Yes?"

The young Asian girl smiled, holding out a stack of papers and folders. "These are some files and envelopes that arrived from Russia yesterday. Also, a Captain Madolen Durindana from the Paris Police Headquarters has been calling for you and Detective Marquise. She will probably call again today."

Wufei nodded, "Thank you Xia, you'll probably see us later when we come by to see if the blood samples are ready."

"Oh! Thank you for reminding me, Detective Chang. Doctor Enea said he needed to talk to you both about that ASAP." She added, checking off her notes after she handed over the heavy stack to the Chinese boy. "And the morning meeting is at nine in conference room eight nineteen. Have a good morning sir!" And she headed off towards the offices of a few other detectives.

The black eyed boy repressed a sigh, struggling to kick open the heavy wooden door to their office and maneuver with not only his heavy bag but an armful of papers and coffee.

"Got it" a familiar voice from behind him called and true to the words, a taller man's arm held the door for the boy.

"Thank you Nathan" Wufei replied, stepping into the office and placing his coffee down before settling the cumbersome papers down along with his bag.

"Not a problem. Haven't seen you in a few days, where were you two?" The blonde asked, leaning against the doorframe, sipping from his own cup of coffee.

"Try where weren't we" Zechs said, walking past the other detective and setting down another stack of faxes. "How are you, Nate?"

"Pretty good, pretty good. Jon and I have a case over in Berlin we just finished, kinda waiting for the next case. It looks like you two have had quite the adventure" He smiled, raising his coffee cup in the direction of the papers.

"Adventure wouldn't begin to describe it. More like a few days of hell" Wufei grumbled, putting down a healthy amount of coffee.

The blonde haired man nodded, hazel eyes giving the Asian boy a look over. "What the hell were you two up to, anyways? Rumor from Human Resources was you guys were carting your asses all over Europe after some big time chick."

Zechs leaned against his desk, "Remember the case files on Delmare, Nate?"

"Yeah, I remember that name, don't hear it too often but ever so often the name reappears with a large unsolvable case in tow."

"Yeah, well you're looking at that unsolvable case in tow" Wufei replied, black eyes running over the faxes. "Lucky us, huh?"

"Shit, can't say I don't envy you two. Just dropping by to see if you're doing good, maybe we'll catch lunch the four of us later this week, sound like a plan?"

"Sounds good" the Sankian nodded.

"See you both at the meeting!" Nathan called, heading through the maze of cubicles towards his own office.

Wufei sighed, standing and moving across the clutter to the door, closing it and sliding down to sit on the floor, cradling his coffee. "I say we find room for a damn couch."

Laughing, the blonde slumped into his own seat, nursing a coffee of his own. Opening the bag, he pulled out a bagel and tossed it to his sitting partner. "Catch."

Deftly, a bronze arm reached out and caught the bread without its owner even looking up. "The habits that you have instilled in me, Marquise..." Black eyes looked at the European bread in a slightly offended manner.

"Spare me, Wu. Just get your lazy ass off the floor and into your desk. I might remind you that it was your idea to not blow off the meeting and do paperwork."

A snort was the Prince's reply as his limber partner rose off the floor and back into his desk, reaching over to turn on his system and ate slowly, waiting for it to boot up.

"What news did our ever busy informer slash unofficial secretary Xia bring?" Zechs asked, leaning back in his chair watching his system crawl to life.

"Captain Durindana has been calling it seems" the Chinese boy murmured, sipping his coffee.

"Paris Police?"

"The same and about a whole tree's worth of faxes," the boy continued, waving a hand at the other gathered stack of files and folders on his desk, "from Russia and I believe some basic stuff from our skirmish in Germany."

Zechs nodded and pretended to listen wholly to the young man across from him, but his eyes were drawn to the white gauze wrapped about the boy's lean arms. "Are you sure Sally or somebody down in med shouldn't look at those?"

Nonplussed, Wufei merely clicked open his mail, "A shelf Zechs. It is nothing to be overly concerned with."

"That was one hell of a shelf..."

"It held a lot of dinnerware. Loose bracket or something."

"Are you sure..." the blonde hedged.

"I'm not apt in carpentry but I am sure it merely toppled when I reached for a coffee mug. Chock it up to bad timing." He turned to his system entirely, working his way through his emails.

The blonde stared seemingly off into space, though his mind was swarming with thoughts. Wufei had seemed overly stiff, tired and lacking in most of his normal morning moods. His normal grouchy partner was more serene, probably too exhausted if appearances were clearer than the boy's spoken words. Zechs watched the boy down his coffee at an incredible rate. Finally, the black haired boy looked up and Zech's sighed. "We might as well start sorting through the papers."

"Hn."

They sat in near silence, papers shuffling, stacks being divided, sorted through, and reorganized. An occasional question would break the monotony of the work, but then they would once again lapse into their work.

The blonde reached over and grabbed the boy's cub. "Need another?"

Wufei looked up and nodded. "Thank you" he replied, gratefully.

The tall man moved over towards the rickety table by their window and plugged in their battered coffee maker, filling it with the grinds and pouring in the water bottle's contents to fill it. "Be a few minutes..."

"'S fine" the Chinese boy nodded, then stretched upwards, relishing in the crackle his back released.

"You doing okay? I think I ran out of aspirin I could ask Nate if he's got some lying around."

"You could toss me the bottle in my desk draw."

A smile drew itself upon the man's face. "Aa, I forgot that you lived on the stuff." He moved from his spot on the wall to the boy's desk. "Which draw?"

"Top left. Under the pens and papers" Wufei murmured through the hands he was scrubbing over his face.

An affirmative noise left the man's lips as he opened the said drawer, pushing aside the meticulously neat stack of paper and a few loose pens. His fingers brushed aside a photo, he glanced to see if the boy was attentive or not. Finding Wufei's back to him and concentrating on the faxes, Zechs lifted the photo aside and placed it on the papers. Searching for the bottle he found it quickly. Replacing the picture to its original place, he looked at the smiling Asian girl in pigtails it showed. The photo itself was obviously part of a larger one at one point, he mused judging by the torn edges. 'A mystery for another time...'

He shut the draw with a thud and walked to his partner, crouching down and letting his arm drop in front of the boy. "Aspirin?"

The boy's cheeks warmed at the closeness of the blonde. Reaching forward, he graciously took the bottle. "Domo."

"Hm" the prince replied, fingers nabbing the tight ponytail holder and giving it a tug, watching the silky strands loosen. The air rushed out of Wufei's lungs, too quickly parting leaving him frozen as the familiar brush of his hair brushed over his shoulders.

The slightest stiffening of his body happened as the taller man pressed his fingers into his rigid back. A tongue darted out to moisten his dry lips. Eyes drifted closed as those very amiable fingers worked and kneaded tired and sour muscles. He could feel his muscles being worked loose from his neck down and the trail of heat they left.

Eyes slowly focused on the scattered faxes about him. They had lost her trail or perhaps they had never had it. 'It seems that Quatre wasn't that far off when thinking Delmare was a group of people... But without any concrete information we can not even begin to get a warrant to hunt for her.' Fingers scooted over the top sheet, eyes catching the old papers the whole mystery had started with.

The papers Une had given them while heeding Barton's and Winner's calls to go to France. The Chinese boy paused, thoughts drifting as he fell into the rhythmic feel of the man's fingers. It had become obvious that perhaps the whole diversion with the hotel was merely a distraction. Something to lure him or Zechs to Paris.

Frowning, he dismissed that. It was him that they wanted, though for what reason he wasn't quite sure of. He would check later, but he was almost certain they didn't realize he was a Gundam pilot, and if they had they had sorely underestimated him - something he was for once grateful for - there had to be another reason for wanting him so badly. The coffee filled the air and he felt Zechs rising and leaving him prone on the floor, his mind racing with theories.

So they kidnapped him for a reason other than his skills as a pilot or as a terrorist. His thoughts flickered to Meiren. The feeling dawned that she might have a clue to something else, but for whatever reason was not releasing that information. A nagging thought at the back of this mind hinted at the connection of Une's files... That perhaps it wasn't the subject of the papers, but a broader topic...

Something was there but just beyond his grasp...

"You know its people like you two who make the rest of us look bad!" a familiar voice called out, at their doorjamb.

"Got enough their for another cup, Zechs?" a redheaded man asked, stepping up next to the blonde.

Zechs finished pouring the black coffee into his own and his partner's cup before walking the pot over to their door. "Plenty."

Wufei rose from the floor, deep in thought but managed to nod to redhead. Dropping the organized stack on his desk he noted the time on his computer. "The meeting?"

"Exactly. I might suggest bringing the pot with you, Wufei. I'm gathering we're spending the next few hours listening to a bunch of people drone through new posts, who is who, who is moving where, and cases that are more important and shit like that." Jon smiled, black eyes twinkling at the Asian boy.

"Oh goody" the said boy murmured downing his cup and refilling it before they all headed out the door.

"Hey there, ya'll. Did the frat meeting get out?" a light, teasing voice asked from a few feet away.

The redhead turned around and grinned flirtatiously, "Morning Liz!"

"Morning yourself, Jon. Off to the drone meeting?" she asked, auburn hair swooshing in forth as she walked forward.

"Walking there now" Zechs replied, locking their office door.

Turquoise eyes gleamed happily, "Then I'll join ya'll. What happened to your partner Blondie?"

"Liz..." Zechs growled, ice eyes glaring at the woman in annoyance.

"I know, darlin, don't call ya Blondie. But you can't expect a girl to stop after I've been doin it for so long!" the woman smiled, eyes still teasing the man she had gone through the academy with.

"You and Lu both" he sighed, giving up the fight.

Liz turned and fixed the Asian boy with a look. "And you're arm? Blondie here not looking out for ya?" she asked with a flirtatious wink implying more than just the outward meaning of her statement.

Valiantly the Chinese boy ignored her casual reference to his and Zech's 'partnership'. "A shelf. A loose shelf!" Wufei replied, "Nothing life threatening. I walk in with a bullet wound you people are blind, I come in after a measly shelf falls down and the world somehow thinks that I'm on my deathbed!"

"He's had a stressful week" Zechs replied, mussling his partner's hair.

"Zechs!" the short boy yelled out at his partner.

"What's new with you Liz?" Nathan asked politely as they entered the elevator.

"Nothin much darlin'. Working on a few things right now, but I got a memo this mornin that asked me to talk to Preventer Yuy later so I honestly don't know..." she replied. She smiled meekly as four sets of eyes pinned her with a look as the elevator rose swiftly up twelve floors.

Stepping off the elevator, Nathan patted Liz on the back, "Nice knowing you, Liz. Can't say I envy you. Did you ever get around to willing me you're computer?"

The blonde's Irish-Korean partner nodded in agreement. "Wow. From what I hear the last digitective that talked to him left the Preventers a day later and is now in a nut house..." Jon added, ignoring Wufei's rolling of his eyes.

"And where did you hear that one? The men's room, Jonny?" she scolded back playfully.

"Truly. Swear to the heavens. Heard it from Owens down in Resources!" The said redhead grinned, ducking from the woman's swatting folder. "Don't say I didn't warn you either! And to think I never got to take you out on that- OW!"

"Jerks!" she growled, wrenching back the folder she had whapped her fellow colleague with, cheeks stained a brilliant crimson from his flirty statement. "Zechs? Wufei? Help?"

The tall platinum blonde smiled and sauntered into the meeting. "I certainly don't envy you, Liz."

Nathan and Jon followed him in, waving to a few other familiar coworkers. The ginger haired woman sighed, "Men. Please say something that would be a sign of good fortune, Chang? Something that doesn't forebear the comin apocalypse."

The black eyed boy blinked and smirked. "Dodge left and keep low." Before disappearing into the conference room as well.

"Chang!" She glared daggers at the men and stormed after them mumbling something that sound akin to "Brigid save me from men..."

A familiar pair of violet eyes, much to awake for the early hour pounced the Chinese boy as he entered the door. "Wu-man!"

"Maxwell! Unhand me!" the black haired boy squawked as the American glomped him and twirled him around like a toy.

The cobalt eyed Japanese boy strolled up to his lover and looked over at the blonde prince. "What happened to him? He wasn't injured last night."

Zechs sighed, knowing he should have expected the interrogation from the Japanese pilot. "Trust me when I say I haven't a clue, Yuy. I received a call from him this morning asking for a ride in and there were cuts down his arm, and him looking like he had had his carcass dragged through Dante's 'Inferno'."

"Hn" The boy replied, eyes narrowing as the American picked and prodded the Chinese youth. "Did you ask?"

Another sigh escaped the tall man. "Yuy, please. He is my partner and friend. Of course I asked, he avoided the subject and replied that a shelf fell on him."

Heero gave the Sankian an incredulous look. "A shelf?"

"That's about the same look I gave him" Marquise replied, slumping down in a leather chair. Draining some his coffee he added, "I find it hard that a shelf would get the best of him."

A short laugh came from the former Wing pilot. "I do find that odd myself."

"And to think, had I know dinnerware was the Gundam pilot's downfall I would have had our bases lined with dinnerware on faulty shelves." Zechs added, smiling.

The Japanese boy blinked, the twitch becoming a full smirk. "I always knew there was something off about you guys..."

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Three hours left a congregation of tired and bored employees of all facets stumbling towards elevators and offices. Nathan stretched coming off the elevator, his spine crackling loudly. The golden-brown haired woman yawned, leaning exhausted against a near by wall. She shot the other detective a disgusted look as the blonde started cracking his knuckles.

"Stop it. It's revolting," she murmured.

Slumping onto the wall, the red head grinned with a nauseating amount of glee, "Reminds you of the good ol' days, huh Lizzie?"

A light smack greeted his wandering hand, "Get a life, jerk."

"Sheesh! Testy aren't we?" he whined, pouting at her.

"Grow up!" The woman replied as she slammed her office door behind her.

Zechs watched his small partner slide over towards his haven - the coffee maker. Nate grinned at his partner, "Losing your touch I'd say. See you later Zechs!" the blonde said as he gave his still whining partner a shove into their rickety office, their door closing as well.

The prince shook his head, memories from his academy days returning as he entered his office. 'One day Jon's either gonna get lucky or Liz will make good on her threats and off him...' he mused, sliding into his chair and leaning down to check their printer for any more faxes.

He grabbed the memo Xia had given his petite colleague, icy orbs wandering down its contents. Grabbing the receiver of their outdated phone he shouldered it while leaning over his desk to his partner's to dial the doctor's office.

"Hello, you've reach Doctor Enea's office, this is Akiiki speaking, can I help you?" A sweet and light male voice asked.

"Yes, this is Detective Marquise from the International Intel Branch, one of our people in Human Resources said some of our cases blood samples are being handled by him?" The blonde Preventer replied, fingering for a pen that worked and some paper.

"Oh, Detective. Yes, the doctor was expecting your call. Unfortunately, he was called to Greece last night on a team's case."

"Aa. I see. Did he happen to get anything done with them yet? I know it's been rather chaotic, but would you happen to know?" Zechs asked, somehow figuring with all the pushing around of projects, theirs might have lost some priority. Not that he considered that the blood samples were going to give them some insightful revelation on their eccentric case.

"Hmmm... He mentioned something, I think, but he only received the samples yesterday evening, so I would think that I may be working on them today if I am able." The young man replied.

"Thank you, they aren't quintessential so don't worry. Can I get your name?" Zechs asked scribbling down a few notes.

"Akiiki Agilberht, I'm Doctor Enea's intern and assistant."

"Got it, and thank you. I'll give you guys a call on Monday, but if you happen to get some time to get to the samples give our office a call, alright?"

"Understood." Akiiki answered, hanging up.

Zechs replaced the phone and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. 'Might as well attempt to get the Captain Bitch of the Police on the line.' He leaned forward once again and shouldered the receiver as he awkwardly dialed the long number.

It rang four times before a voice picked up, << "Paris Police." >>

His tired brain took that moment to remind him of how drained he was, "Parlez-vous anglais?" <1>

"Yes. How can I help you, sir?" the woman asked on the other end of the line.

"My name is Detective Marquise with the Preventers, High-European Branch, International Intelligence Department. I was in Paris with my partner a few days ago investigating the Hotel that had the dead people disappear from it?" Zechs asked, tapping his nibbled on pencil on his wooden desk.

There was some typing and Zechs could her the muffled noise of people milling about the Paris Police Headquarters. Her voice responded quickly, "Detective? I'm sorry to inform you that Captain Jeanne was called away on another case; I see we've been trying to reach you for the last few days. Captain Madolen Durindana has been given the case."

"I see. I was merely returning the calls, to Captain Durindana. Is she available to talk right now?" The blonde inquired.

"I believe so, please hold." He listened to old twentieth century opera for a long few minutes, relieved when the line picked up again.

"Detective Marquise? This is Captain Durindana, I see you finally received my messages." A woman's voice said.

"We were given the memo that you had tried calling us, sorry for the delay in replying, my partner and I had a busy and turbulent last few days. My main questions pertain to some quick information and depending on their answers this case may be placed back into the Paris Police's hands." He explained.

"I hope I can help then."

"Good, my first question is if there were any blood samples and photos taken of the crime scene, and any bodies that are available for examination."

"Unfortunately, as you aware of, the bodies are still missing, of course to our bafflement. Captain Jeanne is was briefed and was taken off the case for such a botch up. Our blood samples gained us little knowledge above confirming victims and their blood type."

"No trances of anything found in their blood?" Zechs in astonishment.

"They were primarily drained of most blood, so the samples we were able to attain revealed that nothing was found in their blood stream. We do have a plethora of photos that I could have over-nighted to your office. I also faxed our copies of the reports."

"Yes, and thank you. The photos would be a big help. The faxes were received and myself and my partner have gone over them. I'm going to leave the case in your hands for now, we may still be in touch, thank you for your help Captain Durindana." The blue eyed Preventer ended and hung up his phone.

"Well fucking great. Load of good that did." He murmured through the hands that rubbed harshly at his forming headache. Gathering up the faxes and files, placing them in their appropriate stacks, he began assembling the case files to bring home.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Wufei yawned as he waited for the brewer to finish making his coffee. Not that he wasn't grateful for Marquise making some in their office, but he wasn't going to drink the rancid black crap their machine spewed out if he was able to make a fairly decent brew in their lounge.

Stifling another yawn, the Chinese boy bit down a yelp as two hands reached around from behind him and hugged him close. "Maxwell..." he bemoaned after his heart had sufficiently calmed.

"Hey yourself, did you managed to keep awake during the meeting? Never witnessed something so dull and boring in all my little life," the braided boy said, downing his own coffee.

"I slept and dozed through parts that didn't pertain to myself. Luckily, Zechs has some form of immunity to them and managed to poke me awake if anyone happened to look our direction or at least to make me cognitive during actually useful parts of the damned meeting" the Chinese boy intoned, watching the last drop filter into the pot and grabbed it. Pouring himself a large cup he turned to the American and Japanese pilots. "What some more?"

"I thought you would never ask!" the violet eyed teen grinned.

"Hn" his lover replied.

"So I take it you two are off again?" Wufei asked, keeping the disappointment from reaching his tone of voice.

"We're going on another tour with Relena, Asian countries this time" the Japanese pilot replied eyeing the black eyed boy, attempting to read him like his lover seemed to do so often.

"We wanted to drop off some codes and shit before we hightailed it out of here to catch her Majesty's flight. Our comms will be on and you know the other ways of reaching us if you need to, right?"

The Asian boy's lips twitch as he bit down retorting 'Yes mother' to his friend's question. "Hai. Stay safe you two. Marquise and I will be under a mountain of reports for the next week so I don't expect anything wild to happen here."

"I ran a check on our files. It seems a few people have been trying to hack into the Preventer's system. Nobody has touched our files, our real ones at least. There was a probe on your false one." Heero whispered, cobalt eyes hard.

Wufei's eyes widened slightly, "Did you get time to see who?"

"A favourite person of ours 'Fei. Remember the bitch from Paris?" The Chinese boy nodded waiting for the braided haired boy to continue. "She's one of the top probes. There were a few done by Hirde, who's now dead and an unknown domain."

"I need you to get someone to hunt down a location of that domain. I've buried our false files deeper into the systems and removed all traces of our real files." Heero added.

"I have an idea you and I were going to get Liz to do it anyways. I'll see what I can find."

Duo grabbed his friend in a hug, "Be safe."

"You too" he whispered as his best friend and the Japanese pilot headed out the door. Pouring some more coffee into his cup he headed back towards the rows of offices and desks, detouring at Detective Blum's office.

Sticking his head into the office through the open door, he peered and waited until his eyes adjusted to the blue illumination of her office. "Liz?"

A familiar head peeped out from behind the towering cathedral of wires, motherboards, and monitors. "Hey Wufei! How can I help you?"

Carefully making his way around the cables and equipment, he sat on an open spot on the end of her desk. "Need a favor, Heero couldn't get this done in time, so I'm gophering for him and a partial request on my behalf."

Liz raised a mental eyebrow when the slight young man sitting before her referred to the dread Officer Yuy as Heero. 'I didn't know our resident genius and cutie was good friends with Mr. Perfect. Interesting...' Twirling around her chair and planting her sneakered feet upon her desk, a grin opened up on her features. "What can I do for you? Need info?"

"Yeah" he fished into his cargo's pants pocket and pulled out a small diskette. "Here's the parameters and data, Heero prepared everything, and I need you to hunt down the location of an unknown domain that's been attempting to reach certain files within our mainframe."

The woman's jaw dropped at the seriousness and the dark, hard look those black eyes pinned her with. "Okay. Gimme tonight and can you get here tomorrow mornin? I should hopefully have it figured out by then."

The black haired boy smirked, sliding off her desk with licentious grace, "Good. No questions and no telling. I'll drop in about ten or so tomorrow. Thanks Liz!" He waved and left her pondering his strange behavior in the dark, flickering light.

He opened the door to his shared office, giving his partner an odd look. The tall blonde smiled, "We're getting a long weekend. I'm almost done gathering up the folders and so forth. I got calls into Paris and here's a surprise, Captain Jeanne was removed from the case and replaced by someone else. We'll be getting a pack of photos of those bodies and hotel tomorrow around nine."

Wufei nodded, "That's fine. I'll pick them up then, I'm going to be getting something for Yuy tomorrow so I'll be here around ten or so, I'll pick it up then."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Did you get to call the Doctor down in med?" the boy asked, grabbing a hardcopy of some folders on disks and so forth and placing things into his shoulder bag.

"Talked to his assistant and our good doctor was called down to Greece." Zechs replied, sliding folders into his bag. "Monday."

"Figures... Heero and Duo left for another mission operation. Miss Peacecraft is on a tour in Asia." Wufei supplied.

Zechs paused, looking over at the boy pushing things in his bag, obviously not watching him. 'Miss Peacecraft?' He pondered. It was well known to certain groups of people that the Chinese boy didn't agree or truly like his sister's ideals, or her for that matter. Ever since Zechs could remember, it was as if the Chinese boy refused to break down and like the other Gundam pilots call a woman he knew personally by her first name. In fact, Zechs noted that the Chinese pilot wanted relatively nothing to do with his peace loving sister.

Not that his sister liked the Chinese boy either. In fact, in the brief conversation Zech's had held with her a few months prior, she referred to his partner as 'that traitor' and still wanted to know if Une would stop covering for his small partner.

Raking a hand through his hair, he lamented that sometimes people were never going to get along. Shouldering his own bag and lifting another shopping bag full of files and papers he glanced to see how his lethargic partner was fairing.

'He was damn cute during the meeting...' the blonde grinned, eyes running over the slim curves of the boy. 'I wonder if he realizes he leaned on me to sleep?'

"Are you ready, Zechs?" Wufei asked, lifting his bag and grabbing the stack of papers that held a small box of evidence that mainly consisted of copies of some fingerprints and a few security tapes in it.

"Let's get you home, despite the pot and a half of coffee in your system, you still look as if you are going to collapse."

Twenty minutes later had brought them walking from the Preventer's Headquarters to the car, arms holding a decent stack of papers, Zechs holding a shopping bag of evidence. Dropping the evidence into the trunk, Zechs leaned in towards the boy "They have a right to be worried about you, Wufei. You look like hell itself ran over you." He referred to the few other acquaintances they had pasted in the hallway and elevator trip down to the garage.

Answering in a sepulchral manner, the Chinese boy didn't even blink as his partner leaned his direction. "Thank you. I hadn't noticed."

"Get in, I'll get you home."

He didn't *want* to go home, to his apartment and end up feeling pathetic and miserable, and lonely. "Thanks" he sighed. The engine revved up and soon they were driving down the ramps to the highway. Black eyes glanced over, forlornly. 'Why couldn't you ask me to come back with you? Why don't you truly care, Zechs?'

Turning his head, the Chinese boy focused on the darkening sky, precipitation rolling in, graying the clouds, and breaking open into a heavy drizzle.

'Today is downright dreadful...' he mulled, blank eyes watching the windshield wipers toss rain from the window. Zechs watched as the bronze skinned boy slowly drifted off into slumber as the familiar building the Chinese boy lived in. The latent young man could sense through the encasement of deep sleep that the drive was a dense trip of looming depression, and the thought of going back to a messed up apartment sickened his stomach.

Three blocks away, the neighborhood was decidedly empty, every intelligent person inside from the heavy downpour. Coming to a stop the crashing of thunder set off a menagerie of car alarms, beeping and thweeping loudly. The blonde slumped back in his seat as the sky clamored and the rain surged down.

"Wufei?" he asked, looking over at the dosing boy as he pulled in front of the apartment complex.

Silence was his reply.

A ricocheting echo of a storming clap of thunder finally woke the boy, as he turned over to face Zechs, still being held in the clutches of sleep, and whispering, << "Meiren... Let me sleep woman!" >>

The Sankian prince was uncertain if that was a name or a word from the boy's traditional tongue. "Wufei?" he whispered, a pale hand reaching out and touching his partner's rigid and tense back.

A sharp intake of breath and a warning hiss that sounded nothing like the characteristically calm Chinese was growled out. "Don't. Touch. Me."

The hand pulled back as if it had been burnt. Blue eyes blinked rapidly in surprise. "Wufei?"

A gasp of air was the sharp response. Finally, he shook his head, "Sorry. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. You flinched like...like... Hell! I don't know what! You stiffened up like I was holding a gun to your temple!" Zechs retorted, leaning forward in his low-lying seat.

Black eyes registered those few words and seeping back into the leather seat the boy trembled before shaking his head. "Its... nothing. I desperately need some rest." He popped open the car door, reaching around the seat to grab his bag and nodded. "Thank you for the ride. See you at some point tomorrow. I'll grab the stuff from the office and meet you some place. I'll call you first. Night."

Shutting the door, the Chinese man turned and headed into his building, leaving the blonde staring at the empty seat.

Muttering a native Sank curse and a string of other expletives, the tall man glimpsed over his shoulder and drove towards the highway. The rest of the passing trip back to his private estate off a forested earth drive was a gloomy blur of miserable browns and blues, massing and swirling together to create a mix of nothingness.

Settling into his garage, the rain still pounding from the heaven's he hit the garage door switch and entered his house. Flipping on the lights, he kicked off his boots and padded through the rooms to his front door. Grabbing his mail, he meandered back to his living room, eyes flickering over to his answering machine.

"Hi, please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you shortly. Thanks for calling."

"Hi, Zechs! It's Lu! I'm probably going to be here late today, but Sally and I were going to visit Ann then head out for drinks..." hitting the skip and save he went to the next message.

"Hi, Millardo-"

Rubbing the back of his next he glanced towards the window and thought about his partner. 'Those were pretty damn deep wounds... A shelf...' he mulled privately, tossing the unopened mail onto his coffee table.

Running fingers through his hair, the blonde leaned forward, eyes glancing back towards the phone. 'Why didn't I just asked him if he needed someone? Why did he flinch when I touched him?' The strange look that flashed through the boy's black eyes still confused the Sankian Prince.

'Why didn't I prod him for answers? What sort of partner am I?' he grimaced, standing up and heading towards his bedroom.

Licking his lips, he fell back on the crisply made piece of furniture, turning over to clutch a pillow to his chest and stare out the window. Streams of raindrops scurried down the pane. Lightning crackling and surging through the black sky.

The events of the last few days repeated and replayed leisurely, drifting in pieces. Zechs sighed, "He's a fighter, a trained and highly dangerous man. He doesn't *need* me doting on him. He doesn't *need* me."

Thunder rumbled, stirring the windows and shaking the heavens.

'Like you never need anybody.' That time the voice reminded him of a man with cornflower hued orbs.

"Dear friend... what would you do?" the blonde murmured, ice orbs staring into the inky storm clouds.

Standing up, he walked down to his kitchen, snatching a bag; he began tossing a few ingredients for a jovial dinner. He was very much like his father in that respect, and pausing for a minute grinned. It seemed in some small way he hadn't completely shed himself of Peacecraft habits. Nodding once he believed he had gathered enough, he nabbed his keys, through on his boots and headed back towards his car.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

The sweltering water dashed down upon him, vapor rising around and billowing about the bathroom. Wufei cringed as his headache returned. "I knew I should have taken that bottle of aspirin..." he muttered, fingers kneading into his hammering skull.

A head slowly drifted through the shower, nearly giving the Chinese boy a near coronary. "Meiren!?!"

"Oh, don't sound so surprised, husband!" she chided, slipping the rest of her phantom body into the water.

A dark crimson blush crept over his cheeks and a dark glare was sent in her direction. She had never been so forward when she had been with the living, and Wufei was dumbstruck upon her new, lighter behavior. The dawning realization of his nudity spread the blush. Had his wife thrown all habit or her personality away upon death?!

"Nu ren!" <2>

A self satisfying smirk settled upon her lips, pointing at his head she just replied, "Maybe you should let them out..."

The dark look he sent her was menacing. "Let them out?"

The slim Chinese girl grinned and fluttered away into nothing, leaving the boy standing dumbfounded in his shower. 'I am never going to get use to this...' he groaned.

Blinking, he wondered how he could just let them out; it wasn't as if he understood exactly what was happening to him. Faintly he heard a buzz over the streaming downpour of hot water. Grumbling he left his relaxing moments and hissed a string of choice curses as he padded into his bedroom.

Water rolled off his drained muscles, dripping from strands of hair, brushing them roughly off his face he tossed on his pants as the buzzer rang. Stalking over to his intercom, he swore that if it was the kids down the hall he was going to open fire on them, and pressed the speak button. "Hajimemashite..."

A familiar voice replied, "Hey Wufei?"

Black eyes blinked rapidly. "Zechs?" The boy could feel the crimson blood spreading along his cheeks, a warmth spreading through his body. Shaking his head, he noticed that the Sankian was still waiting for him to open the entrance door.

"You want to let me in or do I get to get waterlogged?"

"Come in..." Wufei blinked once again in high confusion at his intercom. Pressing the device, the buzzer unlocked the door and Wufei determined he had a few moments while his partner rode the elevator up to his apartment to get in a somewhat decent attire.

The boy opened the door to a slightly wet tall blonde, grinning, and holding two large paper bags. "Um... Zechs?" he asked hesitantly, marginally opening the door wider.

Winking as he strode in toed off his wet boots and placed the two full bags on the small step that lead into the living room. He pulled off the damp jacket, handing it to the Chinese boy. "Thought you might need some help cleaning. I brought some stuff and supplies to make a decent dinner since, if judging by your lunch time eating habits, you probably don't eat well enough."

"I eat fine" Wufei declared back, cheeks slightly flushed. Just because he didn't eat junk like the rest of them did, didn't mean he didn't eat.

The color in his cheeks heightened as the blonde prince leaned closer, "Sure you do. Now shall I put the food away and help you clean, or we going to convene in your foyer all afternoon?"

"I'll show you to the fridge..." the boy stammered, not quite controlling the trembling rush of heat he felt in his partner's presence.

"Perfect" came the response as Wufei leaned down and picked up on of the parcels.

Leading his companion towards the said milieu, the blonde man raised his eyebrows at the still untouched disarray of shards and shatter dishware and glasses. "Are you sure it wasn't a hurricane that tore through and not just a measly shelf?"

"It is not as bad as it seems, Zechs" the Chinese boy replied, opening his refrigerator and empting the package's contents. "You certainly brought enough food."

"The best made dinners often supply enough food to use for leftovers. I would rather make more than less" Zechs replied with a slight hinting of a European aire. He pushed the door opened more and handed things down to the boy to put away, proceeding to the counter and laying out a small variety of spices and cooking oils.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Wufei brushed back a strand of hair scrubbing up the dried ribbons of blood marring his ivory white tiles. Explaining how so much blood had escaped had been a rather difficult task in the face of the taller man. He also hadn't realized the sheer amount of damage he had caused in the strange events of the wee hours of that morning. A garbage bag stood as a bold testament to his accident and if the look on his partner's face indicated anything, Wufei had a feeling he would be in for a lecture on the use of a phone and friendship.

"I think we have almost cleaned it all up. I think we need to have a discussion on how to remove items from shelves, Wufei. Or perhaps the correct statement would be how to place items in a cupboard" the blonde said, giving on last scrub to the bloodstain as it disappeared beneath his administrations.

"Zechs!" The boy's head shot up in a glare, fixating the prince with a heated look crossed between exasperation and discomfiture.

Frozen cerulean orbs stood up against the glower and with the quirking of a slim brow, the man went back to scrubbing.

The frown slipped to a pout on the young man's lips. He did not take well to being ignored, let alone dismissed. A sly grin crept onto his features, perhaps it was his partner's anal retentiveness that had kept them scrubbing long after most of the mess had been rectified that had lead him to a slip in his mask, but whatever had possessed him to fall into a devious mood, it caused his features to take on a most feline grace.

Zechs felt the impact of a soap and water drenched rag hit him in the arm. Somewhat startled by the sheer childishness of the act, he blinked at it before turning to see the grin that illuminated his young partner's face.

Wufei yelped as the rag and sponge flew back at him, gracefully and artfully dodging them, but was not fast enough to escape his partner wrapping an arm about him. The Asian boy collapsed in a fit of squeaking laughter and giggles as the blonde skillfully tickled him, the two covered in soapy water and damp clothes.

"Do you surrender?" Zechs asked, straddling the slim man and tickling him harder.

With another squeak that descended into a fit of laughter, the black eyed man nodded furiously, attempting to escape the taller man's grasp.

"Not so fast..." Zechs grinned, wrapping his arms about the boy, securing Wufei in a gentle, hug-like embrace.

"Zechs!!" The said boy yelped, giggles still slipping past his lips, wriggling about in that fastened grip.

Zechs held perfectly still, the boy still squirming, not yet aware of his partner's change in stance. The blonde stared, caught in amazement and slight astonishment.

Chang Wufei had somehow grown a furry tail and a set of furry, black cat ears.

Wufei slowly stopped his fidgeting after a few minutes as the blonde's arms loosened and the feeling of the man no longer paying attention dawned upon him. Slipping forward, he turned to face his partner, and immediately felt a lump in his throat grow and his stomach drop.

Zechs Marquise was staring at him in a way the Asian boy had never seen. Blinking and motionless, somehow caught in an expression that the boy could not quite pin.

"Zechs?" he tried, leaning forward until his features were merely inches from his companion's own.

Whatever trance the man had befallen, he just as quickly withdrew from it. Reaching out with a pale hand, he slid it over the boy's head; in the manner one would stroke a cat.

Shock and terror flittered onto the boy's face, eyes widening impossibly, and a noise of choking horror trickled from it. Shooting backwards, the amble boy turned and sprinted away from the eyes of his friend, closed eyes sending him dashing towards his bedroom, slamming the door shut with a resounding slam.

Wincing at the harsh sound, Zechs Marquise stood slowly, brushing his clothes clean with his hands. "That," he murmured to himself, "could have gone better."

Berating himself for such a stupid and idiotic move, the blonde made his way towards the boy's room, no sound of crying could be heard, which somehow made his stomach sink. He hoped that his daft decision had not send the boy clamoring towards his solitary mask.

Black, tear rimmed eyes blankly stared at the wall, ignoring the knocks resounding on the wood that supported him. Reaching out blindly, his thin hands grasped and pulled his tail closer. As much as he despised it, he was still curious about it.

Zechs had seen them.

It was a thought that he could not process. He had barely understood what was happening to his body and could not think about facing the blonde at that moment.

It wasn't long before footsteps wandered away from his door. No words of parting. He resisted shuttering as he somehow could feel the man deserting him.

Wasn't this what he did in the end? Drove people away by a single, callous act. A girly, selfish child who only thought of himself. Swallowing a cry that threatened to be released, he crawled away from the door, seeking the solitude of his bed.

Zechs stood in the foyer, torn between outright leaving and desperately wanting to apologize for his acts of idiocy. A tugging turned his person towards the kitchen. Without seeing, he began to remove the vegetables and meat from the refrigerator, seeking out the cutting board and knives. Slipping them beneath the warm water. "How aptly ostentatious of you" his internal voice criticized.

'Thank you. I realize that. But I would rather let him sleep then-'

'Sleep with him you mean.'

'THEN deal with a grumpy and upset Chang Wufei.' he finished, drying off the vegetables and placed them onto the board, dicing them with a culinary efficiency.

Thoughts began to calm and focus as his hands moved in familiar patterns over the preparation of the meal. The case rose to the surface of his mind. 'It makes sense that she would go after him, even if they didn't know he was a pilot, the mere fact that the majik that radiated from him was that powerful...'

He started cleaning the chicken, removing the fat and blemishes, washing the pieces and placing them on a flat pan. Quickly he cleansed his hands and reached for the spices to begin cultivating a light marinade for the meat.

'I think the shock was more a thought line of confusion. One would think that I would have noticed that kind of aura floating about him before.' Zechs frowned down at the sauce. 'Maybe I'm taking too much stock in my own abilities... Pah! You selfish brat, how can I think that I would just naturally remember the things I was taught, Trieze? How foolish am I now? Dear friend, I feel all your teaching went to a rather extravagant waste.'

Slipping the brush in the marinade, the Sankian man lathered the meat. Leaning to his left, he turned on the stove, preheating it. 'Admit it, Zechs. You're more than a bit out of practice. All the rereading and relearning will not do a thing for your bruised ego.'

A slight stir on the edge of his senses alerted him to the boy standing by the doorframe of the kitchen. "I thought you had left..."

The question slipped off, quiet. Black eyes watching him, a shy young man attempting to obscure his new look. While he vaguely remembered the term and lessons covered so long ago on familiars, Zechs could not honestly see why the boy had transformed... And obviously the boy had thought him gone. Did he really mean that little to Wufei?

"I promised you a healthy dinner and leftovers, did I not? And my comportment would not stand for me to depart without making good on that promise, Wufei."

Wufei swallowed and took a measly step forward. Sleep would not take him and left him worried for the man he had begun to see as more than a friend. He did not like the feel of those eyes looking over him. "Please, just don't..." he squeezed his eyes closed, determined not to run again even if he looked like a kitten. "Don't stare at them."

A slight pinkness dawned on the older man's cheeks, but he complied turning back to his marinating of the chicken. Desperately wanting to look at the boy, tell him it was alright... Figure out why he was so bloody calm when his partner was prancing about with a tail.

Zechs felt the boy's aura, thought somewhat more relaxed than before, move beside him. "Can I help?"

A smile found its way to his lips. "I would ask you to set the table, but I am not sure I should trust you with dishes yet."

"Zechs!" The boy glared back.

"If you could get out the bread and get it on a tray to cook, that would help."

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

A lean limb pushed about his supper, eyeing it not really eating much of it. Those blue orbs still were looking at him and he had not had the luck of them disappearing like they had last time.

"They really aren't that bad..." Zechs began, sipping from his glass of white wine.

"Eh?" The Chinese boy asked, settling his fork down to look at the man across from him.

"All in all I've read about a lot worse. Though it would explain why she has been so determined to get a hold of you." He finished, running his eyes over the boy, delighting in the slight blush on those bronze cheeks.

Quickly he shoved a forkful of the chicken and vegetables into his mouth, attempting to merely ignore his partner. "You really cook well..." he whispered softly around mouthfuls.

"Wufei?"

"Yes?"

"How long have you been able to... well... do that?" The blonde asked, pointing his fork in the boy's direction.

A blush blossomed across his cheeks, squirming slightly and not feeling comfortable at all. If he could just hedge around the actual cause, it would probably prove to be less embarrassing than telling his companion that a kinky night of phantom sex did him in. 'How would I explain that?' he wondered, chewing on his piece of bread. 'I felt you and Lucrezia jump each other and to put it in Duo's terms, screwed each other silly and pop I had this extraordinary experience and guess what? It felt like you were ramming me!' He ducked his head, peering to the side. Oh, no. He could definitely *not* let what really happened slip.

"Since yesterday" Wufei murmured.

Well that stumped the platinum blonde haired man. 'Oh. Well there goes that thought.'

"But" the boy continued, somewhat louder than his previous answer, "Heero mentioned there had been a few pokes at my file so maybe someone knows something I don't."

His fork clinked on his plate, eyes opened in shock. "Did anyone happen to *look* at your file?"

Quickly Wufei corrected his mistake, "Iie, my false file. Even Maxwell or I can't even access our real files. Yuy has got them and I doubt anyone other than himself or possible one of the Doctors could access them."

Quirking an eyebrow, the Sankian man recovered slightly. "I was under the assumption that they were dead."

Black eyes blinked. "Believe what you will. I'm not their keeper."

Letting that slide, Zechs pushed some of the vegetables on his plate, deep in thought. His swirling beliefs taking him back to his childhood and his eternal ginger haired friend. "Wufei, I don't think it is even a question of why that woman is after you. Delmare is quite well known for her ability to get things for people, even if it costs a good amount. Money is no object to the rich and power hungry."

Leaning back in his chair, Wufei crossed his arms, giving his partner his full attention. "So basically you're saying that you're theory is that this person or group of people with a special interest are interested in me because I have cat ears?"

"No because you're a familiar, Wufei, not because you happened to spawn car ears," the Sankian replied, standing to clear the dishes from his own setting as well as his companions.

"A familiar?" the foreign word tripped his tongue slightly. "What's that?"

Striding from the kitchen with the bottle of wine he merely poured more of the burgundy liquid. "A familiar is usually an animal - physical or spiritual- that protects a master. You'll have to forgive me, my memories on familiars is more than a bit rusty. Trieze..." he paused to gather the strength to work past the rising old memories. Meeting those black orbs, he smiled slightly, a ghostly wisp of a smile that was not quite real. "Trieze was quite the character. There were summers spent curled in the musty literature of grand old libraries of his families. The metaphysical and such, mainly volumes of majik and lore."

Wufei stood, fixating his colleague with a malevolent glare "Zechs, lets try and keep this pertaining to the case." With that being said, the Chinese boy headed towards his living room; lifting one of the heavy bags of casework they had gone down to get from the blonde's car as their dinner was cooking.

Two pale hands took the glasses of wine off the dining room table, while an arm secured the bottle. Gaiting after his little partner, Zechs settled the glasses and bottle on one of the extra copies of files and seated himself down on the black leather couch next to the boy. "Why are you so adamantly against the idea that some things can not be explained by common sense, Wufei?"

"Why are you and the others so determined to be swept away by the fanciful notion of nonsensical crap?" Wufei bit out, focusing his attention on the files strewn about his glass coffee table. Leaving the blonde behind him on the couch, the young man set about reopening some of the latest faxes sent to them from their offices in Germany.

It was wrong to do so, bait the boy so, but that comment had hit lower than the boy could have ever imagined. Sliding behind the young man, Zechs leaned forward brushing his lips against one of the soft cat ears. Parting in a small, triumphant smirk, the blonde could almost see the furious blush across the boy's cheeks. "So enlighten me on your most adorable ears and tail Wufei."

The pen slipped from the boy's fingers, the feel of the man's warmth behind him was raging something to shift inside him. The pressing of the prince's lips on his kittenish ears excited his body, his tail twitching as if to reflect its exhilaration.

A pale arm draped over his lean shoulder, breath rustling over his ear and cheek as sweet words left Zech's tongue. They were difficult to decipher, but black orbs widened in disbelief as a small flame blossomed in his partner's palm.

"Zechs..." a soft mew was heard.

"Your nonsensical crap, 'Fei" the taller man whispered, delighted in the feel of the raw power surging through his veins. 'Trieze... Thank you for this.'

Bronze finger lifted of their own accord, slipping forward and stopping mere inches away from the lapping blaze. "But..."

"Sometimes things can not be explained. Trieze taught me that oh so long ago, Wufei. Imagine my surprise when I was able to do this" Zechs all but whispered into the boy's ear. "Majik exists, it always has, and probably always will."

Then with a movement Zechs extinguished the flames. "So what did the offices in Germany send us?"

"Zechs?" The boy sounded so completely lost in that one breath of air that released his name.

"Yes Wufei?" He replied softy.

"You truly believe in majik?" the Chinese man asked softly, his blue pen doodling on the side of the fax, not paying much attention to anything at that moment. A confusion warred in him, stringing him up and dangling him mere inches from a mental collapse. It was if something refused to let him believe in majik yet wanted to at the same time.

"Yes. I do" came the unhesitant and simple response.

"Did Une know this was going to happen?" He had to know if all this time he had been set up for his proverbial fall.

"I... I think she had an inkling that something like this could happen, but I do not believe she would wish you any harm. She was devastated when you were kidnapped. I have a feeling Trieze shared with her a small vision of the possible future and she feared the worst."

"And Duo?"

"I do not know that Wufei. I can only assume he may know more than all of us but may not quite know what is truth and what is past."

"They are after me."

"Yes."

"And they know more than we do."

"Most certainly." Pausing he brushed the boy's hair from his face, massaging behind one of the pointed ears like he would to calm and sedate a kitten. "But obviously not quite everything. We still have the advantage over them in many ways."

"So I'm the one that almost got you all killed yesterday..."

"Stop it!" Zechs replied, wrapping his arms around the boy. "No one is going to even think of blaming you. Look, I don't think it was your fault. I highly doubt Maxwell or Yuy do, they are worried about you. Hell I am worried about you!" His pale fingers skimmed over the white bandages. "And I have a feeling that you haven't told the truth about this turn of events."

"It is not important."

"Yes, I think it is. I promised Yuy and Maxwell that I would do everything within my power to protect you-"

"I don't need protection!" Wufei growled, fist slamming down on the table harshly.

"Yes you do. I do. I am not above needing someone there, Wufei. That was a lesson we were taught in the Academy. You are a unit, a team. A chain that if broken we are rendered useless but together we are stronger than anything. It sounded so cheesy then, but looking back, I know that it has saved my life countless times."

"I can't talk about it right now Zechs. I promise you though that it has nothing to do with the case. It's a personal thing," Wufei whispered, his hand unconsciously gripping the blondes.

Licking his dry lips, Millardo smiled, enjoying the feel of the boy being so absolutely close to him. Whether the boy was aware of it or not, he had become so sweet and tolerable compared to his first few months with the Preventers. He could remember those previous months and looking at the budding man before him, the boy's black tail twitching against his thigh, the prince made a silent vow to his ancestors to always protect the boy.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Sliding a leg over his slick black bike, Wufei revved the engine to life. Twisting his neck again, he cursed the fates for letting him fall to sleep in his partner's arms on his couch. Sure, he had been quite comfortable then, unfortunately the position obviously was less than cozy for certain limbs.

Surprisingly, during his slumber his tail and ear problem had solved itself, relieving no little amount of tension. Quickly going over his mental checklist he ticked off his morning tasks. 'Put dishes in dishwasher... No strange furry objects adorning my body... Left Zechs a note and a message on my apartment's comm as well as his. Called Liz... Perfect.'

The squealing of tires echoed in the garage as the black haired young man sped onto the highway towards the Preventers headquarters. Luckily traffic had been fairly light and he was able to speed the whole way there, delighting in the freedom and the rush of air, nothing compared to his beloved Gundam, but enough to liberate his mind for a few short minutes.

He was able to pull into a spot in the Preventers' parking garage and as the elevator opened to his floor he took note of all the people who seemingly took the weekend off. Gliding past the empty cubicles, nodding to the rare person who had decided to do work, he headed towards Detective Blum's office.

A crisp knock at her door brought the woman's head peeking up from behind the wall of monitors. "Detective Chang! Mornin doll, have a seat. Need some coffee?"

"No, thank you though. How are you this morning Liz?" He asked, slipping into one of the empty chairs across from her pile of hardware.

"Intrigued, confused, and a bit bewildered."

"Oh?" the young man asked quirking his eyebrow.

"Yeah, 'oh'. You owe me on this one Wufei. I was up all night on its trace. And let me tell you it wasn't easy. This person or persons did not want to be found," she explained. Kicking back in her chair.

"What do you mean?" He asked, settling forward glancing at the blue tinted monitors.

"That our happy file accesses were very cautious and very, very careful. Here, you see?" She asked, leaning forward and pointing to a screen on her far right. "This is a list of all the severs that have gone into the remote area of Human resources that aren't internal severs. And if I click here, you can see the list drop when I click out any Preventers personnel."

She slid her chair over, quickly pulling up another menu, files and numbers flickering past them. "And then the list of those accesses were obscenely annoying to drift through. At first glance it seems as though about fifty to eighty external isps checked into the system, then I ran through the area locations. In all only servers located in three different countries logged in."

"Damn..." the jetty eyed boy muttered, flickering over the screen and deciphering the notes.

"Exactly. Only I used the word holy fuck darlin." Liz smiled with a wink.

"What countries?"

"France which actually lead to a government and federal server, which was what Yuy assumed in his notes to me, that it was the Captain that was on the case you guys went to in Paris."

"How many dips in did she take?" The boy asked, sliding closer.

"Four."

"That's it?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, hon. That's it on her and that ain't enough to pin her with anything, it could have been a casual poke knowing the bitch. Then there was about twenty accesses from a location in Germany and at first I was going to write it off but something told me not to."

"Why's that?" Wufei asked.

"It came from a Preventer server."

"I thought you said you eliminated all of them."

"I did, the reason this didn't filter away was because of one reason, darlin" Liz drawled, turning to look at the Chinese young man.

"What's that?"

"The person who was accessin the files was declared dead by their systems three weeks ago" the woman finished.

Something didn't sit right with that and Wufei leaned back looking at the digitective seriously. "And I take it that this deceased net wander doesn't figure out right?"

"Not when she visited us not even a few days ago. Not when she was shot in our offices yesterday hon."

"Hirde Schbeiker?" The Asian boy asked, blinking in questioning.

"The one and the same."

"That makes no sense. Is she a Preventer?"

"Yes and no."

"Liz, what the hell does that mean?" He asked in annoyance.

"Exactly what it sounds like, technically she was never placed in our systems but she was over in theirs. And I went ahead and called them. No one there can recall her, Wufei. I sent a vidcapture to the recruiting head over there and it came back negative."

"She hacked her way into the system?" he asked in disbelief. That was not an easy thing to do, one had to be more than an accomplished hacker since he knew that Yuy had been initially brought in to configure the systems and programs that ran the Preventers.

"Or someone did. Either way files are all fucked up about her, no two matching bank accounts, fingerprints, or even birth records. Either this chick was not who she pretended to be-"

"Or someone got into our system and played with a few things. Great."

"And that would have to be an internal job and that list gets very long, Wufei. Very, very long."

"Yeah, I know. What was the other locale?"

"Some place in China" Liz replied.

"Care to be a little more precise, last time I looked at a map China was fairly large" Wufei replied.

"I wish I could. That's where I got stuck. The best I could get is a list of possible areas with that kind of stealth connections and cover up."

"And?" he hedged.

"And I narrowed it down to twenty locations" the ginger haired woman sighed, slumping back in her chair with a pout.

Scanning over the brief list, Wufei made note of the places comparing them to his list of actual areas that he knew could do the kind of hack and crack mission that had been done to his file. Being a terrorist sometimes had its perks. Black eyes paused at one word. It was a location he really wished had never been listed, and it looked like some things never would change. "Thanks Liz. I guess this is going to be a dead end. You still got enough open time to keep working on this?"

"Enough, though I ain't sure I'll get anything else. Looks like this mystery location doesn't want to show itself..."

'How right you are, Liz. How right you are...' then aloud. "Thanks. I really owe you. Did mail come yet?"

"Yeah... About an hour or so ago. Why?"

"Waiting for a package from another case," he replied, waving and heading towards his office.

He almost heard the click before his body was flung haplessly in the rows of cubicles. The boy's reactions kicked in fast enough to pull him to awareness, shaking off the blast's effects long enough to see a slim male body dash from his now burning office and head down the hall towards the digital department.

Standing up, he sprinted after the mystery person, gun cocked and unlocked. With his olden day furtiveness creeping back into his veins, the Asian boy gained on the conspirator with great ease.

Black eyes acknowledged the spark and he waited for the last possible moment before leaping up, balancing on the tops of the partitions of the workstations. He dashed along their tops, gaining still on the man.

Another small flint bomb was tossed his way.

Leaping from the cubicles he gracefully avoided the blast, "LIZ!" he screamed, sensing the attackers next target.

The said woman darted from her office at the Asian boy's scream. He wore a mask of such seriousness and alertness that she was taken aback, missing the assailant's mad sprint towards her body.

The southern woman was saved by the arms of the Chinese boy, turquoise eyes widening in shock. "Wu..."

Aiming and firing, the boy swore as the attacker was merely grazed by the shots. "Fuck." Pushing forward he rounded the corner, sensing the woman close behind him.

Liz bit her lip, drawing forth her own weapon and following the Asian man's lead. The two ran side by side, watching the man slip around corners. Twice he had attempted to kill them with small bombs, but thanks to her savior, they had been saved.

Liz was fully ready to admit that Chang Wufei had to be the best marksman she had ever witnessed. The boy's sharp aim had detonated the bombs mid air, and as they surged through the black smoke that came with their blasts, she wondered how the boy grew to be so damn good.

"Freeze!" Wufei voice bellowed as the man slipped into the stairwell.

"Shit!" Liz growled.

"Take the elevator down, alert security to be on guard." The black haired boy commanded her as he kicked open the door, bracing himself as he pointed his gun in preparation to fire it.

"Where are you going?" she half shrieked half spoke.

"Stairwell" and then he disappeared as the orange door slammed closed. She trembled slightly, but her mind followed his demands and a moment later her comm was out directing out orders to a group of security guards.

Wufei felt an almost d�j� vu slip over his person as he crept along at an alarming rate, peering around, following the desperate steps of the man. 'Aim to take down, not out...' he reminded himself. He was thoroughly glad he had taken his comrades advice to upgrade his own weapon and with Duo's help had assembled a much more efficient weapon than the Preventers would probably allow him to carry.

The silencer lived up to its name as the black metal made not a sound as he clicked off the automatic release. He was going to trust his own instincts on the shot. Gliding forward and peering over the rail, he guestimated that they were about three floors from the garage. The slim assailant was moving fast.

He aimed and silently the man fell forward with a hiss. Taking the moment, the Chinese boy tore down the cement stairs giving him a close range now for his target.

Connecting with the stairwell door to the garage he took his final aim, and watched as his bullet tore through the man's leg. He followed it with a second fire taking out the man's shoulder and firing arm. "You're under arrest!" he shouted, stalking forward.

<< "I will not die without honor!" >> the man shouted and Wufei's eyes widened, instantly recognizing the dialect and accent. Three seconds later the crunch of his body connecting with the row of cars twenty feet behind him casted a sick sound. With a moan, the Chinese boy practically pealed himself from the red vintage mustang. "I'm getting too old for this..." he groaned, stealing his will and standing up.

"Jesus Chang! How many damn lives do you have?"

Turning, the slightly mussed and disheveled young man fixed her with a glare. "I hurt, don't make me make you share it."

Liz sighed, leaning against the gray pillar, "Its too fucking early for this. Did he have to blow himself up?"

Wufei didn't reply, merely staring at the black blast marks disfiguring the garage's floor and the puddles and clumps of a former Clan member lining the basement. It might have calmed him if he had a reaction, but looking at the destruction, he felt nothing and that sickened him even more.

"Liz, I'm going to get to my office and do a search over for clues. Fill the medics in, if you need me my comm's on" and he sprinted towards the stairs.

'Damn that kid. Where the hell did he get that kind of training?' The ginger haired woman mused while waiting for the obvious inept security guards to get there.

The gun was still firmly in his grip as he approached his office, or more precisely the smoldering, smoky cavern that was his and Zechs' office. Stepping over the remaining charred chair that lied in his way, he narrowed his eyes. 'What was he after...?'

Eyes stopped at the message glowing on his screen. Fresh blood on the white monitor, dripping characters that gripped the boy's stomach. A breath later he dashed down the hall, only this time fear was in his eyes. A minute later he had brushed off Liz and security and was speeding away on his bike, siren blaring as the pit in his stomach twisted and plunged into a heavy dread.

Liz had grabbed a guard and demanded that they go to Chang's now defunct office. Holding the top of her shirt over her nose she walked over the charred furniture to the desk. "What the hell-?"

"It's Chinese..." the man replied, gun ready like hers, staring at the screen.

If either one were able to read it, they might have shared the Asian boy dread. Trembling limbs and numb fingers tightened on his bike's handles as all attempts to reach the blonde were quickly becoming null.

<< "The number you have dialed has been disconnected. The number you have dialed has-" >> He growled and dialed his other comm which he knew was in his bedroom.

<< "The number you have dialed has-">>

"Fuck!!" he snarled, tears forming in his eyes, blurring the corners of his vision, as he dialed the blonde's cell phone again, praying the blonde was in the shower, or had stepped out for a jog, or a paper, or anything. He just didn't want Zechs to be in his apartment. Revving the engine, he pushed his motorcycle to its limits, yet it somehow didn't seem fast enough as time clicked away.

Praying that for the first time in his life he would not be too late.

At his disassembled office the crimson stains dripped off the screen, characters heading the Chinese boy in a taunting tone.

Here Kitty, Kitty.

<1> "Paris Police"
"Do you speak English?"
<2>"Woman!"