Part One: The Mission

"Treize."

"Mm?" The ginger-haired teenager looked up from the book he was reading for a moment to his roommate. Heero had stopped typing.

"Is Epyon repaired?"

"Yes, why? Another mission?"

Heero's dark blue eyes fixed on Treize's own light blue ones and did not move or blink, something that the Epyon pilot found quite disturbing. "Yeah," he said quietly. "The one we were waiting for."

"I didn't think they were that stupid, giving us a clear opportunity like this," Treize replied. "Of course, there is the possibilty of a trap, and we don't have nearly the numbers to spare to examine it from all possible directions the way it should be."

"*That,*" Heero said dryly, "is why we are Gundam pilots and usually the only survivors."

Treize smiled. "True enough. Let me see." He marked his place and stood behind Heero's chair to read the mission briefing. "What is this code that your superior talks in? Jeez, I can't make heads or tails of it!" Heero, smiling tightly, pressed a key and the nonsense characters on the screen became legible letters. It was as close as Heero would get to playing a trick on someone.

According to whoever Heero took orders from, two missions would be required, followed up by one massive, all-out joint attack. Performed within a matter of hours of one another, the circumstances could lead to a complete collapse of both the government and the military. The first mission could be completed by one pilot, although two were recommended: wipe out all the officials attending the Romefeller Foundation's meeting in Paris, France. However, one of the key officials to be eliminated would not be attending: in was, in fact, en route to the Luxembourg base. Supposedly he was overseeing the final tests on a new Scorpio model mobile doll, details of which were unknown, but Heero's superior had his doubts on that. So did Treize, for that matter: the OZ leadership was rumored to be very unfriendly towards the concept and use of the mobile dolls. But that did not matter: he needed to pushed out of the way and would not be where it would be convenient to do it, so a separate but simultaneous mission would be required to take out Duo Maxwell.

"You've been to Luxembourg, haven't you?" Heero asked. Treize frowned.

"Yes, but there is a base there and a very extensive chateau there, and I'm not certain which one he'll go to. I would have to get it on the first try, or they'll know of my presence there."

"Operate on the premise of a trap, then: they know you're going. If you want I can notify Quatre and tell him you'll be requiring assist-"

"No..." The slightly taller pilot had a distant, pensive look on his face. "God, I hate this reverse psychology, but if I'm right he'll go to the chateau. I've heard some rather vicious rumors that would suggest that choice. I can handle it myself. Is there any way to catch the jet en route?"

Heero must have run the calculations through his head, because after a monet he gave a negative reply. Treize cursed in German. The Japanese pilot raised an eyebrow.

"It's just as well, Treize. I won't be ready to go for about three days and the others can't possibly get here before then to plan the assault."

"Thanks. I get the tough base just because Relena's at the Romefeller Foundation's meeting-" He cut off at Heero's glare. "Oh, truth hurts, ne?"

"Actually, no. I need to get Relena out of the way anyways. But Wing needs a few adjustments and if they decide to test those Scorpios out on me it'll need a whole lot more. I did some research of my own: all I could find out about them is that they're about twice as fast as the Taurus dolls."

//Wait a minute...sixteen G's?// "And you want to send me up against *those* by *myself?* I think you're either nuts or vastly overrating the capabilities of one single pilot."

"No. Radio Trowa when you've completed the first half of your mission and he'll come in to back you up. There's only four or five of them."

Treize was not convinced. "Yeah, well, let me remind you that four Taurus mobile dolls were more than enough to wipe out twenty space Leos."

"A Gundam isn't a space Leo."

"All right." The German pilot finally gave in, put a hand to his temple with a sigh. "Kuso, I'm not sure how I let you talk me into these things..."

"Move out tonight."

~*~*~

Part Two: The Arrangements

"Sir?" Colonel Une stood at the door. "It's ten o'clock."

"Oh? Thank you, Lady..." Duo Maxwell began to stand from his desk and fell as all the nerves in his back screamed out at once. The impact of his midsection onto the edge of the desk drove the wind from him and he was only jsut aware of Une's glossy black boots clicking on the tile floor as she ran to help. When the spasms began to subside, she helped her gasping commender sit up.

"Sir, I'm really not certain I should go on leave tomorrow," she said softly. Duo waved it off.

"You've earned your leave, Midii, and a hell of a lot more than you've chosen to take. Go have fun, relax, get a massage, something you'll enjoy. Don't spend any of that time worrying about me, and *don't* make me make that a direct order," he told her, voice cracked with exhaustion. "I'll be fine."

"But, sir, you've been getting-"

"Not another word," he cut Une off, even more tired than before, "or I *will* make it a direct order. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," the colonel said reluctantly. Duo smiled softly and fought his lethargy to get up.

"One more favor to ask before you go, Midii." To her surprise he pulled his second-in-command and the most formidable woman in Oz into his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. When, uncertain, she pulled back he leaned on the desk and straightened a maroon collar that never seemed to need it. "That's just my way of showing how much I appreciate everything you've done for me over the years. Whatever would I have doen without you? Now, go take your leave and have fun!"

"Yes, sir," she murmured. Duo returned he salute, then watched her quietly as she executed a perfect about-face and left the room.

//The wheels are in motion, then. Fare you well, Midii.//

~*~*~

Part Three: The Strike

//What the hell was that?// Duo could have sworn he heard the click of a latch on the parlor window. Barefoot, clad only in a pair of loose black sweatpants and a cascade of long, silky brown hair, he slipped out of bed and took up a position in the shadows behind the door.

It opened: a shadowy form slipped in with no noise at all and a small black handgun clutched carefully. Duo moved before the intruder could see the empty bed, moved behind the intruder and placed a sword blade at his throat.

"Someone's got a pair, I see," he said. It was an interesting remark, considering the position: he held his would-be assailant up against his chest, one knee thrust between the other's to bend him back a little. He held one slender wrist in a grip only a hair away from snapping the bones. "Congratulations, you nearly got me by surprise. Now hand over the gun." Confiscating the weapon was only a moment's work and soon the intruder stood against the wall, hands cuffed together and glaring at the commander.

//My God, he's just a kid!// "What's your name, kid?"

"I see no reason to say," came a cool reply. Duo tsked a little, sitting down on the bed with a hairbrush, a rag, a small tin and a ponytail holder. He started to quickly brush out his hair.

"A soldier is expected to take all precautions to avoid it, but capture does occasionally happen. If an OZ soldier *is* taken prisoner by hostile forces, he or she is required only to give their name, rank and service number. As you are also a soldier, probably a Gundam Pilot, I would expect no less of you."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your bearing. You've had military training: at the same time, I can tell you that nobody but a Gundam Pilot could have gotten through the kind of defenses I had set up even alive, much less without even raising an alarm. From your build... Zero-Two."

"Very good." A grudging response.

"Now think about this," Duo continued, starting his trademark braid in the mass of chestnut locks. "You are in a strategically bad position to begin with, and capture makes it worse. You would do well to cooperate."

The intruder read between the lines quite well. "You're not handing me over to Security?"

Duo looked up from where his fingers flew through and plaited his hair. "I didn't say that. Although, now that you mention it I will admit that notion *has* crossed my mind a few times. Not handing you over, that is."

"So why are you getting dressed?"

"I don't run OZ in sweatpants. But unless I have to dress, I won't. Translation: don't give me any trouble and you get treated well. Trust me, they're not going to like it if they find out that a kid poked holes all over and probably sneaked his Gundam no more than two miles away from the complex. Completely undetected all the while. The base won't like it, either, and I can't do a whole lot to protect you from either one of them unless I'm right there by your side the whole time. I really can't do that, either."

He quickly tied off the hair, and picked up the rag and rapier. By the stink of the tin he opened, it was metal polish. "But you're not staying here tonight until I get a few answers."

"I wouldn't have imagined you to be this casual."

"I hate formalities."

"So I've noticed." The teen was blushing like fire again: Duo simply paused and smiled, then went back to work. Once in a while he would glance at the pilot out of the corner of his eye. He was actually rather pretty: strong features were accented by the contrast between his coppery-red hair and cornflower-blue eyes. His build was about average, and it reminded him of the blood-red Gundam Treize had admitted to flying. Duo himself was only an inch or so taller: Treize could have overpowered him quite easily. //Why didn't he fight a little more?//

While Duo worked there was silence. Then the Gundam pilot spoke again.

"Call me Treize."

"Treize," Duo repeated, taken a little bit by surprise. "Very well, then, Gundam Pilot Treize." He lifted the sword, examining the edge in the faint moonlight. "I wan't to know more about the person who sneaks past all my security and tries to stare me down in my own bedroom."

Treize seemed to take offense at this, if his posture was any guide. He stiffened, and his voice was brisk and clipped. "I have already told you everything I am going to."

"That would be a shame, then," Duo replied coolly, 'since I really don't have any further use for you. If you could get in so easily, I have no doubts that you could get out with the same kind of ease, in which case keeping you would be more of a risk than its worth and I simply cannot allow a Gundam pilot to run amok as the five of you have been." The glittering point swung around to rest in the hollow of Treize's throat. "I assume you had some last words? I can assure you that they will get to where they need to go."

Treize glared at Duo. "You said you would let me go."

"I said nothing of the kind. I am a politician, and commander of the military forces *you* are currently waging a guerilla war against: you should know that I can turn truth inside out and stand it on its head if I want to. All I said was that you might not end up with security: I'll amend that. You won't. This does not exclude the possibility of winding up dead. I'm curious, Treize. Is death an outcome you can look me in the eye and honestly tell me you are ready for?" the longhaired man said coldly. Abruptly he was in Treize's face, arm drawn back to hold the rapier steady without changing its position. "Can you?" he hissed. "Because let me tell you right now that I have absolutely no qualms about killing those who try to kill me."

Duo watched the play of emotions on Treize's face. The Gundam pilot was pale, but he held steady, kept his cool. "I am a soldier, Commander Maxwell. I am ready to die at any time. Whether it is you who does it or another, it doesn't matter to me."

"Dead's dead," Duo translated. He did not move the sword. "But is the answer honest?"

"Yes, it is." His heart was pounding so hard that Duo, pressed up against him, could feel it. The politician snorted, breath hot on Treize's face. //He doesn't believe me.// Treize ruthlessly quashed the thought, steeling himself, almost afraid to breathe.

But Maxwell smiled. His weight, pinning Treize to the wall, lifted and the shining rapier went back to the far wall while the Gundam pilot tried to recover from the shock of it all. The next time he dared to look at the Oz commander, Duo already had his hair down and lay casually on the bed.

"Yeah, you're ready. Perhaps too ready. Come here," he said, holding a key. "I'm not going to make you stand on the wall all night: that's not the way I work. I'll get those cuffs off of you."

Treize sat on the bed, rubbing red wrists. Duo had not been gentle when putting them on him and had snugged the cuffs a little too tightly. He looked over at the commander, who lay back against the pillows, framed by his own hair, regarding him in return through good-natured violet eyes. "You don't trust me."

"Neither one of us has much reason to trust the other."

"But you let me live. Twice, now. They say once is a fluke, twice is coincidence. Pardon me if I sound ungrateful, but... may I ask why?"

"You think like a politician! I believe that you're honest. That's enough for me. So why do you trust *me* even this much?" Even surprise could not stop the yawn that threatened to split Treize's face in two: Duo grinned then. "Exhausting night, heh? Since we're about equal, how about we both turn in for the night?"

Treize snapped fully aware on that one and immediately felt silly for it. Duo had not so much as twitched. It didn't stop him from blushing *again.* "But shouldn't we, um..."

"Use separate beds, as in one of us on the couch out there? Trust me, you *really* don't want to do that: I swear it'll screw your back up royally. And if Security pokes their head in just to see that all's well as I'm pretty sure Une told them to, you'll likely wind up either on the loop end of a rope or on the wrong end of five rifles and there wouldn't be a lot I can do to help you. I don't mean to sound threatening, that's just OZ."

"You *are* kind," Treize shot sarcastically, then laid down on the edge of the bed.

Duo did not go to sleep immediately. Instead, he lay thinking a little bit more about his unexpected guest. //He's so young, though. Fifteen, sixteen at most. What could have turned him into a trained terrorist so early? What does he intend to do when the war ends?// He looked at the boy, who appeared to have alreday fallen off to sleep. Delicate lashes lay against a fair cheek, and Treize's breathing was slow and deep and rhythmic. //Maybe I *can* trust him. I don't see enough honesty in the world anymore.// He closed his eyes.

Treize actually was not asleep, merely feigning it. Outwardly he appeared calm, but inside his mind was in turmoil. //What am I *doing* here?! I have a mission!// Under his pillow he could feel the cold, comforting steel of his gun where Maxwell had stuffed it. Safety on, by the feel. //I was supposed to *kill* Duo Maxwell and here I am, sleeping with him.// He looked over at the sleeping commander, touched a lock of the beautiful, heavy mane the flowed in a loose chestnut cascade over the bed and pillows. //So simple. All it would take is one shot while he's asleep and my mission would be completed.// The Gundam pilot's fingers closed weakly around his weapon. //It would be so easy now. So why can't I do it?//

A whisper broke the silence, a slight smile curved Duo's lips at Treize's slight jump. "If you're going to do it, you may as well do it now. You're unlikely to get a better opportunity." Treize resolutely pulled his hand away from the black barrel under his head and the commander sighed.

//Odd. Was that... disappointment... I heard there?//

~*~*~

Owari

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