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"The Locker Shock Incident "Written By: Asymphototropic
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam wing. Author: Asymphototropic (attracted toward the
light, but never quite arrives there) Email: asymphototropic@aol.com Rating: R Warnings: language, yaoi, violence Summary: Post EW Preventers. Maxwell undertakes a death defying shuttle flight to destroy a killer's alibi on behalf of Yuy's case. Merquise feels an unaccountable urge to protect Duo. When the assassin comes stalking, will the combined skills of Zechs and Heero be enough to save 02 from the deadly blade? Pairings: 1x2, 6+1+2
"The Locker Shock Incident " Part Three. "Commander. Request permission to go to Cleveland." "Cleveland? Why?" "I need to log some flight time," Maxwell told Une. "I guess I'm stuck here waiting on further developments in the Maelaport case. And I hate to lose my flight pay." Pilots had to have flown a minimum number of hours per month in order to receive flight pay. This requirement was designed to keep peacetime skills at a necessary readiness level. Duo was one of her most useful, and therefore active, Wildcard agents. Ordinarily he wouldn't need boondoggles to keep up his flight log. She eyed her youngest agent carefully. A bored Duo Maxwell was a potentially dangerous entity. There did seem to be an alarming level of restiveness apparent. A certain tensing of muscles suggesting pent up energy waiting to explode. "Permission granted. Why Cleveland?" Not Paris, London, Rome, Karlovy Vary, but Cleveland. Maxwell crinkled his nose, then shrugged. "Erm, don't think I've ever been there before. And Preventers there haven't seen the latest Stargrazer model yet. I could offer them a walkthrough I think they'd find instructive." "I'm sure you could." "And bowling there is supposed to be good." "Bowling?" "Yes. Thursday is a good night for bowling, I find." "I didn't know you bowled." "I'm not very good at it. But next to Yuy, I'm a brilliant bowler." "I'm astonished to hear you say so." "Well, you see, Yuy gets tired of throwing strikes pretty quickly. So, to vary the interest, he tries to hit single pins, one at a time in order. Wreaks havoc with his score," Maxwell grinned. "I see. Well, I'll seize the opportunity to review recent Cleveland Preventers' activities and prepare a commentary. Drop in here, last thing before you leave, for a briefing. We may as well maximize our returns on this little outing of yours." "Commander." Maxwell acknowledged the order. "That will be great. I'm sure they'll appreciate that." He was showing signs of real enthusiasm, and Une recognized that he was right. Specialized attention from the Commander in Chief likely would be well received in Cleveland, particularly with the personable pilot presenting her comments. She should dismiss him now and get on with her work, which had just increased in magnitude, what with having to write recs for Cleveland. But she really had a fondness for Duo, and was quite enjoying his uncharacteristically prolonged presence at Earth Headquarters. Sally Po had told her about Peacecraft's club luncheon with Maxwell and Yuy. And all the delicious details of the Baron attempting to match Duo with his granddaughter. Sally and Une had agreed that the little chit wasn't nearly good enough for their Maxwell. Une was dying to ask Duo about this outing. But she couldn't seem to approach the topic without risk of sounding accusatory. There were rules against fraternizing. And Une didn't want to ruin the situation for Zechs by noticing it. So she merely nodded, smiled, and dismissed Maxwell.
"Cleveland? Why?" "Maxwell is flying there today," Yuy explained. "He will be presenting a walkthrough of the latest Stargrazer shuttle for Preventers personnel there." Heero paused and frowned. "Have a seat, Yuy," Peacecraft offered. "Thank you, sir." The boy sat in a very military posture. The wrinkle upon his brow furrowed deeper. "I am concerned about the Maelaport case." "Proceed." "The word is out, about Maxwell's proposed terminal to terminal flight. If the demonstration is approved, if Duo succeeds at it, Maelaport stands a good chance of conviction." "Indeed." Now Peacecraft was frowning at this reminder of Duo's reckless proposal. "Sir, we haven't any idea who hired the assassin. Its likely that Maelaport's unidentified conspirator is a powerful and wealthy person, who may go to great lengths to preserve the secret of his identity. If Maelaport stands a high chance of conviction for murder, he may be inclined to bargain-down his sentence, by revealing the other perpetrator's name. The easiest way to prevent Maelaport's conviction may be to take Maxwell out of the picture." "Meaning Maxwell is in danger of mayhem or murder." Peacecraft shuddered to himself, 'doesn't that sound like a line out of a bad mystery novel?' "Maxwell is a much easier target than Maelaport just now. As a Wildcard agent, Duo doesn't have a routine partner. He lives alone and travels frequently." "Point taken. You are hereby ordered to stick like glue to Agent Maxwell for the foreseeable future." "Thank you, sir." "What do you think of that terminal to terminal flight plan of Maxwell's?" Zechs demanded suddenly. Yuy replied in perfectly even tones. "Maxwell believes it is feasible. His accomplishing the flight will greatly improve the probability of convicting Maelaport. And thereby increase the likelihood of also discovering the identity of his unscrupulous patron. The risk-to-gain ratio is favorable. Therefore the flight should be undertaken." Peacecraft glared at Yuy. "I suppose, instead, I should have asked how you feel about the undertaking." "Uneasy." "Well that makes two of us, at least," Peacecraft shook his head. "Keep me posted as to your whereabouts." Yuy rose. "Understood. We leave within the hour. I imagine Maxwell will have dinner, followed by a round of bowling, before the return trip." "Bowling? I didn't know Duo bowled." Yuy offered a small smile. "He's not very good at it." "I am surprised to hear there is something Maxwell does not do well." "He was in a motorcycle crash during the first war and avulsed the volar plate of his thumb. The surgeons transplanted a ligament and pinned the joint, opting for strength and stability, but seriously limiting flexibility. He doesn't notice it, except when playing the piano, since he can no longer reach to play octave chords. And his bowling game is impaired. He can't reach the thumbhole in the bowling ball, unless he uses a child's ball." Peacecraft chuckled. "One would think, under the circumstances, he would merely give up bowling." "He says he considers not-bowling to be Un-American. Besides, I believe he actually enjoys bowling badly. The child's ball is much too light for his strength. When he bowls, the ball tends to fly at the pins rather than roll down the alley. One time he actually scored a strike in someone else's lane. The other bowlers took the event with surprising equanimity." Zechs laughed out loud. Heero's hint of a smile got marginally more apparent. "We never had our debriefing following the coffee," Commander Peacecraft reminded his agent. "I brought Duo a cup of coffee the other morning. Rather dark, double cream, single sugar." "How did he react?" "Very favorably. He seemed quite delighted. That was your point, wasn't it?" "Yes." "Yuy. I hope you are not implying, that since Maxwell is inordinately pleased with a glass of water, I should not waste champagne on him?" "No, sir." Heero reached for the door, then
paused to look back at Zechs. "That would be hypocritical of
me. After all," he said, "I enjoy at the slightest opportunity
attempting to spoil Duo Maxwell." ~ * ~
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