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"The Agency: Meeting of Souls "Written By: Karina Pairings 13x6 [eventual], 5xS, 3x4, Others undecided at this time. Warnings: Extreme Alternate Universe setting. Unbetaed, Aussie spelling and grammar, not much else in the early chapters though it will involve murder, stalking and possibly some colourful language down the track. Some Out Of Character depictions are unavoidable considering the alternate universe setting. Rating: M [In Australia that would be mature adult 15+] Not sure with the new rating system about international ratings. Rated for violence and language and adult concepts. Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. That's about as plain as you could say it. Summary: The world took a very different turn with the acknowledgement of psychic abilities and training of select psychic individuals enlisted in elite fields such as law enforcement and politics. A grading system for the strength of psionic abilities was developed and those who were the top of the elite have been dubbed Prime Talents and are highly sought after. Elite institutions have been developed to mark, train and employ individuals with useable psionic talents. The colonies of canon Gundam Wing do exist in this fic and were constructed before the psionic system was founded. With the advent of psionics in open use in society younger people are appearing in positions of power as they are awakening to their abilities earlier and are highly trained in their fields of expertise. //…// Thoughts
Chapter Twenty He liked the grounds of Tsuberov. In the precincts of the park lands surrounding the University Duo found a sense of wellbeing and content. He found he even missed the dormitory suites, and the all too often crowded hallways. He found the hotel too regimented for his liking; it felt transient, a place he would visit for a day or so, but not reside in over a longer term. It suited the people who frequented it, he supposed, the wealthy and prominently positioned members of the ESUN. Those who came and went, and thought nothing of their surroundings beyond creature comforts. Duo sought something besides material comfort. He was certain the hotel would not suit him on a long term basis, and was hopeful to have access to the dormitory building again in a day or two. If not for the presence of his room mates, in particularly Quatre, he was sure he would not have settled as well as he had. He was almost afraid to touch anything in the suite for fear of breaking it, but Quatre fitted right in. He seemed to take the excessive comfort and lush décor for granted, hardly mindful of the vases of artfully arranged flowers, and the light touches of gilding on the furniture and walls, and the marble in the bathroom. He supposed it was hardly surprising, given Quatre had grown up amid such opulence. After living in the hotels richness Duo was sure the dormitory suites at Tsuberov, while comfortable, were considered merely serviceable by the Winner’s contemporaries. He was thankful Quatre was not a snob, though the blonde had assured him at one stage, not so many years ago, he had been quite a handful. Nothing had been good enough, no one who disagreed with him could be right; or have a single working brain cell in their heads. “You would not have liked me then, Duo. I would not have liked me at all.” Zechs had seemed as uncomfortable in the suite as Duo, if not more so. Duo had noticed he avoided sitting on the extremely comfortable chairs if possible, choosing the floor at night to watch television, and he did not handle the ornaments, or touch the furniture in passing. He kept his hands close to his sides and never relaxed, even when they had convinced him to watch television with them. Zechs simply was not comfortable with the opulence of the suite. Duo could understand that. //It was kind of cute the way he was embarrassed at being caught thinking of the sexy red head. Zechsy has it bad for the Duke, I’m thinking. // Duo was walking the parklands, taking the opportunity to gain some exercise, and being careful to keep his attention on the time. He had a class coming up, but he had decided he had the time to dally a little and enjoy the sun and gardens. A little exercise was welcome, given he was limited with his choice of amusements. Normally if he had free time he would take the opportunity to tinker with his ‘toys’, but such activity was curtailed while they were staying in the hotel. He did have a small supply of project material and, he reminded himself, he needed to take a few key parts back to the hotel with him tonight. He was close to completing one of his toys, which might, with some small amount of luck, assist him in learning what was going on at Tsuberov. The crunch of booted feet on gravel drew his attention, and without realizing it he pressed into the deep shade of a bush bordering the lawn he was crossing. From the shelter of the foliage and deep shade, he watched with growing interest, and no small amount of pleasure, as two men walked on the path paralleling his position. //It’s him. The nameless one with the very nice buns.// Duo took delight in ogling said buns, as the two men passed his hiding place. The darker of the two was plainly Asian, and the chocolate haired, taller male showed a distinctly oriental caste to his features, though Duo doubted he was a full blood. His skin was too light in comparison to his companions, and his eyes were blue, not brown or black. A brief glimpse of the intense blue eyes gave birth to a curious heat warming his blood, and he hummed softly in appreciation. He liked what he saw. He watched them until they stepped off the path, inclining toward the accommodations block just visible through the plantings ahead of them. //I wonder who he is? Some sort of investigator, obviously, but what is it you are investigating? What are you doing here, you with the so sexy eyes?// He slipped from his bush to wander in the same direction, careful to look casual; careful not to draw attention. It did not look as though there were others wandering this section of the gardens, and he did not wish to draw the attention of Security. //Seeing you again headed for the dorm only makes me more certain they are not telling us everything.// Rumours were running rife amid the student body, as it always was when something of interest happened. There were so many outlandish theories circulating. Thus far the rumours covered everything from the mundane and official burst water pipes, to the current favourite, that a student had gone into a jealous rage in the dorm. A kinetic student, he presumed, though none of the rumours he had heard identified a specific talent involved. Thankfully some of the more outlandish whispers had been discounted following saner consideration. Boring as it was, faulty water pipes was so much more believable than dead bodies in suites, or flipped out poltergeists ripping the plumbing out of walls. He could recall no strange sounds coming from the pipes before they had departed for their tour of the colonies, but they had been gone upwards of four weeks. He supposed it was plausible the old plumbing had given up the ghost. Burst water pipes were so dull, and severely lacked for entertainment value. It might have been fun to have been there when the pipes burst; certainly it would have been good for a story or two, suitably embellished to up the entertainment value. //They never allowed us into our old suite after we returned, so I don’t know if the pipes were groaning under pressure or not. They said the plumbing had problems, and I guess they meant it. Damn strange though, if you ask me, not that anyone does. Something does not feel right about this whole business.// He was uncertain why he followed them, but he found himself strolling across the lawn and setting foot to the path leading to the building they seemed to be heading for. From this angle he could see a number of plumbing vans in the parking area, and a number of other vehicles he seriously doubted were support units for plumbers. No, something was definitely up at Tsuberov, and he was certain it had little, if anything, to do with plumbing. “Mr. Maxwell. Is not your next class in C block?” Duo froze. The voice of doom. Of course, if he had to be sprung it would be Otto who found him. Why was it the man always seemed to be where Duo least wanted him to be? //Damn.// Blue violet eyes found the tall man watching him from the shade beneath an oak tree. There was no mistaking either the voice or the body. “Hi, Otto.” “Good afternoon, Mr. Maxwell.” He might be able to bluff his way out of trouble, though he had not exactly been doing anything he should not have been. He was just out stretching his legs on a break between classes. Nothing wrong with that. So he was curious about the strangers, but he had not approached them, and it was hardly against the law to check out a tight arse when the opportunity presented itself. “You know, sneaking up on a person can give them an early coronary.” “Sneaking, Mr. Maxwell?” The man grinned and it looked predatory to Duo. “I believe I was stationary, enjoying the shade of a tree, and it was you engaged in sneaking.” //Ohh. He’s in a playful mood, since he has not sent me packing already.// Duo beamed his best innocent smile. “Me? Sneaking? Nah. I don’t sneak, Man. Got no need to, you know? I’m a student here, so I belong. Why would I want to sneak?” “Everyone is entitled to an off day, Mr Maxwell, especially if they determine to practise stalking skills on guests to the University. Such behaviour is hardly polite, nor does it offer a fair impression of the manners taught by this establishment. Your class, I believe, is in the opposite direction, young Sir.” //Damn. He’s going to be bloody minded about this after all. He’s determined to keep me from figuring out what they are keeping quiet.// Duo sighed and watched as Otto left his shady tree to join him on the path. “You know, Otto, you can be a real stick in the mud some days.” The man’s lips twitched into a small, knowing smile. “I believe that is one of the reasons why I was employed by the powers that be.” Duo’s eyes sparked with amusement, even as he sidled up to the Security Chief, hands in his pockets. He might yet be able to make the best of this meeting, if fortune favoured the brave. Or was that fortune favours the foolish? “You could be a real ball of fun if you gave yourself half a chance.” “Indeed, Sir. On occasion I have been known to be the life of the party. I suggest you turn yourself around and, by raising your motor skills above a saunter; you should still make class on time. I believe one more late attendance listing will result in the Master dispatching notification to your sponsors of your tardiness. We really would not wish that, would we?” Duo seemed to deflate and waved a hand negligently, eyes flicking to watch the two men pass out of sight around the building. It was time to beat a graceful, and in this instance strategic, retreat. “Alright already. I’m going. Sheesh.” He scowled and lightly touched Otto’s arm to draw his attention away from the building. “Come on, Otto, be straight with me, will you? What’s going on? You can’t deny somethings happening.” A dark eyebrow arched. “Indeed, I deny nothing. There is indeed something happening out of the norm. We have faulty plumbing, and as a result we have a mess to clean up. The repairs would go a great deal faster if students would keep away, and allow us to complete the cleanup.” “Cute buns ain’t no Plumber.” The words were out before Duo engaged his brain, but done was done, and he could not take back his outburst. He did have the grace to blush however. Otto winced, glancing about to determine if anyone was within hearing distance. “Mr. Maxwell, I believe you are also on final notice for language? There are some students, as well as faculty members, who are not as tolerant of your occasional outbursts as I. Should one of them overhear your less than proper terminology, you would be reported, and no doubt sanctioned.” Duo growled softly, knowing he was blushing. There were certain persons at Tsuberov who would delight in reporting him for any conceivable transgression. Otto was by far one of the best authority figures at the University. He had a reputation amid the students as someone you could trust, despite his being Security. “I’ll be glad to get back to a ship, so I can talk without anyone telling me off for opening my mouth.” Determining he might as well make the best use of the situation he ploughed ahead. “Do they honestly think everyone in the world goes around talking as though they have a dictionary stuck up their arse?” “Mr. Maxwell!” Otto ground out between clenched teeth. “Get out of my sight, before I report you.” Duo shrugged his broadening shoulders, knowing he was pushing the boundaries, but he wanted Otto to be glad to see the back of him. He did not want the man taking the time to wonder about his presence here, or the fact Duo had touched his arm. He felt he had a real chance of carrying this off successfully, and the prospect of finally gaining some information was worth ticking off the Security Chief. He would be extra careful not to aggravate the man over the coming week. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I just… I’m a little fed up with toffee nosed bastards like Muller.” “It would be better for you to stay away from Mr. Muller and his associates. I will not report you on this occasion, but do not allow me to hear you repeat the offence. At least for the next few days. For the moment, a little care in what you say and do is not so great a thing to exercise, now is it? Have a good day, Sir.” Duo was careful enough to nod and be seen to head toward block C with a long stride, not exactly hurrying, which would have been notably suspicious, but not dawdling either. He needed to gain a reasonable distance from Otto before, from a secured shelter he activated the microphone he had planted on the Security Chief. He would be in a heap of trouble, possibly even expelled, should the bug be located, and someone managed to trace it back to him. He felt he was covered, there were other students at the University with the know how to make such a device. Unless, of course, Otto discovered it in the next few minutes, in which case he was boned. He had made certain, when he had been crafting this particular toy, that there was no single component of the device anyone could say only he used. The small microphone was going to give him the inside story, or so he hoped, so he could sort out this business of plumbing problems, and get to the teeth of the story. Of course if Otto was particularly cheesed off and wanted to find the identity of the person who had bugged him, the man was more than capable of tracking him down. In which case he would be leaving Tsuberov quickly and quietly, and have the unenviable task of explaining to Howard what moment of insanity had possessed him. That was not something he wanted to face. However, done was done and he could not exactly high tail it back to the Security Chief and retrieve the microphone. Careful not to look back for fear Otto would be watching, he continued on the path until he rounded a bend. Here there was a convenient bush to duck around, without seeming to be involved in anything suspicious. It was a short cut used by students when heading towards blocks C and D. Otto would expect him to take the short cut, and hopefully would stop watching him once he took it. Congratulating himself on his success, he sped to the nearest building and chortled over managing to plant the bug successfully on Otto himself. He had hoped a situation might arise where he might access one of the workers with access to the dormitory, or at least the Security Office. That he had managed to plant it on Otto was cause to crow, not that he could. He did not want anyone knowing he was capable of manufacturing such interesting, and contraband, toys. //Great. I’ll be able to finally learn something interesting.// Glancing at his watch he decided he could spare five minutes to fine tune the device, and during class he would be able to listen in on whatever conversations Otto might engage in. He would be honourable, of course, and stop listening in if the conversation had nothing to do with the dormitory block, though he would need to make sure before he stopped listening. If this particular class went as it usually did, he would have no trouble keeping up with the professor. Pressing an earpiece into his ear, he pushed himself into a convenient bush and concentrated, hearing the crunch of gravel as his unknowing spy walked a path. Just a little bit of tweaking to clear the signal, and he would have a few interesting titbits of information to share with his dorm mates, when next he saw them. “Ah. I thought so.” Otto’s voice came through the earpiece clearly. “Yes.” Duo whispered. “Got you.” “Are we listening, Mr. Maxwell?” Duo froze, eyes going wide with horror. //Oh shit.// “Of course we are. Nice try, Duo, but if I catch you planting bugs on anyone again, I’ll have you up before the Board of Governors so fast you will break the sound barrier. No amount of backing by the Sweepers will save your sorry butt from expulsion.” Otto’s voice came over the tiny speaker with a strong flavour of amusement. Duo yelped at the squeal of the device as it was crushed, and he almost fell out of his bush. Looking around, resembling for all the world a flushed rabbit, he was relieved to see Otto standing a healthy distance from his present position. The man was grinning, not scowling, for which he was thankful. If Otto was grinning then Duo Maxwell was not about to practise super sonic speeds on his way out of the University. He had thought he would get away with it, but his mistake had undoubtedly been being opportunistic with Otto. The man had sussed him out on more than one escapade, and as such they had something of an understanding. Duo knew when not to push, and he knew he had reached the limit of Otto’s tolerance for the day. It was time to admit defeat and make a graceful exit. At least for now. With his heart in his mouth, in case the man changed his mind about not having him expelled, at the very least sanctioned, Duo offered a jaunty salute, spun on his heel and hastened his step to class. For a little while he would be careful to toe the line with his classes. Otto would check on his attendance record for the day, and probably for the next week or so, but that was okay. The man was a good sort, and it was to be expected in their little private game of catch me if you can. He had pushed his luck as far as he could today, and he did not need to dream up an excuse to placate Howard over why he had been expelled. //I’ll win though. I have another idea on how to get some inside info on what is going down. I can test out my latest toy tonight, at the hotel. Just a few parts I need to finish it. If it passes the test I’ll see about placing it where it will do the most good tomorrow.// —————————————————- Heero considered the wreckage in thoughtful silence. He honestly did not understand the workings of a psychic’s mind. To him the room was a mess, water damage having removed much of the clues a forensic unit might find. The forensic team that had been called in was one of the best, and would work diligently to glean what information they could from the debris. It would take at best days, at worst weeks, to gather all the information from every piece taken to the laboratories the day before. This was the time table of old science. Science had to be adhered to, as it was valuable to an investigation, and vital to the conviction of the perpetrators in a modern day court of law. Unlike his predecessors of three generations ago, the investigation could move along more quickly with the sanctioned assistance of certified Psychic Investigators, employed by law enforcement agencies across the ESUN. On his initial entry to the suite, Treize Kushrenada had given them more information than the initial interviews had gathered. The Prime had gathered data before he had even met Catherine Bloom, data which would prove to be invaluable in detaining the responsible party for the destruction of the suite and, more importantly in his view, the murder. Between Kushrenada and Chang, in the space of an hour, they knew more than the standard investigation team had determined in a full day, and the psychics were still gleaning information. When the door to the suite opened, he glanced up from toeing absently as a soggy pile of plaster, to watch Otto, chuckling softly, enter. The Security Chief nodded amicably in greeting before shaking his head at the damage and taking on a more serious appearance. “Will I be able to get the clean up crew in here today?” “I doubt it. Mr. Kushrenada has determined he needs to sense the suite one more time.” It would take days to make sense of this mess, and to restore the suite to some semblance of acceptable living conditions. The crews were concentrating their efforts on the suites below this one, which had been affected by water damage, but that work must be near done. The suites on either side of this one also required attention, but thus far, except for having the water turned off, not even plumbers had been permitted on the upper floor. Otto sighed softly and nodded. “I understand he has requested another interview with Catherine Bloom.” “Yes.” Wu Fei emerged from what had been Duo Maxwell’s bedroom. “There is more he can learn from her, and he may require several more interviews to get through the layers of false memory and blocks he has detected. What response have you made to the caution sent to the University from the Agency?” Otto looked more than a little disturbed at mention of false memories and mind blocks, but mention of the caution drew a frown and a curious look, first at Heero, and then the Agency representative. “Excuse me? Caution? I received a message from Reception this morning, stating Mr. Kushrenada wished a return interview with Ms Bloom, and a copy of class schedules for Maxwell, Winner and Marquise. No one has mentioned anything about a caution.” “I see.” Wu Fei scowled, exchanging looks with Heero. “I shall require a word with the Headmaster then, considering the necessity of passing on messages accurately.” “I think it would be best if I was contacted directly from your office.” Otto’s good mood had vanished like smoke on the wind. “What has happened that a caution has been issued?” “Following a reassessment of the preliminary reports, and interviews with initial investigators of the call out, it has been determined there in no firm indication Quatre Winner is the intended target of the Stalker. It is possible Winner may have been the target for a kidnapping, but the Stalker may be after one of the other two men.” Heero informed him. “After due investigation of the preliminary reports forwarded to the Agency, and in light of the Primes raised concerns, we feel the question of who is at risk can not, as yet, be adequately determined. We need more data before we can be assured who is at risk, and who is not.” Chang picked up a bent piece of metal, weighed it in his hand and sighed. “This person obviously has anger issues.” “Anger issues he calls it.” Otto snorted. Chang waved a hand to indicate the room around them. “There are a number of possibilities, including the scenario Winner may have been, and perhaps remains, the target for a kidnapping. The Stalker interrupted something, perhaps an initial set up?” At Otto’s widening eyes Heero shrugged. “It can not be discounted at this time; therefore it must be factored into the investigation.” Chang nodded, indicating his agreement. “We are unable to identify the victim, which is causing us some concern. Given the information sources and networks at our disposal, we should have been able to place a name to his face within hours of the discovery of the body.” “It takes a certain rare expertise to erase a person’s identity in this day and age, but it is looking like someone has managed the feat. Finger prints, the foot prints register and DNA testing has produced no result as yet. As it is possible any of the three students may be under threat from the Stalker, we suggest security on the three to be upgraded.” Heero motioned to the wreckage of the suite. “There is the uncomfortable suggestion the person who did this, may be an emergent super psi on the verge of insanity.” Otto dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger, looking pained. “Wonderful.” “If at all possible we wish to take this man into custody before it is too late to help him.” Otto glanced at Chang and sighed, looking about the room with a shake of his head. The thought behind the glance was clear enough, but the Security Chief waved a hand at the destruction surrounding them and voiced his concerns regardless. It was a concern both Chang and Yuy shared. “You do not think this demonstrates the Stalker, whoever he may prove to be, is not already out of control?” Otto sighed rubbing a hand through his short curly hair. “Have you considered the potential for disaster your scenario could lead to? An emergent, insane, psi of high potential, loose in a place like Tsuberov…” He shivered delicately with reaction. “He could overload any number of empaths or telepaths resident here, especially those at the lower end of the spectrum. The first year students who are having difficulty learning to shield would not stand a chance.” Chang glanced around at the destruction surrounding them. Water still dripped from the ceiling and debris, pooling in puddles amid the detritus. Though the water had been turned off the day before, the ceiling had been soaked by the ripped pipes spraying the room, and it would take time for the sodden plaster and wood to dry out. Every now and then there would be a soggy splat, as plaster fell away from the walls or ceiling. The cleanup crews would quickly be followed by builders to strip the walls and check on the structural integrity of the building. It would not surprise Chang if the repair bill gave the Board of Directors apoplexy. “We are well aware of the danger.” Wu Fei informed the taller man. “It is all the more reason to locate, and detain the Stalker, before he reaches critical point, and loses all control.” “With the information currently available, we can not give a clear indication of which of the three students is the focus for his growing obsession.” Heero picked his way to the window carefully and surveyed the grounds. “Mr. Kushrenada is certain this obsession is growing, and the perpetrator’s sanity is fluctuating. He has stressed it is advisable the students be kept under the watchful protection of your people at all times. This was the caution forwarded to Tsuberov earlier today.” Otto took a deep, steadying breath and nodded. “I will increase the security detail I have stationed at the hotel, and have a discrete surveillance of them while they are on the school grounds. Given this ‘stalker’s’ ability to come and go, pretty much as he pleases, I will not be happy until you have identified him.” Yuy inclined his head. “We need to handle this matter speedily and quietly.” “I will have the guard on their hotel suite increased while they are in residence. The suite will be under surveillance while they are absent as well, with a periodic walk through slated for just before their arrival. There will be an increase in the number of guards patrolling the grounds this evening, particularly near the laboratories, given the scheduled evening sessions. Did you know Winner and Marquise will be on the grounds late tonight?” Chang inclined his head and Yuy grunted shortly, both of which Otto took to mean the men were aware of the work sessions scheduled to take place. “I will ensure Maxwell eats with the main party dining at the hotel, and have the suite discretely checked before he retires for the evening. My men will need to keep a low profile, Maxwell is curious enough as it is, without him thinking he, or one of his friends, might be in trouble. I know the Chief of Security at the hotel personally, and I believe he will cooperate fully with me.” “Acceptable.” Heero commented. “Mr. Kushrenada and the Prime Talent Gabriella will be attending the work session for Zechs Marquise this evening.” Wu Fei watched as Otto’s attention was plainly peeked at the mention of Gabriella. The man’s lips formed her name silently, and a frown creased his brow. Given his security level Chang presumed Otto would have at least heard of the eccentric Prime. “The Telepathic and Empathic Primes, particularly those who share the dual abilities at Prime level, are expressing an interest in Mr. Marquise.” Chang continued. “I understand they wish to determine if he will ascertain the rank of Prime.” “I have my doubts anyone would be able to approach him once the Primes are in attendance.” Heero bent to pick up a broken piece of plaster, examined it for a moment and discarded it with a sigh at the splat that followed and squish as he took a step. “I wish I understood more about Psi function. To be able to effect this much damage and not be heard… I would think it is Winner with the highest profile of the three. He is the most likely to have drawn attention, being the Winner heir.” Otto nodded, his expression now bordering on outright worry, which Wu Fei found surprising. Before the mention of the Primes attending the University this evening, Otto had not seemed bothered by their discussion of the arrangements they required to be made. “I’ll see to the security on all three personally.” Otto hesitated, glancing between the two. “I doubt anyone would dare to approach Marquise in such company. He should be quite safe if he should be the target, though I am inclined to agree with you, Mr. Yuy. Winner seems the more logical target.” Heero looked satisfied and Chang glanced around the room then motioned to the door. “Any chance of coffee?” “I always have a pot on brewing.” Otto returned and led the way from the room. “You mentioned a Prime named Gabriella. Would that, perchance, be the same Gabriella who appeared before the L3 Council and informed the Councillor's what she thought of their program to demolish a poor quarter; and failing to providing suitable accommodation for the displaced residents?” Chang shuddered delicately. “I have no doubt she would be capable of such an act.” Yuy smirked at Chang. “I believe Prime Gabriella did beard the councillors in their den. I heard her displeasure was over inadequate compensation, failure to arrange adequate replacement housing, inadequate testing procedures to determine psi function in the district, and every imaginable fault with their laundry, their families and the state of their bank accounts.” Yuy smirked, looking directly at Chang’s back. “I understand she is considered quite formidable.” Chang shuddered, looking ill for a moment, and Otto looked plainly horrified. “God. I was hoping you meant a different Gabriella.” He seemed to stare deeply into nothing for a moment, pausing at the head of the stairs. “It’s been a few years… What did we do to deserve her here?” Yuy snickered aloud, clearly the man had had occasion to at least become aware of her antics. It seemed the Prime was quite well known amid the Security community. Certainly given her eccentric tendencies she would be a horror to provide security for. “She’s likely to have Marquise cowering in a corner.” Otto muttered. “He does not have the highest esteem at the University, and if she looks at him the wrong way, he’s likely to panic.” “Does your establishment not teach the next generation of leaders?” Chang glared at the man; completely ignoring his own reaction to Gabriella’s dressing down. “Do they not fortify the back bones of the talented, to face a working life at the highest echelons of society?” Otto ignored the glare and the tone of his voice, continuing to look worried. “Zechs is not exactly a shining example of Tsuberov success. He’s not had it easy… but perhaps his time on the streets will stand him in good stead facing the harridan Gabriella can be. From memory she was not originally from the higher end of the social spectrum.” Heero, deciding to get back to business, could not resist the smirk at thought of how the elderly, and rather portly, woman could send grown men quivering in fear. He would be certain not to draw her attention, and he could remain amused by others reactions. “Were I you, I would be more concerned with the breakdown in communications that saw the warning fail to reach you.” He murmured. Otto seemed to shake himself, looking about him as though he had not noticed their surroundings before, and motioned to the stairs. “Coffee. I will be wanting some answers to that omission from Reception.” Otto scowled. “I will forward to you my personal number; feel free to call me at any hour of the day or night. That way there should be no further lapses in communication. If you will excuse me, I will go ahead and make a start on the security modifications. I will meet you in my office.” —————————————- Quatre slipped through the door to the cafeteria and paused to look around him. At this time of the day the cafeteria was quiet, few students in attendance. He was to meet Duo to take advantage of a free period they had in common, and he was curious to see if Duo had had the gumption to try to slip a microphone on to one of the office personnel, or a security guard. Spotting his friend tucked into the far corner, well away from the few other patrons, Quatre hurried over, noting with some surprise Duo actually had a text book open before him. “Did it work?” He settled into the seat beside Duo and proceeded to pour himself a cup of tea from the tray for two placed to one side. Careful to keep his voice low, unwilling for anyone to overhear their conversation, Quatre peered at the text book and wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know how you can make sense of that stuff.” “Simple when you know how, Quatre.” Duo flipped the book closed and stretched in his seat, taking time to work the ache between his shoulder blades a little. “And yes and no.” Quatre paused before picking up his tea cup and taking an appreciative sip. “Yes and no?” Duo straightened and reached for an iced donut. “Yes, I managed to plant the bug.” Quatre was both impressed and horrified. “I have to admit I never thought you would go through with it. If you were caught you would be in serious trouble.” Duo contemplated the donut for a long moment. “Yes.” He nodded slowly. “Yes?” “I planted the bug.” Quatre sighed. “You said that already.” “Yes, I planted the bug successfully, and Yes, I was caught.” Quatre stared, horrified. “You… Oh man, I knew you should not have tried that.” “It’s okay. Everythings cool.” Duo made shushing motions, reminding Quatre where they were. “How can everything be cool if you were caught planting a bug?” Quatre hissed, looking quickly about the big room, hoping they were being ignored. “I planted the bug on the right person… well, on the wrong person, but it was cool, he was good about it.” Quatre blinked, sitting back and studying Duo, ignoring the other students moving around, though he did keep his voice to an intense whisper. “You planted the bug on the right person? But it was the wrong person? And he was good about it?” “Yeah. Guess I was lucky.” “You were caught… but you were lucky.” Quatre murmured. “Who did you plant the bug on? He must have been in a damn good mood.” “Otto.” The blonde set the cup aside and dropped his head into his hands. “Otto? You planted a microphone on Otto? You tried to bug the Security Chief for the entire University complex?” “Yep.” Duo nodded watching his friend with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Otto?” A hoarse sounding whisper. “You want to be expelled don’t you? You want out of here, and are going to leave me stuck here alone.” “Nope.” Quatre glared, willing himself to control his breathing before he hyperventilated. “He’s taking you to the Headmaster over it. He has to at least notify the Dean, Duo. When the Board hear this you are so going to be out of here.” “Ah… No.” Duo sighed. “Actually he seemed to appreciate the attempt, and let me off with a warning. It was one of our little altercations, you know? We have this thing where we test each other from time to time? He took it in good humour, but I guess I’d better keep a low profile for the next few days.” “Yes.” Quatre breathed. “A very low profile would be good. You will need the silhouette of a pea for the rest of the year. What possessed you to try bugging Otto of all people?” Duo waved off the question, large eyes thoughtful as he devoured the remains of his donut. “I’ve got something else I think might work better.” Quatre moaned softly, eyeing his friend in disbelief. “You do want to be expelled.” “I’ll test it tonight, and if it works I’ll see about placing it in the best possible position for us to learn what we can. Should be interesting.” “I know I’m going to regret this but… Where would the best possible place be?” Duo considered his friend for a long moment before flashing his mega watt grin. “Are you sure you want to know? I wouldn’t want you to turn green or anything.” “Duo.” The growl was low and filled with irritation. “What are you planning on doing?” “I have a few tests to run, but if all goes well we will have ourselves a direct line of sight into a certain Security Chief’s inner sanctum.” “Otto’s office?” Quatre’s voice shot up in octaves, though not in volume. The horror of the unthinkable was unmistakable on his face, and in his voice. “You are insane!” Duo held up a placating hand. “Hey, trust me. The rumour mill has it the dorm block will be opened up in a couple of days. Now I don’t know about you, but that says to me all the interesting stuff will be finished in there. I don’t want to listen to a bunch of plumbers talking about U bends and shit. I want to know what is really going down here. To find that out we need to have our ears, and eyes, tuned to where the action will be. I am presuming that will be in Otto’s office. He is the Security Chief, so he has to know what is happening.” Quatre scowled. “You’d have more chance of getting a bug into the Headmaster’s Office than into the security block.” Duo grinned, eyes flashing with evil mirth. “Trust me.” “That always means trouble.” Quatre scoffed. “Look, Quatre, if this works no where will be safe from our ears. We will know more about what goes on here than the Headmaster himself. Hasn’t your Dad told you about the advantages of having good intelligence?” “He’s warned me about the penalties of cheating, lying and stealing.” Duo looked offended. “I am not cheating or stealing, and I never lie. I am intelligence gathering, because I smell a rather large rat, and I hate being lied to. Don’t you dare sit there and tell me you are not curious as to what is really going down here.” “Well of course I am curious! I would not be normal if I was not, but that does not mean I am willing to break into the Security Office to set microphones.” “Is that all the problem is?” Duo chuckled. “Worry not, my accomplice in crime; we will not be setting foot in the building. Trust me.” “I hate it when you say that.” Quatre moaned. “It won’t take me long to check my baby over, and if it works okay I can make as many of them as I want. It will be great. I’m glad I had the prototype with me, to work on during our trip around the colonies.” “Duo, you need to be more careful. If you are caught breaking into Otto’s office of all places, no amount of genius will keep you here. I don’t think I could take this place with both you and Zechs gone.” Duo scowled and flipped a hand negligently. “We ain’t gone yet, Kitty Kat. I’ll be around another couple of years for sure, and Zechsy… well, nothing we can do about him graduating is there? He’s stood enough shit. I wouldn’t want to keep him here when I know he hates the place.” “No, we would not want to keep him here, especially if the rumour I heard is correct.” Duo studied a second donut; noisily slurped the last of the chocolate malt and decided he wanted to know what new development had occurred before he ate the donut. He had had one near death experience when receiving bad news while eating a donut. Once was enough. “What rumour? Come on, Quatre, whose gunning for him now?” He leaned toward Quatre, almost falling from his seat, scowling fiercely. “Is that fucking Muller out to get him expelled again? I warned that asshole to leave us alone, or he wouldn’t like the results.” “No, no.” Quatre waved Duo back into his seat. “The benefactor, Duo. We’ve been concerned about his benefactor, who no one will name, for quite a while now, but maybe things will be working out better than I dared hope. If rumour is accurate I might not have to approach my father to interfere, with the offer of a contract no one can ignore and not have people scream foul.” Duo blinked, considering his friend. “Okay… Would this have anything to do with a certain sexy red head, who seems to have caught Zechsy’s attention? His Dukeship Kushrenada?” “Dukeship?” Quatre rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Duo, where do you come up with these names?” “It’s a talent.” “Anyway, I had one resort to fall back on without trying to convince Zechs to go to court over unfair contractual coercion, if the worst happened. Getting an interview with them would have been difficult but not impossible, for me anyway. It would have required I approach them during the next holiday break, which might have been too late for Zechs to avoid being pushed into a questionable contract; unless I made an unsightly scene using the media. Not my preferred option, of course, but one I might have used if it proved necessary.” “Appointment? With who? You’ve lost me, Quatre, I have no idea what you are prattling on about?” An offended sniff belied the glimmer in Quatre’s blue eyes. “I don’t prattle, Mr. Maxwell.” Duo blinked, considered his friend for a moment and scowled. “Quit playing me, Kitty Kat. Zechsy won’t push against his sponsor without us pushing him; letting him know he’ll have our support. He’s too used to being ignored to think his protests will be listened to, so give. Tell me what the hell you are on about.” Quatre flashed a smile at his friend and primly sipped his tea, taking his time to reply; a small revenge for the worry Duo had given him earlier. “Quatre!” Duo hissed. “If the rumour mill has it right, Zechs will be entertaining visitors tonight.” He relented. “I have been told by certain person’s, who should know more than we do and has a reasonable accuracy about these things, that he will be doing a meet and greet. The university is expecting the Prime Kushrenada, and more importantly T/E Prime Gabriella, will be attending the work session scheduled for this evening.” “A second Prime? A second Telepathic Empath of Prime level will be attending tonight? Damn, that is fast action, isn’t it?” Duo’s grin erupted to blinding proportions, fading just as quickly. “Man, if he finds out he’ll go into his shell and imitate a turtle… erm tortoise… oh what ever. You know what I mean. He can’t afford to do that if someone is paying attention to him. If the Primes themselves take an interest in him, they could be his out from his benefactor’s control.” Quatre nodded, grinning brightly. “It’s more than that, Duo. It’s Gabriella. She is not just any Prime, she’s their trouble shooter. Gabriella only appears when the entire group take an interest in something… or someone. Usually you only hear from her if one of their own is in trouble, or if something that can affect them all requires personal attention. Gabriella has quite a reputation in high circles. Believe me; you don’t want to get on her bad side.” “Damn.” Duo breathed. “It’s all to the good though, yes? Someone with rank has to stand up and take notice for something to be done. You can’t get more rank than two Prime talents, can you? The benefactor will have to be damn careful.” Thoughts were racing through Duo’s mind, Quatre could see, without employing his particular psi talents. Extending a tendril of sensitivity toward Duo he caught a whirlwind of emotion, and shied away from it. He had no intention of spying on his friend, and when Duo was thinking this hard it tended to give Quatre a headache, if he tried to keep up with his erratic thoughts. He had never known anyone as brilliant as Duo to think in so round about a manner. Quite often his thoughts seemed unrelated to the topic under discussion, but in the end he would reach a conclusion which was to the point, and often staggered a spectator. “What are we going to do, Kat? Do we dare warn him? Maybe we could try to get him to relax and go with the flow? This could be good for him, and you know what he’s like. Sometimes Zechs is his own worst enemy.” “I know.” Quatre sighed, leaning back in his chair and grinned up at the ceiling. “In all honesty, Duo, this time I think we need to leave it alone.” “Huh?” “For now, at least. I’ve had the supreme pleasure of meeting her, you see. Gabriella is unique, and words simply can not describe her. Remember my Dad has two T/E Primes working for him? They have told some interesting tales about this particular Prime.” “Interesting is as interesting does. The question is, is she a good guy in this? Will she rescue Zechs from the evil clutches of his benefactor?” Quatre shrugged, looking thoughtful. “I don’t know, but I hope so. I can’t tell you a lot about her, but I can say that my father’s team of Primes hold her in the very highest regard. One of the things they admire most about her is her soft spot for young underprivileged people. You could not have a better champion for your cause if Gabriella took it up.” “Well young, yes, Zechs is, though hardly a baby, but underprivileged?” Duo looked about him with a smirk. “This is Tsuberov, Kat. What’s so underprivileged about going to University here? For that matter, there is nothing underprivileged about going to any University, not just this specific one.” “You don’t know Gabriella. His background will be sure to gain her sympathy, as will the shadow hanging over him cast by this benefactor. His grades are not the greatest in the school, he only just gets by in some classes, and he’s certainly not Mr. Popularity with most of the teachers. She’ll love him.” “You could say much of that about half the student population of the city.” Duo returned dryly. “Sceptic. If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that Gabriella will have investigated every class he’s attended since he started school, not just since he came here to Tsuberov. She will know everything there is to know about him, before she comes through those gates. Mark my words; she will have reviewed every record there is to be found on our Zechs.” “Is that a good thing?” “Of course it is.” “I don’t know about that, Quatre. I mean, what was he up to before he came here? What if he has a record? He never said he did, but I never exactly asked either. It might go against him if he does.” Quatre grinned. “Oh, I think it might be a very good thing indeed, to have Gabriella involved. If anyone can learn who his benefactor is, it would be the Primes, and if they go out on a limb to secure his future, I’ll be more than happy. While I know my father would be interested in gaining another Prime Psi under contract, I know he’d have a lot of trouble achieving it. There were screams enough when he contracted the second T/E Prime, though those quieted somewhat when they became a couple and married. It’s okay to contract a confirmed couple don’t you know, but the Winner wanting three Primes in the same field? It would not have been easy to secure the contract. Other bidders for the contract would have taken that to court, which at least would raise his profile and make it harder for him to be snowballed into something potentially unsavoury.” Duo grunted softly, shrugging and admitting to himself the fairytale of the Winner buying up his friend’s contract was precisely that, a fairytale. “Who do you think his benefactor is? What do you think he wants Zechs for? I mean, look at the training he’s being given. Man, they have him in etiquette classes every day of the week, even in his final year. He has to dance, has to know the etiquette for every possible social gathering you can think of, and he’s even been forced to sit through formal banquettes on three occasions. I don’t get some of the things he’s made to do. Why make him stand still in one spot for five hours without a break? What’s it all for?” Quatre scowled and stared about the cafeteria as he considered the implications. The points Duo had just made meant far more to him than they did to Duo that was obvious. “It’s the sort of thing you find in a formal receiving line. High level diplomats, Royalty and the nobility have to do it. On a regular basis.” “A formal receiving line? That makes me wonder just what his benefactor has planned for him.” “It is more than possible we have the wrong end of the stick, you know. The man… or woman in charge of Zechs may be legitimate, and is just ensuring he is prepared for a high profile position with a politician or noble. Perhaps even one of the remaining Royal Families in the European sector.” “So why be so secret about it?” Duo waved a hand negligently. “Not even Zechs knows who his benefactor is, his strings are being pulled by someone he can’t even put a face to, let alone a name. I know he’s worried, and so do you.” “I know, I know. It’s not easy for him.” “He hates half the classes he’s made to sit through, and because of that he does not do half as well at them as he could. He’s not dumb, Quatre. You know that as well as I do. The only reason he struggles in certain subjects, is because his teachers expect him to. You can’t hide that sort of thing from someone with his abilities, and he knows only too well they expect him to fail. Hell, everyone is aware he had a pretty low level of education before he came to Tsuberov. Not that he’s being credited for it, but you can’t be a talented idiot and make up the ground he has without having a brain.” “You are preaching to the converted.” Quatre sighed. “It worries me, what will become of him. If his benefactor is not a crook, then what do they want from him? His contract should have been opened up by now for viewing. The first bids should have been received, reviewed and opened to negotiation.” “He said he was told the offers they had received were refused. No discussion or negotiation.” “Yes. At least now the E/T Primes know about him. I’m fairly sure they did not know there was a potential new Prime before Mr. Kushrenada arrived. I introduced Zechs to my father, but I never actually told him Zechs was expected to become a Prime talent.” “Why not?” Duo leaned back in his seat, stretching his arms back over his head, feeling the welcome pull against his shoulder muscles. “Well, my father is pretty smart. Smart enough to know I do not introduce just anyone to him, and when I didn’t offer more information he would have made enquiries. He would have discovered exactly who I am associating with and like enough to bring home with me. Just like he would have had you investigated.” Quatre smirked. “Thanks, Kitty Kat. I’m not sure I like the implications. If your Dad knows so much, does he know about Trowa?” Quatre blushed, shaking his head in denial. “I doubt it. At least not about how highly I regard Trowa. I think he would have had a few words to say to me while we were on L4 if he did.” Duo sighed and slowly relaxed the stretch. “Maybe it will be okay for you two? He seemed like a reasonable man when I spoke to him.” “Being reasonable has nothing to do with sexuality, religion and the Winner dynasty.” “Ah.” Duo sighed. “Distinctions.” “Yeah.” Quatre sighed. “Distinctions.” “Hey, plenty of male couples have kids now a days, especially when they have high psi talent to pass on to the next generation. I heard there is talk about putting forward a bill for all Psi’s above rating seven to breed with as many comparable ranked people as possible, to lift the gene pool.” “I have heard whispers of that too. It won’t happen, Duo.” “Why not? Anything is possible in this day and age. To effectively increase the genetic stock with the psi active gene set you use every resource available, including diddling the genes to get a kid out of a male to male cross, which gay couples do. It would more than double the available breeding stock in the ESUN.” “Why do I feel like a horse turned out to stud?” Quatre whispered. “I think you will find it will not be that easy, Duo. There are too many religious and social issues to deal with. I would estimate at least fifty years, perhaps more, would be required for such a suggestion to be met with approval from the disparate organizations, particularly the churches. Some things just rub people up the wrong way, you know?”
Karina Robertson 2008 ————————————————- Notes: Duo Maxwell: Psi Student , 3rd year at Tsuberov Parapsychic Investigation and University. Level 8 Psychokinetic ability, projected level 9. Sending Telepath Level 5. Colony of Origin L2 Cluster [ 18 years of age] Sweeper adoptee. Under pre contract agreement with Sweepers. Heinrich Otto: Tsuberov University Security Chief. No Psionic talent. Staff Member at Tsuberov for five years. Fitted with a Neural shield implant against telepathic intrusion. Former employment, Sanc Imperial Guard. [35 years of age]. Heero Yuy: ESUN Security Agency Elite Operative. Government sanctioned Genetic enhancements performed by Romefeller Genetic Laboratory, Tokyo for adult service as Security Enhanced Operative. No Psychic Talent. Genetic induced enhancements include enhanced Strength, Hearing, Speed and Olfactory senses. Assigned regularly to liaison with The Agency’s psychic agents. [21 / 22 years old] Chang Wu Fei: Level 9 Telekinetic + Receiving Telepath Level 5. Agency Operative contracted term of 10 years with 8 years remaining, [22yrs of age] Training facility:Psychic Institute Luxemburg Division. Quatre Rababer Winner: Psi student, 2nd year at Tsuberov Parapsychic Investigation and University. Current Level 5 Telepath, projected Level 7, Current Level Receiving Empath 9.3, projected Level 10, Prime. Current Sending Empath Level 2, projected Level 4. Colony of Origin, L4 Cluster [18 years of age] ———————————————— |
