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"Dirty Job"Written By: ExecutiveShrimp Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, it belongs
to Bandai, Sotsu and associated parties. Written for pleasure not
profit. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Violence, angst, Lemons, Limes Pairings: 1x2x1 Summary: Duo is a masterful pickpocket and skilled but small-time con artist who always chooses to play it safe. When his best friend owes the wrong people a lot of money, Duo get pulled into a high-stakes plot to rob thirty-something billionaire Heero Yuy. The only way to succeed and save his friend is to push his own boundaries and get way too involved.
"Dirty Job" Chapter Four Another expensive taxi ride to the apartment building at the edge of Corbeau Park and Duo was starting to wonder if 'Neil' was going to reimburse him for his costly commute. J.J. was jittery, clearly he had enjoyed some of Tsubarov's finest product the night before and he was coming down from his high. He wiggled his foot and picked at the frayed edge of a tear in his jeans, right over his bony knee. The constant fidgeting agitated the braided American as he watched the teller reach a higher amount every time he blinked. When the younger one brought up his hand to pluck at the scab that had formed over the sore on his top lip Duo swatted his hand away. J.J. always had little wounds like that on his face or body, caused by drug-induced stupidity that led to fights with equally intoxicated strangers. The cuts weren't allowed to heal, and oftentimes got infected, thanks to his obsessive scratching. "Just let me!" J.J. whined childishly and touched the scab again with his dirty fingernails. "It itches." "It'll stop itching if you leave it alone." "No." Duo grumbled and purposefully turned his head away and stared out the window. "Fine," He muttered, "Pick at it. Let it get infected. See if I care if a bacteria eats your face off." A cursory glance revealed J.J. had lowered both hands back into his lap. He was wringing his fingers, they were turning red with how tightly he was squeezing them, but at least he showed to be capable of some minute measure of self-restraint. They reached their destination, Duo paid the cabby and they took the elevator up. Angelica greeted them the same way she had before, by inconspicuously patting them down. Although there was nothing inconspicuous about her pinching Duo's ass cheek playfully. "Couldn't resist," She explained. Duo's smile faltered and he halted in the doorway when he noticed an additional figure in the mostly empty and white apartment overlooking the mansions of Corbeau Park. The man's frame, cloaked in black denim and worn, black leather, he estimated to be six feet and five inches tall; a true behemoth of a man with big, slumping shoulders and heavy-looking arms. His head was shaved, his oily skin gleamed in the sunlight of the late afternoon, on the back of his head was the black and grey image of a bear standing upright, snarling to show his teeth and arms spread out to display his big paws and huge claws. J.J. trotted inside, free of any concern and greeted Neil casually before not so secretly inspecting the tank that they were supposed to believe was merely a man. Neil approached him, still frozen in the doorway and escorted him inside. Duo could tell his demeanor was different from last time, the big man intimidated him. That was not a good thing. That was Tsubarov's dogs, dogs need to know who the master is, if no one else assumes the position of alpha male, they themselves will. Considering the rabid animals Tsubarov likes to surround himself with, Neil's blatant lack of assertiveness was dangerous. "Duo Maxwell, this is Vakhrov Petrovich." Neil, clearly Russian in spite of his chosen code name, might have been able to handle the pronunciation of the name, but Duo was choking on his own tongue at the mere thought of attempting to repeat it. That issue was quickly resolved when the mountain of a man turned around to face him - revealing his weathered, ugly face and dead, blue eyes - and said with a surprising lack of an accent: "They call me The Bear." His voice was gravelly yet powerful. The Bear. Duo reeled back before he remembered that he mustn't show his fear, dogs could smell fear. His idiot brother - whose ignorance could always be counted on - remarked characteristically dumbly and unfazed: "I've never heard of you." The Bear looked at J.J. and grinned. "I've heard of you," He retorted ominously, "But there hadn't yet been the need for our paths to actually cross." J.J. shrugged it all off, not realizing The Bear meant to say that Tsubarov had discussed getting rid of him with The Bear in the past and that his presence was a definite threat to his life if things didn't go according to plan. Duo worried about the way the fittingly grizzly man looked down at his fragile little brother, like he was looking forward to a screw up, just so he could enjoy splintering his bones and squeezing the life out of his weak frame. The American had been blessed with a generous growth spurt in his early adolescence and he prided his physique, but he would not be able to defend J.J. if that bear should decide to maul him. To interrupt the predatory focus of The Bear on J.J. Duo started innocently, letting his frustration from earlier show: "Why are we meeting here?" "This is a long con," Neil answered, moving to the window. "I wanted all of you to, literally, keep your eyes on the prize as we make our preparations. It's important that we do not lose focus. We are not the most unified team, so we need to keep our common goal in mind, if we hope to achieve it." Duo accepted the explanation although he did think to himself the measure was a little exaggerated. Neil was determined to make this endeavor a success. Understandable, since succeeding would change his life in a positive way and failing would - considering the stakes - leave him with a fate similar to J.J. The Bear was there for both of them. No, Duo realized, with a shudder he could barely hide, The Bear was there for all of them. "Alright," J.J. clapped his hands, "Let's get started!" Neil glared at the younger man, he wasn't going to accept the drug user stealing his spotlight. This operation was going to be his master piece and when all would be said and done he wouldn't want anybody to call into question who was the puppet master. But he needn't worry, J.J. had no authority and none of the others paid him any heed. "Let's do this," Neil said and he had the small group gather around the singular desk. The Bear lingered in a corner, as it stood he would have no active part in the plan itself, he was only there to breathe down their necks. "I've been doing my homework on Yuy," Duo started. "He's going to be a tough nut to crack." J.J. chuckled rather childishly, as was to be expected. Ignoring him, he continued: "I haven't yet figured out how to get close to him. As well-known as he is, he reveals very little of himself to the media. I don't yet know how to insert myself into his life, he seems a bit of recluse." Neil waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, I already have something lined up for you that will get you close to our target." With an eyebrows raised in skepticism, he asked the obvious question: "And what would that be?" "A position on Yuy's staff has opened up-" Another infantile chuckle coming from J.J. Well, Duo thought to himself, at least he is paying attention to what was being said. "They are looking for a new assistant gardener. How's your green thumb?" Duo was utterly underwhelmed by the idea. "Black and dead." He couldn't help but show his disappointment, he had hoped Neil would understand how hard it would be to get next to someone like Yuy, it seemed the intricacy of befriending a solitary, distrusting billionaire was lost on him. "You're saying no to my plan?" Neil concluded, his bitterness at the blatant rejection of what he probably thought to be an ingenious idea was apparent. He asked sharply: "Why?" Not wanting to further anger his employer, he explained calmly: "A gardener - an assistant gardener no less - is going to be invisible to a guy like Yuy. Rich billionaires don't socialize with the help," He spat resentfully. "You'd be putting me into a position so far beneath him, as far as he is concerned, he can't help but look down on me, he won't even talk to me. I'd just be one of his servants." "But you'd be at the house every single day!" "Like his maids. Like his butler. Like his private chef." He shook his head. "It won't work, he is used to ignoring people like that, he won't give me the time of day." Neil fingered some papers spread out on the surface of the desk. After a long silence he agreed with Duo's observations, but stomped on the small victory by quickly reminding all of them that they were at square one and had no idea how to get Duo close enough to the target for his manipulation to take effect. "Maybe you could present yourself as, like... like a rich businessman, just like Yuy, wanting to do business with him," J.J. tried optimistically. "To even be allowed close to him my background would have to check out so I would actually have to have a billion dollar company that Yuy might be interested in doing business with. Now, if any of us had any idea how to build a billion dollar company - in a few weeks no less - we wouldn't be here in the first place," Duo refuted. "Can't you pull a 'Notting Hill' on him? Just literally run into him, with a cup of coffee or something." The American shook his head at Angelica's simple proposal. "I'd be tackled by bodyguards before I'd even get close to him." "Then you come up with something!" An irritated Neil bit. "I don't have enough information yet," Duo admitted. "I thought you said you had done your homework." "I thought I also said Yuy is very private and doesn't reveal much about himself to the media," Duo shot back. "Then we go with the assistant-gardener-plan!" "No!" Duo took a deep breath to calm himself, he tried more mildly: "No, please... Just give me a few days. I'll find a way in." J.J. jumped up, recognizing what his big brother alluded at. "Stake-out!" He called excitedly. Duo glared at him, but confirmed to Neil that he would have to observe the house and Yuy's routine for a few days. "All I need is a car and a couple of days. I'll find a way," He assured the group. The would-be general contemplated the request, but Duo could already tell he would give his consent, he just had to find a way to save face. Sternly, Neil barked: "You have until Saturday, if you can't find another way, get used to the idea of mowing lawns." J.J. grinned at his big brother, looking forward to staking out the house and following the target around. Duo knew the younger man would quickly grow bored with the process and he did not expect him to last the full four days Neil had granted him for his research. Which was for the better, because he was not excited about spending four days in a car with J.J., all his mood swings and him bouncing back and forth between hyper-activity and near-comatose laziness. The remainder of the meeting Angelica was given a budget to buy the equipment necessary to crack the safe the billionaire had installed. She required a large funds, because to be truly prepared, she argued, she would need to practice on an actual Kensington Double Fortified, meaning they would have to purchase one. Over the next few months while Duo could hopefully fulfil his part of the plan, she would spend her days practicing on cracking the safe as quickly as possible and finding a way around Yuy's other security measures - that Duo would have to gather as much intelligence on as possible, like the location of security cameras throughout the house. Neil's responsibility was streamlining the individual tasks, but also activating his considerable social network to aid them during the long con. With a single phone-call to an old friend - which meant; someone who owed him a debt - who worked at a used car dealership, he managed to arrange for Duo and J.J. a different car each day. The same car parked in the streets of a neighborhood like Corbeau Park would draw unwanted attention. The Bear would accompany Angelica on her shopping spree, she didn't appear to be intimidated by him. Luckily the big man showed no interest in joining the other two men on the stake-out. After two hours of planning, Neil made sure everybody knew their tasks and then sent them on their way. They would meet up again at the apartment come Saturday, awaiting news from Duo. J.J. was excited like a young puppy, trotting after Duo as they went to get the first car from the dealership. "We'll finally have our own car!" "We're just borrowing it, J.J." "But still." He wrung his hands together greedily. "I hope it's a cool car. We could go cruising. You have no idea how popular having a gay brother makes me with the ladies." J.J.'s disappointment was evident when half an hour later they drove off in a respectable - definitely not cool - Volvo estate car in a dull, unassuming shade of grey. However, still in a positive mindset as he had enjoyed a small line of coke shortly after the meeting earlier, he noticed the upside of the spacious vehicle, rudely planting his worn boots on the dashboard, only to have Duo push his feet back down. "If we damage this thing that guy at the dealership is going to get in big trouble." The black haired young man shrugged nonchalantly. "So? That would be, what I'd like to call: 'his problem'..." Defiantly he put his feet back up on the dashboard. Unable to contain his anger Duo shouted at him: "Keep your fucking feet to yourself!" J.J. knew him well enough to recognize the dangers of arguing with him or challenging him when he was like that. He put his feet back down and, like the model citizen that he was, he finally decided to fasten his seatbelt like he had been told to do ten times since they drove off. After barely a minute of tense silence he wondered meekly: "Do you think that maybe we could stop by McDonald's or something?" "So you can get grease stains on the seat?" "Come on! What's a stake-out without fast food! It's sacrilegious, that's what it is." "Jesus. Sacrilegious? Word of the day toilet paper?" With a pout he stated: "I'm not as dumb as you think I am." God, I sure hope so, Duo thought to himself, turning off the main road to head towards the nearest fast food establishment with a drive-through. "You know we've never had a stake-out in a car before, we've always made due. Why does it have to be a proper stake-out this time around?" "Exactly because we finally have a car and we can do it the right way! Like cops on TV." The idea of them as officers of the law was laughable, they didn't quality as law abiding citizens. But Duo realized he might as well make the best of the situation and J.J. would only get all the more whiny and annoying if he wasn't fed. The interior of the car reeked of greasy fries and overproduced hamburger after their short detour. Duo was tense with nerves as he steered the car onto Corbeau Park drive. He followed the road for a few miles, the houses on either side exponentially getting larger as they headed for the heart of the fancy neighborhood. After a right turn and another mile or two the impressive wrought iron, black gates of the Corbeau estate appeared before them. The ten feet tall, spear tipper rods glowed in the sunlight of the early evening. Beyond the gates two stoic guards in tailored suits - accenting their impossibly broad shoulders - stood watch. First he circled the entire lot, practically pressing his nose up against the side window looking up at the brick wall that lined the perimeter. If any audacious crook tried to scale the wall they would be met with barbed and electrical wire on top. There was another gate at the back of the estate, but it was no less guarded. He caught a glimpse of a man in military style, black attire, escorting a massive German Shepherd, patrolling the grounds. Yuy was decidedly not a fan of unwanted guests. It appeared he had taken every precaution, but Duo knew that regardless of how expertly he had fortified his home, his defenses would be rendered moot if the barricade around his heart wasn't equally secure. The problem was that he couldn't see that wall, he couldn't size up his emotional armor, not until he had already gotten close enough to potentially get hurt by his defensive weaponry. "This guy is fucking crazy," J.J. surmised judgmentally. "Is he? Is he crazy because he is protecting himself? Considering we know there are people out to rob him." "Why would he even care if someone robbed him of ten million? Didn't you tell me you calculated that ten mill to him was the same as five bucks to us?" "I don't think the money is the only reason for all these protective measures..." Duo mused aloud. "He just can't stand the thought of people coming into his private space. He'd probably consider it a defeat too, like being outsmarted in a game of chess. From what I could gather from the few interviews he's done recently, he knows he's the smartest guy in the room and he likes it." "So how are you going to outsmart the 'smartest guy in the room'?" The braided one flashed a grin. "He hasn't been in the same room as me yet." J.J. snorted, unimpressed. "You don't seriously believe you are smarter than this billionaire-genius-prodigy-wonderboy, do you?" Duo shrugged. "There is an important difference between intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence. I just need to beat him on one front." He took a bite of his double cheeseburger. "Well, then we better fucking pray this guy is emotionally retarded." He laughed when his big brother blindly tried to hit him while focusing on the road. After circling the estate once more he parked the car a few blocks away and got out to do another lap on foot, ordering J.J. to stay in the car. He had his braid tucked into the back of his coat so it wouldn't be noticed. With his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans he walked around casually. The estate was enormous, so it was a long walk, but it was good to get out of the stinking car and away from J.J. As he passed by the front gate, his heart was pounding. He could feel the eyes of the guards on him, the biting chill of their stare not dulled in the least by their dark sunglasses. He purposefully ignored them, faking a complete lack of interest in the lot beyond the gate. From the corner of his eyes he could tell there was not much to see, so it wasn't worth risking a direct look. All he caught sight of was the green of big trees lining a long, white gravel driveway that led to the mansion. The mansion itself was too far away to be seen. He rounded the corner and started the long trek along the east side of the property. The tall brick wall completely obscured his vision, so he listened intently. At one point - he estimated about halfway along - he could hear running water, perhaps a water fountain. A few yards further he slowed his pace as he heard voices; two women talking. They sounded young. They sounded carefree. They were enjoying themselves. They were laughing but he didn't know why, they had been speaking Spanish. Maids on their coffee break. He reached the back gate where the watchful gazes of two other stern guards followed his every move. He dared a quick look, nodding innocently in greeting at one of the men, while sneaking a peek past him. A thick line of trees and shrubbery obstructed his view. As the branches and the leaves moved in the wind he would only catch a hint of sand-colored brick and white window sills far beyond. When he returned to the car J.J. had finished his own meal and Duo's as well. "Anything interesting?" He inquired his mouth still working on the last, very large bite. "Not really. The house can't even be seen from the street." He started the car and relocated it to a place from where they could observe the front gate. Duo produced his notebook from his pocket. J.J. gradually fell asleep, his stomach content. Keeping a close eye on his watch he timed the lap of the patrol with the guard dog and he took notes of the coming and going of people; the changing of the guard. He deduced the other personnel probably left through the back gate, they would have to stake out there the next day. It was boring, it was difficult to maintain his focus, but each time he threatened to nod off, he caught sight of J.J. sleeping soundly in the passenger seat and he was reminded of what was at stake. He was instantly wide awake when suddenly a glossy black town car - a Rolls Royce of some kind - appeared, the gates opening before it with seamless timing so the vehicle didn't even have to pause at the entry. The rear windows were blinded, all he saw was a quick, barely conscious glimpse of the chauffeur. The moment lasted but mere seconds but with his heart stuck up his throat it felt like a terrifying eternity. That must have been Yuy, returning home from work most likely. He noted the time; ten thirty. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. J.J. had really gotten them into deep shit. He feared no measure of dedication and preparation would amount to anything. The situation seemed so bleak again all of a sudden, like the reality of 'seeing' Yuy - closer than ever before yet still so far away, so unreachable - had shattered his confidence. How did one befriend a guy who, apparently, had no friends and no interest in making friends? Especially since they had nothing in common, nothing that was genuine would draw Yuy to him, every inch of common ground would have to be fabricated, the entire relationship would rely on smokes and mirrors. He had never been given reason to doubt his skills in the past, but he had never tackled such a big job before. He had never been faced with an anti-social genius before. He would have to search deep to find something honest that would connect them, but he didn't even like entertaining the thought that he potentially had anything in common with the billionaire. People like Yuy disgusted him. How many homeless and hopeless had the Rolls Royce sped past to get mister Yuy to back to the comfort of his castle? The following days were uneventful and drove him into further depths of despair. The billionaire left early in the morning and came home late at night. Duo could never see more than a flash of polished black when the Rolls Royce Ghost - he had looked up the exact model, as if that would be of any help - left and returned. The men at the gates always precisely anticipated the coming and going of their employer, the car never had to idle, waiting for the hydraulics to swing the double gates open. He never actually saw his target, he was hidden behind black windows. At the downtown office the car always dutifully disappeared into the privacy of an underground, employee's only garage, so he couldn't even spy the man as he got out of his car. It was Friday night and he had no choice but to accept the truth; the stake-out had been a waste. He had learned nothing. Not even the routines of the staff were subject to his understanding, the schedules were never the same, he could not reliably deduce when the guards would change or when the shifts of the house personnel ended. The notes in his little book were messy and meaningless. J.J. was in the back seat, he had just woken up after a two hour nap and was playing a game on the cell phone Tsubarov had generously given him. Of course his dimwitted brother didn't realize the drug lord had given him the phone only so he could keep track of him. J.J. had insisted on accompanying his big brother every day. Having him around wasn't as annoying as Duo had feared, at times - though few and far between - the atmosphere between them even felt like it used to, a long time ago, before J.J, had started to slip away. Duo had to treasure hope that if they could just pull off that one con, he could save J.J. not just from execution by The Bear, but from himself as well. He had been given a chance, however slim, to get him back and to make A.J. proud of the two of them, that was worth fighting for. That was worth everything. The blue sedan Neil's friend at the dealership had given them for the day was parked on the corner with a view of the back gate. There had been no activity since a threesome of maids had left two hours ago. He listened to the odd sounds from J.J.'s cellphone and his muttered comments as he was fully immersed in the game. He was trying to figure out what to tell Neil and the others at tomorrow's meeting, but he drew a blank on how he could justify these wasted days and on top of that still convince the boss that the assistant-gardener job was not a viable option for their plan. A lone figure came around the corner and crossed the quiet street. As Duo noticed the person was making a beeline towards the gate, he straightened up in his seat and narrowed his eyes. It was a tall, slim man, dressed in tight jeans and an old, brown bomber jacket. His unnaturally blonde hair stood every which way. When he stopped right in front of the gate Duo leaned over the steering wheel, peering at him. The man got a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and shook the final smoke out into his hands. He hurried to light it and hastily enjoyed a few puffs of nicotine. After a brief wait the sliding gate opened just enough for the single guest to slip into the yard, before he did he threw what remained of the cigarette and the empty carton onto the street. One of the beefy guards took him strongly by his upper arm and escorted him further onto the premises and out of sight. "What the fuck...?" With a deep frown he watched the gate shut again. "Hm? What?" J.J.'s curiosity was peaked. He tossed aside his phone and scooted to the middle of the back seat, leaning forward between the two front seats to see what the older man was looking at. "I don't see anything. What happened?" "I don't know..." Futile as it may have been he took his notebook off the dashboard and flipped it open to a new page. '20:33, visitor?' He wrote. Biting his lip he added three more question marks to express his confusion. He hadn't expected Yuy to be the kind of man to entertain guests. Stranger still was the fact he was snuck inside through the back gate. What the fuck was up with that? J.J. looked over his shoulder at his note. "Visitor? So much for your anti-social theory." "Maybe." The young man quickly lost interest again and lay down in the back of the car, redirecting his attention to the game once more. Duo picked pensively at the corner of the page, his gaze glued to the gate. He had an uncomfortable, tense feeling in his underbelly; a nagging suspicion. The tight, worn jeans, with frayed tears over his knees and just underneath one ass cheek. The bleached hair. The bomber jacket that was too warm for the time of year, hinting that he was hiding something underneath. The young man resembled young men Duo had seen before; fitted jeans, attention-seeking hair and fishnet tank tops underneath unassuming jackets and coats. But it couldn't be... Three hours later his intense vigil was rewarded when he caught sight of the gate sliding open again, only two feet. He wasted no time and started the car and took the first right into the street where the man had come from. He stopped the car a few yards beyond the corner, where the guards at the gate wouldn't see him. He got out and casually leaned up against the side of the car, lighting a cigarette to complete the scene. Curiously J.J. joined him, just in time to see the young man walk right towards them. He noticed them and his step faltered momentarily, but he appeared mostly unalarmed and continued along. As he passed them Duo extended out his arm, holding his packet of cigarettes out to him. "Would you like a smoke?" The man stopped and looked at him suspiciously. "I just want to talk." He eyed the cigarettes and was clearly tempted. "Go ahead," He encouraged him and it was all that was needed to get the man to take him up on his offer. He accepted a cigarette and leaned in close for Duo to light it for him with his treasured silver Zippo. "So what do you want?" He had an old-timey New York accent that made Duo's brow twitch into a frown. "Are you a friend of Yuy?" The American conman inquired innocently. He looked down at himself - at his poor man's attire - with a bitter chuckle and remarked: "Obviously not." "What were you doing at the house, then?" He smirked. His teeth were flawless. "You figure it out." He demonstratively held up the lit cigarette and thanked him for the smoke, then he turned on his heels and walked away. As the man was out of earshot, Duo muttered to himself: "Fuck..." J.J. raised an eyebrow in question. "I just found my way in." He threw his cigarette butt onto the pavement and pressed his heel into it to kill the flame. With big strides he walked around the car and got back into the driver's seat. J.J, fumbled to get into the passenger seat before Duo would speed off. "What are you talking about?" "Shut up, J.J.!" He barked. "I really hate you right now." "What? Why?" "Because of you I'm going to have to be Yuy's whore." J.J. wisely kept his mouth shut the entire ride back into their shitty part of town. Duo dropped him off at his apartment and went home alone, contemplating the consequences of the night's discovery. He felt sick; nauseous and dizzy because he knew that however reluctant and disgusted he was, he would have no choice but to make the best of this opportunity. He couldn't deny that it had all the appearances of divine intervention. What were the odds that their target would turn out to be homosexual? The objective had made a lateral shift. Rather than getting the billionaire to like him, he had to get him to love him. Essentially that wasn't a much more complicated task, the potential pitfalls were counterbalanced by the inclusion of a new factor that he could use to his advantage; sexual attraction. The new physical element could help gloss over the differences between them that would normally be irreconcilable. Duo was up all night trying to convince himself that the development was a positive one, but that uncomfortable feeling in his stomach just wouldn't go away. Growing up in the environment that he had, every person reaches a point - often in their mid- to late teens - when they consider a seemingly easy and straightforward solution to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Duo still remembered being sixteen - and hungry and cold - when he had seriously contemplated selling his body. Friends from the past had gone down that path and while there was a larger market available for the female prostitutes, he heard men, especially boys, could also make a decent buck giving blowjobs to strangers. And sometimes giving more than that. A.J. had stopped him. He could still feel his coarse hands on his thin, shivering shoulders and hear him telling him: Nothing is worth selling yourself for. He couldn't help but wonder if A.J. would say the same thing right then, had he still been alive, knowing what was at stake; his beloved baby brother's life. Duo doubted he would still be as unyielding in his judgment, considering he himself ended up making the ultimate sacrifice for J.J. The next day he felt broken. He had not managed to get any rest, his eyes burned so badly from staying up all night and crying, he entertained the thought of scratching them out of the eye sockets. He still had the blue sedan and he used it to pick up J.J. and drive them to the apartment building at the edge of Corbeau park where they were meeting the others. They probably had high expectations, the mission relied heavily on Duo's skills after all. J.J. was respectfully quiet and he appeared sober, Duo appreciated that. When they arrived, the three others had been waiting for them. Angelica was as enthusiastic as ever, but Neil was apprehensive. Duo stood in the middle of the room and he felt them all staring at him. "So, tell us what you came up with, mister mind reader." For a moment he seriously deliberated not telling them about his findings. He could simply apply for the assistant-gardener position and see how things would play out. But in the silence that stretched on uncomfortably long he could see the distressed expression on J.J.'s face, who realized at that point Duo was considering an option that would sabotage the con and could cost him his life. Duo knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't give it his all - including his dignity, his integrity and his self-worth. If they were to fail, he would at least need the comfort of knowing he tried everything. Reluctantly, the braided man stated to the group: "I found something promising." Everyone was visibly relieved, but none more so than J.J. "Jesus, Duo. Way to keep us hanging," Angelica quipped. Neil was still skeptic. "So what did you find, exactly?" "It appears Yuy enjoys the company of... professionals." "Professionals?" The question was evident in his eyes, but then realization dawned on the Russian almost comically. "Oh... professionals." He nodded in understanding. "I don't know if it's a regular thing, but it didn't seem like it was a first time, there was definitely an established routine," Duo relayed. "Fine, but how does it help us that Yuy has a lady of the evening coming over?" Duo snorted at the newly introduced euphemism and then pointed out bluntly: "Because it wasn't a lady who came to visit." Neil perked up. "He's gay?" He quickly came to the conclusion: "That's perfect! As it turns out, Maxwell, you really are the right guy for the job." The American glared at J.J. for evidently disclosing his sexual orientation to the others, but then he bit back, offended: "Yes, I'm a fag, but I'm not a whore! So excuse me, but this isn't exactly perfect for me." He balled his fists at his side when behind him he could hear The Bear snickering. Neil raised his hands in surrender. "You're right. I apologize. But... you'll do it, right?" Duo bit on the inside of his cheek. "I have no choice." "You sure don't," The Bear mocked quietly. He twisted around and pointed a shaking, angry finger at the giant. "You shut the fuck up!" "Lay off each other, the both of you!" Neil inserted himself between them. Duo's knees were weak staring up at the large, bald hulk of muscle, but he wasn't about to back down. Neil pushed him back and then barked something at The Bear in Russian. The situation simmered down but the tall man was still smirking at Duo and he didn't like it one bit. It wasn't a good start to their working relationship. They would have to suffer each other's company for several months to come and that encounter wasn't very promising. To distract Duo, who was still seething, Neil inquired: "How do we get Yuy to... request your company?" He maintained his glare for a few more moments before finally turning his back to The Bear and answering: "Obviously he has some sort of agency or contact who provides him with company. We have to find out who he calls when he's 'lonely' and we have to convince that person to refer him to me." "I can't exactly call every pimp in town and ask if Yuy is a client of theirs. For starters they would just brush off such a vague inquiry, but most importantly, I don't want word spreading in the underground world that we are interested in the guy. If word gets out, more people will start sniffing around. This job is complicated enough without adding competition into the mix." "You will be calling every pimp in town," Duo asserted, "But you won't be asking about Yuy. You'll be asking for the guy that we saw leaving the estate last night." "Catch his name, did you?" The Russian bit back sarcastically. "No, but I learned enough about him to narrow down our search." He walked over to the desk and arranged a blank piece of paper and a pencil and motioned for Neil to take a seat. "You might want to write this down." He was sure the man wouldn't like being ordered around so condescendingly, but Duo knew he was too important a cog in the machine for Neil to take him out - the whole thing would come to a grinding halt - and he had to let The Bear know he was stronger than he likely thought, or he would get trampled. Neil was agitated, but compliant. He took the pencil in his hand and awaited instructions. "Ask your friends about a bleach blond, five foot eleven guy - about a hundred and forty pounds - who is relatively new in the business. He is about twenty-four years old and he hasn't been working for more than six months. He has an old-fashioned New York accent that he picked up watching old movies, it is exaggerated but only because he intends to hide where he is from, namely Texas. My best guess would be Dallas, but he didn't say much, so I can't be sure. He stands out because he does not have a drug-problem, his skin and teeth are flawless. He is a chain-smoker though, he really couldn't resist the cigarette I offered him. Oh and he's not gay." Neil looked up at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Strictly gay-for-pay." "How could you possibly know that?" Angelica chimed in. "The Force is strong in this one," J.J. remarked jokingly, gesturing dramatically at his big brother. The aspiring general looked down at the words he had hastily jotted down and recited: "Bleach blond, five-ten, one-forty, less than six months, New York accent, Texan, possibly from Dallas, no drugs, heavy smoker and gay-for-pay." "Does that narrow it down enough for you?" "I'll make some calls and I'll let you know." They were dismissed and wouldn't reconvene until next week, giving Neil the time to spread the news of who they were looking for. Hopefully, giving his large network of contacts, he could cast a wide enough net to catch the one fish in the pond they were looking for. The man would contact Duo as soon as he had a bite. Duo drove J.J. home and then returned the car to the dealership. The man was visibly relieved his involvement was over. Duo could sympathize, wishing he wouldn't have to take further part in the operation. Once he arrived back home he dropped down onto his couch, exhausted. He hadn't gotten much sleep the last few nights and none at all the previous night. The copy of Forbes magazine - with Yuy on the cover - still lay on his coffee table, but he had turned it over so those stern blue eyes wouldn't be looking into his apartment. He had felt uncomfortable with the two-dimensional figure gazing up at his ceiling, those intelligent eyes calculating. He would have never guessed the man was gay, regardless of how highly efficient and accurate his 'gay-dar' had proven to be in the past. If anything the man appeared asexual to Duo, in spite of the fact that clearly he was extraordinarily attractive. Yuy's genes truly were a marvel; gifting him with what was advertised as unparalleled intellect and envious looks. Gay, Duo noted, turning his eyes upwards at the cracked ceiling, was the first thing they had in common. However uncomfortable it made him, he had to appreciate his luck. He knew he wasn't an unattractive man himself and he could use that to manipulate Yuy. Although, what were the odds that a guy as brilliant at the billionaire in question, would let his dick do the thinking? He forced himself to read the exceptionally dull, technical article once more, hoping to glean just a little information from it, but he had fully squeezed it dry, the words had no more insight to give. He turned his attention to his chaotic notebook and reviewed his observations, making a brief summary on the final page; a few key points that he would have to rely on for their first meeting. It wasn't much to go by, but at least it was something. And if all else failed... He shuddered. Going in as a hustler was far from ideal, not only because he might have to resort to physical tactics that he was uncomfortable with, but also because Yuy would have a prejudiced conception of him that would disadvantage him right from the get-go. It would be difficult to get a man who prided his genius to like someone he had already decided to be stupid. But at least he wouldn't look right through him, like he would look right through an assistant gardener. He felt himself slowly nodding off. If only he could fall asleep and disappear into his dreams forever, but he would find no solace in the realm of Morpheus. Even his dreams had been filled with anxiety and terror as of late. It was the ringing of his phone that startled him awake. He dared to crack one, exhausted eye open and noticed the sunlight pouring in. It appeared he had at least gotten a couple of decent hours of sleep. He had desperately needed that. The American was tempted to let the call go to his answering machine, but then with a jolt he remembered his answering machine was still broken beyond repair and it might be Neil with news. He shot upright and fought his way through displaced furniture and strewn clothes and shoes to get to the phone in time. "Yes?" Foregoing the formality of a greeting, Neil started monotonously, like reading from a script: "Bleach blond Dante... Real name: Cleve Sims, born in Arlington, Texas - that is right by Dallas, I'll have you know -, smokes two packs a day, his clientele usually consists of women. He started hooking for Letitia Rose less than five months ago." After a long pause he added rather wistfully: "Maxwell, I'm impressed." "As am I, you sure found him quick." "Luck would have it Letty was one of the first on the list that I called. Her business is more high end and discrete, I figured she would be doing business in Corbeau Park." "And she volunteered information on one of her employees?" "She owed me a favor." Of course she did. Everyone owed Neil something, it seemed. "She had no objections to sending you in for Yuy's next appointment, but that is exactly the problem, I've found." "Problem?" Duo sat down on the edge of his bed, expecting the worst. "Yuy wants a different guy every time. She was running out of people to send, which is why she called on Cleve - or Dante, if you will - who normally only 'takes care of the ladies'. And as soon as she runs out of new stock, he'll move on to the next escort agency. It's what he does." "Jesus, a different guy every time..." Duo sighed and with his free hand he rubbed his temple as he felt a headache swelling. "It appears he simply doesn't really like any of them," Neil continued, "He doesn't even fuck them, Letty said he doesn't even talk to them. He just has them sit there while he works. The guy is fucking crazy." "Maybe he's lonely..." He snorted at himself as the idea almost made him feel sorry for the guy. "Or maybe he just likes an audience." "If it's just about a bit of company, why doesn't he stick to one guy, rather than hopping from one agency to another?" It was a fair question. "I don't know. Maybe... Maybe he's looking for something. Maybe he keeps thinking that the next one will catch his interest." "Looking for what? For love?" Neil scoffed. "I don't know yet, but if I can figure out what he is looking for, then I might stand a chance." It was an uncharacteristically hopeful notion. "You'll have to figure it out fast," Neil interrupted his stream of thought. "He's expecting you next Friday." Duo's heart sank. He had hoped to have a little bit more time, not because it would benefit his research into the subject, but he felt like he needed more time to get used to the idea. Although he was relieved he was not expected to perform, since Yuy didn't require that of his professional company, the thought of spending time with the intimidating target was unnerving to say the least. It was the longest and most challenging con he had ever attempted, there were so many things that could go wrong the pressure was overwhelming. And all that pressure was focused on a single evening. He had to get the billionaire to enjoy his company so much he would want to see him again, that would be quite a feat if the man didn't actually want to converse with his guests and instead just works. As if he wasn't already sick to his stomach, Neil pressed: "Don't let me down, Maxwell. This is our one chance. Don't make me regret not sending you in as a gardener." "Assistant-gardener," He corrected absentmindedly. The Russian snorted in response before promptly disconnecting the line. He stared at the beeping phone for a while before putting it away. He pulled his braid over his shoulder and toyed with the end, losing himself to his thoughts. After a while of quiet contemplation he moved back to his couch and took the magazine into his lap. Cobalt blue eyes glared daggers at him, he stared right back, hoping that if he just waited long enough, those eyes would cease to have an effect on. He would be facing those cold eyes in real life soon. "Well, mister Yuy..." He mused aloud, "What do you want from me?"
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