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"Witness Protection"Written By: Snowdragonct Disclaimer: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or the characters, more's the pity. This is for fun...no profit involved. Rating: R Warnings: Warnings: AU , yaoi, swearing (lots),
some OOC (probably), violence, drugs, sex, a naughty Duo (i.e. he
has a potty mouth and is a bit, er, slutty)…if you are wedded
to the “pure, chaste” version of Duo, he might be a bit
dark and crude for your taste…ditto for the other characters
in here…hey, Quat’s a lawyer…how much lower could he
get? Pairings: 1X2 eventually, 3X4 also eventually, (past 2X3, 6X2) A/N: I’ll apologize in advance that Zechs is, well, deceased right from the start. I like him a lot, and there’ll be mention of him…but mostly in the form of discussing/investigating his murder. Sorry. Summary: When Zechs Merquise is found murdered,
detectives Heero Yuy and Wufei Chang are tasked with the unenviable
chore of keeping the only witness to the crime alive long enough to
testify against the leader of the Oz syndicate, Treize Khushrenada. "Witness Protection" Chapter Forty Eight: The Domino Effect Well, they say all good things must come to an end, and of course, our safe haven couldn’t last forever. It did, however, allow us a couple more days of prep time before the shit hit the fan. It started out small. Well, okay, not exactly small. But have you ever heard of the domino effect? I was at the computer, running a quick diagnostic on my surveillance devices when Wufei came home from a supply run, storming in the door to shove a newspaper under my nose. “Read, Yuy!” he snapped sharply. I looked down at the National Tattler, and raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you read tabloids, Chang?” “Since they printed pictures of me!” he snarled. I blinked in surprise. “What interest would a tabloid have in a cop?” He narrowed his onyx eyes. “Look and see.” I looked harder at the rag sheet, and my eyes caught a headline in bold print. “Witness in Khushrenada Case Shacked up with Detectives?” Chang’s low growl was answer enough, so I flipped the page open to the article. “Holy fuck,” I breathed in horror. Sure enough, pictures of Chang—and me—were spread across the page, highlighted by an article speculating that while Khushrenada cooled his heels awaiting trial, two police detectives were off for a romantic romp with the star witness. “Where’d they get the idea—? Oh.” Apparently, the proprietor of a seedy hotel had seen the news footage of Duo, and recalled the stunning stripper escorting two Asian men into his establishment for a wild threesome. Someone must have made the connection to the department—or someone leaked the names of the officers protecting Duo. Our names. Yuy and Chang were about as Asian as you could get. “It’s—it’s—injustice!” shrieked my partner, his face livid. It sure was. But not for the reason he thought. I didn’t care that the writer of the article blew it all out of proportion—or that he took the word of a lowlife sleaze. But he printed our pictures! Where he got photos of Chang and me, I didn’t know or care. We’d solved enough high-profile cases in our day to have our pictures in the paper a few times. But for Christ’s sake! We’d spent all our time hiding Duo away and figuring no one would notice or recognize either Chang or myself. Now, that was shot to Hell. “Holy fucking shit!” I exploded, slamming a fist down on the table. “Chang—this is bad.” “I know!” he snapped back. “Everyone at the precinct will think I’m gay right along with you and Maxwell. Not to mention they’ll believe I indulged in a sordid sexual romp with both of you!” I glared up at my partner. “I meant—the people in town might recognize us and our position here will be compromised.” He paused, obviously considering my words, and then gave a short nod. “That too.” I managed a brief, wry laugh at his messed up priorities. “Look—Chang—there’s no need to panic here. At least the pictures are inside the paper. So only someone who bothered to look for the article would see them.” I frowned slightly. “Of course, you looked…” “I looked because I saw the words ‘shacked up’ associated with my name,” he said bitterly. “I wanted to know what sort of hogwash they were printing. But I had no idea—.” He threw his hands up in frustration. “I’ll never live this down.” “Screw ‘living it down’,” I growled. “We’ve got to worry about living, first. Depending on how big the local circulation of that rag sheet is—.” “Not very,” he assured me, calming slightly. “I’d gone to the next town over for more of the herbs for Catherine’s ankle. I don’t think they even carry that paper in the general store in town.” “Okay. That’s good,” I sighed. “That could buy us time.” I glanced down at my watch. “We need to have a quick planning session, and decide how soon to leave.” “Where’s Maxwell?” “He and Catherine are in the bathroom. She’s taking out the stitches.” “That’s good. I take it he’ll be able to handle some strenuous hiking?” “I believe so.” It occurred to me in the midst of our sudden crisis that when we’d hiked before, Duo’s footwear hadn’t been the most appropriate. “But now that I think about it, he didn’t have good hiking boots. Was there a sporting goods store in town?” “The general store had a limited selection of clothing—mostly work boots and coveralls. You might have to go up the highway to find actual hiking gear.” I nodded, frowning in thought. There was probably time for a quick supply run, and it would be worth it to equip Duo for the walk ahead of us. At that moment, Duo came sauntering down the hall barefoot, and plunked himself down in a chair. “Look! No stitches!” he grinned, putting his foot up on the edge of the desk. “Maxwell! You don’t put feet up on furniture!” Wufei scolded. Duo wiggled his toes. “But ‘Ro needs to see how nice it healed up.” He batted his eyes at my partner. “You, too. After all, you were the one who made me soak it.” I looked at the sole of his foot, glad to see the clean, slightly pink scar and no sign of swelling or irritation. “It looks great.” “Luckily,” Wufei added. “Considering we’re going to have to start walking—and soon!” Duo’s smile faded and he looked questioningly at me. “Chang’s right,” I sighed, wishing my partner weren’t so damned blunt at times. “One of the tabloids printed pictures of us—with you. And since we’ve been going to town for groceries and stuff—.” “—they know where we are,” Duo breathed, tensing in his chair. “Well, they will,” I admitted, hating the way his jaw tightened and he automatically glanced over his shoulder as if seeing a threat in every shadow. Catherine’s arrival on the scene provided a much-needed distraction. “Duo—I told you not to be running around barefoot yet,” she scolded, holding out his socks and boots. “The wound has healed. But the scar tissue is new, and can be easily damaged. You have to protect it.” “Yeah, Ma,” he drawled, taking his socks and beginning to pull them on. “We were just about to have a planning session,” I told Catherine, nodding to my partner and Duo. “It seems a tabloid printed pictures of Chang and me. So we have to assume our position is compromised.” She winced, looking at Wufei with concern. “You three have to leave, don’t you?” He nodded reluctantly. “The sooner the better.” Catherine was nothing if not adaptable. She gave a firm nod. “Well, I’ll make some coffee and tea, and we’ll pull out the maps at the kitchen table so you can prepare.” She headed off to carry out her tasks, and Wufei followed behind. “Give them a minute,” I said, catching Duo’s arm as he stood up. He turned, managing a rather wan smile. “Yeah sure. Let ‘em have their moment.” I found a smile of my own, recalling a conversation at the lake house. “But what a moment.” Duo grinned and pulled me up into a hug. “D’you remember every word I say, ‘Ro?” “Pretty much,” I admitted. “Good—‘cause when this is over, there’s three more I want to whisper in your ear, and I’ll want you never to forget them.” I shivered, tightening my hold around his waist. “When this is over,” I promised. We waited several minutes, allowing our two housemates to make their tea and share whatever private thoughts they chose, and only when Catherine stuck her head out the doorway looking for us did we join them in the kitchen. Our planning didn’t take long; both Chang and I had already studied the map of the trails, and agreed that heading out on foot was our safest course of action. If we took Howard’s car, there was no guarantee of anonymity, and borrowing Catherine’s only transportation was out of the question. “You’ll be stranded once you reach a town,” Catherine pointed out, busily making sandwiches at the counter while the rest of us discussed our plan. “I mean, it’s not like you can take public transportation to the courthouse.” “No, but we can rent a car—or have Trowa come get us,” I assured her. “Don’t worry. We’ve got options.” “I thought the Captain was going to send us an escort,” Wufei spoke up. “That’s yet another option,” I agreed. “But I don’t want it to be our only one.” “Still don’t trust the leaks in your precinct?” Duo asked with a slightly mocking edge to his voice. I met his gaze squarely. “No, I don’t.” I let my fingertips meet his across the table. “Not where your safety is concerned.” “Well, if you need a rendezvous point that’s not in a very populated area ,” Catherine piped up, walking over to set a plate full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches down. “There’s an abandoned amusement park about thirty miles south of here. It’s on all the maps, and easy to find. Plus, if you run into bad weather, you could always slip in through the fence and find shelter.” “An amusement park?” She nodded. “It’s been for sale for several months. Everything’s in good repair, but at the moment it’s closed and deserted.” She took a seat between Wufei and Duo. “The circus used to provide some acts there from time to time.” I found the spot on the map that she was talking about, and it appeared that the park was located on an open stretch of coastline. “Hm. That might be the best place to wait while we arrange transportation,” I mused. “We could call Trowa from there, and have him get a rental car and either bring it out, or tell us where to pick it up.” “A workable plan,” Chang agreed. “The best option so far.” Duo eyed the map speculatively. “Y’suppose there’s electricity there?” “What for?” He smirked at me. “We could try out the rides.” “Not likely,” snorted my partner. “Even if the power’s not disconnected, the controls for the power to the rides would be in a locked building.” Duo slipped a skinny piece of metal out of his braid, and twirled it in his fingers. “Think a little thing like a lock could keep ol’ Duo Maxwell out?” “No—but since we don’t know how to operate amusement park rides, you can count them out—lock or no lock.” “Spoilsport.” I shot him a sly look. “Don’t worry; I’ll figure out some way to keep you entertained while we wait for our transportation.” Wufei snorted, gesturing to the map with his free hand. “Let’s stick to planning, shall we? How many days worth of food shall we carry, and what sort of weaponry?” I suddenly realized his other arm—the one he didn’t use to gesture at the map—was across the back of Catherine’s chair. In fact, it was around her shoulders, and the hand was absently stroking a lock of hair. Biting back the smile that tried to work its way onto my lips, I ducked my head and turned my attention back to the map. “I’ll want us each to have two hand guns, and all the ammo we can realistically carry.” “Each of us? Maxwell, too?” I nodded at Wufei. “He’s a good shot, and it’s his life at stake.” Chang nodded acceptance, and I saw a pleased and startled look cross Duo’s face. “Food for a week,” I added. “The protein bars are lightweight and nutritious, even if they get boring after the first day or two.” “Agreed.” The phone rang as we were listing what supplies we had on hand as well as those we’d need to procure in town before we left. “I’ll get it,” Catherine said, slipping out from under Wufei’s arm with a small, intimate smile. She pattered off into the hallway, and Duo looked at Chang. “You be good to her,” he said flatly, a clear warning in his tone. Wufei looked back steadily. “On my honor.” “Heero! Trowa needs to talk to you!” Catherine’s voice held an undercurrent of urgency that made me move quickly to the hallway to take the receiver from her. “What’s the matter, Barton?” I asked without preamble. He hesitated, and I heard him draw a breath as if he were puffing on a cigarette. “Come on!” I urged, deeply aware of our precarious situation. “If there’s a problem, I need to know—now!” “Just—I think there are a couple of guys hanging around the circus more than they ought to,” he said uneasily. “Are you sure?” “Well—no—but I’ve never seen anyone in a three piece suit at a performance before. And later, I swear I saw the same guy dressed differently, and hanging around after the show with a second man.” I heard a bit of noise, as if he were pacing, or walking down a sidewalk. “Where are you?” “Right now, I’m headed for a bar. I seriously need a fucking drink, Yuy!” “Are you being followed?” “No. Definitely not. But—well, you’re the fucking expert! What should I do?” I felt someone coming up behind me, and turned to see Duo scowling with worry. “Is Trowa okay? What do you mean about being followed?” I gestured impatiently for him to be silent. “What I want you to do, Barton, if you’re absolutely positive no one is following you, is to go somewhere you normally wouldn’t. Don’t go back to your apartment—or to Winner’s office—and definitely don’t go near The Jungle.” “You’re narrowing down my options, Yuy,” he said wryly. “I know. But you need to drop out of sight. If there are people watching the circus, they’re onto you and Winner. They know there’s a connection. And it’s only a matter of time before they guess what it is.” “I—have a couple of friends I can hang out with, I guess,” he said uneasily. “But I don’t much like not keeping in touch with Quatre—and you guys.” “It’ll be safer,” I assured him, “for you as well as us.” I rubbed a hand across the bridge of my nose, not pleased with this new development. “Have you told Quatre about your suspicions?” “Yes. He said to talk to you before I made a move.” “He’s a smart man. Has he taken steps to safeguard himself?” “He promised he would.” “Good. Then you need to concentrate on your own safety.” I tried to imagine what a shrewd man like Quatre would suggest for a strategic move at this point. “Here’s the deal. We’re about to leave our current location anyway. So you won’t be able to contact us. All you can do is get someplace secure until the trial starts. After that, you won’t be at risk.” “Okay. I’ll do that,” he agreed. He paused and I heard another long drag on the cigarette. “Is Duo okay?” “He’s fine,” I assured him. “He got his stitches out today, and he’s ready for anything. Do you want to talk to him?” “No—I’m too wound up right now. I’d only make him nervous,” Trowa predicted. “Just tell him I promised to sic the lions on you if you let anything happen to him, okay?” “I’ll tell him,” I said with a smirk, relieved at the joking tone. “And I’m sure he’d tell you to take care of yourself too.” “Or what?” teased Barton. “He’ll sic the kids on me? Been there; done that. He made me play the clown at the Fourth of July party for the little monsters.” “Well at least he didn’t make you play the Easter Bunny.” I got an honest laugh for my efforts. “Thanks, Yuy. You’ll give him ideas. I’ll see you guys when the dust settles.” “Be sure that you do.” When I hung up the phone, Duo was right there, his face readably grave. “What the hell’s going on with Trowa?” he demanded. “He’s fine,” I assured him, taking him by the arms and pulling him closer. “There were some suits hanging around the circus, so he slipped away and called to warn us.” “Slipped away? Did they follow?” “He’s sure he lost them. And now he’s going to lay low until the trial. He’ll be fine.” Duo looked unconvinced. “This is all my fault,” he said miserably. “My friends are in danger, and all because I was stupid and—.” “Duo! They aren’t in danger, and you weren’t stupid. You were in love.” “I was in lust,” he said bitterly. “I was attracted to the money and the lifestyle.” “Bullshit,” I said firmly. “You loved Merquise. If it was just about the money, you’d have been living in that penthouse with him—not working your ass off as a bodyguard and helping out at an orphanage.” “But—.” “Shut up!” I snapped fiercely. “We don’t have time for you to feel sorry for yourself, or guilty about the situation. We need to prepare ourselves and get the fuck out of here. Understood?” He flinched at the sharpness of my tone, and then nodded, pulling himself back together. “Yeah, understood.” “Let’s get back to the kitchen and finish that list.” We filled Catherine and Chang in on the latest, and decided that I’d be the one to go to town for supplies and hiking boots for Duo, while the others packed our gear and dressed for the cool weather. I’d have sent Catherine instead, but I wanted to choose the footwear myself, as well as scan the shelves of the store for anything I might have forgotten to put on the list. Plus, it was a chance to scout for trouble—to watch for anything out of place in that remote, quiet town. And I had no doubt that it would be easy to spot outsiders. Hell—the guy at the general store had noticed me right off the bat. I just hoped he wasn’t the type to read tabloids.
When I pulled up at the store, everything looked peaceful, and I breathed a small sigh of relief, eager to get the items on my short list and get under way. There was no need to tell Chang I just about jumped out of my skin when that damnable bell above the door tinkled shrilly as I walked in. Jesus! Who invented those things? Of course the old storekeeper looked up at once, smiling his welcome. “Good to see you again, young fella.” I gave a curt nod. “Good afternoon. Can you point me in the direction of the work boots?” He gestured towards the back wall. “Not a lot of selection—mostly waterproof boots like the hunters and fishermen wear.” Waterproof was good. I made my way to the back, and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the limited choices for footwear. They might not have stocked many—but they were the best. I was trying to decide between a lightweight pair of comfortable leather boots and a heavier pair that was waterproof, when I heard the doorbell jingle again. “Afternoon, Millie,” came the old man’s voice. “Edgar.” The voice that acknowledged his greeting was female, and had the same peculiar native drawl as his. A local, I guessed. “You get in that shipment yet?” “Sure did. I’ll go in the back and get your order.” I heard Edgar’s heavy tread approaching, and looked up. “Findin’ what you need?” he asked politely. I held up the boots. “Just trying to decide which pair to buy.” He eyed them critically. “Go for the heavier ones, lad. They’ll stand up to hard use a lot better, and they’re more comfortable than they look.” I gave a nod and put back the lighter, less durable pair. “I appreciate the advice.” He proceeded through a door into what must have been his stock room, and I made my way to the aisle where camping supplies were located, scanning the shelves for anything we might find useful in our travels. Rope. Considering the rugged terrain we’d have to cross, it seemed like a good idea to have a coil of rope on hand. I picked one up, along with some small emergency candles. They’d take up minimal space in the packs and might come in handy in a variety of situations. I heard the stockroom door close, and Edgar’s steps returning to the front of the store. “Heard you had a busy day at the diner,” he commented. I assumed he was speaking to the woman at the counter. “Too busy!”she lamented. “Damned city folks.” “They the ones in that big black car with the tinted windows? I saw it at the gas station around noontime.” “Yeah—that’s them,” came the female voice. “Pushy bastards. Them in their three piece suits and stuck up attitudes.” Three piece suits? My attention focused sharply on the conversation taking place in the front of the store. “—wanted imported beer,” she was saying. “Imported! Where they think we’d get stuff like that in this little town, I just don’t know.” “You know them city folks, Millie. Always wanting the fancy brands and designer labels.” “And nosey!” she added indignantly. “Askin’ all kinds of questions! Did I notice a couple of Asian men pass through? How ‘bout a feller with a long braid and a tattoo? Like I got time to watch every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes through town.” Jesus fucking Christ! The FBI was in town and asking about Duo and us. I almost bolted from the store right then and there—but I needed to know more. And I prayed that Millie and Edgar would keep on talking, while I stood shell shocked in the camping supplies. What the fuck did you tell them, Millie? “Hope you didn’t help ‘em out,” Edgar spoke up. “Sound like gov’ment boys—maybe IRS or narcotics.” “Couldn’t help ‘em if I’d wanted to—and I didn’t,” Millie huffed in reply. “I’ve never seen the guys they were lookin’ for. Tattoos? They’d be better off asking after someone like that in winter, when the carnies are in town.” Edgar chuckled. “Yeah, I s’pose so. That time of year, we’d have long-haired, tattooed men, bearded ladies, an’ probably a two-headed llama.” She gave a conspiratorial laugh. “Yes, we would. But y’know, them circus folks count as locals in my book. They keep to themselves, and they’re polite as can be when they stop by the diner. Never cause me any trouble. An’ I’m sure not gonna point ‘em out to some fancy-dressed dudes in a sleek black car with dark-tinted windows. Those guys were just trouble, plain and simple.” “How long did they hang around?” “Not very long after I told ‘em the nearest hotel was twenty miles north of here. They were some put out at hearing that. Tore out of the parkin’ lot like their asses were on fire.” Shit. If the FBI had been in town for lunch, and had headed north, they were probably already arriving at the next town. And unless I missed my guess, it was the one where Chang had purchased his herbs for Catherine’s ankle. If anyone there was shown a picture of Chang and recognized it, the FBI would have confirmation that we were very, very close. I wanted out of that store in the worst way, but I didn’t want to walk past Millie and risk having her put two and two together. It was already too late to worry about Edgar—he’d seen both Chang and me more than once. “Well here’s hoping we’ve seen the last of them,” Edgar spoke up above the ding of the cash register opening. “Amen to that. You have yourself a nice day, now. And thanks for getting my special coffee brand. The fishermen just love it—keeps ‘em coming back real regular.” “You have a nice day, too, Millie. Say ‘hi’ to Fred for me.” Quiet footsteps crossed the store, and the little bell jangled as Millie left. I was still standing there digesting the information I’d heard, when Edgar stuck his head around the corner, nearly scaring the shit out of me. “Need any help?” “Uh, no. I don’t think so,” I stammered, trying not to show how uneasy I was. “Didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized, clearly having noticed. His gaze dropped to the coil of rope in my hand. “You’d be better off with the nylon,” he commented, pointing to another type hanging on the wall. “The sea air’s hard on fiber.” “Thanks.” I took his suggestion and switched ropes, grabbing a roll of duct tape while I was at it. He held up a brown paper bag. “When I was in the stock room, I remembered Miss Bloom had a special order in for some tea. Would you mind takin’ it to her?” “Oh. Not at all.” “I’ll just put it up on the counter in front for when you’re done shopping—.” “I’m done.” I wanted to get back to the farm and out of town as quickly as possible. While the conversation I’d overheard seemed to indicate Edgar wouldn’t blab to the Feds about our presence here, I wasn’t naïve enough to take the chance. As I was following him to the checkout stand, Edgar glanced back over his shoulder. “I heard she got the cast off,” he said conversationally. “Yes. Earlier in the week.” “That’s good.” He continued trying to make small talk while my nerves were screaming at me to hurry up and leave. “Your partner still interested, is he?” I snorted wryly. “Tell your stock boy it’s a lost cause.” He chuckled. “Poor boy—edged out by the new guy.” “All’s fair,” I shrugged, laying my purchases on the counter. “Building something?” he asked, looking over the assortment of goods. “Just a bit of paraphernalia for the act,” I lied smoothly. “The lighting and special effects are vital—and it seems like there’s always a repair to be made.” I glanced towards the door while he rang up the items. The FBI guys might have left earlier, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t double back if they got a lead pointing our way. Edgar looked up and followed my gaze, and then gave a slight smile. “Heard Millie and me talking, did you?” I shrugged noncommittally. “Well don’t fret about it if you did,” he continued. “We’re a pretty close community here—don’t take to outsiders coming around and snooping.” He fixed me with a level gaze. “And we don’t talk to them about locals—including you circus folks—if you catch my drift.” “That’s nice,” I replied, counting out the money for the purchase in record time. He took it without comment, and started bagging my things, wearing a faint scowl. “You should relax, young feller,” he said a bit gruffly. “I mean what I say. Don’t matter where you came from, or what you left behind; we take care of our own out here. And no one’s got any love for the revenue folks or Feds.” I hoped not! I nodded. “Got no love for ‘em myself,” I said vaguely. “And I thank you for the help.” I glanced fleetingly at him. “—with the boots and the rope, I mean.” He nodded and smiled knowingly. “Happy to help out. Any time.” I grabbed the bags and headed for the car, deliberately keeping my pace steady and unhurried. If the FBI had left anyone behind to do further investigating, I didn’t want to draw attention. But as far as I could tell, I was unobserved as I left the small town and headed back for the farm. Considering how open the road was, I don’t think anyone could have followed me undetected, which eased my fears a bit as I held the car to the speed limit and flipped out my cell phone, hitting the speed dial for Captain Po’s private line. “Captain Po’s office—Relena Darlian speaking—.” “Goddamnit!” I burst out thoughtlessly. “Where the fuck is she?” “Heero?” came the faint, rather anxious-sounding reply. “This is supposed to be her private line,” I ground out irritably. “Where’s the Captain?” “On another call—I can put you through in a moment—or take a number for her to return your—.” “I’ll call back,” I snarled. “Tell her to answer her own damned phone in five minutes.” I snapped the phone shut before Relena could say anything else. I was not going to leave a message—not after all the information that had trickled out of that office. And I was sure as hell not going to leave a callback number. Nor was I interested in holding the line open in case the FBI had a tap on it, and wanted to triangulate on my signal. They were too close as it was.
I reached the farm before the time had elapsed, and tucked the car away in the garage, dialing my boss’ number again as I strode into the kitchen. “Chang?” I called, as I hung up the keys and put the rest of the stuff on the counter. There was no answer, and I snapped my phone shut, cutting off the uncompleted call. I headed into the living room, to see that the television was off and the room was empty. “Catherine? Duo?” My stomach was tight with apprehension by the time I’d checked bedrooms and the hallway and returned to check the computer. It was set to automatic monitor, and I quickly keyed up the recent footage, terrified that someone had come while I was gone and spirited away my companions. You’d think there’d have at least been signs of a struggle though… Then as I started to scroll through the logs, I noticed the pad of paper beside the keyboard with “out in the barn” scrawled across it. “Fuck!” I blew out a relieved breath, realizing my partner had been astute enough to know I’d worry…and yet not astute enough to think of leaving the note on the door from the garage, where I might see it before panicking. I stalked quickly through the house and out the front door, pattering down the steps and striding across the yard. When I pulled open the barn door, I was taken aback at the sight of Catherine balancing a gleaming knife in her hand and then throwing it—at Wufei. “What the fuck?” I blurted, my hand dropping to my gun. The knife thunked into the backdrop Wufei was pressed against, missing his shoulder by only a finger’s width. Why the hell he hadn’t dodged it, I didn’t know. “Ah, shit!” Duo cried, jumping down from his place on a circus prop that looked like one of the platforms they have elephants stand on. “You win, Chang!” He pulled a twenty out of his pocket and headed for my partner, while Catherine turned a curious gaze to me. I had my gun half-drawn, and didn’t know whether to finish the motion or not. “What are you doing?” I demanded, scowling at her. She had another knife in her hand, fingering the gleaming blade absently. “Settling a bet,” she said simply. My confusion finally dissipated, as I realized Wufei was smugly taking Duo’s money, and my lover was laughing in good-natured surrender. “What bet?” I asked carefully, releasing my death grip on the barrel of my weapon and moving closer. She cocked her head to the side, smiling at Wufei as he came across the sawdust-covered floor. “Duo bet Wufei he didn’t have the, um, balls to let me throw a knife at him, like I do to Trowa, in our circus act.” I glared at my partner as he approached. “Are you nuts?” I demanded. “If she’d slipped—.” His dark eyes narrowed. “She didn’t.” “Aw, lighten up, ‘Ro,” Duo chided, walking up and slipping an arm around my waist. “We just came out here so I could get some of those magic smoke bombs—for emergency use.” He hefted a burlap bag with his free hand. “Then we got talking about Cathy’s knife act, and I dared Chang to give her a live target. When he hesitated, I told him he was a pansy-ass and that he didn’t trust her.” My glare turned to my lover. “That was irresponsible, Duo. Chang’s your protector—not a circus performer. And making him take a risk like that—.” “He didn’t make me!” snapped Wufei quickly. “Oh? Insulting your courage and implying that you had no faith in a woman you obviously care about wasn’t coercion?” Duo looked crestfallen, and Wufei was blushing at my blatant reference to his interest in Catherine. I felt momentarily like I’d kicked a whole litter of puppies, and quelled that feeling by recalling how my stomach had dropped to my feet as that knife left Catherine’s hand. “Since when did you feel the need to prove yourself to Duo?” I demanded of my partner. The quick sideways glance of his eyes showed me that it hadn’t been Duo he’d wanted to impress. Oh—right. Catherine. I caught Duo’s arm. “Come with me.” And then I rather bodily dragged my lover out of the barn. “Jesus Christ, Maxwell! You knew if you pushed Chang he’d feel honor-bound to prove his respect for her, didn’t you?” “So?” “So it might have gotten him injured or killed!” Duo jerked his arm free and whirled to face me, his eyes gleaming with anger. “No, it wouldn’t!” he shot back. “I’ve seen Cathy’s act a million times, Yuy. She never misses. If I’d thought she might, I’d have never tried to get Wufei to play the dummy.” “There’s no such thing as ‘never,’” I pointed out. He rolled his eyes. “When it comes to Cathy’s act, there is. She’s a top-notch performer. I’ve seen her nearly graze Trowa’s cheek with those knives, and yet never break the skin. She doesn’t miss.” “If you have that much faith in her, how come you weren’t the one up against that wall?” I challenged. He glared back. “Not for lack of trying! But Chang wouldn’t let me. He said the one in a million risk factor was too high for the witness who’s gonna put Khushrenada away for life, but that he was willing to chance it to shut me up.” “Well he shouldn’t have!” I ran a hand down my face, realizing it was shaking slightly, and then I fixed a stern look on Duo. “Do you have any idea what was running through my head when Catherine threw that knife?” He paused, reading the genuine emotion on my face. “Shit—you thought she was with the bad guys?” I shrugged slightly. “For a split-second there—yes. I mean, fuck! I walked in the barn to see Chang up against the wall and her throwing a knife in his direction. I’ve never seen her act—I had no idea she’d ever used live targets. And with the FBI sniffing around the circus, what was I supposed to think?” He gave a wan smile. “Scared the piss out of you, didn’t it? Thinking Chang was about to take it right in the heart?” “I—I don’t know what I thought. I didn’t think. I just had a moment of complete confusion—and, well, panic.” “Sorry,” he finally said with a genuinely contrite expression. “If I knew you might walk in on that, I guess I might’ve thought twice.” He shifted uneasily, and I could tell he wanted to wrap his arms around me, but wasn’t sure what kind of reception he’d receive. So I held out my arms and let him melt into them. “I’m not mad,” I murmured into his hair. “Not any more. Just—shaken.” “My fault entirely,” came Chang’s conciliatory voice behind us, as he and Catherine approached. “Honestly, Yuy, it never occurred to any of us that you might stumble in and not realize what was going on.” “Well, after finding no one in the house, and nearly having a coronary before I found the note by the computer—,” I said chidingly. “Oh. Perhaps not the best place to have left it,” he conceded. “No shit.” I shook my head. “But then you couldn’t have known the FBI was snooping around town today.” “What?!” came the chorus of replies. I nodded, ignoring their horrified expressions. “We’re out of time, Chang. The man at the general store mentioned some guys in suits at the local diner, and I’d bet my badge they were FBI. They apparently headed north to find a place to spend the night, but that’s too close for comfort.” “You think they discovered the circus connection?” “That’s one possibility—but then, they should’ve come straight to us, instead of asking around town for two Asian men and one with a braid.” I frowned in thought as we headed for the house. “I think maybe they used some guesswork—based on our last location, and possibly the report from that guy in the fleabag hotel. It would have given them a direction in which to search.” “And since they’re following Barton, it won’t take them long to connect the rest of the dots,” Wufei pointed out. “We have to leave now.” “Yes, we do.” I led the way into the kitchen, gesturing to the bags on the counter. “There’s a pair of boots in there for you, Duo. I hope they fit okay. The sizes seemed to run large—so if anything, you might have to double up on socks.” “I’ll make do,” he promised, walking over and stuffing his burlap bag into his backpack, before taking the boots to try on. “I’m going to call the Captain again,” I told Chang, walking over to unhook the laptop, even as I hit redial on my phone. “Again?” “I called in the car—her private line—but Relena answered.” “Perhaps—.” “Don’t make excuses!” I cautioned. “It’s unacceptable, considering the situation.” He nodded a bit uncomfortably and started rummaging through the supplies I’d brought home, stowing them in the proper packs, while Catherine was quickly making sandwiches and wrapping them to go. “Yuy?” came Captain Po’s worried voice on my phone. “You have got to stop letting Relena answer your calls,” I growled, focusing on the call. “The FBI is within spitting distance of our position,” I told her bluntly. “Can I assume you had nothing to do with that?” “Damn right!” she snapped back. “They’ve been crawling all over my precinct—but I’ve given them nothing to go on. I don’t know anything to tell them anyway.” “Yeah, well, with Duo’s face plastered all over the papers and news, and Chang and I featured in the tabloids, they hardly need you to give them a lead. Anyone who’s seen him, or us, in the last six weeks will be screaming their heads off to either Khushrenada or the Feds—or both—if you catch my meaning.” I paused for effect. “We need to come in, Captain. And you need to have a secure place for us to do that.” “I’m working on it. The courthouse is being made into a veritable fortress—between protecting the witness and keeping Khushrenada contained—.” She gave a huff of breath. “Give me a week.” “The trial’s in a week.” “I know.” “What are we supposed to do? Show up at opening arguments?” “Just about.” She drew a deep, almost shuddering breath. “Call me in two days, from wherever you are, and give me a place and time. I’ll have a car and two plainclothes meet you.” I frowned—not pleased with the arrangement—but it was all we’d get for now. “Make it two officers I know on sight, plus a car with bulletproof glass and reinforced doors, and you’ve got a deal.” She managed a short chuckle. “You’ve got it.” I snapped the phone shut without saying goodbye. “Yuy?” “We’re to call the Captain in two days and give her a pickup point.” “The amusement park?” I shrugged. “We won’t know until we see it.” Duo joined us then, wearing the new boots and his leather jacket. “They fit fine,” he said shortly, walking over to help Chang close up the last of the packs. Catherine held out a paper bag. “I made sandwiches for you guys...the roast beef you’ll need to eat first, but the peanut butter will keep for a day or so.” “Thanks, Cath,” Duo said warmly, taking the bag and hugging her. “You’ve been great, y’know. And considering how badly you an’ I got along when we first met—.” She chuckled. “Well, Trowa smoothed out your rough edges in time to save our relationship, didn’t he?” “That he did.” We each took our gear, donning warm coats and shouldering our packs before heading out into the yard. “Well, I guess this is goodbye,” I told Catherine, holding out a hand. She shook it firmly, her eyes a bit bright. “You three be careful, won’t you?” “Of course.” Wufei stepped up to her then, his face grave. “You should be careful as well,” he cautioned. “Perhaps staying here isn’t a good idea. If the FBI backtracks and finds this place, you could be in danger.” She cocked her head. “Are you so sure the FBI is on the wrong side?” “We are,” he said firmly, glancing past her to Duo. “Merquise told Duo that there were agents on the take, and I believe it. There’s no legitimate reason for them to be in town—so we can only assume they’re our enemies.” She nodded her understanding. “Is there somewhere you can go?” I asked, seeing the obvious concern on Chang’s face and knowing he’d worry about her. I didn’t need him distracted, and I certainly didn’t want Catherine in harm’s way. “I suppose I could rejoin the circus,” she conceded. “Now that the cast is off, I’d be cleared for light duty.” Wufei took her hands in his. “I wish you would,” he urged. “It would put my mind at ease.” She smiled up at him, and gave a firm nod. “If it means that much to you, I’ll head out as soon as I talk to my boss and line up someone to look after this place.” “It means more than you know,” he said warmly. Duo was fidgeting where he stood, looking anxiously over his shoulder, and I decided we’d tarried long enough. “Time to go, Chang.” He gave a frustrated sigh, and released Catherine’s hands. “I—enjoyed meeting you very much, Catherine. And as soon as I’ve completed this assignment, I plan to pick up where we left off—if that’s acceptable to you.” “Very acceptable,” she grinned. Then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him squarely on the lips, right in front of us—for just long enough to bring a wide, teasing smile to Duo’s face. Then she pushed back to arm’s length, eyes brimming with tears. “You better stay alive, Chang Wufei! I’ll be waiting for your call.” And before any of us could say anything, she ran up the stairs and into the house, slamming the door firmly behind her. “Whoa—Chang!” Duo said with a low whistle. “You lady killer, you!” The scowl my partner threw his way was half-hearted at best. “Get walking, Maxwell. We’ve a lot of ground to cover—and many moose to dodge.” He started for the trails at a brisk pace. “Many moose?” Duo echoed, following along behind him, while I brought up the rear. “Wouldn’t that be many mooses? Or would it be meece? I mean, you can’t just have one moose or ten moose, can you? There’s got to be a better plural than that…” “No, there doesn’t,” came the irritated response. “It’s just moose, Maxwell, whether it’s one or a hundred.” “A hundred? That’d be a helluva lot of mooses.” “Moose.” “It just sounds stupid to say moose when you’re talking about that many,” Duo huffed. “It sounds correct.” “Stupidly correct.” I had a feeling it was going to be a long walk to the
amusement park.
tbc... |
