Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Half Cocked ❯ Nine ( Chapter 9 )

Nine

Jaden frowned as he watched the men unloading the supplies he'd stolen under Maxwell's suggestions. The man had informed him of the situation, all the information he'd gotten from his lover...repeatedly noted the unguarded state of food stuffs from a base that was razed...and then wandered off with Qingfu.

He'd been wandering around on his own forever before they decided that they needed to spend time with Jaden again...and Jaden had been half-praying for Maxwell to take his damn Remalene.

Qingfu thought he was hilarious.

Their conversations...were almost painful. They had little comments they'd make and follow. It wasn't unlike Maxwell declaring he'd been reading and that was why he was covered in bruises.

It was beyond exasperating.

Where Maxwell had gone the second time was a mystery, however, and Jaden wasn't fully sure he wanted it solved.

Jaden looked to Armend, vaguely amused. He was steadfastly avoiding Maxwell, and every time he was near Jaden, he was looking around. His paranoia was amusing to see.

"What are you grinning at?" the man asked him a bit petulantly.

"I was just thinking how interesting it might be to get Maxwell down here when you're backed to a wall and can't get out. I'm tired, though, so I won't bother. I am, however, heading up to my suite," he turned and started away. "You don't really have to keep an eye on things, but I'll let you if you want."

Armend smiled slightly at him.

Jaden nodded in response, then turned and wandered toward his room. Either Qingfu would be there full of...exciting...information about the god of death, or he'd be out and about and Jaden would have some genuine quiet time.

The room wasn't large, it had a king-size bed in the middle of one wall with a good foot between it and a wing-back armchair in the corner...there was a dresser on one wall and a closet on the other—then the door to the small bathroom. It was called a suite, though, because it had a living-area and a kitchen with the bathroom...which were empty.

He could hear low voices...which meant...

"What would you have me do?" Qing was muttering from the armchair as Jaden pushed the door to the room open. "Send them away?"

"I just don't...I can't comprehend the presence of children," Maxwell retorted. "And...I mean..."

He fell silent as Qingfu looked up, then looked to Jaden as well.

"I thought I got away from you," Jaden protested to the man, exasperated.

Duo Maxwell...Duo fucking Maxwell was in his room. Not the hall, not the council room, no...no, he was in Jaden's bedroom and on Jaden's bed.

"I'm stalking you, darling," Maxwell retorted. "Every time you rebuke me, I know you want me more."

Jaden shut the door and gave Qingfu a level look.

"What's up?" Qing asked, nonplussed. "Did the supplies get in?"

"You should have taken that transport back to that base," Jaden noted, focusing on Maxwell. "There were soldiers there."

"Yes, but I'm still wounded enough that I honestly don't want to go back yet. My lover nearly went apeshit."

"Your lover?" Jaden didn't really want to know, but he couldn't help but ask.

"Quatre," the man agreed. "He's...not the most mentally stable sometimes."

Qingfu slapped a hand to his face.

"Your lover is Quatre Winner," Jaden noted, realizing how much that really figured. "Your boyfriend is the one and only heir to a multi-billion dollar company...and in light of your comment, he's also one who fucked up a handful of colonies when his father died."

"Yeah," the man agreed happily. "The one and only."

Jaden dropped onto the foot of the bed.

"He nearly went and got his gundam to come fetch me when he realized I was out here, too," the man noted in that same chipper voice.

Jaden raised his head to stare at the man.

Qingfu gave him a look. "You still haven't explained why I watched those machines explode on television."

"Nope, I haven't," Maxwell took a drink of a water-bottle. "I'm horrible like that. Let's change the subject. I had a marvelous idea earlier."

Jaden raised an eyebrow.

Qingfu gave Jaden an exasperated look.

"Mercenaries."

They both looked back to him skeptically.

"Yeah," Maxwell persisted, sitting forward. "We don't have enough men out in these damn jungles to keep watch on every city, and my friends were out last night trying their damndest to keep the enemies from getting a foot-hold. They're worried because their line only extends so far...and from what I understand, you lot seem to be lacking funds to do anything."

Jaden glanced sidelong to Qingfu to see if this information had already been suggested. His friend was blinking blankly, though, startled.

"So...you go to a smaller town, use what weapons you have...keep the bad guys away...ask for money or supplies. It seems sound to me," Maxwell looked between them.

Jaden closed his eyes, feeling his heart-rate quicken. He could see how it might work...but...

"And...what...would you want...from us?" Qingfu asked in a soft voice. "To keep your men off our backs, what would...we..."

"Don't get in our way, don't cause problems...prove you're not against us."

"And what if we are?" Jaden gave him a level and semi-pointed look.

The man rose to his feet, all power and grace, considering Jaden from that height. A slight smirk crossed his face...and he just looked evil. "Get on your knees and pray," he suggested, moving around the bed. "Because the god of death is quick to judge and even quicker to act."

Jaden watched him stride from the room, then looked back to Qingfu as the door closed.

Qingfu smiled slightly at him, moving from the chair and onto the bed. "He's just...powerful," he whispered, considering Jaden's face. "Leaves an impression..."

"If you're honestly turned on enough by him to fuck me," Jaden noted levelly, "I will backhand you and throw you in cold water...besides, I still don't know...if I want to..." he shifted back slightly as Qingfu moved forward.

Qingfu's eyes were dancing as he pecked Jaden's cheek, and he bounced to his feet. "I'm gonna go follow after him and see what he does next—and lord only knows what he did with his spies. He called the base with the one at hand, and Yuy repealed his order...and that's exactly how he phrased it," Qingfu considered Jaden from the door, rolled his eyes...and disappeared.

Jaden dropped backwards on the mattress...and tried to figure out what the fuck had happened to being the one in charge.

- -

"Brigadier," the man who called himself Clint Robbs sounded half-choked. "With all due respect, you can't...just..."

"Just...what?" Duo asked happily. Rin had followed him happily from the captain's suite, and before they'd even gotten out of the upper hall, Timorre had joined them with the suggestion that Duo run his notion by the council.

"You can't...I..."

Duo grinned at the kid, amused. He was actually a twenty year old by the name Maron Clint, a third class ops man—this was probably his first assignment alone. "I'm confused...who's gonna tell me no?"

The guy's stress peaked and he ran his hands down his face.

"Calm down," Duo suggested quietly. "In case you hadn't noticed, the ESA is gauging how much of a threat Illicit is or will become. Setting them to a task will keep them occupied and make them do something. I shouldn't have to remind you that I'm a Brigadier General."

The guy fidgeted a long moment, then nodded his head.

"So just introduce me as who I am," Duo added, grinning slightly. "My reputation tends to precede me, so it's not like we have to grab the smoke and mirrors. Try not to react when I start talking."

"Why are you doing this," Clint hissed, giving him a put-upon look.

"Because I can," Duo returned, leaning forward so they were eye to eye a moment, then turned and swept into what was called the council room.

The people all flinched, obviously holding themselves back from standing—all but one man, who rose to his feet and stood at attention, saluting him without meeting his eyes.

Hoxha.

"At ease," Duo reassured him calmly, amused, because Timorre and Rin had both rose respectfully as well. Hoxha looked annoyed, but the set-up meant that he couldn't disrespect one of his own generals.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Clint muttered, moving around Duo. "May I present Brigadier General Maxwell of the Earthsphere Alliance. General," he nodded his head respectfully and started forward...to the end of the table. He pulled the chair out as the council members shifted irritably.

The "head" of the table was a figurative spot, and out of respect for Timorre, they tended to leave the opposite end empty.

Duo grinned around at all the aggravated people, then sat and brushed his hair back as he considered faces. It was a casual move, and Timorre and Rin took their seats.

Hoxha wasn't looking at anyone, eyes at the far wall.

"Please," Duo muttered, focusing on him. "Sit."

Hoxha nodded, still not looking at him as he did.

Duo considered him a moment, then looked around and nodded to Clint. The young man sat, meeting eyes almost proudly.

"You know," Timorre noted thoughtfully. "It's come to my attention that you had three men with you on arrival."

"Ah, they're around," Duo gestured vaguely. "For...legal records...I've heard you referred to as the captain, the president, and the supreme ruler. Which is your preferred title?"

Timorre rolled his eyes.

"Captain Timorre," Rin reassured him, grinning slightly.

"I suppose you're all wondering why I asked us to meet with...the good general," Timorre looked skeptically at Duo a moment. "I don't feel like discussing my...titles... so I'm moving right along. I figured since Brigadier Maxwell," he emphasized the rank very slightly, "has some current information, he might like to...enlighten us."

"So kind of you, Timorre," Duo muttered happily, meeting eyes again. He was rather amused at the state of things. The people in the room were both scared and resentful of him, they didn't know how far they should respect him, and they were utterly clueless as to how to proceed.

Timorre looked so exasperated.

That was awesome, the man was awesome.

Duo grinned at Rin, rising to his feet again and gesturing so Hoxha and Clint remained seated. He considered the information he'd been given as he started to pace, then slowed and met eyes. "I'm going to start off with the simple truth. I will not tell you why my gundam is out and about...or Heavyarms."

Rin rolled his eyes expressively. He was sitting at Jaden's right, though his seat was more beside the other man's than not.

"That is what it is, and that's all you get to know about it. As for the...other... machine you may have seen in news broadcasts...all you get to know is that its name is Demigod and it's piloted by Chang Wufei."

The people in the room exchanged glances.

"Forgive me," Duo muttered, starting to pace again. "I wanted that information clear from the start to avoid irritating questions later. Now," he stopped again. "As for my presence here...as much as I'd love to say you don't need to know," he grinned ruefully, "I still have a few too many bruises to pretend to be all uppity."

"Tell them what happened, Maxwell," Rin encouraged in amusement.

"Yooou think you're funny," Duo retorted happily. "But you're really not."

"You think that's the first time I've heard that?" The man actually looked confused.

Duo laughed, then shook his head as he forced his mind back on task. He shook it a little harder, then looked up to the people watching him. "I got caught."

Jaden snorted.

"As you should know," he went on easily, "since you left Gerrange's camp, he decided it was a logical move to raid cities without military posts." He shrugged slightly. "Obviously that meant we'd gathered as much information from them as we could afford."

Looks were exchanged.

"I mean," Duo added, "figuring out where his resources were...how slim they were...how many more we had to look out for...we wanted to nail down his network. That's still in process, but...well, they were challenging us, and we decided to answer the call."

"High talk," Rin retorted. "Get to the meat."

"What would you say if I told you I was a vegetarian?" Duo couldn't help but ask.

"Don't worry," Rin reassured him just as happily. "You'll get over it soon."

Timorre laughed silently a brief moment, shaking his head, then gestured at Duo to continue.

Duo grinned, then focused on the tale. He explained how they'd gone to Peru, how they'd gotten the call of a new raid...and how they went to interrupt the caravan. It seemed that Rin couldn't help but interject, demand, or prod at him as he went, but it also seemed to be the norm, because no one seemed bothered. There was a bit of bother when he noted that he'd been tortured...the people seemed disturbed by that.

It didn't take him very long to sum the tale up after that, trailing off as he reached the part where he'd arrived at Illicit.

"And then," Timorre noted in a false-chipper voice, "you took some Remalene that Qing was nice enough to give you, called a man who wants my blood...and promptly passed out so I got to talk to him."

"You are the one who kidnapped his husband," Duo retorted. "I can't help that part."

Timorre rolled his eyes.

"Today," Duo added, looking around again. "After I'd showered and eaten, I called my boyfriend...and got the update."

He missed Quatre.

People exchanged more looks.

Duo ran a hand through his hair tiredly, wishing he'd just taken his pills like he'd told Quatre he would. He'd have slept a few more hours, then arranged a transport back to the mainland...back to his friends.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking toward the window. "I haven't seen Quatre in five days...and it's the longest we've been apart since we got together."

"Forlorn lover," Rin retorted. "Getting on task helps you forget."

Duo turned and gave him a look, then sighed heavily. "He told me that our lines can't extend beyond where they are at this point, but the base scattered. There had been no word or sight of Gerrange himself since he tried to insist I was still on the base—that was after I arrived here and called to let them know I was alive...so..."

"Maxwell had an idea," Rin noted when Duo trailed off again. "He suggested it to Den and I earlier...I think it has some promise, but it'll take some faith on our part."

"And what is that idea?" one of the men muttered, looking between them with interest.

"Mercenaries," Duo returned, moving back toward the table. "You have soldiers, you need money or supplies, and the ESA has come to realize how little a threat you are," he indicated Clint. "Which means if you don't look at us with your hackles raised, we'll leave you in peace until we can focus properly to deal with you."

"Oh, that is a lovely way to put it," Timorre grumped.

"My apologies," Duo reassured him. "I just want it obvious that if you're helping us, you don't look so much like terrorists."

"What is this obsession you have with intimidation?" Rin demanded, looking up to him in exasperation.

Duo felt an obnoxious thrill and moved in and down so he and the man were eye to eye, any movement would cause them to touch. "Because I'm damn good at it," he growled, studying Rin's eyes. "I have the power, the means, and the will to get things done, and when dealing with people who are already scared of me, it just makes the job that much faster."

Rin had frozen utterly, staring back up to Duo with slightly wide eyes—Duo wasn't even sure he was breathing.

God the man was fun...

Duo pulled away, wondering how he looked with four-days growth on his face as he studied the other men and women of the council. "To be honest-to-fucking God," he noted, straightening with his hand on the back of Rin's chair, "I don't give a rat's fucking ass what you guys are doing out here. You're not fucking with the people I risked my life to protect. For all I care, you could float out here until you all starved."

Rin shifted slightly back in his seat, not quite meeting his eyes.

Duo moved away from the chair, looking from face to face. "The only reason I'm standing here treating you as equals," he smiled coldly at them, "is because I have nothing better to fucking do. I took Rin's Remalene," he noted, pointing at Timorre as he looked back to the man. "I admit to that—and I admit to it knowing your stores of everything have been depleted. I ate my fill today, knowing your stores were depleted. I will take a second dose of Remalene shortly and eat another full meal or two tomorrow...because I'm not just going to waltz out of here and leave you idiots to your own. There was a request for a week's supply of food," he indicated Clint.

Some of the people at the table actually looked surprised as they looked to the young man.

"I fully intend to give the orders to accede to that request," Duo pointed out. "But I can only give you so much before you have to do for yourselves...and you're absolute fools if you decide not to go through with my plan. Mercenaries can apply for and receive international permits to move anywhere on the planet or in space. Mercenaries can apply for and receive benefits when they've assisted the ESA. Mercenaries make money to do what they do, or can barter for supplies. If you lot want your independence so bad, then take it in the legal bounds. It's true that mercs have to follow the laws of the ESA—but in this day and age, becoming your own nation just to get out from under their thumb is a sure way to keep yourself from becoming an independent nation. You have to build up your credentials," he slammed a hand hard to the table so some of them jumped. "You have to make us acknowledge that you've got your shit together and you'll play nice with others...and then you can actually say you want to be considered a country."

"Don't come in here lecturing me," Timorre growled, rising to his feet and placing his hands against the table. "Don't come in here with your better-than-thou speeches, Maxwell..."

"Better than thou," Duo laughed, looking around a moment, then met Timorre's eyes. "Don't even pretend that I won't kick your ass, soldier. There are worlds of difference between our classes."

"You were an L-2 street urchin," Timorre growled.

"And I dug myself out of the fucking gutter to one of the highest ranking offices our military has to offer. You came from a stable family with happy siblings and got into petty fight after petty fight. You earned the reputation of one who needs watched, and joined with a scatter-brained imbecile for some misguided attempt at independence. You kidnapped a nineteen year old from his very home and drug him across parts of Asia, Europe, and Africa before attempting to take him to Brazil, nearly getting him killed in the process. He can't be alone half the time, he's terrified that someone's going to come grab him—he can't take anything that induces sleep, because he's terrified he's going to wake up in some unknown fucking country handcuffed to the mother fucking bed. Don't you dare presume I won't kick your fucking ass!"

"I think we should break," Rin noted quietly, rising to his feet, looking between the two males.

"If you're fool-hardy enough to ignore me," Duo spoke up, looking around and ignoring the man, "when I'm giving you a way to keep from being arrested and imprisoned for treason, terrorism, evading, conspiracy, and a laundry list of petty offenses, then I hope you do just stay here and starve...with all your fucking children."

Timorre's temper, evidently, had snapped, because he dodged around Rin...and Hoxha launched over the table to grab him around the waist.

Duo considered the pair a moment, then took a ready stance. "Stand down, Hoxha."

"Sir, I can't allow you to..."

"Stand down," Duo snarled. A quick and dirty fight would help him relieve a ton of frustration, especially if Timorre was as good as his old reputation had suggested.

Hoxha hesitated, obviously torn as Rin moved up to try and help restrain the president...but Hoxha didn't have a choice—Clint moving around the table purposefully cemented that fact.

He let Timorre go.

Duo smiled as the man rushed at him...and hoped no one else would try an interrupt.

- -

Quatre was pacing.

"Lay down or I'm gonna knock you out," Trowa ordered tiredly.

"Easy for you to say," the semi-blond snapped back, glaring at Blake. "You went and got laid."

"Quatre," Trowa protested.

Heero started untangling himself from Matty, who was sleeping just as heavily as Blake.

"You're not alone," Quatre hissed to Trowa.

"Duo's fine," Heero reminded him. "He should wake up in a couple hours and we'll get a call from him saying he wants a helicopter out there or something."

"No he won't," Quatre retorted irritably, giving him a dark look. "He hasn't even slept yet."

"What?" Heero asked blankly.

"He's doing something," Quatre snapped back, then turned and kicked his bag across the floor.

Jinli started hard, turning from where he and Wufei had been back-to-back to blink at the man in confusion. Matty had already been waking up from the noise, and pushed himself up to blink as well.

"What's the matter?" Blake muttered, not bothering to move off Trowa.

"Just...go back to sleep," Quatre gestured vaguely at the young man. By his expression, he felt bad for waking the three—he was very aware that his friends had not been sleeping.

"Come here," Heero ordered, grabbing Quatre's arm. The man fought him at first, but Heero ignored that and pulled him in tightly. It took a moment for Quatre to respond, but if he could comfort Matty without words, there shouldn't be an issue consoling one of his oldest friends.

Quatre collapsed against him, burying his face in Heero's chest.

"Come on," Heero muttered over his should to Matty. "The three of us can fit on the big bed."

Matty rubbed at his face a long moment, then grabbed his pillow and climbed wordlessly from the twin.

"He's all pissed," Quatre muttered, looking across the room at the closet. "He didn't take his pills like he said he would earlier...but I didn't realize that until he got all pissed. He's so annoying."

"We knew that, though," Heero reminded him, pulling away and tugging him toward the larger bed.

"They took the supplies from the river-bank," Quatre complained. "Why couldn't he have come back then?"

"It's Duo," Heero reminded him quietly. "He's probably gathering information. Any of us would have if we were suddenly on Illicit. It's an unknown quantum." Heero eased Quatre onto the bed, which made the semi-blond blink and Matty smirk.

"I just had this dream," Jinli muttered, sounding like he was already half asleep. "I had this huge axe and there was this like...beanstalk...that went out to the colonies...but the stalk was starting to wilt, so they told me to chop it down."

Wufei snorted.

"I know! It was beyond stupid...but it was growing out of this block...like that stupid game Matty and Blake were playing...and I had to chop it down and break the block...but I'd like...run out of fire or something like that..."

"Just how close were you watching that game?" Matty muttered in disbelief as Heero settled between Quatre and his boyfriend.

"I was having Blake explain it to me when he was playing...tell me that's not some stupid shit."

"How do you even dream?" Wufei retorted. "I don't know any guys who dream..."

"Which is why you had that one about collecting figurines?" Jinli retorted. "Because you totally didn't have some big ol' retarded adventure in that."

Wufei started laughing. "Yes, but that ended in sex...I don't see your game ending in sex."

Matty started laughing.

"Well...I suppose if he saved enough of those peasants or princesses or whatever," Blake noted, "one of'em'd be bound to be easy, huh?"

Wufei started laughing again.

"Whatever," Jinli sounded almost offended by that. "I didn't even know there were princesses in that stupid shit."

Trowa snickered, too.

"I guess that didn't really help my case, did it?" he muttered in Chinese, yawning.

"Not really," Matty agreed happily...in English.

Jinli blinked at that.

Quatre yawned, snuggling against Heero's side, then snorted disconsolately.

"Wha?" Matty muttered through a yawn.

"He doesn't smell right," Quatre explained.

"I think he smells good," Matty retorted, nuzzling at Heero's shirt.

"'m game for a threesome," Heero noted, yawning himself. "Just let me sleep first."

Matty started snicker.

"Keep wishing," Quatre retorted sarcastically.

"Why not?" Heero asked happily, pulling Matty closer to him. "I have been for years."

Quatre started laughing weakly.

"If you ever say that shit to me," Wufei noted firmly, "you know I'll deck you, right?"

"The words will never cross my mouth," Heero reassured him, grinning down at Matty. "Where you can hear."

Jinli started laughing.

Matty rolled his eyes, then closed them.

It was nice to be doing the shared-room thing again. He'd really appreciated it before the apartment had been torn apart.