Heero made it to Preventer headquarters in record time only running 3 red lights, almost hitting an old lady crossing the street and losing a cop that tried to pull him over for speeding … tried. Despite what seemed to be happening, Heero couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

As he pulled into the parking garage he saw Trowa standing by the door to the building. "Trowa."

"Glad you could make it." He looked at the shorthaired boy and noticed that even though he tried to hide it, the boy was anxious. He didn't know how Heero would handle what was going to be said tonight, but something told him that it was going to be an interesting night.

"What's the matter?" He had seen Trowa's gaze and had a feeling what the taller boy was thinking.

"Just that you look like Hell. Have another boxing session with your door?" He nodded toward the others bandaged fist.

"Hai."

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence and met up with Wufei and Quatre in one of the private offices. The four made general nods of welcome to each other and took seats. Even Quatre looked like he didn't want to be here. Heero didn't know what to make of that. Usually the blonde would love a chance to get the four of them together for some reason.

"How have you been Heero? It's been a while since we've last spoken. What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Tell you the truth Quatre, I'm sick of not knowing what the fuck's going on and of beating around the bush. Wufei said you had information, but wouldn't say anything until the four of us were together. We're all here. Let's hear it."

Quatre's eyes widened in shock and no small amount of hurt at Heero's response. He felt Trowa's hand on his thigh under the table in a show of support and he welcomed it.

"That's out of line Heero. He didn't do anything that warranted your hostility."

"That's OK, Trowa."

"Iie."

"What?"

"He's right, Quatre. You did nothing to deserve that kind of shit from me. I'm sorry."
Quatre still couldn't believe how much Heero had changed over these short few years. He didn't go around spewing his feelings all the time, but he definitely accepted and showed them a lot more. "Forgiven Heero. I just didn't know how to get about telling you what I know."

"Just spit it out, Quatre. It's been too long a day."

Sparing a short glance at Wufei, Quatre related what he knew.

"As you know, Trowa and I have been stationed near L3 for the past 6 months trying to get information on the major thefts that have been occurring there."

"Yes, we all know that's the reason the two of you went there. State of the art weapons, defense systems and even security plans have all been stolen in the past years. What does that have to do with the here and now?" Patience still wasn't one of Wufei's strong points. Neither was subtlety.

"Quiet Wufei."

"Thank you Trowa. When we looked into these thefts, what wasn't reported was that everything that was stolen was returned within a week of the time it was stolen. We have no idea why the thief would steal something and return it later."

"Every item, system, plan, whatever was returned?"

"Every single one, Heero. What's even more mind boggling was that they were found in the exact place they were stolen from."

"So that means that not only did the thief get through all the defenses once to steal everything, but got through everything again when security was increased to put everything back? It makes no sense. What IS the point?"

The pilots sat there for a few minutes contemplating what was just said when Trowa spoke up "Tell them about your sister."

Wufei and Heero shot their eyes at the two ex-pilots sitting across the table from them. /What does his sister have to do with all those thefts?/ Heero thought. /Unless this is connected to the vid and the fact that Duo is still alive./

"My sister Gena works in one of the factories that was robbed. She designed the security system, said it was state of the art and that whatever it protected was 'unstealable.'"

"Not so 'unstealable' if you ask me" Heero shot Wufei a glare, but couldn't help the small smirk that reflected the one on Wufei's face.

"Yeah, yeah. She said one of the cameras caught a very short and somewhat blurry view of the thief before they disabled the camera." Quatre looked around the table. Hard black eyes looked intently at his own cool blue ones. They knew that what the blonde was now going to say was of the utmost importance and was totally focused. Heero, on the other hand, looked like something had happened, but didn't know what it was. He had also been getting the feeling of anxiety and determination from the brown haired pilot all night. Lastly he looked into the green eye of his long time lover, Trowa. He knew he had to tell everyone, they had to know. He looked into Heero's eyes.

"Though the picture was distorted … the figure was dressed all in black" he took a deep breath "with a long, brown braid."

Wufei sputtered and his jaw dropped. If this hadn't been such a serious matter, Quatre would have thought it was hilarious. However, it was Heero's reaction that worried him the most. He didn't react. Not a bit. No surprise, no nothing. However, the grim determination he felt from Heero more than doubled.

"Heero, are you alright?"

"Is that all?" came the dead-panned response.

"Heero?"

"Is that all, Quatre?" The other three pilots knew that voice. The voice of the perfect soldier, resurrected to accomplish some unknown mission.

"My other sister, Iria is stationed at the New Edwards base." Matching Heero, Quatre spoke as he did when they were pilots, treating this situation as a mission. "She received a call from Gena about the thief as well as the shaky description. Turns out that a girl of that description just enrolled at the school there…" He took another look around the table. "She's registered as Duo Martinson."

"Th … that can't be… Duo … was" Wufei didn't know what he was saying. The news of her disappearance had affected him worse than the other pilots, excluding Heero. Accepting the status of 'Presumed Dead' for the braided girl was nothing short of chopping off a limb for the Chinese boy. Though he had signed the forms assigning that status, neither he nor Heero could accept the fact that she was dead.

"She's classified as dead."

"Presumed dead, Trowa"

"If she were alive, and we all want that to be the case, why hasn't she shown up? We broadcasted the search to every colony and country in the United Earth Sphere and Duo wouldn't just disappear knowing we were worried about her. She must be…"

"I have proof she's alive, Quatre." All eyes turned to the Japanese boy. "This was sent to me today. No prints, no return address or anything."

"What's on it? Does it show she's still alive?" If Quatre didn't know better, he would have thought he heard a slight panic in the former Shenlong pilot.

The three pilots watched the vid in grim silence as they watched the fight and it's outcome. Before he answered any questions, Heero played the vid again in slow motion and showed the pilots his evidence that this was a staged abduction because of the man's glance toward the cameraman and the poisoned dart. When his 'explanation' was completed, Heero sat back and took in the reactions of the others. Each was trying to absorb what they had just seen. Quatre looked horrified, Trowa looked really pissed off and Wufei was visibly shaking. Heero knew what Duo meant to the solitary one all those years ago and, like himself, felt the loss greatly and never stopped looking for the American.

"She's alive…"

"We don't know that Wufei. This was obviously taken three years ago when Duo first disappeared. How can we be sure that she is still alive?"

"I think we have our answer, Quatre."

"Huh? What do you mean Trowa?"

"Think about that thief that's been giving everyone problems over the past few years. Your sisters both saw a girl matching Duo's description."

"The poem."

"Wufei?"

"Yui. What did that note say on the burning school?"

"Five became one, where you met in the war."

"Wait! Where five became one? Could that be where the five of us first met up with each other!?"

"New Edwards Base."

"That's where we're supposed to meet with whoever sent that vid and burned the school. Justice will be served." Fire blazed in the sloe eyes of the Chinese boy.

"The rest of it said to meet back there three days hence…that's tomorrow" Heero said looking at his watch noticing that it was 3:41 am. "We have to be there at 15:30 hours at the spot we met at then."

"How do we really know if it's Duo though?"

"Simple." Once again, all eyes turned to Heero, his eyes cold and focused. "Chang and I will register today and go to the school and check it out as students. Since it would seem suspicious if we registered and showed up today, we will go tomorrow before the deadline." Wufei nodded. "Trowa, you and Quatre get to the base and hook up surveillance. I want to be able to see exactly who we're dealing with, what kind of equipment they might have and they'll probably want to scope out the place early."

Trowa and Quatre nodded their agreement. As one, they rose from their seats and met each others gaze. No one needed to say anything; this was their greatest mission yet:

Find out what happened to Duo Maxwell and make the person who took her pay dearly.

OK OK OK!! I'm trying to get it all up and moving. I swear it'll get better in a little bit. C + C PLEASE!!!!