Wufei eyed the small woman a moment and decided that she seemed capable, if not deadly in her own way.  Looking back at Duo he shook his head slightly. “Duo, I agree that we must find the others and despite the fact that I think you’ve truly lost any bit of sanity you may have had… I believe you, you’ve never lied to me before so I have no reason to doubt you.”
     Duo flashed him a cheeky grin.  “I hear a ‘but’ coming up…”
 Rolling his eyes Wufei crossed his arms over his chest.  “But… No one is doing anything until you’ve seen a doctor and secondly…”  He cast a hooded glance at Anita.  “I think we can count on the woman’s word but the others…”
     Duo shook his head wryly, “You worry too much Wu-man.”
     “And YOU don’t worry enough… and don’t call me Wu-man!”
     Duo winked at him.  “Anything you say Wu-man!”
……………………………..
     Anita watched the exchange with a tinge of amusement but cleared her throat, drawing their attention.  “If I speak for them, will that be acceptable to you?”
     The Chinese boy looked up at her and held her gaze a moment.  And for just a split second she could have sworn it was Edward’s eyes (aka Ted Forrester) that had been looking back at her and when he spoke she had no trouble believing a word he said.  “If they harm Maxwell of any of the others in anyway but self-defense… I will hold you solely responsible and then I will hunt you down and kill you.”
     Anita kept her gaze level.  “I accept that.”  She had a feeling she coul understand the boy who nodded.
     “Is that finally settled?”
     Anita rose an eyebrow at the braided young man who had his arms folded over the chest of his priest-like outfit.
     “Yes.  But I am not finished with you Maxwell.”
     Despite herself, Anita smirked as Wufei pushed Duo back into a chair, calling for a firstaid kit and slowly she backed up, knowing the other two wouldn’t like what she’d done.
     “Ma petite?”
     “You don’t have to help them Jean-Claude but you WILL stay out of their way.  I spoke for you two and that… young man is quite capable of seeing his threat through and despite the fact that Duo said nothing I caught the dark look that crossed his face, it implied severe pain and torture should anyone so much as touch a strand of hair on Wufei’s head.  They could be good allies or deadly enemies… that I’m sure of but besides that… somehow they made it onto my list.  They’re only about fifteen but they have Edward’s eyes… whatever caused it… they deserve better…”
     “Anita, you aren’t Lupa so you can’t speak for the pack.”
     Anita put her most blank look into her eyes as she looked at Richard’s stubbornly set chin.  “No I’m not, but the pack won’t bother them or they’ll deal with me.  I’ve given them my word Richard.  You and Jean-Claude can do whatever you like so long as you don’t interfere…”  She would have continued but a sharp gasp and the word ‘Kisama’ resounded through the room drawing everyone’s attention.
     Anita couldn’t help but feel her eyes widened in amazement as she looked at Duo and Wufei.  Wufei had evidently removed the braided boy’s shirt to reveal a large, bloody gash along his side, but that didn’t seem right since he’d done a cartwheel only moments before.
     Moving over to them she caught Wufei’s ranting…
     “Duo no baka!  Do you ENJOY pain?  Good God, withstanding large amounts of pain is one thing but not even Heero would have been doing gymnastics with a wound like this!”
     But what really caught her off-guard was when Duo grabbed Wufei’s hand, a look so dark it surpassed anything she’d ever seen on Edward’s face.  Something she’d NEVER seen on anything even remotely human, it made her skin crawl.
     And though Duo spoke quietly, his voice held an unearthly power.  “Watch it Chang.”
     Having heard that, her hand twitched to her gun but stopped as Wufei glared back, his voice calm and unafraid.  “Don’t pull that Shinigami, God of Death shit on me Maxwell.  If you’d wanted to kill me you would have done it long ago.  Now, shut up and let me work!”
     Whatever it had been that had made her skin crawl slowly ebbed away and Duo smiled up at Wufei.  “You know just how to talk to a guy Wu-baby.  Didn’t know you cared.”  He was quiet a few seconds as he watched the Chinese boy clean the wound.  “You gonna kiss it better too?”
     Anita could have sworn Wufei growled.
………………………………..
     Leaning against the wall near Anita, Wufei permitted the assessing looks Richard and Jean-Claude were giving him, and though he was well aware of the fact that the half-asleep pilot sitting on the chair next to him was more than capable of taking care of himself, he moved slightly in front of him in a protective, almost possessive movement.  And felt a faint flush paint his bronze cheeks at the fleeting but knowing smile that flickered over Jean-Claude’s lips.  He just hoped Duo hadn’t noticed it…. Though duo tended to notice everything.
     Slowly Jean-Claude nodded his head, his long, white fingers playing with the lace of his long-sleeved red shirt.  “Because ma petite believes in you I shall lend you my assistance in finding your comrades.”
     Wufei nodded and let his ebony eyes drift to the scruffy-looking Boy Scout.  The brown-haired man let out a long sigh, before breeching the sudden silence in the room.  “Fair exchange, right?  We help you, you help us?”
     Wufei let his eyes narrow slightly but nodded, “Yes.”
     Behind him he heard a sleepy, ‘Yep’, but he was sure that Duo was far more alert than he appeared.
     Richard crossed his arms over his chest.  “I don’t think the two of you are even remotely close to what you’ve hinted at but I trust Anita’s judgment and she believes you are… so in exchange for the pack’s help… you help the pack.  If a pack member is in trouble you help protect them.  If a member is hurt you do what you can to help.  The pack’s laws and rules will include you.  And all the pack’s loyalties or fights will also be yours.”
     Wufei cocked his dark head to the side, looking remarkably relaxed.  “So you’re making us honorary pack members?”
     Something like anger passed over Richard’s face and his voice showed a taint of anger.  “Yes.”
     Not sure really why, he looked down at Duo, and waited as dark violet eyes met his own before turning their gaze on Richard.  “We’ll have to go through a ritual won’t we?”
     Richard nodded curtly.  “The pack has to accept you but no one will want to be submissive to you.  If you want a higher rank you’ll have to fight for it, first blood.”
     Wufei jumped at Duo’s sudden harsh, barking laughter.  “Bring on the wolves.”