Heero had indicated that there had been some kind of trouble but hadn't told him much more than he'd been slightly hurt and the Headmaster had given him the afternoon off. Duo wished he had the afternoon off then changed his mind

They'd had some problems with work. Not anything serious after they'd gotten it through the heads of the adults they worked with that they were competent there'd been few problems. But one of the worst one's had been scheduling. Quatre had arranged for them to work in the morning and go to school in the afternoon. They'd had to change it around because most people they needed to meet with were only available in the afternoon. But that meant that they could use part of their work time to do ‘ugh' homework.

That had raised a few eye brows and gotten some laughs. The bosses had homework. Wufei had taken the teasing with quiet dignity. Trowa had ignored it. Quatre didn't hear it. But Duo had taken some flack from some of the older men, until he'd shown them why he was called Shinigami. He'd taken the worst offenders out onto the training grounds at WEI headquarters in the city and just told them, "If you can keep up, you can treat me like a kid. If you can't keep up, you'll leave me alone or I'll get angry. And you don't want a pissed off Shinigami after your ass."

After leaving most of the men in his dust and the few that almost kept up panting like well run hounds, he'd gotten the respect he deserved. In fact, unbeknownst to him, many of the men were proud to say that they were run ragged by that ‘little Gundam bastard.'

Wufei had gotten into the security arrangements of WEI and was equally respected and hated by the men in his department. There had been a big flap that had taken some doing to get control of. Security was bad. Passwords were shared around like family pictures, id's were ignored and the computer security was generally a joke. Wufei had sent memos that were ignored, then reset the entire system making everyone choose new user names and passwords. This had really gone over well. They'd finally fired two of the worst offenders. And that led to the current problem

One of the men who'd gotten himself fired was the father of a co-captain of the soccer team. And the entire soccer team was intent on causing all four of them as much trouble as possible. Their complaints that they only had to stay on campus for half a day were quashed by the Headmaster before they got a good start. But there were still many things that they could do to make trouble.

Like soak Duo with soda and apologize profusely. "Sorry my ass. I'm still sticky. I can't wait to go home and change clothes." Duo muttered in the general direction of Wufei.

"Maxwell, you could dodge Oz. Why can't you watch out for those idiots? Be quite." Wufei whispered back.

"Because I wasn't expecting them, now I am."

"Mr. Maxwell, do you have something important to say, or are you just disrupting the class on general principles? Why don't you share what you have to say with the rest of us?"

Duo eyed the teacher with undisguised hauteur.

"Sure I'll share. I just was saying that the next idiot who spills soda on me is trading fists next. Wanna make somethin' of it?"

The professor knew something was going on with Duo and the soccer team but he wasn't sure what. He decided the best thing in this instance was to ignore it.

"I see. Well, could you please keep it down."

"Sure. Down it is, Prof." Duo wasn't in the mood to fool around with him or any other authority figure.

"Thank you, I'm sure. Now back to the lecture. If you'll all . . . "

Duo allowed the lecture to wash over his ears leaving not a trace of information. Wufei would share his notes. Duo was planning in his head for Quatres Ball next week end.

This ball was a logistical nightmare. Every server had to be checked out. Duo hated the way the caterer had just hired a bunch of high school and college kids. They could be anyone. They might be exactly who they said they were, but he'd snuck into too many elegant homes by pretending to be from the local school and just getting hired on by the caterer for some party or other to not check everyone out.

He'd had one phone fight with the manager already and he was willing to make a personal visit to reenforce the man's comprehension of the fact that he, Duo, was really in charge of security for the ball. He wasn't putting up with getting the run around.

Wufei reached over and poked Duo.

"Huh? What!"

"Class is over. What were you thinking about?"

Duo gathered up his e-book, note book ,and pen and stuffed them into his back pack.

"That idiot caterer. I'm gonna have trouble with him. I don't think he understands that Quatre is really the head of WEI. Why does he have to have this stupid ball anyway?"

Wufei followed Duo out into the hall. It was crowded with students moving from one room to another and Duo grumbled. He hated being bumped into; none of them liked unexpected contact of any kind. This going to school seemed so simple, but the terrain was littered with land mines. Slamming locker doors still made them all flinch and a door slamming unexpectedly was liable to send them ducking.

"Because it is necessary to establish that he's the head of WEI and this is one of the steps in that most necessary of dances. It'll all be over soon." Then Wufei changed the subject with a suddenness that Duo had no trouble following. "Quatre is making arrangements for us to clep out of as many classes as possible. I'll be out of Physics by the end of the week. You need to sit down at your desk and see what you can clep out of."

"I will. As soon as this damn ball is over with. I don't have time to scratch just now. I'm going to have to speak directly to the caterer. He doesn't see any reason to turn over a list of servers to some boy. ‘Some boy' is gonna rip him a new one."

Wufei thought as he negotiated his way around a group of giggling girls and another of posturing boys.

"Why not just call him on the phone and tell him that it's not necessary for him to send you that list. You've already found another caterer that is willing to . . . ahem . . . cater to your idiosyncracies."

Duo smiled one of his genuine smiles, reached into his pocket and extracted his cell phone. "Great idea. I'll do that right now . . . but what if he tells me to use the other one?"

"Then you get with Trowa and ask him for the next caterer on the list and call them." Wufei rolled his eyes. Duo was having trouble in school mostly because he hated authority and the teachers insisted on treating them no differently than they would any other seventeen-year-old. It didn't go down well with any of them. Duo just showed it more.

Wufei ducked just in time and the roll of thrown toilet paper missed him. Duo ducked too and it sailed over both their heads and hit a girl in the back. She squealed, her boyfriend glared around but the perpetrator was no where to be seen.

"I'm so gonna get those guys. I'll . . . I'm thinkin' about . . ."

"Calm down. Plan carefully. Don't get caught." Wufei had had more than enough of the soccer team himself. "If you think about it, I'm sure you'll think of an appropriate revenge. Just don't blow anything up."

"Sure Wuffers. No explosions. Got it . . . hello? Excuse me don't put . . . you fucker!"

"What now?" Wufei knew from Duo's tone of voice that things were going from bad to worse.

"That caterer put me on hold the minute he heard my voice. I'm so gonna fry him."

"Perhaps you should. . . Quatre, there you are."

Wufei turned slightly to allow Quatre to join with them. Trowa merged on the other side of Duo, who was unfortunately still on hold.

Quatre caught on quickly that Duo was in a bad mood his curses into the phone sort of clued him in.

"What's wrong? Duo's getting ready to fry his circuits."

Just then Duo hug up his phone with a snap. "Shit. He left me until the message center picked up and started on that damn ‘if you don't want to wait message."

Trowa ran his hand through his bangs. He wanted to go home. His last class had been a bear. The professor of his Poly Sci. class was pro nothing. He seemed to be interested in starting as big an argument as possible. The class had degenerated into a shouting match between the president of the debate team and the local chess champion. Nothing had been accomplished as far as Trowa could see except giving him a headache as he'd been sitting between the two shouting boys.

"What's wrong?" Quatre wasn't in a good mood either. He'd just gotten out of Economics. All he wanted to do was eat lunch, then go to the office where he dealt with real economic issues. Instead of trying to satisfy a professor, who was poor as a church mouse, that he knew how to handle his allowance.

Duo decided to dump the whole decision on Quatre, after all it was his ball. "That caterer is giving me a lot of trouble. He won't give me the list of servers I asked for. And he keeps putting me on hold. If he puts me on hold one more time, I'm gonna hack his system and . . . "

"I'll just have Trowa tell him that his services aren't needed after all. He's put me on hold. I'm holding for him right now. To tell him that I don't want bar-be-que. Man's an idiot."

Trowa added his two cents worth. "He put me on hold and when I finally got through to him he told me that I don't have the authority to tell him anything about what he's to serve. Meile, I'll call him and tell him to stuff himself. Ok?"

Quatre nodded. He was hungry and not in the mood for this kind of thing.

They made it out of the building without further incident and scrambled into the car. They argued about which restaurant to go to but it was genial and solved easily enough with a round of rock paper scissors. Duo won and everyone else groaned.

"Ok you bunch of stuffed shirts. I want to go to the Coliseum. It's got great steaks and Quatre can get one of those things he likes."

"It's a wrap."

"It sure is."

Wufei poked Duo in the ribs, producing the obligatory squawk. "Duo, call that caterer again. If he puts you on hold, give the phone to Trowa."

"Ok, just a minute. We're almost to the restaurant, you want me to call now, or after I have lunch."

"No, now. Let the ass deal with a hungry Shinigami. Might make him think twice."

Duo called, got put on hold, and gave the phone to Trowa, after a few pithy remarks that scorched the phone tower. Trowa calmly left a message that they would be using a more cooperative caterer.

"Well, that's that. Come on guys, I'm hungry." Duo led the way to the hosts station. Wufei noticed that his bouncy walk was returning.

After getting seated and ordering, they went over business while they waited for their food. Quatre didn't mind talking business while they waited, but when the food came, he refused to talk about anything to do with it.

"Q-brother. Why don't you talk business at lunch? Don't business men have working lunches all the time?"

"Yes. But my father would spend my special lunches talking business. He said that it was to teach me how to conduct myself. But it still hurt, that he'd talk right over my head and practically ignore me. So I don't want to talk business over lunch unless I really have to."

"Oh. Trowa remind me to . . . what?" Duo turned to stare in the direction Wufei was aiming one of his colder looks. The soccer team was coming in the door, well not the whole team, just the co-captains and the four lead players.

"Ack. All six of them. You think I can poison them?"

"Duo no. Don't start anything. If we start a scene, we'll get banned, and this is one of my favorite restaurants. If they start something, let me handle it."

"Ok. But I'm not puttin' up with them ruining my lunch. I've got a lot to do today and I'm gonna be busy until late."

Wufei moved so that his back wasn't to the room, more or less. Trowa and Duo moved around so that they were all scrunched into about three quarters of the table. That way no one had their back completely to the room.

The waiter came over to see what the problem was and was told that they all had problems with having their back to the room. At his puzzled look, Quarte just handed him some money and gave him one of his saccharine smiles, the extra sweet one that never reached his eyes.

"If they cause the least little bit of trouble, I'm calling the manager. I don't intend to sit here and listen to them get loud and rowdy. They're a waste of space."

Trowa just made sure that he was between Quatre and the main room. Quatre noticed, but didn't say much. If Trowa took the brunt of a first attack that gave Quatre time to take better aim. Wufei just sighed. If Duo got aggravated enough, there was no telling what he might do.

The soccer players managed to remain quiet and civilized until the end of their meal. The four Gundam pilots ate and talked about the ball, but when they ordered dessert that caused a big scene. Duo wanted Cherries Jubilee. When the waiter flamed the brandy, the uproar was enough to make even Duo cringe.

After yelling and ducking the soccer players got their chairs back upright and sat back down blaming the wait staff, the restaurant and everyone else for them making fools of themselves.

"Hey, trust that long haired freak to do something like that."

"Yeah, someone needs to cut that braid off. You'd think he was something special. Girl!"

The others managed to put in their own foolish remarks. All they did was get themselves asked to pay their bill and leave.

~*~

Duo went to his office and soon had a call from Trowa, who told him that he should get an e-mail in a few minutes. When he got the e-mail, the attachment was a list of everyone who worked for the new caterer along with their citizen numbers. He spent the rest of the afternoon checking everyone out.

Wufei had a mess on his desk too. One of the men he'd fired had appealed, that meant that Wufei had to justify his decision. He grudgingly started on the paper work. He'd rather have done his homework. This meant that he would be up late again doing that instead of sleeping.

Trowa immersed himself in the process of planning with the new caterer while he juggled Quatre's appointments, phone calls, e-mails, faxes, and files. This wasn't as easy as juggling knives and just as dangerous. He'd had a royal ass munching from some snooty personal assistant who'd wanted to know why Mr. Winner had a teenager in his office at all. The woman had ended her rant by demanding to speak with Mr. Winners real personal assistant. When he'd coldly explained that he was the real assistant she'd said nastily that Mr. Winner was a damn pederast. Trowa had snarled, "He's four months younger than me." and hung up. He wasn't sure if that was exactly right or not, but it had sure felt good to say it.

Quatre sat at his desk and worried. He was handling WEI quite well, thank you. The business was doing better than ever, and executives who'd had nothing but trouble with a combined board of directors trying to work as a CEO ,now found that there was one person making decisions again. Things were looking much better.

But he was worried about the other three men. They were not settling in like they should. He felt, not without reason, that having to go to school was the main problem. He hated it, it was a waste of half his day. He didn't like the way the other students acted around them. They teased in a way that set their nerves on edge, taking chances that jumpy ex-terrorists wouldn't react badly to things like being slapped on the head unexpectedly. They couldn't afford an incident just now so he worried especially about Duo.

He also worried about Heero, the e-mails were informative and Heero ‘submitted' them like mission reports. The IM s were also good, it was almost like talking to him on the phone, but that was the real problem if they contacted him directly it would bust him. If that happened, he'd be sent to Hellcreek or some other ‘real' prison. He'd spent considerable money (which he didn't mind), and put some people in danger of losing their lively hoods (which he did mind), in order to make sure that Heero was held in a facility that was as unthreatening as possible. But he wasn't in direct contact with the facility or anyone who could tell him what was really going on with Heero. He knew that Relena was working on her end to see if she couldn't get Heero released even earlier than the guidelines recommended, but he wasn't going to count on something he didn't have direct control of.

Quatre sighed, reached out and picked up another contract, settled down and started to read. If he could review at least five this afternoon, he could relax tonight. Maybe Trowa would give him a full body massage, which would lead to other more enjoyable things. He sighed again and pulled his attention back to the contract. It just wasn't fair, he had Trowa, Wufei sort of had Duo, Heero had . . . no one.

Between them the four men managed to get enough work done in six hours that they had time to do home work in the board room before they went home. None of them could explain why they did that, they just did. It made it seem like work at ‘work' if that made any sense, instead of home work which none of them liked. Why torture people with work at home? It wasn't as if there wasn't enough at school, what with study halls and one thing and another.

"I'm done." Wufei slapped his book closed and looked around the others were doing more or less the same.

Duo stacked his feet on the table and leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head he glared at the ceiling.

Trowa watched him for a few moments then nudged Quatre. Quatre turned and rested his head on Trowa's chest. This wasn't good when Duo got that look in his eyes things tended to go boom. Messily.

"Maxwell, I don't know what you're planning, but don't do it."

"Wuffers. I'm tired of that bunch of soccer jocks causing trouble. I'm thinking of doing something about it. But I'm just not really sure exactly what. I don't want to hurt them . . . yet. But I want them to learn to leave me alone. I've gotten that bunch of wild-eyed individualists you call personal security to respect me without killing anyone. I don't understand why I can't get this bunch of stupid jocks to do the same."

"Because" Wufei gave Duo a disgusted look "they are teen agers. We're so much older than they are it isn't funny. They still believe that they are indestructible, that they own the world. They won't learn because they can't. They can't comprehend anything really bad happening to them."

Duo gave Wufei a wide-eyed look. "Oh shit. I never thought of that. They are protected aren't they. Damnit. I think I really messed up."

Quatre gritted his teeth. "Ok, what did you do? I'll have to see if I can't clean up the mess."

"Sorry . . . don't think so. I changed their e-mail routers so that their parents get copies of all their e-mails."

"Well, that's not so bad. What could possibly come back to bite us from that?"

"Don't know, but all of a sudden I've got a really bad feeling about it."

Trowa meanwhile was silently wondering if he could lock Duo up for a few days to keep him away from the soccer players. The whole team would be after Duo now. Or he missed his guess.

~*~

The next day they found out what could come back to bite them.

"Fuckn' asshole. I don't know how you did it, but I know it was you. I'm grounded for two weeks, no soccer practice, nothing. That means that I'm off the team until next semester. Prick."

Duo just stood up to the bigger boy. He'd already been through two other confrontations more or less exactly like this.

"You got a problem with me, let's take it outside. I'm tired of messing around with you guys. I'm no wuss. I'll take you all on. Piss ant."

"Nah, you'll just wind up cryin' for your Momma. But you'll be sorry."

Duo watched as the boy sauntered away. "Yeah, well, I'm already sorry. Prick."

Wufei had hold of Duo's arm. He didn't intend to do more than keep Duo from following the boy but he could feel the tension in that arm. In fact, Duo was so tense his arm felt like an iron bar.

He wasn't sure which Duo worried him more; the sad, self comforting Duo, or the pissed at the world Duo. He decided he wished Duo would start rocking again; that he could handle. Shinigami scared him into a cold sweat.

"Duo, don't follow him and don't invite the next one into the parking lot."

"Why not? They all want to kick my ass. I can handle them. If they attack me first, I'm covered. I won't kill any of them. Maybe maim one or two, but that's all."

"Duo, it will get us all into trouble. No one knows who we are. If you do this, our cover is blown."

Wufei tried to make Duo see reason, but when he reached a certain point. Duo was blind to logic. And he was rapidly reaching that point. Wufei wasn't sure he blamed him much. After being one of the most feared terrorists in the solar system, being reduced to a high school student was humiliating and annoying. Frankly, none of them dealt well with either.

"Come on, let's get to class. It's History of the Colonial Expansion."

"Gah! I hate that class. They get stuff wrong and . . . " Duo walked off grumbling. Wufei had heard the same grumble every day of that class since the second they'd started it. He wondered vaguely if they could clep it. That teacher was a fool and taught like a robot. If it wasn't in the book, it wasn't important; and he couldn't rope an original thought with a tractor beam.

They actually managed to get through the class without Duo starting anything. Much. He got into an argument with the teacher about the why's and wherefores of the location of the colonies which lasted the rest of the period and ended when Duo exploded, "You can't defy the laws of physics. Try it in your car sometime. Please do. The colonies are located at the LaGrange points because they are the only points which don't require constant orbital adjustments. You can't nudge a colony with anything short of . . . well. It's just too damn expensive."

The bell rang and Duo slammed his things back into his pack and started for the door. He dodged two attempts to corner him. One by a studious looking girl in sad looking clothing and the other by another of the soccer players. (I really need to remember their names. ) He made it into the hall only to turn back when he heard Wufei trying reason with the boy.

"Look, I don't know why you don't like Duo, but you're playing with fire. If you don't watch out you'll get burned quite badly. "

The boy reached out and pushed Wufei, Wufei rolled with the push and the boy found himself kneeling on the floor with his arm in a come along. With his elbow locked, the only way to keep Wufei from breaking his arm was to kneel.

"Don't do that. I don't like it. You play with fire, the dragon will burn you. Get up and spread the word. Mess with one, mess with all."

"Yeah well. . . you'll get yours. Just you wait."

Duo sighed. Now his trouble had spread to Chang Wufei. "Damnit. All I want is to get this over with. Do a good job for Q. And get Heero back . . . is that asking too much? Is there a curse on me? . . . What?"

Wufei had started pushing Duo out the door.

"We're going to be late for our next class. Come on."

"What class? I keep forgetting."

"I know. That's because it's not important enough to you. It's Twentieth Century literature. We're covering the fan fiction phenomena of that century this week."

"Ha? Manga? Why do I not remember this."

"Not manga. Pay attention in the class for once." Wufei wanted to change classes. He was interested in the Poetry of the Seventeenth Century Pre-Colony class, but it was full, so he'd signed them both up for this. Trowa and Quatre were also in it.

Wufei managed not to fall asleep in class with some difficulty. He succeeded mostly because it was so undignified to start snoring in class, especially in the front row. He wasn't best pleased with the class organization, most classes were sit down on the first day and that was your seat. This pain in the ass seated by alphabet. That meant that C was half way across the room from M. Duo seemed to need Wufei close to him and got entirely out of hand if he wasn't. Except in this class, where he put his head to one side and listened avidly to the teacher ramble on about some facet of twentieth century literature. Wufei had been wrong about the subject it was, unfortunately, romance literature this week.

The class drew to it's agonizing end and Wufei took charge of Duo before he could get into an argument with some uptight literature hound about the differences between the styles of two obscure authors that they both seemed to know more intimately than Wufei could stand.

"Come on Duo, two down and one to go. We'll sneak out early on this one. All we have to do is sit in the back of the auditorium. After Schmidt takes roll, we'll slip out and go to an early lunch, catch up with Trowa and Quatre and get to the office early. Maybe we can . . . Maxwell? What is it?"

Duo was standing in the hall staring at a retreating back. "I thought . . . just for a second. . . damnit!"

Duo wrapped his arms around himself and leaned against the nearby wall. He hung his head and sighed. "From the back he looked like Heero, . . . just for a second. Fuckfuckfuckfuck. I hate this. I wanna hold him. I don't wanna just e-mail and IM him. I'm sick of this. After all we did, all he suffered. We can't even be together. I have to put up with that bunch of pricks. And Heero isn't here. Damnit."

Wufei put his head next to Duo's, he slid his arm around Duo's shoulders and tugged on him gently. Duo turned to Wufei and grumbled. "Don't get ideas Chang. I'm taken."

Wufei mock snarled softly. "I got ideas. They include getting you and Heero back together. I've got a claim to your friendship though. Right." Wufei shook him gently back and forth. "Right?"

"Yeah, . . . right. He asked you to look after me. But who's going to look after you?"

"You are. Ok?" Duo nodded his head. "Now move it out. We got a class that we're going to be late for in about one minute. Come on."

They just made it to their seats before the bell. Duo groaned, Religious Philosophy: Comparative Religions 101. He hated this class almost as much as Colonial History. The teacher however, was nearsighted and hated glasses, couldn't wear contacts, and wasn't eligible for surgery. All they had to do was sit in the back and wait until she started lecturing, then nearly two thirds of the class would sneak out. Including them.

They managed to sit together and keep quiet until the lights went down and the teacher started lecturing. Duo slipped out first, followed quickly by Trowa ,who took a different door. Wufei and Quatre made it out before the rush, also taking different doors. Wufei wondered if the teacher didn't have a clue or just didn't care.

"Come on Chang, I see Trowa and Q. I'm sick of this place. If I wasn't scared of making Q mad I'd bomb it. I really would." Wufei shuddered but took heart, as long as Duo was talking about doing something, he usually wouldn't actually do it. It was a quiet Duo you had to look out for.

Wufei knew if Duo ever leaned over his shoulder and said in that calm soft voice "Ore wa Shinigami da." he'd start writing his will and hope he had time to finish it. Wufei realized that Duo was quite a way ahead of him.

"Duo wait up. We have plenty of time. Here you forgot your backpack."

Wufei caught up to Duo and gave him his backpack. It didn't weigh what he though it should.

"You forgot your books again. I swear, I don't know how you made it through two wars. You'd forget your head if it wasn't attached."

"Look in the pack Chang. Everything I need is in there. I put one of the secretaries to scanning all my books. They're in a reader now. I don't know why schools insist on paper books. They're wasteful, hard to annotate, and heavy. I hate school. I hateit hateit hateit. I've got better things to do with my time. Even if all I was doing was staring at the computer waiting for an e-mail from Heero." Duo shoved his hand into his bangs and gave them a jerk. Quatre came up and took hold of his wrist. He gently tucked it through his arm and started walking toward the car.

Trowa walked beside Wufei. "What's up?"

Wufei shook his head. "He's sill arguing with every teacher, fighting with other students, taking up with undesirables, threatening to blow up stuff. Just the usual. You know."

Trowa nodded, indeed he did know. He sympathized with Duo. He had Quatre to help him keep his sanity. Duo wanted his love close and he couldn't have him. This was getting somewhat out of hand, he wondered what they should do. He was completely out of ideas and Quatre was working on the only idea he had.

"We have quite a bit of work to take care of. Remember, this is Friday and we have to be ready for the weekend. Next week is going to be hectic. I'll be taking care of regular business as well as finalizing plans for the ball. Trowa will be busy helping me with that as well as his regular work. Duo, you'll be really busy making sure I don't have a bunch of gate crashers. Especially the trouble making kind that always shows up. Wufei will help you. We need any special arrangements get with Trowa. If you can't get any cooperation, I'll have to intervene."

Duo snorted. "My guys aren't any trouble now. If I have problems with security . . . damnit . . . I haven't got a brain in my head. . . ." Duo grumbled off and spent a few moments sulking; mumbling stupidstupidmoron.

"What is it? Duo, talk to me. ." Quatre worried until Duo just gave him a disgusted look and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Q-man if I bend over, will you kick my ass?"

"Of course not."

"Well you oughta. We've been having all kinds of trouble. Right? Right! Most of it's because we sound our age. And people can't understand that we really are doing the job we say we are. Most people think it's some kind of prank. Well, I've got a guy working for my department that sounds like . . .I'm not sure how to describe it. But he commands respect like Trowa usually does." Trowa made a face "It has something to do with the way he sounds. Or something."

Wufei shifted around to look at Duo more closely. What was he getting at?

"You know we used to use electronic shifters and stuff. Well, that made it so no one would recognize our voices. They didn't know they were talking to kids most of the time and the people we dealt with directly usualy knew who they were expecting. These people judge us by what they see. Relena kept our pictures out of the news, for the most part, and the ones that did get in were vague enough that most people wouldn't recognize us for pay. I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this, but . . . I'm going to use Mr Lyons. I'll have him make most of my calls and if I have to talk directly to anyone I'm gonna shift my voice. Make sure I sound older."

Wufei sighed. They'd all thought things would be easier when the war was over. Then, when the trials had started, things would be easier when the trials were over. Now he was wondering if anything would ever be easier. He wasn't hoping for utopia, not even normal. Just functional, that would be nice. So here they were, back on the offensive again. Only this time, thank heaven or whatever, they weren't on the verge of getting their asses shot off.

Quatre considered. "You're right. I'm sending out a memo. Everyone expects me to be young. They know how old I am. But I think they expect me to hire older people to ‘aid' me in my work. I hired you because you're the best there is. And because you're my friends. I'll make sure everyone in the company knows that your jobs aren't just some sort of nepotism or something. Now, can we please change the subject."

So they did and spent the rest of the drive to work discussing a new band they all liked. The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Wufei spent it checking into some missing inventory and Quatre and Trowa spent it doing contract revisions and arrangements for the ball.

Xxx

"Mr. Lyons, would you step into my office for a minute." Duo froze at the soft cat calls and hoots of ooooh "People?" Duo's voice was soft and cold. "I have work to do. If you don't have any, I'll be glad to find something for you to do." Duo looked over the visible staff but everyone had their heads down looking busy. "Didn't think so."

Mr. Lyons just followed Duo into the office and sat in the nearest chair. "They don't mean anything by that."

Duo rubbed his face and then sighed. "I know. But I put up with enough of that shit at school. I don't need it here. I'm going to have you do most of my phone contacts from now on. If I really need to talk to someone personally. I'll have you make first contact. I'm tired of the shit I get."

"Ok boss. Must be really hard. Going from doing a needed job to doing scut work for WEI. I mean, Mr Winner. . . you know I've never even seen that man? Anyway . . . what? Something Mr. Maxwell."

Duo was looking at Mr. Lyons with an arrested expression that made him wonder for a moment what he'd done.

"Oh, . . . umm . . . Sir. Most of us have figured out who you are. I won't say anything and neither will any of the rest of the staff. But how many other seventeen year olds have any of your training, not to mention that braid. Look, if you want it kept secret that you're here, you got it. You saved my life. Even if you don't remember, I do. So you want it, you got it."

"Ok, I'm sorry, I don't remember you. But I've checked your clearance and it's high. You could be a Preventer. I don't care why you don't want to do it, that's not my business, but I feel I can trust you." Duo reached over and taped a key on his computer. It brought up a screen saver that was a picture of all the pilots.

Mr. Lyons looked at it for a second and then nodded. " All the Gundam pilots. Good picture. So?"

"You are now my second. That guy that used to be second quit yesterday." Duo pointed to each pilot in turn and named them all. Ending "Quatre Raberba Winner. The Winner."

"Holy shit."

"Yeah. Now . . . I need these calls made. And if anyone wants to talk directly to me, you just tell them the truth. And make sure that they know I don't need shit. Ok?" at Mr. Lyons nod Duo turned back to the computer with a sigh.

"Got homework, huh."

"Yeah. And then I got to go over the security arrangements for that damn ball. Get gone. Hey Lyons. Thanks."

~*~

The weekend went well. They all spent most of it sleeping in, watching old movies, and doing homework. But Monday dawned all too soon.

"Duo! Wake up!"

"No."

"Up!"

"Fuck you." Duo slapped the pillow firmly over his face and tried to go back to sleep.

Wufei pulled it out of his hands and got him out of bed by the simple expedite of tipping the mattress, Duo and all, off the bed and dumping it on top of him.

"Damnit Chang. I hate you."

"Sure you do. Come on."

Wufei held the cup of coffee where Duo could smell it. He crawled out from under the mattress and took the cup.

"Ok I don't hate you. But I'm not that fond of you right now, either".

Wufei snarled. It was going to be another of those days, he was sure of it. He had a prickly feeling down his back.

Breakfast was accompanied by Duo's grumbling. He'd spent part of Sunday going over how many classes he could test out of and he'd found that he could test out of everything except the classes he was in right now. So he'd spent the rest of Sunday doing every test he could manage and hadn't gotten to bed until very late, or very early, depending on how you looked at it.

"Duo, I know you're tired, but it's your own fault. If you'd gone to bed . . ."

"If I'd gone to bed I wouldn't have enough credits to graduate right now. The only reason I didn't test out of the classes I'm in now is you aren't allowed to test out of a class you've started. Gimme somea that toast, will ya?"

"Duo." Quatres soft reprimand made Duo grimace.

"Sorry Quat. I know I'm slippin', but I'm tired. More coffee, please."

After too much coffee and not enough breakfast, Duo went in search of his back pack. Which had gone missing again.

Quartre went right to the heart of the problem the minute he was out of the room.

"He's slipping. I don't like the fact that his speech is degenerating. He was so proud of his better grammar. This going to school to be socialized is a major disaster. Trowa?"

"I checked the release document again. The language is very clear. We have to graduate from high school. It doesn't say we have to stay in school for any specific length of time, only until we graduate."

Quatre sipped his tea for a moment. Then made a decision.

"Wufei, will you make a schedule of tests we all need to take to graduate in mid year." Wufei gave a short nod of acquiescence "That will make it easier to make sure that no one can whipsaw us. I want to graduate as soon as possible. I'm too busy to put up with this shit any longer. The logistics are getting more and more complicated by the day. Trowa, when Wufei gives you the schedule, please see to it that my calender is clear for at least two hours a day so that I can take the tests in as timely a manner as possible. Any suggestions?"

Trowa bit his lip for a second. "Yes, we need to see that Duo takes it easy. He's worn out with this whole mess. Damnit, I wish Heero was here."

Duo's voice snapped from the door way. "Shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first. Come on, we'll be late. "

No one made any remarks about Duo sneaking up on them, he naturally walked lightly and stealth was his speciality. Instead they all finished their breakfasts and headed for school.

While they were on the way, another sore spot came up. Duo saw a car. Not just any car. Quatre couldn't remember exactly what its name was but it was sleek and hot and very expensive. And Duo wanted one in the worst way

"I don't see why we have to wait until we're eighteen to get a licence. I was operating a Gundam by the time I was thirteen. Fuck. I want that car."

"I'll give you one for your birthday if you'll just shut up about the licence. You know they raised the age again just last year."

Duo continued to grumble until they got to school. He was in a really bad mood and the next two class periods weren't to improve it any at all.

First period was horrible. Duo fell asleep and when Wufei nudged him to wake him up he flinched so badly that he fell out of his chair. Of course, everyone laughed at him, which made him angry.

Second period was even worse. Duo tripped over something and bumped into Wufei who slipped and bumped into Trowa. Quatre managed to keep out of the train wreck by some fancy foot work. But, again, everyone in the room laughed. Duo turned on the nearest warm body, but the kid held out his hands in an ‘I didn't do it' gesture so Duo let it drop, but he ignored the teacher in favor of glaring at the back of the head of one of the soccer team.

Just as the class ended, a Security Officer came into the room and called Duo into the hall. Duo looked at him for a second, then just stood up muttering to Wufei, "Relax. He's not Oz. What's he going to do to me?"

Duo followed the security officer into the hall and stopped just far enough away from him that he was out of arms reach.

"Yeah. What can I do ya for?"

"You can come with me to the Headmasters Office. Bring your pack with you."

Duo got an odd, unhappy feeling about that but complied.

When they reached the office Duo was motioned to enter first but he balked at the thought of having someone he didn't trust at his back. So he motioned for the security officer to go first.

"Not a chance. You first and give me that pack."

Duo handed his pack over without protest and gave the Headmaster an enquiring look.

"Ok, what's the problem. I know I've been having trouble with some of the soccer team, but it's not my fault. They started it."

"I don't know or care about the soccer team. If you're having trouble with them, it's probably your fault. They are division champions and the Alumni love them. This is about what you have in your possession."

Duo's eyes narrowed, this was not good. He didn't have anything in his possession that he shouldn't.

The security officer made a soft noise and Duo turned to see him take a baggie out of his pack. Out of a small outside pocket to be exact. Duo turned cold. He felt stupid, someone had suckered him and planted the pills.

"Those aren't mine. I don't do drugs of any kind."

The Headmaster turned to the security officer and just frowned. "You can leave us now." Then he turned to Duo. "I don't care if they're really yours or not. I just checked on your records. You've been here less that one semester and you've already clepped out of enough classes to graduate early. I don't like your sort. I'm not sure what you're up to but you're obviously up to something. You're not going to get away with it. I've got my eye on you now."

Duo just eyed the man with a jaundiced look. "I haven't done anything wrong. I don't know what your problem is. What did I do to you?"

Duo knew he was fucked, this guy wanted him to back off the soccer players so – what? Did he know the drugs were planted or was he just taking advantage of the situation?

"You understand that this is a very serious situation? We have very strict rules here. Possession of any prohibited substance is a flogging offence. Now . . . "

"What? What the hell?" Duo eyed the Headmaster who gave him a self-satisfied sneer.

"If you don't feel capable of submitting yourself to appropriate discipline, perhaps you should reconsider your decision to attend this facility. If you can produce proof that you are physically unable to withstand the punishment we'll figure out something else. However, if you simply refuse. We will have no choice but to expel you. I'll leave you to contemplate your choices. Choose carefully, Mr. Maxwell"

Duo eyed the man for a second then shook his head "I don't need to think. I don't know exactly what your problem is, but I'll tell you this." Duo leaned close to the man "You may flog me, but you'll never beat me. Bring it on."

Headmaster got up and slid around Duo like he was radioactive. He opened the door and left.

Duo jammed his hand through his bangs and kicked the desk. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called Wufei, who answered the phone in a hiss. "Maxwell, this better be important."'

"It is. They found drugs in my pack, look around an see who's looking real satisfied with themselves. I'm so gonna jam them up."

Wufei stifled a gasp "Duo! You know what the rules say."

"I didn't. I do now. Wu, can you come? I'm gonna need you."

"I'll call the others . . . Where are you?" Wufei eyed the teacher, who was getting ready to say something to him. Duo answered him and he nodded sharply. "Ok. I have to go now."

Wufei dealt with the teacher by simply telling him the truth and walking out, dialing as he went.

Duo waited, looking out a window, until the security officer came into the office. Then he turned and snarled. "What now?"

The officer took a step back, this wasn't the scarred young kid he had been expecting. He looked half again his age and hard.

"Ok . . . we can do this the hard way or the easy way."

Duo gave the man a cocky look and spit. "No easy way to take a beating. Just tell me what you want me to do. Get this over. But I'm telling you now. You cut me and I'll skin you with a rusty file."

"Don't threaten me, you little shit. I'll have you know that I was a Leo pilot in the war."

Duo looked at him for a second, then decided. "I was a pilot too."

"You're too young to have been a pilot. You . . ." the security officer gulped and stared at Shinigami come out to play.

Duo waited until the man started to sweat. "Tell me exactly what you're going to do. I'm going through with this so I don't get expelled. Then I'm testing out. You understand me? I don't need charity. But I won't put up with abuse of power. Get on with it."

So the man told Duo to drop his pants.

While Duo was doing that, he took a cane from an umbrella stand behind the Headmaster's desk. When he turned around, he found himself in the unfortunate situation of trying to decide exactly how to get off the hot seat. Duo was bent over the desk waiting for him to finish his job. And, the more he thought about it, he wasn't wanting to go any where near that particular hot potato.

The headmaster came in to see if the man had accomplished his mission and started in on him. "Mr. Duncan, I piloted a Leo in the war. I took my life in my hands and wound up here afterwards. I'm not taking my life in my hands to satisfy some petty feud you have. I quit. You want him flogged, you do it yourself."

Tossing the cane on the floor he walked out and never looked back. But that left Duo with a problem. While he hadn't looked up from his position bent over the desk he knew exactly what was going on and couldn't help laughing. Which made Mr. Duncan angrier than ever.

"You young punk! I don't know what you did to him, but I've had enough of your insolence. I'll teach you to be more respectful of your betters."

Bending down he snatched up the cane and brought it down across Duo's ass with a sharp whack.

Duo didn't even flinch. The next blow was harder and Duo clenched his nether cheeks, snarling into the top of the desk. The third blow as even harder and the smack could be heard in the outer office. Wufei had to force himself not to intervene. The sounds continued until ten lashes had been administered. It was quiet for a few moments then Duo exited the inner sanctum and walked directly into Wufei's arms.

"Duo? You ok?"

"Yeah, I'll live. I got lots worse from Oz, but it's humiliating." He sighed wearily "Take me home, Wu. Suddenly I feel old."

The cat calls and snickers that followed them down the hall solidified their resolution to be out of this place as soon as possible.