Betaed by Skippyscatt.

---

Duo went to speak to Heero about equipment. Heero thought for a moment. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Duo shrugged. "No man I'm not but the negotiator, Officer Wyncham is. He says that if we blow the backups that'll give them the idea that we're for real. Leverage."

Heero hummed softly deep in his throat. "Ok . . . you'll love this. Une has sent us a care package. I was going to go down and inventory it myself but you could do that. See what we really need . . . make a list. Whatever."

The crow of delight that Duo let out caused some of the people in the tent to stare at Duo. Others just grinned, thinking that he was clowning.

"Man, oh man. Une sent me something nice? Good. I need . . . plastic . . . and . . . detonators . . . and . . . and. . . . um . . ."

Heero was amused to see Duo drift off into planning mode. When Duo got that look in his eye, things were going to be destroyed—spectacularly.

"You go down and see what pretties Une sent up. I need a full inventory. Just in case. Don't get caught up in gloating and forget. Promise?"

Duo grinned at Heero. "You know me so well, lover. I promise. And I'll call you if I see anything I think you'll particularly want. Ok?"

Heero just smiled at Duo. "Just bring it up. Call if you just can't stand not hearing my dulcet tones."

Duo groaned, leaning down closer to Heero he said softly. "Idiot. I'll miss you every second I'm away."

Heero sighed, if they were anywhere else he'd kiss Duo but in front of a bunch of military types it probably wasn't a good idea.

"Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him!" Several people took up the chant and Heero smiled into Duo's eyes and kissed him. Duo kissed back with tongue causing those nearby to whistle and hoot. Duo broke off first.

"Ok, you hentai bastards, enough already. I got to go get some toys from down slope. See ya later."

Duo left with a backward wave and a flip of his braid. Heero chuckled and watched him walk out of sight.

---

Duo just walked up to the driver and told him he needed to go down to the sheriff's station. The quick trot to the parking area hadn't winded him at all. It had all been down hill after all, or mostly at least.

"I'll have to call the sheriff and ok it. But I don't see any reason not to. Excuse me a sec." The deputy made his call and smiled at Duo. "Ok, let's go. Sheriff says to take you anywhere you want to go, as long as it isn't Madam Sherry's place."

Duo grinned . "Madam Sherry's? If it's what I think, not my cup a'."

The deputy grinned back and nodded. "Exactly what you think. Not my cup a' either, my ol' lady would kill me. Real slow."

"Don't blame her. How long until we get there?"

"Name's Olson. About . . . twenty minutes or so."

Duo grunted, took his computer out of his pocket and buried his nose in it. "I'll work until we get there."

Officer Olson drove, keeping his mouth shut. This boy was so intense that he wasn't about to piss him off. Not necessarily a chatty man, he wasn't bothered by the silence, only interrupted by a few soft exclamations and the incessant tapping of keys.

The drive actually took twenty-two minutes. Officer Olson pulled up to the front door of the sheriff's station and parked.

"Well, here we are. When you're done, call this number." He handed Duo a card. Duo glanced at it and nodded.

Duo hopped out of the jeep and glanced around, there was no sign of the truck. He went into the station and approached the desk.

"‘Scuse me. Name's Maxwell, came to check the Preventers truck."

The desk Sergeant had been warned by the sheriff not to piss Duo off. "Sure thing. It's out back. Go down the hall and turn left at the end. Keep going until you hit the door. Not too hard. And on out."

Duo thanked the man and headed off for the back door into the rear parking lot where he found a tractor trailer rig parked in the middle of the lot with a guard just coming around the back end of it.

"Holy fuck." Duo couldn't help his exclamation. When Heero had told him there was a truck he'd envisioned a box truck, not a semi. He headed for the back of the truck to open the doors, but a shout brought him to a halt.

"Hey! I done told you kids ta say away from that truck. Don't make a parcel of difference what's in there. You ain't gettin' in. Now scat."

Duo fished in his pocket and flashed his badge. "I'm Maxwell. Colonel Maxwell. I'm going to take inventory and then get some stuff. If you need to check with someone, make it snappy."

He wasn't about to argue with the man. He was with WEI and only doing his duty. If he got smart or nasty, Duo had other options. Options he didn't want to use, if he didn't have to.

"Let me see that badge again." The man held out his hand for Duo's ID. He examined it carefully, even going so far as to take it out of the holder and tip it back and forth, examining the laser etched, holographic seal with a special scanner. "Well, I'll be damned. You're Maxwell? I was warned but I'm still flabbergasted."

Duo took his wallet back from the man and smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do look a little . . . little." Duo grinned at the man.

"Tiny more like. But dynamite comes in small packages. Here's the key to the padlock. If you need anything, I'll be hanging around. Lock up the trailer when you're done and give me back the key. Ok?"

Duo nodded. "Sure thing. Is there an inventory?"

"Yeah, but I can't make head or tails of it. I'll get it for you." The WEI agent walked off, he didn't hurry or linger, he just went. Duo gave him a speculative look. Most men would have questioned his ID more. Somehow Duo thought there was more to that man than was apparent.

He dismissed more contemplation in favor of finding what he needed and making his inventory.

The guard returned with a small data pad, he keyed it and handed it to Duo. All that Duo could read was the first line. He grinned humorlessly. It was an old Oz code. Une had made sure that very few people could read the inventory. Duo thought for a moment, keyed in a code and watched as the inventory was decrypted. He blinked for a moment as the blue light from the tiny screen washed over his face, making him look even more devilish than the expressions flitting over his face did.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Play toys galore. My, my, my." Duo scrolled down the list reading rapidly. Everything in the trailer was inventoried and located by a code indicating section and bin. "If it goes boom, I want one. And Heero, my, my. Wufei will love that. And I wonder what Zechy might like." Duo wandered down the center aisle and thought carefully. He'd picked up a gun for Heero, a nice survival knife for Wufei and was considering whether to bring Zechs a bazooka or a flame thrower when a sharp knock on the side of the trailer made him flinch and pull his hand gun.

"What?"

"If you're done in there, your driver is waiting for you."

"Ok, I wish he'd waited until I called him. He's going to have to sit out there now."

Duo ran a mental check list. He wasn't quite done so he told the man to have Olson wait. He took ten minutes to finish his ‘shopping' and tuck his choices into a duffel bag. He tucked the data pad into a pocket. He hopped out of the trailer and shut the door, instructing the WEI guard to lock it up.

He tossed the duffel bag into the back of the jeep, added a backpack he'd also loaded and climbed in.

"Home, James. And why the hell do they call all drivers James? Doesn't seem fair."

Officer Olsen just shrugged. "Why did they call all train porters George in the early 20th? Comes under the heading of weird? Did you find what you want?"

Duo rubbed his hands together. "Yeah, I did. Have to forgive Une for some things, just because she sends such loverly presents."

Olsen gave Duo a strange look and mumbled. "And I really don't want to know, do I?"

Duo gave him a feral grin and settled back in his seat.

---

Heero looked up as Duo dumped his stash on a table nearby. He had to get up and go see what was there.

Instead of being allowed to browse through Duo's acquisitions he was handed a data pad and told, "Better down load that and resort it. I'm still not sure exactly what Une sent us, but I will tell you; it's an impressive war chest. Very nice. Wish we'd had most of it during the war."

Heero took the data pad, knowing better than to question Duo when he was in that sort of mood. It wouldn't do any good, he'd just pull some obnoxious prank and laugh. He took the pad and down loaded it without fuss.

Duo sorted through the assorted explosives and detonators he'd brought with him. He also laid out the fire arms and some other equipment. He scanned his booty and grinned. This was going to be fun.

He set out a package of C-4. The compound was older than dirt but still one of the best for what he was about to do. There were more powerful explosives, but with C-4 he could make shape charges on the fly and control the force and direction better. It was a bit bulky but that was what made it so controllable, he didn't need micro tools to shape it. He could do it with his hands. It actually looked like child's modeling clay.

Duo opened the C-4 and used his pocket knife to cut it into pieces. He kneaded one piece for a few seconds to check its condition. It was new and in perfect condition. He started to work up some initial charge shapes. Kneading the stuff into rough shapes.

"Hey. How's things? You get what you need?"

The sheriff had managed to get near Duo without setting off any of his various twitches but Duo didn't flinch. He knew the sheriff's voice by now.

"Yeah. I got a bunch of stuff. Explosives, detonators. Chemical and electric. Some very mean fire arms and a nice knife. Some scaling equipment. Few other things."

The sheriff picked up a block of clay and began to idly knead it in one hand. His arthritis was bothering him and the doc had said squeezing something would help. He'd forgotten the ball he usually used but clay was a good substitute.

Duo watched the sheriff in amusement. The C-4 was so stable you could smack it with a hammer, or set it on fire and it wouldn't explode. You had to have special detonators to make it go off.

"Well, tell me about it. What all do you have?"

Duo picked up the knife first. "Heh, this is the newest and finest of combat/survival knives. It's made of titanium alloy, sharp as they come and nearly indestructible. It's got a ceramic grip . . . hollow so you can stuff in a few handy things. I got it for Heero, he really misses the other one I gave him. Back in the war. I got another for Wufei."

He handed it to Sheriff Haskins to examine. "Damn boy. I know you guys were Gundam pilots but . . . I got ideas of my own. What should happen to those scientist guys."

Duo grinned at the sheriff. "Me too. But no go. They're comfortably dead. Pricks. Especially J. I'd like to get my hands on him in a dark alley. But, dream on. Oh, and here's an especially nice bit of something."

Duo picked up the hand gun he'd brought. "It's one of the newest side arms on the market today. It can shoot lead, high impact plastic, or loaded rounds."

Sheriff Haskins raised an eye brow. "I know what we call loaded rounds but . . ."

"The rounds are hollow and can be filled with all sorts of stuff, from explosives to knock out gas. Great stuff. You probably have something like it yourself."

"We do, but ours aren't convertible. We have to make a choice." The sheriff gazed at it longingly. "I wish we could afford some of that kind of equipment"

Duo shrugged "call WEI. Get on their beta squad. They'll send you all kinds of nice new toys. All you have to do is use it and fill out some forms and questionnaires. I'll give Quatre a call and see what I can do. Ok?"

Sheriff Haskins grinned. "That'd be great . . ." He watched for a moment as Duo sorted through his detonators. "What's that?"

Duo looked where the sheriff was pointing. "That's explosive. Plastic. Nice stuff. I like old fashioned C-4 for a lot of my work. It's stable, easily worked and fairly light. That stuff is heavy duty shit, very light, high density, powerful. But it's hard to control, you have to have special tools to form it and while it's stable it's also kind a' hard to set off. Only one detonator will work with it. And an explosion." Duo picked up the unopened block of C-4 eyeing it fondly. "This is C-4."

The sheriff eyed the block of putty colored, clay like material. "Doesn't look like much. That other stuff looks . . . explosive."

Duo smiled at the sheriff. "Well. What you've got in your hand could blow this entire camp to kingdom come, set it the right places."

The sheriff swore and dropped his play toy with a wild-eyed glare. "What the fuck?"

"Don't worry. That stuff is as stable as an anvil." Duo took the lump of C-4 and banged it down on the table. "Couldn't set it off if you hit it with a hammer. And it just burns if it gets near a flame. You have to have detonators to set it off. I like electronic ones myself. But chemical ones time better."

"Son-of-a-bitch! Boy, you scare me. Just calm as a mill pond and standin' there with enough explosive to blow us all to bits. Shit."

Duo shrugged. "Used to have to make my own. And believe me, that's not fun. Most of the processes stink, or produce by products that are poisonous or noxious or something unpleasant. And most explosives are unstable at one or more points during manufacture. Also, impurities are difficult to control. All in all, I don't recommend it. I really tried to steal stuff when I could. So, this stuff is a . . . Une sent." Duo snickered softly. "You all right?"

"Yeah, once I get my heart out of my mouth. What are you going to do with all that?"

Duo nodded to the C-4. "I'm going to make shape charges with it. The backup generators are my target. I'll use shape charges to blow them with a minimum of damage to anything else. I'm going to use the EP-41 to make some grenades. I can't carry normal grenades where I'm going. Most of them are a big hunk of metal with enough explosive in them to make a mess. I don't need that kind of power. I need just enough ‘flash-bang' to stun a few guys as long as possible. This stuff will do that. All I have to do is figure out how to make a detonator that's as small as possible. I'm actually looking at the detonator being larger than the charge right now. I called WEI and put them on the job. Hope they come up with something. If not, I'll have to make do."

The sheriff shook his head. "I could send over Charles. He's the resident explosive and bomb expert, but I think you've got a leg up on him."

Duo grinned and scratched the back of his neck, looking young and innocent. "Well, send him over. Don't know as how he'll be any help but . . . who knows. Maybe he'll ask the right question."

---

The expert arrived with a huff and a small exclamation of horror. "Hell's fire and damnation"

Duo grinned at the man,"Working on it, pal."

"Well, what's the problem. Boss said you were stuck."

Duo explained what he was trying to do and the officer shrugged. "Well, slap my ass and call me Shirley" Duo grinned at him and said he'd rather call him Charles.

Charles laughed and picked up the EP-41. "Nice stuff. Powerful. I don't care for it myself. It's a bit too powerful. Very stable though. Let me think."

Duo continued to make pea-sized balls of the explosive while he considered what to do about a detonator.

"Gunpowder and low impact flash powder. Mix it together and . . ."

Duo eyed the man with a blazing grin. "Now why the hell didn't I think of that. A little flint gravel added to the mix. Make the balls hollow and stuff ‘em. Thanks man. Now all I have to do is get hold of the stuff."

"Not a problem. I've got some in my kit. I'll just fetch it. You start reforming those balls. I'll bring the powder and make the mix for you."

Charles hurried off to find his kit and bring Duo the materials. Duo started reforming the balls into two hollow halves. His hands moved quickly while he went over his plans again.

Charles came back with his kit and mixed his contribution. Duo loaded several hemispheres with the powder and called Heero over.

"I'm going to give this a try, you might make an announcement over the common channel so no one has a fit."

Heero did as Duo asked and most of the members of the crew that could came out to see the ‘fireworks'

Duo tossed one of the spheres on the ground. It exploded with a sharp bang. Duo shook his head. The explosion wasn't strong enough. He tried another, again with disappointing results. He examined the spheres in his hand for a moment then tried yet another. The explosion was loud and the flash blinding. Duo nodded with satisfaction, this one was just right.

"Ok Charles. You want to help me make these. I could really use the help. I need to get this done fairly quickly. I need a nap in the worst way."

Charles just nodded and smiled. "Sure thing, Major. I'll be glad to help. It'll be something to tell my kids about. Besides being the most fun I'm liable to have on this assignment."

Someone made a smart remark about Duo needing a nap. Duo just turned in the general direction of the voice and remarked, "Well, I guess I could just stay up until midnight, but then I'd be running on . . . about four hours sleep out of thirty-six. Not really good. Might mess up and blow someone's ass to kingdom come. Accidentally. Sleep deprivation and all that."

He turned without further comment but was secretly delighted to hear a meaty smack and someone say, ‘Way to go, jackass.'

He returned to his workbench to finish his preparations. He noticed that the extra guns and knife were gone. Smiling he started making his ‘flash-bangs'.

---

Duo gazed at the blue print and swore a blue streak. "I so don't need this. Damn, fuck, shit, and schist. I need measurements."

Heero tapped at his computer and pulled up the specs on the vent tunnel.

They had found out that the vent was bared. Now they had to find out how far apart the bars were and where they were in the vent. Heero grumbled to himself as he searched, "damned paranoid ass holes, what the hell decided them to bar a vent tunnel."

Zechs over heard his grumbling and remarked. "Oh, someone managed to shimmy himself into someone's heavily guarded office and steal some extremely classified information. Now who could it have been?" He tapped his chin with one patrician finger. "Could it have been our resident long-haired Shinigami? What do you think?"

Heero sighed. "I think Duo was entirely too busy during the war."

The computer beeped softly and Heero checked the results of his search through the architects' files. There was a file on the vent. Heero downloaded it and glared at it. He had gotten a full size blue print plotter brought up to the staging area so he could print out files for just such a situation as this. He printed out the relevant file and eyed it with revulsion. He hated tight quarters.

Duo eyed the prints with a jaundiced eye as well. "Well, hell on a mop stick. This is tighter than an old maid's corset. Heero?" Heero grunted, here it came. "What the hell is a corset and why is it tight?"

"You ask the damnedest questions. I'm not sure what it is. Can you get through this?"

Duo checked the specs. "Yeah, but it's gonna limit the gear I can carry. Severely. Unless you can come up with some ideas."

Heero bit at his lip and nearly gutted the man who walked up behind him and swore. He turned with a snarl.

"Do. Not. Do. That. You're going to get killed. What?"

"Christ! Calm down. I just came to see the prints. My dad helped build that place. I know some things, just wanted to help."

Duo patted the man on the arm. "Don't let him get to you. It's just that you nearly got yourself done for. We're all strung a little tight. And this last bit of intel didn't do us any good."

"Oh that. Well. The bars in that vent aren't up to spec. The shipment of steel was mild instead of tempered. They went ahead and used it anyway and the bars aren't a foot apart, they're more like eighteen inches. There wasn't enough steel either."

Duo gave a sigh of relief. "Sorry we snapped at you. That's great intel."

The man walked away with a friendly wave. "Well, glad I could help. Sorry I scared you. Good luck."

Duo thought fast, he was in trouble but it wasn't as serious as they had thought at first. He could get in, with a significant amount of equipment. Equipment that prepared him for several eventualities. Thank god.

Heero leaned over his shoulder after clearing his throat to let Duo know he was there. "How's it going?"

"Not bad. That guy had an idea. I probably would have thought of it sooner or later. But it's good I don't have to, don't need the worry. I'll be going in just after dark instead of at midnight. It'll take me longer to eel my way around the blockades. Damn. But, I'll call you when I'm in position, you tell the negotiator and we'll take it from there. May get some of the hostages out. May not."

Heero rubbed his hands up and down Duo's upper arms, stroking from neck to shoulder to elbow and back. "We probably can get many of the women out. It's bound to be causing problems from the wilder types. If they rape the women, they've lost a significant bargaining chip. So the head honchos might be willing to send them out to get the power back on. Are you going to stay there until you get a signal to turn the electric back on?"

Duo shook his head. "Naw, it'll take at least two days to get results. The negotiator said so. So, I'll come back. When it's time to turn it back on, they'll demand direct access to the generator rooms. Not sure why and I don't care."

"Who's the head negotiator? I need to know his name so we can coordinate."

"Oh, his name is Abrams. Nice guy." Duo continued to absently reply to Heero as he directed most of his attention to his gear. Heero admired him for a few seconds then announced that he was going to make contact with Abrams now. "Ok, lover. Kiss and go."

Heero obligingly kissed Duo spending a bit of time making sure that Duo was well aware of him. Duo kissed back with a focused passion that left them both a little breathless.

Heero walked off to find Abrams, touching his kiss swollen lower lip with one finger.
—

Heero went to his station in the command tent and set up Duo's electronics. He was going to take care of all of his equipment himself to make sure it was just as Duo liked it. He was interrupted by the king of Geeks himself. His nasal voice grated across Heero's nerves

"I'll have ta check everything you've done. Regulations. Sheriff can't help you there. Just make sure that you don't redo anything after I'm done."

Heero didn't bother to argue with the man. The idiot had been a pain in Heero's ass since they'd arrived. He was into every bit of electronics around, ‘fixing' things to suit himself rather than making sure they were actually useable.

"Touch anything and I'll cut off your fingers and feed them to you. Go tell the sheriff I want him."

"You're darn tootin' I'll call the sheriff. Ya can't threaten me like that. I'll have the law on you."

Heero gave Mackie a cold stare. "I'm so scared. Go away."

"I'm tellin' you, you don't run the show here, I do. And I'm runnin' it my way. I'm the electronics expert, and who the hell are you? Just some kid."

Heero rolled his eyes, some people had their heads so far up their asses they were looking out their nose. He didn't have time for this and he certainly didn't what this man messing with his gear after he got it calibrated and set up.

"You're wrong. I'm running this show. And you won't touch this gear after I'm done with it. If you do and Duo gets so much as a hangnail. I. Will. Kill. You. Do you understand me?"

The sheriff came in just then and announced that he was going to know what was going on and right now. Mackie whined and complained, telling the sheriff his story, slanted his way. The sheriff took one look at Heero and another at Mackie and shrugged.

"He's a Gundam pilot. You're just a half-assed computer jockey that the County Commissioners hung around my neck like a mill stone. You're just the nephew of one of them. I don't mind usually because you can't really fuck up much. But if you mess with this gear I'll arrest you for interfering with an officer during the execution of his duties. And I'll get you fired. You understand?"

Mackie blinked. "Well, yeah, but . . . he's not supposed to do anything without me telling him too. Daddy said. And he'll get you in trouble if you don't make him mind me. I'll tell him."

Sheriff Haskins shook his head, glanced at Heero and grumbled. "If only someone would back me up on this, I'd get rid of the little shit."

Heero grimaced, he could do this for the sheriff. "Excuse me, Sheriff. Could you step aside with me for a second. I need to speak to you privately."

The sheriff just shrugged and followed Heero.

"What cha need, son?"

Heero grinned at the sheriff. "Just a second or two. Just long enough for that ass the mess with the equipment. You see. We're all nominally Preventers. And if he messes with my stuff, which he will, couldn't keep his hands off it if it was hot. We'll have him dead to rights. And you can get rid of him. I'll file a complaint with Une herself. That'll have him spending some unpleasant time explaining things to one of her lieutenants. Hopefully La Catalonia."

And sure enough, they turned around just in time to see the smirking idiot detune Duo's communication gear. Heero just walked up, attached the module and checked the frequency. "It is now off by 590 mghtz. Just enough that we wouldn't be able to achieve a perfectly clear connection. I allowed for the concrete and steel that the signal would have to go through, he didn't. Sheriff Haskins I formally request that you remove him from his office and place him under arrest until further investigations can be conducted. Report this to Lady Une and have her make arrangements for Preventers to file charges too."

The sheriff happily arrested his nemesis himself and announced that Heero would have the paper work in fifteen minutes, or less.

Heero watched as the man was lead away whining and complaining all the way. Applause from several of the other people in the tent made him jump. He straightened his shoulders and returned to his work.

---

Duo slept for most of the afternoon as preparations went on around him. Wufei and Zechs both went over the blueprints looking for anything Heero or Duo might have missed. They all went over Duo's equipment with Zechs checking his explosives and Wufei all the electronics. Heero hovered. Wufei was coldly efficient and sarcastic with everyone but the other pilots. Zechs was aristocratic, overbearing and arrogant. The sheriff was sharp, snapping at his subordinates, who took it with good-natured ease. Everyone was worried.

Heero went to call Duo, from now on, until the mission was complete, they would be all business. And god help the man or woman who did the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Duo. It's time."

Duo rolled over and thumped his feet onto the floor. "Got my suit?"

"Yeah"

Duo took the bundle from Heero and shook it out. It was one of the newest Special Ops suits, skin tight so it didn't catch on anything, it was made of light absorbing materials. It wouldn't swoosh or make any sound when he moved. It also had attachment points for equipment harness. Duo wriggled into it without comment.

Heero started handing him equipment and helping him hook it to the harness. It didn't take them long to get Duo ready to work.

Contrary to popular belief Duo didn't let his braid swing free, he kept it under his clothing. Heero made sure Duo's braid was firmly tucked down the back of his suit with enough free play that he could turn his head freely.

"Ok. Suited and set."

"On station?"

"Give me five."

Duo watched as Heero headed for his communications station. They would run an equipment check and Duo would leave.

---

Duo grumbled softly into his mouthpiece. "Geez, Heero. This place gives me the creeps, all sorts of weird noises. And I don't care if it is an owl, it sounds like someone getting killed. Slow."

"Yeah it does. Do you see the vent entrance yet?"

Duo peered into the black jumble that was the vent housing. "Yeah. Right out in the open just like they said. I'll open the door and take a look."

"Careful. No one said anything about booby traps but you never know. Some warden might have gotten cute."

"Like I wouldn't think of that. But thanks for the heads up."

Duo poked the door carefully with a long stick he'd picked up off the ground. The door didn't swing open so it was probably locked. Duo was well aware that if the door wasn't locked kids would get in probably leaving the door ajar.

When he approached more closely, he could see that the door was not tampered with. The lock was still in place, the door closed firmly. Duo pulled his picking kit out and examined the lock while he fished in it for the appropriate bits of equipment.

It didn't take him more than a moment to open the door. The lock was a numerical code lock. The key pad enclosed in a small metal box without a lock. He plugged the cracker into it and tapped a key. It bleeped for a second and then opened the lock. Duo turned the knob and let the door swing into the black interior.

It might seem like over kill but Duo had learned the hard way that there was no telling what might be where. This time it was a rattlesnake on a shelf near the door. The snake rattled and coiled tighter. Duo took the stick and poked it. The snake hissed and started to rattle louder. Duo poked again. The snake decided that retreat was the better part of valor, uncoiled and with another threatening hiss oozed off the shelf and out the door. Duo let him go.

After checking for more snakes or other nasty surprises, Duo found the vent tunnel cover. The tunnel led into the main air-conditioning units of the prison. It was so far away to keep exhaust from the prison factories from being re circulated into the system. Duo grumbled a little. It was bound to be full of spiders and snakes and other obnoxious creatures. He just hoped there were no rats. He really, really hated rats. He wasn't afraid of them. He just hated the feel of their ratty little feet and claws scampering over his body. It didn't help that they weren't potty trained. They shit and pissed where they ran. He shuddered.

The entry to the tunnel was easy all he had to do was crawl in. The first several feet weren't that hard either. Then he came to the first set of rods. They were embedded in the concrete at angles to each other. Luckily the tunnel was square, if it had been round the possible angles might have made it impossible for him to eel his way around them.

As he progressed through the tunnel Duo had to wriggle his way through more and more tightly set bars. He realized that the tunnel had been built from the prison out. The final set of bars was the most difficult to get through. They were set eighteen inches apart in three sets. They were also at ninety degree angles to each other. Duo groaned as he contorted his body around them. All he could think was he was glad he was skinny and the suit was tight. He had to take off some of his equipment and push it ahead of himself.

All through this Duo kept up a constant stream of soft remarks, telling Heero what he was doing and where he was. Heero didn't reply, as it wasn't necessary and might distract him at the wrong time.

Duo finally made his way into the generator room. He had to cut his way out of the vent tunnel where it went from concrete to sheet metal. The tunnel was now a true vent continuing its way on into the air-conditioning system. Duo would close the hole he made with duct tape before he left to keep from fouling the air.

Duo hoped that his mission wasn't jinxed, something was, he could feel it. But so far so good.

He found the backup generators easily enough. He checked for some sort of manual shut off just in case. There wasn't one.

"Manual shut off, no go. Preparing to blow a fuse."

Duo waited for Heero's answer.

"Ok, blow a fuse. Mission go."

Duo checked the backup generators by eye. Sometimes changes were made, either before or after completion of a project. He didn't want to set his charges and then find out that something was different. The generators were exactly what the plans said they were and exactly where they should be. Duo set his charges and scouted the area. There were no people nearby, he even used a heat seeker to hunt for hot spots that would indicate people hidden in secret rooms. Nothing.

"Heero."

"Here."

"Ready."

"Steady"

"Go." Duo started out the same way he came in. He taped the duct work closed and eeled his way back out the tunnel. It took him just as long to get out as it had taken to get in. He knew the negotiators were talking furiously trying to get the inmates to cooperate and release at least some of the hostages.

When he reached the exit, he called Heero again.

"Heero. I'm out. Any change in status?"

"No. Blow a fuse when ready."

Duo grinned like a maniac. He'd realized early on that the main generators were inside the prison. The backups were under a parking lot outside the walls. The destruction of the backups would put the main generators off line for about an hour while the system reset itself. That would be a warning to the terrorists that they didn't have the upper hand they thought they did. He took out his detonator control and pressed the button.

The explosion was all he'd intended it to be. The charges he'd set reduced the generators to a mass of flying metal scraps. The parking lot whumped, bulged then erupted into a cloud of flying chunks of asphalt, dirt and metal. Duo wondered why he'd bothered to seal the vent tunnel. Sometimes his attention to detail was a little anal. He shook his head at his foolishness and headed back to the command center.

---

Heero greeted him at the rise just outside of the center. He didn't give Duo a chance to speak, he just took him by one arm and started giving him a visual once over. Then he ran his hands over Duo's arms and legs, his back, abdomen and chest. Last Heero carefully smoothed Duo's face, pulled his braid out of his clothing and kissed him.

Duo sighed into Heero's arms and relaxed. "Heero, call me an idiot."

"You're an idiot . . . why?"

"Cut a hole in the vent to get in. Then I sealed it all up neat as you please." Heero made an inquiring noise. "Then I blew it all to hell. Sometimes I don't know."

"Don't worry about it. I've done similar things. Attention to detail. Usually we had to hide stuff like that. Stealth. Yeah?"

Duo snorted. "Yeah. Habit. And that'll whipsaw you every time. Take me in. I'm starved."

"Debrief."

"Fuck, Heero. You heard the entire thing and this isn't a war. We don't have to report to anal J anymore. I'm hungry and thirsty. Filthy too. I want food and a shower in that order. You want a debrief, you'll have to get it on the fly."

Heero thought for a few moments then shrugged. "Ok. Fuck debrief. If someone wants one they can aggravate you themselves. Ok?"

Duo nodded tiredly and headed for the mess tent.

He ached all over now and he was filthy. He couldn't eat before a mission like this. He usually threw up. So now he was starved and wanted a shower.

At the mess tent the cook had some sandwiches ready, along with hot sweet tea. Duo settled at a table and started to eat. Heero spoke into the mic attached to his collar.

"He's in. Mess tent. He's eating."

Wufei and Zechs showed up at a dead run a few seconds later. Duo nodded to them with a mouth full of tuna salad. They skidded to a halt and both men looked at Heero, Heero just nodded back.

Zechs went to the coffee pot and got a cup of coffee for himself and a tea for Wufei. Wufei settled across from Duo and demanded mission details. Duo started telling them everything he could think of about the mission. Ending, "well, it just went smooth as silk. So what's gonna jump up and bite us on the ass? Don't ask me, but I get a bad feeling about his whole thing."

Heero put his arm around Duo's shoulders. "Why? What's not up to spec? I'll fix it."

Duo leaned into Heero. "Don't know. That's what's got me so on edge. Nothing is really wrong. But something's not right. I . . . feel like I'm picking faults where there aren't any but . . . the back of my neck itches."

Wufei winced, Zechs raised an eye brow and Heero just rubbed his face with both hands. The last time Duo's neck had itched, they'd wound up separated; Heero in prison, Duo under house arrest at one of Quatre's estates.

"Damn."

Zechs leaned over to let Wufei whisper in his ear. "When Duo's neck itches something bad always happens. I don't know how he does it. He just does."

"I see. Not good then. We'll just have to be extra careful, Ming Long."

Wufei rubbed his stomach and just nodded.

The sheriff came in, distracting Zechs from the question he was going to ask.

"Well, we got ‘em. They want the power turned back on and they've agreed to let all the women go, except Lady Relena of course. You did it, boy. I'm proud of ya."

Duo couldn't believe how good that made him feel. "Thanks, sheriff. You don't know what that means to me." He returned to his meal with a happy smile.

"Yeah, and we rigged up a tub for you. You'll like a hot bath better than a shower. Soak out the aches and pains"

Duo brightened, Heero smiled at the sheriff in genuine gratitude. He knew that Duo had contorted himself strenuously to get through the vent. He was going to hurt if something wasn't done. The bath and a good massage would keep him from waking up stiff.

"Thanks sheriff. I'll give him a massage too. He'll be fine by morning."

The sheriff smirked at Heero. "Well, that tub is big enough for four. So who's going to rub what isn't our business, now is it?"

Duo nearly choked on his coffee, Wufei snickered. Zechs just bowed gravely to the sheriff and announced that he was going to go check on the arrangements. He suggested that Wufei go collect clothing for all of them from their duffels. Wufei smiled at him and trotted off, whistling

---

The negotiator sighed. They'd managed to gain the release of all the women except Lady Relena. He hadn't expected to get that. He was satisfied with what they had.

"Captain Reese, the ‘commander' wants you again."

The chief negotiator, addressed as Captain Reese, sighed again and got up to answer the vid. He was getting really tired of their unrealistic demands. If they'd ask for something real, he could maybe grant it. But billions of euros, luxury cars and arms? No.

"What can I do for you?" Captain Reese didn't bother with a smile. These guys were essentially idiots and didn't care if he smiled at them or not.

"We have new demands. No more messing with the utilities. We want one of the Gundam boys in here. And we want a ton of caviar, a thousand double magnums of champagne and . . . and . . . four hundred billion euros, cash."

The connection was shut off before Captain Reese could say anything. He sighed and rubbed his face. "Well fuck a duck. Now all I have to figure out is what we can give them and what they'll negotiate for. I'd like to get my hands on that guy for real. I'd break his jaw just to shut him up. Fuck."

He got up to go see the sheriff and find out what they could get for these idiots.

---

The sheriff eyed the written list of demands that the ‘commander' had faxed out.

"Well, the champagne and caviar are out. As to the euros, just inform them that there isn't that much cash in print. There actually isn't, by the way."

Captain Reese blinked. "How do you know that?"

"Try playing Trivial Pursuits with my wife sometime. Woman is a treasure trove of completely useless information."

"I see. And weapons are definitely out. Cars? Could happen. But can you really see us giving them a Gundam pilot? Christ on a cracker."

The sheriff picked at his lower lip for a second, thinking quickly. "Ask them for more details on the pilot thing. Don't make any promises, not even a hint of a promise."

"Ok, Chief. I'll see what I can do. Those guys are . . . are . . . dumb as a box of rocks. What the hell would they do with a Gundam pilot? Doesn't make sense. They've got Lady Relena and we gotta get her back. Soon. Things are starting to come unraveled in there."

Captain Reese left to go see what he could find out about the ‘Rock' gang's intentions towards the pilot they wanted.

---

Duo sank into the tub of hot, nearly steaming water and groaned. His filthy garment had been tossed aside by Heero, who had actually wrinkled his nose. Wufei and Zechs were already in the tub waiting on him. Heero dumped his clothing in the pile of dirty things and slipped in behind Duo.

Duo leaned forward to let Heero in behind him, his braid slipping over his shoulder. Heero caught it quickly before it could hit the water. Duo hated having to go to bed with wet hair. Heero hated anything Duo hated.

"Thanks, ‘Ro. Lean back a little more." Heero leaned and Duo settled against his chest. "That's better. Comfortable"

"Yeah, are you?" Heero wrapped his arms around Duo, enjoying the feeling of closeness.

"Yeah. Man that was . . . easy in one way but rough in another. I kept expecting something . . . anything, to happen. But nothing ever did. I'm glad. I'm not in the mood for complicated planning. I just want to go in, grab Relena and get out. What are they doing to her while we're here, taking it easy."

Heero snarled softly, he was wondering the same things.

Zechs gritted his teeth. Relena and he had never been close. They'd been separated when she as just a baby, he little more than a toddler. But she was his sister and he was so worried he was almost frantic. He wasn't going to get to be close to her if something happened. He had all he could do to keep from jumping from the tub and trying to break into the prison with his bare hands.

"If we could only get someone inside." Wufei gentled Zechs with soft pats and soothing touches. "Someone with enough expertise to get messages out. Someone . . . shit."

Duo yawned, then said, "Yeah, that would be great. It wouldn't be that hard to get a wire hidden on someone. That bunch wouldn't know what they were looking at if the guy had an antenna up his ass. Geez."

Heero hugged Duo. "If we could get one of us inside, we'd have it made for sure. But you know as well as I do that that ain't gonna happen. It's too good to be true."

"Yeah, if it's too good to be true, it isn't. Hand me the soap, will ya?"

Wufei leaned back against Zechs. "If we could, who should it be?"

Heero thought for a few seconds. "Wufei."

Zechs let out a squawk. "Schist! Wufei!"

Duo blinked at Wufei for a moment. "Well, that's . . . why?"

"They're scared of me. Zechs is too close to the problem. . ."

Duo interrupted Heero. "Why not me?"

Heero gave Duo an indulgent look, pushing him away enough to see his face. "Because you, my beautiful lover, can't keep your mouth shut to save your life. Literally. Wufei won't talk himself into a smack down."

Duo started to say something indignant, grinned and allowed the Heero was probably right.

In case you've gotten confused, this is a break down of who's who in the negotiation team.

Chief officer is Wyncham

Public Relations is Abrams

Contact officer is Captain Reese