A Reason for Living Part 13
Two Against the World

Septum joined Dorothy inside the lodge's front entrance. "We got a problem."

"What?" she sighed starting down the hall.

"An unauthorized person has been accessing your terminal."

"That's impossible!" she exclaimed then lowered her voice to a more secretive level. "I'm the only one with the code."

"You might think you are but I caught one of your trusted partners transmitted a message not two hours ago. I brought him here."

"Who?"

"Marquis Welige."

Dorothy stopped short. "Where is he now?"

Septum leaned over, his eyes drew into narrow slits, "Waiting for you." he smiled the kind of smile that made Dorothy's blood run cold.

*********

Marquis Welige slumped in a wooden chair encircled by silent machinery. His hands were bound behind the chair's straight back and his head hung at an odd angle. Blue bruises, tinged with dried blood, covered his face. At the sound of an opening door he slowly lifted his head and struggled to focus his blurry vision through swollen eyes.

"Marquis I would have expected better of you." Dorothy chided in a mockingly cold tone. "I must say that I'm very disappointed but we both know that you don't have either the brains or the guts to set up this double-cross by yourself. Who are you working for? Who gave you my code?"

Septum grabbed a fistful of Welige's hair jerking his head back sharply. "Answer the lady." he growled.

Welige drew in a raspy breath. The glare from the overhead lights sent pain shooting through his head. He tried to swallow but there was nothing but dried blood coating his teeth and tongue.

Septum cocked back his fist. "Let me see if I can refresh his memory."

Dorothy raised a hand to halt the fist. "Marquis tell me."

"Carter." The name formed haltingly on his cracked lips.

Dorothy's face flushed red. "Carter! I knew it...all this time...if he has been transmitting in the clear." she paused with a puff of air and glanced over at Septum then at Welige.

Everything had gone as planned, the entire process was on schedule. She had pulled off the scam right under Treize Khushrenada's snobby nose, had used his resources and manpower. The disruptors, using the lodge, the deal with Hoffman, she had done her part.

She saw that the operation ran smoothly and all Carter had to do was supervise the job. There would have been more than enough profit to go around, more than enough to set Carter up for life.

Whirling around Dorothy leaned closer to make sure that Welige fully understood the next questions. "What's the deal? Who has Carter contacted?"

"I don't know." Marquis' chin dropped to his chest.

Septum's fist drew back again ready to help Welige remember and again Dorothy raised her hand blocking his persuasive intentions. With a disappointed scowl Septum relaxed.

"Tell me Marquis." she coaxed to spare him any further painful physical persuasion.

Welige looked up sucking in another labored gasp. "You have to...believe me...I don't know. Paul gave me information, told me where to send it, what time to pick up messages." A strangled cough fought to loosen thick fluid gathering in his throat, "He transferred them by computer...never said anything...about a...code."

Dorothy shook her head in pure anger. "Anyone tapped in at the complex could trace the relays here. If Carter's greed had done anything to mess me up I'll..." Rage cut off her words.

"Want me to find Carter?" Septum spoke up certain that her answer would be "yes".

"No, not yet."

Dorothy had some serious thinking to do. Hoffman was coming to the lodge in less than forty-eight hours. How he perceived the operation could make a difference in the negotiations. Hoffman's initial contact had been with her, Carter and Septum and "The Fox" would expect all three people to be at the meeting.

If Carter wasn't included there might be questions that she couldn't satisfactorily answer. No, the risk was too great...for now they had to present a united front. "Since we know what Paul is doing." She thought to herself.

"I want you for watch Carter like your life depended on it." she ordered Septum, "He is not to get within ten feet of any computer here, you understand? We'll meet with Hoffman as planned then after that he's all yours."

Septum pointed a thumb back at Welige's sagging body. "What about him?"

Dorothy shrugged, "Do what you have to." She paused at the door for one last question. "By the way Marquis how much money did Carter promise for your part?"

Marquis Welige was surprisingly calm to be so near the end but then he had known it was over the moment he had been discovered by Septum. He was also painfully aware that Dorothy wasn't the only person that Carter had betrayed. "Forty percent." he wheezed.

"I can't give you any better price."

Septum pushed a green button labeled "START" bringing a large machine to life. The razor-edged blade of a (1) Wakizashi flashed in the overhead lights. Welige's anguished scream rose up mixing with the mechanism's rumble and whine then fell suddenly silent as the door slammed shut behind Dorothy.

*********

Heero lay perfectly still. His eyes were closed but his ears and instincts were working overtime. His best hope for survival was to let the man intent on doing him harm come as close as he dared then do what he could to stop him.

Footsteps rustled in the tall grass. 01 tensed every muscle and prepared to release their power like a recoiling spring. One chance was all he had and that chance was dependent on how near the uniformed man was willing to get. But Heero had no unrealistic expectations of his odds of winning because the shooter could stay well out of his reach and still deliver the lethal shot.

The steps grew louder...closer...then stopped. Heero held his breath. The snap of a bullet being cocked into the chamber made its fatal pronouncement.

"HEERO! NO!"

The intensity of his name being shouted out in alarm caused Heero to flinch. Confusion battled through his brain; his hearing joined in the puzzlement as it tried to make sense of the sound. His inner council proclaimed. *It's Duo.*

"No." he argued with his internal voice. "He shouldn't be here."

The apprehensive silence that followed was more deafening than the shout. Heero opened his eyes franticly searching for the phantom caller. His cobalt orbs widened when they saw Duo standing in the tree line. He sucked in a troubled gasp realizing that both sentries' weapons were aimed squarely at the terrified civilian.

Automatically Heero's training took over. Vanquishing the confusion and ignoring the pain he raised up on his hands and knees. Like a tiger stalking its prey he blended with the night and moved in for the kill.

At a precisely measured moment he sprung forward and latched onto the closest man's ankle. The brown uniform went down with a startled yelp. Heero knelt behind the shocked man and wrapped his arm around his throat with a reciprocal pressure designed to cause cobwebs to form in his head.

Heero leaned against the jeep's bumper for more leverage not wanting to give the guard any less then he deserved for his pervious attempts at asphyxiation. Wildly clawing at the agent's vice-like grip, the struggling, strangling man managed to roll his shoulder upsetting his and Heero's balance.

Both bodies sprawled on the ground as each man fought to gain the advantage. Elbows and fists flew in every direction. One blow caught Heero across the ridge of his cheekbone. Tiny dark dots danced over his eyes. With pure instinct 01 struck back landing a right hook squarely in his opponent's nose.

The second sentry stood to the side tentatively taken aback by Heero's sudden recovery and subsequent attack, however he soon regained his wits. The Magnum aimed down at the two men grappling in the grass, the barrel swung from side to side trying to line up a shot and the only thing that kept him from firing was his fear of hitting it partner.

Duo watched tensely from the clearing's fringes. At first he couldn't make himself move. Fear for Heero and the unaccustomed raw violence unfolding before his eyes kept him frozen in place. Then the gravity of the situation hit with full force...if he didn't do something, take some action, Heero could die.

Duo recalled his promise that he would not fail Heero no matter what the cost. With firm resolve he grabbed up a heavy length of broken tree limb. Drawing on his reservoir of inner strength he centered his courage and charged into the clearing.

Gradually Heero gained the upper hand. Rolling up on his knees he shoved the heel of his hand up under his challenger's chin. The man's head snapped back at an odd angle then he tumbled to one side.

Heero staggered to his feet, fastened his hand around a fistful of brown uniform, steadied the teetering body and demonstrated a flawless uppercut. The unconscious loser jerked from Heero's grasp landing bonelessly on his back with a thud.

Unaware of the gunman behind him, Heero rested his hands on his knees and sucked in short, stinging breaths. As the drug's residual affects seized his battered body a queasy wave washed through his stomach. The adrenalin rush that had sustained him ran out forcing Heero to fight to keep the icy fingers of unconsciousness at bay.

Now the vengeful gunman had a clear shot and it didn't make a bit of difference if it was a bullet in the back. "Heero look out!" Duo screamed as the sentry sighted down in line with 01's head.

The calling of his name caused Heero to turn around just in time to see the pistol's barrel spit out an explosion of fire. A vague silhouette shone through the blue smoke then the outline disappeared into darkness.

At the same moment Duo swung the tree limb as hard as he could. The impact splintered the wooden "club" off at the base of the shooter's skull. A keen crack resounded over the clearing then bounced and repeated its sickening noise throughout the forest.

Blood and bone erupted in an overflow of crimson. Without so much as a groan the gunman's body dropped like a felled tree. Duo stood motionless stunned by his actions. The scene before him seemed somehow detached in the same way that the morning light defined dreams and reality. A scarlet tide flowed near his feet and he felt as though he was being swamped.

He didn't know if the man was dead but he was certain that he never wanted to feel that desperate again. His quivering fingers went limp, the limb dropped from his hand. Finally he was able to turn his eyes away and unlock their horror-struck gaze.

As he looked passed the bloody body Duo sucked in a shocked breath. 01 lay on his side, his face tuned away and he wasn't moving. Panic tore through Duo's mind as he raced to Heero's side.

Dropping to his knees his trembling hand reached down then faltered above Heero's shoulder. "Oh God please don't let him be dead." he prayed. Tears filled his eyes and fear stabbed through his heart.

Gently his fingertips slid over the rumpled fabric of Heero's jacket. Hesitantly he bent over but his tears blurred the contours of the agent's face making it difficult to see clearly. "Heero? Please." he whispered.

Without warning, without a flinch or shudder, 01 reared up. Roughly clutching Duo's wrist his free hand cocked back to deliver an answering punch.

"HEERO!" Duo yelled terrified by the primitive rage in Heero's eyes and actions.

Heero checked his arm's forward motion, his fist quivered in the air less than an inch from Duo's panic-paled face. A perplexed expression flickered across his eyes then the puzzlement pulled his eyebrows together in a deep frown.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" he shouted hoarsely, "I told you to stay put and dammit I will not be disobeyed!"

Heero's tone cut Duo like a knife. Renewed tears spilled from his eyes and tracked down his cheeks. His chest heaved with the catching sobs of heartache.

Then something in Duo's gut flared hot, his hurt boiled into angry resentment.

"You'd bloody well thank the fates that I didn't listen." He sternly informed the Japanese agent.

Shaking with confused emotions Duo tired to put his feelings into proper perspective. On the one hand he was relieved and extremely grateful that Heero was alive but the ungrateful bastard's lack of compassion...his stubborn, presumptuous bearings pushed Duo's tolerance level to the edge.

"Why you pompous, egotistical ass!" he hissed jerking his wrist free.

Heero planted his elbows in the dew-damp grass and with extra effort sat back against the jeep. In the fluttering lamplight he could see Duo's tear-tracked face, see the hurt in his eyes.

Bit by bit the sequence of events played out in Heero's mind. He remembered the drug-induced lethargy, the confusion, the struggle, the pain. He recalled the frightening snap of an automatic being cocked and someone shouting his name. During the fight the second gunman had been forgotten but gradually the reality of Duo's saving actions sunk in.

Duo had been the ghostly image seen through his dazed perceptions. His warning cry had given Heero the precious seconds needed to drop below the bullet's path.

Heero looked around. The brown uniform remained where his punch had left him. The other man's prostrate form, head and shoulders soaked with blood, laid only a few feet away.

Then the stress of mind and body took its toll. "Duo I'm sorry." he began before succumbing to the resulting faintness.

Heero's shoulders slumped; the off balanced momentum made it hard to remain upright. Duo sat down and eased him over until Heero's back was against Duo's chest and his head lopped on Duo's shoulder.

Tacky blood oozed from a cut on Heero's forehead. Another scarlet stream traced a thin line from his right nostril to the corner of his mouth. Licking his dry lips produced a salty taste.

Duo moped back stringy bangs from the quivering agent's eyes and carefully inspected the damage before lacing his fingers through Heero's fingers. As the resentment faded a relieved smile poised on his lips. "It's all right, lean on me."

Heero attempted to return the smile then winced from the effort. Tilting his head, he gazed up into Duo's shimmering eyes. "Thank you for not listening to me." he whispered.

Duo sympathetically twisted his mouth mirroring Heero's discomfort. "You're welcomed." then showed his appreciation with a brushing kiss. He would have preferred more passion but Heero's swollen lips would not cooperate.

A crackling pop of static from the jeep's radio caused Heero and Duo to jump. "Mac come in." A short pause. "Mac come in. Can you hear me?" A longer pause. "Are you there?"

"I can't raise anyone."

"Send someone down and find them." a voice ordered in the background.

Duo straighten up quickly, "We have to get out of here."

Heero nodded in agreement. "We can't leave the bodies here." he declared pushing against the jeep to stand up.

Duo offered his hand and pulled Heero to his feet. This time the agent's legs seemed more inclined to support his weight.

Heero took a moment to survey the scene then stated. "If the sentries are found like this everyone at the lodge will know something is wrong."

He searched around the uniformed man and with a pleased grin gathered up his Beretta and shoved it in his belt.

"What can we do?" Duo wondered.

"Help me." Heero instructed dragging his bested opponent to the jeep. Duo opened the door and Heero propped the limp body behind the steering wheel. Duo forced himself to ignore the jagged hole and congealed fluid and helped load the recipient of his handiwork in the opposite side.

The remaining liquor was sprinkled over the driver and passenger adding to the already strong smell of intoxication. The empty bottle was deposited in the front floorboard.

Heero released the parking brake. A concerted push put the jeep in motion. The unrestricted vehicle bounced along the gravel road's uneven surface, banked sharply to the right then careened down the hill. With a deafening crescendo of shredding metal and bursting glass the jeep crashed into three board trees and tipped over. The sudden stop sent the driver through the windscreen and left him hanging halfway out of the splintered hole.

"He should have been wearing his seat belt." Heero commented dryly. "Let's hope their boss believes they got drunk and had an accident."

*********

The moon's luster was overlaid with wispy clouds making the gloomy forest even darker. The lamp provided much needed light and proved quite useful in aiding Heero and Duo's return to the car.

"I'm driving." Duo insisted. Heero offered no argument and handed over the keys.

The traffic was light as the BMW entered Montreux. It was well passed midnight when Duo and the drowsy agent reached the intersection that led to the Preventer Bureau's Headquarters. Duo kept straight through.

"Where are you going?" Heero questioned aware that Duo had missed the turn.

"You are in no condition to meet with Wufei. We're going to the safe house."

"But I..." Heero began to protect.

"I'll call once you are settled and let him know what happen." Duo promised, "It's too late to do anything tonight. Besides I won't hurt the Lone Dragon to wait for awhile. Now no more arguments, that's an order."

Heero gave a mock salute. "Yes sir."

Duo unlocked the door and switched on the lights. The sudden change from the outside darkness to inside brightness stabbed at Heero's bloodshot eyes.

As the light revealed the fight's aftermath Duo offered a good-natured appraisal. "You look awful."

"Yeah I do." Heero admitted upon catching a glimpse of his reflection in a wall mirror.

Duo slipped his arm around 01's waist and guided him across the room. "Sit before you fall down." With a worn sigh Heero inched down on the sofa.

Helping Heero out of his jacket was a slow process. The injection site on his arm was now a distended welt that ached every time he flexed his arm. All of his muscles were taut and strained and his head throbbed dully.

Heero handed the Beretta to Duo who held it out at arm's length before placing it on the coffee table. Duo knew that carrying a gun was a necessary part of Heero's job but he had never liked guns and was not at all comfortable with them.

"What's this?" Duo declared pointing at smeared bloodspots that had stiffened Heero's shirtsleeve.

"It's nothing, don't fuss."

"Nothing. Let me see." Duo insisted tugging at the shirt's hem.

"I'll be all right."

Duo shook his head hard enough to make his braid flop against the sofa cushions. "There you go with that damned macho attitude. Can't you just for once in your life let someone help you?"

"I can do for myself." Heero replied with edginess in his voice.

Duo leaned closer and locked his expressive eyes with Heero's cobalt centers of sight. "If you're concerned about the scar I've already seen it."

"When?"

"The other night you had a bad dream and I had to untangle the sheet."

Duo decided not to mention the incident with the gun. Since Heero didn't seem to recall what happened he didn't want to add any more upset to the situation.

Heero adverted his eyes from Duo's concentrated sight. Putting a finger under the lowered chin Duo lift 01's bowed head. "The scar doesn't bother me. It is a part of you and you should wear it like a badge of pride. Lie back while I get something to patch you up."

With an involuntary moan Heero eased back on the sofa. For the first time in days Agent 01 allowed himself to relax and let down his guard. He was exhausted and sore and tied of keeping up the pretense that everything was all right.

Duo returned from the bathroom with a warm, wet washcloth, a towel and a first aide kit. Carefully he dabbed Heero's forearm. The moist heat soothed the puffy wound and calmed his fretful mind.

Disinfecting pads cleaned away dried blood on his arm. The cut on his head was treated in the same manner and both wounds were covered with sterile gauze held in place with wide strips of adhesive tape. A second pad was applied to the tacky residue clogging one nostril.

The skin over Heero's stomach was tender and the slightest touch caused him to cringe. "Sorry." Duo apologized but kept to the cleaning. Soon Heero looked a bit more human and a lot more content.

"You need to drink water. You don't want to get dehydrated."

"I'd rather have something stronger."

Duo nodded "no". "Alcohol might not mix well with whatever that bastard gave you. You better stick to water." He gathered up the soiled pads and blood-tainted washcloth and towel. "I'll get a glass."

Duo headed back to the bathroom, put the washcloth and towel in the sink to soak and set the first aide kit on the shelf.

Heero winced as he sat up. "All I want is sleep."

"Water first then sleep."

"Stay put a few minutes more." Duo urged. He made a brief detour to the bedroom before going back to fetch Heero.

*********

Heero announced he needed to "piss like a racehorse". Normally Duo would have let him take care of his business in private but the agent's unstable balance precluded his need for privacy. Also Duo wanted to be sure there was no blood in the urine that might indicate internal bleeding. To his relief the fluid was clear.

"Easy. One step at a time."

Once inside the bedroom Heero discovered that Duo had pushed the twin beds together. "I don't want to have to get up to check on you." was Duo's reasonable explanation for the furniture arranging.

Heero didn't argue. He wouldn't have admitted it but he really didn't want to be alone and a warm body in close proximity to his would be especially welcomed. 01 sat on the bedside. Duo squatted down, unlaced Heero's high-topped boots, removed his socks and helped the weary agent wiggled our of his dirty, blood-spattered trousers leaving only boxers to keep the his modesty in tact.

The sheets were invitingly cool and the pillow felt like heaven beneath Heero's head. Duo sat on the opposite side, quickly divested his cloths down to his underwear and scooted in next to his bedmate.

Duo raised up enough to see in the muted moonlight gleaming through the window. A bluish bruise tinted the ridge of Heero's cheekbone, an equally dark discoloration traced along his stubble-coated jawline.

Heero gazed up into Duo's face that seemed to glow in the moonlight and inwardly thanked the fates for the braided man's compassion. "I'm sorry I put you in the middle of this mess."

"You didn't put me anywhere I didn't want to be. Sleep now." Duo urged.

"I can't sleep."

"Sure you can. Relax, close your eyes and you'll drift off in no time."

Heero drew in a steadying breath, "I can't dream." he confessed giving up the last crumbling traces of his macho facade.

Duo brushed back bothersome bangs so he could better see Heero's eyes. "I can't promise that you won't dream but I promise that I will be here when you do. You once asked me to trust you. Now will you trust me?"

"Yes." The answer was barely audible over the hiss of air as Heero finally let go. His eyelids blinked once then closed in sweet surrender to sleep and Duo's pledged protection.

Keeping his promise Duo called Wufei and reported on his and Heero's harrowing encounter with the sentries. "Heero is bruised and sore but he will be all right."

"Do you need me to come over?" Wufei wondered.

"Heero is asleep and I soon will be. We'll come to the Bureau in the morning, fill in the details and start preparing a plan."

*********

Drained physically and emotionally Duo gave himself permission to also let go. Watching the steady rise and fall of Heero's quiet breathing he ran his fingers lightly over the scar on Heero's chest. "You look so peaceful." he sighed, "I wish it could always be this way."

The moon silently slipped behind a cloud casting long shadows over the exhausted pair. Duo placed a brushing kiss on 01's swollen cheek and tucked the coverlet tighter. "Good night." he whispered then snuggled nearer and hoped for calm, dreamless sleep.

TBC...

(1) Wakizashi: A Samurai sword with a seventeen and a half inch blade.