Reclamation Part 9
Haze painted the streets of L2 with dusky hues of gray and purple.
The artificial daylight's disappearance signaled the curfew so nocturnal creatures, gang members and crazy street people were all who dared to ignore the nightly clampdown enforced by patrolling soldiers.
Most buildings were dark, but the ample security lighting that cut through the gloom kept a continuous watch.
Behind the two-story Alliance Administration Complex three ghostly shapes dressed entirely in black darted from one cover point to the next.
Two of the figures pushed motorcycles that rolled along in a silent out-of-gear mode and, as the secretive silhouettes skirted the alley, the only sound competing with the crickets was tires crunching in the gravel covering the narrow passage.
A basement at the AAC's rear put the first set of windows on the second floor. While the front was on street level, the rebels knew better than to use the main entrance which left the backward route their only option.
The Cluster trio huddled behind a rusted waste disposal unit. Trowa knelt between Quatre and Wufei craning his neck, studying the rough wall of brick and mortar, picking out hand and toe holds and mentally calculating the upward distance to the center dirt-clouded windowpane.
Quatre laid a backpack at his feet extracted two headsets and a pair of small black boxes. One headset was fitted over his ear, the mini-microphone angled over his lips, the box attached to his belt then he connected the components with a thin plastic-coated cable.
The second set was assembled and handed to Trowa so the lovers would be electronically linked. Adjusting the transceiver close to his mouth, Trowa tested the volume.
"I love you." he whispered into the microphone.
Quatre smiled as the endearing words floated through his earpiece. "I love you." he replied to make sure Trowa's channel was receiving a strong signal. "Be careful." he added with a wink to his soul mate.
Giving Quatre a quick kiss Trowa left his brothers-in-arms in the trash bin's shelter. He pushed his motorcycle to the wall; made certain the bi-wheeled beast was firmly balanced then stood up on the seat to reach the junction where the smoother foundation met the first row of bricks.
"Once I'm inside I'll maintain radio silence until I hack into a computer." He declared.
Curling his fingers into a deep seam where the mortar had sifted out, he glanced back with a smirk. "Tell Wufei to watch my technique and learn." he teased as the tested his grip.
Toeing into another gap Trowa's ebony outline blended with the dark wall like a stealthy chameleon. Seeming to defy gravity he effortlessly climbed toward the window.
Hand over hand he put his daily workout routine to good use. All the sit-ups, pushups and repeated practice sessions scaling the warehouse wall were now bearing fruit. Arm and leg muscles bulged under his skintight clothing. With each pull his body moved in a rhythmic dance of graceful strength.
From his distant observation point Quatre leaned back against the disposal unit's cold metal side enjoying the view of Trowa's taut ass swaying from side to side and for a moment became mesmerized by the sensual sliding as first one long leg then the other ascended the vertical surface.
Aided by flashbacks of those same lean legs wrapping around his waist for leverage, Quatre pictured ravaging his lover. Twitching in his manhood helped him temporarily forget the danger then the realization that one wrong move could send Trowa tumbling to the solid ground quickly replaced the sexual daydreaming.
Unfortunately the peril wouldn't end when Trowa reached the window, getting inside without tripping an alarm was another possible hazard.
An Alliance employee loyal to the resistance had drawn a crude floor plan so at least Trowa wouldn't waste valuable time searching for his objective. After his undetected entrance, he still had to traverse the corridors unseen, break into the main computer section and hope the Security Override Code given to Ken by an informant still worked.
Once he hacked into OZ the trespassing rebel would have only minutes to pull up the prisoner roster, locate Heero and Duo then relay the information to Quatre before shutting down the system and getting the hell out.
The encroachment plan seemed simple enough when he, Wufei, Quatre and Ken worked out the final details. But now as Trowa struggled to pull up the last few feet, as muscles burned and arms and legs trembled from the strain, he realized that the research and preparation had been the easiest part. Intestinal fortitude, luck and a slight case of insanity had to be added in for good measure.
If you get out of this one. Trowa's inner voice stated.
"I know," he wheezed, "but it's not if but when." he argued back against his wise council that should have offered its voice of reason before he was precariously perched on the building's side.
*********
"Be careful my lover." Quatre sighed as he willed Trowa to be safe.
"What?" Wufei asked.
"Just wishing Trowa a safe journey."
Noticing his Chinese comrade also carried a worried expression, Quatre put a hand on Wufei's arm.
"It's going to be all right. It won't be long before we have Heero home again." he assured his friend that his brother would return. "I know you don't care for Duo," Quatre continued, as Wufei had made no secret of his feelings, "but you certainly couldn't deny him a safe return, too."
Wufei bowed his head to stare at his boots. "I wouldn't wish anyone to be held by OZ." he truthfully declared, "I want them both back." he sighed not brothering to hide his fear for the only family member he had left.
"Please Heero come back. You can bring the stray, but just come back." Wufei begged under his breath.
*********
Another of Trowa's practiced skills was utilized as he effortlessly unlatched the window. He pushed up the frame then held his breath waiting for an alarm to wail. When nothing announced his unauthorized arrival he silently slipped inside and lowered the window to hide his intrusion.
Using his excellent night vision he found a door and cautiously cracked it opened. A thin shaft of light poured in from the vacant corridor. Producing a pistol from his back holster Trowa surveyed the area for any surveillance devices then began to slink down the gloomy hall.
*********
As much as Trowa hated Quatre's night visions, they'd announced Heero and Duo were in OZ custody and sadly his lover's empathetic dreams were seldom wrong.
He was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Quatre's "second sight". The dreams had become more frequent, more intense and he worried about what long term affects they could have on his partner. But despite the potential harmful influences the nightmares were the still the most accurate informational source the Cluster had.
Muffled voices met Trowa's hearing. He stopped short at an intersecting hallway. Luckily the overhead lights had been set in the mandatory Energy Conservation Mode. Mentally thanking the Alliance for obeying the rules, he flattened against the wall blending perfectly with the muted tones and shadowy textures.
The voices grew louder. He withdrew further into the dim recesses. Resting the pistol against his chest, Trowa frowned as he noticed the stark contrast between the weapon's shiny metal and his black turtleneck shirt.
Two men dressed in Alliance dark blue security uniforms walked side by side. Their guns were holstered and their casual attitude told Trowa that they were not expecting trouble. After all they reasoned, as one uneventful watch drifted into the next, who would be foolish enough to enter their territory?
~~A Resistance Rebel with piss and fire in his green eyes would be so bold.~~
"Are you still screwing that girl in Sector Five?" one guard asked pulling a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. The flame from his lighter momentarily lit up the corridor.
"Yeah."
"Damn I bet she's good."
"She's a good lay but not the brightest bitch if you know what I mean."
"All the fun without the damn boring conversation. Sounds good to me." The smoker stated taking a long draw. "Let's finish this round, I need coffee."
The pair moved on unaware of how close they'd come to the Cluster intruder and his deadly detestation of their employer.
The remainder of Trowa's journey into the viper pit passed without any more close encounters. Once he had to duck under the large window of a Security Station, but had no fear of being discovered.
Lounging inside the stark white cubical, the night sentries looked as bored as the uninspired pair Trowa had eluded earlier. Such lax attitudes were comforting. Let the enemy be lulled into false security, let them lower their guard. The inattentiveness was one more weak link in an already frail chain of command and one more advantage for the Resistance.
*********
Trowa swore under his breath, "Damn it, if OZ hadn't intervened, the Cluster's battle with the United Colonial Government would've ended long ago."
The Senate believed they were in control with their hired henchmen's cruel oppression keeping the citizens in line. The Alliance claimed to be the ruling force, however, they were no match for OZ. Wufei and Heero had expressed an identical theory; the local authorities were merely puppets and OZ was pulling the strings.
Of course in time of war there is much unreliable information, half-truths or perhaps wishful thinking. There was one persistent rumor Trowa believed was based in fact that told of a secret research facility where huge fighting machines like the Lightning Baron's Epyon were being constructed.
If such tales were true the Outland outlaws might soon have a means to stand against the traitorous Colonial Alliance and finally be granted the power to thoroughly defeat OZ and free their homeland.
At that moment, Trowa didn't have time to consider promises of victory or a better future, right then he needed to concentrate on the business at hand. The Cluster was incomplete and it was his mission to reunite the rebel faction.
*********
COMPUTER SYSTEMS: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
"This must be the place." Trowa proclaimed as he read the sign above the door.
Then again the ten or so computers sitting in neat twin rows and clearly seen through the reinforced window provided the most obvious clue as to the room's function.
A forged key card bypassed the electronic dead bolt. Trowa eased behind a desk in the farthest corner. If any patrolling lackeys came his way it would be easy to crouch down and hide.
Dividing his attention between the outside corridor and his spying assignment could make the hacking slower but if he was caught, well, the entire operation would abruptly grind to a halt.
The activated monitor cast a bluish tint on Trowa's face. Leaning closer he grinned as the official Alliance Administration Complex logo materialized on the screen.
Clicking on the green ENTER in the bottom right corner the logo disappeared and was replaced by a rectangle box. ENTER AUTHORIZATION CODE it demanded in bold letters.
The thought that Heero might not listed in the main files nagged at Trowa's mind. With a string of curses he dismissed the unwelcome negativity as his fingers flew over the keyboard to enter a digital code.
The letters and numbers disguised with those damned little asterisks filled the box. He hit the enter key and held his breath as the computer digested the encrypted data.
ACCESS GRANTED flashed on the screen giving Trowa permission to once again breach the Alliance's supposedly infallible system.
He typed in the desire location. The computer hummed as it rerouted the request. The screen changed displaying the OZ Crossed Swords Insignia confirming that one more bridge had been crossed.
Interrogation Unit.
Hit enter and wait.
IDENTIFICATION NAME & NUMBER
Trowa was becoming impatient with the endless layers of security. "Shit why does everything have to be so difficult?"
The keyboard's clatter created limited noise in the large room but each strike of the keys seemed to multiply until Trowa was certain that everyone in the entire building could hear.
"Merquise, Commander, LC265"
A longer pause while the bitchy machine crosschecked the data.
"Come on." Trowa whispered becoming tenser with each painfully slow second.
ACCESS GRANTED
"All right now we are getting somewhere." Trowa congratulated himself, "Don't get too cocky." he chided his prideful backslapping.
He'd cleared a few hurdles but had not finished the race.
Another search box.
Prisoner Roster.
The screen changed. A list arranged in order by date popped on. Trowa scrolled down until the correct date was found, but no Yuy was listed among the detainees.
"SHIT!" he exclaimed with a bit more volume. "Don't panic there's more than one way to fuck the Alliance."
Surveying a menu box he located Identify by Description then supplied a detailed description of Heero's height, weight, age and nationality.
PRISONER 125.
Prisoner 125, location.
The computer hummed then gave Trowa a reward for his persistence.
INTETTOGATION UNIT HOLDING ROOM 4
Trowa repeated the process typing in Duo's description. This was one case where the young man's unusual hairstyle was a plus. After all OZ shouldn't have too many pony-tailed prisoners with long braids.
HOLDING ROOM 4.
"Yes, they're together." Trowa all but shouted aloud.
*********
Quatre straightened up as his lover's voice sounded through his headset.
A wide smile told Wufei that the report was be good. "Trowa found Heero." He relayed the information. "Duo is with him. They are in the Interrogation Unit, Room 4."
"Good job lover." Quatre praised Trowa's infiltration proficiency "Now get your sexy ass back here and we'll retrieve Heero and Duo."
Trowa switched off the computer then took a moment to sit in the dark and mull over Quatre banging his well-lubed ass. "Cat you're a very bad boy." he smirked before adjusting his pants that had suddenly tightened across the front.
*********
Quatre was waiting by the motorcycle when Trowa's boots settled on the seat. As soon as his feet hit the ground Quatre slid his arms around his partner's neck and gave him a proper kiss, including a very eager stroking of his frontal region.
The breathy kiss broke when Wufei cleared his throat. "Could you two hold off on your vertical fucking until we find Heero?"
A slight blush tinted Quatre's cheeks as he climbed up on a motorcycle behind Trowa.
Wufei mounted his ride. "Let's kick some OZ ass." he set the attack tone.
The roar of engines reverberated in the curfew's quiet. A pair of headlights sliced through the moonless night as the Cluster rebels raced to the rescue.
TBC...
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