Strike Force Five Part 4
Good Reasons for Spying
Duo used his nose to find the kitchen. Quatre had given instructions that his guests preferred to serve themselves so the cook had left bacon, French toast and a heaping plate of baked goodies in a warming oven on the counter. Freshly brewed coffee mixed with the assorted aromas to create a marvelous temptation.
Wufei, having completed his early-morning practice, felt less guilty as he relaxed with the newspaper, a muffin and a second cup of coffee. He looked up as Duo paused to savor the delightful smells. "Good morning."
Duo wasted no time piling up a plate. "It is indeed." he answered pouring a cup of coffee. "Have you ever seen so much food?" he asked taking a seat opposite Wufei.
"Quatre does have a tendency to overdo." Wufei agreed.
"Where is everyone?" Duo wondered as he sprinkled his French toast with powered sugar.
"Quatre and Trowa have already eaten and I believe Heero is on the lower level working out."
Duo took a bite, "Mmmmm." he hummed, his mouth too full to talk. After swallowing he took a careful sip of coffee then asked, "Is that your helicopter?"
Wufei nodded "yes".
"That is a damn fine machine. Maybe you could take me for a ride later." he stated not bothering with a polite request.
"I think we are going to be busy later." Wufei replied folding up the newspaper. "In fact," he continued checking his watch, "we have a planning session in an hour so I suggest that you use your mouth for eating instead of asking so many questions."
Duo wrinkled his nose at Wufei's bluntness, "Obviously your are not a morning person." he mumbled as he chewed a mouthful of bacon.
"One hour." Wufei reminded before disappearing into the hall.
Duo leaned over his plate, "Yes sir Mr. Grumpy."
"I heard that." Wufei called back over his shoulder.
*********
It took half an hour for Duo to satisfy his hardy appetite. Being a gracious guest he put his dishes in the dishwasher. "Wufei said that Heero was working out." he thought cleaning up crumbs from the cinnamon raisin muffin that he could not resist.
"I should do something to work off the extra "muffin" calories." he grinned as a scheme hatched in his mischievous mind. What better way to observe Heero without looking like he was watching than to engage in some exercise? The logical reasoning fixed firmly in his mind Duo headed for the basement.
Stealthy footsteps carried Duo down the back stairs. Quatre had used all of the basement space for a home gym. A variety of equipment, shower stalls and a hot tub to sooth overstressed muscles provided for everyone's exercise needs. He had also constructed a padded area for sparring and hand to hand combat practice.
Easing up to the opened door Duo peeked around the frame. He drew in a quick breath as his eyes centered on the most erotic sight he had ever seen. Heero was laying on a bench press wearing nothing but a pair of jogging shorts. From the bulge of his biceps Duo guessed that Heero was lifting a considerable amount of weight. And judging by his muscular chest and washboard stomach Duo knew that Heero had taken excellent care of himself.
The weight bar rose, muscles flexed. A hard puff helped Heero lift the rest of the way then the bar hovered in the air. A slow exhaling matched the lowering of the bar then the sensual scene was repeated.
Duo let his eyes wander down the toned chest glistening golden in the overhead lighting. His further optical review took in the flat stomach before aiming for the spot below the short's waistband. It appeared that Heero's arm muscles were not the only bulging part of his anatomy.
One more puff and Heero set the weight bar in the cradle. Sitting up he turned away from Duo leaning over to retrieve a towel from the floor. Again the light sparkled over an equally well-developed back and strong shoulders but marring the shapely contours long, thickly raised scars ran in crisscross patterns across Heero's entire back.
Duo drew in a startled inhalation at the shocking discovery. "Oh God Heero what happened to you?" he whispered recognizing the tattletale markings left behind by a whip. "No wonder you avoid personal contact." he declared as the horrid picture became etched in his mind.
Heero straightened up mopping his face then pushed back sweat-damp bangs from those beautiful "bedroom" eyes. "Enjoying yourself?" he suddenly inquired glaring squarely at the opened door.
Duo jumped at the unexpected detection.*How did he know I was here?* his mind asked as his heart hammered in his chest. *Should I try to sneak away?* the mental conversation continued momentarily making him forget Heero's scars.*He couldn't possibly know its me.*
Heero draped the towel around his neck and stood up. "Maxwell." he growled the single word echoing in the empty room.
"Shit." Duo mumbled berating himself for getting caught on his spying mission. "Heero." he grinned stepping from his hiding place. "Ah...Wufei said that we had a meeting and I came to remind you."
*Do you think he believes you?* Duo's inner voice asked. "No." Duo answered, "Great now I am talking to myself."
Duo froze as Heero quickly closed the distance between them. Locking his brooding eyes Heero leaned near but was careful not to touch Duo. The mere inches of separation completely captured Duo's attention. "You can tell Wufei that I will be there." he stated in a husky tone that sent a shiver through Duo's entire body.
All Duo could do was nod, swallow hard to force down the lump in his throat and hope that his rubbery legs would support his weight. The doorframe was the only thing keeping Duo standing as he watched Heero start up the stairs.
Heero's husky voice murmured in Duo's ears. The heady scent of musk lingered in the air. Taking a deep breath Duo forced his scattered senses to respond at least long enough to ask a final question. "Heero." he called just before Heero disappeared from sight."
"Yes."
"How did you know it was me?"
Heero pivoted tilting his head to gaze down the hall, "I could see the tip of your braid dangling around the door."
*********
Heero walked into the dining room with five minutes to spare. He found Quatre, Trowa and Wufei leaning over a map that covered half the tabletop. Two dozen aerial photos were laid out in sequence order in the remaining space. Duo slouched in a chair his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He glanced up from writing on a legal pad but shied away from making eye contact with Heero. It was embarrassing enough to be caught spying but to be betrayed by his braid was downright disgraceful.
Quatre looked up as Heero paused to study the map. "This is a map of the OZ Compound. The warehouse is here," Quatre pointed to the largest structure, "and this is the only road in or out." he indicated tracing the winding dark line with his finger.
"How did you get this map?" Heero wondered noticing that the government's Interior Mapping Department logo was printed in the lower right corner. "This is supposed to be classified."
"I have my sources." Trowa replied deciding that was all Heero needed to know.
Heero nodded. How the map found its way into Trowa's possession was not important, what mattered now was using it to its fullest extent. "OZ knew what they were doing when they chose this site. With all this open space and a clearly visible perimeter any infiltration will have to be exact."
Quatre sighed, "A daylight mission would be impossible unless we had OZ uniforms and proper identification and even then it would still be extremely risky. A night raid would be more feasible but the compound's entire border is ringed with spotlights and probably motion sensors as well. There are eight heavy gun emplacements, a pair on each side. Now do you understand why I wanted a small force?"
"Nothing is impossible with the right plan." Duo spoke up still writing on the yellow pad. "There are blind spots all around the outer border and plenty of smaller buildings scattered throughout the complex. It is just a matter of playing hide and seek with the troopers." He grinned as if penetrating the enemy compound was child's play.
Wufei picked up a recent recon-photo turning it in his hands to study it from different angles. "I would judge by the large number of support structures that there are at least four or five units of soldiers but I could be way off the count."
Heero's eyebrows pulled together as he noticed what appeared to be some kind of tall building sitting north of the compound. "Any idea what this is?"
Trowa shook his head, "That wasn't there when the earlier pictures were taken three weeks ago. OZ must have built that since they took over the area. Its purpose...well...your guess is as good as mine is."
"That is another reason we have to check everything out." Duo declared putting down his pen. "Here's the list you wanted." He said handing the pad to Trowa.
Trowa eyes widened as he read over the equipment that Duo had determined he needed. There were two kinds of plastic explosives, an assortment of fuses and six remote control detonators. And, as if thrown in for good measure, two motorcycles. "This is a shit load of stuff." he declared not bothering to put his observation in polite language.
"Quatre wanted to know what I needed. What's wrong can't afford it?"
"It is not a question of money, "Quatre replied reading over the requested items, "but a matter of time. I can't walk into a store and buy any of these off the shelf. The explosives can only be obtained from the military and I think they might ask questions we do not want to answer. Even the motorcycles couldn't be shipped out here in less than a month.
"I might have a solution to part of your purchasing problems." Duo stood up making his way to stand beside Wufei. "Did anyone notice this interesting detail?" he asked pointing to a building sitting off to itself surrounded by a high fence.
Heero took a moment to examine the precise structure. "I can't say what it is but I do know that it is important or OZ wouldn't have segregated it like that. That is definitely an investigative target."
"I bet I know what OZ is hiding." Duo announced with a hint of smug confidence.
"Enlighten us." Wufei snorted as a dull ache had begun to grow along his temples.
"Explosives."
Quatre leaned between Heero and Duo. As he did his arm almost brushed against Heero who stepped back to avoid the contact. Duo noted the evasive maneuver recalling Heero's aversion to touching. It was clear that Heero had a well-defined personal space and that he would not allow anyone to invade his territory.
"There could be anything in that building." Quatre's voice redirected Duo's thoughts.
Duo kept to his assertion regarding the mysterious structure. "It is not the communication's center, that is the building with the transmission disk on the roof. And I would guess that this long one here is the barracks, so what better reason for extra security and the separation than a building filled with something that makes a big boom." he came to the logical conclusion.
"We don't have enough verification to be certain of anything." Wufei stated rubbing his throbbing head. The entire meeting had been frustrating, too many questions and not enough answers. "What if you are wrong and there are no explosives?" He had to ask.
"There are." Duo stated sure that his instincts, honed by years of experience, were faithful in their guidance. "If anyone has a better suggestion I am all ears." he threw out the challenge.
Because an exact enemy count could not be confirmed or their firepower figured precisely, estimations and guesses were all Quatre and his coconspirators could manage. The lack of accurate recon-statistics made formulating a decisive plan unattainable.
After several suggestions were submitted and their implications batted back and forth, an abbreviated course of action was tentatively decided. Everyone agreed nothing substantial could be done until they could get inside the OZ complex.
Duo's indisputable confidence that the one structure's seclusion meant he was right had now become an obsessive reason to search the compound. Not only was verification of its contents necessary for Duo's sanity but his intended "appropriation" of his desired explosives would give the Strike Force's scant armaments, as well as their confidence, a much-needed boost.
The right charges, planted in the right places, would provide Quatre and his fellow saboteurs with the means to deliver an ample dose of death and destruction. True Duo's extralegal retrieval would be limited to what he could carry but quality was better than quantity anytime.
Quatre and Trowa considered their options which were restricted by the lack of concrete information, assessed the team's strengths and weaknesses then handed out each assignment accordingly.
Quatre put everyone on notice that he was not going to stay behind. He admitted that he had the least experience but he felt it would be less stressful to accompany Trowa and share the danger than to wait on the estate and worry for his lover. Even though Trowa would have preferred that Quatre remain safely at home he did not want to add to his partner's already strained emotional state so they reached a compromise.
Trowa and Quatre would scout out the support units on the compound's border. The invasive prying need not be extensive, just a quick look to identify the building's functions.
It would have been ideal if they could survey the barracks and from the sleeping area design gotten some idea of the number of soldiers they housed. Such quarters, however, were always designated to the inner region's security and since the spying duet had imposed on themselves strict conditions concerning the scope of their insertion range the border marked their limit.
Wufei, Heero and Duo would make the perilous journey into the hellish bowels of OZ. Although dividing the team might put undue strain on the group's sparse supply of luck they felt that they had no other choice. Wufei and Heero would try to get as accurate personnel count as they could. Also the weapons systems, especially the gun emplacements, would be evaluated as to their firepower. Lastly they would pick out suitable spots for Duo's explosive "kiss of death".
Duo, of course, would head straight for the puzzling building and prove that his instincts were on target. Using his expert knowledge he could acquire the most lethal substances to unleash a little hell of his own.
The mission code named "The Tour" would be accomplished with getting in and out undetected the absolute rule. If OZ had a hint that anything was amiss the entire complex would be put on full alert crushing any hopes the infiltrators would have for a surprise assault. Under the cover of darkness the Strike Force Five would put into motion events that could mean the difference between their countrymen's freedom or living under the cruelty of a despotic government.
Only a few hours could be allowed for the mission. Hopefully after its completion the trespassing terrorists would have a workable plan of action. Then the partners-in-crime could forge their final diagram for OZ's termination and pen the ending chapter in their harrowing undertaking.
"Promise me one thing," Quatre requested as the meeting came to an end. "that all of you will be careful."
A pledge was made...they all would return safely.
*********
Swirling mist touched by sparking pinpoints of heat boiled into a dense cloudbank. Hanging in sheets like opaque curtains the gathering storm raged over the dusky horizon. Deep rolling waves of thunder rumbled overhead and flickers of lightning danced inside the angry clouds.
From his position on the balcony outside his and Trowa's bedroom Quatre was almost eye level with the frightening but strangely fascinating forces of nature. The gusting wind swept back his blond bangs freeing his sight to watch the impending storm. Bellowing clouds continued to thicken, dark and fitful. The smell of moisture was carried on the whipping wind telling Quatre that it would not be long before the heavens would cry.
He took in a shaky breath feeling as though all the forces of evil had come together in one place. Was the turbulence an omen of things to come? Would their hopes for freedom be dashed against the rocks of failure like drowned sailor's bodies or like flowers renewed by the rain would freedom be reborn stronger than before?
Trowa watched Quatre through their bedroom's French doors. Even though he could not see Quatre's face Trowa knew how concerned he was about the upcoming mission. With each forceful squall Quatre's shoulders would tremble and Trowa could sense his anxiety.
Quietly he opened one door and stepped up behind Quatre wrapping his arms around his lover's slender waist. A fine spray of rain pelted the couple as they stared into the storm's fury. "I love the rain." Quatre whispered leaning his head on Trowa's chest.
Trowa turned his partner around and bent over for a passionate kiss. "Come inside and I will love you while we listen to the rain."
TBC...
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