Author's Note: Credit for this inspiration has to go to my friend SwampYankee Snow Dragon.
Boot Camp Part 13
Operation Payback
It was after midnight when Duo dropped noiselessly to the floor, tiptoeing over to Quatre and laying a hand on his shoulder. Quatre's eyes opened at once, and Duo placed a finger on his lips in a shushing gesture. The blonde nodded, carefully easing out of his bed. With clothes and boots in hand, the boys crept to the window, which Duo had carefully left open a couple of inches. He'd also oiled the track that evening, with a pat of butter he slipped from the mess hall. So the window slid open without a sound, and the braided boy climbed out. Quatre followed, and they slid the window nearly shut again.
Staying pressed up against the building, they quickly donned clothes and boots. Then Duo grabbed Quatre's wrist and led him along the shadows cast by the barracks in the pale light of a half-moon.
So far, so good...
They reached the end of the barracks and dashed across an open space to the administration building. The well-lit perimeter fence was further away, but their destination lay in between. They just had to reach it without alerting either of the tower guards, or the foot patrol just inside the perimeter.
Duo dropped to his stomach, and Quatre followed suit, crawling painstakingly along between buildings, freezing whenever a guard walked past where he might catch a glimpse of them. The blonde briefly wondered when Duo had studied the layout of the camp and the schedules of the patrols; he seemed to know exactly where to go.
They reached the chain link fence that enclosed the exercise yard for the guard dogs, and Duo rolled onto his side, pulling two plastic bags from his pocket.
"Quat...you stay here and keep a lookout...if anyone comes, warn me and get yourself back by the building over there. It'll hide you."
Quatre nodded, and Duo watched for a cloud to pass across the moon. Then he scaled the six-foot fence and dropped into the kennel yard. Finding piles of droppings in the dark was a little harder, and he had to wait for a glimmer of moonlight. Then he found the mother lode in one corner, and spent several minutes filling a bag partway full.
He'd finished and was headed to the fence when he heard Quatre hiss a warning. Pressing himself against the cinder block kennel building, he froze and waited.
A guard walked by, stopping at the gate, unlocking it, and leading one of the big guard dogs into the yard.
Shit! Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit...
The dog stopped, letting out a low growl, and the handler jerked on the leash. "Stand down, King. Your shift's over." He led the dog into the building, and Duo breathed again, dashing to the fence and scrambling over. He fell with a thud on the other side, and scooted on hands and knees into the shadows between two buildings.
When a hand fell on his shoulder, he just about jumped out of his skin, turning to see Quatre's worried face. "Aw, fuck!" he breathed in a subdued whisper. "Don't do that t'me!" He was sure the pounding of his heart was audible clear across the camp.
Quatre grinned, albeit a little nervously, and gestured towards the kennel, reminding Duo the guard would be emerging soon--probably with another dog.
A hungrier, more awake dog, no doubt!
Duo nodded understanding, mouthed the word "Chase," and pointed towards the cluster of barracks buildings. The two boys sidled along in the shadows, reaching the strip of open land between the administration buildings and the barracks.
Quatre eyed his friend as they paused to watch for guards. "Ready?" he mouthed silently.
Duo nodded, holding up three fingers. Three...two...one...
He'd taken one step when Quatre grabbed his braid, yanking him back into the shadow they'd just vacated.
What the fuck?!
Duo glared, and then followed Quatre's gaze to the administration building Warden Kushrenada had just stepped out of. He started walking straight towards their hiding place. The "oh shit" mantra was playing in Duo's head again as they pressed against the building, hoping for a miracle.
And then a voice hailed the warden, and he turned to meet a guard who was carrying a clipboard and talking about someone wanting vacation days.
Duo tugged Quatre's sleeve, gesturing with his head back the way they'd come. They doubled back and circled around the far side of the building, coming out further from the warden and guard. When the conversation ended, and the warden resumed his walk, he turned between buildings before reaching the two boys.
Breathing a sigh, they scurried across the yard and dove back into the shadows of the barracks. There they rested long enough to ease the pounding of their hearts. Then they headed for Objective Number Two...Team Chase's barracks.
Duo eased up beside the window, pressing an ear to the glass and listening. Then he gave Quatre a thumbs up, slipped a little strip of metal from his braid, and deftly worked it between the upper and lower casement, unlocking the window in seconds. He slid it up with painstaking slowness, until they could hear the steady snoring of four sleepy boys.
Oh yes--the sweetness of revenge!
Duo gave a dauntless smile, trying not to think what would happen if he got caught. He leaned close to his friend. "I'll go in...you stay out here and keep watch...if you hear anything from inside...get away from here as fast as you can."
"And leave you alone with those four?" Quatre glared at him. "Don't ask me to do that!"
"No point in both of us getting caught," Duo asserted. "Especially not by Austin's team." He frowned at the blonde. "I thought we settled this."
"I'll keep watch...but if things go bad...I'm going to help," insisted Quatre.
Duo smiled wryly. "Y'know, there's a little 'street rat' in you, Winner." He winked slyly. "Makes me wish you were my type."
"Just get going!" Quatre chided. "I've got your back."
"You're the best, Quat." Duo hefted himself over the sill and into the dark barracks, moving silently to the first pair of boots. Using the spare plastic bag as a glove, he slipped a handful of nice fresh dog poop into each toe and each heel. Then he moved on to the next set of boots--four in all.
Congratulating himself on a perfectly executed plan, he headed for the window, only to freeze into immobility when he heard a snort, groan, and the squeak of bedsprings.
The "oh shit" mantra was becoming tiresome, Duo decided.
There was a grumble and a curse, and a voice said "Jesus Christ, Mickey, go to sleep!"
"Fuck you, Chris--this mattress has springs coming through..." Then there was silence, and moments trickled past, and finally the sounds of breathing steadied, slowed, and snoring began again.
Duo could feel sweat trickling down between his shoulder blades as he crept towards the window again. Too close...that was way too close.
Quatre was waiting, pale with worry. His silently questioning look drew a sharp shake of Duo's head as the other boy eased out the window. Then he closed and re-locked the portal, and released a long, shaky breath.
"Home?" breathed Quatre quietly.
"Home," Duo echoed.
They eased carefully through shadows to their own barracks and entered the same way they'd left, only in reverse. They undressed outside, carrying their clothes and boots back in so they could minimize noise once inside.
Quatre went first, and Duo climbed in after, sliding the window shut, setting his boots silently next to his foot locker, and dropping his uniform on top.
He eased himself up onto the edge of his bunk, using one of the posts as a brace. And almost made it, too.
"Where have you two been?" came a sharp inquiry from the bunk below.
Duo started so violently that he fell backwards onto the floor with a crash. "Ah! Shit!" he choked out in surprise, looking up to see a shirtless Heero above him, a scowl on his handsome features.
"Well, Maxwell?" Heero placed one bare foot in the center of Duo's chest. "Where have you and Winner been?"
Duo gradually regained the wind that had been knocked out of him. "Out?" he ventured, trying to dislodge Heero's foot.
"Unacceptable," said the team leader, leaning a little harder. Duo felt slightly squashed.
Trowa dragged Quatre over to stand beside Heero, and the blonde hung his head, looking thoroughly guilty. "Heero, we just--"
"Quatre!" Duo snapped, giving his friend a warning look. He turned his gaze back to Heero's angry one. "Look, Yuy. Quat and I wanted to--go for a walk." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. They had walked...and run...and crawled...but definitely walked. "Alone," he added. Also true--cuz Heero and Trowa never would have allowed them to do what they did.
"A walk," came the flat response.
"Yeah." Duo tried breathing shallowly, the pressure from Heero's foot making it difficult. "Can you get your foot off me and let me up?"
"When I'm satisfied with your answer."
"For fuck's sake, Yuy!" Duo gasped out. "Four's a crowd. Quat and I needed some private time."
"You expect me to believe you and Winner snuck out--risked prison--to--make out?" Heero demanded, his face dark with anger.
Quatre blushed a lovely shade of red at that, and Duo balked. "I never said...hey...how'd you notice we were gone, anyway?"
"Stop changing the subject," Heero snarled. "And tell me...why'd you two sneak out? Where did you go, and what did you do?"
Duo glared back. "That's personal, Yuy."
"This is a team. If you and Winner get caught breaking curfew, we'll all suffer the consequences." Heero took his foot off Duo's chest, grabbed his wrist with an iron grip, and hauled him to his feet. The Prussian blue eyes were alight with emotion. "Next time you two want to go fuck each other, do it on your own time--not when you'll get the whole team in trouble!"
Quatre's jaw dropped. "That's not--!" He stopped when he saw the warning look Duo shot his way.
The braided boy glared at Heero. "Y'know what, Yuy? It's none of your goddamned business where, when, or who I fuck. So just leave me the hell alone!" He bodily pushed his team leader out of his way and climbed up onto his bunk, turning his back to the others.
Quatre looked at Heero, and then at Trowa, cheeks still flushed with embarrassment at what they thought. Then he went to his own bunk and curled up to catch at least a couple of hours of sleep before the five o'clock wakeup.
The quiet murmur of a whispered conversation continued for a few seconds, and then Heero and Trowa went to their own bunks.
~*~
The five a.m. wakeup sent all four boys scurrying out of bed, grabbing for clothes and boots.
Heero didn't comment further on the pre-dawn excursion, but the cold glare from his eyes drew a defiant look from Duo as they passed each other on the way to the bathroom.
And then they were out the door and running for the exercise yard.
There seemed to be some activity centered around the Team Chase barracks as they passed, and Duo and Quatre exchanged smug grins and a high-five when they reached the calisthenics line-up.
"Maxwell--" Heero lined up next to the braided boy, his eyes questioning.
"Bite me," muttered Duo, staring straight ahead as Captain Chang arrived.
The boys from Team Chase came straggling over, and puzzled looks from the assembled ranks turned to chuckles, and finally completely uproarious laughter when they realized what they were seeing.
Austin had both boots in his hands, his feet encased in socks crusted with some brown substance. His teammates Richey, Chris and Mickey were similarly indisposed--one with a boot on and one off, limping as if in pain; another with both boots on, walking as if on eggshells; and the third carrying two boots and two filthy socks. The smell was drifting ahead of them by several yards.
Duo and Quatre were practically holding each other up, while Trowa grinned madly and Heero simply looked awestruck.
Captain Chang swept the laughing ranks with a startled gaze, and went over to Austin's team, hastily conferring with them about their...situation.
"Aw, fuck--I can't breathe!" Duo gasped, tears running down his face.
"Man, I love you," Quatre snickered back, leaning on him for support. "And your devious mind!" he added.
"Maxwell--Winner--"
"Lighten up, 'Ro," Duo smirked.
"I ought to fucking kill you both!" Heero hissed. But he made the mistake of looking at Wufei's baffled expression and he finally lost it as well, laughter bubbling up in spite of his best efforts.
Hell, it was fucking brilliant!
He was tempted to offer his congratulations--or maybe just a nice, hot kiss to the oh-so-clever braided boy next to him.
It took several minutes for the soldiers to get things calmed down. And when, at last, Team Chase had been excused to go change their shoes, (snicker...snort...), Captain Chang ordered the rest of the teams to attention.
"Now you'll be sorry," Heero hissed under his breath to his unrepentant teammates.
"Never!" Duo said, grinning wickedly.
"Is there something you find amusing, Maxwell?" demanded Captain Chang, stopping before the braided boy. Only Heero could see the Herculean effort it was for Wufei to not crack a smile...he wondered if the Chinese man was biting the inside of his cheek as hard as he'd had to at first.
"Uh...well...yes, sir." Duo gestured helplessly in the direction Austin's team had gone. "I'm sorry, but that was fucking hilarious!"
The Captain eyed Duo suspiciously. "It's not good form to admire your own handiwork, Maxwell."
"If only--!" Duo chuckled. "I could kiss whoever did that to Pritchard!"
Wufei was no fool. His onyx eyes fixed sternly on the indigo ones. "So you deny putting dog droppings into Team Chase's boots?"
"I truly wish I had," Duo said in all honesty. It was an evasion, to be sure, but not an outright lie. He hated lying.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Wufei said quietly, so only Duo and his teammates could hear.
"Not at all, sir," Duo said frankly. "But neither am I. The first thing you learn in juvenile detention is to never admit to anything...ever."
"Even if you're guilty as sin?"
Duo met the flat black gaze steadily. "Prove it."
The Chinese officer glanced between Duo and Heero, and then his eyes took on a devious gleam. He sniffed the air carefully. "Lift up your foot, Maxwell."
Duo blinked in surprise, and cautiously lifted a foot. Wufei inspected the sole of the boot carefully.
"Now the other."
Duo knew where this was headed, and cursed his luck again, lifting the other foot.
Wufei smiled evilly. "Care to explain what dog shit is doing in the treads of that boot, Maxwell?"
"I stepped in some on the way back from the lake, sir," Duo said truthfully. He didn't think it necessary to tell the Captain he'd cleaned that first mishap off completely. This had to be from the midnight excursion.
"Looks fairly fresh to me," Wufei observed.
Duo quirked a smile at him. "You gonna carbon date it...sir?"
"I won't need to. Now that I have a suspect, I'm sure I can dig up other evidence." Wufei gave him a menacing glare, triumph in the dark eyes. "We'll finish this after I've conducted an investigation." A feral smile crossed his face. "I'm sure we have your fingerprints on file, Maxwell." He gestured to one of his lieutenants. "Lead the calisthenics, Pierce...I have work to do."
Duo sighed as the officer walked away, giving Quatre a conspiratorial wink. "Mission accomplished, Winner."
"But--fingerprints--?" Quatre hissed back.
Duo shook his head. "I mostly used the heels of my hands lifting and lowering the window. Remember, breaking and entering is--was--my specialty. And as dusty as the sill was, I doubt they'll get anything usable."
"What if they do?"
Duo gave a dauntless smirk. "Quat--it was so worth it!"
They both grinned broadly through most of calisthenics and a good portion of the two-mile run.
It wasn't until they were on their way back to the barracks to shower and change that Heero had a chance to comment.
He walked up beside Duo, who was practically glowing with elation at the successful prank. "Why didn't you tell Barton and me what you and Winner had done?" His tone came out sharp...accusing.
"I wasn't about to have you make me undo it," Duo growled back.
"That's stupid," Heero said bluntly. "I wouldn't have let you break curfew a second time." He shook his head. "So instead you let us think you two were--"
"Screwing?" Duo finished for him, smirking darkly. "What's it to you, Yuy? You'll get your turn..."
"Maxwell, you're a fucking moron!" Heero snarled.
"Are we talking figuratively--or literally?" Duo retorted.
"Y'know--everyone for fifty feet can hear you two," Trowa commented mildly. "What's the problem?"
"Ask Yuy," Duo muttered, walking faster to put distance between him and the team leader. Quatre jogged along to keep up.
Trowa looked questioningly at Heero, who scowled darkly. "Drop it, Barton. It's between Maxwell and me."
"So all that talk about being a team and in this together was just talk?" Trowa asked.
"Look, Maxwell made a stupid assumption, and he won't give me a chance to set him straight," Heero said flatly.
"Maybe if you back off, he'll settle down enough to be reasonable," suggested the auburn-haired boy. He walked closer to Heero, smirking slightly. "You have to admit, Yuy...it was an awesome way for them to pay Pritchard back for his shit."
"Hai," acknowledged the blue-eyed team leader, grinning in spite of himself. "And they did a hell of a job pulling it off, too."
"So let 'em enjoy the moment."
"Sure...right up until Chang has his evidence," Heero shrugged. "Then I doubt they'll be enjoying anything."
TBC...
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