Boot Camp Part 14
Fitting the Punishment to the Crime
Captain Chang sat in front of the vid-phone in his office, looking at a man with long, platinum blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. "So I checked the window and door for fingerprints. But what I got would be pretty hard to match to anything."
"You're sure it had to be the Maxwell kid?"
"I'd stake my reputation on it," Wufei shrugged. "But in all honesty, I don't have proof, sir." He leaned a little closer to the screen. "It was a very smooth stealth operation, Major."
The handsome face on the vidscreen grinned at him. "Really?"
"Flawless," admitted Wufei. "If I hadn't found the evidence on his boot, I truly would have had no way of even accusing him...other than a gut instinct that has never failed me."
"So...he broke curfew...trespassed into a restricted area of the prison...broke into another team's barracks...all for a practical joke?" Major Merquise shook his head. "I like the kid already, Chang."
"Me, too," Wufei admitted, smiling wanly.
"We need operatives with that kind of ability, you know." Major Merquise looked at his subordinate searchingly. "You aren't considering shipping him out, Chang?"
"He's a bit of a rebel," Wufei said with a shrug. "You know from our previous discussions that the first day here, he was punished by the warden for insubordination..."
"But you told me you think Kushrenada has a personal grievance against the boy."
"I do. Have you found out anything about the murder on L2?"
"I've got someone searching old police reports to find out the particulars." Zechs frowned slightly. "Look, Chang...insubordination aside, the kid has skills we desperately need. I don't want to hand him over to the prison system unless you're convinced he can't learn to operate within our system." His clear blue eyes narrowed. "Are you?"
"No," Wufei admitted. "He's smart. With the right motivation, he could develop into an excellent mobile suit soldier. I know it meant something to him when I raced him on the obstacle course and he did well."
"Then come up with a suitable in-house punishment for this infraction...without shipping him off to prison."
"Yes, sir." Wufei smiled despite his best efforts. Dammit, but he really was becoming fond of the brat from L2.
"So, since that's settled, tell me how your friend Yuy is doing," Merquise inquired.
"He excels at just about everything, as I knew he would," Wufei said proudly. "His only weakness is in leadership skills, and he's beginning to get a handle on that." He gave a perfectly wicked smirk. "Maxwell's one of his team members."
Zechs laughed aloud. "Oh, he can't be enjoying that!"
"No, but I think he will." The Chinese man leaned back in his chair. "In fact, I think the challenge of forging a team out of such strong-minded individuals is speeding up the process."
"Sink or swim?"
"Exactly. They'll cooperate or fall apart...and so far, they haven't fallen apart."
"Well...then perhaps it's time to challenge their team spirit a bit further," Major Merquise suggested, a sly gleam in his eyes. "Try to divide and conquer, Chang...see if you can get one of them to give up Maxwell."
"Ah...threaten to punish the whole team for his infraction?"
"Exactly." The Major shrugged. "Either he'll confess to spare his teammates, or one of them will rat him out to spare the rest."
Wufei smiled. "You are a devious man, Merquise." His grin turned wicked. "I'll let you know how it turns out.
~*~
The four boys from Team Wing were at that very moment, on their way to martial arts class. Having had the better part of the morning to cool off, they were again walking companionably close.
Duo elbowed Quatre sharply, jerking his head to indicate Team Chase, also headed for the gym. "Heh...watch this, Quat..."
Heero opened his mouth to caution Duo, and then decided to wait and see what he was up to. What the hell...give him enough rope to hang himself.
Duo edged over so they were within a few yards of Austin's team, and then the braided boy made a great show of sniffing the air. "Whoa! What the hell is that smell--? Oh...hey, Austin!" He waved delightedly at the other boy.
The sandy-haired boy glared, green eyes narrowed. "Fuck you, Maxwell."
"You wish," Duo called back, sneering. "Ya mind walking downwind there, Pritchard?"
"Just you wait, Maxwell," Austin snarled. "This isn't over."
"Psh...yeah right," Duo scoffed. "There aren't enough of you to scare me, dog breath...oh, wait...make that dog shit breath." He laughed at his own joke, winking aside at Quatre.
"Careful, Duo," Quatre murmured in an undertone. "Don't push it."
Heero carefully edged between Duo and Austin as the boy from Team Chase started their way. "Some day, Maxwell, you've got to learn not to gloat," he growled, glaring at the approaching boy. "Problem, Pritchard?"
Austin gestured to the braided boy behind Heero. "Your little fuck toy there better learn to keep quiet, Yuy, or he better never let us catch him alone...ever!"
"Are you threatening a member of my team?" Heero asked mildly.
"Damn right I am! If he ever tries sneaking into our barracks again, he better be ready to pay the price."
"And what might that be?" Heero asked, his tone so very calm.
Austin was almost toe to toe with Heero by now, his teammates a few feet behind him. "He's an L2 whore, Yuy...and he can expect to be treated like one if we catch him where he shouldn't be."
Heero's hand shot out, closing firmly around Austin's throat. The green-eyed boy clutched at his fingers, but couldn't seem to pry them loose. "Listen carefully, Pritchard. You lay a hand on one of my teammates, any of you, and I'll do more than put a few pieces of dog shit in your shoes." His deep blue eyes narrowed. "You got what you deserved in martial arts, and you got what you deserved in your fucking boots. So get over it and move on." He shoved hard enough to send Austin staggering back into his teammates' arms. "Leave us alone."
Austin gulped in some air, his composure shaken, and simply stood with his friends as Heero and the others walked away.
Duo didn't say a word, glancing warily at Heero as they walked. He couldn't decide if he was happy that Heero had stood up for him--or, well, all of them--or annoyed that he hadn't denied any of Austin's accusations. Then again, Duo had more or less promised to be Heero Yuy's fuck toy if it kept him from telling the warden about his snooping into the foot lockers. So he couldn't very well refute that statement. But he categorically denied being an L2 whore. Of course, Heero wouldn't know about that one way or the other...so he'd hardly have cause to deny it. And if you really wanted to get technical, trading sexual favors for Heero's silence would sort of make Duo a whore any way you looked at it.
Quatre clutched at his head. "Geeze, Duo! Stop!" he whispered, glaring at his friend.
Duo looked up quickly, and then understanding dawned. "Oh, sorry. Lot on my mind."
"Yeah, obviously," Quatre sighed, rubbing a hand across his heart.
They settled into the bleachers to wait for their martial arts instructor.
Lieutenant Li arrived a moment later, and his sharp gaze darted straight to Duo, recalling their last class. "Ah, Maxwell," he crooned, crooking a finger at him. "You're going to be my practice dummy today."
Duo groaned and stood up, reluctantly walking out onto the mat. He glanced up at the bleachers to see Heero wearing the smuggest smirk he thought he'd ever seen. Yeah, a lovely, pouting smirk on those perfect lips... And then Duo forcefully pulled his thoughts away from the gorgeous team leader, remembering that Heero held the power to ship him off to L2 in the palm of his hand. Bastard.
"Today we're going to learn a few throws," Lieutenant Li announced.
Duo looked at him in disbelief, jaw dropping open. "Throws?"
The lieutenant smiled an evil smile. "Captain Chang thought it appropriate."
"He would."
~*~
The sun was setting as the four boys made their way from supper towards their barracks. They'd had a long afternoon of classes, calisthenics, and obstacles, and were all plodding with weariness. It didn't help that Duo and Quatre had gotten barely any sleep the night before.
"Hey, Duo!" Jason came jogging over from his group, ending up walking beside the exhausted boy.
"Hey, Jase," Duo said while muffling a yawn.
"You guys kicked ass on obstacles again, eh?"
"I s'pose."
"Li was a little tough on you, though."
Duo groaned. "Don't remind me. I lost count of how many times I got the wind knocked out of me."
"Twenty-three," grinned the other boy.
"Thanks for keeping track," Duo muttered. He glanced curiously at the other boy, noticing he seemed as if he had more to say. "So...what's up?"
Jason slowed down slightly, so he and Duo ended up behind the other three. "I just wanted to congratulate you on the practical joke of all time."
Duo grinned wearily. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jase. You think I had something to do with the dog shit in Team Chase's boots this morning?" He winked as he said it.
"Of course you didn't," Jason smirked back. "But it was classic!"
"Yeah..." Duo shrugged slightly. "Wish I could take credit for it."
Jason laughed, and turned a sincere look to his fellow colony rat. "Um, Duo?"
"Hmm?" Duo turned to face him, his expression curious.
The other boy paused, shifting his weight uneasily from foot to foot. "I just...I wanted to...to..." Quickly, as if to keep from losing his nerve, he leaned forward and kissed Duo. "I really like you," he whispered, turning and running to catch up with his team, which had disappeared around a building.
Duo stood open-mouthed in shock, and then looked at his three teammates, who had stopped and were waiting. When he saw the look on Heero's face, he paled, heart sinking all the way to his boots. "Oh, shit."
~*~
"I tell you, I had no idea he'd do something like that," Duo was saying to an oblivious team leader. Heero hadn't said a word about the incident with Jason; he'd simply walked into the barracks and begun working on the laptop. Meanwhile, the braided boy had been trying to explain to all three of his teammates that he'd been as surprised by Jason's actions as they had.
Trowa looked down from his bunk with a slight smirk, green eyes half-hidden by his bangs. "So that long walk you two took the other day had nothing to do with this?" Yeah, revenge was sweet...he'd been jealous of Duo and Quatre from the start, and the indigo-eyed boy had played on it non-stop. It was time for a little payback.
"It certainly did not," Duo said hotly. He knew Trowa was enjoying his discomfort, and gave him the dirtiest look he could muster.
"It's okay, Duo," Quatre said reassuringly. "There's no way you could have known Jason would get a crush on you so quickly."
Duo was still looking at Heero, a troubled expression on his face. "Yuy...I don't want you to think the wrong thing. There's nothing going on between me and Jason."
Heero glanced up, face impassive. "It's none of my business where, when, or who you fuck, Maxwell," he said flatly, repeating Duo's earlier words verbatim.
Duo winced at that, but narrowed his eyes. "Cheap shot, Yuy. You know when I said that I was trying to cover for Quat and me."
"Oh?" came the disinterested response. "So now it is my business--?"
"No!" Duo said quickly. "I mean, yes...I mean...you're team leader, and I just don't want you getting the wrong idea." He scowled deeply. "I'm not interested in Jason. There's nothing going on."
"And I should care why?" Heero asked, shrugging one shoulder nonchalantly as he worked on the laptop without missing a keystroke.
"Because..." Duo paused in frustration. "As team leader..." He sighed, throwing his hands to the side in resignation. "I just don't want you thinking...what you're thinking."
Heero stopped his typing, and fixed a cool blue gaze on the braided boy. "Maxwell...I could care less about you and Jason. Just don't let your social life get in the way of the missions we're given."
"Damn it, Yuy..."
A knock on the door interrupted the tirade Duo was about to launch, and Captain Chang strolled in, a serene look on his face.
All four boys immediately snapped to attention by their bunks, waiting for the officer to speak.
"Maxwell...I turned up some interesting information," Wufei said, calmly bluffing for all he was worth.
"Really, sir?" Duo said with a polite, respectful tone of voice.
"Really." Wufei stalked the length of the building, idly running a hand across the windowsill. He glanced slyly over his shoulder, rubbing two fingers together. "The circumstantial evidence is really all I needed anyway. It's awfully convenient that Barton spent most of yesterday afternoon at the kennel with Kushrenada." He smiled slightly. "I imagine he knows the layout of the area quite well as a result." He looked at Quatre next, narrowing those piercing black eyes. "And you, Winner, spend a substantial amount of time at Maxwell's side. I can't imagine him leaving you out of such a scheme." He then leveled a stern glare on Heero. "It's completely absurd to think anyone could slip past you and out a window in the middle of the night without your waking." He turned to fix a triumphant gaze on Duo. "When you put all the pieces together, Maxwell, it spells out your name in big, bold letters. You're the one with the grudge against Pritchard...but your teammates all had a hand in the payback." He held up a handful of papers. "I've taken the liberty of drawing up the documents to have each of you removed to the prison on your home colony." He studied Duo's face, watching for a crack in the smooth, calm mask. "Unless I get the truth out of one of you, I promise, I will punish you all."
Duo eyed the officer warily, trying to ascertain if he were bluffing, or ready to carry out the threat. And then the braided boy glanced at Heero, waiting for the team leader to blurt the truth and save himself and Trowa. But Heero stood with an impassive expression on his face.
Duo looked at Trowa, figuring that even if Heero didn't set the record straight, the auburn-haired boy would. There was no love lost between Duo and him. But Trowa stood his ground, eyes on Quatre, and Duo realized the green-eyed boy wouldn't sell him out if it meant betraying Quatre as well.
And Quatre would no sooner betray Duo than cut off his own arm. He was loyal to a fault.
"Very well," Wufei said curtly. "Be packed by morning." He turned and put a hand on the doorknob, pausing just long enough to let someone intervene.
"Wait!" Duo said quickly. "You know it was me, Chang. Leave the others out of it."
Wufei turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise. He'd honestly expected one of the others to break first. "You're admitting it, Maxwell? I thought the first thing you learned in juvenile detention..."
"I know!" Duo cut in. "I know what I said. That's bullshit." His indigo eyes darkened. "Just like it's bullshit for you to send me to prison for a goddamned joke. But go ahead and do it if you want. The others don't deserve that."
"Again, you're taking me for a fool, Maxwell. I don't believe you could have pulled it off alone." Wufei looked suspiciously at Quatre.
"Believe it!" Duo interrupted. "It was all my idea...my plan."
Trowa and Heero exchanged a glance, and Duo darted a warning glare at the team leader. Don't even think about selling out the kid. Not Quatre.
"Very well..." Wufei began.
"No!" Quatre said sharply. "You can't ship Duo off to L2 for something I helped him do."
"Quat!"
"No, Duo. I'm as guilty as you. And you can't be the only one punished if that's what's going to happen."
"Dammit, kid," Duo said miserably. His sacrifice would be for nothing if the blonde went down with him. "You know it was all my fault. Leave it be!"
"Uh-uh." Quatre shook his head. "It was a team effort, Duo. You and me."
Duo closed his eyes, leaning back against the post of his bunk. "Winner...you are a fool." He looked at Wufei with a scowl. "There's no point in punishing Quatre. He'd never have done it except to help me pay Austin back for his bullshit."
"Chang..." Heero's voice made all eyes turn his way. "If you punish those two, you may as well punish me. I knew when they snuck out. I could have gone and gotten you right then, and didn't. At the very least, I'm an accessory after the fact...at worst, an accomplice."
"Yeah, I suppose that makes me one, also," Trowa shrugged, green eyes obscured by the auburn bangs.
Duo glared at Heero and Trowa. "You two should have stayed out of this," he snarled. "There's no point in taking the blame that way!"
Wufei's stern glare swept the room. "I suppose you think if you all stick together, you'll escape punishment." He shrugged slightly. "You won't, but since I at least got some truth out of you, I might reduce the severity." He smiled evilly. "I've always believed in letting the punishment fit the crime."
"Oh, shit," Duo muttered.
"Exactly."
~*~
The next morning, while the other recruits were at calisthenics, Team Wing was out picking up every last trace of dog poop from the entire compound. And after that, they were tasked with cleaning and scrubbing the kennels, just for good measure.
"Still think it was worth it, Maxwell?" asked Heero, carrying a bucket of sudsy water into a filthy cement dog run.
Duo managed a wry smirk. "Y'know...it really was," he said quietly.
"I agree." Heero gave him one of those small, rare, heartwarming smiles, and for the rest of the morning, Duo was walking on air. (Er, in between walking on dog shit encrusted cement, that is.)
TBC...
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