Runaway Part 5
When Duo was settled in his warm bed with some dry pajamas on, Heero and Wufei found themselves promptly tossed out of the wagon.
Heero snorted with dry amusement. "Oh well... it's not like we should have expected to stay in the wagon. Let's make camp."
Wufei nodded. "You make camp... I'll see about getting some wood."
Heero nodded at the hand code that stated Wufei was going to listen in on the conversation happening inside the wagon.
*****
Catherine placed another blanket over Duo and kissed his forehead. "He's going to have nightmares tonight. This is almost an exact repeat of what happened to him seven years ago when we found him."
Trowa nodded as he sat at the foot of Duo's bed. "Do you trust those guys, Cathy? They could be after Duo like all those assassins were."
Catherine smiled sadly. "They could be, and they probably are. Still... something tells me they won't act without knowing all the facts. All the assassins sent had the intention of raping then killing Duo. The same treatment was afforded anyone who discovered them. I doubt they'd save anyone the way those two guys saved Duo. Even if they hadn't, something about them tells me that they're honest guys who won't harm Duo without a good reason."
Wufei's voice at the window made her jump. "You'd be right on that count. If you'd step outside so we don't awaken the boy."
Catherine swore as she made sure Duo was comfortable. "Duo? Sweetie?" She smiled as Duo blinked his eyes sleepily at her. "I'm gonna go outside for a bit. Call me if you need anything, okay?"
Duo yawned and smiled back at his sister. "M'kay, Kate." Then he fell back to sleep.
Catherine looked at Trowa. "Stay with him." When Trowa nodded, she stood up and left the wagon to face the two men who had saved Duo's life, but who had been hired to end it. She was prepared to face two snarling men demanding they turn Duo over and threatening to kill everyone there if she didn't. She was prepared and braced for what she had dealt with when she faced off with almost a dozen assassins. She was NOT prepared to be faced with two young men who were talking lowly in a musical language she couldn't understand. When the one she knew to be Wufei motioned for her to sit down, she did so and listened as the two talked.
~He's just a child! I don't get why Treize is going through so much trouble for a boy who must have been only six or seven when he escaped!~
Heero sighed. ~We'll have to ask these people and the boy if they know why the man is so determined. For now... we have a question and answer session to deal with.~ He turned to Catherine and nodded. "You have questions."
"What were you saying to one another just now?" Catherine hated not understanding what was being said.
Wufei smiled slightly at Catherine. "Wise woman, this one. We were just wondering why the man who hired us is so determined to have a child younger than us killed. Do you have any ideas?"
Catherine had not expected a response... and wondered at their honesty when Quatre approached.
"He's telling the truth, Catherine." He bowed slightly. "I thought the Dragon Clan had been exterminated. It is good that a member survived."
Wufei nodded. "Wufei of the Chang family."
Quatre's eyes widened, and he walked forward to clasp Wufei's hand. "Our fathers were allies, Wufei. I am Quatre Raberba Winner... son of Karif. My father was deeply grieved when he heard of your father's passing."
Wufei blinked and smirked at Quatre. "As you, no doubt, mourned for my supposed death, Little Camel. We will talk later."
Quatre blinked in shock, then smiled at Wufei. "Dragon! You remembered me!" He felt like hugging Wufei, but contented himself with sitting next to Catherine. He could wait.
Catherine had watched the exchange and relaxed. The emotions there were genuine. Quatre never lied... his culture and beliefs forbade deceit. "Okay... so you don't know why Duo's death was ordered. Why should that matter? It never has before."
"We aren't assassins." Heero poked the fire. "We're mercenaries... the best in our field. We didn't get to be the best by blindly doing what we were ordered to do. We aren't the backstabbers that were sent before. Perhaps that will be Treize's undoing. He didn't read the contract he signed."
"What contract?" Catherine watched as Heero stood up and paced.
"A contract that states that if we see that killing the target is unnecessary, we don't kill said target. We, instead, take whatever action we see as being acceptable." Heero frowned. "We're still here, and not packing up our gear, because of one fact. Treize is getting desperate. In seven months, the eight year mark will be hit and he can no longer search for this escapee. If he still tries to get Duo killed after that point... death will seem a light sentence for Treize."
Wufei nodded. "We will stay and become Duo's personal guards until the day after the eight year mark. We are to expect no payment from you since you did not hire us. We are volunteering."
Catherine frowned. "WHY are you volunteering?"
Heero shook his head. "We think that Duo saw something that the law officials wouldn't like. When I made a surveillance of the prison... I didn't find ANY second generation kids over the age of ten. I have a feeling Duo knows why, but can't come forth because he feels he'd bring danger to you and to himself by doing so. As it is, we'll be getting in contact with our higher-ups to have someone go in undercover and see if they can discover what is happening to the children."
Wufei stood. "But not tonight. The boy has been through enough, and is not up to being questioned about anything. As you stated, he will be haunted by dreams enough as it is."
Quatre nodded. "Yes. And this person might threaten the rest of this troupe. Therefore... the Maguanac Core and I shall stay for the next seven months as well."
Catherine grinned at the blonde. "Oh? I bet Trowa is hoping that you'll stay longer."
Quatre blushed and ducked his head. It was no secret that he and Trowa were quickly becoming more than friends. "I am the heir to my father's empire. I am the youngest, but I am the only son. It is not how I would choose my successor, since many of my sisters are better at matters of state than I... but it is the way things are done. To run away from that responsibility... is to commit a great sin in the eyes of Allah... or so I have been taught."
Catherine felt sad as she looked at Quatre... who seemed to have aged ten years during his speech and was now drained from the effort. His fate had already been predetermined, but that didn't mean he was HAPPY about it.
Trowa approached and sat beside Quatre. "When the time comes for you to leave the troupe... I may just go with you."
Catherine gasped. "Trowa! Who's with Duo?"
"Solo is. Solo feels it's his fault Duo is in the state he's in now since he's usually the one who goes with Duo."
Heero nodded to Wufei and watched as the Chinese man slipped quietly to the wagon. "We will guard your wagon tonight. In the morning, we will see what measures we will need to take in order to protect Duo." With that, he bowed and walked over to lie beneath the window. No one would get through the seemingly light defenses.
Catherine sighed. It was partially out of worry, but mostly from relief. She'd been increasingly nervous for the past few days, and now she knew why. She had somehow known Treize was about to get even more desperate than he had been in the past. She smiled at where Trowa and Quatre were talking in low voices. She couldn't hear the words, but the tones were perfectly understandable. Quatre was clearly distressed from Trowa's statement. Her smile widened, and she got up to give them some privacy, when Quatre threw his arms around Trowa.
"He's not your real brother, is he?"
Catherine spun to face Heero. "What?"
Heero looked up and nodded towards Trowa. "He's not your real brother. I can tell."
"Blood-wise? No... he's not my brother, but please don't tell him that. He's my brother the same way Duo is. I love him as I would love a brother, and I love Duo just as much. I don't know if Trowa knows that he was adopted as well, but there are times..." Catherine shook her head. "I found Trowa much the same way Trowa found Duo: Half-dead in the snow. He was little more than a baby. Maybe three years old. This was while my parents were still alive. They adopted him, and... that's the end of that."
Heero nodded. "Duo is very lucky there are people like you in the world."
Catherine smiled at the compliment and entered her wagon. She froze at the sight that met her eyes.
Solo was at the business end of Wufei's sword looking VERY guilty. Duo was curled into a little sobbing ball. She took in the scene and noticed that Duo's shirt was on the floor and there were fresh bruises on his shoulders. "What happened in here?"
TBC...
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