Pairing/Characters: 1x2(get together), 3+4(pre-relationship), 6+9(pre-relationship)
Rating: R
Word count: 9,117
Warnings/Kinks: Violence, disturbing visuals, swearing, angst, set within the 5sentence fics universe.
Summary: Hilde is injured on a Preventers mission and Duo is determined to bring the person responsible to justice.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I do like giving them new and exciting adventures so they don't get bored.
Beta: Much love to Anne

Maxwell's Silver Hammer
by Lil_1337

Someone grabbed his arm and Duo turned, already in a fighting stance only pulling the punch at the last moment when he realized it was Heero. Dropping his arm, Duo searched Heero's face for any indication that his worst fears were about to be confirmed. "Status?" he barked, his voice holding firm despite the way his heart was clenching.

Letting go of Duo's arm, Heero ran his hand through his hair and let out a breath. "Unknown. Sally and the HAZMAT team entered the premises approximately twenty-six minutes ago. There has been ongoing radio communication, but no sign of Hilde anywhere in the building. They are currently determining if any of the chemicals in the lab are biotoxins and if the area needs to be quarantined for cleaning. From that we will know if evacuation of the surrounding buildings is required."

"Are they even looking for her? Fuck this! Get me a suit and I'll go." Duo was already moving away, headed for the large vans that transported the equipment necessary to investigate and contain what was potentially a biological weapons factory.

"You're not trained for HAZMAT. You would be more of a hindrance than help." Heero's voice softened, taking on a gentler more human tone as he shifted from Preventer's agent to friend. "Lu and Sally are in there now. They're not going to give up until they find her." He lengthened his stride easily catching up to Duo's less efficient lope. Taking in the tension in the way Duo was holding himself, Heero closed his mouth, his lips tightening into a thin line. The knowledge that arguing his partner at this point would be a waste of breath and energy in the forefront of his mind. Seemingly oblivious to the man next to him, Duo wove his way through the local police and rescue personnel that flooded the area.

As he approached the makeshift command center Duo caught sight of Commander Une and made a beeline for her, coming to stop when he was well inside of her personal space. "I'm going in."

Une raised an eyebrow, but did not step back or give ground. "No." Her features softened and she rested a hand lightly on his arm. "I understand how you feel, but I already have a full team inside and I am not sending anyone else in until I know exactly what we are dealing with."

Duo glared, shaking off Une's hand with a frustrated growl. "I can handle myself."

"I have no doubt of that Agent Maxwell. However, I already have one agent missing and I am not about to endanger any others by sending in someone untrained in HAZMAT procedures. Stand down and let them do their job."

Duo clenched his fists; his body held so tense one touch would be enough make it resonate like a drawn bowstring. He had never been the kind of person to just sit by when others were in danger especially if they were people he cared about. Silently he cursed himself for passing up the HAZMAT training when it had been offered. Too many cases and a sense that his lack of formal education would make him a drag on the rest of the class had made the decision an easy one at the time. He wouldn't pass up the next chance that was for damn sure.

Une's brow furrowed, her hand going to her ear as she listened to something coming through the earpiece. Frowning, she stepped away, her voice dropping as she spoke. She replied before turning to the man next to her apparently issuing a battery of orders. Duo pressed closer trying to catch what was being said. When she was finished she returned to where he stood, her lips a grim line. "Hilde's alive. Agent Noin found her in one of the offices. The door was secured and hidden off a storeroom, which is why it was not discovered on the first pass. The ambulance crew has been given clearance to bring her out and will do so as soon as she'd been stabilized enough to transport."

Duo was off, running, before Une was finished speaking. He felt Heero moving in time beside him, but did not take his eyes off where several ambulances were standing by to acknowledge his partner. They didn't have long to wait before one of side entrances opened and two men in biohazard suits worked a gurney out through the door. As they crossed the space to the waiting vehicles Duo got his first clear look at Hilde, slumping sideways into Heero as the full impact of her injuries became apparent.

She had been beaten, quite viciously from the bruising on her face and way she was attempting to curl into a fetal position despite being strapped down flat on her back. A cervical collar held her neck in place and there was an inflatable cast on one of her legs. Her eyes were closed, but the blanket over her rose and fell slightly signaling she was still breathing under her own power.

Duo tried to move forward, needing to know for sure he hadn't lost her but an iron hold on his shoulder kept him in place. He tried to shake it off, but while it softened he was held firmly. "She's..." He turned to fully face Heero, no longer able to look at the still figure being lifted up into the ambulance. The tears he held back making a slow traitorous path down his face.

"I know." Heero pulled Duo close, making awkward circles on his back. "Do you want to go to the hospital? I can drive."

The head on Heero's shoulder nodded once in response to the question and when Duo pulled back his eyes were dry again, gleaming with something dark and deep that had not reared its head since the end of the second eve war. "Someone is going pay for this, Heero. I promise. Nobody hurts Hilde and gets away with it. Nobody!"

Heero nodded, equally intent, sealing the pact.

Sally pulled off the headpiece of her HAZMAT gear, shaking her head as she did so. Being a doctor she appreciated the need for the safety equipment, but at the same time she hated feeling confined. It was one thing to be in a flight suit in space, but when she was on Earth or some place with a breathable atmosphere she preferred to not have to depend on a suit to filter oxygen to her or keep her safe. Part of her wondered why she agreed to HAZMAT duty though she suspected it had to do with free beer and the words 'we need you' from Commander Une. She was a sucker for being needed, but then so was most everyone who went through medical school. It was part of the personality that drove the desire to be a doctor in the first place.

Having determined that all of the bodies in the lab were that, bodies, and not in need of her particular expertise, Sally moved out of the way so the investigations team could move in and begin to reconstruct the area as the crime scene it was. Seven lives had been lost, three women and four men. All shot, and judging by the position of the bodies, there had been little or no warning of the impending attack. A single spray across the room with an automatic weapon and those that weren't killed immediately had been left to bleed out on the stark white floor. It was not that death was a new experience for Sally, but the sheer waste of life made it hard to stomach no matter how often she was exposed to it.

She found Wufei in the barracks that were situated off the lab. He was easy to spot once she walked past the agents methodically searching through the few personal belongings that were stored in the footlockers at the end of each bed. He appeared to be frowning at something on the ground. She rounded the end of the bed and stopped short at the sight of a small boy huddled against the wall. Moving slowly she eased forward so she was level with Wufei. "Who is he?"

"I've no idea. He won't speak to me and Agent Schbeiker never mentioned a child in her reports. I suspect she was unaware of his existence, as it would be unlike her to leave an important detail unnoted. " Wufei's tone and body language made it clear that he was highly displeased by this turn of events. "At this point I would presume he belonged to one of the lab workers, though why he was left alive I wouldn't know. It seems unlikely that they would be overcome with compassion and balk at killing a child."

Nodding, Sally moved closer to the little boy who curled in tighter on himself, his eyes never leaving her. She squatted in front of him, just out of reach and smiled. "Hi. My name is Sally. What's yours?" The boy blinked, but showed no sign of movement. "That's my partner, Chang Wufei. He didn't mean to scare you; he just forgets how big he is some days." She lowered her voice a little more, making it sound soft and soothing. "At least compared to kids. Not so much with adults." The snort behind her signaled that Wufei had heard the comment and was filing it away for a response later.

She shifted a little closer, taking it as a good sign that the boy did not move, his large brown eyes going from her to Wufei and then back again. "No one is going to hurt you. I promise." She reached out her arms, offering a safe haven if he chose to take it. The boy's gaze again went to Wufei before returning to Sally. He whimpered softly before flinging himself into her embrace. She remained kneeling, holding the shaking child to her for a few moments before slowly rising to her feet. His only response was to tighten the hold he had around Sally's neck and wrap his short legs as best he could around her waist.

"Wufei, can you see if there is another way out of here? I don't want to take him through the lab if it can be avoided."

Sitting down heavily on the closest bed Sally noticed a lump under the covers. When she pulled them back there was a stuffed tiger that, from the appearance of the matted and slightly discolored fur, was well loved. She picked it up, offering it to the child, who took it, clutching it to his chest. She sighed, stroking his hair. Peace wasn't supposed to be like this. The days of small children huddled in corners while on the other side of a wall adults were butchered, were supposed to be in the past.

Biting her lip to keep her anger in check, Sally began rocking the little boy, feeling him begin to relax against her in small increments. She was going to make sure whoever had dared strip this child of his safety, something she had fought and was continuing to fight for, knew his behavior would not be tolerated.

Duo checked his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes, not breaking his stride as he paced the length of the surgical waiting room. "The doc said two hours. It's been almost three. What the hell is going on in there?"

"Medicine is not an exact science. The doctor's time assessment was based on multiple assumptions, all of which could have been proven incorrect after he started."

The door pushed open and Lu hurried in followed closely by Zechs. Without pausing, she went straight to Duo and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Have you heard anything yet? Une said Hilde was in surgery and we got here as quickly as we could. The whole warehouse is a fucking mess. It's going to take a week running overtime crews to sort it all out."

Behind them Zechs nodded at Heero, acknowledging him before moving to a seat that was close enough for conversation, but did not crowd the other agent. A look of understanding passed between them before both turned their attention back to the person they were there to support.

Over Lu's head, Duo also nodded his acknowledgement to Zechs. While he was willing to accept that Zechs was a good pilot and had shown himself to be an excellent agent so far, Duo was not ready to completely move past his initial feelings of mistrust. He was keeping an open mind at this point and letting the man make or break things on his own merit. After all, Lu had changed sides during the war and his boss had once tried to have him executed. War was war and now things were different. Allies became enemies and vice versa. That was how these things worked.

Lu and Une had had to prove themselves to him and Zechs would be no different. The way he was watching Lu and the fact he'd come with her to the hospital scored him a few points in the plus column. Lu was going to need him if... Duo frowned, tightening his hold on the woman in his arms, he was not going to let his thoughts go there. Hilde had made it through the war and he was not about to lose her now. Not to some corrupt weapons manufacturer whose only interest was lining his pockets. He'd already lost enough people to meet the quota for several lifetimes.

"Duo. Hey, Duo." Lu cupped his face, studying him worriedly.

Grimacing, Duo shook his head. "Sorry, my concentration is kind of shot right now."

"What did the doctor say?"

"Her leg is broken and she has internal bleeding. He thinks from more than one place. There is massive bruising all over her body and a large welt on the side of her head and he suspects a concussion because of it." Duo pulled away, his fists clenching. "They beat the hell out of her and left her for dead." He brushed at his face, not ready to trade in his anger for fear just yet. A strong arm encircled his shoulder and he leaned into the touch, knowing it was Heero without having to see him.

"I know." Lu's voice broke and she hugged herself rocking softly. "Sally and I found her."

Duo reached for her then withdrew when Zechs appeared at Lu's elbow and took her into his arms. Feeling a surge of jealousy that made no sense, he watched as she wrapped her arms around Zechs' neck, leaning into him for comfort. Duo pulled away from his partner and resumed pacing. Part of him wanted to turn to Heero like Lu had to Zechs and lose himself in someone else's strength. The other part was burning with a white-hot fury that he banked in the back of his mind, drawing on it to keep him going. He would be strong and whoever was behind what happened would pay for every bit of damage, no matter how small.

"Mr. Maxwell?" Duo spun on his heel and turned to the man coming through the door marked 'medical personnel only'. The surgeon ran his hand across his head, removing the green cloth hat that covered his hair. The confident, smiling man that Duo had spoken to earlier had been replaced by someone who looked as if he had run a marathon and lost ten years in the process.

"How is she?" Duo felt Heero's hand return to his shoulder, but made no move to shrug it off.

"She came through surgery. That's a good sign. We've repaired the damage that we could, but there are extensive internal injuries. The rest is up to her. I've seen people with worse injuries recover, but not many. The next forty eight to seventy two hours will be critical." He sighed and toyed with the cap. "I wish I had better news for you, son, but the truth is it can go either way at this point. If there is family who will want to see her I suggest they come now instead of waiting to see what happens."

Duo nodded then shook his head. "We're the closest thing to family she has." Pasting a false smile on his face he offered his hand to exhausted looking doctor. "Thanks. I..." His eyes flicked to Lu and then Heero. "We appreciate all that you've done. If there is ever anything we can do, you know where to find us."

Shaking Duo's hand, the doctor nodded sadly. "Thank you, but there is no need for that. It was sheer luck I happened to be the surgeon on call. Dr. Winner will be taking over in the morning as Miss. Schbeiker's regular physician." The man paused, studying Duo for a moment before reaching out to clasp his shoulder lightly. "If you are a praying man I would suggest a few words. Anything we can do to tip the odds in her favor at this point is welcome."

Duo nodded again, waiting until the doctor left the room before slipping out from under Heero's hand. Spinning on the ball of his right foot he did a hundred and eighty degree turn before putting his fist through the glass front of the nearest vending machine.

Sally set the phone down and sighed before scratching another name off the long list in front of her. She was almost to the end and she'd had no luck thus far. Either they only took in war orphans or the facility was not secure. The last place she had spoken to only accepted children who were school aged, something the little boy currently asleep on her couch would not be for a few more years. The one before that required placement by one or both parents as a respite. The reasons varied, but it came down to the same thing, no one was willing or able to take this child.

She considered contacting Quatre to see if he could put in a word with one of the half a dozen orphanages that he donated to, but decided against it. The place that Duo volunteered for was overcrowded and with space at a premium the last thing she wanted to do was to add another body to the already cramped conditions. Looking down the list she scratched off two more names. Both only accepted children who were going to be long-term placements. For all they knew the child had a family somewhere who would be ecstatic to have him back. It would only be a matter of time before they traced the dead scientists and determined who he was.

A soft whimper sounded from where the child lay sleeping and Sally moved closer, stroking his hair. Making soothing sounds, one hand moved to stroke his back in small circles, remembering the way her father would do the same for her when she was still living at home. Times like this she missed his strong solid presence. He would have known what to do. For such a big sometimes stern man he was amazingly gentle, especially when it came to her.

The volume of the whimpering increased, building into a tearful wail. Instinctively, Sally picked up the child, settling him on her lap as she rocked him. The words of the old lullaby her father used to comfort her after a bad dream were on her lips before she realized she was singing. She hadn't thought of it in a long time, the lyrics and melody buried somewhere in a mental drawer underneath dosage rates and the correct way to field clean an automatic rifle.

The child stilled, his fingers tightening on the stuffed tiger he clutched even in sleep. Sally sighed, still rocking the now restful little boy. What the hell was she going to do with him? If he had been in this predicament because of the war, agencies would be queuing up to take him in. New facilities were springing up everyday since that was one of the well-funded areas of social services. Unfortunately, this child's situation was one that resulted from pure human greed, nothing more. If she was estimating his age correctly then he hadn't even been conceived when the Barton rebellion was put down. That made him a child of peace for all the good it had done.

Settling him back on the couch, blanket tucked up under his chin, Sally waited for a moment to see if the nightmare would return. When he sighed, snuggling down deeper into the bedding, she carefully eased herself up and away. In the kitchen she set the kettle onto boil, considering the options. She had a spare room that was currently filled with junk she could clean out and turn into a bedroom, but it would only be a temporary fix. Between her work in the field and overseeing Preventers medical, such as it was, a normal workweek was anything but. She didn't have the time or the abilities to deal with a small child. He needed and deserved a family that would love him and nurture what was left of his childhood.

When the tea was ready Sally poured herself a mug, absently stirring it long after the little sugar she put in it was thoroughly dissolved. Maybe she needed to talk to Commander Une when this was over about the logistics of starting a shelter for children of violence. God knew they ran across enough of them on the streets. She sipped her tea then set the mug on the counter. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket she pressed a number on speed dial, counting the rings until a tired voice sounded on the other end.

"Sorry to bother you, Quatre. I needed to ask you something."

Lady Une walked into the briefing room, folders in hand, and stopped. Her intense expression lightening a bit at the sight of all but one of her top agents cooing over the little boy in Sally's lap. He was drinking milk from a mug that had 'Touch my coffee and die' emblazed on the side which Winner had received as an anonymous gift on his last birthday. The rumor mill contended that he considered it fair warning and that the words were far from an empty threat. Barton was perched on the desk across from Sally, juggling balls of paper for the wide-eyed child. Even Yuy and Chang were watching, amused. The only one missing was Maxwell, which was strange since he could always be found with any children in the building, entertaining them while keeping out a watchful eye.

She scanned the room looking for him, eyes finally alighting on the scowling agent in the back of the room. Frowning she set the folders down on the podium in the front of room and walked back to where he was sitting. "Any word on Hilde?"

Duo shook his head without looking up. "The doc says she's stable and doing as well as can be expected whatever the hell that means."

Looking down, Lady Une noted the bandage wrapped around Duo's right hand, but did not comment. She had already spoken with the hospital administrator and agreed to cover the cost of repairing the vending machine. Considering the situation a little broken glass was a small price to pay. Sighing, she rested a hand briefly on his arm before returning to the front of the room. With all the people Duo had lost in his life it was no wonder he was convinced it was just a matter of time before Hilde died too. He was past the point of allowing himself to even hope. The transformation from cheerful and upbeat to sullen and angry that had come over him since the raid saddened and disturbed her on several levels.

Stepping to the podium Lady Une looked around and frowned when Lu and Zechs walked into the room. Both shot her apologetic looks before finding seats in the back near Duo. Lu leaned over and said something to him, squeezing his arm. Duo nodded, acknowledging her words, but his expression remained as dark as before.

"Since everyone is here now we'll start." She waited patiently as the other agents shifted, settling into their seats. Noting the look Heero shot at Duo, Lady Une made a note to herself to check in with Agent Yuy after the meeting to get a clearer picture of Maxwell's mental and emotional state. If necessary she would assign him to something that would take him off the street. "First, I spoke with Dr. Winner a few minutes ago. She reports that Hilde has come through the night and her vital signs are stabilizing gradually. She seems to feel this is an encouraging trend, but I've been cautioned that at this time Hilde's condition is still extremely precarious."

"Is she allowed visitors?" Quatre's voice was soft, but carried easily across the room. "When we went by the hospital yesterday we were told only family."

"One at a time and only for a few minutes. That is one of the first things Dr. Winner changed when she took the case this morning. Limiting visitors is standard procedure post surgery from what she tells me."

Quatre nodded and shared a look with Trowa that left no doubt they would taking advantage of the change in rules. "Iria has often said that human contact can make the difference in whether or not someone recovers."

"I couldn't agree more." Lady Une nodded, smiling slightly. "There will a memo sent out later today with visiting hours encouraging people to go see her."

"What about protection?" Duo didn't bother to meet his commander's eyes, letting the tone of his voice speak for him.

"Unfortunately we do not have a secure facility at this time. This is something I intend to address yet again with the members of the budgeting committee. Currently there is a guard posted outside of her room and an additional one inside. No medical personnel are allowed inside unless specifically cleared by Dr. Winner and she or Dr. Po are the only ones authorized to administer medications of any kind. The duty roster for all shifts has been drawn up and only the agents in question have been given the information as to who will be on shift and in which position." She looked around the room, strangely gratified at the nodding heads. After all, when it came to security, there was not another group of people who could beat the ones gathered in this room.

"Sally, I have the reports on the autopsies thus far. One of the women found in the lab had given birth approximately two years ago. At this time we are operating under the assumption that she was your young man's mother. DNA samples have been sent for analysis and currently we have a team of four agents going back through missing person's reports in hopes of identifying our victims." She smiled slightly, eyes going to the child now drowsing on Sally's lap, toy tiger held in one hand and the other holding grasping a handful of uniform shirt. "Has your guest been able to help us at all?" It was a long shot especially considering the age of the child in question, but at this point Lady Une wasn't too proud to grab for any straws that might drift her way.

Shaking her head, Sally shifted a little. "Just what I told you before briefing. He told me his name is Stephen, but that is pretty much it. I think he would probably recognize the people who ran the lab, but I wouldn't want to bet a conviction on it."

"I have no intention of doing so. We will avoid involving him in the case at all if possible. I think we are all in agreement that he's suffered enough at the hands of whoever was involved with this operation." She didn't bother to hide the slight smile when Sally's fingers ghosted protectively over the boy's tousled hair. Clearing her throat, Lady Une turned her attention to Quatre. "Agent Winner, you had some news to report?"

"The building belongs to a company called Ace holdings which is owned by S and S limited. They have a block of approximately two hundred industrial buildings that they rent out to various smaller companies. So far it appears S and S limited is a legitimate company, as is Ace holdings, however I have some feelers out so we will have to wait and see if anything comes from that." Quatre paused long enough to open the folder in front of him. "The building was rented out by a property management company by the name of Mi Casa. They've recently had a complete change in their executive staff. Financially the company is making a turn around, but rumor has it that this is a result of some extremely lucrative clients who are willing to pay extra to avoid close scrutiny of what exactly they are doing. I have not been able to find anything to substantiate that information but the source is one that has been very credible in the past."

"Do you have names for me? I can put someone on it immediately."

"I'll have it copied and on your desk within the hour." Quatre made a note on the top of one of the pages in his folder before continuing. "According to the paperwork that was confiscated from Ace holdings and Mi Casa the building was rented to a business by the name of Aries Inc. This is a dummy company, which was to be suspected. Whoever we are dealing with here is not stupid. However, some investigation, which cannot be used in court, has revealed that the start up capital for Aries was filtered through several numbered accounts on L2 and one in the Cayman Islands. These can be traced back to corporate holdings of Rentworth Drilling. Specifically, the discretionary funds for the president, Mr. Rentworth himself."

Heero frowned, turning to look at Quatre straight on. "Rentworth Drilling is one of the companies that Duo and I investigated last year for allegedly having over the allowed amount of gundanium. We were not able to charge anyone, but we both felt there was a foundation to the accusations. They remain in questionable status unless it has been changed since the last time I looked at the file. It would not be surprising that they had branched out into biological weapons."

"They were fucking dirty. I'd bet my salary on it. The guy we talked to about pissed himself when we told him we were there to inspect the warehouse." Duo sent a quick glance around the room, his clenched fists matching his narrowed eyes and thin lips. "I'd love to find a reason to put that jackass away."

Quatre frowned and tapped his fingers on the page in front of him. "Unfortunately we don't have anything to directly tie the two together." He paused, amending his statement. "Nothing that we can take to a judge to get a warrant to seize records. Rentworth has some highly placed friends. We need to be sure we proceed with caution and make sure we have a solid case before we act. Even with the information we do have there are possibilities to look into. The discretionary funds can be accessed by Rentworth, his assistant, and the vice president, it is imperative that he doesn't have a chance to use either of them as a sacrificial lamb if he is indeed the one behind this."

Duo's eyes hardened to ice chips. "He's not going to get that chance, I promise you that."

"Duo." Quatre's voice was soft, but with an undertone of firm authority. "Don't do anything stupid. We all want to see this guy pay for what happened to Hilde. It's not just you who feels..."

Duo stood abruptly, cutting Quatre off and causing his chair to skitter on the slippery floor. "Shut the fuck up, Q, you have no idea what I feel. Don't act like you do. You don't know a fucking thing. None of you do." He looked around the room, glowering at each person in turn before storming and slamming the door behind him.

Lady Une nodded at Heero who slipped out, leaving his briefing notes still sitting on the desk. Sighing, she rubbed a hand over her face then turned her attention to Quatre who was bent over, hands pressed to his chest. Trowa was at his side; speaking softly and making no effort hide his concern over Quatre's level of distress. "Take ten, ladies and gentlemen, while Agent Yuy locates Maxwell so we can continue." She looked out across the room, taking in each agent individually. "I am quite aware that this case is very close to all of us because one of our own has been injured, but this is an official reminder that not only are we not above the law, but each and every one of you is a representative of Preventers and as such I will not tolerate personal vendettas. We will do this by the book and ensure that we do not violate anyone's rights or lose our case by creating sympathy for the criminals."

"I don't give a damn who you are. I know you're in this up to your neck and I'm going to make sure I put your ass in jail for the rest of your life." Duo leaned over the normally intimidating desk, making sure that he and Alistair Rentworth were nose to nose. "I'll see you rot if it's the last thing I do."

Rentworth leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. Only the slight tremble as he pressed them together betrayed any hint of nervousness. "You are threatening me agent?"

"No." Duo skirted the desk and grabbed the unresisting man by his shirtfront. "No. This isn't a threat. It's a promise. Your ass is mine, Rentworth. Yours and all your friends who want to start another war just so you can pad your bank account. You hurt the wrong person this time and there is no force on Earth or The Colonies that is going to stop me from making sure you pay."

"You have no evidence." Rentworth swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing against the tight material of his collar. "I'm an ESUN citizen; you can't treat me like this. I'll sue you and Preventers! I have rights!"

Duo smiled, his lips curving up while his eyes remained a cold as the artic circle. "I might not have evidence now, but I will because we both know it's out there. You can take that and put it in your illegal bank account." Rentworth pulled back scrambling for purchase with toes that barely touched the floor.

The doors to Rentworth's luxurious office crashed open and three men entered, guns drawn. They were dressed in dark blue uniforms that bore the logo of a private security company. The first man through the door was a human wall and his brown skin and dark eyes hinted at a Hispanic background. He stepped to the side to allow his colleagues to enter, the gun that he pointed at Duo never waivering as he moved. "Let go of Mr. Rentworth or I'll shoot."

Duo snorted. "He's not worth killing over. He's barely worth killing."

"I'm not asking again. Step away now."

Lowering Rentworth back down, Duo gave the man a shove that sent him stumbling. Rentworth hit the wall with a thump that echoed around the room and sharpened the smile on Duo's face. Holding out his hands palms upwards and obviously empty Duo looked straight into the eyes of man staring down the barrel of his gun at him. "Take a good look at my face, buddy, because the next time you see me I'll be taking your boss out of here in handcuffs." With that Duo walked out of the office, not bothering to look back.

Sally looked up from the report she was reading at the knock on her office door, glancing quickly to make sure the noise hadn't woken up the little boy sleeping on a makeshift bed made of cushions stolen from the couch in the officers' lounge. One of her lab coats had been given double duty as a light blanket. Smiling, she called out softly. "Come in."

"Are you busy?" Lady Une stepped into the office closing the door behind her, voice dropping automatically as she spotted the sleeping child. "We've got a possible match on one of our bodies."

"A visual or DNA?" Sally moved around her desk and cleared one of the chairs of the files that were stacked there to allow Lady Une to have a place to sit.

"Visual. Photo attached to a missing persons report." Lady Une handed over the paper she was holding and watched closely as Sally scanned it before sitting down heavily and rereading, slower this time. "The agent doing the comparison thinks it is our little witness' mother, and I agree."

"Mei Hu. Aged twenty-three years. Reported missing last month along with her husband Stephen Hu and son Stephen Hu II. The report was filed by their childcare worker when the boy missed a week and she was unable to contact either of the parents." Shaking her head, Sally looked up. "Is there a DNA sample available to do a comparison with? For a definitive yes or no?"

"Yes, both she and her husband had samples on file as part of the recent drive to attempt to identify families that were scattered due to the wars. I've sent word for a comparison to be run now that we have a possible to check it against. We're also doing a comparison between Stephen Hu and the four male victims. Mei and Stephen were research scientist and both of them worked at a lab run by the drug company Milosec."

Sally frowned. "The ones who claim they are on the verge of a breakthrough to reverse the long term effects of nerve gas?"

"The very same. In fact, that was the project that both of the Hus were working on. The representative that the agent spoke with refused to do more than acknowledge dates of employment and the project they were assigned to. "

"What the hell were they doing working for god knows who as basically slave labor thousands of miles from home?" Sally set the paper down on the desk and looked at Lady Une.

"Once we know the answer to that we'll know what we are dealing with."

"What about Stephen? The fact that the childcare worker was the only one to notice the family had not been seen for a week does not bode well for finding other relatives."

"I'm looking into it. Once we identify his parents we'll know what we're working with. At this point I'm not feeling optimistic. If he has no family then we can move forward from there and it should make him eligible for some type of long term placement."

"Mommy." Both women turned their heads, surprised to find Stephen standing next to Sally's desk, the missing person's report clutched tightly in his small fists. "Mommy," he repeated, his bottom lip already starting to quiver.

Sally scooped the child up, holding him closely as the tears started, followed almost immediately by wails of sadness that only a lost child can make. "Mommy. Mommy."

"I know, Love. I'm so sorry." She rocked the little boy, stroking his hair and rubbing soothing circles on his back. Meeting Lady Une's eyes over his head she sighed sadly. "I think that qualifies as a next of kin identification."

"Did you for one minute think about how what you were doing was going to impact on anyone besides yourself?" Lady Une paced in front of the holding cell. "Rentworth is now on the alert and you have effectively made all of our jobs just that much more difficult."

Duo shrugged, meeting Commander Une's eyes and not showing the least hint of embarrassment or shame. "So?"

Her eyes narrowed and the temperature of her voice dropped another few degrees. "Do you think I enjoy issuing fugitive alerts for my own agents?" She raised a hand, stopping the smart-ass comment that was on doubt on the tip of Duo's tongue. "Forget about my problems with trying to build Preventers up as an honest organization free of corruption. And while we are at it I won't bother to mention the fight I had with the senate about recruiting you and the other Gundam pilots. After all, that is part of what taking charge is about." She paused, drawing in another breath. "How about those other pilots? Your friends who you have now made suspect by your behavior? How about the families of the dead who might not see justice served because you have chosen to go off on your own and tip our suspect off that he is being investigated. What about Hilde?"

Duo stalked across the cell, stopping only because the door barred his way. "Don't you dare," he hissed. "I'm doing this for Hilde!"

"No. Agent Maxwell, you are doing it because of Hilde. It is a reaction to what happened to her, and your need for vengeance. If you were truly thinking about her you would have been at the hospital when she regained consciousness for the first time, not out terrorizing our suspects. Do you honestly think she would want Rentworth to get away with the crimes he has committed or at the very least funded? It's time to grow up and look at the bigger picture. You've hurt quite a few people today and Hilde is just one of them. Agent Winner is going to have to start all over with his investigation. And your partner has had the pleasure of having to place you under arrest and lock you in a cell. Did you bother to think about him either?"

Duo's eyes flicked to where Heero was standing off to the side, arms folded across his chest. Heero held his gaze, but did not speak or respond in any way that would indicate he was aware of what was being said. In the back of Duo's mind he heard Sister Helen's voice reminding him that silence implied consent. Breaking the connection, he turned back to Lady Une, finding it easier to feed his anger than deal with the consequences of it.

"I want to see Hilde."

Lady Une shook her head and snorted. "I don't believe you are in a position to be making demands. What you are however is under arrest for obstructing justice, and assault, which means you will stay here until I decide exactly how to proceed with the charges leveled against you." Her voice softened but did not lose its iron edge. "You need to make a decision, Agent Maxwell. Are you going to be a Preventer and be subject to the rules that govern all citizens or an outlaw? Just remember the decision you make will have a ripple effect and touch many people. Some of which you profess to care for."

"I'll be out of here before you leave the building." Duo sneered, choosing to not address the rest of her statement.

"Then I'll have my answer about your choice, won't I?" Nodding towards Heero, Lady Une turned and stalked out of the holding area, pausing only briefly to speak to the officer in charge.

Sally knocked on the door to Lady Une's office before opening it and sticking her head in. "Wufei said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, come in." Lady Une made a few more notes on the paper in front of her and then set her pen down, waiting for Sally to seat herself before continuing. "We got the rest of the DNA results back today. Mei and Stephen Hu were both positively identified. I'm sorry."

Nodding as she let out a breath, Sally shifted in her seat. "I'm not surprised. I'd figured that they were among the dead from the beginning."

Lady Une nodded. "So did I, but we have to have hope until proven otherwise. The question now is where do we go from here? For the time being I've listed Stephen as a material witness and his care is coming out of our budget, but that can't continue indefinitely. He needs to find a permanent placement and the sooner the better. The child has been through enough trauma in his life without us inflicting more."

"I know. His name is on the waiting list for four different facilities. Its just that there are so many kids out there homeless because of the war."

"Have you considered the possibility of fostering him? He seems very attached already and it would help ease the transition until a place can be found for him."

"Me?" Sally's disbelief was echoed in her voice. "I don't know anything about children. My hours are irregular at best and there are weeks that if I sleep once in my own bed it's because of an act of divine intervention. I'm not home enough to keep a plant alive let alone take care of a child."

Smiling, Lady Une tilted her head. "Maybe it is time to do something about that. I've been authorized to do more hiring with the new budget. That was something else I wanted to discuss with you. I plan to flesh out the medical department and I'd like to put you in charge of it. It would mean you'd no longer be doing fieldwork as an agent, at least not after we have a new biological weapons team trained. There would be an increase in pay of course and much more regular hours. I'll have the contract written up and sent to you to look over in the next few days."

Feeling slightly stunned, Sally nodded her head then frowned. "And if I decide not to foster Stephen?"

"The offer still stands. It is not contingent upon your decision. Having a fully self-contained medical facility has always been part of the growth plan for Preventers. The obstacle has been budgetary considerations and proving that the organization was viable long term not simply one of a thousand transitional programs looking for a handout."

"I need some time to think about this and to talk to Wufei. Whatever I decide is going to mean some changes for him since we're partners."

"Certainly. I hadn't expected an immediate answer. In the meantime I'll have the facility plans sent to you to look over. Regardless of what you decide I would appreciate your input on how the department is going to be set up and staffed."

"No problem. I'll look it over and get back to you." Sally stood, preparing to leave. "Is there anything else? I left Stephen with Trowa and I'm a little nervous about what he and the rest of the peanut gallery might be teaching him without an adult there to supervise."

Closing her eyes, Lady Une rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers. "I really don't want to know. Please, go rescue the poor child from Barton's clutches."

"Give them to me." Duo looked up from where he was kneeling next to the door of his cell, lock picks in hand. His eyes took in Heero's outstretched palm and the determined glint in his partner's eyes. Leaning back on his heels he grimaced before grudgingly putting the small pieces of metal in Heero's hand. "All of them."

Pushing back out of Heero's reach, Duo flipped him off. "Fuck you, Yuy." Turning his back to the bars he paced the length of the cell before throwing himself on the bed. "I'm not staying here."

"Yes, you are." Heero leaned back against the wall, not bothering to return to the shadows he had been lurking in since Lady Une had left. "Commander Une instructed me to make sure you remained until she returned tomorrow morning."

"You and what army, Heero?"

"No army, just me."

"You plan to do this how?" Duo tilted his head, running his eyes appraisingly up and down Heero's lean frame. "You might be stronger, but I'm quicker."

"But I'm on this side of door." Heero let a small smirk tweak the corner of his lips just long enough for Duo to register it was there before it was gone. "And that gives me the advantage."

"Bastard."

"Quite likely though we've never been able to find records to verify if that is indeed an accurate assessment of my parentage."

Duo snorted, his gaze going to the ceiling. "I always thought you'd be on my side, Heero." The hurt elicited a flinch but Heero didn't budge from his place against the wall.

There was silence for a moment before Heero cleared his throat. "I am on your side. I always have been."

"Explain to me why I'm here and you're there if you've got my back." Duo sat up suddenly, glaring at Heero.

Heero pushed off from the wall and crossed back so he was standing, almost touching the cold metal. "There was a warrant for your arrest. You were being hunted and I knew I could get close enough to take you down without hurting you or myself. No regrets for you to live with later." Heero paused, one hand going out to grip the bar in front of him. "What about my side? When we signed up it was on the condition we would be partnered. You can't do that if you're in jail, on the run or..." He paused, his expression flattening out and his voice slipping into a monotone. "...dead. I know you are safely contained and no risk to yourself or anyone else."

Duo flinched, the anger lines on his face softening and falling away. "Hey, Heero, buddy. I'm sorry." He got up from his seat and walked slowly towards Heero; their eyes locked onto each other and the rest of the world faded away. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I..." Duo paused, running a hand through his bangs and blowing out a breath. "I didn't think," he finished lamely knowing that he was repeating himself, but unable to find the words to say what he needed to. Duo's fingers wrapped around Heero's, still clenching the bar so tightly his knuckles had gone white. "I was afraid I was going to lose her. If Hilde can die then so can Tro and Q and Wufei. " He paused, adam's apple bobbing as a testament to his internal struggle. "So could you."

Heero's free hand snaked through the bars and cupped the back of Duo's neck pulling him closer. "I know," he whispered before capturing Duo's lips in a gentle yet demanding kiss.

When it broke they were both breathless. Duo bit his lip then leaned in to rest his head against where Heero's shoulder would normally be. "I love you, Heero."

Snaking his arms through the bars Heero wrapped them around Duo pulling him as closely as he could. "I love you, too."

"You're kidding me, right? He kissed you there in the cell with the cctv running?" Hilde laughed then flinched, her hand going to touch the bandages on her side. "I'll have to ask Mitzy for a copy of the tape."

Heero blushed, but the smile on his face belied any real embarrassment. "It was the appropriate time despite the less than optimal surroundings."

There was a knock on the door and Sally peeked in, grinning when she saw that Hilde was awake. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone parked a shuttle on me."

Sally nodded then pushed the door open to allow herself and Stephen to enter the room. "You can expect more company as soon as the paperwork for Rentworth's arrest is finished. One of Quatre's leads pointed us to the guy who was in charge of the lab and after a few minutes with Lu and Zechs the guy wouldn't stop talking." Moving closer to the bed, Sally pulled out a chair and set it down next to Duo. She scooped up Stephen and, after blowing a raspberry on the giggling boy's belly, put him back down on the floor.

"Have you made a decision yet?" Heero's eyes flicked to the child and then back to Sally, clarifying what specifically he meant.

"Not yet and with Rentworth in jail he is no longer going to need protective custody." Almost absently she reached out to stroke Stephen's hair as Duo hoisted the boy up onto the bed where he snuggled up next to Hilde, his stuffed tiger clutched in his hand. "I'm torn. Taking on a child is a huge responsibility, which I'm not sure I'm up to. It's not a question of desire, more capability."

"Duo and I would be willing to offer any assistance we could and I know Quatre, Trowa and Wufei would do the same as we have already discussed it."

"I'd help too." Hilde shifted, wrapping an arm around the now drowsing child next to her. "I think he needs us." She exchanged a look with Duo before ruffling his bangs and smiling tiredly.

Duo grinned then wrapped an arm around Sally's shoulders. "You're doing a good thing here, Sal." Softly almost to himself he added. "I wish someone had done that for me." The longing and wistful look on his face pulled on her heartstrings cementing a decision that she had been fighting with since Wufei had found Stephen three weeks prior.

Nodding slowly she smiled, feeling the weight of indecision beginning to lift. "I'm going to hold you guys to that.