Part 10

Noin looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and cringed. She looked awful, like she hadn't slept in weeks. The dark haired woman sighed and splashed cold water on her face, trying to wake up. She had a job to do. Zechs trusted her not to fail him.

But she hadn't even stepped foot back in that lab. She couldn't. She couldn't face those old eyes in such young faces, reflecting betrayal and hatred and hurt. She didn't have the guts to face her former comrades...her former friends.

As she toweled her face dry, she paused. Just why were the Gundam pilots here anyway? If they were merely prisoners, why would they be held in the lab? Noin's lips thinned. She didn't like those scientists one bit. She didn't trust them much either. It was only because of Zechs that she didn't try to help the Gundam pilots. But if those scientists...

Noin left the bathroom feeling more confident than she had in days. She was going to find out what was really going on. Then she would make her report to the Lightning Count.

Duo blearily opened his indigo eyes and tried to make out the fuzzy figures hovering above him. He felt as though he had self-destructed DeathScythe and survived...but not by much.

"He's awake! Duo? Are you alright?" That was Quatre's voice, he was sure of it. He struggled to get up, but firm hands held him down.

"If you mean, has the Zero System gotten to me, your in luck. You don't have to kill me yet." His eyes picked out the forms of Heero and Trowa above him. "You can let me up now." Duo heard the surprise and hurt in Quatre's voice as he fought of the hands that tried to assist him.

"Duo! That's not what I meant. I-"

"I know what you meant, Quatre. I'm sorry." He clutched his head in his hands.

"Headache?" Trowa whispered in his ear, ignore the glare he received from Heero. Duo smiled weakly.

"You wouldn't believe it..."

"Lack of oxygen," Heero spoke up. "To the brain. The body isn't meant to go so long without air."

Duo sighed and wished that it were all there was to it. But the braided pilot knew better...and so did Trowa.

"It's the Zero System, isn't it?" Duo glanced up at Trowa, irritated that he was still a fuzzy blur.

"Yeah...I think I'll need glasses after this mission."

"Your having problems with your vision, Maxwell?" Duo saw a form appear beside him and nodded in acknowledgement. He felt strong but gentle fingers raise his eyelids and examine him. After a moment, the fingers retreated and the figure backed away.

"His pupils..."

Duo looked around confusedly. Funny, he could see the lab and the cell perfectly well; it was his friends that were blurry. "What's wrong with them?"

"They're white..."

"He is beginning to except the Zero System." A figure in the shadows cackled.

Duo glared at Professor G. He could see the old man clearly, even through the shadows cast over him. G looked smug.

"I'm not accepting anything!"

The Professor moved to where the others could see him. His beady eye shone with a reverent dedication. He looked at Duo as one would look at an altar to the pagan gods of lore.

"Step out 02." The door opened and Duo stepped through. //No guards?//

"Just what is preventing me from killing you?" Shinigami asked.

The Professor stood eye to eye with the young boy, clearly unafraid. "You wouldn't want the others to go through the same thing you did. You should be the only one fighting. Am I right?"

Duo clenched his fists in rage. He was right. He looked back at the cell holding his friends and saw only misshapen forms. He looked back at G.

"Why can't I see them?" He demanded.

"They are not your enemy, evidently."

Duo grinned hatefully at this. "I can see you."

Professor G paused and looked at the boy in surprise. He recovered himself forcefully and continued to lead him to the integration chamber.

Dr. J watched the street rat being hooked up to the ZSA. It was time. He took out a remote from his lab coat pocket. The Integration System was set at Thirty-five percent. Dr J pushed a couple of buttons.

"Let's see how the little thief can handle sixty-five percent."

Duo knew immediately that something was wrong. The pulsing, the static, was louder, more insistent. The lights flashed faster and brighter than ever before. The pressure inside his head was building to such a level that he began to scream.

Fists clenched and he pulled desperately against his restraints, trying to free himself. One bruised and bloody wrist broke through the bindings and he reached up and tore off the helmet. An intense white light filled his vision and then, darkness.

Professor G struggled with the controls frantically. //It shouldn't be set this high! We'll kill him!// He couldn't get the machine to turn off. Somebody had overridden the controls. He watched helplessly as the DeathScythe pilot struggled to free himself, his screams of anguish drowning out all other sounds. He saw the boy wrench off the helmet.

"Duo! No!" He rushed over to the limp form still secured to the chair. Behind him, he heard a sadistic chuckle. He turned.

"J! You did this! How dare you interfere with my experiment!"

"Your experiment is through." Dr J laughed. "We'll now do things my way."

Professor G turned away and pressed a button on his consol. He turned back to his associate with a triumphant grin.

"He's not dead, J."

"What?" Dr J looked over and saw that, indeed, the slumped figure had begun to stir. //How was this possible? The boy should've been dead.// He looked at the violet-eyed boy, watching twin trails of blood track their way down his cheeks like tears. //He is stronger than I assumed.// Two guards came up beside the old man.

"To ensure that you won't interfere further, Doctor, I am confining you to your quarters." He nodded at the guards and they escorted the baffled man away. G turned to Duo.

"That's my boy." He murmured as he released the remaining harnesses holding the braided boy. //Mental note: Get stronger restraints.// "The ZSA is no match for you. You will use it and become stronger."

Duo moaned as the Professor supported him, half dragging the braided boy towards his cell. G noticed the remaining Gundam pilots restraining a furious Heero Yuy. It took all their strength just to hold him back. He stopped as Duo came into view.

The guards opened the cell and G gently placed him in. He stood back.

"Considering the circumstances, 02 will not be integrated again for a few days. We will allow him to regain his strength." The scientist left to go deal with Dr. J.

The Gundam pilots watched in horror as tears of blood tracked down Duo's heart shaped face. Trowa caught the braided boy as he stumbled. Duo looked around sightlessly.

"Trowa? Is that you? I can feel you, but I can't see you..."

Trowa gently kissed the boy's forehead. "It's okay. Just lay down and rest." Duo lay down and looked in Heero's direction.

"Hee-chan?" The Japanese boy stopped glaring at Trowa long enough to kneel beside his lover.

"You have...to do me a favor. When I get to far...gone...kill me." Duo drifted into unconsciousness.

Heero grabbed Trowa by his turtleneck and slammed him up against the wall.

"Why did you kiss him?" He growled."Because I love him!" The green-eyed boy shouted back.

Heero pulled his fist back to punch him and Trowa braced for the blow. But WuFei had Heero's wrist in an iron grip.

"This is no time to be settling this! Duo needs ALL the support we can give him." Heero seemed to relax and WuFei let go. The Japanese boy flung himself into a corner and stared at his ill-fated lover. Quatre limped up beside him.

"Heero?"

"Aa?"

"Are you going to kill Duo? The cobalt-eyed boy shuddered and placed his head in his hands.

"I don't know, Quatre. I just don't know."

Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing © Sunrise, Bandai, and Sotsu Agency.