//italics//

Part 9

"Wake up, 02. This morning we will be doing a little experiment."

Trowa woke to see the hated Professor standing outside of the cell. Guards were even now reaching for Duo, who was blinking sleepily up at them from his curled up position on the floor. Heero lay beside him, wiry arms encircling the braided boys waist.

"Think of it as an endurance test, really. On how long a human body, who is ZSA enhanced, can survive under water with no oxygen. It is our hopes that you can last at least an hour."

The HeavyArms pilot watched Duo's eyes widen in fear. Trowa tensed, waiting for the signal. Three guards in the cell and four outside with the Professor. The odds were slim. //As if that has stopped us before.//

As the first guard reached for Duo, a hand shot out and grabbed the man's wrist. Heero sat up, murder in his eyes. With a quick jerk, the man sailed across the room to slam into the transparent wall. Sliding to the floor, neck-broken, it was obvious he was no longer a problem. Heero turned to the next guard.

But the other pilots had not been immobile. Heero watched as WuFei took down a guard with a swift kick to the chest. The sickening crack of ribs was audible to everyone. Across the cell, Trowa dove at another guard, wrestling him to the floor.

A gun rose to fire at Heero and he braced himself for the burning sear of a bullet. The gun never fired.

The Japanese boy looked up to see Duo standing over the crumple form of the guard. The braided boy smiled at him, and Heero allowed himself a nod in return.

"That's quite enough!" Professor G's voice boomed through the cell.

The pilots turned towards the speaker. Trowa crawled out from under the limp and lifeless body of the he was fighting to see the remaining three guards holding Quatre hostage. Two guards held his arms while the third had a gun held to the blonde's head.

"Sorry guys. I tried to take out the head." His eyes motioned to G.

The Professor stood, arms crossed, glaring into the cell.

"02! You will come out of that cell willingly or I will be forced to shoot your little Arab friend."

Quatre struggled against his captors. "Don't do it, Duo!" He stopped as a blinding white pain shot through his leg. In agony, he leaned onto the hands that held him.

"Now that you know that my threat is sincere, I suggest you step out."

Duo walked forward, shoulders slumped in defeat. As he passed the man who had shot Quatre, his fist slammed out, sending the shards of the man's nose into his brain. The guard fell, dead. Duo turned towards G.

"If you ever threaten my friends again, you will regret you ever made me." He whispered.

Professor G chuckled, gesturing for the guards to throw the blonde boy back into the cell. He faced Shinigami unflinchingly.

"My dear boy, I didn't make you. Death made you. You belong to him. I am only borrowing you."

The other boys watched, helpless, as Duo was taken away.

"Now Duo, don't be frightened. This test is necessary to judge your body's acceptance to the Zero System. If things do not go as we hoped, then you will be taken out. We cannot lose you after coming so far in our experiments."

Duo watched the Professor from the interior of the transparent cylinder in which he stood. It was much like the chamber he was sent to when being integrated, but smaller, and without the chair. Strange holes lined the top of the chamber. Duo shuddered. He knew what was going to come out of those.

"Now just relax and we'll begin."

Duo jumped as water began to shoot from the holes, quickly beginning to fill the tank.

"Now, Duo." G admonished. "Your heart rate is up. You must calm down and let the Zero System take over. If you panic, you might hurt yourself and then we would just have to do this all over again."

Duo looked down at the strange black suit he was wearing. //Must have sensors sewn in.// He tried vainly to ignore the water, which was now creeping up at thigh level. He took a deep breath. //I hadn't even seen this much water till I came to earth. He thought. I didn't even know how to swim. Funny how something so beautiful and precious could be so deadly. Like Heero, he realized. And Trowa.//

The water was up to his chest and the braided boy desperately looked for a way to escape. The only exit was in the ceiling, which was locked tight. Water began to caress Duo's neck and he panicked. //I gotta get out of here!// He began to frantically beat at the glass, trying to break it.

Professor G watched as Duo threw his self against the transparent chamber again and again. //The boy never could take an order.// He watched as the water coursed over the pilot's head and the glass rattled with the force of the boy's blows. After a few minutes, the struggles lessened, then finally ceased.

The old man smiled at the drifting figure in the tank and reached over to the panel beside him. A digital counter began to whirl.

0:00:36 seconds and counting.

One hour and eighteen minutes later, a very wet and unconscious Duo was placed in the cell. The pilots rushed over to him, checking for signs of life. Quatre limped painfully, the bandage on his leg restricting his movements. WuFei moved his hand from where it had rested, briefly, on Duo's neck.

"He's alive." He informed them. //Thank you, Nantaku.//

"Of course he is." G chuckled. "Our test subject has done better than expected. Tomorrow the integration process will be at thirty five percent. Soon Zechs will have his mask and we will have our Perfect Weapon and eventually Zechs as well."

"Why would you get rid of Zechs?" Quatre asked. The Professor's one visible eye turned towards him.

"Because. Zechs will never win this war. He has too much sentiment towards his sister and his former friend. Treize will defeat him, eventually. He is living on borrowed time. When Miraldo Peacecraft leaves the picture, taking Treize with him if everything goes to plan, we will introduce the new leader of Earth and the Colonies."

"And who is that?" WuFei gritted out, fists clenched at his sides. He did not like anyone threatening his lover.

"Marie Barton. Also known as Mariemara Kushurinada."