White walls and the strong smell of antiseptic… the same smell that has assaulted me when I woke up in the hospital in L2.

No.

Panic raced through me has my eyes flew open.

“Don’t be afraid.”

A man was smiling down at me. I had never seen him before. I started to sit up but collapsed back on the bed as dizziness overcame me.

“I would recommend not moving too quickly.” The man said very soothingly. You’ve been very ill. We’re not sure the fever is gone yet.”

“Fever?”

Was he a doctor? “Who are you…?” I manage to get out.

He bowed slightly. “Dekim Barton. I’ve been put in charge of this unfortunate situation at Tenajo.”

Tenajo.

He considered what happened unfortunate? What an understatement!

“Where am I?”

“San Andreas. A very small military medical facility.”

“How long have I been here.”

“Two days. You were brought here directly when my man found you at Tenajo.”

“Your man…?” Memory flooded back to me. Cold blue eyes and a face that was hard and emotionless. “He hit me.”

“Heero has been taken care of. You were running at him and he was afraid you’d contaminate him.”

He hadn’t been afraid. And I was running from him not to him.

“I wasn’t ill. He knocked me unconscious.”

“Yes well… it was after you woke up that he realized you were ill. You were screaming and out of control. He had to give you a shot. You don’t remember?”

“Of course I don’t. It didn’t happen. And if he told you I was sick… he lied.”

Dekim shook his head.

“I’m telling you he deliberately attacked me. And contaminate him with what? What happened at Tenajo?”

“Cholera. A particularly virulent strain.”

“You’re sure? Quatre said that-“ Terror rip through me. “Quatre. Where is he?! Is he ill too?”

“Yes. But he’s not doing very well, but don’t worry. He’ll be on his way to recovery soon.”

“I want to see him.”

“That’s not possible. You’re too ill.”

“I’m not… I feel fine.” It was a lie. I was light-headed and felt sluggish. “And I want to see him.”

“Tomorrow or the next day. In the meantime I have a favor to ask you. You can imagine the panic that could be caused by this if word got out before we could complete our investigation.”

I couldn’t believe my ears, “You want to cover it up?”

He looked shocked. “No, we merely need a bit of time. Water samples were taken and we’re waiting for word back from the Centers for Disease Control. As soon as we hear something, we’ll take some action.”

I supposed that made sense. Damage control WAS common. Dekim’s request was all that bad. I’m just being paranoid I reasoned. Maybe I was ill. But they said they had TAKEN water samples. But yet they had been pouring something INTO the water. What if this was some sort of foul-up and they were trying to cover it up?

“What do you want from me?” I demanded.

“Your patience and silence for the next few days. Is that too much?”

“Maybe. I want to see Quatre now.”

“You aren’t up for it and neither is he.”

I tried to think through my growing sense of uneasiness. Something wasn’t right. If he wasn’t letting me see Quatre it meant one of two things. He had gotten away with Iris or he was a prisoner. Dekim went to the door and motioned someone in. “It’s time for your shot now.”

“Shot?”

“You need rest. Sleep is healthy for you.”

I went rigid as an orderly entered carrying a hypodermic tray.

“I just woke up!” I demanded. “I don’t NEED to go back to sleep!”

“Sleep will bring you wisdom.”

“I need-“ I jerk as the needle enters my right arm. And then…

Darkness.

***************

The next 24 hours were lost to me. I woke and slept.

Sometimes I was alone and then sometimes with Dekim staring down at me.

Where was Quatre? I had to find-

The needle again.

***************

Dekim was standing over me again. But this time he wasn’t alone. That hard face… those blue eyes gazing down upon me like ice chips— they were familiar. Heero. The guy in Tenajo. The one who hit me. Dekim said he had been punished but he looked as if he wouldn’t tolerate such a thing.

“You can’t put it off too much longer.” Heero spoke. “He is a witness after all.”

“Calm down. The disposal of this American citizen can wait.” Dekim smiled down at me. “Ah, how do we feel now that we are awake again.”

I could barely form words… but I formed one that matter, “Kisama.”

His smile faded. “I am, but how rude of you to comment on it. Maybe you’re right Heero. Perhaps I’ve been indulging Trieze.”

“I want… to see… Quatre.”

“Not possible. He’s much too ill.”

“Liar… he ran… he got… away.”

“Think what you will. Come Heero.”

They were gone and the darkness started to settle in. No… I had to fight it.

They wanted to kill me. Heero wanted to do it right away but Trieze had objected-

Wait. Who was Trieze? Didn’t matter. Only Dekim and Heero were the threats.

And what I witnessed? A cover-up? That didn’t really matter either. Keeping Quatre and myself alive was what did matter. Dekim wasn’t letting me see him so he must have escaped. And if he did Dekim was probably already searching for him. I had to get to him and warn him… But I was so weak I couldn’t even lift a finger.

But I wasn’t ill. Dekim had lied about that. I still had a sore jaw from where Heero had hit me and a band-aid on my arm from the needle. I would be ok just as long as I could shake off the sedatives. I had to fight them.

Think. Plan. There HAS to be a way out.

***************

It was nearly sunset when Dekim returned. I quickly shut my eyes.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wake up now, Duo. You don’t mind me calling you Duo, do you? I feel very close to you now.”

My eyes remained closed. He shook me. I slowly opened my eyes.

“There. You must feel dreadful. Do you remember you remember who I am?” he smiled.

“Kisama.” I whispered.

His smile faded. “I’ll ignore that since our time together is growing short. I need some information. We have to be careful about using certain sources, and Heero has told me nothing of value about you. I told Trieze that such painstaking methods weren’t necessary but he insists that it’s unsafe to take any blind action.” he gently brushed my bangs back away from my face. “I do so hate to make Trieze unhappy.”

I wanted to bite his hand, spit in his face, ANYTHING to that son of a bitch. But it would be pointless and it wasn’t what I had planned so I waited.

“You don’t mind if I ask a few question now do you? Then you can go back to sleep.”

I didn’t answer.

He frowned, “Duo?”

“When I get… to see… Quatre.”

His frowned disappeared. “Oh is that all? After you tell me what I want.”

Bullshit. “Promise?”

“Of course. Now you came here to do a travel article?”

I nodded.

“Who hired you?”

He was almost on top of me. That wouldn’t give me a chance; he could easily overpower me. Just take a few steps back. “Lady Une.”

“You knew her before?”

“I’ve done several articles in the past for her.” I kept my voice slurred. “Now may I see-“

“Not yet. Tell me about your family.”

I shrug.

“No parents?”

“Well not if you happen to be an orphan, I reckon not.” I faked a yawn. “Gotta sleep…”

“Soon. You’re being very cooperative.” He strolled over to the window.

Yes.

“No wife? Girlfriend? No known relatives at all?”

The bastard was trying to find out any possible next of kin or close relations that could get in the way. “No.”

“Poor child, you must be lonely. No roommates?”

“Never in the U.S long enough to share the expenses.” Yikes… that sounded a bit too coherent.

“So you travel extensively.”

His back was still to me. He thought me to weak to pose any threat to him.

“It’s my job.”

“And what is-“

He slumped to his knees as I hit him with the bedpan. I hit him again and he slumped to the floor.

“Kisama.” I jumped on his back, straddling him. I hit him again and again until I could see the blood oozing onto the floor. Good. I thought. Maybe I cracked his head open. “Who’s YOUR next of kin you son of a-“

Arms encircled my ribs from behind and I was jerked off Dekim’s back.

Heero.

I struggled wildly against him.

“Don’t fight me.”

The hell I wouldn’t. I kicked back hitting him squarely in the shin.

“Stop it.”

“Let me go.”

Dekim began to stir. So I hadn’t killed him after all. I panicked and frantically fought again against Heero’s grip. I heard him mutter a curse as he wrapped one of his arms around my neck, just beneath my left ear.

Darkness.

***************

I awoke moments later to discover I had been strapped down to the bed. My heart was beating so hard I could barely breathe. I struggled against the restraints. No use. I was trapped.

Heero was helping Dekim to his feet, blood running down his face. He looked incredulously down at the bedpan.

“Come on I’ll bandage you.” Heero said.

Dekim looked me squarely in the face. “The son of a bitch hit me with that damn bedpan.”

Fear struck me. I had never seen such hatred in anyone’s face.

“Punish him later. You’re bleeding.”

“I’m going to KILL him.”

“Not now.” Heero said. “You’ve attracted too much attention as it is. He isn’t going anywhere.”

Later.

Dekim was going to kill me. Nothing was more certain to me. I had humiliated him and now I was going to die. Dekim jerked away from Heero and lurched toward me.

“You fucking slut!” He raised his hand and slapped me. “And don’t think that I don’t KNOW what you did before you become a photojournalist. And did you REALLY think you could kill me? You know nothing!”

My head was ringing from the words and the blow. The room spun, and before I could speak the words tumbled out. Why not? I had nothing to lose. “I know you are a stupid man! Quatre is too smart for you. He’ll get away and show everyone what an asshole you-“

He slapped me again. Harder.

I glared up at him.

He leaned over the bed, so close that I could feel his breath on my face. “You think so much of that friend of yours don’t you?”

“I know he’s more clever than you’ll ever-“

“Do you really believe he got away from Tenajo?”

Terror seized me.

“We got him shortly after Heero brought you in. He’s been here at San Andreas all the time.”

“You’re lying! He got away!”

“No.” His gazed narrowed on my face drinking in my fear and uncertainty. “He’s here.”

It couldn’t be true. “Then prove it. Let me see him.” He shook his head. “Then you are lying.”

“It would only pain you to see him. It’s such an unpleasant place.”

“Where?”

“Four floors down.” His lips curved into a malicious smile. “He’s lying in a drawer in our morgue. Just as you will be soon. Your friend is dead.”

He walked out of the room.

Pained crashed through me.

Quatre dead.

The sadist enjoyed hurting me and I was sure he had lied about other things. Why should I accept what he said about Quatre? But it could be the truth. He could be dead.

He’s lying in a drawer in our morgue.

It wasn’t the truth. He only wanted to hurt me. Quatre could be alive. My fingernails dug painfully into my palms as my fists clenched.

Four floors down. He’s lying in a drawer in our morgue.

***************

“Is it the truth?” Heero asked as he cleaned the cuts on Dekim’s head. “Is the Winner boy here?”

Dekim ignored the question. “I want that Maxwell bitch dead. I’m through with him. To hell with Trieze.”

“As you like.”

“Now.”

Heero nodded. “But not here. It can’t be directly connected with you.”

Dekim’s head was pounding with pain and fury… and humiliation. “I want him to die slowly and I want to watch it. I want to do it myself.”

“Then we’d better wait. Unless you can arrange to leave?”

“Not for at least another day. I expected things to move faster, we’re still running the tests. There may be something wrong.”

Heero threw the cloth into the sink. “Then let’s deal with Maxwell so that you can deal with more important matters. It probably doesn’t matter. I was just being too careful.”

It did matter Dekim realized with frustration. He couldn’t have an investigation getting in his way. His hesitation disappeared with Heero’s next words. “If you want me to take care of it, just tell me how you want it done. It doesn’t have to be quick. I know many ways.”

He wanted it too, Dekim thought. “Make him disappear.”

Heero nodded.

“I want to hear every detail and he must hurt for a LONG time.”

“He will.” Heero smiled. “I promise you.”