Eternal Flame

Disclaimer: I don\'t own the G Boys, I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier ne? :) I do however own Shane, Paul, Colin, Mickey, Benny, Toby, Fayah and any other unfamiliar characters that crop up. I also own the plot if you can call it that.

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, OC, Lemon, Lime, abuse, violence, language.

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 5xS, OC x OC and maybe some more... check each part to be sure ;)

Archive: http://gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com
http://sweetlysour.net
http://www.adult-fanfiction.org
http://www.theforsakenwk.com/

Status: Work in progress.

Beta: DBZVelena, Ryouga and Yami_Tai... *huggles*

Author: ShenLong

Authors notes: *sigh* Well here I am again caving into pressure. I know it has taken a while to get to this and for that I apologize but I could not come up with a plot I deemed worthy enough.... until now. This is yet another sequel... this time to United Hearts. I did promise I would write the wedding for you all and I intend to do that. For those that haven\'t read United or Lost Souls I recommend that you do, otherwise this sequel will not make much sense. All of your favorite characters are back and up to as much mischief as possible.
This is set fourteen months after the end nitenited and all the children are older now. The Gundam Pilots are all 20yrs, Shane and Fayah are 16, Paul is 15, Colin is 14, Mickey is 12, Benny is 10 1/2 and not forgetting that little rascal Toby who is 10.
Thank you to all those who supported me through the writing of United, I hope you enjoy this just as much.


\"Eternal Flame\"

Started April 2003 ShenLong.


Chapter 20.

Heero sat hunched over the keyboard, his fingers tapping away. Duo was on another terminal quietly scanning through the figures appearing on the screen, his brow furrowed in concentration. They had been at it for the last two hours and were slowly but surely closing the gap. A grin suddenly lit up Heero\'s features, at the same time gavegave a hiss.

\"You see that?\" Heero asked.

Duo spun around in his chair, a mirroring grin on his own face. \"Sure do, Hee-chan.\"

\"This confirms it then.\"

\"Yup, no doubt about it. I thought it were a bit suspicious.\"

Heero quickly typed in a few commands and slipped a small disc into the drive. The computer hummed and then beeped. Removing the disc Heero stood. Duo copied the information on his screen also to disc and stood to join Heero, slinging an arm around his koi\'s shoulders.

\"I think that Une will be more than happy ta let the Preventer group take a look at this case now,\" he said, the elation clearly showing in his voice.

\"Hn. I can\'t see any reason why not.\"

\"Told yer my gut instinct was never wrong.\" Duo couldn\'t keep the smugness from his tone.

\"I didn\'t doubt you for a minute.\" Heero turned his head and placed a quick peck on Duo\'s lips.

Duo pouted. \"All that hard work and all yer give me as a reward is a peck?\" Duo removed his arm and placed his hands on his hips, trying to look deeply wounded.

Heero gave him a smoldering look from underneath his bangs and inched forward. Duo gave a soft eep and went to back away. He wasn\'t quick enough. Heero caught him around the waist and drew him close. He bent Duo backwards in his arms, reminis of of the hero sweeping the damsel into his embrace in the old Earth movies and lowered his lips to Duo\'s more than compliant ones.

The kiss was long, deep and involved a fair amount of tongue. As Heero straightened back up, pulling Duo with him, he couldn\'t help but snicker at the stunned expression on Duo\'s face. \"I always wanted to do that,\" Heero murmured.

Duo was still floating somewhere near Mars. \"Wow, Heero. I never knew yer had the romantic in yer.\" His lips still tingled from the sensual kiss, along with something else. \"Yer should let him out a bit more often,\" he mused.

\"Come on, we had better get this information to Une; I\'ll show you more of my romantic side later.\"

\"I\'ll hold yer to that, Hee-chan.\"

The pair left the room and headed for Une\'s office.

~ * ~

Wufei left the hospital after promising Sally he would call and let her know what was happening down at HQ and securing a similar promise from Sally in regards to Leith\'s condition. He manoeuvred the car through the afternoon traffic with practiced ease and was soon pulling into the Preventer underground garage. Locking the car, he strode quickly to the small elevator and up to the ground floor. Stepping out he didn\'t stop to greet the staff at the information desk, opting to continue on his way, only pausing to show his badge to the officer on duty and stepping through the security screening tunnel to enter the main ground floor section of the building. A few of the staff gave him a surprised greeting; he wasn\'t due back until the Monday. Wufei, however, ignored the looks and proceeded to the next bank of elevators and stepped inside, pushing the button for the upper top floor and Une\'s office.

The doors chimed as they slid open, Wufei wondered for the umpteenth time just who was responsible for having the cheap piped music in the small car. In his book they should be forced to endure a slow torturous death for that violation to the eardrums, preferably by making them listen to said music continuously until their brain fried or they went permanently deaf. Continuing to ignore anyone he met in the hall way, he arrived at Une\'s office where he gave the secretary a curt nod.

\"Agent Fire, I didn\'t expect...\"

\"Is Lady Une in her office?\" Wufei cut the flow of words off before the secretary could get any further.

Used to dealing with Wufei and his abrupt ways the secretary didn\'t even flinch, instead she reached to push the com button at the same time addressing the Chinese man. \"She is in her office but she has a couple of Agents with her. I\'ll see if you can go in.\"

\"What is it?\" Une barked down the com line.

\"Agent Fire is here, Lady Une, he wishes to speak with you.\"

\"Agent Fire?\" There was a short pause followed by an exhalation of breath. \"Send him in.\"

\"Yes Ma\'am.\" The com unit was closed and the woman gave Wufei a nod. \"You may enter, Agent Fire.\"

\"Thank you.\" Wufei turned and approached the door to Une\'s office. He gave a knock and waited for the acknowledgment before entering the office. Closing the door behind him he wasn\'t surprised to see Yuy and Maxwell sitting in the office.

\"Wuffie! Yer back man. How was the honeymoon? Did\'ja manage ta satisfy the little onna?\" Duo bounced out of his chair to greet the Chinese man with enthusiasm, his mouth running a mile a minute.

\"Yes, I am back, Maxwell, and what I did on my honeymoon is my business and not yours!\" Wufei growled as he removed himself from the arms that persisted in trying to hug him.

Duo simply snickered and allowed himself to be prised from the rigid form. \"Aww, Wu, that\'s no way ta greet friends, yer should know yer gotta share the secrets.\" Duo winked as Wufei went a fetching shade of red.

\"I have no intention of \'sharing the secrets\' as you put it, Maxwell.\" Wufei tried to move towards the desk where Une sat with an amused smile on her face. \"And the name is Wufei!\"

\"C\'mon, Wuffie, I\'ll tell yer all my secrets.\" Duo wiggled his eyebrows.

Wufei narrowed his eyes as he faced the braided wonder. \"No!\" He turned to Heero. \"Yuy, he\'s your responsibility now, control him.\" Wufei managed to get to a chair and sat down heavily in it.

\"Sorry Chang, I\'m not his keeper.\" Heero responded as Duo bounced back to his seat.

\"Gentlemen, if you have all quite finished?\" Une gave the assembled group a small smile.

Duo looked sheepish as both Heero and Wufei nodded.

\"Good. Welcome back, Agent Fire.\"

\"Thank you.\"

\"If I may, what are you doing here, Wufei? You aren\'t due back on active duty until Monday.\"

\"I know.\" Wufei scowled. \"Winner and Barton informed me of the situations that have occurred during my absence and I wish to be brought up to date with the events, especially as it concerns my foster son.\" Wufei spoke calmly but in a tone that clearly conveyed that he was to be informed immediately of anything in regards to whatever it was they had discovered.

Une steepled her fingers and thought for a moment. \"Okay. This matter is of now under Preventer investigation and we will require your skills, Agent Fire.\"

Wufei nodded.

\"However,\" Une lowered her voice. \"I do not need to remind you that even though a family member is involved in this investigation, that you are to still follow the rules and codes of Preventer. Do not allow your personal feelings to come into this investigation under any circumstances. It is to be handled with the usual efficiency, diplomacy and adherence to the rules as any other case. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen?\"

Two nods and a manic grin.

Une fixed Duo with an eagle eye. \"That means no fireworks that are not necessary, Agent Dark.\"

\"Yer spoil all the fun.\" Duo pouted.

Choosing to ignore the long haired man Une pressed on, bringing Wufei into the picture, explaining Heero\'s information and what the pair had discovered so far.

\"So Leith\'s accident wasn\'t an accident at all then?\" Wufei said, his brow furrowing. \"Why would anyone want to hurt him for? I mean he isn\'t in any trouble of any kind.\"

It was Duo\'s turn to quirk an eyebrow. \"How would yer know, Wuffles? Yer check out his background \'cause he was gettin friendly wiv Paul or somethin?\"

Wufei colored a little.

Duo\'s eyes widened. \"Yer did din\'cha?\"

Wufei lowered his head. \"One cannot be too careful, Maxwell.\"

Duo shook his head. \"Yer gotta learn ta trust Paul, Wuffers.\"

\"I do trust him.\" Wufei bit back. \"It\'s the other predators out there that I don\'t, and I was only making sure.\"

\"Look, we can discuss ethics later, right now we have some vital information that needs to be investigated.\" Heero interjected, giving his partner’s braid a tug and Wufei an glare that clearly conveyed for them both to drop the subject and get back to business.

\"What did you find, Heero?\" Une quickly brought the topic back into focus.

Heero took the disc from his pocket and dropped it onto the desk. \"Duo checked Leith\'s apartment but couldn\'t find much in the way of clues to warrant the explosion, therefore the computer must have exploded from some other cause. It wasn\'t anything electrical, all the fuses were still intact and there was no damage to any other appliances in the apartment.\"

\"You mean it came from an outside source?\" Wufei asked.

\"Yup. I got Leith\'s e-mail details from him as that was the last thing he was doin that he could remember before the computer went boom.\" Duo said. \"I went back ta our place and brought up Leith\'s e mail account but somethin’ wasn\'t sitting right.\"

\"Duo hacked into the server and came in through a back door. What he found was rather interesting, not to mention illegal.\" Heero took up the tale. \"He copied the files to disc and we\'ve just spent the past couple of hours going through that disc on the Preventer computers. Whoever set this up was a pretty smart person.\"

\"So, what is it that you\'ve found?\" Wufei asked.

Une opted to remain silent for the moment and just absorb the information; her questions could wait.

\"It would be easier to show you.\" Heero stood. \"May I use your system, Lady Une?\"

\"Of course.\" Une nodded to the side desk where her computer sat.

Heero walked over to it and slipped the disc inside; Wufei and Duo followed him. He typed in a few commands and the screen changed bringing up a stream of data. Heero continued to scroll through, locating the exact part that he wanted. Turning to face the others his voice took on a serious tone. \"This is the code for Leith\'s e-mail,\" he pointed to the list of letters, numbers and symbols. \"If you look closely you will see that there are several other symbols entwined within the code, none of which should be there.\"

\"But looking at that, it isn\'t anything malicious,\" Wufei ed. ed.

\"No it ain’t,\" Duo took up the conversation. \"In fact it all looks rather harmless, that is until yer go ta open the mail.\"

\"What is it you\'re saying, Maxwell?\"

Duo reached to the machine and ejected the disc, replacing it with the one he had copied to. The screen changed again. \"Look here.\"

\"Shit!\"

\"Exactly. The code that\'s entwined in the mail is simply the trigger, this is the baby that does the damage.\" Duo stood back a satisfied grin ningning his face.

Une and Wufei stared at the screen. Piggy backing on the innocent e-mail was another program, one that if they understood the code correctly, would cause the computer to completely malfunction, running massive amounts of viscous data and dumping viruses left right and center until the computer system would overload, the final code tripping the circuits and causing the machine to explode.

\"Whoever set this up knows a lot about systems and obviously didn\'t want Leith to receive the e-mail.\" Heero added to Duo\'s words.

\"The e-mail was from his father?\" Wufei queried.

\"Hai.\"

\"Leith\'s father is currently missing?\"

\"Hai.\"
hat hat does the mail say? Can it be traced?\"

Duo shook his head. \"There\'s no way ta get inta the message without gerigering the program and I fer one ain\'t about ta try. I might be mad but I ain\'t suicidal.\"

\"Yuy?\"

\"No, Wufei. I\'ve looked at every conceivable way as well and even my skills can\'t find a way to get in without setting the destruction off.\"

Well, that was a first. Wufei hadn\'t known Heero to be stopped by a program yet. This one must pack some serious shit if Yuy couldn\'t find a way around it.

\"We did manage ta trace it ta somewhere out in space though. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able ta get a proper lock on it as yet. It\'s come through a series of different servers with so many back tracks, side loops and god knows whatever else, that it\'s gonna take some time ta trace it fully.\"

\"Wherever it came from it\'s obvious that they do not wish to be found. No wonder, with that type of program attached.,\" Wufei said quietly.

\"This leads us to the next point.… Leith\'s father.,\" Heero stated.

\"Given that the e-mail was sent from Leith\'s dad, we have every reason ta believe that Leith\'s dad has been taken against his will.,\" Duo added. \"What father in their right mind would send an e-mail with a potentially lethal program in it to their son?\"

\"Gentlemen, if you will all return to your seats I suggest we talk about this a little and and see where we can go from here.\"

The three ex-pilots did as requested, all minds switched into mission mode. \"What do yer think, Heero?\" Duo asked as he took his seat.

\"Leith notified the police about his father. From what Paul told me, they haven\'t had any success in finding any trace of him.\"

\"I think we should contact the police and find out what they know,\" Wufei offered.

\"I\'ll call them now,\" Une said as she picked up the receiver to her vid \'phone. Moments later the request for the file on one missing Bob Martins was granted.

\"There\'s also the matter of those missing chips that Trowa mentioned,\" Heero said.

\"Don\'t forget the dead employee as well; Trowa did say the circumstances were suspect.\" Duo added. \"I can\'t help my gut feelin’ that somehow that is tied inta all this.\"

Three heads turned in his direction.

\"Leith did say his dad was inta computers in a big way. He was working fer a major company but I can\'t recall the name of it.\"

\"I\'ll give Quatre a call and see if he can pass on the name of the precinct that is investigating the deceased,\" Une stated as she once again reached for the vid \'phone, this time punching in the number to Winner Enterprises. Moments later the call connected and Une was put through to Lucy, Quatre\'s personal secretary. A few words were exchanged before Une disconnected, her face deep in thought. She turned to the three agents who were waiting expectantly. \"It seems that both Quatre and Trowa are with detedetectives now, assisting them in their inquiries. I\'ll give the precinct a call and move from there.\"

Duo gave her a smile. \"I thinks if we can get a hold of that file there may be somethin’ in it that might help us out.\"

Wufei snorted. \"Just what makes you say that, Maxwell?\"

Une closed her call and watched the passing of words while she waited for the relevant detective from the precinct to call her back

\"Call it a hunch Wuffles, but I like ta stick with my gut instinct. It\'s saved my sorry ass on more than one occasion.\" Duo retorted.

Wufei knew when to shut up. \"The name is Wufei,\" he muttered under his breath, determined to let his friend know that while he might bite his tongue, he certainly wasn\'t out of the game.

Heero shook his head.

The vid \'phone beeped and Une picked up the receiver, pleased to note it was the person she\'d been chasing. She spoke quickly with the detective on the other end, making it clear what it was she wanted and that she wanted it now. A couple of minutes later she hung up, a satisfied smile on her face. \"Well, gentlemen. Agents Air and Earth will collect and take the file home with them where they will go through it and see what they can find. The file will be brought to HQ in the morning along with any information they have managed to unearth.\" Seeing Duo about to speak, Une continued quickly. \"Agent Fire, you are instructed to return to your wife and not to report in until Monday as assigned.\"

Wufei began to splutter. Before he had a chance to construct any form of intelligent speech, Une was off again.

\"While you are still technically on leave though, I want you to talk with Paul and Leith, find out who Leith’s father worked for and any enemies he may have had. Also try to get a run down on Leith\'s movements, any suspicious characters hanging around his home, \'phone calls, etcetera. You know the drill, Chang.\"

Wufei nodded. While he wasn\'t back at the office as such, at least he would be doing something constructive towards the case.

\"Agents Light and Dark,\" Une turned to Heero and Duo. \"The file on Mr. Martins is awaiting collection. Please fetch it and go through the information you find in it. Report back to me tomorrow at 14.00 hours. Thank you, gentlemen.\" Une gave them all a *look* which clearly meant that the conversation was finished and they could take their leave.

The three stood and exited the office together, riding the elevator down to the ground floor before checking through security and heading for the small elevator that would take them to the garage where their cars awaited them.

\"Yer gonna take Paul home with yer from the hospital, Wu, or do yer want me an Heero ta have him again and give yer a chance ta settle back in?\"

\"I\'ll collect him along wSallSally from the hospital. Thank you for offering though, and for having him while we were away.\"

\"No problem, Wufei. He was well behaved and a pleasure to have,\" Heero replied as he pulled the keys from his pocket.

\"I\'ll call you tomorrow and arrange to pick up his things.\" Wufei unlocked his car and began to slide in behind the wheel.

\"Let us know what yer find out, Wu,\" Duo yelled across the parking lot as he climbed in beside Heero.

Wufei just nodded and dug his cell \'phone out of his pocket. He looked up as the Yuy / Maxwell car departed from the parking area, \'phone pressed to his ear as he waited for the call to connect.

\"Doctor Sally Chang-Po.\"

Wufei smiled as he listened to the words roll off his wife\'s tongue. \"I\'m leaving Preventer now. There has been quite a bit of information given to me, I need to talk with Leith and get some facts. I\'ll speak with you and give you all the details a little later.\"

\"Fine, Wufei. I\'ve spoken with the Doctor treating Leith and it all looks okay here. I\'ll tell you more when you get here.\"

\"I won\'t be long. Bye.\"

\"See you soon, Wufei.\" Sally pushed the button and folded the small \'phone back up and slipped it into her pocket. With a smile she turned back to the two youth\'s before her. \"That, as you gathered was Wufei. He\'s on his way here now.\"

Paul smiled at Leith. \"I bet Wufei will be able ta find out what happened, Leith. Wiv Duo, Heero and now Wufei workin on the case, I bet they will have it solved in no time.\"

Leith returned the smile as best he could. \"I hope so, Paul, I really hope so.\"

~ * ~

Trowa looked up as the detective returned to the room. There was a look of slight annoyance on his face, along with a touch of resignation. He sat down in his chair opposite the two men and pulled the thick file towards himself. He flicked briefly through the file before closing it once again and seeming to ponder his thoughts.

The silence was becoming uncomfortable. Quatre stared straight ahead, wondering what was going on now. Trowa relaxed, giving off the appearance of complete outward calm while inside he was a storm of questions. Detective Masaki frowned, looking from the pair opposite him to his superior and back again.

Detective Nicholls cleared his throat and began to speak. \"I believe you both work part time for the Preventer Organization?\" He fixed Quatre with a steely gaze, one that clearly betrayed his doubt that the blonde could be anything other than the ce bce boy in such an organization.

\"That is correct,\" Trowa responded, his voice cold as he noted the expression on the detective\'s face.

\"I have just received a call from a Lady Une.\"

Quatre\'s eyebrows rose.

\"She asked me to pass on the file of this case to you both, apparently the Preventer Organization has now taken over the investigation. Looks like the local constabulary aren\'t good enough\" The touch of sarcasm was evident in his tone.

Quatre fixed him with his coolest look. \"Thank you, Detective. I\'m sure that Preventer have their reasons for wanting to take over this case. I\'m sure all your efforts to date will not be disregarded, however, it\'s time to hand it over to the experts.\" Quatre\'s voice was soft, calm and dripped with ice. He stood and picked up the file from the table. The blatant look of disdain he\'d witnessed earlier, had ruffled his normally calm exterior, insidewas was seething. He hated how people completely judged him on his outward appearance. Yes, he was short, only topping 5\' 6\". Yes, he was slender which gave him the appearance of being fragile but Quatre was far from that. True, he disliked fighting but he would never back down from something that he knew was right thing to do. He obviously preferred to use his tongue in persuading people, only resorting to other methods when everything else had been exhausted. Somewhere along the line Quatre had developed a real skill for sarcasm, a skill he practiced often in the cut throat world of business.

Seemed the police force was now added to that world.

Trowa hid his amusement behind his bang as he stood up. Quatre was quite capable of looking after himself.

Detective Masaki stared wide eyed at the exchange before jumping to his feet, his face red with indignation. \"You can\'t just hand over an investigation file like that to two strangers!\" he spluttered to his boss.

Nicholls fixed him with a stare. \"I don\'t have any choice. The authorization has come from Inspector Broadwater himself.\"

Trowa reached into his pocket and withdrew his wallet, Quatre mimicking the action. They both flashed their Preventer ID. \"You are not handing over files to strangers, you are handing them over to highly trained professionals.\" Trowa kept his voice steady but there was a slight edge to it.

Detective Masaki stared at the badges, his mind still couldn\'t comprehend that two young looking men could possibly be highly trained Preventer agents. It just wasn\'t possible; but the evidence was staring him right in the face. Masaki slumped back into his chair.

\"Thank you, detectives. We will see ourselves out,\" Quatre stated and turned on his heel, Trowa directly behind him, and exited the small room. They walked side by side in silence, through the main doors and out to their parked car. It wasn\'t until they were in the car and Quatre was driving them through the evening traffic that they broached the subject oft hat had just taken place.

\"I think we need to call Une and find out what\'s going on,\" Trowa stated as he shifted the file to the floor and unclipped his cell \'phone from his belt.

\"That might be a good idea,\" Quatre responded as he braked gently for the traffic light.

Trowa called Une\'s office, Quatre kept his eyes on the road and did his best to ln ton to the one sided conversation. He didn\'t find out much as it seemed that Une was doing all the talking, his partner only speaking in monosyllables and grunts. He really needed to talk to Trowa about that.

Call disconnected, Trowa turned to face his lover who was guiding the vehicle out onto the freeway that would take them home. He waited until Quahad had shifted through the gears and the car was moving at a steady pace before speaking. \"Une wants us to look into Shand\'s death.\"

\"I gathered that much,\" Quatre replied, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead.

\"She said that Preventer has evidence that points to Leith\'s accident as not being an accident at all.\"

\"Oh?\"

\"She also said they are investigating the disappearance of Leith\'s dad.\"

\"And this is all leading us where?\" Quatre signaled his intent to leave the freeway and guided the car into the exit lane.

\"Preventer thinks it may all be linked together.\"

\"How?\" Now that he wasn\'t on the freeway anymore Quatre turned his head for a brief moment to look at his partner before returning his sight back to the road.

\"Shand worked for WEI, highly sophisticated chips have gone missing and he was the one to handle them. Soon afterwards he turns up dead.\"

\"We don\'t know for sure that he was the onat tat took them.\"

Trowa waved his hand in the air. \"Let me finish.\"

\"Sorry.\"

\"Leith\'s father has gone missing. Apparently he works for a high tech computer company. He maintains, upgrades and develops complicated computer programs. Leith reported him missing and then gets an e-mail from his father, when he went to open it the computer blew up.\"

\"And Une thinks it\'s all tied in together?\"

\"Duo is the one with the hunch.\"

\"Ahhh.\"

\"Une must think there is something to it if she wants us to look into it as well.\"

\"Well, I haven\'t known Duo to be wrong in his hunches yet, but then again there is always a first time.\" Quatre guided the vehicle off the road and into the sweeping drive that would lead them to the Winner estate.

Trowa lost himself in his thoughts for a moment while Quatre pulled the car to a halt outside the main entrance. \"You know Quatre, I have a feeling that there is something much deeper to all this than we realize.\"

Quatre undid his seat belt and looked at his partner. \"Don\'t tell me you\'re getting hunches as well now?\" he chuckled.

Trowa turned to face the Arab and placed a tender kiss to the blonde\'s lips. \"Hunches or not, I can\'t shake this feeling.\"

\"Let\'s go inside and have dinner. Once the terrible twosome are in bed we can go through this file together and see what we can find.\"

\"Mmmm.... bed. Now there\'s a good idea.\"

Quatre gave him a playful swat to the arm. \"Later my love, later.\"

~ oOo ~

tbc........