Dorothy frowned as she shifted position for what had to be the eighth time in an as many minutes, trying to find some position in the narrow seat that was comfortable. They've been designing airplanes for how many years and they still can't figure out a seat design that is comfortable after the first thirty minutes in the air? Obviously, engineers need to fly commercial jets a little more frequently. And these are the first class seats. She smothered a laugh at the thought of Howard and his lackeys crammed into the coach section of the plane behind them. On second thought... maybe not. The flight attendants would need dark glasses to see past the glare from his shirt, and they'd probably end up pouring drinks on everyone.
Closing the book she'd been rather unsuccessfully trying to read, she glanced over to see how her companions were faring. Duo was curled up in the center seat, his head resting on Zechs shoulder, and his braid clutched tightly in one hand. The other hand was curled loosely in Zechs lap, though the older man was equally oblivious. After the first time Duo had accidentally touched the seat with his bare hands, only to discover that someone terrified of flying had had the seat before him, he'd carefully avoided touching anything else on the plane.
She sighed, wishing she dared try to sleep as well. But one night without dreams was not enough to convince her that they had stopped. Duo didn't dream last night either. And I know his nightmares always return within a few days. Best not to chance it. I do not want to give the rest of the people on the plane a heart attack if I start screaming again.
Squirming around in her seat in order to rest her head against the window, she amused herself by watching her partners sleep. Duo looked so young next to Zechs, though she knew he was only a year younger than she was. It had to be because Zechs was so damn tall... and he had that royal martyr air that seems to come naturally to his family. For once, thoughts of his family didn't hurt. I'm glad Relena finally made peace with both of us... even if things are still strained... it's better than outright hostility. And I'd still like to know what she heard that made her think Zechs and I were a couple. For that matter... I'd like to know why Lowell thought the guys would hurt him if he asked me out.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Zechs voice was soft, so as not to disturb Duo.
"It's going to cost you more than a penny." She snorted. "I'll have you know I'm not cheap."
"No... not after having dragged us halfway across the planet, you're not."
"That wasn't my idea." She winced. "Entirely. Besides, you seemed to be having a pretty good time."
"I was. I'm thinking we should all take days off more often."
"That's not going to make Une happy."
"I've given up trying to make Une happy. I never seem to manage it well."
"True."
"So... what were you thinking so hard about?"
"Just how different this plane ride is from the last one I was on."
"I would imagine Relena's private jet is much more comfortable than this one."
"Comfortable, yes. But I'm enjoying the company on this one much more."
"I can imagine. By the way, what was Lowell like as a partner?"
"Alright. Actually, he was good," She smiled faintly. "I don't think he cared much for Winner and Chang giving me the silent treatment. But he played mediary quite nicely."
"Think he'd be willing to act as backup for us on occasion?"
"Probably." She frowned. "Why?"
"Because the three of us are stretched too damn thin. And doing some research into the serial killings down in the harbor district... we need someone down there looking around. Unfortunately, you and I are going to stick out like sore thumbs."
"And what am I?" Duo asked sleepily, though Dorothy suspected he'd actually been awake for most of the conversation.
"The only one of us experienced enough to pass in that area. But I want you to have backup close by."
"So you want me to take a rookie?" Duo raised his head slightly. "Une will shit golden eggs before she lets that happen."
"Lowell isn't a rookie. Exactly," Dorothy muttered.
"No. He isn't. He is former Alliance, with most of his specialization being in infiltration and security. He's ex-military, and experienced. Hopefully, he wouldn't object to working with us on occasion. We are going to have to have backup sometime. And I need Dorothy back on the Sabrello case. I've got the Michaels case almost finished, and then I will be free to help out. But the Harbor case is the only one that is still... relatively new and active. I don't want you alone in that kind of area...with the perp still actively choosing his victims."
"Um, I think I can take care of myself," Duo growled. "I was a gundam pilot."
"I haven't forgotten that fact," Zechs sighed. "But so far, whoever is doing the killings in the harbor area has also taken out two dockworkers, both seasoned brawlers and both outweighing you by well over a hundred pounds. You're an ex-gundam pilot, not Superman."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful, mom. I promise."
"Yeah. And you'll take backup."
"If you can get Une to agree," Dorothy sighed.
"Leave that to me."
"You always say that. What do you have, some incredible blackmail on her or something? C'mon man, share."
"No," Zechs laughed. "Go back to sleep, Duo."
"Fine. You always keep the good secrets," Duo pouted briefly, then curled up on Dorothy's shoulder this time. "See'f I care...."
Robert Lowell followed Dorothy into the stairwell and down to the third floor. "I thought Une said there weren't any offices on the third floor?"
"Just ours." The blonde glanced over one shoulder at him. "Keeps the other Preventer's off her back about us. Out of sight, out of mind, I believe."
"I don't think it's working, entirely," He sighed.
"Oh? You were so taken by my company after one mission together that you can't stop thinking about me?"
"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about Connor and Berg. They seem to take everything the three of you do as a personal insult. For some reason I can't quite seem to figure out." And you have no idea.
"Don't strain yourself trying," She laughed bitterly. "Trying to figure out those two is enough to give anyone with half a brain a headache. I still haven't figured out how they passed the entrance exams. But we're still so shorthanded, that they have to take just about anyone right now." She turned and gestured at the only door on the far side of the stairwell. "Here it is... the only functioning Preventer's Homicide Division."
"I've actually been meaning to ask you about that..." He said as he opened the door. "Are you called that because your coworkers think you're out to kill them? Or because they want to kill you?"
"Both," she sighed. "Welcome to Purgatory."
He stepped into the office, and then blinked in surprise. It was less that he had had no idea what the three of them would consider a working office space, then that the room beyond seemed to fit them so perfectly. The large table directly inside the door was nearly buried beneath files, computers and coffee cups. There was a bulletin board covered with crime scene photos and charts along the wall to his left, next to another door bearing a sign that read 'Welcome to Purgatory, Abandon Hope all Ye who Enter'. To his right was a battered couch, equally covered with files and papers as the table was. Both Duo Maxwell and Zechs Merquise glanced up from the map they were studying as he and Dorothy stepped into the room. Zechs straightened with a sigh, then held out a hand.
"Lowell. Thanks for agreeing to help us out on this one."
"You're welcome," Robert shook his hand bemusedly. "Though I'm not entirely sure what I've agreed to do as yet. Lady Une just told me I'd been assigned to this unit for the next week or so."
"Ah," Zechs winced faintly. "That would probably be because I didn't tell her exactly what we needed you for."
"And that would be?" Lowell asked soberly. Hopefully this has nothing to do with my taking your partner out for dinner one night.
Zechs gestured for him to take a seat at the table. Duo flopped back to sprawl on the couch behind them, and Dorothy slipped into a seat at the far end of the table where an odd collection of computers sat.
"I don't know if you heard about the recent murders in Sanck's main harbor district?"
"A little. Something about five bodies turning up with odd lacerations and completely drained of blood."
Zechs sighed. "There have actually been eight murders so far... that we can fit to a single pattern. But since at least three of them were of homeless people, the media paid little attention to those."
"Ah," Lowell frowned. "If you don't mind me asking...why exactly is that a Preventers' matter and not one for the local police?"
"Because four of the eight murdered have not been citizens of Sanck." Zechs looked up at him curiously. "I don't know how familiar you are with the trade industry, but while commerce between the colonies and earth is thriving, it is also expensive. Enough so that it is far cheaper and more desirable for international commerce that is not leaving the planet to be carried out in the rather more...traditional manner. By train, truck or ship, usually. Russia has expanded to cover most of what would have been known in pre colony days as the entire USSR. And it is second only to the Americas in producing grain and textiles for export. But apparently Russian exporters are unhappy about shipping goods to a country where their countrymen are being targeted for rather...grisly murders. We have to find the person or people behind this before more than just one country starts refusing to ship goods here. Sanck is small, with little land that is arable for growing crops. We rely on Russian food imports to feed the majority of the population...."
"Right," Lowell nodded to indicate he understood the importance of the situation. "And my part in this investigation?"
Zechs glanced at Duo, then back at him. "We've narrowed down an area near the harbors where most of the victims either lived or worked. But it's an area where outsiders are likely to be noticed. In order to look around, we're going to have to send in agents able to blend into the environment. Dorothy and I... are rather conspicuous. Duo is going in... but I wanted him to have backup. And two people can cover more territory than one."
"We'd be undercover?" Lowell considered that for a moment. "What're the covers? Because you're right, drawing any negative attention in an area like that... will destroy any chance you've got of us finding out who's doing this."
Zechs looked oddly pleased, as if his words had confirmed something the man had been questioning. "I'll let you and Duo work that part out. He's... more than familiar with areas like this... and from what Une has told me of your past record... you have done work like this on several occasions."
"Similar," he shrugged. "Not looking for a serial killer, but the undercover part, yes."
"Good."
Lowell had the odd feeling he'd just passed some sort of test with the group, as all three suddenly relaxed. Zechs leaned back in his chair and smiled faintly.
"Then, as Dorothy said earlier. Welcome to Purgatory."
Narrow corridors... the metal walls bowed inwards near the far end... around the door to the... 'Helmets on...looks like there was an explosion... No telling...what the structural... beyond the door....' Static cuts the words, leaching sense and leaving only the urgency. 'Colony... fucking deathtrap... the fuck... stays in orbit...'
"Don't open the door!" Sound is ripped apart, as the walls bow farther inwards... blood... a face frozen in horror, eyes gone and blood in icy chunks around blue lips...
Dorothy woke, the scream still echoing in the darkness even as two sets of arms closed around her.
"Doro...shh," Zechs soothed, as she shivered. "It's okay...."
"God..." she gasped, trying not to gag. "Make it stop..."
"We're trying," Zechs hugged her close, and she could feel Duo petting her hair from the other side. "What did you dream?"
"I... there was a hallway... and a door. It... looked damaged, somehow. And... there were voices..."
"What did they say?"
"I... don't know... it didn't make sense... something about a colony... and an explosion..." she shrugged helplessly, rubbing her hands over her eyes. "Someone was screaming 'Don't open the door', but...."
"That would be you," Duo muttered softly. "Was that all?"
"No... there was a body... floating in space. Dead. Wearing a Preventers' uniform. And... blood. Lots of blood... like last time."
"Does Epyon know if it's present or future?"
"I... I don't think so...."
"Duo... start checking the news reports. See if there have been any explosions on any of the colonies in the last week."
"If it was that old, we'd have heard about it... right?"
"Maybe." Zechs shrugged. "Maybe not..."
"Right." With a last hug for her, Duo heaved himself off the bed and headed for the living room. Dorothy sighed, relaxing a little as the dream faded.
"Well... this little experiment didn't work," Dorothy muttered bitterly. "Apparently distance doesn't matter." They had left Epyon at Preventers Headquarters and returned to Zechs' apartment, in a last attempt to get a full night's sleep. Epyon's nightmares were getting more frequent... and more violent. "I hope Howard comes up with something soon."
Zechs nodded. "Me too. Come on... none of us are going to get any more sleep tonight. Take a shower... and I'll start breakfast."
"You spoil us rotten," She muttered, crawling towards the foot of the bed.
"I try."
By the time she emerged from the shower, Zechs had breakfast on the table. Duo was on the vidphone to Howard in Jamaica.
"Man, we're running out of time here. How much longer before you have something?"
"It's not like I'm trying to repair the warp drive on the bloody Enterprise," Howard snapped. "But we're close. We'll be in Sanck by the end of the week. I promise."
"Thanks, man," Duo sighed. "You and Melvin are fucking geniuses."
"Thank us if this works," Howard growled. "We've no guarantee that any of this will help in the slightest...but if we've interpreted Khushrenada's original design plans correctly... we should at least be able to fine-tune and extend Epyon's range. That may not be the best thing for you guys."
"We'll worry about that when you get here," Duo sighed. "I'll be out in the field... and we still don't want Une to know about this. You have Zechs' phone number, right?"
"Of course," Howard nodded. "We don't exactly want to advertise our presence there either. We'll be discreet."
"Oh, yeah. I've got to see that one," Zechs muttered to Dorothy as he placed a loaded plate in front of her. She smothered a shaky laugh behind one hand.
"Thanks Old Man," Duo grinned at the old engineer.
"You're welcome. Take care of Mary." Howard winked at him, and then disconnected.
"Mary?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Howard gets delusional sometimes," Duo shrugged. "But if he starts calling me Sam, strip and run for the hills."
"Strip...?" Zechs froze, then stared at their partner in shocked confusion.
"Howard's version of the Bible is an ancient copy of the Puppet Masters." Duo laughed. "Old science fiction is something of an obsession with him."
"And it isn't with you?" Zechs frowned. "Howard told me about your vid collection and passion for old B grade horror movies."
"Hey, some of those are classics."
"And some of them are really really bad, apparently." Zechs shook his head. "Did you find anything in the news?"
"Not yet..." Duo shrugged. "You can do a more thorough search when you get back to Purgatory."
"You aren't going in with us?"
"Naw... got word from Lowell that he's in place and his cover's secure. So now it's my turn."
"Will you be back tonight?" Dorothy asked softly.
"Probably not for a few nights... that's when it's the most crucial for my cover that I be seen around that area."
"You will try to sleep sometime. Right?" Zechs asked soberly.
"I'll try to slip back to Purgatory for a few hours at least during the day...but no guarantees."
"Right," Zechs sighed. "Be careful, Duo."
"I will."