The case notes were hardly extensive; what they didn't know far outweighed what they did. But Maxwell gave all of it serious attention, absently nibbling on slices of lamb as he read. "Who's guarding Relena?" Maxwell asked finally. He lifted a page to show Zechs. "Who's Spider and Orange? By the way, Orange? Agent Orange? Preventers are really scraping the barrel for code names."
"They're Sanqians, extremely loyal to my sister." Zechs finished his rice with a final forkful. "And yes. We are, rather. Although, oddly, Orange fits him. He's solid as an ox. I've watched him ram down iron doors with just his fist. Relena is in good hands."
"What about Heero?"
"He refused personal protection. He's watched, but from outside his home."
"Wait, I could've refused? You didn't tell me I could refuse."
"It must have slipped my mind," Zechs said mildly. "Imagine that."
How many Preventers does it take to capture a punk teenager? Someone is threatening Relena, and Zechs is on the case, while Duo and Heero... they're under suspicion. As the pieces begin to fall, it's clear that someone is not on their side. Can Zechs figure it out before it's too late?
My notes: Post-war. Heero’s at his most paranoid and PTSD-ridden here, and Duo’s a close second in the codependence Olympics, but it’s a more original take than many on it. Angry, fighty Duo is one of my favorite kinds.