[ A/N: The incident Wufei mentions while on the phone is a reference to my short story, Stop the Clock ]

A.C. 216, Jan 11th
"Hey, Stephen. Didn't expect to see you this morning," the woman in a beige mechanic's jumpsuit said as the boy walked into the control room above Ascent's hangar. "It's pretty early. Shouldn't you be getting that extra five minutes of sleep in before school?" She grinned teasingly at him, flicking her indigo ponytail over her shoulder with a grease-spotted, gloved hand. Her voice had a faint accent he'd never been able to place.
Despite being dressed for said school, Stephen's hair was still rumpled from sleep, and his face gave away that slumber had eluded him. "Dad didn't come home again. I'm kinda worried."
"Oh, I'm sure he'll send you an email later. He always does," she cooed. "Now, you need to find a comb and -- did you eat yet? Make sure you do! You have a test today, don't you?"
"Do I..?" Stephen plopped down in the other chair, swiveling to lean his head on his hand as he gazed blearily at the screen in front of him. It displayed the schematics for Ascent. His expression brightened momentarily.
"I'm going over the cockpit system again. Can't be too careful!"
Stephen smiled at her. "Thanks, Serina. I appreciate all the extra help."
"Anything I can do, Master Winner." Her gray eyes gleamed.
He chuckled. "Don't call me that. I probably won't even take over the company, or at least not the whole thing. I'd rather leave it to one of my male cousins."
"Oh, you could if you wanted..." She smiled in encouragement, then stood, wandering over and placing her hands on his shoulders from behind. "You can do whatever you dream! I have faith in you." He took the tightening of her grip as a sign of her endorsement. Before he could reply, she let go and turned the chair toward the door. "Now, you finish getting ready for school! I'll finish here, and I'll see you after my trip, and then we'll see about getting this guy out of here."
They both looked toward the windows that opened into the hangar. The lighting was low, but in places it shined off the plain white frame and armor of the Gundam Ascent. It had minimal armor for a gundam, resembling a Taurus more in that respect, with its verniers held in the shoulderblade casings a Taurus normally had as part of its flight mode transformation. Its skirt armor was similar to Sandrock's, plated in light gray and trimmed with beige. Its shield also gave hail to its predecessor, only with a single, centered ridge. The feet were simple and flat like a Taurus had.
Instead of heat shotels, it had two simple beam sabers stored in its forearms. The only other weapons were the shoulder vulcans and standard head vulcans. The elongated helmet was crowned by two straight pairs of prongs, the upper two half the length of the lower. A built-in spotlight rested above them, while the main camera was set higher in the ridged crest. Purple dotted the suit where the joints showed, and red accented the elbow covers as well as trimmed the gray, beige and yellow shield. It was shorter than the suits it was based on, standing at only fourteen point eight meters.
Stephen smiled. He was pleased with how the Ascent had turned out. "I hope you have a good and safe trip. I think I'll go cram some more over breakfast." He hopped up, gave her a quick wave, then scurried out the door.

While he did succeed at studying, once Stephen got to school he found he had trouble concentrating. He maintained a semblance of focus up until his math test, but in every class afterward he ended up staring listlessly out the classroom windows. It wasn't unusual for his father to get stuck at the office and end up staying the night there, but it depressed him nonetheless. By the time the last bell rang, he was ready to zip out of his seat, barely bothering to jot down the homework assignment. He almost tripped on the way down a stairwell, jostling other students left and right.
A few angry words followed him to the final doors leading to the lot where the bicycle racks stood. He had to do his bike lock's combination three times before getting it correct. He stuffed the chain and lock into his bookbag, then tried to calm himself, fully suspecting he would fall over into traffic or something. He couldn't help worrying about his father, though.
On the way home the feeling only grew. He at least managed to avoid any accidents, and even typed the mansion gate's code properly the first time. He steered his bicycle off the driveway onto the short stretch of path that led to the subbasement garage. He rode directly to the elevator instead of the bike's usual spot, leaning it against the wall beside the door. He unshouldered one bookbag strap as he reached for the button to the first floor. Even before the door closed he was fingering the end of the strap anxiously.
As soon as the arrival tone sounded he bolted out, heading in the direction of the kitchen. He tried to tell himself to relax, that he had this schedule almost every day, and there was no reason for things to be otherwise. Yet, in the back of his mind there was a sensation new to him, and it was telling him something was amiss. He dashed through the foyer, dropping his bag in his wake. His goal was the stairwell outside the dining room where there was a phone with an answering machine.
Everything along the way seemed as it was supposed to be. The growing feeling -- or rather, his growing awareness of the feeling -- claimed otherwise. He frowned when he saw that the message light was dark. He hit the check button anyway, but it informed him that no messages had come in that day. No message meant his father should be home.
Stephen reached for the intercom on the wall beside the doorway, keying in the code for all the rooms containing a matching unit. "D-Dad?" He tried to force the anxiety out of his voice. "I -- I'm home."
He knew, however, that it was breath wasted. His engineer's mind came up with an analogy for the new feeling: like the wires of a communicator sending an impulse signal and the receiving unit unable to pick up.
His father was gone.
Ten minutes later Stephen stood in the library office, one hand hovering above the video phone on the desk, a piece of paper with a Preventers' codephrase clutched in the trembling fingers of the other. He tried to practice saying the words out loud but all he heard was his breathing. He was afraid of setting off a false alarm, but, still, he felt this was for real.
The other reason for his nervousness was the mobile suit hidden below the mansion. He wasn't scared the Preventers would discover it and persecute him for possessing it, and not because he was Quatre Winner's son. There was something else he knew.
This was it. This was Ascent's time.
If only he knew where to look. For that he would need Outer Space's best detectives. His eyes darted to the paper again, and he finally picked up the phone. The numbers practically dialed themselves. When the ringer sounded he worked his jaw, still attempting to get the words out.
To his immense relief the face that appeared on the small screen belonged to Wufei Chang. He stumbled over the code regardless. "Q-Quicksand...Quicksand b-by the Nile."
The sound of Wufei's jaw snapping shut was audible. Stephen winced. His mind raced and could not produce any intelligent speech. It didn't have to, however, because a moment later Wufei was barking orders to other people in the background, including, "And someone make sure he hasn't run off with Ms. Peacecraft again!!" Then he spoke into the phone in a gentler tone. "Stay right there, Stephen. I have a representative on the colony already, and a few others are nearby. Someone will pick you up and bring you here. We'll have an answer for this two hours ago."
Stephen nodded. The screen went dark and he placed the phone back on the stand. He rested his hands on the desk, leaning over with his head down, tring to find the calm mindset that had always helped him with his technical work. Instead, he nearly reeled as he was overwhelmed by the sensation of being surrounded by cold metal, and then catching a glimpse of a mecha bay through a low window.
Yet it wasn't Ascent's bay, and that scared him.
The boy allowed himself the release of a single frightened outcry. Then he strode out of the room, planning to go to his gundam to see the final report and await the arrival of the closest Preventer agent. He wished Serina had been around to talk to.

Stephen again felt relief when he opened the door and saw not a rookie Preventer but the sleeper agent Duo Maxwell, dressed in a generic workman's uniform. Even though the mechanic was holding a cardboard box full of tools, the grim look on his face spoke of another mission. Stephen glanced past him to the white van in the driveway, then to the sign stuck in the lawn in clear view of the gate proclaiming a professional electrician service. He held the door wider for the man to get through with the box.
Duo set it down rather huffily on the side of a small throw rug. Stephen closed the door and leaned against it. Duo took a glance around, fidgeting with his black baseball cap, then he folded his arms and regarded the boy sternly. "Have you found any notes, or strange messages or mail?" Stephen shook his head 'no'. "Okay. Hopefully you didn't disturb anything from the crime scene?"
The boy's hesitation and doubtful look made Duo sigh. "You didn't even look for signs of a struggle, did you?" Stephen lowered his eyes, unsure how to describe his hunch. Duo sighed again. "I always get the difficult jobs!" He then pressed a button on his wristwatch, holding it up to his mouth. "Wu-man, send some boys to the office A.S.A.P." He hit the button again and turned, marching off toward the staircase and calling back, "Bring the box."
Stephen obeyed, feeling like he was in the shadow of something he could never live up to.

"Your father has this knack for getting into trouble," Duo was proclaiming as he checked the bug on the library phone. "I swear it's like he has a sixth sense for it or something!" The Preventer-installed equipment yielded nothing unusual. He frowned. He had already checked the home computer and even hacked some security that even Stephen hadn't known about. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Duo sat back, pulling up his cap by the brim to scratch his head, guessing that this wasn't gonig to be a run-of-the-mill kidnapping. Well, why should it be? It's Quatre, after all! Never makes anything easy for us. He sighed out loud in disgust, then got up and took a large satchel from the box he'd had Stephen drag along.
He took a laptop computer out of the bag and plunked down on the chair, taking the Preventer-accessory laden cord out of the phone and plugging it into the laptop. He booted it up and was soon typing in security passwords with a casual ease that made Stephen uncomfortable. He knew of his uncles' hacking skills; any one of them might already know about the Ascent. His concern was quelled when he risked a longer glance over Duo's shoulder and saw he was worknig his way -- rapidly -- through the Preventer database.
"Still a lot of failsafes, even after all these years," the mechanic tsked. Stephen took a nervous step backward. Duo noticed and smiled. "Don't worry, kid. Someday we'll want you on the team -- if you're willing, that is." He paused and shot a companionable smirk at the boy.
Stephen relaxed a bit and smiled back. I'll still have to tell them about Ascent eventually.
"Oh, and the cavalry's coming by soon. I have something else to do before going to HQ, and this bunch would probably be happier if you were with them." He smirked again, this time with a teasing gleam in his eyes.
Stephen thought for a second, the groaned. "Maguanacs?"
"Yup. I pity the perp if this turns out to be an abduction. Those guys will tear 'em apart. Of course, I'd prefer this be a matter of miscommunication and a distracted secretary forgetting to call you." Duo hoped he had made a quick enough cover for his slip of the word abduction. That would only scare Stephen more. The kid was already very jittery.
He checked his watch. "Give it maybe half an hour." He then turned around with a solemn gaze. "So, are you all right, Stephen? Think you can sit for a while, do some schoolwork maybe?" His voice had softened to a paternal tone. Despite his initial brusque attitude, there was still the fact that he had a daughter of his own.
"I -- I..." I have a mobile suit in the basement. "...I can." Words continued to stick in his throat but he turned to the door, retracing his steps to the staircase and down where his bag still lay. I should tell him...and if Auda and Ahmad come, they'll want to inspect the place from top to bottom. I know father wasn't here. But how could someone get past security at the office, or the garage without some notice being sent to me or the police? He felt panic begin to rise. If this isn't just miscommunication, what am I going to do?! He grabbed his bookbag and raced back up the stairs. Who could have done this?!

An hour later a half dozen Maguanacs from a nearby satlleite installation arrived at the door, and Duo managed to explain things to them before they horded around Stephen, all asking him if he was okay, all at once. Stephen chose to focus on his father's closest keepers of the group, Abdul and Auda, the latter of whom was going off about worrying the mansion was not a secure enough place even as they stood there talking.
Duo suggested they should be on their way to Preventers headquarters if that was the case, ending the discussion. After seeing them to the garage, he went back to the library to collect his equipment. He sat down at the desk, counted off five minutes, then reached under the keyboard panel, feeling for a minute rise that indicated a hidden recess. He slid a fingernail into the recess, triggering the latch to open it. He pushed the small button within.
The computer came on, showing the Winner Corporation database. Duo typed in the elite Preventer-use passkey and checked through the last few days' entries and requests. A hit count for the login revealed that Wufei had acted on his call, as someone else had already taken a look around. Regardless, Duo skimmed through the files for the week, starting on the fifth and working toward the current day. He noted the search for a Nicolas Stine with some curiosity.
When he reached the potential employee data entered the previous morning, he nearly choked. Dimitri Reaves? Aw shit, this is a bad sign! Although Duo himself had provided the evidence in the A.C. One-nine-six case proving Dimitri innocent of the attacks on the Preventers, he still considered any incidents with the Russian pilot a misfortune. For him to show up now, so close to Quatre and with the situation as uncertain as it was...This was too suspicious for Duo to pass off as coincidence.
He held up his wrist comm again. "Typhoon, this is Reaper. A fault line has become active. I repeat, a fault line has become active." He disconnected then sighed, hoping Wufei got the gist of the code. He then continued through the Winner database, not finding anything unusual except a lack of entries for that day.
He felt irked as he backed out of the system. Why wasn't anyone at the mighty Winner Corps main building, home of the head honcho himself, not up in a tizzy? They would have known something was wrong as soon as a Preventer or three showed up on their doorstep. He didn't like this, even moreso after seeing Dimitri's name come up. Duo made sure the hidden panel under the desk was secure, then he gathered up his equipment and hurried out a secret exit on the subbasement level leading to a shed at the side of the yard.
He casually walked around to the van out front, placing the box in the back and taking time to scribble on a clipboard. He left the sign on the lawn as a marker for any other agents who came by, then got in the van, radioing the code for the gate on another elite Preventer line. He pulled out slowly, making sure they closed properly and without extra bodies sneaking through them. From there he drove to the Winner building in question, intending to find out for himself what was occurring there.

The doorman greeted Duo with the same politeness he did everyone, not inquiring why an electrician was there. That would be the job of the woman at the desk in the far side of the spacious, exotically-decorated lobby. With clipboard in hand, Duo crossed the marble floor, glancing at his surroundings as if he had never seen such things before. The clerk was giving him an appreciative look. He made sure to wave with the hand sporting a wedding ring. "Hi. I'm here to see Mr. Winner. I was doing some work at his home yesterday and I need to get his signature on the invoice."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Winner is out today. His son called this morning about a last minute school meeting his father was attending."
Duo bit his tongue to keep from crying out how he had been let into the house by Mr. Winner's son. If they weren't panicking now, there was no need to alarm them. Stephen wouldn't have lied...and where's the agent here?? I can't reveal myself just to find out. He puzzled over this, meanwhile pretending to study the clipboard.
The decision was made for him as the elevator to the right of the desk dinged and opened, a man in Preventer garb stepping out. He nodded and waved to the clerk, then started for the exit. Duo drawled loudly, "Well, I'll just have to make another house call tomorrow. Thank you, ma'am." He made a note on the clipboard, then tipped his hat and followed after the Preventer, who had paused to study a finely woven wall cover hanging on a brick column. He let Duo get ahead of him, then followed to the van, disappearing from view around the side, then -- as Duo pulled away from the curb -- slipped inside by the passenger side door.
"Surprised you were able to get here, Trowa," Duo said, not even looking over at him.
"Wufei contacted me right after he got off the phone with Stephen. I was already headed for the colony...and I made sure to check here first."
"So how'd you get past without telling them Quatre is missing?"
"Investigating the floor at Master Winner's request."
"Ah. Quatre thought of everything in advance, didn't he? Find anything interesting?"
Trowa reached inside his jacket and took out a quartered plastic bag, unfolding it to reveal a form torn in half, the words, 'Not Safe' written on it in red. Duo spared it a glance, then said, "That's Dimitri's application, isn't it?"
Trowa nodded. "You were in the system, too."
"Anything else?"
"No. Security hadn't been to the office since six p.m. yesterday."
"I don't like it, Trowa. How does Dimitri disappear for twenty years, then show up just before Quatre is apparently abducted?"
"By being in an obscure town in an inhospital region of the Earth." Trowa was studying the paper. "But the Preventers should have been able to find him..."
"Well, you saw a good deal of his evidence. What do you think--"
They crossed into an intersection just as a blue semi barrelled from the adjacent street. The truck's horn blared, tires skidded, metal crunched, and the van plowed sideways into the unyielding stone corner of a department store.

"Greengreengreengreengreengreengreengreengreen..."
"Duo!"
"That damn truck had a red!"
"I know that. Hold still."
Duo blinked, noticing Trowa leaning awkwardly above him. He looked out the side window and saw pavement. He looked out the windshield and saw shards of glass clinging to a bent frame, the hood missing, and sheared off gray stone. His legs felt strange so he looked down, or, forward, and found the steering wheel uncomfortably close to his stomach. He tried to move back but the seat was jammed forward. There was an alarming smell of something burning.
He stared toward Trowa in shock. The other man was perched against the dashboard, able to free himself since he didn't have a ruddy steering wheel in the way. While he watched, Trowa twisted in the small space, braced his feet against the smashed-in door and his hands on the dashboard, then kicked upward. The door flew back on its hinges and Trowa shifted around to lean upward.
Duo then noticed the black smoke rising from the engine. He tried to slide his hips around the steering wheel, but the mangled door and stick shift pressed in too close to get clear. He shoved backward against the seat as hard as he could; it wouldn't budge. He felt heat by the pedals and began to panic. "Trowa! This thing's going to go boom any second now!"
Trowa's face came back into view. "That was no accident. Someone was waiting for you."
"Oh, great! Sure, why not! Someone's out to get the gundam pilots again! Trowa! Trowa, tell Hilde to take July and change their names and HIDE! First Quatre, now me, and, hey, when was the last time anyone heard from Heero--"
"Duo!" Trowa slapped him across the face. "Shut up. You're getting hysterical for no reason. Just calm down and hold still." He took out a gun then grasped the steering wheel, placing the barrel by the base.
Duo madly pushed himself up. "Are you crazy?! If that deflects--! Man, Hilde and I might want to have another kid, y'know!!"
"What did I just tell you?" Trowa ignored any further whimpering. Instead of firing, he brought the handle down on the thin plexiglass shielding the gas gauge and speedometer. He then dropped the gun and flicked out a pocket knife, making quick work of the screws holding the wheel in place. When it began to come loose, he bent the bar and Duo had just enough room to wiggle out. The smoke thickened, heat shooting through the front as Trowa climbed out the door then reached in to haul Duo up.
A fireman was waiting below to help them down, practically carrying Duo as they hurried out of the area so the firefighters could douse the van before it exploded. Duo wheezed and limped to the far end of the gathered crowd, Trowa at his side, glancing around like a hawk. "S-So," Duo asked, finding a seat on a bench. "W-What makes you think th-that was planned? And for me, not you?"
"The cab was empty. Someone knew you would be coming this way, because they knew you had been at the Winner mansion. It is possible they suspected you would have a Preventer on board." He paused for a second, gazing at the milling crowd. "Duo..." he began warily, "Did you leave Stephen with someone?"
"Some Maguanacs. Why?"
"Because he's standing over there." Trowa managed to point with his hair. Duo looked, and blinked in surprise, but by then the familiar face of Stephen Winner was gone.