(no subject)
"Evening, sir," Duo said, stepping into Major Kassel's office and closing the door behind him.
"Captain Maxwell," he replied, barely looking up from his computer screen. "What brings you here?"
"I've finalized my requests for team members." Duo gestured at the paperwork he was carrying before placing it on the Major's desk. "I haven't submitted it yet, pending your approval."
Kassel opened the folder and flipped through the papers with almost no expression on his face. "Interesting group you're thinking of, here. Some of them are on assignment, you know."
"I know. But it's mostly rotating duty. Nothing long term. The Commander wants me to put together a good team. I'd appreciate it if they could all come in for interviews. At Preventer Command's convenience, of course."
"Of course. The major paused, tapping his fingers on the folder. "I'll do what I can for you, Maxwell. I'll get them all in. However, there will be one trade off."
Duo raised an eyebrow. "And what will that be...sir?" They both knew a senior agent didn't need to be paying any favors to get interviews with people tapped for a special team.
"You're still a new face around here, at least when it comes to the criminal element. You don't have 'Preventer' stamped on you in all of their minds. And we are stretched thin in undercover affairs."
"I did come to L2 to stop taking solo missions, sir."
"I'm aware of that, Captain. But do this for me, and I'll have everyone you want waiting for you here when you get back."
They locked gazes briefly, and Duo nodded once. "Done. What do I need to know?"
"You're off shift for the night and back tomorrow evening, I see," the major said, glancing at the agent schedule on his screen. "Come and see me then. We'll finalize your request and assign you officially."
"Yes sir. Have a good night." Duo closed the door behind him again, this time on the way out.
Kassel waited until the sound of Duo's footsteps faded, then ripped the folder and the paperwork inside in half with one furious move. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small phone with no Preventer symbol, or logo of any kind. He collected the papers, more subdued as the phone rang, and someone picked it up on the other side.
"We have a problem."
It didn't ever snow on the colonies, and the temperature hovered around 16 degrees Celsius pretty constantly. Duo felt a little cold all the same. It wasn't so bad being back. He'd certainly rather be warm and in bed, or in bed with someone warm, than preparing to take another mission, though. Unfortunately, all willing bed warming partners were either currently not willing, occupied with inter-dimensional trips with two toddlers, or on road trips. Clearly he needed to practice looser standards in the future.
He was standing on the sidewalk, watching a stream of cheerful people coming out of Midnight Mass, yawning and waving goodbye to each other, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
He was still there when everyone was gone, and the only illumination came from behind the stained glass windows, and the dim nearby streetlights.
"Okay, this is stupid," Duo said to himself. "Are you going to stand out here and angst, or go in and have a look? What's the worst that could happen?"
His answer came as the sound of several sets of feet moving toward him. Duo swung around to face them, noting that he did not unfortunately have time to open his gun case and draw. The street was empty, and the four men tried to surround him. Duo put his back to the wall and cracked the first to approach him across the face with the hard case.
A tooth splintered and and blood flew, and he caught the next guy with a roundhouse to the knee. Two grabbed for him at once, clenching their hands in his coat. He dropped the case and wrenched one arm out of his coat, headbutting the guy on his right. That freed up one hand to go for a knife, which he slashed at the guy still holding his other arm, driving him back.
These guys were clearly practiced fighters, if not used to such active resistance. They'd barely made a noise past a grunt so far. He drove a pained yelp out of the one with the strained knee as he came back in, planting the knife solidly in the meat of his arm.
The one with the bloody nose and the guy with the bloody mouth slammed Duo up against the wall in a full body tackle, pinning him with sheer mass. He clawed at eyes with crooked fingers and aimed knees at sensitive areas, but couldn't wiggle out of the hold.
"Hold him still-"
"Little bitch bit me!"
"Grab that, you idiot! Don't leave things here for anyone to find."
In the end, it was the same trick he had pulled that did him in. They clubbed him over the head with his gun case and hauled him off the street.
Across the street, the priest pulled back from the window aghast, and went to call for help.
Captain Duo Maxwell was declared AWOL on December 25th, when he failed to answer calls, or report for his shift.