Disclaimer: Believe me, I wish I owned the g-boys. But, if I did, life as I know it would come to an abrupt halt, due to the fact that I would become a useless vegetable as I constantly drooled over them ( in essence, not very much would actually change).

This chapter is really short, but I'll keep writing (faster if you e-mail me at bluefire_7@yahoo.com )

by Bluefire

Chapter 4

". . . so you see, there never was a 'Karina Maxwell'!" Quatre clutched his sheaf of papers a little tighter as he spoke with an unusual fervency.

Heero crossed his arms, as Trowa and Wufei had already done, facing the blond pilot calmly. "Does that mean 'Karina' isn't her real name, or that it's a nickname of some kind?"

Quatre's face fell slightly. "My sister's still checking up on that. But there are absolutely no files on a Karina Maxwell, ever. According to every hospital in the galaxy, by all means, a 'Karina Maxwell' was never even born."

"So who do we have?" Wufei looked from face to face. "She calls herself 'Karina', but if there is no Karina, she could be anyone."

"I'd place my bet on a spy," Trowa's tone was monotonic, his head lowered and eyes hidden by his hair. "There's no reason for the resistance to do something like this."

"It doesn't add up. She could have killed us all when she stole Deathscythe." Heero paused, waiting for his words to sink in. "She's had several opportunities, in fact. She's right about one thing: she hasn't lied or tried to hurt us."

"On the other hand, she could be laying a more elaborate deception. She might be earning our trust, then striking when we least expect it," Wufei's tone made it clear he didn't, and maybe would never, trust the girl who called herself Karina.

"Is Duo awake?" Quatre glanced towards the cramped room at the end of the hallway where Duo was resting. "If he can remember anything else. . . it's worth a try."

"He's awake. The baka tried to talk my ears off my head when I was there a little while a go," Wufei groaned.

"Good. We need to have a talk with him."

* * *

Karina was just coming out of the computer center when she spotted four tempestial looking pilots heading in her direction. Muttering some hexes, she realized they weren't heading towards her, but Duo's room along the same corridor, and that they were sure to see her, if they hadn't already.

"Karina!" Quatre called. He was still somewhat polite to her, even though she could clearly see there were times when he would rather be slapping her. Even the innocent looking pilot had his dark times.

She didn't acknowledge his greeting, only met his stare. The other three with him held flat gazes, watching her impassively.

"Why were you in the computer lab?" his question was delivered in a kind manner, but if he expected her to answer honestly, he was a greater fool than she would have thought. 'Well, actually Quatre, I was digging up trash on you and your friends from the war. Oh, and I was hacking into top secret 1-Z files. Well, I'll be on my way now!' Yeah, right.

"Just checking some e-mail," she lied.

They didn't buy it, that was apparent. Luckily for her, nothing more was made of the matter. "Well, that's nice. Do you know if Duo's awake?" That boy is far too polite, she couldn't help thinking. Quatre was peering down at her with that fake caring on his face. She could tell he used it more often than he would like to. (AN: I think Quatre is the only pilot that would make a gay comment like 'Well, that's nice.' Sorry , Q-tip fans, I just like teasing the poor boy.)

"Uh, no. He was a while ago, though." She brushed past the blonde quickly, heading off down the corridor. And she could still feel their eyes on her.

They were going to do something soon. She felt certain of it. There was no way they just thought she was a simple resistance member now. She wasn't sure what the five boys would be capable of, but it wouldn't be pleasant if they decided she was a traitor. It was dangerous to stay here now.

Before she even realized it, she was at the tiny quarters she had been assigned. Stepping into the darkened room, she breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped over to the plain vid phone that was stationary for every room.

It only took a moment to dial in the access codes she needed and the number she wanted. She tapped her foot in a show of impatience, waiting for someone to answer.

"Karina, this is a limited access link. How were you able to call me?"

She grinned at the face in the monitor. "You're not as well hidden as you think, sir. I found you pretty easily."

"Did you. I suppose you had a good reason then?"

"Actually, I do. See. . ."

* * *

"If what you're saying is true, and I'm assuming it's not, then what do you plan on doing?" Duo looked crossly at the four pilots gathered around him.

"That's why we came to you. We've got an idea." Heero leaned in as he started to speak.

~End Chapter 4~