Midii Une compiled the data she had collected from the Preventors database and the inter-office messages and cleverly mixed it up with the rumors, half-truths and outright fabrications she had prepared for her dear Consortium bosses. With any luck at all some of those teams would be headed straight into some very messy situations very soon. Perhaps some of them would even get caught, that would be nice. Midii herself was already planning her next few steps in the very dangerous dance she was dancing along the razors edge. If she was questioned by Mr. Smith as to why all of a sudden the teams acting on her information started getting into trouble she intended to say that her information was sketchy at best and that not a lot of people trusted her yet because she was so new, she just needed a little more time to really get something good. She already knew that they knew she was more than capable of getting precisely what they wanted and she already knew they would let her continue on practicing alone because it was too dangerous to try to get another operative on the inside so suddenly.

<And for my next trick…> she thought. Well, she hadn’t actually thought quite that far ahead yet. She had just been mostly concerned with getting in and gaining everyone’s trust (no matter how badly she did not want it) and getting rid of her unwanted watchers that she really hadn’t thought about how she was going to strike back. She was already feeding them false information but she couldn’t afford to keep that up for very long. If the Consortium got the notion that she was deliberately concealing things from them they most likely would hurt her family in some way just to remind Midii that it would be wise of her not to try anything suspicious. There had to be a way she could get at them! She had to do t in such a way that it would not arouse suspicions on either side. But the more she thought about it, the more hopeless the problem became.

<I should try thinking about it from another angle,> she counseled herself. If she kept this up, she’d chase her thoughts around in circles all night. She didn’t have the time to chase her tail, not with her biggest enemy breathing down her neck.

What did the Consortium want with all of this information? What was their ultimate goal? Midii mentally reviewed the kinds of information requested by Mr. Smith to see if there were any specific correlations.

He wanted to know the routes and times the Preventors patrolled the trade routes up in space. That made sense; the Consortium was known to finance piracy along the trade routes. What else? Information on Preventor Agents assigned to guard certain key political figures. They most likely wanted to know whether an assassination or two was possible…

<Wait a minute,> she thought, her heart freezing up. <That’s it! They wanted me assigned to this branch of the agency because they knew that eventually I would be assigned as a bodyguard to someone they find inconvenient. But who? Who could it be? If I can figure that out, maybe I can stay just enough ahead of both the Preventors and the Consortium to foil the second without alarming the first.>

This was a dangerous game she was playing, she was walking a thin line and she knew it. Not only was she a spy, but a double agent in the technical sense. While she might in the end be helping the forces of truth and justice it was a pretty good bet that people on both sides were going to be hurt or killed before this was over with. If she was really lucky, it would only be her. Midii looked over the list of known Consortium activity in the Preventors database and added it to the mental list she kept of their comings and goings and doings. It wouldn’t hurt to start thinking ahead. If she could reach their target and head them off at the pass, then perhaps she would have just enough leverage to deal with the Consortium.

<I’m not going to be able to figure out their master plan in just one night,> she told herself. Still, she felt a little better just knowing that she had a sketchy plan at least, from here it was just a question of which course to take. For the moment she would take what small victories she could get without compromising herself, and she was in just the exact position to do it.

<I think I’ll leave a mysterious present for the Preventors, I’m feeling generous.> It was nothing that would get her or her family into trouble; it had nothing to do with the Consortium, only with one of their allies. Still, to Midii’s mind, one of their allies was better than nothing. Anything that hindered the Consortium, even a little bit, was worth it.

*

Trowa looked over the information on Midii’s computer screen as transmitted to him via his own link. She was certainly not taking her coercion lying down. Part of him was proud of her; but part of him was worried for her. It was a very dangerous game she was playing, one that would get her and her family killed if her “employers” ever found out what she was doing. Trowa himself was an accomplice by association, even if he was using her to figure out what the Consortiums agenda really was, he was still keeping her spy activities a secret from his superior officer.

<Perhaps I’m actually wrong in this instance to try to handle this alone,> he mused. It was a testament to how far he had come from his former self that the thought even graced his thoughts at all. Nanashi, or even Trowa the Gundam Pilot, would not have likely even considered it. Both were trained to work alone, to fight alone, this was how they operated. Even at those few rare occasions when he had worked alongside Heero Yuy they had really not worked together, more like two separate operatives who simply happened to be working on the same mission; both of them had their own set of tasks and they accomplished them without any input or commentary from the other. However, he had learned that on occasion teamwork was really the best way to go. The battle with his friends fighting alongside him in 196 had made that clear to him.

He was a little wary about alerting anyone else, especially his superior officer, about what Midii was doing to and for the Consortium. Divided loyalties and coercion were security risks, and such risks were often expedited swiftly and efficiently.There was still the problem of what would happen to Midii if he did tell someone about her. There was the chance that she would be brought in and interrogated, there was also the chance that she would lose her position and hence her usefulness to the Consortium causing her to be summarily terminated… perhaps in a very real and no longer breathing sense. There was also the chance that if he told someone and the information was incidentally leaked out that not only could she be killed but the Consortium could lay a counter offensive with Midii as its main chess pawn.

<Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead as the old saying goes,> Trowa thought. <At least if it’s only me and her I know who’s involved and have control over all the factors, at least on my end. Inviting other players into the game might only create more problems. On the other hand, having more people means that I would have more versatility in my actions and options. Perhaps if I limited the amount of people who know about her to only those who need to know…> Yes, he eventually decided after much deliberation, that would be best. Tomorrow he would contact Lady Une for a private meeting.

…

“Good morning Barton,” The stern and calm visage of Lady Une said from her position across her large oak desk. “Would you like some coffee?”

“No thank you,” he declined. He wasn’t nervous, Trowa never got nervous; his face was the same calm mask he always wore.

“I assume you’re not here for a friendly chitchat then,” she replied in her customary businesslike tone. “Despite that, I would like to commend you on the expediency and thoroughness of your recent mission. That was some excellent work; how is your new partner coming along?”

“That is actually the subject I wished to meet with you about,” he replied, anyone else would have been shifting in his chair but Trowa simply sat there with his passive face expressionless and his eyes unreadable. It unnerved Commander Une sometimes, the way he never seemed to move or blink, or breathe or do anything that detracted from his air of total and complete control over the situation at all times.

“Is there a problem with the new agent Mister Barton?” she inquired carefully, her tone quiet.

Trowa considered his words carefully before he started

“It’s complicated…” he began and then he proceeded to give a full and detailed account of the story with Midii Une, his past with her, the odd circumstances surrounding their meeting as sort of competitors over the same bounty, finally the methods used by the Consortium to recruit Midii as a spy for them and how Trowa had been using her to track their activities. He made certain to mention the exact nature of Midii’d relationship with her employers and her dealings in passing on the information. He gave her the facts, just as he always did, and in addition he gave the reasoning behind his actions and decisions which was unusual. At the end of his report he sat back passively and awaited her reaction.

“Your decision to withhold the information regarding a threat to internal security comes dangerously close to insubordination Mister Barton,” she informed him in chill tones. “But because you only went on one mission with her I’ll take this as an addendum to your report on a new operative, and not an act of noncompliance with Preventers rules and regulations regarding possible known moles among the recruits.”

Trowa regarded her steadily, awaiting her final decision on the matter and questioning himself as to whether he’d done the right thing or simply made things unbearable for all involved.

“We’ll simply say you were giving her the benefit of the doubt and leave it at that,” Commander Une, said with a small conspirational smile. Trowa felt a small loosening in his chest. She was on his side. Une continued

“However, because of the coercive nature of the employment of Miss Une under the Consortium, and her ignorance of your constant monitoring of her covert activities this leaves Preventors with several options open to it. This could be viewed as a rare opportunity to gather information about the Consortuim and their activities. The fact that Miss Une is feeding them false information suggests sympathy with our cause but let us not forget that that may not be her only agenda. She could have her own reasons outside of wanting revenge for her family that you don’t know about. I want you to continue to monitor her activities covert and overt and report directly back to me.”

“And her family?” Trowa pressed. Une studied him silently for a moment, her face unreadable; finally she said

“Because it is a hostage situation regarding the family members of an agent of the Preventors and a team of known terrorists, a team will be assembled to extract them when the time comes. Regrettably right now we need everyone in their places that includes, you, Miss Une, and her family.”

“You’re going to leave them there,” Trowa said stonily.

“In order for our mole to be of any use to us our enemies have to believe that they are the ones in control of her,” Une pointed out with ruthless clear logic. “It’s not pleasant but this is the way it has to be for now. The instant we get enough on the Consortium to nail them I will give the order for Midii Une’s family to be extracted before we move in for the kill.”

“Understood,” he said. It wasn’t fair, but this was in its own way, the nature of war. The hostages were not being harmed so they were safe where they were for the time being. Trowa knew it might not be wise to ask the question he was about to ask but something in him compelled him to ask it anyway.

“And Midii? What happens to her after this is all over with?”

Une sighed, and regarded him analytically, as if trying to read his face for the barest hint of emotion but as usual there was nothing to read, no expression colored his tone (he could have been talking about the weather and not the possible death or court martial of an associate) no suggestion of feeling flickered through his eyes. Finally she said

“That depends on her. Due to the coercive nature of her employment with the Consortium Midii Une can be treated a little differently than a spy who works for the other side of their own free will. I believe that Miss Une will make a fine addition to our team when the dust settles. After this mission is completed she’ll be reevaluated for her potential as an agent for Preventors.”

“Thank you,” he said quietly. He wasn’t certain why Une was being so lenient on Midii, but he was grateful.

* * *

Midii walked into the briefing room, her entrance attracted some stares. She’d taken a bit of a creative hand with her Preventors uniform; the jacket might look perfectly fine and functional on most male Preventors, and adequate on most female Preventors, however Midii considered herself as having rather discerning tastes and they were somewhat offended by the bulky functionality of standard issue Preventors wear. She decided to loose that olive green bomber jacket look and go with a more flattering hunter green with black as its accenting color. She’d turned the boring collar into something a little more satisfying to her requirement for elegance with a lapel-style cut; she’d tailored the shoulders (the Preventors insignia had grudgingly been allowed to remain at the upper arm near the shoulders) and had gotten rid of the serviceable but unattractive puffy bomber sleeves in exchange for a more sleek, straightened look. She’d also lengthened the jacket so that instead of ending at the waist it carried down to the back of her knees framing the neat and attractive ensemble that she wore beneath. A black skirt that came to mid thigh exposing shapely well formed legs sheathed in hose, a charcoal blouse with a corset-like vest smoothed over a well formed torso, and as a final touch, she had the stupid tie tucked into the vest. With her hair up in an efficient French twist with one long bang styled to artfully frame one side of her face, and a pair of designer sunglasses, Midii looked like some rich man’s classy Girl Friday.

Trowa was caught off guard by how very attractive she looked. The day before she had been sporting a very wild mix of lime green and fuchsia in a casual and shabby design that made it look like she didn’t care at all if people thought she looked weird with her hair up in two ponytails on either side of her head making her look vaguely child-like. Today was a complete transformation from the casual ask-me-if-I-care look she’d been wearing the previous day. She looked very posh, sleek, elegant, attractive…

“Agent Une, I do not believe that the jacket is standard Preventors issue,” Lady Une said as soon as Midii had taken her seat next to Trowa to begin the briefing.

“It’s not,” Midii said lightly, popping her gum. “I thought it would be good for the mission. I looked over the profile earlier this morning, it said we’re supposed to question a high ranking government official and find out whether he’s been giving information to a known terrorist organization called the United Free Earth League. We won’t be successful in our initial questioning if I go in there looking like a frump. He needs to respect this organization, and if I am the visual representation of this organization I need to look like the kind of person he is accustomed to dealing with on an equal basis.”

“Sensible,” Lady Une said at last. “I’ll let it slide. Next time you go through channels.”

“Aye ma’am.”

“Agent Smoke, Agent Une, the subject of your mission, senator Parker Roswell has had some small and unproven dealings with some known crime rings. Because of those dealings we believe he may now be under the coercion of the group of terrorists called the United Free Earth League. The League is anti-colonist, anti-Unitified Nation, anti-peace. In short, they’re exactly the kind of organization we were set up to stop. Your task for this mission is to find out the extent of his involvement only. From there we will work on a way to extricate him from the situation he’s found his way into.”

“Extricate him?” Midii questioned. “Why not simply get rid of him?”

“Our sources indicate that the League is waiting for just such an opportunity, they already have Senator Roswell’s heir in place. A young and brilliant politician from the Civil Awareness Party who has gained astounding popularity in the polls for the past few months and stands a good chance of winning the next election if he wasn’t already on Roswells bandwagon. The young Mayor is named Lucius Marccelli, and is a covert member of the Free Earth League. If he gets into Roswells position the League will have an influence on the inside, a strong one since Marccelli can all but guarantee votes for his party with will make him popular even among those with a reserved seat.”

“You think that the senator will actually talk to us and tell us everything if we ask him nicely?” Midii questioned, he tone making it clear how unlikely she found that notion.

“No,” Une said patiently. “You and Barton will be extracting the information mainly through covert means. You Miss Une will be acting as Roswell’s escort and, incidentally his bodyguard, to keep the League from getting rid of him by more direct means. Barton meanwhile will penetrate his home and private office to search for the list of Roswells contacts and dealings that according to our intelligence will be in an encrypted file on the harddrive of his computer.”

Midii nodded, almost as if to herself, and looked up at Une

“How long is this mission likely to take?” Midii questioned. “I’ll need to know how much I should bring with me.”

“We’ve outlined a parameter for the next three days,” Une informed her briskly. “Clothing and weapons will be provided for you. Anything you learn you’ll pass along to Trowa. Any further questions?”

“Just one more,” Une said, a trifle apologetically. “What is the risk of having to guard Roswell from internal threat?”

“Preventors teams have replaced hired security personnel on Roswell’s estate. Your job is merely to stick close to him while he attends public functions.”

“If you have security teams already in place then why don’t you just use one of their agents to access Roswell’s files?” Midii asked curiously.

“None of them have Trowa’s delicate touch with accessing sensitive information,” Une said with a small smile. “Good luck to you both, I anticipate another successful mission.”

“Aye Ma’am,” they both said quietly as they exited the office.

* * *

Next time on Along the Razors Edge: Trowa has the full approval of his superior to closely monitor Midii’s covert activities and does so undetected. Midii stumbles across and unexpected complication… one that could jeopardize everything she’s done thus far and everything she plans to do in the future.