The Reporter
"Gathering info is my specialty, Sir!"
That sentence is what got him this job in the first place.
That sentence is also what, in the end, killed him.
Watts is/was a bright young man. With his green bandana, his yellow vest over his crème blouse and his blue trousers you wouldn't say he is the reporter. Most people mistook him for the roadie. While his appearance is not in his advantage, his way with words are.
He can/could find out your deepest secrets in only five minutes after meeting you. It was a skill he used frequently.
He used that skill to learn everything he could about the Sorceress War.
He used that skill to infiltrate in the Galbadian Army.
He used that skill to uncover the secret agenda of the late president of Galbadia, Vincer Deling.
He used that skill to lure many women to his bed, but that is for some other story.
This day Watts was happy to be back in Timber again, his hometown. Later this day he would go see his mother and together they would visit his father's and Zone's father's graves. Afterwards his Mother, Zone and Watts would drink on their fathers before bringing Rinoa along to a small café.
They would have done that if everything went like it should have.
Watts would refresh the audience and tell them about the summit the world leaders will attend. The summit is gathered here to sign the new counterterrorist strategy from President Laguna Loire. He would tell that after the first and second Sorceress War more then five-thousand people have been killed in the rising tide of global terror. With this treaty those lives will not soon be forgotten.
On TV they would switch to live footage of President Loire arriving at the plaza, Watts's voice-over telling some background info about the Sorceress Wars, most particular the role the President played during those wars.
He would have too little time to finish his monologue the way he wanted to, because the Mayor of Timber was approaching the microphone on the middle of the stage and he would scrape his throat before welcoming everyone.
At this time the clock strikes twelve times, and still the Mayor is droning on about the importunacy of this day.
At this time their scheme became messed-up. Nothing happened the way it was suppose to.
The crowd begins to sheer loudly as President Loire approaches the microphone. He wasn't finished with his own speech when a single gunshot sounds through the air.
Instinctively Watts drops down, but when there are no more gunshots he turns around and he is shocked when she sees who has been shot down.
"The President?" Watts murmurs shocked.
"Talk to me Watts! What is happening?"
Zone screams through his earpiece but Watts doesn't register anything Zone is saying. His mouth is agape and he is staring at the president. The president, with a bullet in his chest.
"The president is dead?" Watts mumbles over and over again.
"Watts, grab your-self together. You need to report. Tell us what is happening!"
Looking straight in the camera he feels like he is speaking to Zone face-to-face. Watts shakes his head slowly and swallows back the lump in his throat before telling Zone softly, "I can't." This scene, the president being shot, this picture reminds him at how he saw his father's murder, here in Timber, not too far away from this spot he is standing at.
"You have to, it's your job!"
Zone keeps encouraging for Watts to continue, but Watts is on the verge of breaking down. Zone should know how Watts is feeling, they were in the same shit together, so many years ago.
It is only after Rinoa soft pleading, "Watts please. Gathering info is your specialty, right?" Her words help Watts to re-collect himself. Clearing his head he knows he has to do this and he takes one big intake of breath.
He is trying to sound steadfast but his voice is wavering when he tells that, "The president has been shot. I don't know if he is alive or not." He pauses, trying to stop his hands from trembling but it is to no use, they won't stop shaking, and he doesn't think they will ever again today. "We can't get a clear shot of the president," Watts realizes the mistake he made and he swallows back the nauseous feeling before he continuous, "We can't get a good view of the president. He is surrounded by his agents and they are trying to get him off the stage."
The camera-man points the camera to the stage. The federal agents are moving the president away from the stage and Watts urges him to follow them with his camera. The camera-man hesitates, but he turns around and tries to get a better look of were they are taking the president to.
He didn't make it very far.
White flashes of light is the last thing Watts will ever see.
TBC
Next Chapter: The Federal Agent.
Squall is making his appearance in the next chapter, and so do many others. Friends and Foe's.
