Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I'm trying to get as many updates done as I can whilst the muse is with me, and the assignment deadlines are far away.
Chapter Eleven -- The Storm of Confusion
A crowd was gathering, students wanting to know what was going on, SeeD's not knowing how to react. They stood and watched, jostling for a better view, watching Squall being detained and forced into the elevator. As soon as one SeeD recognised who Squall was, the effect was instantaneous; chaos erupted.
People began shouting, arguing amongst themselves, and Seifer's guards were distracted. SeeD's were shouting their loyalty to Squall, whilst others egged Seifer on. Some went as far as saluting Squall, but were quickly threatened back into line.
"Squall, I'm on your side!" someone shouted from the back.
"Yes, that's our commander!" another agreed.
In the frenzy, Squall's captors were depleted down to two, as Seifer lost control of the crowd, and all he could manage was to order that Squall be taken to his office. No one spoke on the journey upwards, his guards looked nervous, but stuck to their orders. Squall knew they were wondering whether Seifer would succeed in getting the mob back under control, or if they were now on the loosing side.
As they travelled, Squall heard a whirring noise, like power failing, but seemed to be the only one who had noticed. He braced himself for the sudden stop that he was sure was about to come.
The elevator shuddered, sending his two guards stumbling to the side. The doors opened, and Squall saw that they had halfway passed the first floor exit. The floor of the elevator was higher up than the exit floor, so Squall had to jump to make his escape.
His captors were following close behind him as he turned the corner to the first classroom, and Squall realised that he had no idea where he was going. As he turned the corner however, he came face to face with someone familiar, and only had a moment to dodge before she raised her hands.
"STOP!" she cried.
The magic shot passed Squall and hit his two captors in the face. They slowed instantly and halted in front of him.
"Hi Squall."
"Selphie?" Squall asked, surprised, and out of breath from his chase.
"These friends of yours?" Selphie asked looking at the two men. "Oh wait, Seifer's crony's, I can see the uniform."
They looked at each other, it seemed like only yesterday when they had all been friends, and Seifer had been nowhere in their lives. But it had been an age. Selphie no longer looked as carefree as she once had, and Squall supposed none of them had came through these past few years unscathed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I didn't do it Selphie, and I'm here to prove it. Seifer has taken everything that was mine, but it ends now."
"Why didn't you contact Rinoa Squall, she was devastated. How can I forgive you for that, even if you are innocent?" Selphie asked. "We've been living in hell since you went, Seifer runs this place like his own personal army."
"It ends today. As for Rinoa, Seifer has her captive."
"I know," Selphie. "I cut the power. I saw what was going on downstairs, don't worry about Rinoa, Seifer wouldn't hurt her."
Squall hesitated.
"Hey, Rinoa's tough Ok. Look, there's a door at the back of my classroom, you can use it to get out onto the training fields."
Squall nodded. He was eager to try anything now, he wasn't much good to Rinoa hiding up here waiting to be captured again, at least he could escape and try rounding up some people to help.
All eyes turned on Squall as he followed Selphie into the classroom. The chatter that had filled the room died away into stunned silence, as the students watched him warily. They were young, at the ages of maybe five up to ten.
"Students, eyes on the board please. As the power's gone, and the lift is stuck, we will continue our lesson," Selphie said, walking to her desk.
She looked in her desk drawer for a key, and pulled out a white plastic card. Selphie handed it over to Squall, then she stopped mid action.
"I forgot, the door is locked electronically, you'll have to wait for the power to come back on."
"Don't worry," Squall said ignoring the cardkey and walking to the door.
The students watched excitedly, wondering what was coming next, and clapped and cheered when Squall cast a Blizzard on the plastic door, and it cracked and shattered.
Leaving the classroom behind him in uproar, Squall turned to see Selphie wishing him good luck.
"Selphie, in my dorm there is a file of evidence proving my innocence, I can't return for it."
"It's OK I'll find it," Selphie said before saluting him on his way.
Once outside the classroom, Squall walked along a narrow corridor to a place he had never been to before. A heavy door appeared to be the only way forward, pushing it open revealed an old elevator. Carefully he stepped on, and selected the only button available, ground floor.
The old contraption jerked and began its way down on a system of very shaky pulleys. After a long bumpy ride it finally reached the ground floor. Without thinking, Squall stepped hastily off and looked around. There was a short corridor with a door at the end to his left, and a long dark corridor to his right. Taking a chance he chose the left, and hurried towards it before he could change his mind.
Squall covered his eyes, as he was blinded by the instant light that flashed in from the now open doors followed by a loud thunder crack. Stepping out cautiously, he was immediately grabbed from the side.
"Mr Leonhart. I thought I ordered you to my office?" A voice spoke from the dark surrounds, but although he couldn't see, Squall knew to whom it belonged.
"Well you know I can't take orders from scum," Squall replied, readying himself for the blow that would undoubtedly be the reward for his remark, but none came.
He didn't know how he had managed to be so unlucky, he had the feeling that Seifer had been expecting him, someone had tipped him off. But who?
"You disappoint me so much."
The lightning cracked overhead, revealing Seifer's insane smile, just inches from Squall's face. Spreading his arms, Seifer looked up to the sky and let the cold rain hit his upturned face.
"You thought you could take it all back Squall?" he challenged, his voice sounding wild and unhinged. "Don't you understand that it is all mine now?"
The sky replied with another streak of lightning.
Squall held his breath; this was the side of Seifer that not many people had ever seen. The unpredictable side. Where uncontrolled violence was ready to be unleashed. Gone was the confident smirk, and in it's place a mask of insanity that would explode at any second.
Seifer grabbed hold of Squall's shirt and pulled him nearer in a rough movement.
"You're going back to jail Squall!"
Squall looked up at the sky as he was dragged forcefully along towards the assembled spectators. They were out on the training battlefields, mud under their feet, and the gathering wind stealing their breath. Squall looked around at the people watching, only a few now cheered Seifer on. The rest looked frightened.
Seifer walked forwards confidently, looking around daringly for someone to oppose him. No one moved.
A few minutes passed in silence as the rain pelted down onto the crowd, and chilled everyone down to the bone. Squall waited, he wasn't afraid. Seifer could lie and threaten all he liked, but he wouldn't be going back to jail, Seifer would.
(Meanwhile underneath Balamb Garden)
Rinoa, still sceptical, followed obligingly the two men who had declared themselves her allies. They were deep underneath Balamb Garden, winding their way through doors and corridors like a catacomb. She no longer wondered why Seifer hadn't discovered them, a person could get easily lost down here.
"Well, here we are," Kenny said opening a door and letting Rinoa walk through first.
As she stepped forward, the figure sitting behind the desk came into view like a past memory. She burst into laughter, the kind that came out of stress and hysteria.
"I can't believe you are the boss!" Rinoa said though her laughter. The person in front of her frowned and looked annoyed.
"And why wouldn't I be?"
"Because…you're Irvine," Rinoa said, her explanation not holding much weight. "Does Selphie know you've been living down here?"
Irvine looked at her as if she was insane.
"Of course, we've been dating for two years now!" he said, rather defensively.
Rinoa folded her arms.
"In secret?" she challenged.
"I'll have you know that that is the longest relationship I have ever had!"
Kenny and Dan stood to the side uncomfortably, when their boss had told them that he knew Rinoa, they hadn't realised it was this informally.
"Sir," Dan said interrupting. "We don't have much time, Seifer took Squall already, they are probably on their way."
Rinoa forgot all about Irvine's strange operations and secret organisation, and began to panic once more.
"What to you mean on their way? Where is he taking Squall?" she demanded, changing the atmosphere of the room.
"Seifer is going to try and send Squall back to jail. I'm sure my colleagues have told you, we've been following Seifer closely ever since he returned. But if we are going to do anything now, we need your help," Irvine explained.
Rinoa looked at them all. It had been a surprise to see Irvine again, Selphie had told her that he had left a long time ago. She supposed with her relationship to Seifer, her friends had had to keep her at arms length of their plans, afraid of her betraying them.
She didn't need to debate her answer however, and held out her hand for Irvine to shake.
"I'll do whatever it takes," she said firmly.
(Back on the training fields)
A car had arrived, it had bullied it's way through the spectators, and was waiting. Seifer was ordering people this way and that, but was finding it increasingly difficult, as his SeeD cadets were now extremely confused.
They followed, but reluctantly, his orders to return to Garden, but Squall knew he was losing control. They were in such a quandary about what to do, that if Squall were to shout out for them to fight, he knew they would. But Squall remained silent. This fight was between himself and Seifer, he wouldn't have cadets injured because of him.
"Get back in Garden!" Seifer yelled over the storm. "You there, round everyone up, tell them…tell them I'm in charge, not Squall Leonhart!"
The cadet picked on backed away, and the rage on Seifer's face heightened in frustration. They were following his order to return, but no one would support him any further.
"You!" he shouted at Squall. "In the car, now!"
One of Seifer's last remaining guards pushed him towards the car, and forced him in. Seifer peered in through the window, and smirked. His enemy was going back where he belonged, his garden was safe. He tapped on the driver's window.
"Make sure he doesn't escape," he threatened through the window, before sending the car off. "Bye Squall," he shouted after it, before laughing into the storm.
