The General
The only reason the General was present at this summit is because it takes place in Timber. The hometown of his estranged daughter, Rinoa Heartilly, who took her mother's maidens-name just to spite him.
He knows he is the one to blame for this estrangement, but Rinoa isn't innocent either. But still, this time apart from his daughter made him realize what a worse father he has been for Rinoa since his wife's death and he will do anything for her, just so she will speak to him again.
He knows that his reconciliation with his daughter won't be easy, but this was just ridiculous.
After the shooting and the bomb, General Fury Careway found himself inside the Timber-Hotel, rushed inside by his security detail. They told him to stay inside, but Fury has no intention to do that. First he wants to find out what happened to President Loire and the damage the bomb did. Seconds he wants to find his daughter, whom he knows must be close by as part of the media, and he hopes that she is okay.
It isn't until (much) later that he realizes that he has to change his priorities if he wants to close the gap between himself and his daughter.
=XXX=
After two hours of phoning all of his contacts he is none the wiser. Nobody of his contacts knows the status of President Loire. Or who is behind his assassination and the bombing. But in his long list of contacts nobody from Esthar or Balamb Garden has answered his phone calls.
He can only think of one reason why both of them could be unreachable: A new Sorceress.
Shocked, he sits down on the bed in his hotel room. Three years ago Edea took control of his City; he did help a small group of SeeD to infiltrate her estate in Deling City to eliminate her. Sadly the group had failed and he was forced to stay low for a while, because somehow Edea had found out on his involvement in the (failed) assassination. It was only after the war had ended that he could help his beloved city to recover from their months-long invasion from the Sorceress.
It is the small beep from his laptop that stops his mind from wandering to that dark time in his city's history. Opening his screen he is glad he finally got one return call from one of his contacts.
Nida Kazuka, one of the SeeD that helped him three years ago.
Their conversation was short, and, sadly, Nida couldn't tell him much.
Most importantly: the president is still alive. Although he can't stand the president, he is glad to hear that he is fine. Nida couldn't tell him where he was or what he was up to, but he couldn't care right now because of the next batch of bad news: Edea's Sorceress powers were transported to a former SeeD, and she was the one behind all this shit that happened today. The last that Nida could tell him was that SeeD would take care of things and that the general didn't have to worry about anything.
But worry he did, constantly.
=XXX=
First things first, find information about the Sorceress.
While he did play a part in the Second Sorceress War, albeit a small part, his intel about Sorceresses was lacking. And he knew just the place to find the information that he needs.
=XXX=
"What do you think you're doing?"
He found it amusing that while he was trying to break into the library, the library girl and her friend busted him. Standing at ease with his hands behind his back he answers her calmly. "I need to get inside this library. It's of great importance."
"That doesn't give you a reason to try and break into mine library."
"I do apologize, young lady, but with the day we all had I don't have time for pleasantries."
The blond man scuffs. "That's bullshit. And who are you? You're not from around here are you? You have a different accent."
"You have a good hearing son. I'm from Galbadia, Deling City to be precise, and my name is General Fury Careway."
=XXX=
After a round of introduction the two teens told Fury what they had seen in the last hours. He could tell that both of them wanted to help in any way they could, and he let them.
"I need all the books you have about Sorceresses."
Siri's face turns white, but she does walk to the back of the library, where all the old books are being kept. With Zell's help they bring about a dozen books to the table where the general is sitting. They split the books and start reading.
"What exactly are we looking for?" The girl asks timidly.
"Sorceress always look for power and means to increase their powers." He told her. "I've heard of a rumor about a strong draw-point, it was said that if the Sorceress ever found that point and draws the magic she would become unstoppable. But it also said that it could destroy her powers without killing the host."
Siri gulps and Zell squeezes her hand tightly. He doesn't know much about Sorceress and their powers, but most common-folks know even less.
=XXX=
Hours later they still haven't found anything. Getting impatient and frustrated, Fury decides to take a walk around town, maybe he can learn something useful from one of the towns-people or of the many tourist that are still in town.
Maybe he can even find his daughter.
He didn't find his daughter, but he did find a nice large pint.
And a rather unexpected companion.
=XXX=
Squall Leonheart, one of Laguna's best Federal Agents, is sitting at the bar nurturing a glass of water which he is twirling around in his hand.
He had met him once, during a brief visit to Esthar, and he didn't like him at all.
His stormy eyes were almost as cold as his were hot, and he did wonder what had happened to this young man to make his eyes that cold.
He never learned his history then, nor will he do so now.
"What are you doing here boy?" Fury asks Squall while waving the bartender over. He orders a pint and sits down next to him. "Aren't you supposed to protect daddy-dearest? According to my sources he isn't in Timber anymore."
Squall glances at him angrily, but doesn't say a word.
"And now you're wasting your time sitting in a bar, while you should look for the man that tried to kill him."
"Don't you think I don't know that?" He growls barely audible. "And what about you, what are you doing here?"
Chuckling, he clinks his glass against Squall's glass of water, "Touché. But it wasn't mine president that was gunned down, nor is this mine city. I have no authorization here, so there isn't much that I can do."
They remain silence for some time. Fury Careway has a feeling that the young man needs to take something of his chest, so he decides to humor him for now. Maybe he can be useful to someone else after all.
Squall told him what happened at the plaza. It was interesting to hear his side of the story next to Zell's. Coincident still happens it seems. Squall was told that the president was safe, but that he was already escorted out of town by his aids. Squall had orders to wait in town until he got his next set of orders. But with everybody trying to communicate, a lot of lines were down and he hadn't heard from anyone since then. He had wandered around town until he found himself in the pub.
Squall looks down at his hand with are resting on the bar, "and worst of all, my partner has betrayed me."
"Your partner; Seifer Almasy? He didn't go rouge, fool. He's SeeD. And one of the best I may add."
Squalls head turns to him so fast he wonders if Squall didn't hurt himself. Before either man can say anything he hears a feminine voice. An all too familiar voice which makes his heart stops cold.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."
From around the corner his estranged daughter makes a beautiful entrée.
And he is absolutely sure that she isn't looking for him.