Hello all. This is it: the final chapter of Part Two. It's 22 pages long, a couple pages shorter than my last chapter. Be careful, as this one jumps around a lot too. and be sure to make note of dates and times. Now, with this chapter complete, you readers start to get a few answers. Paine gets assigned to do a huge hit. Auron travels to Bevelle, acting on his own with an SIA renegade. Tidus and Yuna grow even closer. You are reminded of who the true bad guy is with Cid. And somebody dies.
And that's all I'll tell you, other than EVERY character is in this chapter except Lulu. Well, she sort of does; you'll find out what I mean. The rest, however, Auron, Tidus, Yuna, Kinoc, Cid, Braska, Wakka, Rikku, Paine, Seymour, and LeBlanc are all in here. Even O'aka and Belgemine make short appearances.
Anyway, onward to the liability stuff so my poor college ass won't get sued for all the top ramen I'm worth.
First, the disclaimer. I do not own Final Fantasy X, the Characters, Spira or anything else associated with the original game Final Fantasy X. However, the plot is mine. Don't steal it without my permission.
And now, the warning: This story continues to be rated M for mature. Those who are skeptical of stories with this rating are fully aware that they read Zanarkand, Full Circle at their own discretion and will not hold the author responsible for any offense taken.
Anyway, that does it. It's been awhile, so savor and enjoy chapter fourteen!
Chapter 14: The Cost of Truth
_
SIA HQ, Full Circle Garden.
07:57.
Sunday, December 8.
"Okay, we're just about ready to go live to the conference hall where SIA Director Wen Kinoc will give his very brief press conference on Seymour's trial," Leblanc reported. "We at SINN were just notified of this conference just a few hours ago, but this has apparently been in the works for longer than that. We're standing live, right here in the Full Circle Garden outside SIA headquarters as we come up on two minutes to eight." She held her hand up to her ear. "Yes, Kinoc has just seated himself, and he appears ready to give his statement. Let's listen in now on what he has to say."
Nearly as many viewers were glued to their television screens as there had been just after the attacks on the stadium. Late last night, an announcement had come over the airwaves that the SIA would be holding a very short press conference early the next morning, and that they would reveal new information regarding Seymour. The city, and indeed much of the world, now held its breath as SINN's live camera in the conference hall appeared on their screens, centered on the serious Wen Kinoc, who was standing at the front of the room behind the room's podium. On one side of him was the Deputy Director, Belgemine, and on his other side was O'aka, ZPD Chief. Belgemine's expression was very stoic, Kinoc's intense and serious, and O'aka's slightly nervous. The short policeman looked completely out of place among these powerful people. Where the SIA top two were dressed in black garments, he was wearing his best bright blue policeman's uniform.
Kinoc began without greeting. "Seymour has officially confessed to masterminding the Stadium Attack," he began.
It only took that one sentence to send an uproar around the room among the reporters, all asking questions at once and flashing their cameras. Kinoc held up his hands for silence and waited for them to quiet.
"Once again, I ask that you hold your questions until I am finished," Kinoc continued. "He has also confessed to planning other attacks, including one against New Bhed National Airport. He is well aware of his situation and the charges against him. He knows that his guilt is certain, and that he will be convicted of multiple counts of genocide and crimes against humanity." He paused. "He's also agreed to fully cooperate with authorities in exchange for a transfer from Cometia Prison, and his trial is expected to begin soon.
"On a somewhat related matter, Tromell Guado, the current Mayor and DASC representative of Bevelle, has been detained by SIA and CCDP forces. He went into custody without incident and intends to fully cooperate with any investigation launched by either the SIA or the DASC. No formal charges are being filed against him at this time, but he is a person of interest whose name came up in our investigation into Seymour. That's all I have to say." Kinoc only paused to look at his notes once. He addressed the audience directly the entire time otherwise.
"As a result, the DASC has declared an emergency recess," Belgemine cut in, taking over for her boss. "The body will not convene for at least a week, during a replacement will be selected from Bevelle's Parliament by the remaining three Spiran Superpowers. Now, the three of us will take a few questions."
A reporter in the front stood up, her hand raised as high as it would go. Her other hand clutched a legal pad and a pen. "When and where will Seymour's trial be?"
Belgemine answered the question. "I'll answer the 'when' first," she said. "That's something we're still trying to work out. But we expect it to begin next month sometime. Now, as far as 'where' is concerned, he will be tried in Zanarkand for genocide and crimes against humanity, and then possibly down in Bevelle for corruption and fraud. However, Bevelle's interim government is still deciding whether or not this will take place. The arraignment, however, will be very early tomorrow morning, at an undisclosed time in Zanarkand Supreme Court. Who's next . . . yes." She pointed at a young reporter in the front row waving his hand frantically.
"Will the meetings between Luca, Home and Zanarkand be made public?" he asked in a professional, yet hurried clip.
"They will not," was Kinoc's direct reply. "Next question."
"Whoa, just a second there Director . . . why not?"
"The discussions will contain information that can't be made public for the sake of intercity security," Kinoc replied. "Welcome to the post-Stadium era, boys and girls - security has become our top priority, and keeping certain things out of the public eye is necessary. Now, next question. You in the back."
"Yes, yes. Thank you for taking this, Director."
"My pleasure."
"Can you tell me the general attitude of the DASC toward the city of Bevelle right now?"
Kinoc paused a few seconds before answering. "I can't tell you . . . anything specific, really. Braska, the DASC chairman, will have to comment on that. However . . . I can tell you that the three remaining SS cities will make a decision that is adequately influenced by the remaining members of the council. If in fact, you're ultimately worried about any discrepancy in the opinions of the voters." Kinoc smiled. "Is that what you were worried about, my friend?"
"Uh, no sir. Thank you."
"As I said, it's my pleasure."
Another reporter in the front of the room was selected next. "My question is regarding the legal counsel in Seymour's trial. Who will be the attorneys appointed to each side?"
Kinoc looked to O'aka, indicating that the response should come from him. O'aka stood up, barely adding any height to his stature. "For the prosecution, Zanarkand's able DA, Lulu, will be appointed," he said. "We have yet to line up a defense attorney."
"Will he be put to death?" the reporter asked.
"I am a dead man . . ."
"We're not at liberty to answer that," Kinoc replied. "That's all the time we have. Thank you."
He, Belgemine and O'aka filed out as reporters shouted out dozens of questions, all of which went unanswered.
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Zanarkand, 78th St., Apartment 202.
08:21.
Sunday, December 8.
"Morning!"
A groan. "Urgh . . . what fuckin' time is it?"
"Twenty past eight."
Tidus sat up, slowly rubbing his eyes. "That early?" he mumbled. "Shit!"
Yuna laughed and sat up with him. "It's not early," she argued playfully, leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his bare torso. "I'm usually up three hours ago."
Tidus looked down at her, an amazed look on his face. "That's crazy," he said. "Especially after last night. For a virgin, you fuck like a wild woman. I'm still tired."
Yuna reddened and looked away. "I hope that's a good thing." She said it as more of a question than anything else.
Tidus laughed and drew her closer to him. "If I'm tired, then s'all good." He saw her smile.
It was chilly in the room. The radiator had kicked off some time ago and had neglected to turn back on. The fact that the apartment was old and poorly-insulated didn't help matters either. It had started snowing again, quite heavily as well. The sun was still down and it had to be at least ten below zero out. However, Tidus had both a down blanket and a heavy quilt over his bed, which was more than enough to keep them warm.
"Damn I'm hungry," Tidus muttered. "I'm gonna go get a bagel. Want one?"
Yuna shook her head. "No thanks," she replied.
"I'll be back," Tidus said, hopping out of the bed, completely naked, and making his way for the door.
"Aren't you cold?" Yuna asked, sitting up more and holding the two blankets to her chest. "I'm freezing."
"Naw, I don't get cold," Tidus said. "But I'll turn the heater up on my way down." With that, he disappeared from view.
Yuna's cell phone, which she had placed on the nightstand next to the bed, suddenly began to vibrate. The sound of the phone against the wood of the stand jolted Yuna from the foggy bliss of last night, and reality hit even harder when she saw who it was that was calling. Bracing herself for the inevitable wave of questions that she would no doubt receive, she flipped the phone open and placed it to her ear.
"Hello? Yuna?" the mayor said into the phone.
"Yes, Father, it's me," Yuna replied.
"Where have you been?" Braska asked. He sounded flustered, but not angry. "Maechen and I have been calling and calling."
Yuna had had enough of this. She hadn't been with Tidus that long, but she knew that what she liked about him most was that he did his own thing when he wanted to. He never worried about what other people thought. Things were so simple for him in that regard. Sure, there was a little voice in Yuna's head that told her that being indifferent to others wasn't always a good thing, but at this point, she didn't care. The last few days were some of the best that she could remember, and she wasn't about to give them up just for somebody else's schedule, which she knew was what this call was indeed about.
"Out," Yuna said shortly. "I've been with Tidus."
She at least figured that by telling the truth, her conscience would be more at ease if she were to disappoint her father. She still loved her father very much, and didn't like disappointing or upsetting him. Honesty would make things easier on her. She thought she heard other voices talking in the background, but dismissed them too.
"Did you ever think that maybe you might need to call me and at least tell me what you were doing?" Braska asked.
"No," Yuna said bluntly.
Braska's surprise was evident by the period of silence on his end of the line. "Yuna, is something the matter?"
Yuna knew what she wanted to say. Normally, she would just shelve her true feelings and be delicate about everything. Perhaps it was because she had reached the end of her tether, or perhaps she so liked Tidus's mentality about control, but she decided to try something different.
"Yes," she replied. "The matter is that I'm tired of following everybody else's schedule but mine. From now on, I'm making my own schedule. I'm doing what I want to, when I want to. Okay?"
Braska sighed pointedly. "Now, you know we've had this discussion before. You can't–"
"I don't care," Yuna retorted. "I don't care what we've said in the past. You need to listen to me now. I can't deal with this lifestyle anymore. I can't and I won't. I'm almost twenty years old, and fully capable of making my own decisions for myself."
"Listen to me, Yuna," Braska said, now sounding as though he was losing his patience. "Come home, and we can talk."
"Okay, but later," she said. "I'm with Tidus right now."
"Doing what?"
"That isn't your concern, Father. You know that."
Braska repeated himself more forcefully. "Doing what?"
It was then that Yuna lost it. "Fucking his brains out!" she shouted into the phone. "You can tell Maechen too if you want. I don't care. Goodbye."
She slammed the phone shut and tossed it on the floor, throwing herself back against Tidus's bed with a huge sigh. Perhaps what she had said felt good at the time, but now, she wasn't so sure she should have lost her temper like that. On the one hand, it was something she'd been trying to work up the nerve to tell him for months now. She normally hated confrontation of any sort, and to go against her own personality that way felt liberating in a way. On the other side, she was having trouble absorbing the idea for the same reason. However, one thing was true: she was going to steer clear of her father for a while. Which meant that she'd be spending the day with Tidus.
She looked to her left and saw him standing open-mouthed in the doorway. Apparently he had caught the last part of her phone conversation. Upon meeting Yuna's gaze, he quickly closed his mouth and walked into the room.
"Uh, sorry it took me so long," was all he said as he sat down on the bed and took a bite out of his bagel. "I ran into Wakka down there. It was the most fucked up thing. He was standing at Auron's safe with it wide open. And he had a card in his hand. And he was looking at it like, 'Holy shit! What the fuck is this?' So I told him that I was here with you and he left."
Yuna sighed. "So he's gone?" Tidus nodded.
"Yeah, he's gone," he replied. "Everything cool?" He nodded his head at her phone as he took another gigantic bite from his bagel.
Yuna nodded and said, "Yeah. I'm fine. I turned my phone off, so they won't call back."
"Hey baby, it's okay," he said softly, setting his bagel aside and rolling over so that his body was pressed against Yuna's. "What's up?"
Yuna shook her head and snuggled against her lover, a small smile on her face at his presence. "I don't know," she said softly.
Tidus grinned. "Well then, what do you know?"
"I know everything . . ."
"I know that this is the happiest I've been in a long, long time," Yuna said, starting to run her hands lightly over Tidus's warm skin. "And I think I can only get happier." Her expression suddenly turned serious as she drew herself even closer to him.
"So, I heard something earlier about 'fucking my brains out . . .'" Tidus trailed off suggestively.
Although her face reddened again slightly, a sly grin appeared on Yuna's face as she positioned herself so that she was straddling him. She leaned in close, nipping his ear. "I know you too well already," she breathed.
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Zanarkand, Blitz Bar and Grill.
14:44.
Sunday, December 8.
"You don't want to know me," Paine replied.
Rikku raised her eyebrows in a manner of agreement. "Maybe, maybe not," she said. "You can't get mad at me for being curious." Paine did not respond, which left Rikku to search for something else to say in the uncomfortable silence. "So . . ."
Paine's gaze hardened. "Just tell me what you want to hear."
"Huh?"
The assassin shook her head. "You're looking for some tragic history, aren't you? Some reason, some life-changing shit that transformed me from an innocent, sweet little girl into a crazy bitch who will kill anybody if the price is right." Rikku, who looked very taken aback, opened her mouth to reply but Paine cut her off. "Fine. If it pleases you to know, my father was a sexual predator. I was his prey." She sighed and stared at the saltshaker on the table. "Almost every week, in the woodshed. He'd grab me by the hand and wrench me away. I became his plaything." She snorted, ignoring the horrified look on Rikku's face. "If I didn't obey his every demand, he'd beat me. Fuck me harder. Make it hurt more." She stared pointedly at Rikku. "I'm sure you know how that feels."
The Al Bhed girl closed her eyes as her own traumatic memories came flooding back. She could still feel the cold slime from the alley wall against her back, his heated panting against the soft skin of her neck, his rough hands groping her so hard it was painful. She could hear the dripping of snow melting off warm roofs. She could smell the grease in the air. And she felt . . . it. Matters weren't helped by the fact that they were back at the very place where Rikku had been raped. A small smirk had appeared on Paine's face. She continued.
"Anyway, when my mom found out, she didn't do a thing," Paine said. "Not a thing. She was afraid of him too. Too afraid to help me. It lasted until I was about fifteen. Then he died of a heart attack."
She finished her story with a derisive snort and took a long draft from the bottle of Luca Mist beer that she had ordered. Rikku continued to sit in stunned silence, subconsciously watching Paine stare intently at the foam resting on top of the amber liquid inside the bottle. Her captor watched her slowly rotate the bottle with her pale and slender hand, the coaster rotating with it. She looked up as Rikku continued to stare at her.
Rikku had been through six kinds of Hell with Paine. All the same, she still felt compassion for her. "I'm . . . so sorry," Rikku finally whispered. "I had no idea."
To her great surprise, Paine began to laugh. It was the first time Rikku had actually heard the woman laugh. "Don't be," she said, still laughing. "I was just screwing with you." Suddenly, she jerked her head down to her belt and removed her pager, scanning the number that had appeared there. Her face had gone from animated to deadly serious faster than one could blink. "Excuse me," she said to the pager, getting up and walking swiftly away.
Rikku blinked, still trying to take in the suddenness of Paine's change in demeanor. It took a moment or two to register that Paine had been exploiting her feelings of sympathy for her own amusement. However, the girl had been through so much in the last few days that this seemed trivial. She just sighed and sipped her soda through the bright green straw in her glass before letting her head rest in her trembling hands. She swam in hopelessness as she sat motionless for several minutes, her hands pressing against her eyes until she began to see flashes of stars against the blackness. Slowly she lifted her head and saw Paine in the opposite corner of the bar, talking on her cell phone, watching Rikku the entire time she talked. Rikku could only meet her gaze for a second before averting her eyes to her drink.
Memories began to play through her head like a slide show. Memories of the times she had experienced in Zanarkand. She remembered campaigning with Uncle Braska and Cousin Yuna. She remembered the joy of victory when Braska was elected Mayor. Going to her first DASC meeting. Getting her first boyfriend, a page who turned out to be a total jerkoff. She remembered the few late nights she'd had with Yuna where they just stayed up and talked about nothing and everything. Meeting Seymour for the first time. Meeting Paine for the first time. It was almost as though her life was flashing before her eyes, as it supposedly did before death. All these memories, even the very recent ones, seemed as though they had occurred years and years ago.
She took another pensive sip of her drink and glanced up. Paine was still on the phone. She chuckled and cast a quick look Rikku's way. There was a smirk on her face, something that Rikku got unusually bad vibes from. Paine had given her nothing but bad vibes, but she felt an incredible twinge in her stomach that almost made her vomit on the spot. Quickly she averted her gaze and tried to ignore the lead weight that had materialized in her gut.
"Rikku?"
Startled and almost spilling her drink, she wheeled to her right to look for the source of the voice. At first, she couldn't find it, but then he appeared. It was like a gift from Yevon himself, which was ironic because Rikku was disinclined to even think such a thing. From the large crowd that was milling around the bar came Wakka, dressed in a suit that clashed horribly with his spiked, flaming orange hair. Nonetheless, Rikku was more than relieved to see him.
He quickly walked over and slid in the seat next to her, flashing her a toothy grin. "Hey you. It's been awhile since we talked, ya? Where you been?"
Rikku cast a nervous look Paine's way, a look that Wakka did not fail to notice. "Hey," she said pensively. "I'm really sorry that I haven't called you. I really wanted to. I really did. But I couldn't."
Wakka nodded, looking both confused and disappointed. "That's all right. It wasn't your fault, ya?" Rikku could tell he was looking for reassurance, and it was all she could do not to burst into tears.
"Nope," she reassured him as best she could. "It wasn't. It was mine. All mine . . ." she trailed off and turned away.
"Hey, hey, hey," Wakka put an arm around her and drew her close to him. "What's wrong?"
"I've been kidnapped by a hired assassin, Wakka. That's why I haven't been able to talk to you. Please send for help, please!"
She would've liked to have said that.
However, she held her tongue until she had a moment to consider the consequences. Paine would no doubt ask her questions about who this guy was, but it was unlikely that she would actually come over and send him away. Paine only dealt with people when she had to, and only killed when she had to. Rikku knew that much about her. She also knew that she wasn't nearly good enough at lying to expect Paine to buy any she told. She cast a gaze at Paine, who had ended her phone conversation and was watching them intently from the alcove next to the juke box.
That pretty much helped make up her mind.
"You gotta go, Wakka."
The man looked even more hurt and confused. "But–"
"I don't want you to go, but you have to. Please, don't ask why, because I can't say right now," she begged. "Just trust me. I'll tell you everything when I can, okay? Please?"
Wakka looked at her for several moments before sighing heavily. Rikku's pleading almost put a lump in his own throat. "All right, kiddo. I'm headed to Bevelle right now. Last-minute Blitzball thing. They rescheduled the Blitzball Tournament for the 17th, and I have practice there tomorrow. In fact, I was supposed to be outta here a long time ago, but that damn snowstorm closed down the airport. Wild weather, ya?" Rikku just nodded. Wakka grew more serious. "Listen Rikku. I don't know what's eatin' you, but everything will be okay. Promise me you'll talk to me when I get back, ya?"
She nodded again. "Okie dokie," she said, a half-smile on her face. "I promise." It was more of a promise to herself than to him.
Wakka leaned over and pecked her on the forehead before turning quickly to exit the booth. "See ya around." With that, he got up and began walking away, casting a small smile back at her as he departed.
She watched him go through the front door. "Goodbye," she whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her.
She had a small smile on her face as she felt the spot where Wakka had kissed her. It gave her a small ray of hope; Wakka was the first person she'd talked to besides Paine in four days. She was reminded of the world of normalcy so detached from her own, yet so close at the same time. Now, it didn't seem that far of a stretch to get herself out of this situation and away from Paine. At least somebody had seen and talked to her.
Just then, Paine appeared. Her expression did not seem curious or suspicious in the slightest. In fact, she barely looked at Rikku as she made to leave the bar, cue for Rikku to start doing the same. Paine left more than enough money to cover the expenses of their drinks plus a healthy tip before she walked briskly out of the bar, Rikku in tow.
"Where are we going?" Rikku asked hesitantly, in an effort to break the ice.
"Back to the hotel," she said without looking back at her captive
"You're not going to ask me about who I was talking to at all?" Rikku could not resist asking.
Paine shook her head. "No," she replied, "because you know that I'll kill anyone who might threaten my livelihood, as would be the case if you told him. I could tell that he cared about you a great deal, almost as much as I could see that you cared about him. So I'm sure you kept your mouth shut."
There was nothing Rikku could think of in response, so she kept quiet during the rest of the walk to their new rental car and throughout the drive. The more she thought about what Paine said, the more it made sense, albeit in a twisted way. The snow had stopped falling, the storm having moved off to the southeast, revealing the sky, which was nearly devoid of stars due to the surrounding city lights. The moon was nearly full, which further suppressed the light of the stars. Even so, the sky possessed a beauty that was almost surreal on this night, what with the moon in one corner of the sky and the glowing orange clouds in another. A few stars dotted the sky in between.
A few minutes later, they had made their way to the hotel room where they had been for the last two days. This was the third hotel she had been in since being kidnapped. Paine kept them on the move, an added precaution to make them harder to find. She then proceeded to swiftly pack what little stuff she carried with her. This surprised Rikku, since Paine had told her they were not moving to a new hotel until tomorrow. Rikku was further surprised when Paine indicated that she was to do the same.
"What's going on?" Rikku asked as she moved to comply.
Paine did not look up as she packed her briefcase. "New hit," she said shortly. "And you're coming with me."
Rikku snapped her head up. "W-what?"
"You might take a liking to this one," Paine said flatly and expressionlessly. Then, she looked up at her captive, a slight smirk crawling across her face. "Just trust me."
"Trust is something that should be given only to those who deserve it."
Rikku knew she could do nothing to change Paine's mind. Swallowing down a fresh wave of nerves, she continued to pack in silence.
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Zanarkand Mansion.
17:54.
Sunday, December 8.
Cid looked up from the pile of papers that were scattered in front of him, an exhausted look on his face. He clutched a few of the documents in his hand. "So, what the hell do we do now?" he asked Braska tiredly, kneading his eyes with his other hand.
The other man sighed. "I don't know. Everything seems to be in order. Even so, with Seymour coming to town to be prosecuted, he's going to tow in all the baggage that comes with a man in his position. Good and bad. Politicians, media, lawyers, rioters, hit men, Al Bhed Mafia, terrorists, the whole nine yards."
"Shit." Cid poured another shot of whiskey and stared at the glass, thinking. "Well, let's start with the basic crap. What kind of security do we have on this guy?"
"The best," Braska replied. "DASC specialty personnel."
"And elsewhere?"
"The same." Braska stood up from the huge table where all the paperwork was spread out. "What say you and I take a break from all this and go for a walk? I could use some air."
"It's twenty below out!"
"And I'm tired, and need to wake up. You too. We're in for a late night. Remember, we're due at the SIA later to go over Seymour's security plans."
"Dammit."
Cid nevertheless complied and stood up, holding up his finger so that Braska would wait while he took care of his whiskey shot. They then walked the halls of the Governor's Mansion to the front door where they picked up their coats, pausing again while Cid took a quick phone call and waved away a priority package for him. After that, they walked out into the sub-zero freezing weather. Their breath visible in the frigid night, they walked down the serpentine driveway in silence.
Finally, Braska spoke up. He turned to his friend. "So, who was that on the phone?"
"You know that cute DA gal? Her name's Lulu."
Braska smiled. "She's quite the character. Yeah, I know her. What of it?"
"She called me and said she had to meet with me tomorrow," Cid said. "She said it couldn't wait."
Braska's eyebrows rose in alarm. He hadn't spoken to her since the time he had gone over to her house when she asked for the prosecuting job in Seymour's trial. He had let Kinoc deal with things from there. Had something happened? Did she learn something important? Knowledge of another terrorist attack?
"Hey man, don't look so shook up!" Cid roared jovially. "She said it was about Seymour's trial. She probably wants to be the goddamn judge too." At this, Braska managed a smile.
"You're right," he said. "Let's just enjoy the walk. We'll keep it short." Cid nodded in agreement. "So, how are you holding up?"
Cid looked ahead as he spoke, taking a moment to answer. "Well, this Seymour thing's got me pullin' my hair out," he replied, chuckling to himself and nodding to his bald head. Braska smiled. "And I'm not looking forward to meeting that SIA sonuvabitch either."
Braska shook his head at his friend's animosity, but he kept to the point. "How about your personal life?"
Cid now looked taken aback. "Hey, what's with you?"
"All we ever talk about are meetings, treaties, current events, terrorism, corruption, war, and a ton of other unpleasant topics," Braska said. "It's easy to forget what's going on just with us, in our own lives."
Cid caught on and gave his friend a knowing look. "What happened?"
Braska smiled a sad, half-smile. "My last conversation with Yuna didn't go so well . . ." he paused. "She's seeing this young man, a rookie Blitzball player for the Zanarkand Abes. Apparently their relationship is really serious." He stopped talking again, listening to their feet crunch the snow. Cid walked in silence, listening. "Anyway, I asked what she was doing, and she essentially told me to stay out of her business and her life. I don't know, Cid . . . I probably came off as nosy, but still, that hurts."
"You were," Cid said. Braska looked up at him. "Look, pal. You can't have a good relationship with your daughter if you're leashin' her all the time. Cut her some slack! That's what I do with Rikku. I talk to her every now and then to see how she's doing, not what she's doing."
"Well, that Tidus kid has a bit of a reputation," Braska sighed. "I looked into his record. Driving without a license, marijuana and alcohol possession, performing sexual acts in public . . ." He stopped at the incredulous look on Cid's face. "Yes, I know snooping through his police record sounds devious. I just want to know that she's okay Cid. I guess I just have a bad way of showing it."
"HAH!" Cid's expression disappeared and he clapped the Mayor on the back. "Don't worry about it, she'll come around," he laughed. "They always do. Hell, I haven't seen Rikku in almost a week, but I'm not too worried. She's probably out gallivanting and having a great 'ol time while you and I are stuck preparing for meetings." He sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was her, you know? She has it good right now . . ."
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Bevelle Outskirts, I-360.
01:24.
Monday, December 9.
"No, I don't. Wakka, I have neither the time nor the patience to wait for you like this."
"I'm going about 110 on the freeway right now, headed your way. You're on the 360, ya?"
"Exit 420 to Highway 56."
"Gotcha."
This was why Auron liked working alone. If the mission went wrong, there was nobody he could blame but himself. There were no backs he'd have to watch but his own. There were no surroundings he had to worry about but his own. But in dual missions, like the ones he went on with Jecht, half of it depended on your partner. There was always a great feeling of unease and tension coursing through Auron's body on a teamed mission. In addition, Wakka was not as skilled a spy as Jecht was, not by a long shot. In fact, he was not trained as a spy at all, but solely as an undercover agent (Auron was trained at both). And there was a world of difference.
However, Auron knew that Wakka was the only one capable of helping him out whom he could trust. He was certain that there was corruption within the SIA, and that Kinoc was aware of it at the very least. As much as he hated to admit it, and as much as he preferred going it alone, he needed Wakka's help. Wakka was just high-profile enough and low-key enough that hardly anyone would suspect anything with him. And it was also true that Wakka was the closest thing he had to a friend, even if they were far from being so. Wakka was a good guy, and kept it real about most things (religion not being one of them, as far as Auron was concerned).
Auron hit the gas on his rental car, bringing his speed up to 90 miles per hour. He wasn't worried about the police pulling him over. He had brought along a handy device that he obtained in his time at the SIA, which told other police that he was an unmarked vehicle. Therefore, Auron could go as fast as he wanted. Considering this fact, he hit the gas again, inching up to 100. Instinctively, he cast an eye on his rearview mirror, and saw the headlights of a car growing large at a very fast rate.
'Finally,' he thought.
All of a sudden, Auron felt a very strong sense of unease and urgency in his gut. It was so powerful that it caused him to buckle slightly, therefore removing his foot from the gas pedal and slowing his car down. It was a feeling that Auron rarely got, but when he did, it never meant anything good. It also usually meant one thing – he was being followed.
He picked up the cheap store-brand walkie talkie that he used to communicate with Wakka. It was a sort of backwards-thinking idea, in that it was so simple a communication device that there was little risk of the SIA monitoring its signal.
"Wakka, please tell me that's you behind me."
A brief pause. "I'm hurryin' Auron, don't get your balls in a knot," Wakka replied. "I'm at mile post 411 right now."
Auron looked to the side of the road, waiting for a mile post sign to appear. The next one that came up read 414. "I'm being followed."
A longer pause. "You sure?"
"That's why I radioed you, to find out," Auron replied tensely, sneaking a peek in his rearview mirror as the tail approached. "You're too far back to be who I'm seeing."
"All right, all right," Wakka acknowledged. He swore violently under his breath before saying, "Keep breathin' until I get there, ya? How long until your exit?"
"Six miles."
Silence. Then, "I have a plan. Hold on." The line went dead, but not before Auron heard the sound of Wakka's sports car's engine revving.
The only thing positive that Auron could think of pertaining to this entire situation was that there was very little traffic on the freeway at this time of night, leaving him plenty of room in case he had to pull off some evasive maneuvers. However, the same advantage was true for his tail as well. And now, as Auron entered downtown Bevelle, the light drizzle that had been falling for the last three hours turned into a steady rain, which would complicate things should his tail decide to approach Auron and try anything.
Bevelle was fast becoming a sight that Auron was quite weary of. He never liked the city to begin with (he disliked it much more than he disliked Zanarkand), and the fact that this was the second time he had to be here in two weeks didn't exactly make the place grow on him. There were many more policemen patrolling the city since Seymour had fled, a force almost solely dedicated to stemming riots. However, they were able to do very little, proven by the several thin clouds of smoke that were visible within the distances of the city.
The uneasy feeling growing within Auron as each second passed, he stole another glance in his mirror. The car had disappeared. However, Auron knew that the tail was still out there. Cursing himself for not being more attentive, he craned his neck in every direction, trying his hardest to locate the tail. He desisted after almost going off the road, but would look in his mirror every few seconds to see if the car reappeared.
Soon, it did – right alongside him.
Auron only found out when a gunshot blew out the back window on his side of the car, startling him so much that he almost again drove into the concrete barrier. Glass sprayed all over the backseat, and a piece even embedded itself in Auron's neck. Years of instinct and a quick reaction time saved his life as he ducked and a bullet sailed just above his head, blowing out his other window. He quickly poked his head up to make sure he was still on the road, and to see who was attacking him. The car, a black SUV, had one man was hanging out the side window, two pistols in hand.
"What's going on? What's happening?" the radio crackled to life.
Auron ducked again as his assailant fired. "They're trying to kill me," he replied simply.
"I'm right behind ya," Wakka replied.
Auron glanced up as far as he could, and could just barely make out another pair of headlights quickly growing larger in his rearview mirror. Despite his doubts about Wakka, Auron felt slightly better knowing he was back there while his tail didn't.
"Good, just do what you can to –" Auron was suddenly cut off by a blinding light. He looked all around him for the source of the light, but found nothing until he looked up to see a helicopter spotlight shining right on his car. "Negative on that, Wakka. Stay back. They've got air support."
"But Auron –"
"No buts," Auron hissed. "There is a way you can make yourself useful and help me. I can shake the tail alone, but I'll need your help with the helicopter. The only way you can help me right now is by staying out of its sight, and away from me. Maintain a visual distance."
Before Wakka could respond, Auron clicked off the radio. Three more shots were fired into his window, but they all missed. He accelerated the car and reached for his gun. A helicopter could mean only one of two things: either Seymour found out who he was and hired men to kill him somehow, or . . .
. . . well, he didn't want to think the second possibility was true.
"Here goes everything."
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Zanarkand, SINN HQ, rooftop.
01:31.
Monday, December 9.
"What?"
"This means everything."
"Why?"
Rikku, forced to carry a case with an unknown item inside, followed Paine as she opened the door to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the world. The dome-shaped roof only allowed access on a walkway that went around the edge. Recently swept free of new-fallen snow, it was both wide enough and large enough to allow for easy movement among several people. Up above, around the vertex of the roof, five radar dishes the size of small houses pointed motionless at the orange, cloudy sky. A very large loudspeaker was also on the roof somewhere, broadcasting Leblanc's late-night news broadcast for all on the roof to hear. Both could hear a humming over the slight breeze that was blowing, and down below, they could see the majority of the city of Zanarkand. Small yellow dots moved slowly down straight lines. The city was everywhere. Skyscrapers surrounded them on all sides. To the west, the blitzball stadium was visible only as a silhouette, a haunting reminder of recent events. In the distance, they could see the ocean, slightly glazed over by snow.
"Wow . . ." Rikku whispered to herself as she slowly walked around the roof. Her prior question was forgotten, for rarely had she seen something so mesmerizing.
Paine was unmoved. "Hand it over," she commanded, stretching out her arm for the case after she locked the door to the roof.
As Rikku obeyed, she began to wonder what was actually in that case. For a long time, she had worried that it was another gun, but now that they were so high up and apparently away from any potential targets, she was starting to think that it was a telescope. A strange feeling of calm washed itself over her, and she felt herself relax a little, which was ironic for more than one reason. For almost as long as she could remember, she had been afraid of heights. However, when she was around fifteen, her father had taken her on one of his business trips. And with much reassurance from her father, and several trips like it, she eventually got over her fear of heights.
She was feeling somewhat brave. "You never answered my question," she said.
Paine stopped entering the combination on the case and looked up at her. "What question?"
"Why you do this. Why you kill people."
Paine shrugged. "I thought I had made that clear. Because I can. Because I'm good at it. It's good money. Why does it matter to you?"
It was Rikku's turn to shrug. "I'm just curious," she said. "I thought I was pretty crystal on that too."
Paine smirked. "You were," she replied. "But I don't trust anybody. Ever. Not even you."
"That's crazy," Rikku said. "You're crazy."
Her kidnapper turned back to the case. "Maybe, maybe not," she replied. "Maybe it doesn't matter." She opened the case and produced a dark object from it. "Hold that."
Rikku took the item and examined it. She was right; it was a telescope of sorts. However, it was an odd telescope. And there was no place for a stand or tripod to go. But it definitely was a scope. So that meant . . . oh no.
"Okay. Hand it back."
Rikku returned the scope, and her eyes widened when she saw what was in Paine's other hand: a very sleek and high-tech sniper rifle. It had taken Paine very little time to assemble the gun, and it only took her a second to attach what Rikku now knew to be the sight of the gun. Wordlessly, Paine passed the gun to Rikku, who took it. Shocked by how light it was, Rikku examined the weapon. She was telling the truth when she told Paine that she knew a few things about guns, and she knew this to be the latest upgrade of the PSG1, a semiautomatic rifle first issued a few decades ago.
Rikku looked up and saw Paine watching her, a tripod standing next to her. When she caught Rikku looking up at her, she reached out her hand for the gun, and Rikku gingerly handed it over. Paine took it much more roughly and quickly affixed it to the tripod. She turned back to Rikku upon finishing.
"And now we wait," she said flatly, going to lean against the railing of the walkway, leaning over slightly and studying the scenery.
"Wait for what?" Rikku asked blankly.
Paine looked at her, an irritated expression on her face. "The hit." When Rikku continued to stare at her, waiting for more, she sighed and said, "There's a very narrow window of opportunity on this one, so it's better to be early than late. It's not a dentist appointment, Rikku. You can't reschedule if you're late, and they don't send you an apology in the mail. We have to wait."
Rikku shook her head, taking a moment before she said, "What's worth it?"
"Hmm?"
Rikku gestured to the gun with her hands. "What in the world makes all this worth it? The stress will kill you by the time you turn fifty if somebody else doesn't shoot you first, you know? So what makes it worth it?"
A thoughtful expression crossed Paine's face. "As I said, it's good money," she offered. "It certainly isn't boring work either."
Rikku was silent for a moment before she came to realize what Paine had been trying to tell her all along. "It's what you do."
Paine nodded. "It's what I do."
"May Yevon have pity on you." The words that came out of Rikku's mouth surprised even her.
They failed to go unnoticed by Paine either. "I need to write this down," she said, looking highly amused. "Out of the mouth of an Al Bhed."
"I'll make a deal with you. If you quit, I'll convert," Rikku shot back, extending her hand.
Paine turned back to the city, but not without chuckling a little first. "You're asking the impossible . . . both of me and yourself."
For the next few minutes, both stood in the frigid cold in silence. The breeze had stopped blowing, and now the air was entirely still. The snow had also stopped falling as well, though some rained down from the satellite dishes above. The sky was actually beginning to clear up as well.
Suddenly, Paine reached into her pocket and produced a cell phone, opening it up and staring at it for a second before closing it again and pocketing it. "Here we go."
Rikku just had to ask. "Who . . . who are you killing?"
Suddenly, Leblanc's voice, very excited, came over the loudspeaker. "Here it comes: the van transporting Seymour to the Zanarkand Supreme Court for arraignment. It's about ten blocks away on Yevon Avenue right now."
Paine nodded. "There's your answer."
"The answer you seek isn't one you are going to want to hear."
Rikku instantly fit two and two together, though she was having a hard time believing it. Matters were made worse by what Paine said next.
She motioned to the gun. "You said you know how to use a gun. So prove it."
The Al Bhed girl looked up at her in horror, her mouth open. "W-what?"
"He's your right," Paine said. "And in a minute, he's going to be in plain sight. So . . . do it. Kill him."
'But she told me . . . 'I don't think you're the type to kill anybody.', didn't she?'
Rikku stood stock-still, staring from the rifle to Paine as the full gravity of the situation began to sink in.
"Go on. It's ready. He's all yours."
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Bevelle.
01:36.
Monday, December 9.
"He's mine."
Auron's exit was just over four miles away, and at the speed he was going, it would take a little more than two minutes to get there. He just had to remain alive for two minutes. Thankfully, he could use most of the freeway to dodge and avoid his assailants because, even in downtown Bevelle, the traffic was light.
Ignoring the searing pain coming from the glass embedded in his neck, he ducked down a little bit again and readied his gun. Once the Beretta 92 was in his hand, he quickly looked over at the general direction where his pursuing car was before firing a few rounds in their direction. If he had the time, he would have taken aim at their tires, but that would leave him vulnerable for way too long. All three shots had no effect, proven when his assailants returned fire. Four bullets impacted his car, but all missed Auron. He jerked the steering wheel so that he was in the far opposite lane, away from the pursuing car. Currently, he was going 112 miles per hour.
The pursuers drew close, getting in the lane next to him. It pulled ahead of him slightly, and as they flashed beneath the glow of a street light, he now saw two men hanging out of the side. The second one hung out of the rear window and had a submachine gun. Auron felt a surge of adrenaline at seeing the gunman and knew that this man had to be eliminated immediately. As he saw the man take aim with the machine gun, he quickly empted the remainder of his clip in firing at the man, hoping that one of his shots would be lucky. In reality, two were, and he saw the second man get launched back into the suburban SUV by two shots, one to the neck and the other to the shoulder.
Suddenly, the SUV careened into Auron's car. The gun fell out of his hand as the impact almost knocked him off the freeway. Even over the wind, he could hear his tires squealing in protest. The steering wheel jerked with the impact, and Auron barely managed to regain control of the car in time. His left headlight no longer worked and he knew that the second time, he probably wouldn't be as lucky in staying on the road. Far from slowing down to lessen his risk, however, he sped up even more, inching the struggling car up to 126 miles per hour. The SUV was barely able to keep up, but still it did.
To Auron's horror, he saw the second man reappear with a machine gun in hand. Ignoring the holes in his neck and shoulder, the man took aim with the gun and sprayed Auron's car, apparently trying to shoot out his tires. None of the shots hit his tires, however; Auron swore violently when he felt one of the bullets pierce his left lower leg. He jerked it up instinctively and whacked his knee on the lower part of the steering column, though the fresh pain in his knee was nothing compared to how his lower leg felt. He would have to remove the bullet later.
Traffic was getting slightly thicker now as well as they entered the heart of Bevelle, as was the rain, which was now an all-out downpour. There was a strong headwind, and that coupled with Auron's current speed and the rapidly-intensifying rain made it nearly impossible to stick his arm out to return fire. It didn't really matter anyway, because his gun had fallen out of reach on the other side of the car when he was rammed. He was going to have to outlast them for just thirty more seconds.
The pursuing car rapidly changed to the next lane over, so that there was now one lane separating it from Auron, who was in the far right lane. Both gunmen fired at Auron, but both neglected to see the minivan that appeared between them. It was difficult, both with the rain and the fact that both the SUV and Auron were exceeding the speed of the minivan by about 60 miles-per-hour. The spray of bullets all hit the minivan, causing it to spin out of control. Its front end almost rammed Auron as well, but the man had anticipated what had happened and had hit the gas slightly so that his car barely made it out of harm's way. The van spiraled before flipping over twice and impacting the concrete divider between the two freeways, coming to rest on its left side.
Not pausing to consider the condition of the people in the minivan, Auron slowed back down to about 120, bracing himself for another wave of machine gun fire. As soon as he heard the ratatatatatat of the machine gun, he ducked. This time, the gunman was much more accurate, and had he not ducked in time, he would have been a dead man for sure. When the machine gun quieted, he looked up and aligned his vehicle with the lane he was in again, all the while keeping an eye out for his exit.
Then, he saw it.
He knew he could outrun his pursuers, but that wouldn't completely solve the problem as they would most likely find him again later. However, a sacrificial plan hatched in his head as the spotlight of the helicopter tracking his car passed over another vehicle that was about 500 feet ahead of him. All he needed to see was the red diamond sign that he knew to mean 'flammable' on the side of a silver tanker truck. This, coupled with the fact that Auron's gun had come within reach courtesy of his last swerve, completed his plan. In one swift move, he reached over, grabbed the Beretta and emptied it of its spent magazine. Quickly replacing it with a special clip he kept in between the driver and passenger seat, loaded with several exploding rounds, he held the now-loaded gun in his right hand.
Gunning the engine, he maxed out his speed at 135 miles per hour so that he was approaching the tanker at an even greater speed. Though the SUV could not go that fast, it was still going far faster than the tanker. By the time Auron pulled up to the rear of the tanker, the SUV was about twenty feet behind. Soon afterward, he was almost even with the cab of the tanker. Quickly checking his mirror to be sure that nobody was behind him, he switched the gun to his other hand. He slowed down so that there was a greater amount of time with the tanker between him and his pursuers. He checked again, and could not see the SUV, meaning it was on the other side of the tanker. In the peripheral vision of his one good eye, he could now see the sign for his exit fast approaching.
Now.
Auron reared back his right foot and slammed it on the brake. Just before he hit the dashboard, he fired as fast as he could at the tanker. All of his shots found their mark, evident by the intense flash of brightness as the tanker obliterated the entire section of freeway around itself. The deafening blast created a ringing in Auron's left ear and the heat wave that came off the truck at the time of the explosion almost blistered his skin. He just barely registered seeing the SUV get caught in the blast as well. Now going at a more manageable speed of about 90, he jerked the steering wheel to the right so that he would not miss the off-ramp for his exit. And in a flash, his tail was eliminated.
However, he still had to lose the helicopter. But he had a plan for that too. Right off the ramp, a two-mile long tunnel awaited him. He quickly picked up his radio, which had miraculously stayed in place throughout the entire chase, and signaled Wakka.
"Pick me up in the tunnel," he barked. "You'll see me parked a mile and a half into it, on the right side."
"Yevon, man, what the Hell did you do up there?" was the response. "That explosion was really somethin', ya? What was it?"
"Later," Auron growled before killing the radio so he wouldn't have to hear Wakka's incessant questions. "You'll know me when you see me."
The man slowed down to 70 as he cruised the tunnel. He appeared to be the only one inside, save for an electronic construction sign that sealed off the far left lane, along with traffic cones. He would obsessively check his rearview mirror, as if expecting another SUV to come up behind him, but none showed up. He was alone in the tunnel.
As soon as he saw the end of the tunnel about a mile away (the last half was completely straight), he quickly slowed down, turned on his hazards and pulled off to the side of the road. Once he slowed to a stop, he killed the engine and quickly got out of the rental car. Now, he had the opportunity to take stock of the damage caused. Bullet holes riddled the entire left side of the car, some of which came dangerously close to the fuel tank. Mentally thanking Lady Luck for not sending him to the Farplane as he did the driver of the tanker, he roamed around to the front of the car. A combination of steam and smoke rose from the cracks underneath the hood. In addition, he could now survey the extensive damage done to the front of the car when the SUV rammed him. The entire left fender was caved in, and his front turn signal and headlight were completely destroyed.
He turned when he heard an engine revving in the distance. Knowing it was Wakka, he went to stand behind the back of his own damaged car and wait for his partner to pull up beside him. The lime-green Lotus Elise soon came to a screeching halt next to him, and the passenger side window rolled down, revealing a stunned Wakka staring at the car with his mouth hanging open.
"Motherfucker," he exclaimed. "What the Hell happened?"
Auron opened the passenger door. "You drive, I'll talk," he said curtly as he slammed the door and buckled himself in.
"Fair enough," Wakka replied, shifting the car into gear and peeling out of the tunnel.
Upon exiting, Auron was relieved to find that the car passed right underneath the waiting chopper's spotlight without being followed.
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
"You know that, even if you kill me, I'll be replaced by somebody with an identical agenda. After all, I chose Tromell to be my deputy mayor for a very good reason."
"Seymour, be quiet. This is your one last chance to change your mind."
"No, I believe it is yours."
_
SINN HQ, rooftop.
01:42.
Monday, December 9.
Rikku was on the verge of collapse.
She recalled the time when she would have jumped at the chance to kill Seymour. And now that she was provided with a chance, there was still a small part of her that actually wanted to. She even remembered the conversation she had with her dad while she was on the plane back from Bevelle, about how she wanted to actually bomb the city. She thought she was just venting at the time, but apparently she was more serious than originally thought. Sometimes, one doesn't realize how passionate they are about what they say until afterward. And even then, they were only words . . . weren't they? She didn't know, and that was what scared her the most.
"What are you waiting for?" Paine's icy voice broke through the fog in Rikku's mind. "You don't have all day."
"Paine . . ." Rikku pleaded.
"What would he do if he were in your position?" the assassin continued. "He wouldn't even blink. You'd have been dead a minute ago."
Rikku turned to Paine, summoning what was left of her sanity. "I'm not him," she cried shrilly. "And that's a good thing." Despite her tiny dark urge, she knew what was right.
"Bullshit," Paine spat. "You're being soft and you know it. Now, I'll tell you one more time. Either you kill him, or I will. But if I do it, you're next."
"Now that's something I'd like to see," Rikku retorted, surprising even herself. "How many times have you threatened to kill me now, you big meanie? I lost count."
"I would be doing you a service," Paine said, much less harshly and a bit more earnestly. "Believe me, after this man dies, you don't want to be alive."
Rikku stubborn expression quickly changed to one of bewilderment. "W-what? Why not?"
Paine made a crude noise of impatience. "Fuck it. Just get the Hell out of my way. And use these if you want." Shaking her head, she thrust a pair of binoculars at Rikku. "Fucking ridiculous . . ."
Paine literally elbowed Rikku out of her way, cursing the Al Bhed girl under her breath, and positioned herself behind the sniper rifle while her captive, indifferent to her cursing, examined the binoculars. Lifting them to her eyes, she scanned the far shoreline of the city. She could see the hundreds of boats docked in the fishing harbor that was positioned on a little peninsula. Moving right, she felt a chill creep up her spine as the binoculars' field of vision passed over Abes Stadium, now nothing more than a hollow, haunting shell. The wreckage had finally stopped smoking a few days ago.
Rikku drew a deep, shuddering breath, keeping her vision trained on the stadium wreckage before guiding the binoculars down Yevon Avenue. She followed the nearly-empty street until it came to the end of a caravan of cars. They all had flashing lights, and though she could not hear them, Rikku was sure that sirens were blaring as well. Following the row, she counted off the number of cars. She tallied 13 before she saw a large boxlike van in the middle, which she was certain held Seymour. Almost right after she trained the binoculars on the van, the procession slowed to a halt, right outside Zanarkand Supreme Court.
"Come on come on come on . . ." she heard Paine mutter. "Out of the car, right in the crosshairs, you crazy motherfucker."
Snorting to herself at the irony, Rikku did nothing but keep the binoculars trained on the van, watching as the driver and a passenger got out, going around to open the rear doors. She gasped slightly as, a few seconds later, a shackled Seymour was helped out of the rear of the van. The hair was a dead giveaway. He wore a prisoner jumpsuit. Rikku could tell that much. She watched as armed guards circled him, making sure that he was protected from all angles . . . except from above. Almost as one, they began to make their way to the marble court steps.
"No wind . . . in range . . . there we go . . ." Paine said to herself. "You paying attention?" the sudden sharpness of her voice startled Rikku as Paine addressed her, causing the binoculars to shake. "Now you are. This is it, right here. Your just reward."
Who was she talking to, her or Seymour?
Rikku jumped as she heard Paine suddenly fire the rifle. Three shots, all silenced. The gun wasn't as loud as she expected it to be. Rikku waited for what seemed like forever, but nothing happened. She thought that Paine had actually missed all three shots.
Wrong.
She felt a scream lodge in her throat as she suddenly saw Seymour convulse. Once, twice, three times. She couldn't tell what part of his body was hit, but with three bullets, it really didn't matter. He would be dead in a matter of minutes, if he wasn't already. She saw him collapse as the men around him swarmed him, suddenly darting around like wasps whose nest was destroyed. A series of vehicles with flashing lights swarmed the courthouse almost immediately.
"The most hated and wanted man in the world, now just a memory . . ." Paine said as she stood away from the gun. Rikku looked at her, too shocked, too numb to speak. Paine looked at her. "You're welcome."
All Rikku could do was stand there motionless as her shaking hands let the binoculars clatter to the floor.
An echo.
"Oh my Yevon . . . loves, he's been shot . . . Seymour's down . . . he's been shot . . ."
~~~~~ ZFC 2.7 ~~~~~
_
Zanarkand Governor's Mansion.
01:44.
Monday, December 9.
". . . I am a dead man. After this recording leaves my possession, he will kill me. I am not afraid. Life is merely a pause before the Eternal Paradise that awaits all children of Yevon in the Farplane. The events that transpire on this little planet are insignificant and meaningless, just like the people who inhabit it. But Home doesn't understand that. Zanarkand especially doesn't understand, for it is a city cursed by corruption and avariciousness masking itself as virtue and prosperity. They don't understand, and can't understand, everything that I know.
"I know everything. I know who you're looking for, I know the motives, I know the crimes, and I know exactly how to lead you to the answers you seek. The question that you need to ask yourself is whether your mind is accepting enough to believe what will certainly be a very hard truth. Because there are worse people on this planet than I, people more devious and more evil. For they play on the trust and title bestowed on them by the people, and hide behind it when suspicious eyes are cast their way.
"Trust is something that should be given only to those who deserve it . . . don't you agree? After all, it's a sign of friendship. There are few things worse than betraying the trust of somebody who has given theirs to you. Many, many people, especially people who have been in my position, find this out when it's too late and pay dearly for it, as I am about to.
"The answer you seek isn't one you are going to want to hear. But I assure you, every word I say is true. Betrayal is a nigh-impossible concept to bear without some form of retribution. So make no mistake; I'm helping myself just as much as I'm helping you. And who knows . . . maybe with the passing of time and the future's history written, I'll be remembered as a great hero instead of a criminal.
"This might be especially true next to the real criminal, a man you have all trusted, called your friend, maybe even had a drink with. He is a man far more dangerous than I could ever hope to be. Power corrupts, as you believe it corrupted me. The motives for our actions are the only difference between him and me. Where I sought to bring good to the world, he seeks only to serve himself, to be the most powerful man on the face of the globe.
"I had absolutely no part in the Stadium Attack that befell Zanarkand. He instead persuaded me to take responsibility for the attack in exchange for large amounts of funding. This gave me the funds I would need to finance my campaign, starting with 687 million gil. In exchange, I would publicly take responsibility for the attack so that his name was cleared of any wrongdoing. And since I was to be in hiding anyway, I didn't see that I had anything to lose. How foolish I was to believe this.
"On the other side of this tape, you'll hear dated files of his audio journal. The truth you seek lies within its contents. I will not delve into them myself, as he does a much better job explaining his actions than I could. Call me what you want, but I believe betrayal is the greatest sin Yevon can condemn. I betrayed nobody. He, on the other hand, betrayed everybody– you, me, and every human being in Spira.
"Also, I do warn you . . . he plans more attacks. One, in fact, is coming up fairly soon . . . within the first 15 days of December.
"I advise that, in the future, you keep a closer eye on the leader of our Intelligence Agency."
Hands shaking, fighting back waves of nausea at the testimony he just heard, Cid sat at his desk, staring ahead like a zombie. He barely even registered the passing of time. Seconds quickly turned into minutes. He didn't even know when his hands moved to eject the tape and turn it over, replacing it in the machine. He waited for the sound to play, picking up Lulu's letter that he received with the tape, but not really reading it. His eyes saw the words, but wouldn't process them.
DEPUTY MAYOR CID,
BE ADVISED: THE NIGHT IS DARKEST BEFORE DAWN.
THIS IS FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. COMMIT THE QUOTE ABOVE TO MEMORY AND THEN DESTROY THIS LETTER. NOBODY ELSE IS TO SEE THIS LETTER OR LISTEN TO THIS TAPE, NOT EVEN THE MAYOR. LISTEN TO IT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'LL BE ALONE. BOTH YOU AND BRASKA ARE IN EXTREME DANGER, AND THERE IS LITTLE TIME TO ACT. CONTACT ME WITH THE NUMBER BELOW IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU CONCLUDE WITH THE TAPE.
Lulu
12515519125
A click.
"Wen Kinoc's Personal Log. Date . . . November twenty-fourth. Time . . . twenty-two-fifty-seven. . . . The attacks were successful. Mission complete."
End Part Two.
The story's plot is now in full swing, almost at its pinnacle. I'm not going to reveal anything at all about chapter fifteen. You'll just have to wait and see for yourself. It marks the first chapter of Part Three, called City of the Repentant.
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SirGecko