Chapter 26
"Fine," he sighed. "I'll go with you." He stared at the floor, not proud of the decision he had just made.
"A wise choice," complimented Caraway. "She's safe."
"For now, anyway," threatened Seifer. "You try anything and she gets it, understand?" Squall turned to Caraway.
"If you touch her, I swear I'll."
"Yes, yes, I've heard that all before," he butted in. "Sadly for you though, those hero clichés just don't work in real life." This provoked a laugh from Seifer. Caraway promptly glared at him, silently ordering him quiet. "Now, if you two could please hurry, I have an important appointment in four hours time. I don't want to miss it." Without taking another look at the two men stood in the office, he turned around and marched over to the other side of the room and gazed out of the window towards Balamb Garden. "Now you're mine too," he whispered.
Seifer held Squall's arm firmly twisted behind his back in a tight grip. Squall was ever conscious that Seifer wasn't afraid to kill him, as every few paces or so Seifer would prod the tip of his blade into Squall's back, making him hurry.
"It's no use trying to delay this," Seifer growled into his ear. "You can't put off the inevitable. Squall remained silent throughout, trying desperately to think of a way out of his predicament. Seifer whistled as they stepped into the lush surroundings of the quad in Balamb Garden. "This could turn out to be a nice place to live. Not to mention very handy as a mobile base."
"What would the head of a weapons company want with this place? It's hardly convenient for sales."
"Who says I'm just the head of a weapons company? General Caraway has offered me a very high rank in the Galbadian military, not to mention a very lucrative arms contract. War can be very profitable, as a mercenary, I thought you would have realised that. See, we're not that different, you and I." Squall's anger flared.
"Don't ever say that," he shouted. "We couldn't be more different."
"And how's that?" Seifer asked, amused at Squall's strong reaction.
"You're willing to just let Rinoa die."
"And why not? She's served her purpose as far as I'm concerned. I got my contract, my money, the military rank was just a bonus. What more could she possibly do for me now?"
"You didn't deserve her in the first place."
"And I suppose a mercenary like you did? You don't even have much money."
"I never pretended to deserve her."
"Hey, Squall. Here's your friends, come to see you in your moment of glory." Seifer pointed towards a large group of SeeD's assembled by the entrance to the quad. He was shocked at how many of the Balamb SeeDs had survived, and how many bodies of his own men were littered across the floor. "See how mighty your leader is?" heckled Seifer as he walked past them. Several tried to attack him, but were held back by their peers, frightened for Squall's safety. At the back of the group, Squall noticed Dr Kadawaki, still battered and bruised.
"Trust me," mouthed towards her. She nodded, understanding as Squall was dragged off down the corridor. She waited until they were both out of earshot.
"Right, listen up everyone. Squall asked me to trust him, and I do. This isn't the end. We wait here for his signal. Understand?"
"You know, Squall, there's something I really don't understand about you. You're supposed to be the commander of SeeD. You're supposed to be one of the best fighter's in the whole world, famous for never giving up."
"So?"
"It took us about two seconds to break you. You're here about to surrender your whole Garden to us, just because we took your girlfriend. Why did you do it?" At this point Squall laughed.
"Because you don't know the first thing about SeeDs."
"What are you talking about?"
"If you think I'd just surrender all this to you, you're obviously clueless as to the nature of SeeDs. We always have a plan." He spun round swiftly as look of realisation spread across Seifer's face, freeing himself from his grasp and landing a strong punch on his jaw. Seifer staggered backwards, trying to steady himself. Before he could bring his blade up to strike Squall, he found it kicked out of his hand. The blade flew across the corridor and crashed into the wall. Both men leapt towards it, knowing that whoever reached it first would be the victor. They both crashed into each other, reaching for the handle. Squall was the first to reach it, pointing the tip at Seifer's throat. Squall got up slowly, never taking his eyes off the man in front of him. "Get up," he ordered.
"Just get it over with," demanded Seifer.
"I said, get up." Reluctantly, he rose off his knees. "Walk." Squall led him into a room in which a single SeeD sat.
"Sir," he said, standing to attention immediately. "Is this a prisoner?" Squall nodded, pushing Seifer into the nearest cell in the detention centre.
"I'm keeping the key," he told the guard. "Don't let him out under any circumstances."
"Hey, Squall. Why aren't you killing me?" Seifer shouted. "I'd have killed you in an instant.
"I told you. We couldn't be more different." Squall exited the room and headed for his office on the third floor. He knew what he had to do. He wasn't about to fail Rinoa now. When he arrived, he turned the PA system on and spoke into the microphone.
"This is Commander Leonhart. I am ordering a full assault on Galbadia Garden. Resistance should be minimal. Do not travel in the elevator without my order. I repeat, do not travel in the elevator without my order."
Squall was careful not to endanger her further. He didn't want Caraway to realise that his plan had failed. He couldn't risk having him kill Rinoa.
"Commander. All the troops we could spare have entered Galbadia Garden. The injured students that have returned do not tell of heavy fighting or casualties," Dr Kadawaki reported.
"Thank you."
"Commander, is she alright? I feel responsible for them taking her."
"As far as I know, she hasn't been harmed."
"I'll be waiting in the infirmary." Squall nodded. This time, he would bring Rinoa back for good.
It seemed to Squall that the SeeDs had completely taken over Galbadia Garden. They lined every corridor that he went down, saluting him as he passed. He selected two that he knew were very competent fighters.
"You two. Follow me." The two SeeDs seemed proud to be chosen.
"Yes, sir," they both answered in unison. They followed in Squall's tracks until they stepped foot inside the elevator.
"Don't do anything unless I tell you," Squall ordered.
"Yes, sir." The elevator ground to a halt and the doors opened.
"Ah, Seifer. Did you kill him?" Caraway asked, his back to Squall and the two SeeDs. Squall strode up to Caraway, putting Seifer's gunblade to his throat.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, General, but I'm still here."
"Leonhart," he growled. He tried to struggle, but Squall was prepared.
"You two. Take him to the detention centre. If he gives you any trouble, you have permission to use force. Caraway fell silent as he was taken away. Squall was now left in the room with Rinoa. He smiled at her peaceful form, lying on the sofa as if she was asleep. He heard the elevator return and picked her up gently, being careful not to hurt her.
"Rinoa. I'm so sorry for everything that happened. I really am. You shouldn't have had to go through all this. But, but you're safe now. Nobody's going to harm you. I'm here for you, so please answer my prayers."
"Please come back to me, Rinoa."
"Fine," he sighed. "I'll go with you." He stared at the floor, not proud of the decision he had just made.
"A wise choice," complimented Caraway. "She's safe."
"For now, anyway," threatened Seifer. "You try anything and she gets it, understand?" Squall turned to Caraway.
"If you touch her, I swear I'll."
"Yes, yes, I've heard that all before," he butted in. "Sadly for you though, those hero clichés just don't work in real life." This provoked a laugh from Seifer. Caraway promptly glared at him, silently ordering him quiet. "Now, if you two could please hurry, I have an important appointment in four hours time. I don't want to miss it." Without taking another look at the two men stood in the office, he turned around and marched over to the other side of the room and gazed out of the window towards Balamb Garden. "Now you're mine too," he whispered.
Seifer held Squall's arm firmly twisted behind his back in a tight grip. Squall was ever conscious that Seifer wasn't afraid to kill him, as every few paces or so Seifer would prod the tip of his blade into Squall's back, making him hurry.
"It's no use trying to delay this," Seifer growled into his ear. "You can't put off the inevitable. Squall remained silent throughout, trying desperately to think of a way out of his predicament. Seifer whistled as they stepped into the lush surroundings of the quad in Balamb Garden. "This could turn out to be a nice place to live. Not to mention very handy as a mobile base."
"What would the head of a weapons company want with this place? It's hardly convenient for sales."
"Who says I'm just the head of a weapons company? General Caraway has offered me a very high rank in the Galbadian military, not to mention a very lucrative arms contract. War can be very profitable, as a mercenary, I thought you would have realised that. See, we're not that different, you and I." Squall's anger flared.
"Don't ever say that," he shouted. "We couldn't be more different."
"And how's that?" Seifer asked, amused at Squall's strong reaction.
"You're willing to just let Rinoa die."
"And why not? She's served her purpose as far as I'm concerned. I got my contract, my money, the military rank was just a bonus. What more could she possibly do for me now?"
"You didn't deserve her in the first place."
"And I suppose a mercenary like you did? You don't even have much money."
"I never pretended to deserve her."
"Hey, Squall. Here's your friends, come to see you in your moment of glory." Seifer pointed towards a large group of SeeD's assembled by the entrance to the quad. He was shocked at how many of the Balamb SeeDs had survived, and how many bodies of his own men were littered across the floor. "See how mighty your leader is?" heckled Seifer as he walked past them. Several tried to attack him, but were held back by their peers, frightened for Squall's safety. At the back of the group, Squall noticed Dr Kadawaki, still battered and bruised.
"Trust me," mouthed towards her. She nodded, understanding as Squall was dragged off down the corridor. She waited until they were both out of earshot.
"Right, listen up everyone. Squall asked me to trust him, and I do. This isn't the end. We wait here for his signal. Understand?"
"You know, Squall, there's something I really don't understand about you. You're supposed to be the commander of SeeD. You're supposed to be one of the best fighter's in the whole world, famous for never giving up."
"So?"
"It took us about two seconds to break you. You're here about to surrender your whole Garden to us, just because we took your girlfriend. Why did you do it?" At this point Squall laughed.
"Because you don't know the first thing about SeeDs."
"What are you talking about?"
"If you think I'd just surrender all this to you, you're obviously clueless as to the nature of SeeDs. We always have a plan." He spun round swiftly as look of realisation spread across Seifer's face, freeing himself from his grasp and landing a strong punch on his jaw. Seifer staggered backwards, trying to steady himself. Before he could bring his blade up to strike Squall, he found it kicked out of his hand. The blade flew across the corridor and crashed into the wall. Both men leapt towards it, knowing that whoever reached it first would be the victor. They both crashed into each other, reaching for the handle. Squall was the first to reach it, pointing the tip at Seifer's throat. Squall got up slowly, never taking his eyes off the man in front of him. "Get up," he ordered.
"Just get it over with," demanded Seifer.
"I said, get up." Reluctantly, he rose off his knees. "Walk." Squall led him into a room in which a single SeeD sat.
"Sir," he said, standing to attention immediately. "Is this a prisoner?" Squall nodded, pushing Seifer into the nearest cell in the detention centre.
"I'm keeping the key," he told the guard. "Don't let him out under any circumstances."
"Hey, Squall. Why aren't you killing me?" Seifer shouted. "I'd have killed you in an instant.
"I told you. We couldn't be more different." Squall exited the room and headed for his office on the third floor. He knew what he had to do. He wasn't about to fail Rinoa now. When he arrived, he turned the PA system on and spoke into the microphone.
"This is Commander Leonhart. I am ordering a full assault on Galbadia Garden. Resistance should be minimal. Do not travel in the elevator without my order. I repeat, do not travel in the elevator without my order."
Squall was careful not to endanger her further. He didn't want Caraway to realise that his plan had failed. He couldn't risk having him kill Rinoa.
"Commander. All the troops we could spare have entered Galbadia Garden. The injured students that have returned do not tell of heavy fighting or casualties," Dr Kadawaki reported.
"Thank you."
"Commander, is she alright? I feel responsible for them taking her."
"As far as I know, she hasn't been harmed."
"I'll be waiting in the infirmary." Squall nodded. This time, he would bring Rinoa back for good.
It seemed to Squall that the SeeDs had completely taken over Galbadia Garden. They lined every corridor that he went down, saluting him as he passed. He selected two that he knew were very competent fighters.
"You two. Follow me." The two SeeDs seemed proud to be chosen.
"Yes, sir," they both answered in unison. They followed in Squall's tracks until they stepped foot inside the elevator.
"Don't do anything unless I tell you," Squall ordered.
"Yes, sir." The elevator ground to a halt and the doors opened.
"Ah, Seifer. Did you kill him?" Caraway asked, his back to Squall and the two SeeDs. Squall strode up to Caraway, putting Seifer's gunblade to his throat.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, General, but I'm still here."
"Leonhart," he growled. He tried to struggle, but Squall was prepared.
"You two. Take him to the detention centre. If he gives you any trouble, you have permission to use force. Caraway fell silent as he was taken away. Squall was now left in the room with Rinoa. He smiled at her peaceful form, lying on the sofa as if she was asleep. He heard the elevator return and picked her up gently, being careful not to hurt her.
"Rinoa. I'm so sorry for everything that happened. I really am. You shouldn't have had to go through all this. But, but you're safe now. Nobody's going to harm you. I'm here for you, so please answer my prayers."
"Please come back to me, Rinoa."