Just in case anyone isn't aware of this, I don't own anything except for this plot. Sorry.

CHAPTER SEVEN

INTO THE FIRE…

"Crap, now we might have a problem!" yelled Irvine trying to be heard over the alarm.

"Yeah, now come on and lets get out of here before reinforcements arrive!"

I turned to Selphie and Irvine and tossed them their weapons and gave Irvine some extra ammo I had brought with me. We started making our way down the hallway until we came up on a section with steam pipes and vents that created a small hiding place. We paused and listened for sounds of pursuit from in front or behind us. Hearing none we made our way farther forward until we came up on the stairs that would lead us to the top deck and the waiting helicopter.

Suddenly we heard voices yelling and the sounds of several people charging down the stairs. Sneaking a quick glance around the corner I checked to see who it was coming towards us.

PING!

And almost ended up getting shot in the head by one of the soldiers. They had set up an ambush at the only door out of this level. I backed up and turned back to the others behind me. "Irvine, if I cause a distraction do you think you can snipe them?" He pulled Exeter out from his coat with one hand and tipped his hat at me before moving up next to me. "Ok, when I give you the signal, take out their sniper. I'll go for the other one."

"You got it!" he replied and then crouched down to help steady his aim. I moved over a little and was just about to dive across the hallway when Selphie whispered "Hey! Be careful and don't get shot!"

"Whatever!"

"Meanie." She replied and then slid back down the wall behind Irvine. I glanced over at him and nodded before pulling Lionheart out and stepping forward into the passage. I could see that the sniper was positioned on the balcony half way up hiding behind a railing. He saw me and started to turn towards me when Irvine leaned out around the wall and took aim. The sniper saw this though and realized what we were doing so he started to turn back that way. He managed to set his aim on Irvine but the last thing he saw was a bullet leaving Exeter and smashing through his rifles scope.

Making my way up the stairs towards him I saw out of the corner of my eye that the other soldier had moved up a flight of stairs and was preparing to come over the railing above me. I spun and brought my blade up just in time to deflect his as he landed and thrust his sword at me. I parried his attack and then spun around 360 degrees and swung upwards at his undefended side. He barely managed to block but he did. I backed up slightly and we stared towards each other. And then for some reason he started laughing!

He looked at me and then down to where Selphie and Irvine had started to make their way up the stairs in case I needed any help. "Even if you get past me you will still die on this boat! You can't escape. We already knew you were coming before you even landed. One of the guards found the soldier you knocked out while in Esther and radioed in to warn us. We let you walk right into a trap. In fact this whole ship is going to explode in about five minutes. HAHAHAHA…….BOOM….ARRRRGGHHHH!"

I looked back at Irvine who was blowing the smoke out of the barrel of his gun and grinning. He then looked at me and said "Why is it, that bad guys always have to stop and gloat every freaking time?"

Smacking my hand against my forehead I couldn't help but grin slightly at his comment.

"Ok we need to hurry if we plan on getting out of here. I'll take point followed by Selphie. Irvine, you take the rear and cover us."

"Ok, you got it boss."

"Booyaka lets go! Teehee!"

We continued up the stairs and in no time at all we were back in the lab that they had visited earlier. Except this time it was completely empty and even some of the computer and test equipment was gone. This was getting strange. Why would they blow up a boat this size just to take out three people?

WARNING 2 MINUTES TO SELF-DESTRUCT…REPEAT 2 MINUTES TO SELF-DESTRUCT.

"Lets get out of here! Quick it's not much further!"

We took off and ran forward as fast as we could through the lab and out the door to the final stair case. Once there we headed up and out onto the flight deck. We ran towards the helicopter and then as we came around the last corner we slid to a stop. Now we knew why the soldier was laughing at us! Standing between us and our escape was a very enraged T-Rexaur. They must have used a lift to bring it out of the cargo bay.

WARNING 1 MINUTE TO SELF-DESTRUCT…REPEAT 1 MINUTE TO SELF-DESTRUCT.

"We don't have time for this! What do we do Squall?" blurted Selphie.

Why is it always me who has to think of everything, dammit? I checked my remaining supplies in my belt pouch and realized I had two Aura Stones with me! "Selphie, can you fly that thing?"

"I can fly the Ragnarok can't I?" she replied sarcastically. A plan had formed itself in my head. I just hoped it would work.

"Selphie, you get the chopper ready while we take care of the T-Rexaur. Irvine catch!" I yelled and Selphie took off around the beast while I tossed an Aura Stone over to Irvine and then I took mine and tossed it in the air over me. It broke open and the magic inside of it floated over me. Immediately I felt the raw power surge through me as I charged forward and began to hit repeatedly at any part of the monster that looked weak enough to be damaged easily and quickly. I emptied all ten shells into it and then dived back to my previous position. Then while it was still rearing up in pain from my attack Irvine moved in and loaded up a clip of pulse ammo and began pumping round after round into the T-Rex's exposed chest. Meanwhile I felt the second half of my limit magic build up to the level I needed. I decided to use Blasting Zone in hopes that the shock wave would knock the monster back far enough that it might go overboard. "Irvine, stay back I'm charged up!"

He saw this and immediately took off towards the chopper to help Selphie. I raised Lionheart above my head and allowed the Renzokuken magic to flow out of me and into the blade. It built in strength for several moments before bursting forth high up into the sky. Once this happened I brought the gunblade back down and slammed the energy beam into the monster. The shockwave did exactly what I had hoped and pushed the T-Rex backwards. Just not far enough to send it overboard.

Then I heard a loud roar behind me and turned, thinking that maybe there were two monsters out here. I was right but this one I was happy to see. Selphie had gotten the chopper ready and then while we were fighting she had found tools and removed her Odine Bangle. Now standing before me was one of my first GF's I had gotten.

Ifrit rose up into the air above me carrying with him a massive fire ball. He lifted it above his head and flung it at the T-Rex. It slammed straight into the beast and knocked it right off the side of the boat. With one last roar Ifrit faded away back into Selphie's mind to wait until he was needed again.

20 SECONDS TO SELF DESTRUCT… REPEAT 20 SECONDS TO SELF DESTRUCT

Uh-oh! Time to go! I took off as fast I could and dived into the waiting helicopter. As soon as she knew I was onboard Selphie pulled back on the stick and we shot up into the air and away from the ship.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The ship suddenly looked like a balloon as it collapsed in on itself for a second before exploding outwards into millions of little pieces.

I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes for a second to contemplate how bad a day I was having. And it wasn't even over yet! Oh well, what else could go wrong. I mean Omega Weapon is rampaging about somewhere and some psychotic general is trying to take over the world. And both of them probably want me and all of my friends dead. Hell, all I need now is a run-in with Seifer to make my day complete. HAHA at least that one won't happen.

YEP! Just another normal day in the life of a SeeD!

"Hey Selphie, tell Ifrit I said thanks for the assist back there. And then head for Esther. But in the meantime fill me in on what you know about those guys and if you have any ideas where they were taking Laguna, Quistis and the others. The Ragnarok is at the Air Station. We'll use it to get back to Garden and regroup with the others.

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Roughly half an hour later found us back onboard the Ragnarok with our new attack chopper tucked snugly in the cargo hold. Selphie and Irvine were up on the bridge setting course for Balamb Garden and I was down in Observation Room. I was going over all the new information that I had just learned and putting it together with what I had learned in Deling City. It was starting to make some sense now.

A rogue group of Galbadians acting on the orders of the late Vinzer Deling was taking out the leaders of the two strongest countries in the world. Which would put those countries at a severe disadvantage during an invasion. Plus if they used these collars that Selphie told me about then they would be nearly unstoppable. Especially with some of the new monsters that fell during the last Lunar Cry. I would bet money that they were responsible for releasing Omega Weapon too. If they could control Omega than SeeD would be in very big trouble. I still don't have a clue how it got here in the first place though.

In the meantime I better make sure Selphie and Irvine are flying and not flirting. I do not feel like crashing again. I already got yelled at by Seplhie when she saw the damage done to the Ragnarok. Which brought me to another question. Where did that other ship come from that made me crash. This was the only Ragnarok still in existence. Or at least it was supposed to be. I will have to check with Esther and find out the specifics.

I had made my way to the bridge and found out that we were well on our way back to Balamb Garden. I walked over to the copilots seat and sat down to wait until we got to our destination. I realized as I was sitting their just how tired I was. I decided to get a little shut eye while I could. Just as I fell asleep I realized I had missed one very important detail. That was the fact that I knew of only one scientists who could design a ring to control monsters. And he worked in Esther.

To Be Continued………

Authors Notes: Hello all.

Sorry it took so long to get this out but I had a lot of ideas to mull over. I have a good idea now and plan to work on the next few chapters for several days before releasing them. Thanks to Athena88, Angelprinczess29, Rinoa.J and Robin Love for reviewing. And as always if you read this please review and let know me how it is. Thanks. Oh yeah the next chapter is going to have all the gang back together along with Seifer and his posse. Bye.