Author's note~ Hi guys, I've read my reviews and yes Leah I am a Brit ^_^ and I don't mind you spamming me with reviews if they are nice *giggle*. Anyway, I've been having a few new ideas for this story, at this point it could go one of two ways... a happy end (as much as it can) or a tragic end... I think you lot are smart enough to see what I mean, could you tell me if you want to see a happy end or a tragic one... or I guess I could split the story and post up two alternate endings, one for the maudlin guys among you and one for the people who want things to work out... tell me what you wanna see. Either review with it or send me an email meekychunky@talk21.com .... So come on guys your call, happy end, tragic end or both ^_^ P.S Any questions you wanna ask me you can email 'em.
Rinoa shut her eyes and bit her lower lip. She heard Squall flick of the monitor and take out the disc he had recorded the message onto, then she heard him sigh. She breathed deeply, calming herself. 'What do we do?' She asked him and he looked up at her with a frown.
'I don't know... I really don't know.' He said fatalistically.
'I mean do we turn back... or do we risk...?' Rinoa couldn't finish, her throat had closed up behind her words.
'Risk what? It's not a risk, if we go there, we kill her... It's not a risk, it's a certainty.' He frowned at the floor. 'It's what people use hostages for.' He stood and looked at Xu who shrugged.
'She said he was going to kill her reguardless.' She reminded him with clam equamity. Squall turned to the window and watched the scenery rushing by.
'I know, I'm not sure about this... Mind you, when have I ever been certain about anything.' Rinoa slowly moved over to him and slid her small hand into his. He looked down at their joined hands and gave hers a small squeeze, he reached up to stroke her face gently. His eyes told her that he was sure about one thing. He nodded. 'I think Selphie is right... he will kill her, but if we don't intervene, he will kill Zell as well, and have Trabia under his control, I think that's the worst thing we can let him do. Because he wants the power having Trabia will give him.' He looked back out of the window.
'I don't know what the others will think of this.' Xu said to him.
'I don't have any choice, whatever happens Selphie may die, I don't want that to happen, I can't let it be the only way. But you saw what was happening to Zell, he's frantic... I'm not too sure he can beat that situation on his own, the odds are too great...' He looked at Rinoa and nodded.
'Even for the king of Luck.' She said miserably, she had started calling him that when his reckless behaviour had begun to pay off.
'I need to talk to Quistis and Irvine about the situation.' He looked down at the disc. 'They need to see this... Seifer too.' Rinoa glanced at him questioningly. 'He was a more active Sorceresses knight than I've needed to be, he might know a little more... I can't leave anything to chance that is beyond my ability to control.' Rinoa nodded and put her arms around him, he had probably made the hardest desicion of his life. He had to sacrifice one of his few friends to the greater good.
*
Zell blinked as he came out of the darkness of the cellar into the light of the kitchen. He heard the rattle of gunfire a short distance away. He avoided the pans scattered across the floor as he crawled on his hands and knees towards the cafeteria. He looked around one of the stainless steel counters and nodded to Roo with gleaming eyes. He saw her catch her breath delicately, her red hair made her face seem more drawn and pale than it should be, but the hope that glittered suddenly in her eyes made him smile. He looked around and crawled over to Jill behind her table and winked at her, she raised her eyebrows at him. 'We're gonna push this table across to Roo's...' He looked at her and the other kids that hid there. 'Can you manage that and keeping yourselves behind it as well?' He whispered, Jill nodded and the two lads behind her grinned their assent. They took up positions and pushed when he nodded at them. The squeal of metal grating against metal brought another volley of gunfire from their attackers, Zell heard one of his group return it instantly, probably not good battle sense, if you save your ammunition where they waste theirs, you may be able to defend yourselves for longer. But that kid had probably never been in a real battle situation before so he guessed it was forgivable.
Roo grinned at them when they finally reached her. 'There's a way out?' She asked him and he nodded.
'Yup, there is... it's only out into the quad, but that was where Delta was heading. She risked herself to go and save those people that would try and escape. If she managed to do it... then, by now, there should be a small army around there. Everyone who isn't here would have tried to leave, Badier isn't expecting us to become a big group, he's split up his main unit to tackle us where ever he can find us.' Roo stared at him and went quite pale.
'Badier? Are you saying he's responsible for this?' She whispered in surprise. 'I didn't know.' She shook her head softly. 'He wouldn't...' Zell stared at her, she really hadn't known.
'I didn't tell you?' He asked and she shook her head. He shut his eyes against her devestated face.
'Why would he? I don't understand...' Zell gripped her arm tightly.
'He's a true soceresses knight... at least according to Edea.' She frowned.
'I don't understand I thought that was...'
'Squall, yes I know... Suffice it to say, a long time ago soceresses could give power to their knights but it all screwed up, Badier contracted that power, he's very dangerous... I don't know if being a nut has anything to do with the power or if that's just all him.' Her head was bowed he shook her arm slightly. 'Roo, I need to know if I can trust you to fight against him, are you able to?' She turned her face up towards him and swallowed.
'Yes, I'm a SeeD, we fight soceresses and their knights, hey it's what we do... I don't understand... but that has never been a requirement for a mission.' She nodded desicively. Zell smiled.
'We need to get these kids out, the only way is round the counters or over. If we can get the kids from table to table and then round the side... then we have unhindered access to the quad. We'll need to set up some cover fire, but it should be easy.' Jill winced.
'Never speak too soon.' She told him and he laughed at her with a quiet nod. 'It'll be a miracle if we can all get out.' He grinned.
'Don't you know, miracles are what I do...' It got her smiling.
*
Quistis had run across to hug Rinoa when the two Gardens had finally docked, her responding hug was more intense than it should have been. She looked down at her friends face, it was pale and slightly sickly. She turned and looked at Squall and got a slow sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach... his face was like a stone, something was badly wrong. She saluted him a little stiffly, and he responded with a flat stare. He indicated that the three from Galbadia should follow him to his office... now the bridge. As he walked he filled them in on the situation at Trabia, or what he knew of it anyway. Quistis saw Seifer's face frown at the mention of Badier being a true soceresses knight, then he shook his head and began paying rapt attention to Squall's words. The whole concept made Quistis frown, it also gave her a slight headache. When they reached his office she waved to Nida who was standing at the Garden's controls and took a seat next to Xu's. Irvine sat next to Rinoa, the only seats left were Squall's and the chair to it's right. Squall and Seifer looked at each other for a moment, each contemplating being within throttling distance. To her surprise it was Seifer that shrugged first, flinging himself down into the chair, Squall's eyes narrowed fractionally, if that was his reaction, most other people would have gasped in surprise. He sat down and cleared his throat.
'Well I've kind of filled you in on the most of it. Basically Zell's in trouble and needs some help, as does all Trabia... But,' He held up a golden disc. 'We received this about half an hour ago... you should watch it.' Squall stood up and fed the disc into his computer.
A bright blue square flashed up and it focused into a tall brown haired man sitting on a blanket-covered block of ice. His grin was insolent, he wore black combats and a blue t-shirt, he held a gunblade in his hand. 'Hi.' the image said with a wave. 'You'd be Squall. I'm wondering if you know who I am...? No? Playing the strong silent type are you? Or the silent stupid type?' Quistis saw his face tighten out of the corner of her eye.
'I know who you are... I think I do at least, you'd be Badier am I right?' Squall's voice was quiet on the recording. Badier clapped joyfully.
'Oh you can talk, I knew you could... Yup you guessed right. I suppose there's a first time for everything.' The man on screen started playing with his gunblade. 'So, I guess you know what is happening at Trabia then? Your eyes tell me you do, God you really hate me don't you? I'll have to do something about that when we meet up, because we will...' He smiled.
'I'll kill you...' Rinoa's voice said flatly, Badier's eyes flicked to something on the screen before him.
'Ah. So you're Rinoa then... my lady... you know I was meant to be with you? I'm your true knight.' He asked and smiled. 'You find that idea repellant? You won't kill me, he might though... If he got the chance, one that I am not going to give him of course. Y'see... I have something here you care about very much.' He stripped the blankets off a prone figure.
'Selphie!' They heard Rinoa's voice cry out and the surprise that was in her voice was well placed. Blood soaked white blankets underneath Selphie and trickled in a little stream from a vicious open wound in her stomach. It stained the ice underneath her crimson. She seemed to be conscious, but her face had a sheen of sweat that gave her a slightly fevered look, Quistis watched Selphie's chest move up and down very slowly. Her eyes were glazed from the pain. Irvine slammed his chair back and stood up. Seifer reached up his hand and took hold of Irvine's wrist, a silent communication passed between them and he sat again.
'I see you recognise her, that's good, because I barely do. Consider her something for your good behaviour.'
'If you mean a hostage say she's a hostage, at least have the courage to do that.' Squall's voice stated flatly. At that point Seifer leaned forwards and stared at the video, Quistis had her own eyes rivited on Badier.
'Okay, she's a hostage... let's see if she has something to say to you.' Quistis watched Selphie's eyes move to Badier and then the camera very slowly, almost as if she was drugged. 'Selphie?'
'Yes... I guess.. I do.' Her breathing was laboured and she had to take in big gulps of air to get out a short string of words. 'Squall... He'll kill me anyway...' Badier turned round in surprise. 'Save Trabia.' She screamed as he grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed her head against the block of ice. A splash of blood rose up on her forehead and she seemed to be losing the fight to stay conscious.
'I guess that was the wrong thing to say.' Selphie closed her eyes and it shocked Quistis when she realised that Selphie was laughing.
'If... you... you say so.' He was staring at her chuckling with his back to the camera.
'You hurt her and I'll kill you.' Squall said and Badier laughed.
'I already have hurt her... but it's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you. Or Zell. Selphie will be kept safe if you co-operate. Leave Trabia alone, it's mine, any other Garden comes visiting and I'm gonna slit her right up the middle...' The smirk on his face was too much for Quistis and she turned away. The recording finished. The three Galbadians blinked and looked at each other with consternation.
'So what do we do?' Irvine asked. 'Go in there with barrels blazing?'
'We don't know where he's keeping her Irvine.' Squall said softly and Irvine nodded quietly.
'So, what do we do, just turn around, I can't leave her in trouble Squall, Zell needs our help too.' Squall looked at his friend.
'Irvine, you know what we have to do, don't make this harder on Squall than it already is.' Quistis said quietly, looking down at her hands. She held her icy cool exterior but inside she was raging. Irvine looked at her.
'No, you can't... you can't just let him kill her.' Irvine yelled, his gun was in his hand, it made his posture seem more threatening than it already was.
'I'm sorry Irvine, but I have to save those that can be saved, I know nothing about Selphie's situation, I can't help. I wish I could but I can't. I can save Zell, I can save Trabia. You heard what she said...' He hung his head and continued in a whisper. 'Selphie knows her duty.'
'Stuff her duty man. Selphie doesn't deserve to die.'
'Neither does anyone else at Trabia. Are you willing to sacrifice their lives for Selphie's?' Seifer asked him.
'I'd sacrifice everyone's life for hers.' Irvine shouted at him, his eyes filling up with unshed tears. He shook his head and slumped down into his chair. The silence was deafening, until Seifer broke it.
'Can you go back a little on the disk for me?' He asked Squall and walked over to him and his computer.
'Don't be so morbid, Seifer.' Quistis said with venom in her voice. He turned to her and crossed his arms over his chest.
'I'm sorry, I'm actually trying to help her, you arse.' Quistis stared at him with a shocked look on her face. 'It's better than beating yourselves up over something you can't help.' He shrugged and looked down at the screen trying to find the exact spot on the video tape. 'There... Before he got her to talk to us, she's actually mouthing some words... Anyone else think that she might be trying to help us?' Squall frowned and everybody gathered round quietly. He replayed the bit Seifer was talking about and nodded.
'Well done.' Squall said absently and Seifer shrugged and walked away from the huddle. Squall magnified the image and played it back. Quistis looked at the video tape.
'She's saying Shiva.'
*
Zell looked at his group with a small grin and began to count down using his fingers. They had arranged for some to go over the top of the counters and some to run for the side. it had taken a lot of bullet dodging but they had managed to let everyone know the plan. The longe range weapons had already headed behind the counter quietly first, moving table to table. They were there to cover the larger amount of students that were studying the close range weapons.
In ten seconds they would try and make their escape.
In five seconds the loud clattering was bound to bring a thousand shots their way.
In one second they would risk everyones life at a last ditch escape attempt. He swallowed, it was 'Now.' He yelled, he grabbed one kid, threw him over the counter and dived over himself as their long range people rose up from behind it to take potshots at the students behind the barricade. There were a few screams but he could not tell if they were from terror or if they were really injured. The projectiles that flew their way made his heart beat in his ears and adrenaline pump round his veins in a way it never had before. It took all of half a minute and their cover team ducked down as well, he tried to take in everyone's faces. A few were in tears, most held their hands to their heads to try and drown out the noise the other side made. Several were stricken with fear.
'Sir? Sir!' He heard one boy shouting, he made his way over to him. He cradled a young girl in his arms, blood pumped out of her arm where an arrow had struck her. Jill stared up at him with terrified blue eyes, he swallowed.
'Remember, all you have to do is survive.' He told her, she nodded. He glanced over at Roo. 'Do I take it out?' She shook her head.
'It may put her into shock... just tie a tourniquet around the top of her arm and snap off most of the arrow. Hurry up there are a couple of others wounded... we need to move before they discover what just happened.' Zell glanced at her, angry fire burnt in her eyes, he had never been scared of her before, but perhaps now was a good time to start.
*
Author's note~ Okay, remember to tell me what you want from this story... in the next chapter a lot of fighting is going to take place, so now I'm going away to look up the word 'hit' in my thesaurus ^_^