Chapter Nineteen

Casey Auberach leant gasping against the classroom door. Nothing in his training had prepared him for an attack on Garden. This was much more ferocious than the clash with Galbadia Garden. He took a deep breath and readied his shotgun. If he was going to go out, at least he'd go out fighting.

Turning, he kicked open the door, and fired into the hallway. Two Galbadians, surprised by the attack, went down. Three more turned and fired at Casey, who dodged down to the floor, drawing out two short bladed daggers from his boot sheaths and hurling them at the guards. One went down with a knife in his throat, while the other one ducked. Cursing under his breath, Casey leapt at the remaining two troopers. Clubbing one with the butt of his shotgun, he whirled and kicked the other in the chest. Both went down whimpering. Casey bent down to retrieve his knives, and headed for the elevator.

***

The Ragnarok hovered above the bridge, while Squall quickly shinned down a rope ladder.

"Took your time, didn't you Puberty Boy?"

Squall took the last step off the rope ladder, handing it to Selphie, who quickly climbed up to the Ragnarok.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Squall asked Nida, gesturing with the Lionheart toward Seifer.

"If you haven't noticed, Puberty Boy, I know more about Galbadian tactics than anyone on this Garden. Only a complete idiot wouldn't use that…"

Squall shifted into fighting stance "Are you calling me an idiot?" he snarled.

Seifer smirked and drew his Hyperion. "Hell, if the cap fits…"

"Guys!" Nida shouted. "We do not have time for this! Seifer Almasy, I am your superior. If you do not stop this now, I'll confine you to quarters. Master Leonhart, here and now you have no authority over Balamb Garden. In Cid's absence, I am the Captain of this ship, so you either concentrate on the job at hand or you get the hell off my bridge, understood?"
He let them digest that for a moment then turned back to the map. "Right, the paras are coming in through the second floor deck and the quad…"

***

Casey Auberach dived through the door. 'With a bit of luck they won't have followed me to the dorms.' He peeked out the door and swore. They had. Ten Galbadians were running up the corridor. Quickly he looked for some ammo, having long run out of his own. His gave fell on a battered knapsack, which he leant over and rummaged through.

"Aha! Perfect" he muttered as his fingers closed around a grenade. He looked back out the door, pulled the pin, chucked the grenade, and ducked behind a bed.

1 little second.
2 little second.
3 little…

BOOM!
The explosion shook the room, and Casey cautiously looked up. The door had blown off its hinges, and he could see in the hallway…stuff that might once have been Galbadian soldiers. Fighting down the urge to vomit, Casey stumbled down the hallway in search for more shells.

***

Seoman stepped out of the dimensional interval, his fingers tight on his sword. Intervaling into the middle of a war zone was not the smartest thing he'd ever done, he reflected wryly, but some things were necessary.
He looked around cautiously. He had pictured her in his mind, so she couldn't be far away.

A flash of blue caught his eye, and he crept slowly towards her.

***

Casey looked up at the sound of footsteps. Abandoning his gun and ammo bag, he crept towards the door, to see a man with a broadsword in his hand creeping towards Rinoa. Cursing his stupidity in leaving his gun in the other room, he did the only thing he could.

***

"Rinoa!"

Seoman turned and hurled a flare at the interfering SeeD. Rinoa started running, but Seoman leapt for her, held tightly onto her arm, and summoned the dimensional interval.

***

Casey looked through the red haze that was descending over his vision, and saw Rinoa disappear. With the last reserves of strength, he thumbed his comm to 'on'

"Auberach to…bridge. Rinoa's…been…" he coughed violently "Rinoa's been…captured..."

And with that, darkness swallowed him.