Between the Shadows

By: Ethereal Fury

Chapter Seven: Meetings, Tribulations… and Reed

Zephyr gave the green shampoo bottle a forceful shake and squeezed. Instead of the expected viscous ivory cream, a fistful of air greeted his hand. Dammit, Reed's used up all the shampoo again. Could the guy be any more vain? If it weren't for class, I bet he'd be washing his hair every ten minutes. What an ass, he grumbled angrily as he shook the bottle again with more force and squeezed hard enough to crush it. This time, he was rewarded with a Zanarkad-sized puddle of the priced cream.

Note to self: Make Reed eat bottle before I leave. And hide it next time, he thought dryly, attempting to work the ridiculous amount of shampoo into a lather with which to wash his hair. With a frustrated growl, he began vigorously massing his scalp, the scarce lather eventually turning into relatively abundant white foam.

As Zephyr worked his hands skillfully through his chestnut locks—he didn't have the Akademy's nicest hair for no reason— his mind wandered back to his earlier meeting with the Headmaster.

Flashback

"Headmaster Rayn," Zephyr greeted, saluting formally.

The Headmaster was a man in his early forties, short and feeble-looking, and a bit on the chubby side. His thinning brown hair was carefully parted down the middle and slicked back, but messy clumps often fell over his vivacious hazel eyes framed by thick glasses. He looked much older than he actually was; his once-tanned skin, now pasty and yellow, creased with many a wrinkle of worry and stress. Twenty years of running an Akademy full of insolent youths could do that to a man. Despite his current harmless appearance, rumor had it that in his youth Breckyn Rayn had been he deadliest sniper Zanark had ever seen. Twenty-two years ago, during the Zanark-Aerith War, he had reportedly single-handedly eliminated an Aerian squadron that threatened to penetrate Zion's fortified walls in the dead of night. Zephyr always found that hard to believe—the man could barely read the cafeteria's menu through his thick rimmed glasses, how could he have shot down twelve men of Terra's best military, shrouded in darkness?

Headmaster Rayn waved his hand in dismissal at the formality. "Please, please. At ease Zephyr. Take a seat," he said, pacing in front of his desk. "Want a drink?" he added.

Zephyr relaxed his attentive stance and refused the offer with a slight shake of his head, opting to remain standing without a drink. "What is it Headmaster?" he prompted impatiently. Headmaster Rayn was notorious for his long-windedness and tendency to sidetrack from what he wanted to say. A meeting that should have taken ten minutes at most often turned into half an hour in the least. And Zephyr had neither the time nor the patience for that.

The Headmaster paced in silence in front of Zephyr for a few minutes, brow furrowed in thought. IT was as if he was debating whether or not to share something important. Zephyr shifted his weight and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. At this rate, I won't be getting out till I'm supposed to be getting back. Jeez, will that old geezer hurry up? he thought irritably.

Headmaster Rayn's surprisingly soft voice interrupted Zephyr's train of thought. One would think that twenty years as the head of a military institution and giving orders daily would make him loud and imposing, but he was uncommonly soft-spoken and gentle. "No use beating around the bush Zephyr. Members of our ZEG intelligence team have gotten wind of some information indicating an assassination attempt towards President Jecht," he began in a low voice.

How the…? Guess ZEG is smarter than we gave it credit for. Damn, this complicates things, Zephyr cursed inwardly. Outwardly, he showed no sings of shock or surprise; he just sighed wearily and calmly replied, "Headmaster, he's the most powerful man alive, he's bound to have enemies. Besides, this would be the fifth time so-called 'assassination' information has been intercepted… it was no more than a joke the previous four times, what makes you think it's any different this time?"

The Headmaster stopped his pacing and looked up at Zephyr with a serious expression. "I spoke to the head of the group. A call came in this morning through my private line saying the President would be assassinated within the week, then the line went dead."

Zephyr brought a hand to his forehead in disbelief. What the hell is that idiot of a Boss doing? Calling in and alerting the Akademy of his plans… he could just as well have waltzed in here and revealed who he was and who works for him. Does he understand how much he's complicating things?! he fumed silently.

"Do you have any idea who the call was from?" he inquired, a hopeful undertone in his voice. Maybe they didn't know who had called… or maybe it wasn't the Boss and someone was going to take the heat off them.

"An Aerian rebel group known as 'The Red Faction'. They have been responsible for many attacks against Zanark and its politicians in the past ten years. Their apparent goal is the liberation of Aerith from the strict Zanarkist control it is currently under. Here is all the information we have on them; we've been following since, roughly, their first attacks," Rayn explained gravely, handing Zephyr a thick manila folder marked 'Top Secret'.

Zephyr opened the folder and began flipping through its contents whilst the Headmaster detailed some of the Red Faction's activities. About halfway through the pile of papers, he came across a sketchy black-and-white picture that made him stop and widen his eyes in surprise. There, staring right back at him, was a younger version of the Boss. He looked different—visibly younger, less scarred and burnt—but unmistakably the same man that had hired Zephyr. The same scar that sealed his eye shut was present, the same limp hand holding a cigarette, the same dimples on his disfigured cheeks. The corner of a small familiar silver crest on his shirt pocket peeked over the edge of the photograph. Zephyr held up the picture and quirked his eyebrow in question.

"That's the faction's head honcho. No name, no identity, no record—just known as 'the Boss' even to his group members", Rayn explained, taking notice of Zephyr's quirked brow. "Eight years ago that was… only picture of him ever taken. First and only time he was ever seen. That was taken by two top ZEG officials after one of the first attacks on the recently-elected president Decan Jecht… both ZEG officials were found dead and that picture was the only thing that remained of the operation," he added.

"I see. But how does this concern me, if I may ask?" Zephyr inquired, flipping through the last few documents and handing them back to the Headmaster.

Headmaster Rayn took the folder and let it fall on his desk with a resounding slap before turning to Zephyr once more. "We want you to lead an investigation against this group and foil their assassination attempt," he stated with some hesitation.

Funny, you want me to against the man who hired me, huh? Sorry Headmaster, they have my paycheck… my only way to help Storm. You have nothing. How ironic—playing both sides and in the end betraying one. Father would be so proud, he thought with disdain. How was it that he always ended up in such complex ploys? He shook his head and crossed his arms again. "Why, sir? I'm not even a part of ZEG; I'm just a student. Why me?" he asked.

"ZEG has been tailing this man for ten years and come up with one lousy picture. One picture in ten years. You're the best this Akademy has seen in the twenty years since its establishment. You deserve better than being a mere ZEG recruit; this would put you at the top of the organization, make you a hero. That's why Zephyr; you deserve this," Rayn explained vehemently, gesturing with his hands for emphasis. "It's what your father would have wanted," he added in a low voice.

Zephyr gritted his teeth and set his jaw in determination. "If he wanted it, I won't do it. Find someone else Headmaster," he replied with finality, saluting the Headmaster once more and turning to leave the office.

The Headmaster's proposition almost made him chuckle bitterly… did Headmaster Rayn really expect him to forgive his father and go do a mission in his name? Auron Leonstrife's constant absences from home to engage in high-risk secret missions in the heart of the politically unstable Aerith after the war had all but destroyed his mother, and in a way, the young Zephyr too. Gale had idolized and practically worshipped the ground Auron walked on; his presence was the very essence of her existence. With him gone for months on end, living with the constant fear that he may be dead, she had simply began to fade away, looking to alcohol to drown her sorrows. She just lost her sparkle when he wasn't around. When they had received the official notice from the Zanark government of his execution for treason nearly seven years ago, she had simply given up on living and just patiently waited for the moment death would come claim her too so she could rejoin her husband. Zephyr had had no real father figure growing up— Storm hadn't even had a father, so he guessed he was lucky— and Auron's antics had robbed him of a mother too… and Zephyr hated him for it. It's funny how even in death he still manages to rule mom's world… she never had time for me when he was around, and now that he's gone, she doesn't have the energy to care for Storm. Great work Dad; you left behind one hell of a family, he thought bitterly, slamming the door to the Headmaster's office shut.

Breckyn Rayn watched him go and shook his head sadly. "Poor boy… poor poor boy. If he only knew," he murmured, picking up the picture of the Boss and looking at it for a long time before muttering an inaudible 'Forgive me' and placing it back in the folder.

End Flashback

Why was the Headmaster so keen on me investigating the faction? Why would my father of all people want that? How would he know of it in the first place? Zephyr mused thoughtfully as he scrubbed his sore body with a sponge. In the distance, he heard the dorm phone ring and Reed answer it, remaining silent for a while before grudgingly agreeing to something and upon hanging up, grumbling blasphemies.

Zephyr shook his head with a snicker and turned on the water again, setting it to a cooler temperature than the one he had been bathing in. He briefly wondered what could have ticked Reed off like that… by the way he was cussing nonstop, it most likely involved his beloved Instructor Blade. With a shrug of his shoulders, Zephyr flicked the shower switch and immediately felt the refreshing water cascading over his body and through his hair, rinsing out the soap.

After staying under the tumbling water longer than was needed, allowing its coolness to remove his tiredness and clear his head from the previous conversation with the Headmaster, he shut the water off and stepped, dripping wet, out of the shower. He reached for a towel with which to dry his hair, and upon being done giving it its customary messy out-of-bed look, wrapped the towel loosely about his waist. Strolling over to the table by the corner to retrieve his watch and chain, Zephyr walked out of the bathroom with one last look at his reflection in the misted mirror. Back in the room, Reed was pacing about it, still muttering profanities under his breath and shaking his head in disbelief.

Zephyr crossed his arms over his bare chest in annoyance, covering the small black dragon he had tattooed on his left pectoral. "What is it this time Reed? Why are you whining like a little girl?" he queried irritably.

Reed stopped his pacing and looked up at Zephyr, pointing at the phone with indignation. "Can you believe that prick of a Headmaster? He just calls me and tells me that I'm supposed to all of a sudden do this mission without previous warning and…"

"You like missions Reed; they feed your delusion that one day you'll be part of ZEG. Get to the point," Zephyr interrupted rudely.

Reed glared at him and continued, ignoring his comment. "So yeah, like now all of a sudden I'm supposed to be researching this idiotic Aerian faction that wants to kill the President or something…" he continued.

So, the Headmaster couldn't get me, so he settles for second-best. Joy, he thought dryly. Reed was still babbling about the mission, and personally, Zephyr couldn't care less. He probably knew more about it than Reed did… or possibly ever would. "You have fifteen seconds to get to the point or I will take Punishment out of its case and whoop your ass so far into next week it won't even be funny," he stated icily.

Reed held up his hands in defeat. "Jeez, man, you gotta learn to chill out a bit. You're too stressed!" he exclaimed, shaking his head with a laugh.

Zephyr was not amused. "Ten, nine, eight…" he drawled, checking his watch.

"Okay, okay, I'll get to the point. So like that old geezer calls me and tells me I'm working with the Instructor. Yeah, that's right, me and Instructor Blade working on a mission together… like what is up with that guy? I mean, we absolutely love each other… this is going to be a real blast; a whole week by myself with Blade, the Akademy's resident queen bitch herself… aren't I lucky?" Reed finished, throwing his hands up in exasperation and shaking his head in disbelief once more.

Ahh… so it's the Instructor and my rival against me. How ironic; they hate each other dearly, as do Reed and I, and she's infatuated with me, yet they are united in the quest to vanquish a mission I'm responsible for. Well, this should definitely prove fun, Zephyr thought with a grin.

So this is what their final showdown was going to be… the life of a man, the president of their country, the most powerful man alive, being the wager. Zephyr had to kill him, Reed had to save him; whoever achieved their purpose would prove superior to the other. The deadlocked struggle of two rivals would be coming to an end in less than a week. Reed he wasn't afraid of; Zephyr knew he could take him no problem, shoot him if the need arose. But the Instructor was a different story… she was intelligent, as sharp as he was, experienced (having been part of ZEG since age fifteen), and one of the most brilliant minds of the organization. She could definitely pose a problem; if she researched and asked around enough, she would be able to unravel the faction's plan. Zephyr knew she and Reed would be under enormous pressure and have little time, but Instructor Blade's genius-like mind could pull off amazing stunts… and that worried him. But with Reed around her, getting on her nerves and arguing with her, it was unlikely she'd be able to concentrate. Hell, no one could concentrate with Reed around. "You're going to be the most envied man in the Akademy," he replied dryly.

Reed snorted. "Yeah, assuming I'm still a man after that's through… that whip of hers is a very effective, err… disarming weapon."

Zephyr shook his head with a smirk. "You two make the cutest couple, everyone thinks so," he stated, turning towards his closet to get his clothes.

Reed's mouth hung open in disbelief, emerald eyes wide as saucers. He and that obnoxious, self-important bimbo did not make a cute couple, at all. So what if she was the best looking, and smartest, thing the Akademy had ever seen?! He was not attracted to her… although the swiftness with which she cut down training robots with that whip of hers and the way those glasses gave her a mature and intellectual look did make her awfully sexy. Reed shook his head—whoa, had he just thought the Instructor was sexy? There was just no way; he hated her, right? And she hated him back… that much was obvious. The way she always yelled at him in class and picked him to answer questions he had absolutely no idea had been asked because he had been too busy flirting with the female students to listen… yeah, definitely no attraction on her part. Or was there?

Zephyr glanced back at his amazed rival over his shoulder. He shook his head with a chuckle—Reed may have been good with getting women to sleep with him, but he was apparently oblivious to their feelings. Come on, even I could tell the Instructor has the hots for him too… why else would she always yell at him and make him stay after class? And the way he blatantly flirts with her… hell, even an idiot can see the attraction. She just thinks she likes me, but I know she really doesn't. Maybe this mission will prove to be more than just a fat paycheck… I'd love to be there when they realize they like each other, he thought, taking his black jeans, T-shirt, jacket, and his boxers from his closet and walking back to the bathroom to change. A few minutes later, he heard Reed mumbling to himself again and the room door being slammed shut. Zephyr let out a low chuckle, finished brushing his hair, grabbed his cardkey and gunblade, strapped his 8-millimeter training gun to the inside of his boot, and followed Reed out the door and into the warm Zion evening.

***

R&R!