Chapter 4 The exchange
Authors note: After 3 chapters I realized that the italics do not show up on FF.N so thoughts are in 'single quotations'.
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The flight to the Esther border was uneventful. The transport was waiting when they landed and the prisoners had behaved so far.
'Of course, they're going home', Quistis thought as she looked back at them as they were escorted from the Ragnorak. 'I just hope Seifer behaves himself on the way back.' Her team loaded the transport and they headed out for Esther City.
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Seifer looked up as the guard tapped his nightstick on the bars. "Prisoner #133083, Almasy, Seifer, step forward, put your hands on the wall". Seifer sat up, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overcome him, then tried to stand. It took him several attempts before he managed to overcome the weakness of his body. He stood swaying for a moment before shuffling over to the spot the guard had indicated.
Leaning forward and putting his hands on the wall as ordered he asked hoarsely, "Where are you taking me?" Seifer wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.
The guard slipped a cuff around one of Seifer's wrists clicking it locked, then pulling his arm behind him, did the same with the other arm. Seifer gasped in pain when his arms were handcuffed behind him. He could feel the warm trickle of blood as his wounds opened up again.
"Time to get cleaned up" the guard answered leading him down the hall towards the showers. "Looks like you're gonna have some company."
"What do you mean" Seifer managed to get out as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.
The guard laughed, "I guess there's others that want a piece of you. Rumor has it someone made a deal to get ya out of here." Then he added cruelly "maybe they won't be as accommodating as we've been here."
Seifer's mind raced 'who the hell wanted him now.' He didn't know how much more he could take before he wished he were dead. 'Who else have I pissed off' he thought 'the question is who haven't I pissed off.' A grim smile played across his face at that thought.
He stepped into the empty changing room and waited for the guard to uncuff him. When that was done the guard stepped out of the room and locked the door behind him. Seifer sat down heavily on the bench and started to unbutton his shirt. He saw a folded pile of clothes lying beside him and noticed they were the clothes he had been wearing when he'd been brought here. He ran his hand over the top garment and sighed, "At least I wont have to wear this prison uniform any more."
When Seifer finished undressing he carefully wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to the showers.
The painful stinging of his back eased somewhat as the warm water ran over his injured back soothing the gashes and loosening his tight muscles and multiple bruises. When he was finished he stepped out and dried off, careful not to touch the slash marks that ran across his back.
Seifer dressed slowly into his black pants and then his shirt. All the time it took to dress he tried not to think what was going to happen next. He looked down at his gray coat and ran a hand over the red emblem on the sleeve. Would he ever be able to wear the fire cross with pride and honor again.
....................................
When Quistis and her team arrived at the prison, Warden Jonas Perry was waiting for them. Stepping forward he introduced himself. "Warden Perry" he said smiling, holding out his hand. "You are the SeeD's from Balamb?"
"Yes, Quistis Trepe" she reached forward shaking his hand "and this is my team". Quistis noticed the smile; seeming genuine enough never reached the Warden's eyes.
"Did you bring the prisoners for exchange as agreed upon" Warden Perry asked.
"Yes" Quistis replied, and then turning to Xi-Wang who was standing beside her she continued, "have Jace and Taryn escort the men out. I want Adalia and you to stay with the transport." "Yes, Ma'am" Xi-Wang turned away to carry out her orders.
Warden Perry led the group through the prison and into the offices where the exchange would take place.
As they entered one of the Warden's aides came forward with the paper work. Quistis sighed thinking to herself 'I hate this part.' She just wanted to be done here and on her way back to Balamb.
She glanced around looking for Seifer wondering for the first time how he might have changed since she'd seen him last. 'Probably not at all.'
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"Time to go" the guard said, coming into the room.
He snapped the cuffs back around Seifer's wrists, this time in front and pulled him to his feet. Seifer rocked back and forth for a moment then stepped forward. The guard shoved him out of the room and into the hall.
"Come on Almasy, hurry up. I'd think you would be happy to be leaving this shit hole. But maybe" the guard taunted, "you want to stay." He laughed at his own joke as he pushed Seifer along.
Seifer didn't respond to the guard. He was focused on keeping his feet under him and wondering yet again what was coming. Lately nothing good came his way but he'd face it the way he always did. With his head high.
....................................
Quistis had finished the paper work and sat waiting while the Warden, sitting at his desk looked it over. Off to the side Taryn and Jace stood with the two men they were guarding.
When Quistis heard a door open and then close down the hall she looked up. Through the open doorway she could see two men walking toward her. Well one man pushing the other towards the office she was in.
It took a second but when Quistis recognized Seifer her eyes widened in shock. It was worse than she'd imagined. He had a black eye and was covered in bruises. Also he was barely walking and stumbled several times, which led her to believe the injuries were more extensive than what she was seeing.
Quistis let a mask of indifference slip over her face when she noticed Warden Perry was watching her.
It was in that moment that Seifer looked up and saw her sitting there. He clinched his hands into fists when he saw the remoteness on her face.
The Warden looked up as the guard shoved Seifer into the room. "Ah, and here is the prisoner you're after" Perry said gesturing to Quistis as he got up from his chair.
Quistis stood also and turned to the Warden "What happened to this man?" He shrugged "Accidents happen. Prisons aren't the safest places to be." He turned away but Seifer saw the smirk he wore.
"Ok, you have what you want and we have what we want." He gestured to the men. "The paper work is in order, so I believe this transaction is at an end."
Quistis was fuming at the highhanded way the man was acting but she wanted nothing more than to get out of this place so she hid it. "I'll need your guard to remove these handcuffs from my prisoner, then we'll let you get back to your business," she replied.
"Is that wise" Perry raised an eyebrow "he is known to be a dangerous man."
Quistis just looked at the man for a moment before saying icily "I don't think in his condition, Mr. Almasy's going to take us all on." Perry shrugged and then gestured to the guard to uncuff Seifer.
She turned to the two SeeD's "Please escort Mr. Almasy to the transport." Quistis looked back to the Warden, reaching out to shake his hand "Thank you for your time".
....................................
When Quistis caught up with the soldiers she noticed they had each taken one of Seifer's arms and were helping him along. "Let's get out of here and go home". They nodded their agreement.
The four of them reached the transport without incident and climbed aboard helping the injured man. "Adalia, get us out of here" Quistis ordered.
As she turned to look back at the rapidly disappearing gates of the prison, she was never so happy to leave anywhere.
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Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you that have reviewed this story. It makes my day!
....................................
Authors note: After 3 chapters I realized that the italics do not show up on FF.N so thoughts are in 'single quotations'.
....................................
The flight to the Esther border was uneventful. The transport was waiting when they landed and the prisoners had behaved so far.
'Of course, they're going home', Quistis thought as she looked back at them as they were escorted from the Ragnorak. 'I just hope Seifer behaves himself on the way back.' Her team loaded the transport and they headed out for Esther City.
....................................
Seifer looked up as the guard tapped his nightstick on the bars. "Prisoner #133083, Almasy, Seifer, step forward, put your hands on the wall". Seifer sat up, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overcome him, then tried to stand. It took him several attempts before he managed to overcome the weakness of his body. He stood swaying for a moment before shuffling over to the spot the guard had indicated.
Leaning forward and putting his hands on the wall as ordered he asked hoarsely, "Where are you taking me?" Seifer wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.
The guard slipped a cuff around one of Seifer's wrists clicking it locked, then pulling his arm behind him, did the same with the other arm. Seifer gasped in pain when his arms were handcuffed behind him. He could feel the warm trickle of blood as his wounds opened up again.
"Time to get cleaned up" the guard answered leading him down the hall towards the showers. "Looks like you're gonna have some company."
"What do you mean" Seifer managed to get out as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.
The guard laughed, "I guess there's others that want a piece of you. Rumor has it someone made a deal to get ya out of here." Then he added cruelly "maybe they won't be as accommodating as we've been here."
Seifer's mind raced 'who the hell wanted him now.' He didn't know how much more he could take before he wished he were dead. 'Who else have I pissed off' he thought 'the question is who haven't I pissed off.' A grim smile played across his face at that thought.
He stepped into the empty changing room and waited for the guard to uncuff him. When that was done the guard stepped out of the room and locked the door behind him. Seifer sat down heavily on the bench and started to unbutton his shirt. He saw a folded pile of clothes lying beside him and noticed they were the clothes he had been wearing when he'd been brought here. He ran his hand over the top garment and sighed, "At least I wont have to wear this prison uniform any more."
When Seifer finished undressing he carefully wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to the showers.
The painful stinging of his back eased somewhat as the warm water ran over his injured back soothing the gashes and loosening his tight muscles and multiple bruises. When he was finished he stepped out and dried off, careful not to touch the slash marks that ran across his back.
Seifer dressed slowly into his black pants and then his shirt. All the time it took to dress he tried not to think what was going to happen next. He looked down at his gray coat and ran a hand over the red emblem on the sleeve. Would he ever be able to wear the fire cross with pride and honor again.
....................................
When Quistis and her team arrived at the prison, Warden Jonas Perry was waiting for them. Stepping forward he introduced himself. "Warden Perry" he said smiling, holding out his hand. "You are the SeeD's from Balamb?"
"Yes, Quistis Trepe" she reached forward shaking his hand "and this is my team". Quistis noticed the smile; seeming genuine enough never reached the Warden's eyes.
"Did you bring the prisoners for exchange as agreed upon" Warden Perry asked.
"Yes" Quistis replied, and then turning to Xi-Wang who was standing beside her she continued, "have Jace and Taryn escort the men out. I want Adalia and you to stay with the transport." "Yes, Ma'am" Xi-Wang turned away to carry out her orders.
Warden Perry led the group through the prison and into the offices where the exchange would take place.
As they entered one of the Warden's aides came forward with the paper work. Quistis sighed thinking to herself 'I hate this part.' She just wanted to be done here and on her way back to Balamb.
She glanced around looking for Seifer wondering for the first time how he might have changed since she'd seen him last. 'Probably not at all.'
....................................
"Time to go" the guard said, coming into the room.
He snapped the cuffs back around Seifer's wrists, this time in front and pulled him to his feet. Seifer rocked back and forth for a moment then stepped forward. The guard shoved him out of the room and into the hall.
"Come on Almasy, hurry up. I'd think you would be happy to be leaving this shit hole. But maybe" the guard taunted, "you want to stay." He laughed at his own joke as he pushed Seifer along.
Seifer didn't respond to the guard. He was focused on keeping his feet under him and wondering yet again what was coming. Lately nothing good came his way but he'd face it the way he always did. With his head high.
....................................
Quistis had finished the paper work and sat waiting while the Warden, sitting at his desk looked it over. Off to the side Taryn and Jace stood with the two men they were guarding.
When Quistis heard a door open and then close down the hall she looked up. Through the open doorway she could see two men walking toward her. Well one man pushing the other towards the office she was in.
It took a second but when Quistis recognized Seifer her eyes widened in shock. It was worse than she'd imagined. He had a black eye and was covered in bruises. Also he was barely walking and stumbled several times, which led her to believe the injuries were more extensive than what she was seeing.
Quistis let a mask of indifference slip over her face when she noticed Warden Perry was watching her.
It was in that moment that Seifer looked up and saw her sitting there. He clinched his hands into fists when he saw the remoteness on her face.
The Warden looked up as the guard shoved Seifer into the room. "Ah, and here is the prisoner you're after" Perry said gesturing to Quistis as he got up from his chair.
Quistis stood also and turned to the Warden "What happened to this man?" He shrugged "Accidents happen. Prisons aren't the safest places to be." He turned away but Seifer saw the smirk he wore.
"Ok, you have what you want and we have what we want." He gestured to the men. "The paper work is in order, so I believe this transaction is at an end."
Quistis was fuming at the highhanded way the man was acting but she wanted nothing more than to get out of this place so she hid it. "I'll need your guard to remove these handcuffs from my prisoner, then we'll let you get back to your business," she replied.
"Is that wise" Perry raised an eyebrow "he is known to be a dangerous man."
Quistis just looked at the man for a moment before saying icily "I don't think in his condition, Mr. Almasy's going to take us all on." Perry shrugged and then gestured to the guard to uncuff Seifer.
She turned to the two SeeD's "Please escort Mr. Almasy to the transport." Quistis looked back to the Warden, reaching out to shake his hand "Thank you for your time".
....................................
When Quistis caught up with the soldiers she noticed they had each taken one of Seifer's arms and were helping him along. "Let's get out of here and go home". They nodded their agreement.
The four of them reached the transport without incident and climbed aboard helping the injured man. "Adalia, get us out of here" Quistis ordered.
As she turned to look back at the rapidly disappearing gates of the prison, she was never so happy to leave anywhere.
....................................
Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you that have reviewed this story. It makes my day!
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