Chapter 23
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Seifer stepped closer to the secured man and with an icy smile said, "Aw, I'm touched. You remember me."
O'Neil nervously tried to pull away as Seifer moved around behind him. Leaning towards the other man, Seifer asked in a deceptively soft voice, "I guess I don't have to remind you what happened the last time we met?"
"I-I was only doing my j-job. I had to follow orders," O'Neil answered, trying to twist around so he could see Seifer.
"Your job. Ok, I'll buy that. Following orders. I'll even buy that. But…" Seifer came around to face the other man. O'Neil looked at Seifer and saw a grim smile appear with his next words. "you enjoyed it way too much."
Quistis watched Seifer as he talked to their prisoner. He hadn't touched the other man or even raised his voice but she could see how nervous the man was becoming. She had to admire Seifer for his style, although she wouldn't have blamed him if he'd lost it and attacked the man at first sight.
Seifer slid his hand into his coat pocket while watching the other man struggle with the manacles that held him in place, and pulled out his gloves. Then O'Neil jumped when Seifer slapped them against the palm of his other hand making a sharp sound in the now quiet room.
Seifer sneered at him, "Well, now it's time to follow my orders." Slowly he pulled on one glove then the other until his hands were incased in black leather. "It hurts like hell when you scrape up your knuckles," Seifer said in a conversational tone as he examined his hand, "You know what I mean?" He shrugged when he got no answer from O'Neil. "Oh well, enough chit chat. I have a few questions for you."
Ian stood in the shadows beside Quistis and watched Seifer. He too was impressed at the control Seifer had over this situation. O'Neil was so focused on Seifer that Ian was sure the man didn't even realize there were others in the room.
"Now you can make this easy…or you can make this hard. Care to guess which one I'd prefer," Seifer, asked, eyeing the man in front of him.
"I can't tell you anything. I don't know nothing," O'Neil said looking down at the floor.
Seifer stepped up closer to O'Neil and grabbing his jaw in a vice like grip pulled his head up to look him in the eyes, "Can't or won't?" O'Neil glared back at Seifer not saying anything.
"Let's start with an easy one first. Where was Perry headed?" Seifer questioned, releasing the man.
"I don't know" O'Neil spit out.
"Well that's not really important. We know he's in Galbadia," Seifer told him, watching to see his expression. There was no change on O'Neil's face.
"Ok, how about this," Seifer circled around behind the other man. "Who's helping him?"
"I…don't…know," O'Neil answered.
Seifer leaned close once again "See, I don't think you're really trying here. And that could make me mad." Seifer came back around where O'Neil could see him. "That wouldn't be a good idea."
"If you think I'm gonna tell you anything, you're wrong." O'Neil sneered at Seifer. He saw the fist as it connected with his face, splitting his lip and causing him to jerk back on the chains that held his arms.
"Now see what you made me do." Seifer smiled coldly at his prisoner. O'Neil just glared at Seifer as the blood dripped down his chin.
Ian stepped forward to where O'Neil could see him. "Seifer why don't you let me talk to Mr. O'Neil here for a moment." Seifer looked Ian in the eyes for a few seconds before stepping back with a nod.
O'Neil looked suspiciously at Ian before saying anything. "Ian Anders…I heard you disappeared. Guess I know where to, now. What'd they give you to betray us? Huh?"
"Actually Mr. O'Neil I was never with 'you' in the first place." Ian smiled at the other man, "Maybe I should introduce myself. Ian Anders, Esthar Intelligence."
A look of shock passed over O'Neil's face. "A spy?" he whispered. "A spy!" he shouted at Ian. O'Neil lunged at Ian but was brought up short by the chains holding him in place. "You bastard," he growled.
"You must know you can't win. We will catch Perry with or without you. Why don't you help yourself and cooperate with us. I can guarantee certain things if you help us," Ian said. Stepping closer, he added "but if you don't, I can and will let Mr. Almasy finish what he started."
"How long do you think I'll live if I tell you anything?" O'Neil asked, sneering at Ian.
"I can take care of that, if…" Ian started to tell him.
"No, no way. I'll take my chances with him" he nodded in the direction Seifer had gone.
Ian noticed O'Neil looked scared when he talked about Perry. "We can make sure they never find out you made a deal with us. You can disappear. Under our protection, of course."
A harsh laugh escaped O'Neil's lips, "He'll find out, he always does. So go ahead, do your worst. I'm not talking. I'd be dead either way."
Ian stepped away from the prisoner and turned to where Quistis and Seifer stood waiting. "You heard what he said. What do you both think?"
Seifer, who had never taken his eyes off the man in the center of the room, answered the question, "Let me at him. I'll bet I can make him talk." Seifer turned to Ian, then and shrugged, "or at least I'll get some revenge for what he did to me." A cruel smile slid across his lips.
Quistis cleared her throat and the two men turned their attention on her. "I think we should let him think about your offer for a while. Maybe send him back to his cell and talk to the other prisoner. See what we can get out of him. If we had to, we could then play them against each other."
Ian smiled at her. "Good idea. I knew there was a reason I needed you on this mission." He turned to Seifer "You'd better hold on to her. Not only beautiful, but smart as well."
Seifer and Quistis both looked at him, shocked for a moment. "How did you know?" Quistis asked, trying to think back to see if they'd done anything to give themselves away.
"I am with Intelligence, after all. Did you think you could fool me?" Ian said chuckling, before growing serious once and moving back to O'Neil. "Well Mr. O'Neil, it seems that you'll get a small reprieve." Looking back at Quistis, he said "Ms. Trepe, please call the guards to escort Mr. O'Neil back to his cell."
O'Neil squinted his eyes trying to peer into the shadows to see who else was there. He hadn't realized that a third person was in the room. "I don't understand. What are you going to do?" asked, uneasily. Pain and torture, he expected, but this was confusing him.
"Mr. O'Neil, I'm going to let you think about what I offered you for awhile. We have another prisoner to talk to for now."
"Another prisoner? Who?" O'Neil demanded. "I didn't know there was anybody else."
Ian smiled at him, "A Mr. Drayson, I believe."
"Drayson? He don't know nothing!" O'Neil said forcefully. But Ian could see the sweat beading up on the other mans forehead.
The guards came in and unchained O'Neil. After fastening his hands behind his back with a pair of handcuffs, they escorted him to the door, where Seifer stopped them. Looking O'Neil in the eye with a deadly stare, he said softly "Don't do anything stupid, O'Neil. You wouldn't want them to use their nightsticks."
Seifer laughed when he saw O'Neil blanche, remembering what had happened when his and Seifer's situations had been turned around.
Ian and Quistis sat down at the table that was pushed into the corner and began talking while Seifer stood where he was, lost in thought.
"He sure got nervous when you told him who the other prisoner was," Quistis said to Ian.
"Yes, I wonder why," Ian, agreed, looking thoughtful. "This is going to take a bit longer than I thought it would. I was hoping we'd be going back to the palace tonight but it looks like we'll be staying here."
"What?" Seifer gasped, hearing the last part of the conversation.
Quistis looked over at Seifer with concern when she heard his outburst. She could see the anger flare in his eyes as he looked at Ian.
"You can't be serious. We can't stay here," Seifer snarled.
"I know this is the last place you want to be Seifer, but we have to finish here before our mission can move forward…if we want to catch Perry we need all the information we can get. Surely you can manage one night," Ian answered.
Seifer glared at Ian, not moving a muscle for a full minute. "Fine," he growled, turning as the door opened and the guards shoved their other prisoner into the room.
'This is going to be a long day…and an even longer night' Seifer thought, sighing.
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A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews. You are all wonderful. =0.0=
… Alonia has a new board for Seiftis/ Queifer lovers. If you get the chance, check it out.
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Seifer stepped closer to the secured man and with an icy smile said, "Aw, I'm touched. You remember me."
O'Neil nervously tried to pull away as Seifer moved around behind him. Leaning towards the other man, Seifer asked in a deceptively soft voice, "I guess I don't have to remind you what happened the last time we met?"
"I-I was only doing my j-job. I had to follow orders," O'Neil answered, trying to twist around so he could see Seifer.
"Your job. Ok, I'll buy that. Following orders. I'll even buy that. But…" Seifer came around to face the other man. O'Neil looked at Seifer and saw a grim smile appear with his next words. "you enjoyed it way too much."
Quistis watched Seifer as he talked to their prisoner. He hadn't touched the other man or even raised his voice but she could see how nervous the man was becoming. She had to admire Seifer for his style, although she wouldn't have blamed him if he'd lost it and attacked the man at first sight.
Seifer slid his hand into his coat pocket while watching the other man struggle with the manacles that held him in place, and pulled out his gloves. Then O'Neil jumped when Seifer slapped them against the palm of his other hand making a sharp sound in the now quiet room.
Seifer sneered at him, "Well, now it's time to follow my orders." Slowly he pulled on one glove then the other until his hands were incased in black leather. "It hurts like hell when you scrape up your knuckles," Seifer said in a conversational tone as he examined his hand, "You know what I mean?" He shrugged when he got no answer from O'Neil. "Oh well, enough chit chat. I have a few questions for you."
Ian stood in the shadows beside Quistis and watched Seifer. He too was impressed at the control Seifer had over this situation. O'Neil was so focused on Seifer that Ian was sure the man didn't even realize there were others in the room.
"Now you can make this easy…or you can make this hard. Care to guess which one I'd prefer," Seifer, asked, eyeing the man in front of him.
"I can't tell you anything. I don't know nothing," O'Neil said looking down at the floor.
Seifer stepped up closer to O'Neil and grabbing his jaw in a vice like grip pulled his head up to look him in the eyes, "Can't or won't?" O'Neil glared back at Seifer not saying anything.
"Let's start with an easy one first. Where was Perry headed?" Seifer questioned, releasing the man.
"I don't know" O'Neil spit out.
"Well that's not really important. We know he's in Galbadia," Seifer told him, watching to see his expression. There was no change on O'Neil's face.
"Ok, how about this," Seifer circled around behind the other man. "Who's helping him?"
"I…don't…know," O'Neil answered.
Seifer leaned close once again "See, I don't think you're really trying here. And that could make me mad." Seifer came back around where O'Neil could see him. "That wouldn't be a good idea."
"If you think I'm gonna tell you anything, you're wrong." O'Neil sneered at Seifer. He saw the fist as it connected with his face, splitting his lip and causing him to jerk back on the chains that held his arms.
"Now see what you made me do." Seifer smiled coldly at his prisoner. O'Neil just glared at Seifer as the blood dripped down his chin.
Ian stepped forward to where O'Neil could see him. "Seifer why don't you let me talk to Mr. O'Neil here for a moment." Seifer looked Ian in the eyes for a few seconds before stepping back with a nod.
O'Neil looked suspiciously at Ian before saying anything. "Ian Anders…I heard you disappeared. Guess I know where to, now. What'd they give you to betray us? Huh?"
"Actually Mr. O'Neil I was never with 'you' in the first place." Ian smiled at the other man, "Maybe I should introduce myself. Ian Anders, Esthar Intelligence."
A look of shock passed over O'Neil's face. "A spy?" he whispered. "A spy!" he shouted at Ian. O'Neil lunged at Ian but was brought up short by the chains holding him in place. "You bastard," he growled.
"You must know you can't win. We will catch Perry with or without you. Why don't you help yourself and cooperate with us. I can guarantee certain things if you help us," Ian said. Stepping closer, he added "but if you don't, I can and will let Mr. Almasy finish what he started."
"How long do you think I'll live if I tell you anything?" O'Neil asked, sneering at Ian.
"I can take care of that, if…" Ian started to tell him.
"No, no way. I'll take my chances with him" he nodded in the direction Seifer had gone.
Ian noticed O'Neil looked scared when he talked about Perry. "We can make sure they never find out you made a deal with us. You can disappear. Under our protection, of course."
A harsh laugh escaped O'Neil's lips, "He'll find out, he always does. So go ahead, do your worst. I'm not talking. I'd be dead either way."
Ian stepped away from the prisoner and turned to where Quistis and Seifer stood waiting. "You heard what he said. What do you both think?"
Seifer, who had never taken his eyes off the man in the center of the room, answered the question, "Let me at him. I'll bet I can make him talk." Seifer turned to Ian, then and shrugged, "or at least I'll get some revenge for what he did to me." A cruel smile slid across his lips.
Quistis cleared her throat and the two men turned their attention on her. "I think we should let him think about your offer for a while. Maybe send him back to his cell and talk to the other prisoner. See what we can get out of him. If we had to, we could then play them against each other."
Ian smiled at her. "Good idea. I knew there was a reason I needed you on this mission." He turned to Seifer "You'd better hold on to her. Not only beautiful, but smart as well."
Seifer and Quistis both looked at him, shocked for a moment. "How did you know?" Quistis asked, trying to think back to see if they'd done anything to give themselves away.
"I am with Intelligence, after all. Did you think you could fool me?" Ian said chuckling, before growing serious once and moving back to O'Neil. "Well Mr. O'Neil, it seems that you'll get a small reprieve." Looking back at Quistis, he said "Ms. Trepe, please call the guards to escort Mr. O'Neil back to his cell."
O'Neil squinted his eyes trying to peer into the shadows to see who else was there. He hadn't realized that a third person was in the room. "I don't understand. What are you going to do?" asked, uneasily. Pain and torture, he expected, but this was confusing him.
"Mr. O'Neil, I'm going to let you think about what I offered you for awhile. We have another prisoner to talk to for now."
"Another prisoner? Who?" O'Neil demanded. "I didn't know there was anybody else."
Ian smiled at him, "A Mr. Drayson, I believe."
"Drayson? He don't know nothing!" O'Neil said forcefully. But Ian could see the sweat beading up on the other mans forehead.
The guards came in and unchained O'Neil. After fastening his hands behind his back with a pair of handcuffs, they escorted him to the door, where Seifer stopped them. Looking O'Neil in the eye with a deadly stare, he said softly "Don't do anything stupid, O'Neil. You wouldn't want them to use their nightsticks."
Seifer laughed when he saw O'Neil blanche, remembering what had happened when his and Seifer's situations had been turned around.
Ian and Quistis sat down at the table that was pushed into the corner and began talking while Seifer stood where he was, lost in thought.
"He sure got nervous when you told him who the other prisoner was," Quistis said to Ian.
"Yes, I wonder why," Ian, agreed, looking thoughtful. "This is going to take a bit longer than I thought it would. I was hoping we'd be going back to the palace tonight but it looks like we'll be staying here."
"What?" Seifer gasped, hearing the last part of the conversation.
Quistis looked over at Seifer with concern when she heard his outburst. She could see the anger flare in his eyes as he looked at Ian.
"You can't be serious. We can't stay here," Seifer snarled.
"I know this is the last place you want to be Seifer, but we have to finish here before our mission can move forward…if we want to catch Perry we need all the information we can get. Surely you can manage one night," Ian answered.
Seifer glared at Ian, not moving a muscle for a full minute. "Fine," he growled, turning as the door opened and the guards shoved their other prisoner into the room.
'This is going to be a long day…and an even longer night' Seifer thought, sighing.
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A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews. You are all wonderful. =0.0=
… Alonia has a new board for Seiftis/ Queifer lovers. If you get the chance, check it out.
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