"YOU CAN'T TELL US WHERE SQUALL IS? What do you mean, you can't tell us? You finally confess this hidden knowledge you've been burdened with for the past three weeks, and now you don't even finish your story?" Furious, Zell strode across the small dorm, and grabbed Irvine by the collar. Despite the good six inches or so Irvine had on Zell, he seemed unafraid to confront the gunman. His face burned a crimson red as he let the rage build up inside him ten-fold.

"You guys, cut it out!" The irritated voice of Quistis called shrilly. "I mean it, cut it OUT!" Her agitation was evident in her clear eyes as she glared murderously at the two grappling men standing before her. Irvine causally pushed Zell's hands away from his collar, and Zell backed away, taking a defensive position against the whitewashed dormitory wall.

"Man, you should have just let me finish Zell." Irvine said, crossing his arms across his broad chest. "I can't tell you where Squall is because he's not living where I saw him!" Quistis and Zell just looked at him, confused. Sighing heavily, Irvine took a seat on the twin bed against the wall adjacent from where Zell stood, and proceeded to finish his story.

"Honestly, do you two really think I would intentionally keep this information from you?" Irvine's perplexed frown softened Zell's angered expression, and he beckoned him to continue. "Look, I can't tell you where Squall is because… well, because he isn't where I saw him anymore." Looking at his two companions, Irvine waited expectantly for their reaction.

"I'm confused, Irvine." Quistis began, biting worriedly on her lower lip. "What do you mean, Squall isn't in the same place now as when you saw him? How do you know? And furthermore, why don't you just tell us where you saw him?" Glancing over to where Zell stood nonchalantly against the plaster wall, he nodded his approval.

"Well, as I told you, I saw Squall when I was assigned to visit Esthar on official SeeD business." He cleared his throat, then began again. "Now, I know what you're both thinking; how come neither of you knew about this "SeeD Business?" Quistis and Zell both nodded, agreeing that they were a bit perplexed as to why they didn't know about the SeeD assignment three weeks earlier. "Well… okay, this is going to take a lot of explaining. Maybe we should talk to Headmaster Cid about it together? Since, you know, we have to go to his office anyway."

"Oh no you don't Irvine! You're not getting out of this that easily, and besides, I don't see what Headmaster Cid has to do with any of this anyway, unless-" Quistis broke off, a sudden realization dawning in her eyes. "Oh my god… Headmaster Cid knew where Squall was all along didn't he? And he sent you to "check up" on him, because he figured you were the least emotionally involved!"

"What?! That's impossible, I mean, how could the Headmaster know for TWO YEARS where Squall was, but not let anyone else know?" Zell cried out agitatedly, his face burning with suppressed anger.

"Calm down Zell… you always have had a temper problem. Now listen, Quistis, you're partly right- the Headmaster did know where Squall was, but not for the entire past two years. He found out about one week before he asked me to go on assignment to Esthar in search of Squall." Shoving his hands in the pockets of his tan trench coat, Irvine stood up from his place on the twin bed, and made his way over to the far wall where Zell was standing.

"And you're right about something else, too… Headmaster Cid did figure that I was the least emotionally involved. And maybe he was right in assuming that; I mean, compared to all of you, I've known Squall for a shorter period of time than any of you have. But… remember, we did all grow up in the orphanage together, and though Squall doesn't remember me being there; well, I still can't shake the bond I felt with him; with all of you." As she gazed at Irvine, she could tell that he was very reluctantly revealing emotion; emotion he would never have revealed by choice. A sniper's life must be lonely she thought to herself, remembering the way he had froze in that long ago mission to assassinate the sorceress.

Even Zell seemed less angry, now that he was hearing the story from the gunman's lips. "So, Irvine, you're saying that the Headmaster sent you to Esthar to search for Squall? How did he know where Squall was though?"

"Well, Zell, that's the weird part… Laguna told him."