Chapter Seventeen

There were many Crusaders in the hallway, blocking the door.  From the look of things, they were waiting to arrest and take the Al Bhed into custody.  Just the sight of those uniforms made Abel want to puke.  He shuddered, remembering last time he saw a Crusader in one in them:  bloody and dead on the deck of the Alexander.  There was a lot of additional security running around too, so he stayed as hidden as he could.  He was wedged in a dark corner, watching the commotion about twenty yards down the hallway.  He also had his shotgun in his hands.  The security forces were outside the Al Bhed Psychs locker room, waiting on the team to emerge.  Someone said the game had just ended about five minutes ago.  Suddenly games really didn't matter that much anymore.  He looked around for any sign of Lulu, Rikku, or Wakka.  Man, I hope this works, he thought to himself.

"Halt!" a voice came from behind him.

Abel's heart froze and his body tensed up.

"Turn around," the same voice said.  Abel obeyed, turning around slowly and trying to hide his shotgun behind his leg.  He realized, with a very small amount of amusement, that he was failing miserably.  He turned to see two head Security Officers with their rifles pointed at him.  Behind them were four Crusader guards. 

"Are you with the treacherous Al Bhed?" the first officer said.

Abel tried to open his mouth but his motor skills locked up, as they have a tendency to do in life or death situations.

"Answer the question," the other officer said.  "And get that shotgun out of your ass!"  Abel obeyed reluctantly, presenting his weapon in front of him.

"Kill him," one of the Crusaders behind the officers said.

"No," the first security officer said.  "We may need him alive.  He may have information regarding the Al Bhed's attack on the Grand Marshall"

"I still say kill him," the Crusader replied.

"By order of the United Assembly of Spira," the Officer started.  "I'm placing you under arrest for conspiring with the Al Bhed."  Abel tried to think of something to say, or some way to get out of his situation.  His mind drew a blank.  "I order you to come with us," the officer continued.  "I also order you to speak of any knowledge you may have of the Al Bhed conspiracy.  I also order you to raise your weapon, and shoot one of the Crusaders behind me."

What?? Abel thought to himself.  The security officer gave Abel a wry grin.  Abel raised his shotgun and fired, creating a hole of ragged flesh and bone in the smart ass Crusader.  The two security officers then turned around and fired their weapons at point blank range on the Crusader guards, sending blood and other bodily fluids spraying out onto the hallway floor.  Abel took aim and sent the last Crusader to the Farplane.

Suddenly a roar erupted outside the Al Bhed locker room.  The noise was echoing off of the confined hallway, making a deafening sound.  Abel turned around to see Crusaders falling to the ground in chaos in the aftermath of Ultima. 

Abel turned back around to face the officers.  "Who are you guys?" he asked.

"I'm Security Chief Biggs," the first one said.  "This is Wedge.  We're friends of Lady Yuna.  Wakka ran into us and told us that you'd be here.  You played you're part well."  Played my part, a part of Abel's mind asked.  He was about to ask Biggs something when he heard Wakka's voice come bellowing through the hallway. 

"Al Bhed comin' thru'!!"  Abel turned to see Wakka and Rikku leading the Al Bhed Psychs, their coaches, and staff out of their locker room.  They were coming down the hallway towards him when Lulu stepped into view.  "Let's go!" she said as she ran in front of Wakka and the Al Bhed.

"Thanks guys," Wakka said into the direction of Biggs and Wedge. 

"No prob," Biggs said.

"What you guys gonna do now?"  Wakka asked.

"I don't know," Wedge replied.  "But I'm pretty sure our job as Security Officers are kind of thrown out the window."

"Wontcha come with us?" Rikku asked.  "Fight the good fight?"

 "What do you say Sir?" Wedge said looking at his superior. 

"Sure," Biggs replied.  "Besides, I was kinda getting tired of this job.  And you guys may need our help getting out of the city."

"Yes!!"  Rikku said.  "Woo-hoo!!  Thanks guys!!"

"Were going to the edge of Dock Four," Wakka said.

"We'll follow us then," Wedge said, turning and running down the hallway leading the way. 

Dock Four was only a five-minute walk under normal circumstances.  However, things were very far from normal.  The trek seemed to take hours due to the amount of Crusaders.  That also meant plenty of battles.  As covert as they convoy tried, things just didn't seem to work out that way. 

"The dock is right around that corner!" Biggs yelled at the top of his lungs as he fired his rifle in the direction of a Crusader squadron.  Abel followed suit and fired behind him not even looking at his target, but pressing forward as much as he could.  All the gunners had fallen to the back of the pack, hoping to take out the pursuing resistance.  It seemed as if the entire city was on their trail, Abel thought.

He turned the corner and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the pier stretch out towards the ocean.  Most of the refugees were halfway out by now.  It didn't even enter his mind what was to happen next.

"Oh no!!" Rikku exclaimed as the group of refugees reached the edge of the pier.  "Where are they?" she said slowing down and looking in all directions.

"Who's supposed to meet us here?" Wakka said with a skeptical look on his face.

"Reinforcements!" she answered.  "And a ship to get us out of the city!!"

"Ummm…guys," Abel said as he noticed a spotlight sweeping their way.

"You!!" A voice came over a loud speaker.  "Halt.  We have you surrounded!"

Rikku turned to see the Crusader unit, a good fifty person strong, slowly advancing on the group and walking out towards the edge of the pier.  Rikku looked around, trying to see if there was any way that they could escape.  All she saw was inky black water in all directions in the night.  "No!" she said again.  "This isn't right!!"

"Lay down your weapons," the guy on the loudspeaker said again.  "You don't have to die today."

"Wha'?" Wakka started.  "So you can execute us tomorrow?"

"What do you think Wakka?" Abel asked solemnly.

Wakka sighed before answering.  "There's no way we can all get out alive."

"Well I'm not giving up!!" Rikku said.

"Neither am I," Wakka replied.

"I think we're all with you," Blappa said from the back.

"We'll guys," Wakka said as the Crusader force advanced to within twenty yards.  "Get ready.   We all gonna go out fightin'."

Suddenly the base end of the pier exploded, sending the blood and body parts of Crusaders everywhere, including onto Wakka's shirt.  "What da?" he started looking down at the unrecognizable mess that blotted his shirt.

It was then that a huge spotlight came down from the sky and beamed on the group.  Wakka had to shield his eyes from the glare.

"This is The Falcon," a voice boomed from above.  "We heard you needed some help down there."

"The Falcon," Rikku exclaimed waving her arms upward.  "That's the airship of Kilika!!  Dad must have got to them!!"

Wakka watched in amazement as rope ladders came streaming down from the sky.  "We might make it outta dis' ya?" he said.  As he reached for a ladder, the pier underneath him shifted in weight. 

"Ahh,"  Lulu screamed as she started sliding as the floor shifted some more.  The destruction of the base part of the pier had significantly weakened its structure, causing it to sway back and forth.

"Lu!" Wakka screamed as he reached out for her hand.  The floor then shifted the other way and Lulu practically fell into him.  "We gotta get outta here!!" He then turned around and reached again for the ladder and started pulling himself up.

By then more rope ladders had fallen from The Falcon as the crew of the ship realized its folly in deploying the missiles.  More and more refugees started pulling themselves onto the deck of the airship.

"We got everybody??" Wakka said a few minutes later looking downward.

"Not yet," Judda told him. 

Wakka watched in horror as the pier violently shook to the right once and then crumbled and fell into the sea.  "No!!" yelled as he reached out, hoping he could grab whomever was left from forty feet in the air.  "Who was left?"

"Abel," someone said.

"No, not him!"

"Wait," Rikku yelled. "There's someone still on a ladder."  Wakka's eyes turned to the edge of the ship.  He saw a hand reach up and grab hold of the deck railing.  Then another hand emerged, and then the rest of Abel came into view.

"Abel!!" Wakka yelled.  "So glad you're alright brudda!"

"We got everybody!!" Rikku yelled.  "Let's get out of here!"

"Rodger that," the voice came from the loudspeaker.

The ship then fired its thrusters and started steadily inclining, leaving Luca below.  "Whew!" Rikku started.  "That was close."

"Where do we want to go?" Lulu asked.

The guy on the loudspeaker replied.  "We have orders to take you guys to Besaid Island.  I hope that's okay with you."

"Who gave the order?" Abel asked. 

"Cid," came his response.

"Dad," Rikku asked.  "But why wasn't he here to pick us up?"

"Cid and his crew are busy evacuating New Home as we speak.  He contacted us, told us the situation, and we volunteered to rescue you guys while he was busy trying to beat the Assembly to the punch."

"Besaid," Wakka said absently.  "We goin' home!!"

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Author's notes

1—Okay…..here it comes.  I'm sorry for the delay.  Truth be known, I had given up on this story (which means leaving everyone hanging.)  I started this story when I was in a barrage of personal problems, including, but not limited to: girl problems, loss of a family member, evicted from my apartment, break up of my band, etc.  Writing, in particular this story, was therapeutic in many, many way.  But since my last update, I've taken a turn that has things looking promising again.  Hence, I gave up on the writing therapy.  But something happened that I didn't expect:  I missed writing.  So now I have picked the story up again, and writing it for all the right reasons this time, which is the people I have left hanging.

2—I know I've lost most of my supporters by now.  I'll still say thanks even though you may never read this.  Those that do, your support has and still is very much appreciated.

3—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.