BREAKING THE MIRROR
Disclaimer – I don't own any of the FF8 characters etc, but I do however own some original characters that are going to be included in this story, and the imagination I have to give them life. Hope you like it…
Chapter 2 – The pieces of the puzzle
"Every problem has a solution, no matter how crazy it is" – Col
(Zell -?) ß (This is Zell's point of view now. Whenever this is here, I am telling the story from that persons point of view, in this case Zell's)
It was dark, that was for sure, but he didn't know what time it was. He supposed it was night-time, but the room he was in had no windows, only a door. Only a door.
He sits there in a corner; the thing that has astonished him the most about his capture is there has been no torture, no interrogation, no nothing. This is what worries Zell the most, as since he was caught, by that 'person', they have treated him as if he was staying in a hotel.
He has only had one visitor, and that was the guy who brought him food and drink. He had thought about trying to escape, but there was an armed guard standing outside his door. True, they have their back to him, but there is another guard at the other end, and he is facing Zell's cell.
He stares upward, well, he assumes upward, as it is nothing but blackness in here. He thinks about how he was captured. That guy he fought was, well, unreal. He had a sword, though Zell couldn't make out the make. Although this wasn't the worst thing he thought about this guy. It was the way he fought with the sword. The way he held it. The way he swung it. The way he handled it.
There was more than a frightening resemblance to Squall with the way he fought.
His thoughts are interrupted as a guy opens his cell door. It isn't his food-bringer. It is a man in a suit. His features he can't make out as the light is on his back and his face is obscured. He speaks.
"Out, SeeD."
Zell, not questioning, gets up and walks to the door, the glare of the light dazzles him, then everything goes black as something small and sharp thuds into his stomach. The last thought he feels is someone carrying him…
He wakes up, he is tied to a table, and straps hold his arms and legs down. His head is still free. Raising it, he sees a huge self to his left. There is a great deal of vials and books. Some of the vials have substances in it. Zell can only think of one thing, when he spots the things next to that. Needles.
He thinks of the words 'test subject.'
Thinking it can't get worse, he looks to his right, and almost yelps out in shock, as he fixes eyes on the person lying not too far from him, also strapped down…
(Squall/Quistis – Headmaster Cid's office)
A huge map is lying on the table in front of them as Xu prepares everything. Cid comes into the office and seats himself.
"This is serious," he says solemnly. "Zell is one of the best SeeD's we have, and he gets captured. Could there be a chance the enemy knew he was coming?"
"Possibly," says Xu, "as since he was one of the ones who destroyed Ultimecia, his name would have gained him notoriety, never mind his face. Someone somewhere may have recognised him because of his name, and described what he looked like. Not meaning to be rude, but that tattoo on his face is a dead give-away."
"Even so," says Quistis. "Like Cid says, Zell is damn good, he would not have went down with a fight, and I still say he's alive, as his body wasn't amongst the 6 we found. I said to Squall earlier that it is a trap, wanting to lure us out but-"
"I'm still going" Squall interrupts. "Sorry Quistis, but it's obvious that one of us has to go. The 'best' so to speak. Since they captured him, then this can be their chance to try to get another, but I'll make it hard for them."
"Squall," says Cid, "I don't think it's a good idea you should go-"
"You're like Quistis! Didn't you read the damn report all the way through?" he snaps. "The killer of those SeeD's had a sword-based weapon. And he was the only person that killed them, there was no indication of other weapons being used."
The others stand in silence for a minute, until Cid speaks up.
"I will not argue with you now Squall, just tell us what you think, and what you would like to do, and it shall be done."
Squall nods simply. "Get me the intelligence reports that Zell, and those SeeD's sent through."
Zell – SeeD Report 1 – Rumours of the new presidential elections being rigged are apparently true, as there is an unknown number of people being forced to pull out of the race for the presidency. General Caraway is being the biggest one. He says that health reasons are his reason, which could be true, but at the same time, reports that he was wanting to change the subject very quickly was noticeable. To date, there are now only 3 people/parties running for it now. Originally there was 14. I don't know what's happening but I think someone is threatening them to pull out, or bribing them. Report tomorrow. ZD
Zell – SeeD report 2 – I have discovered evidence that they are being threatened and not bribed to pull out. One of the candidates has a 'personal bodyguard' that makes the threats, the person who told me said the person was unidentifiable, and that, to put it mildly 'scared the shit out of them'. The source that told me this was later found dead. There is something very serious going on here. Also, after infiltrating the underground passageways again, General Caraway invited me to his house, promising he would remain discreet and quiet about my presence. There appeared to be something being built behind the presidential palace, it looked like a tower or something, as the foundations for such a building was already in place. General Caraway has informed me that there will be NO presidential elections, as it has already been done. Report tomorrow, after I have established what this 'tower' building is that they are constructing. ZD
Squall sits up. "That's the two reports from Zell, I would assume that after he left General Caraways, he was captured then, but I don't think Caraway was involved as he sent us the warning that Zell was captured."
"Why didn't he tell us about the guy who threatened everyone? Surely he must have been too" said Xu.
Squall shakes his head. "He dropped out before he was threatened. So he has no idea. But also this 'tower' building bothers me. What's that all about?"
"Maybe to assert authority" Quistis suggests. "Or it could be a cover for something."
"In any case," Cid says, "The SeeD's you sent out, returned just the one report, about 5 days after you sent them, this is what they wrote."
SeeD Code 'Alpher" report – Attempts to recover SeeD ZD remain fruitless, but we are following up on two very strong leads. General Caraway stated that Zell left quietly through the underground passageways and there was no sign of hostilities. Also the other lead was that a member of one of the Timber resistance factions, who is also spying, says that the 'tower' building, which is being built at an alarming rate, is actually being built on top of something, as the faction member remembers seeing a great deal of scientific equipment being sent to the presidential palace also. Working together, and assuming to him we are from Dollet, he helps us come to the conclusion that there must be a laboratory being built behind the palace, and we believe that is where ZD is being held, though we have no proof of this. Will report back soon. 'Alpher"
"They were supposed to report back every 2 days, but it looks like they were so busy trying to establish this scenario, they reported all at once, a mistake I believe, but after that, no contact, and then. Well, you found the evidence." Cid stops talking. No one speaks for a few moments.
"What would you like to do Squall?" asks Cid.
"I'm going after him. Simple as that. True, Quistis says it may be a trap, but if I find out anything, I'll report back. I'll report back more frequently. That way there will be more to work on."
Cid simply nodes his head. "Very well Squall, go and get prepared, you leave immediately."
Quistis is ready to protest, but decides not to. Xu places a hand on her shoulder. "You can't stop him, you know that."
"I know, but if anything happens to him…" Xu is one of Quistis best friends, and knows how Quistis feels about Squall. Even though she will never be his, Xu knows.
"It will be OK my dear, Zell is good, but Squall is the best, if he gets caught, them we will really worry."
Squall walks to his dorm, and gets his stuff together, which really is only his gunblade. He turns around and walks into Rinoa, who had come into his room.
"Shit, sorry-" he breaks off.
"Quite the mouth you have there" she smiles impishly at him, then quickly frowns. "Where are you going?"
Squall looks at her, into her eyes. "I have to go on a mission Rinoa, but I won't belong, Hopefully."
Rinoa is dumbstruck, it's not the fact he said he is going on a mission but… "Hopefully? Hopefully? I don't care if it's a SeeD thing or not, will you be OK? Hopefully not be long?" she is almost crying. Squall quickly hugs her close, she wraps her arms around him.
"I don't know what's going to happen Rinoa, and I truly don't know how long I am going to be, but I shall return."
Rinoa looks into his eyes. "You better, you better." They kiss one last time, and Squall leaves, leaving Rinoa on her own.
She sobs quietly, as she has an evil feeling in her stomach about this 'mission'…
And her feelings were usually right.