"What is up with the rain in this stupid place?" Zell said to himself. "It stops it starts it stops it starts. Hyne I hate this place."
As if on cue the rain once again stopped and the group was able to see more than thirty yards in front of them. "We will stop here." Squall spoke up. "Its close enough to our extraction. Zell set up the transponder and tell Balamb to pick us up. Squall nearly collapsed against a boulder. His face a mask of stone. Though anyone could see that he was in more pain than he would ever let on.
"Sure. No prob." Zell replied. He was glad Squall had decided to stop. He was getting tired. By the look of it Irvine wasn't faring much better and Squall. Zell shook his head. Squall would talk when he was ready. He dug into his pack and pulled out what looked very much like a small radio. In fact it was a radio. Zell pushed a button on the top and a small red light started to blink on the antenna. He fiddled with the dial for a moment then held the radio to his mouth and spoke in a low but clear voice. "Balamb control this is SEED three do you copy?"
A moment later a voice spoke up. "This is Balamb control we copy. Is that you Zell?"
Zell smirked. "Hey Nida. What's happening?"
"The usual Zell. Just keeping this thing from running into mountains." Nida replied. "The Garden is parked by Fisherman's Horizon right now and taking on supplies. What's your status?"
"Our mission is a success." Zell reported. "We are standing by for our extraction."
"Affirmative Zell. We will be there as soon as we finish loading up. ETA…two hours."
"Roger Balamb. SEED three out." Zell clicked off the radio and placed it on a nearby rock. "Squall. Retrieval in two hours."
Squall nodded then leaned on his hand. Obscuring his face. His thoughts were on the mission and the things that had happened.
Zell sat down next to Irvine. The cowboy was in considerably better spirits than their leader. "What's up Zell?" He asked as Zell sat down.
"I'm worried about squall." He replied. "He won't let us near those injuries of his and some of them are damn serious."
Irvine nodded sagely. "Who knows what he went through before he let us out. Me I'm not gonna complain. Whatever is affecting him it saved our asses. My guess is right now he is just trying to forget about it.
Zell fell silent. Irvine had a point but he just knew it was something else this time. He looked over at Squall. Squall was sitting on a rock running a whetstone over Lionheart. He certainly looked detached.
Irvine sat back. There was nothing to do now but wait. He pulled what was left of his hat over his eyes and tried to sleep.
Squall sat on a rock sharpening Lionheart and running through the day's events in his mind. The mission had been much much more than he had ever thought. The price was very clear. His thoughts drifted back to trip to Centra.
"So Squall. What's the mission? Irvine asked.
Squall pulled out the envelope Cid had given him and ripped the seal. He pulled out a data disc and plugged it into the boats computer.
"Good Morning SEED's." Cid's voice came from the speakers. "Here are the details of your mission today. Two weeks ago an orbiting spacecraft from Esthar saw what looked like explosion somewhere in the mountains of Centra. The Esthar military sent a scouting party that reported a heavily guarded Facility that appeared to be doing weapons testing. Due to the sensitive political nature of the assignment President Loire decided to hire SEED to investigate and if need be destroy this facility.
"Figures." Squall interrupted. "Always letting someone else does the work."
"The Esthar scouts reported numerous patrol groups as well as fixed defensive installations." Cid continued. "This was what made us decide to send you three. You are most capable for the job. Your objectives are as follows.
1. Slip past or neutralize the perimeter defenses
2. Discover the nature of the research at the facility.
3. If the research is of a military nature destroy all research and backup files.
That is all." The screen went blank.
"That is our mission." Squall said. Any questions?"
"What do we need to sneak in for?" Zell asked. Lets just plow through those defenses."
Squall frowned. "One reason we are not going to do that is because there will be several of these on patrol." On the screen a picture of what looked like a very large Robot spider came into focus. Zell's face immediately sobered.
"That's right. Galbadia appears to have re-instituted the X-ATM092 project. We are to expect anywhere from four to fifteen of these machines. I know we have all faced them at some point and can be beaten. However where there is an X-ATM092 there will be soldiers. So lets keep this op quiet. The Lab is located here." The screen lit up with a picture of a building nestled into a mountain. "The Galbadians have hewn their facility straight into the mountain." Squall continued. "We believe however that there is an entrance for lab personnel near the weapons testing area which we assume to be here." The screen focused again. The Esthar scouts said that the area here seemed to have been blasted recently. Assuming they are correct this will be our primary means of entry. Patrols should be much easier to avoid due to the size of the area. Most of the soldiers and machines will be located at the front entrance. More questions?"
Silence was his reply.
"Good." Squall said. "Now lets do an equipment check. Zell, in your pack you should have a transponder/radio to Balamb, three shaped charges. We will use these to demolish the computers and research. You should also have a two phoenix downs and three potions.
Zell checked his gear. "I got all of it Squall."
Squall nodded. "Good. Irvine, you should have three shaped charges as well as an ammo belt for your shotgun and two machine pistols with three full magazines for each. You should also have three dynamo stones and two flare stones."
"I check out Squall." Irvine replied.
"Alright." Squall continued. "I am carrying a bandoleer of gunblade ammo as well as a slicer tool to get past security. I also have three grenades a phoenix down and two additional charges."
Now under no circumstances are we to intentionally split up. However if that does happen then you are to continue with the mission. These will keep us in communication even If we get split up."
Squall held out his hand. On it there were two earpieces.
"These are coded but if we don't use them then there will be no chance of intercepted transmissions."
A chime sounded in the forward part of the boat.
Squall looked up. "That's our five minute warning. When we hit the beach come out moving and get into cover fast. Hopefully we're not spotted but we wont take the chance."
Squall sat back down and dug into his pack. He pulled out the ammo bandoleer and loaded Lionheart with pulse ammo. Next to him Irvine had slung his shotgun behind his back and had pulled out both machine pistols and was checking them. Zell was pacing and punching the air. Which was good enough since he didn't have a weapon to check anyway.
The chime sounded again and the boats driver came over the loudspeaker.
"We hit the beach in thirty seconds. As soon as you are off our orders are to pull back and return to Garden at all possible speed. Good luck gentlemen." The voice paused as boat gave tremendous jolt. Light spilled into the troop bay as the doors opened. "GO GO GO." The driver shouted.
The SEEDs did not need telling twice. They sprinted out of the boat and onto the rocky beach. Irvine ducked behind a boulder. Squall veered to the left and took cover behind a dune of gravel. Zell moved to the right and skidded behind another boulder. All three sat perfectly still while the insertion boat pulled away from the beach and sped away.
Squall was the first to lift his head and check the area. No shouts of alarm came. Nothing skewered his head. So he took a better look around. The beach was strewn with rocks of all sizes from pebbles that he was hiding behind to medium size boulders and a few that were taller than a man. It was desolate and cloudy with not a single plant in sight. A couple miles away the mountain range began. Squall got up and walked over to the boulder that Irvine was hiding behind.
Irvine looked up and suddenly felt very silly crouching behind the boulder when Squall was standing in plain view. "So are we all clear then?" He asked. Squall just nodded and walked towards Zell's boulder.
The blonde fighter seemed to be lost in his own world as he struggled to peak around his boulder without presenting himself to whatever it was that he was hiding from. Squall tapped him on the shoulder.
"YEARGHHH!!!" Zell screamed and tried to jump to his feet and turn around at the same time. As a result he tripped over his own feet and fell flat on his back. "Geez Squall you scared the crap outta me. Whaja do that for anyway?" Squall just hung his head and walked away. He liked Zell he really did. But sometimes the man could be clumsier than Laguna.
Irvine stood next to Squall chuckling at Zell's antics. "Were clear Zell lets get moving? And for Hyne sake keep your voice down.
Zell rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Right. Sorry about that."
Three hours later they had worked their way into the mountains. Squall noticed an area that looked a bit blackened and charred. That must be the testing ground. He thought. He pointed it out to Irvine and Zell who both agreed with him. They descended the mountain and crossed onto the testing ground.
Irvine kept his head on a swivel as they crossed the testing ground. What the hell was that? He asked himself. He could have sworn he just saw something move. There it was again. He tapped Squall on the shoulder and pointed to the area.
Squall followed Irvine's outstretched finger to what looked like a boulder. Sure enough after about a minute it seemed to move. "What do you think it is?" He asked Irvine.
"I dunno. It is probably still about a mile away. We should get closer." Irvine replied.
"Agreed, but with weapons out." Squall removed his scabbard from his shoulder and drew Lionheart, then slung the scabbard back over his shoulder and cinched it down so it would not get in his way. Irvine un-slung Exeter and chambered a pulse round. Zell popped his knuckles.
The group spread out. Irvine took the center, Squall was on the left and Zell on the right. As they got closer they saw that the boulder that was moving had clamshell doors. A technician was bringing equipment up through the doors. How they opened or what controlled them was not apparent.
There were also two Galbadian soldiers standing guard. Though their backs were to the SEEDs. Squall knelt behind a boulder and the others joined him.
"Lets keep this simple." Squall whispered. "Irvine and I will take the guards. Zell you get the tech, make sure that he is conscious. I want to question him. Don't let him sound an alarm though. We make our move as soon as the tech goes back down.
"No prob Squall." Zell whispered excitedly. "I'll have that tech so fast he wont know what hit him.
"Whatever."
The group slowly crept closer. As they got closer they saw that the Galbadians were not paying the slightest attention to the world around. In fact the Tech seemed to be the most alert of the group. Both soldiers were armed with the standard issue Galbadian sword.
The tech disappeared down the hatch again and the SEEDs moved.
Squall and Irvine ran as silently as they could toward the guards. As they approached one guard turned his head and saw Squall.
"What the…?" Was all he got out as Squall brought Lionheart diagonally across the soldiers neck.
It was enough. The other soldier was more alert than squall gave him credit for. He backpedaled rapidly and drew his sword. Then he turned and Rushed Irvine.
Damn he's fast. Irvine thought. He ducked under a wicked slash aimed for his neck and jammed the barrel of Exeter against the soldier's stomach. Not fast enough. He added with a grim smile. Irvine pulled the trigger.
After the hours of relative silence the roar of the shotgun sounded more like a large bomb had been detonated. The pulse round hit the soldier's spine before it exploded and the explosion liquefied the man's entire torso. The head flew straight into the air while the arms dropped to the ground. The waist and legs stood for a moment before toppling.
Just as Irvine fired the Tech came out. Took one look around. And ran as fast as he could the way he came.
"GET HIM ZELL!" Squall shouted.
Zell sped off down the stairs after the tech. As he rounded a corner at the bottom of the stairs a blur sped toward his face.
The tech dropped the length of pipe he had used to bludgeon Zell and ran as fast as he could down the corridor.
"Shit, damn f&k. Zell swore violently and clutched his nose. Your gonna die you skinny freak!" Zell sped off after the Tech. As he ran he held his hands to his torso.
"HASTE."
The spell's energy flowed through him and he tripled his speed. Quickly gaining on the tech. The man had stopped and was trying to work something on the wall. "Shit. Alarms." Zell said to himself just as he tackled the man directly into the wall.
There was a loud crack and an even louder scream. The tech was clutching his arm, which was quite broken.
Zell was still sore about the pipe to the face and grabbed the tech by the collar of his lab coat and began dragging him back down the corridor to the clamshell. When he stood on the stairs the doors opened and Squall and Irvine ducked inside.
"Are you ok Zell?" Irvine asked.
"Yeah. Little creep was waiting at the bottom of the steps with a pipe." He dropped the tech and held his hand to his face. "Cure." He muttered. He sighed as the pain faded and the cuts healed.
Squall knelt by the whimpering man. "We are going to make this brief and depending on your cooperation you can either be a casualty or an informant." He held Lionheart to the Man's throat. "So what's it gonna be?"
The Tech stiffened. "You're too late." He scoffed. "I already hit the alarm. The security detail will be here any second. If you let me go they might just take you prisone…" The tech trailed off as Squall lightly pressed Lionheart against his jugular. Easy, easy man. Ok I'll talk."
"That wasn't so hard was it?" Squall asked. "Now then. Did you trigger an alarm?
The Tech tried to move away from the blade. "No…No man I was just tryin to get you to let me go."
"Where is the nearest lab?"
"End of the corridor. Where Blondie tackled me."
"Get up." Squall Commanded.
The man got to his feet and the group walked down the hall and into the lab. The tech keyed the door open and stepped in behind Squall.
"What is this purpose of this facility?" Squall asked.
"I..I can't tell you." The tech answered. "If I tell you they'll kill me."
"If you don't tell me then you are already dead." Squall Responded.
"We..we're supposed to clone and genetically alte…" The man was cut off as the back of his head exploded.
A squad of Galbadians stepped into the lab. Suddenly it was a lot more crowded.
The leader spoke up. "We're here to research ways to kill SEED's. Though I don't know why we waste our time. It seems that we are already pretty good at it."
He leveled his gun and the two other soldiers raised their swords.
Squall held up Lionheart and Irvine chambered another round.
Zell popped his knuckles and held up his fists. "Lets dance boys."
A/N did I just leave a cliffhanger? Yes I did. Thanks the folks who reviewed. Thanks especially to Queen for giving me tips for my writing. Hopefully it's a bit better. Questions comments flames. You know what to do. Hopefully I will have the next installment done by the end of the weekend. Don't worry. There will be much more blood in that one. For those who want to see the other characters all I can say is soon enough. Well that's that. I'm gonna go do what I do best. Sleep. Have a nice weekend.
Mike
Tracer rounds work both ways.
